Arslan brushed off the dust from his clothes and asked, "So, what do we do now? Do you have a plan?" There was a slight hint of worry in his voice, but at the same time, a glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.

Lucian lifted his head with a thoughtful expression. "First, we should find you a place to stay," he said, smiling slightly as he quickly stood up.

Serenna, with a hint of mockery, said, "I don’t think that will be necessary." She had already cleaned off the dust on her and fixed her hair, reaching a perfect appearance. Lucian looked at Serenna for a moment and thought about how much women cared about their looks.

Lucian raised his eyebrows curiously, brushing his hair away from his forehead, and asked, "Why?" His eyes were fixed on Serenna's face, as if trying to understand.

Arslan took a deep breath and spoke seriously, "You're aware of that school thing, right?"

An expression of understanding appeared on Lucian's face. "Are you talking about Rutherford Academy?"

Arslan nodded, a determination in his eyes. "Yes, I turned 16 this year, which means I can take the entrance exams for Rutherford Academy."

Lucian smiled slightly, a bit sarcastically. "So, did you get yourself kicked out of the house relying on that?" he said, his voice filled with both curiosity and slight reproach.

Arslan shrugged and stood a bit straighter, replying, "Even though I've been thrown out of the house, I'm still a Red Snowflake. It shouldn't be too hard to get into the academy."

Lucian raised his eyebrows, his voice gaining a serious tone. "Do you think you can get into that academy just with your family name? Even if you were a Wintergate, I don't think they would discriminate. That place is prestigious, even among all the academies."

Arslan cut off Lucian's words sharply, a sparkle appearing in his eyes. "My family name? Who’s talking about that? Do you know how the entrance exams are conducted?"

Lucian, slightly surprised, answered, "There are a few academic exams, right?"

Serenna interjected, "It’s true that there’s an academic exam, but the most important one is the talent test," she said with a knowing air, as if she already knew everything.

Lucian frowned and squinted his eyes, asking, "A talent test?"

Arslan took a deep breath and began to explain, "They say they measure people's abilities, but what they actually do is pit the candidates against each other and pick out the strongest ones. That way, the academy gathers the best students for itself and enhances them, gaining prestige with the achievements they make."

Lucian shook his head from side to side and spoke with slight irony, "So, this academy is actually a place filled with strength-obsessed monsters, and the academy turns these monsters into even bigger ones?"

Serenna leaned slightly towards Lucian, fixing her eyes on his, "How do you think they became one of the most successful academies in just 20 years? Still, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a good academy. I've heard that they work with top-level teachers and people with technical knowledge in every field," she said, her voice calm but convincing.

Arslan spoke with a smile and confidence, "That means even a piece of trash that goes there would leave as a polished gem."

Lucian, with a slight smile, said, "Then that's good news for you." His voice was calm and reassuring, but a thought seemed to cross his mind.

Arslan looked at Lucian with narrowed eyes and a smile. "Actually, I was thinking we could go there together," he said, with a hidden excitement in his words.

Lucian raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Together? You do realize I'm still a kid, right?" he said in a teasing tone. Yet, it seemed as though a spark of curiosity had ignited within him.

Arslan laughed heartily, "HAHAHA! If someone else had said that, I might believe it, but you? No, I can't say I'm aware. Your way of speaking, your abilities, and everything else make you more mature than most people," he replied. His voice was strong and confident, looking straight into Lucian's eyes.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Serenna chimed in with a slight smile. "Moreover, it's well-known that those who prove their abilities can be accepted into the academy at an earlier age. Still, I've never heard of someone as young as you getting into the academy," she said, her eyes filled with admiration and slight doubt, watching Lucian closely.

Arslan, with enthusiasm, touched Lucian’s shoulder. "If something like that happens, the whole academy would talk about you, just as one would expect from my Master!" he said, with great admiration and respect in his voice.

Lucian took a deep breath and thought. "So, the academy, huh? At first, it seemed irrational to join, but it’s true that I could become more knowledgeable and stronger thanks to the academy. Also, now that Sensei isn’t around anymore, I have to develop my magic abilities on my own. I’ve seen how powerful I could become by blending magic with boxing, and with the academy, I could enhance my understanding of mana and aura as well." His eyes seemed focused on the distance, on the future.

Lucian paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll talk to my father about this."

Arslan raised his hands in the air with joy and shouted, "THAT'S IT! WE'RE GOING TO THE ACADEMY WITH MY MASTER!"

Lucian, Arslan, and Serenna set off on the road to the Marquessate of Wintergate...

…

Lucian had barely stepped through the grand gate of the marquisate when Cynthia rushed over to him, her eyes filled with worry and her face pale with fear.

Unable to hold back her tears, Cynthia exclaimed, "Master! I heard you were injured. Are you alright?" Her voice carried both fear and relief; she seemed a little more at ease upon seeing Lucian unharmed.

Lucian replied in a soft tone, "I'm fine, Cynthia. Do you know where the Marquis is?" His eyes were still alert, as if he urgently needed to discuss something important.

Wiping away her tears quickly, Cynthia responded, "Yes, he was waiting for you in his room," and gestured towards the room with her eyes.

