Chapter 145 - Academy's Castle

The structure designed to house the various students of the academy was a huge white stone castle that stood magnificently. While Hei, Lian, and Leon walked along that long straight road that seemed to cover the entire grounds of the academy, many young martial artists could be seen relaxing in the external courtyards of the castle, lying on the fresh grass and warmed by the light of the sun.

Each of them was a spirit soldier, ranging from the first stage to the seventh stage. There was even some spirit master in their third and last year. Such an agglomeration of people would have made the martial artists of the islands widen their eyes, especially those who had across seas and mountains to reach the second rank.

The group went unnoticed through the outside courtyard and headed to the entrance. In the Forgotten Ocean, Hei and Lian had left their name in history, but now they were just two ordinary students. Quickly, they passed the large opened doors at the entrance and entered a room that even the word enormous wasn't enough to describe. Hei didn't know how long it was; it probably covered the entire front of the castle, though.

The ceiling was studded with crystal chandeliers, but instead of carrying candles, there was a kind of yellow-green moss. It was a strange plant that Hei didn't know and was immediately interested in it. On the front facade, there were numerous windows made in a way that it was possible to see the outside from inside but not the inside from outside. In fact, Hei and Lian hadn't been able to see anything from the windows when they had been just outside the entrance.

The walls instead were rather simple and bare. There were no frescoes or other similar decorations except for some sign indicating the various sections of the castle. However, the floor had some quirks. At different points, according to a circle arrangement, numerous circular stone platforms were lined up. They weren't parts of the floor but were instead placed on top.

Seeing the curious glances of Hei and Lian, to which were added those of Ye and Xing still hidden in Hei's clothes, Leon hastened to explain, "What you see in the chandeliers are called Sun Musses. On the ceiling of the castle, there are mirrors made with a unique crystal called the Sun Crystal. The sun crystal is capable of absorbing light from the sun during the day. At night, through particular formations, the sunlight stored in the mirrors is then directed onto the sun mosses. These specific plants then emit the received light, making light for us inhabitants of the castle.

The platforms you see on the floor are called Spirit Elevators. If you see, there are symbols around each of the circular platforms. By activating the formation below, you can decide whether to make the platform descend or ascend. The part of the floor above or below the platform, depending on where you go, will open, letting the spirit elevator pass. It's a quick way to go up or down. There are stairs too, but it is more uncomfortable as a method, although it is also the least used."

Leon then led them on one of these spirit elevators. Indeed, most people were using these elevators, thus creating waiting lines for them to be next. Fortunately, it wasn't yet the starting period of the lessons, and therefore the three didn't have to wait long.

"Select the plan." a flat-tone voice rang out on the platform.

"Is it by chance a Spirit Artifact?" Hei asked while surprised. Only once had such a thing happened, and it was with the Spirit Artifact that ruled the Continent Trials on the islands.

"Yes, but it's not a very advanced Spirit Artifact. They say it's an old model and that it can only handle simple things." Leon replied as he selected the top floor, also called the Abandoned Floor. The official in charge had told him where the new accommodation for Hei and Lian was. Thus, the platform on which the three had climbed on began to descend rapidly as the floor opened below them.

It didn't take them to get there. As Leon said, using the elevators was convenient, and it was worth queuing up to wait for your turn. As for the floor called Abandoned Floor, it was very different from the welcoming and elegant entrance hall. It was enormous, but this last floor of the castle was full of various rectangular structures similar to brick warehouses arranged side by side. As a view, it would also have been enjoyable, had it not been for the dirt that reigned everywhere. It was also pitch dark as there were no windows nor those chandeliers containing sun mosses.

"At first, it may seem ugly, but it isn't that bad if you get used to it. I don't live here, but I often go because nobody comes. The great forge is certainly better as a workplace, but I should share it with others. If I wanted to have a laboratory just for me, I would have to pay with contribution points, but at that point, I wouldn't be able to purchase the resources I need. Here I can instead practice as much as I want on the prototypes, and only when I am sure of the final work, then do I use the great forge." Leon continued to explain with that smile and attitude that made anyone feel comfortable. So he began to guide them through those dark streets after lighting a torch.

