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Chapter 1.5
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Igarian Calendar, Year 10013
“Are you ready Cael? This’ll be your first time studying alone.”
“It’ll be fine, gramps. I can’t rely on you for the rest of my life, right?”
“If you say so Cael, I suppose I’ll see you off then.”
“Alrighty gramps, let’s go!”
Stepping on the carriage reminds me of the time when we first decided to move here. Hehehe... I was pretty foolish back then, wasn’t I? I purposely endangered myself just to feel some petty sense of superiority over those village kids. Just because they dared me to explore the forest, I almost ended up throwing away my life. Hah… good thing gramps was there to save me. I don’t remember much from that day, but I distinctly recall the blood running down grandpa’s left arm as he carried me. Gramps has done a lot for me, hasn’t he?
“Thank you… grandpa.”
“Hmm? For what?”
“For taking me in. For rushing to save me that day. For helping me pursue my dreams. For… everything.”
“Awwww, you’re gonna make me cry. You’re very welcome, Cael. I hope you’ll manage to reach your dreams.”
“I will grandpa. I will.”
“And I’ll be waiting for that day when you return as an accomplished mage.”
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“Well, this is as far as I can go, Cael. The carriage driver will take you the rest of the way. I hope you enjoy your time at the academy.”
“Thanks grandpa. I’ll be sure to visit on break.”
“I’ll be waiting. Ah, and bring some souvenirs back while you’re at it.”
The carriage begins to move again as I shout back to the receding figure off in the distance.
“Goodbye gramps!”
“Goodbye Cael!”
I can feel my eyes getting damp as I say my final farewell. Why must goodbyes be so painful? The new year suddenly seems so far away…
Well it’s bad to be sad over things that are out of my control, I’ll just look forward to the day when I can visit them.
My thoughts began to wander as I suddenly feel a wave of afternoon tiredness wash over me. I lay myself along the cushioning of the carriage and slowly let my dreams take over.
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“Excuse me young man, we’ve arrived.”
“Ughhh. Ah, t-thank you… I’ll be on my way, just a moment please.”
“Ah, no worries. Take your time.”
I check for my pendant and grab my bag that I left in the corner. Rustling through my hair, I try to flatten it best I can to hide the bed head that’s developed while I slept. I slowly exit the carriage and I instantly feel a dense wave of mana flow through me. It feels rather soothing, much more so than the chaotic energies back in the city. This mana seems much more… uniform in its existence. Perhaps it’s somehow controlled by the teachers? Well then, enough of these random thoughts… let’s go experience school life!
“Ah before I forget, thank you for your services, mister…”
“Derick, sir. Y-you’re welcome…”
“Well I hope to see you around Derick, you were an excellent driver.”
“A-ah, thank you sir.”
I thought noble children were supposed to be stuck up? Yet this young man seems to be rather respectful even towards a lowly driver such as myself. I hope I can be arranged to drive for him again…
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Huh... my first impressions of the Vorant Academy. Well I don’t know, it smells ok I guess? The air certainly seems to be fresher here. It must be because it's completely surrounded by trees. I can also faintly hear the sound of a river flowing nearby.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Welcome students… to Vorant Academy!”
A booming voice greets me as I step into the walls of the academy. I don’t feel her on the ground anywhere... is she levitating? I’ve been practicing ‘Pulse’ this past year, and I can sense for about ten meters around me. I’ve also learned to reduce it’s mana usage by storing energy within the pendant for repeated use. It eventually became a habit such that the pendant was pulsing at all times. So she’s beyond ten meters of me, huh? But I can hear her voice so clearly, as if she was right beside me.
“Line up and receive your identification and room key!”
There seems to be about two hundred students that I can see thus far. That’s a lot people, though not quite as much as in the city.
(AN: Just assume that everytime that I use 'see' it means Cael using 'Pulse'.)
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“Name?”
“A-ah. Cael Ver.”
I can feel a slight pause in the man before he hands me a smooth key. He pauses again, and I suddenly feel a subtle energy engraving itself onto my right arm.
“That marking will be your identification while you’re here at the academy.”
“Alright. Thanks sir.”
