Arc 2 : New beginning.

Chapter 19: Ash Crystal Academy.

Adam’s POV

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The Kingdom of Kardok.

I got here yesterday with Nishra and right now, I was within the academy’s dorm room trying to wear the uniform that they made for me.

Let me give you the lowdown on yesterday's escapades. Nishra, being Nishra, wasted zero time in hauling my behind straight to the academy. And let me tell you, this place is big. Like, "Goliath on steroids" big. From a distance, it seemed quaint, but up close? Modern metropolis vibes all the way. Think wide roads, traffic jams, skyscrapers – the whole nine yards. I swear, if it weren't for the fact that I was cruising in on a phantom wolf with an armored warrior babe, I'd have sworn I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up back on Earth.

Anyway, we didn't get much sightseeing in 'cause Nishra had her eyes laser-focused on the academy. And oh boy, Once we hit the academy, my jaw hit the floor. I expected a modest building, but boy, was I wrong. This place is like a small city in itself, with more buildings than you can shake a stick at. Nishra gave me a simple tour, explaining how each structure has its own purpose – research labs, creation studios, you name it. Honestly, I didn’t understand most of it, but I'm just along for the ride.

It was pretty funny later when Nishra brought me to the dean to get me registered in the academy. The dean, picture your stereotypical academic type – short, round, and sporting a classic balding-bearded-guy look, complete with glasses. Dude holding a gorgeous looking tea mug, sipping away behind his massive desk.

And then, in storms Nishra, making a grand entrance that'd make a Broadway star blush. "Dean!" she bellows, like she's announcing the second coming. "Got myself a new student!"

Now, most people would be shocked by such a bold intrusion. Not our dean. He just raises an eyebrow as if he was saying in his mind, Here we go again. Takes a sip of his tea like it's a casual Tuesday before speaking. "Nishra, how many times do I have to remind you to knock? You scared the life out of me,"

Nishra, of course, offers the world's most insincere apology, promising to never burst in unannounced again. From how much I know her, I’m pretty sure she totally will. But she's got bigger fish to fry right now – namely, me. "Dean, meet my shiny new student," she says, probably expecting fireworks or something.

And oh boy, did she get 'em. The dean's face lights up like he just won the lottery. "With your standards? Color me impressed!" he practically shouts, ready to throw a parade in my honor. "Where are the folks? I wanna shake their hands."

Here comes the bombshell. "No folks," Nishra deadpans, like she's ordering a side of fries. Cue the dean's jaw hitting the floor.

Of course I’m going to keep my past hidden but to them, I'm a forest orphan, courtesy of Nishra's wilderness expedition. Dean's reaction? Priceless. He turns to me, expecting... I don't know, an explanation? All he gets is a shrug and a "Yeah, she snatched me from the woods."

"NISHRAAAA!" he wails, smacking her helmet like it's gonna knock some sense into her.

So, after the whole dean drama, I found myself in a surprisingly chill situation. I laid it all out – my forest orphan status, Nove's incessant nagging (seriously, can't catch a break with that one), and my grand plan to soak up knowledge like a sponge.

After some back-and-forth banter – because what's life without a little negotiation, am I right? – the dean cut me a sweet deal. Full ride for a month, on the house. But if I didn't meet expectations by then, I'd have to fork over some cash. Fair enough. I mean, I wasn't here for the gourmet cafeteria food.

So, we hashed out the deets, did the paperwork dance, and boom, I was officially on the academy roster. Sure, there was a little written exam in there, but Nove had my back on that one. Cheating? Nah, just resourceful teamwork.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Once the bureaucratic circus was over, it was like, "Hey, kid, go find your dorm and take a load off." Nishra was MIA – probably off teaching sword-fighting or something heroic like that – so some random teacher dude played tour guide.

And let me tell you, the dorm life? Classic college vibe. Bunk beds, empty rooms waiting for their soon-to-be-filled bunkmates. But hey, I wasn't sweating the details. I chucked myself onto one of those bunks, called it a night, and drifted off dreaming of all the adventures (and textbooks) awaiting me tomorrow.