After a bit of walking, they came to a corner of the floor. There, the situation improved significantly, and no trace of dirt could be seen. There were even small lanterns containing sun mosses that illuminated that section of the floor.

"This is where I put my lab. The sun mosses last for a long time, so I have to charge them occasionally, and I can have the light I need. The other warehouses on the floor are all empty, so you can freely choose where to live. If you want, you can also choose the one in front of mine so that you save yourself the trouble of having to clean the floor outside and look for light sources."

"Are you sure? Isn't it a problem for you since you have your laboratory?" Hei asked questioningly. Leon refused to use the forge assigned to the blacksmiths of the academy because he didn't want to work surrounded by others. Yet now he was offering them, of his own free will, to move near where his warehouse was. It was certainly strange.

Leon scratched his head, a little embarrassed, "Do you promise not to laugh?"

Hei and Lian, who also became curious, nodded and invited him to continue.

"Have you ever had the feeling that although you have only recently known a person, somehow you know you can trust them? You two give me that feeling, I don't know why. But I feel like a kind of instinct that tells me that by being with you, something good can happen. I know I am weak, and I have my limits, and I was actually about to give up. Yet now, I feel that I am about to be near a turning point. Sorry, it's a rather stupid and strange thought. Forget what I said."

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"It's not stupid at all, and it's not strange." Lian unexpectedly answered Leon's confession. Her sapphire blue eyes looked Leon in the eye to give more power to the words she had just said. Hei was surprised by that reaction but didn't ask her any questions. Inside him, he knew what Lian was thinking.

'Although I was broken in the soul and forgot what it meant to live, a part of me immediately felt safe when Hei grabbed me the first time. And this is the feeling I feel every time by being by his side.'

Lian closed her eyes, keeping her intimate thoughts to herself as she clasped her hands to her chest. Her heart was beating intensely. Hei put a hand on her shoulder and intervened.

"We will take the warehouse in front of you. It will be convenient to have someone we know and to whom we can ask when we need it."

Hearing Hei's response, Leon was happy. It was as if he had been accepted by the two youths that came from so far away. Hei looked at Lian, who seemed to want to apologize for speaking instinctively without reasoning. After all, the warehouse on the last floor was accepted so as to be away from prying eyes and ears.

'If you feel we can trust him, that's fine. I trust your judgment, more than I trust mine.' Hei sent a spirit message straight to Lian's mind. The blue-haired young woman was moved by his words even though she kept her usual indifferent expression.

So, helped by Leon, they started cleaning up the warehouse that would soon become Hei and Lian's home. It took a while, but in the end, they did an excellent job, and now the interior of the warehouse was clean and shiny. However, it was devoid of any furniture, even basic ones such as the bed.

"Even if we have cleaned, I think it is still too extreme to live there. Are you sure of your choice?"

"Yes, we are also used to sleeping in worse conditions. Do not worry."

Hei liked that place. As for the decorations, with Xing's silk, they could make beds, sheets, and pillows more comfortable than any other. As for the bathroom, there were shared bathrooms placed on each floor. Fortunately, one was also placed on that last floor, although it had been in disuse for some time and needed a good wash.

"Why don't we go to eat? It is now lunchtime. We will continue cleaning later." Leon proposed to Hei and Lian as he stretched his body after that morning effort.

"Alright. Then lead the way." Hei replied promptly. He was starting to feel hungry, and so was Lian. Fortunately, his little sisters had collapsed into a deep sleep now as they were deeply bored. He would take the opportunity to store some food in one of his space rings to give them later.

The three then got on the spirit elevator, and the circular platform brought them back up to the ground floor. As for the subdivision of the floors, the underground floors were for student housing, according to their social hierarchy. The lower you stayed, the more you came from an ordinary family.

The ground floor served mainly as a link between the underground and elevated floors, hosting the various spirit elevators. In addition to those, the ground floor was important because it housed the canteen where students would eat meals together at specific times.

Lastly, the upper floors were equipped with various classrooms that were used not only for lessons but also as a place to cultivate or as a simple meeting point. In addition to the classrooms, on the highest floor, there were also the rooms used by the teachers and various officials sent by the Empire. However, access to these plans was prohibited, or there would be severe consequences.