I can feel the awkward silence take over again so I cordially take my leave. As I’m walking towards my room, I begin to think to myself. Did I do something wrong? Why are my cheeks so hot? Ah, let’s just forget about it.
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Back at the registration line…
“Hey, isn’t that kid the…?”
“Yeah. First on the exams. And judging by that complicated marking, it seems they’re giving him preferential treatment.”
“Hmph. Pretty good for a commoner.”
“Tch. Cael Ver, was it?”
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Sol, I wish I asked for a map or something. Why’s the layout of the rooms so complicated?! I walked around aimlessly until I felt the marking on my arm gradually heat up. Thank gods, it seems I’ve reached the right location.
As walked along the path, I suddenly feel a presence approach me from the side.
“What are you doing here? This place is reserved. Please leave.”
A silky smooth voice greets me. It seems like it’s another student. Reserved? I’m pretty sure I have the right place though…
“Uh… I’m pretty sure my assigned room is here, though…”
“Huh? It’s you?! You’re the one who got first on the exams?”
“First?! I never heard about this?!”
Did grandpa purposely not tell me how well I did? That shrewd old man! I thought all along that I just barely passed! That’s why grandma Estel was laughing at me when I said I couldn't treat her to a meal!
“Well now you have. Tch, I’d thought you would be more scary looking.”
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How do I respond to that?!
“Well, I’m sorry I don’t meet your expectations, miss…?”
“Lucia. And drop the formality, we’re gonna be roomies for a loooong time.”
Roomies? Does she mean roommates? Somehow she reminds me of grandma Estel…
“Alright then… Lucia. Nice to meet you. I’m Cae…”
“Cael Ver. Everyone knows that name. Nice to meet you too.”
Ugh, why is talking with her so draining? Can’t I just get a nice and shy girl to be my roommate like in all those novels I’ve read? Hah… whatever, let’s just go check out my room.
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Outside...
“Huh… the Ver family. I faintly remember something that dad told me about them. What was it again…? Ahhh, I can’t remember anything right now!”
Ugh, I haven't even begun and I’m bored of school already. Why do I have to learn with all these kids? I already know the entire curriculum! I guess I’ll just have this little Ver boy entertain me this year, hehehe...
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In Cael’s room...
Is this my uniform? It feels really nice. Strapping the robe over me, I suddenly feel the engraving on my right arm heating up again. The natural mana within the academy seems to be attracted to this robe. Well that’s pretty convenient.
Let’s check what else we have...
Woah. That is one big bed. Why would one ever need one that big? There’s also a personal kitchen and bathroom. This room is almost three times larger than the attic I previously lived in. I guess they treat good students very well…
Well, I’m getting hungry and I don’t know how to cook so let’s just go buy some food.
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Outside...
“Hey, are you going out to eat?”
“Ack! Where’d you come from? You scared me.”
Huh… ‘Pulse’ doesn’t register her at all. It just goes right through her, I wonder why…?
“Uh… I came from my room, duh? Well let’s go, I know where all the best food spots are!”
“Alright… then.”
Hehehe, little do you know Cael… you’ve already fallen for my trap.
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Hmm. This chicken really is good. How does she know aboout this place already? Isn’t she also a newcomer?
“So how is it, Cece?”
“Cece?”
“That’s your nickname. C’mon don’t you like the sound of it?”
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“Why are you acting so close to me? I barely know you. I’d be fine if we just kept at a distance…”
“We barely know each other… huh? I got it! We don’t have classes until next week, so I can show you around the academy! How’s that sound? Good right?”
Ugh… she just ignored everything I suggested. Why’s it so hard to talk with her? This isn’t anything like what I’ve read in novels. Aren’t girls usually supposed to be more reserved?
“But…”
“No buts. Just come with me, you’re curious too aren’t you? About how they manage the mana flowing throughout the academy?”
“Ughh… fine. I’ll go with you.”
“Yay! Cheers!”
“Cheers…”
We clink our glasses of fruit juice as I continue eating. Somehow, this chicken is tasting a lot worse now. I wonder why. My school life is looking a lot more bleak with this overly enthusiastic girl constantly bothering me…
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