So, there I was, bright and early, feeling like the only person on the planet. It was 5 AM, the birds were chirping, and the sun was barely stretching its legs. Perfect time for some shut-eye, right? Wrong-o. Cue Nishra, crashing into the dorm like a one-woman wake-up call.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" she boomed, completely ignoring the ungodly hour.

"It's literally the crack of dawn," I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Time waits for no warrior! We've got a sunrise workout session waiting for us. And while we sweat, I'll give you the lowdown on your academy agenda," she announced, undeterred by my grogginess.

“You were just too excited to sleep weren’t you?” I teased, but she ignored me and was already hustling me out the door, still clad in her clunky armor like she's ready to go to battle with the sunrise.

I half-expected some hardcore Spartan drill sergeant routine, but nah, Nishra kept it chill. A jog here, some calisthenics there, all while she dropped knowledge bombs about my upcoming curriculum.

Basically, it boiled down to this: General classes, the ones that everyone has to do like math, history, the whole shebang – plus some optional specialized ones like Metalweaving or alchemy, if I'm feeling fancy. Oh, and then there's the personal lessons tailored by your assigned teacher. In my case, that's Nishra.

But here's the kicker: skip too many classes, and your credit score takes a hit. Fall behind, and you're stuck in a semester do-over. Sounds like fun, right? But hey, I fyou skip too many classes, you can do something called "academy assignments" to help boost your grade and get your credit score back up to green line. What are they? Your guess is as good as mine. But hey, we'll figure it out together, one groggy morning workout at a time.

So, fast forward to 6 AM, and there I was, back in my dorm room. Quick shower to shake off the morning cobwebs, and when I stepped back in, what do I see? A box, sitting there all innocent-like, with my name slapped on it.

Curiosity piqued, I popped it open like it was Christmas morning. Inside? Two uniforms – standard academy gear, notebooks, documents, the whole nine yards. Basically, everything a rookie needs to kick off their academy adventure.

I slipped into the uniform they provided, a snazzy gray ensemble with black accents, there was also a crystal emblem on the front pocket that had, "Ash Crystal Academy" written under it in fancy letters. Classy, right?

And that’s a brief summary of all that happened until now.

Now, onto the game plan: Step one, avoid any run-ins with folks who know me – especially the fiancé and that jealous dude who tried to kill me. No drama, please.

Step two, time to hit the books and brush up on history, geography, and maybe pick up a few Metalweaving tricks. Gotta level up those base stats, too. Can't be getting caught with my metaphorical pants down, after all.

Step three, it's all about the intel. Either building my own network to dish out the juicy deets on everything or joining one. Getting information on my clan is the main reason I’m doing this one.

And finally, step four: Get rich or die trying. Well, maybe not die, but definitely get loaded with cash and resources. Because in this game of life, the one with the most zeros in their bank account wins.

Well, the first two plans are a piece of cake. Nove's got me covered on the knowledge front, and dodging old flames and dagger-wielding maniacs? Child's play.

Now, onto snagging those sweet, sweet techniques. Nishra promised some goodies at the academy, but let's be real – they're probably keeping the good stuff under lock and key. Time to get a little sneaky, I reckon.

Plan three? Oh boy, that's the doozy. Nishra hinted at some info network in the academy, but let's face it – they're not gonna spill the beans on the real juicy stuff. I’m gonna need some good ol' fashioned undercover ops for that one.

And last but not least, the moolah. Can't do squat without it. Whether I'm greasing palms for intel or beefing up my arsenal, cash is king. Gotta start wheelin' and dealin' to build up the coffers.

With my schemes all plotted out, I suited up, stashed my gear, and stepped out into the big wide world. Time to make some magic happen – and by magic, I mean a whole lot of cunning and a dash of good old-fashioned hustle.

As the sun painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, I squinted against its brilliance and heard a familiar voice calling my name. There she was, Nishra, decked out in her trusty armor and looking ready for action.

Despite the laundry list of things I had to tackle with little more than Nove by my side, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was calling the shots. No mob bosses pulling my strings, no looking over my shoulder.

It was just me, forging ahead on my own terms. And you know what? It felt darn good. With a spring in my step and a grin on my face, I strolled over to Nishra, ready to dive headfirst into this brave new world. Let the adventure begin!