Chapter 269 - A Price to Pay_Dreamland

The Uldaman University Campus sprawled over several picturesque hills in the North-Western region of Uldaman City, nestled just East of the majestic Imperial Palace. The expansive area comprised a variety of buildings, each with its own unique purpose and architectural style. Lecture halls and seminar rooms dotted the landscape, providing spaces for intellectual discourse and learning. State-of-the-art laboratories buzzed with scientific exploration, while numerous student dormitories offered a range of accommodations to suit different preferences and budgets.

Two grand libraries stood as the intellectual heart of the campus, housing countless volumes of knowledge and quiet study spaces. The campus was also equipped with armories and training halls, reflecting the university's commitment to a well-rounded education that included physical prowess and strategic skills. Dining options abounded, from affordable eateries perfect for students on a budget to upscale restaurants offering gourmet cuisine, all scattered throughout the verdant grounds.

The campus itself was a garden-like sanctuary, featuring vibrant flower beds, intricate labyrinthine bushes, and numerous benches inviting students and faculty to relax and enjoy the scenery. Fruit trees lined the pathways, providing a natural bounty and adding to the serene atmosphere.

Beneath this idyllic surface lay a vast network of tunnels and catacombs, ingeniously connecting the buildings. These underground passages were particularly vital during the harsh, long winters, ensuring that the university community could navigate the campus comfortably and efficiently, regardless of the weather conditions above.

Alice walked quickly along the winding path toward the Emerald Lecture Hall. She needed to find the location äe on street d, which was entirely different from location aë, where she had mistakenly headed before. Location äe was 105, while location aë was 501. They sounded the same in Guaravian and Vinayan but were written differently; a heat e was written äe in Vinayan but aë in Guaravian.

Her tardiness was due to the numerical differences between the two systems—Guaravian numbers placed the smaller digits at the front, while Vinayan numbers placed them at the end. The Guaravian guard had misunderstood her question and directed her to the wrong place.

She sighed. There was no need to worry; Hew and Tina would wait for her if they had already finished their class. But what really troubled her was the lack of news from Lores. It had been three days since Lores had jumped from the flying ship to save Mike. What if they were dead?

She shook her head, trying to dispel the disturbing thought. Maybe Mike had lost his messages during the fall, and Lores had none with her.

The area where the incident had occurred was one of the worst possible locations. Perhaps only falling into the volcanic fields that lay beyond would have been more dire. The Calestres Forest, where the two were now, spanned vast stretches of the border between the former Kingdom and the Vinayan Empire, making it one of the most feared regions on the continent. The road connecting Guaranga to Uldaman took a wide detour to avoid it.

She had great hopes that Lores would survive. The demon girl had shown uncanny survivability and resourcefulness, but Mike? Even with Lores by his side, his chances looked grim.

She sighed. What would she do if Lores didn't return at all? Suddenly, everyone was looking to her for decisions, and everything had become her responsibility.

Julietta had fallen into a catatonic sleep the moment Lores left the flying ship and had not awakened since. Alice had arranged for Lynx to take Julietta off the ship and carry her, so others wouldn’t see her incapacitated state. Now, Julietta was in their rooms, guarded by Lynx. This was another point of worry for Alice, as she didn't know how long the elf could survive without food or drink. What could she do?

To add to her concerns, their financial means had been greatly reduced, as she had no way to access Julietta's money. This was one reason why she had booked a cheap apartment for all of them in the student district, further northwest of the university, near the outer wall. Housing was cheaper there, and they could blend in more easily with the student population.

Luckily, Spartacius' food bag was working, which solved one major problem: feeding them, especially Lynx. Without it, her finances would have been ruined within weeks. After all, who could afford to buy a cow every other day and stay solvent?

Initially, she had been reluctant, but eventually, she agreed to let the boys attend courses at the university. Participating in open lectures was mostly free and it was a great opportunity for the three young men and Tina to expand their knowledge.

Their alibi was that they were all students from the Arhang Islands, a small archipelago to the west of Adwana. Since the game had introduced English as a language spoken on that archipelago, and one of the starting points for players was there, they had a good explanation for their low levels and language, even though by now they all spoke Vinayan. Even Hew, who had finally reached the point where he had a magic foundation, was now attending lectures at the Emerald Hall to learn about finance and mathematics, while Tom and Michael were more interested in the study of war at the War Institute.

Tina was still undecided about her field of study. She was more interested in natural sciences, but for now, Alice had asked everyone to stay in groups of at least two and agree on what to study. Currently, Tina was with Hew in the Emerald Hall.

