The town was livelier than usual. Tourists and foreigners who came to watch the entrance exam littered the streets. Crowds formed as locals began popping off magic fireworks. With nowhere to stay, I walked towards the nearest inn.

The Phoenix's Rest is out of the question, thanks to Hugh, so next on the list was Dragon's Peak. The walk there was short. All the inns were in the shopping district. As I approached, I could hear the tavern before I could see it.

"My daughter is a prodigal fire mage!"

I pushed in the door to see a crowded hall of people. Drunk patrons dancing and singing loudly while parents parading around their children like toys.

"Mines better, she's going to be promoted to two stars."

"No way, Most students don't hit two stars when they graduate."

I pushed through the crowd of people, looking for a server, before something caught my attention.

"Well, my son's a specialist."

The crowd silenced, turning their attention to the voice. Even the drunkards paused their antics to sneak a peek at the man. My curiosity got the best of me. I turned to see a man laying back in his chair, savoring the attention. Judging by his clothing, he could've rented a villa. He had no reason to hang around a tavern.

"He's lying."

The second voice stood up, his armor again disrupting the silence. The crest on his shoulder showed he was a Sentinel rank. An adventurer, most likely.

"A noble like me would never lie, brute," the nobleman said. The world brute contained such vitriol only nobles could conjure up. "I won't give all his secrets, but I'm telling you this to give your children a fighting chance. He's a metal user. "

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The noble sat back down, not even attempting to hide his grin. Murmurs spread throughout the room, and it's understandable why.

Earth, Air, Water, Fire; you're born with an affinity for one and that's the one you're stuck with. It's simple, and people like simple.

But when rumors spread that there were people who could use unknown elements. That scared people. These specialists were dangerous; having a base element and an extra skill set was an unfair advantage to most people. The Court, however, ruled that it was just as fair as someone being born with naturally more mana.

The tavern began returning to normal, but the tone was off. I approached the servers' desk. There sat a woman who looked twice my age.

"One room please," I said, putting on my best adult voice. It unfortunately didn't change the expected outcome.

"I'm so sorry. We're all full for tonight."

My head dropped. This was my first stop, but I knew the other two inns were going to amount to anything. As if sensing my dilemma, she reached down and pulled out a stack of blankets.

"I know you're probably taking the exam tomorrow. Come back in the morning and I'll make you some breakfast; on me."

The tone in her voice was so sorrowful that I felt bad for making her say that. I've stayed in this city for two months and not once did I meet a genuine person. My eyes watered as I turned away. I haven't felt cared for since I lost my father years ago. I never even knew what my mother looked like, but if she was even half as kind as this lady, I know I missed out.

As the volume in the tavern grew, I turned to see the dim glow of mana. Magical fights were common, but that doesn't mean they weren't dangerous. I thanked the server profusely and ran out the side door.

The crowds in the street died down as the parties moved indoors. I roamed throughout the shopping district, trying to find a suitable street to sleep on. It was already two hours past midnight so I needed to find a place soon.

I ran through my options. Alleys are out of the question. The southern district is a definite no.

The subtle drips of rain interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see a torrent of water approaching. I ran, tucking the blankets under my shirt, to find the nearest item of cover around. Thankfully, a bridge was nearby.

Unfortunately, it connected the shopping district to the southern one. I swallowed my fear and ran under it.