Lucian nodded in thanks and then turned to Serenna with a serious expression. "Thank you for everything, sister. I'll handle things from here. Please go to your room and rest a little," he said. His voice was gentle but firm.

Serenna nodded with a faint smile. "Then I'm going to my room. Be careful, little brother," she said and slowly walked to the other end of the corridor.

Lucian turned to Cynthia and instructed, "Cynthia, please arrange a room for Arslan. He will be our guest for a while."

Cynthia nodded with a slight bow. "As you command, sir," she said and immediately began making preparations.

Arslan looked at Lucian with a mix of concern and excitement. "If you want, I can come with you," he said, a friendly insistence in his eyes.

Lucian shook his head with a slight smile. "No, it's better if I talk to him alone. Thank you for everything you've done, but please make sure you rest as well," he said. His voice carried both kindness and a certain authority.

Arslan nodded understandingly and followed Cynthia. Watching them leave, Lucian took a deep breath and headed towards the long staircase that led to Marquis Arthur's room. As he climbed each step slowly, his thoughts were focused on what he would say in their next conversation.

Walking down the long, ornate corridor, he reached the large door, took a deep breath, knocked gently, and entered.

As Lucian stepped inside, he bowed his head and asked, "Marquis Arthur, are you available?"

Marquis Arthur, standing behind his desk, looked at Lucian. "Come in, I've been expecting you," he said, glancing at the wounds on Lucian's arms. "I thought it would take you a bit longer to arrive. It seems you've made some good friends."

Lucian paused for a moment and then replied sincerely, "Yes, I have."

Marquis Arthur continued in a serious tone, "But don't forget that friends are just tools to elevate you higher. It would be wise not to get too attached to them."

Lucian, slightly surprised, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is that how your friendship with Sensei is too? Is Sensei nothing more than someone who elevates you? Or is it the other way around?"

Marquis Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly and replied, "It seems you've become sharper with your words after coming close to death."

Lucian immediately bowed his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful," he said, his voice filled with genuine regret.

Marquis Arthur raised his hand to stop Lucian. "Enough, I wanted to congratulate you for your victory. If there's anything you want, say it now," he said, his voice calm but authoritative.

Lucian, slightly hesitant but determined, replied, "That's why I came here."

Marquis Arthur raised an eyebrow with curiosity, "Is there something you want? This is the first time you've come to me to ask for something. Speak."

Lucian took a deep breath and got straight to the point, "I want you to allow Arslan to stay here for a while, at least until he goes to the academy."

Marquis Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "Until he goes to the academy? So, you've decided to go to the academy."

Lucian thought to himself, "Decided to go to the academy? Did I ever have a choice not to? You would have sent me there by force regardless."

Marquis Arthur, trying to hide his curiosity, asked, "Is that all you want?"

Lucian replied without hesitation, "Yes."

Marquis Arthur paused for a moment, looking carefully at Lucian, then spoke in a serious tone, "You are still weak. You could have used this request for yourself, but you chose to spend it on a friend. Perhaps I'm treating you too kindly. Are you so arrogant as to think you can always ask something of me?"

Lucian bowed his head slightly and replied calmly, "No, sir. This is my request. I would be truly grateful if you grant it."

Marquis Arthur took a deep breath and made his decision. "Very well, the exams are in two months. Until then, do as you wish with your playmate. After that, I will send you to the academy under the Wintergate name. The academy is quite far from here, so you will live there until it's over."

Lucian nodded firmly, "Yes, sir."

Marquis Arthur gave a final warning, "Make sure you pass the exam. You may go."

Lucian bowed respectfully once more and quietly left the room. As the door closed behind him, he walked down the corridor with mixed emotions on his face. "Talking to this man is really nerve-wracking," he thought.

Lucian walked tiredly down the corridor and finally reached his room. He opened the door, and as soon as he stepped inside, he felt his legs give way. He barely made it to his bed, collapsing onto it and lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. His eyes wandered over the patterns on the ceiling of the room as he drifted into thought.

For a moment, he seemed to find peace and muttered with a sigh, "How long has it been since I've laid down and rested properly?" He could feel the exhaustion and stress of the last few months weighing down on him. His eyelids grew heavy, but his mind was still busy.

As Lucian gazed at the ceiling, thoughts of his loved ones filled his mind. "I wonder what Coach is doing right now?" he thought. He remembered Coach's smiling face and strong stance, a slight smile forming on his lips for a moment. "If he met Sensei, would they get along?" he wondered to himself. Both had strong characters and principles; maybe they would become friends.

A moment of silence fell; Lucian blinked and continued staring at the ceiling. "How is his daughter now? I'm sure they're happy," he thought. He hoped they were living a happy life, perhaps a peaceful one. He felt a warmth in his heart, and this thought gave him some comfort.

Then suddenly, he closed his eyes and made a promise to himself. "If I ever meet that old god again, I'll make sure to ask about you..." he whispered. This thought made him chuckle slightly.

Lucian slowly closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep, his mind filled with thoughts of his loved ones, and his heart ready for new adventures and challenges.