The university campus was reputed to be very secure, but Alice watched with concern as a ragtag group of demonstrators gathered. There was always some kind of protest or demonstration happening, but this group seemed larger than usual. Though she didn't pay attention to their chants, she kept an eye on them. They were religious zealots, shouting slogans and trying to stop passersby to preach their 'teachings'. As long as they didn't aggressively push or touch people, it was bearable.

The real problem with these religious zealots arose when they felt their religion or deity was insulted. Then, they could become dangerous.

"There's a new bishop in town," a passerby remarked.

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Surprised to be addressed, Alice turned and saw a dark-haired woman around her age, also eyeing the zealots. Alice raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" she asked.

"The old patriarch died unexpectedly yesterday, and his nephew, Kyrylys, has taken over his insignia. There are rumors that not everyone inside the church agrees with this," the woman said, stepping closer.

Alice had a feeling that the woman was around level thirty, but she refrained from identifying her to avoid seeming impolite. Some people didn't like being directly identified, and the feeling Alice got was enough to gauge her.

From the woman's dress, Alice recognized her as one of the campus guards. "Which religion do you mean?" she asked.

The guard woman huffed.

"It's obvious you're not from here! It's the new twin gods religion!" the guard-woman said.

"Well, it's not that new," Alice protested.

The woman laughed. "In this kingdom, it is new. Hell, on this continent!" the woman added laughing even louder.

Alice shrugged but before she could leave, the woman asked, "Are you here to meet your protégés?"

Surprised, Alice raised a brow, hesitating on what to answer. The woman smiled and explained,

"I've seen you bringing them to the lectures and taking them back each day." She shrugged. "It's my job to know what's happening. Felicia is my name," she said with a slight bow.

Vinayans didn't usually shake hands, except in very close, familiar settings. A small bow or nod was the normal greeting.

"Alice," she responded. "Indeed, I am here for my... protégés."

“There’s a training room with a dense magic atmosphere that students can use for free,” the guard-woman explained. “The student fee for most courses is only one silver per week. They can meditate there for free or even do some physical exercises. It could help those who are magic-starved.”

Alice chuckled at the term. Calling the boys "magic-starved" was quite appropriate, even if a little derogatory. Besides that, the advice wasn’t bad.

“That sounds like a good idea!” Alice acknowledged.

After exchanging a few more words, she said goodbye and continued on to meet Hew and Tina.

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Once in front of the Emerald Lecture Hall, Alice observed that the doors were open, but most students were still inside. She nodded to a couple of bodyguards she recognized. While most students didn't have bodyguards, some did. However, even the prince's bodyguards waited outside the lecture halls for him. She supposed there might be a couple of bodyguards disguised as students, but officially, the prince was just a student like any other.

She glanced inside and saw a group of students still chatting in the middle of the room. When Tina saw her, she came out.

"They still have something to talk about," Tina said after greeting her.

"Who?"

"Hetaxia and some students."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Who is Hetaxia?"

"The lecturer," came the answer. "There were some monks who came in as 'students' and now try to convince and convert people, but Hetaxia is putting them to shame with her logic."

The level sixty-two priestess trembled uncontrollably, sweat trickling down her brow. Her ankles were bound to the chair’s legs, her hands tied behind her back. She tried to shift into a more comfortable position, but the bindings were too tight.

"This... this... Your grace, this is not necessary..." she mumbled through her tears to the older man who was pacing in front of her. He stopped and looked at her for a moment.

"Then why were you hiding from me and my men? Why didn’t you report back?"

"But... but... your grace... I just came back from the jungle... the young viscount..."

"He is no viscount yet; I am not dead," the man said with a sigh. "So why didn’t you report?"

"I... I... I couldn't. I just barely made it out. I had no money, and I was afraid..."

"You were afraid?"

"It... it... it ate them... it simply ate them... it just stood there, munching on Dirk's hand and looking at me..."

"So, a beast eats your team, and you run and hide?"

He came close, leaning over the priestess.

"And you do not report to me? You let my son think she was dead? How could you?"

"I... I... The connection was always handled by Heather or Dirk. I never wrote... I didn't know... I'm sorry... I barely made it out alive... without money..."

"What? Did the beast take your money?" the rogue behind her sneered, pulling the cords even tighter.

"I told you everything. I told you how it happened. It shredded my belly and belt in one swipe. I lost everything, including my staff. I barely escaped alive..."

The viscount turned towards the rogue and sighed.

"I have no more use for her. Dispose of her at your discretion." He then left the room.

Chapter 269 - A Price to Pay

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