Ch. 2.1 - The First Selection

                                    

                                          
For the welcoming ceremony of all first-year students, everyone was instructed to gather at Cúpula de Alexia (which is Spanish for Alexia's Dome). It's a giant covered arena that could be considered a modern colosseum named after Queen Alexia. We don't actually know anything about this Queen Alexia person aside from the fact that she was mentioned in every scroll found when magic was first discovered.
People like to throw her name around and speculate her role in the history of magic. There are people who believe that she's a Goddess who introduced magic to Earth during ancient times and ruled the land. Others say she was just the first-ever Arcanist who climbed the hierarchy and easily became Queen due to her powers. Of course, there was no way to confirm any of these speculations, so everything aside from the name Queen Alexia was as good as fiction.
At the same time, Alexia's Dome is such a fitting name for this one-of-a-kind building. If Queen Alexia really was a Goddess, then this dome perfectly encapsulates the gravity of her presence. The whole structure seems to glow under the sunlight like it is emitting magic. It consists of a strong and solid foundation with complimenting towering columns that guard the sides of the entrances. Despite capturing a more modernized theme, there are several intricate carvings that symbolize the institution and magic as a whole.
"Wow! This place's huge," the person in front of me exclaims.
Did he not realize that a few hundred meters ago?
The dome has several entrances to minimize traffic and keep the students organized as we step inside. I was expecting the interior to just look like a football stadium with a semi-transparent roof. However, my expectations couldn't be further from the truth. The dome actually holds several facilities within it, and the exact place we had to go to is the main arena where the major events probably took place. The ambiance is consistent with the beautiful exterior we had just seen. Audible gasps from countless students echo throughout the arena as we step foot on the vast green land, expanding up to the surrounding walls that support the sea of seats above. You could also see giant display screens similar to those in stadiums.
"You think this is where all the fights take place? I'm kinda excited," someone chats behind me.
"Probably? Hey, what are you doing! Stop that! I heard someone got expelled for using magic without permission earlier."
"Eh? No magic allowed in the magic school? I was just trying to get the feel of things."
"They mentioned it during the online orientation. I didn't think they were actually that strict about it though."
"I think I fell asleep that time," he chuckles.
That's right. I've already heard many students talking about it when I entered the gates. At this point, no matter how excited you are to use magic, the risk of being expelled would trump any desires you have. Because of that, the school wouldn't have to worry about students misbehaving.
That seems oddly convenient.
After a while, the ingress of the students finishes with no issues.
Now then, let's see...According to the schedule, the opening ceremony should begin at exactly 9 AM. The time just ticked at 8:58 AM so we shouldn't have to wait any longer for the program to start.
	Before the ceremony started, I let my gaze wander as I try to scan the arena. I'm not exactly sure what to look for but I'm under the presumption that someone is supposed to welcome us. I'm guessing it'd be from the giant screen, but I thought we'd see them in person.
	Meanwhile, the murmur among the students intensifies as they anticipate the start of the school year. Their curiosity is just as much as my own, and I could genuinely say that I can't wait to know what's about to happen next.