Hei, Lian, and Leon arrived at the castle canteen. It was a large hall with large tables that stretched for meters and meters. A Hei came to mind when they gathered the tables at the Leaf Village during the party in which his stay with Lei Lei and Lei Bai ended. A pinch of nostalgia crept into his heart but ended up not lasting long. However, the noise made by people sitting on the tables brought him back to reality.

The canteen of the castle was divided into three floors. Third-year students ate on the top floor. All of them were spirit soldiers of the highest stages at least; the most talented had even reached the rank of spirit master. It was obvious, therefore, that they had preferential treatment and could enjoy more luxuries. The third floor was smaller among the three but also the most comfortable given the presence of comfy sofas and the possibility to order the dishes of your choice.

The lower floor housed the second-year students. They were mostly spirit soldiers between the third-fourth-fifth stages and also enjoyed some luxuries, although not comparable to those of the third floor. On the second floor, large circular tables were set up where the various groups could sit and eat carefreely. They had no choice about what to eat, but they had the right to skip the line to be served on the ground floor.

The ground floor was connected directly to the kitchens. There, the various castle's attendants, who took care of the cleaning of that place, were serving the students of the first and second years. The students of the first year had to line up to fill their trays and had to sit in one of the free places on those large tables. Since the first year also represented the course with the highest number of students, it was difficult to find a place that accommodated large groups. Therefore, they were often forced to have lunch next to anyone, even people who they didn't know or had little sympathy for.

The number of members for the first year of this year was 5000 people. So it was natural not to know everyone, especially when the new academic year was yet to begin. However, it wasn't even necessary to make an effort to get to know everyone. After all, not all 5,000 would resist the pressure and fatigue that the Southern Royal War Academy imposed on them.

Hei, Lian, and Leon were lucky and found three vacant places, next to each other, and sat there. Leon had filled a tray with two bowls full of rice and a whole chicken. Hei and Lian had chosen to take a mix of the types of dishes that were served that day. So they filled their tray to the brim. Even if they were hungry, part of their lunch would still be destined for the two little divine beasts still in their deep sleep.

Hei took the wooden chopsticks that had been given to him and bit into a chicken leg. Soon, an explosion of flavors occurred in his mouth as he devoured the meat.

'Wow ... it's amazing. It is definitely a chicken spirit beast, I have cooked it too in the past, but it never tasted like this when I ate it. It is not just the cooking of the meat or the rich play of flavors of spices and marinades. No, it's something deeper. I feel the spirit power in turmoil as if it is enjoying what I am eating.'

While Hei reflected on that strange reaction, Lian was also experiencing the same emotions on his side. At the moment, she was drinking a bowl of soup with vegetables, pieces of meat, and spaghetti.

"Wow. Hei, you have to try it. The soup has a rich flavor and warms you up to the bone. The meat is also well cooked, but the spaghetti is the highlight. They are incredible."

Contrary to her impassive and always refined image, Lian now had an expression more similar to a carefree young girl. In an innocent way, she offered the bowl to Hei and held out her chopsticks so he could taste the spaghetti. Hei was amazed by Lian's reaction; he certainly didn't expect such a gesture from her. However, he smiled at that sight as it was a good thing that she had been able to express herself in public in that way. He then tasted the spaghetti, taking Lian's hand so as to bring the chopsticks closer to his mouth.

Slurp!

Another even more intense explosion occurred within him. This time, the turmoil in its internal flow had become even more impetuous. It was genuinely sensational how something so ordinary could have such an effect despite Hei having also cooked meat from spirit beasts and spirit herbs.

"You are right. The soup is good, but the spaghetti is on a completely different level. It is delicious."

Beside them, Leon laughed and commented, "I was also like this when I tasted the canteen kitchen for the first time. I think I don't know how to do it once I get out of here. Talented martial artist chefs are hired by the army or open their restaurants, which are expensive even for us martial artists. I don't think I could afford such luxury every day."

"Hehe!"

Suddenly, from the seat on the other side of the table, precisely in front of Hei, a young man laughed at the sincere comments of the three people in front of him.