I returned to the kitchen and found my aunt preparing tea. We sat down and drank tea. After finishing, I bid them farewell to continue my journey to the capital.

  After leaving my uncle’s house, with a valuable gift in hand, some time passed, and memories began to flood back as I approached the royal capital. Valeria remained as elegant as it was in my childhood.

  The sound of the carriage moving, the window adorned with oak wood, and the houses growing more beautiful and refined as I traveled further. Finally, I saw those towering walls, exuding strength and resilience, standing tall as if many soldiers were lined up to protect the capital from any threat.

  I arrived at the capital's gate, stepped down from the carriage, paid the driver, and thanked him.

  I moved toward the gate, where long queues were formed, consisting of both commoners and nobles. My turn came after some waiting. The gatekeeper was a massive man with a muscular build and a sharp, heavy aura. A large axe was strapped to his back, and another man stood behind him—clearly a swordsman.

  I was asked several questions: my name, age, and reason for visiting the royal capital. This would have been difficult without my badge. Thankfully, I had it with me, which saved me a lot of trouble. Of course, it took some time to verify that it wasn't stolen and to confirm my ownership. After returning my badge, he opened the path for me to enter. I thanked him and stepped forward.

  A gentle breeze brushed against my face. I took my first step into the royal capital after ten years. A lot had happened, and much more was yet to come.

  I started walking toward the Royal Academy. Well, I wouldn't be able to resist experiencing many amazing things along the way.

  Numerous food stalls, clothing shops with stunning designs, and weapon stores were all too tempting to ignore. I entered one just to take a look. There were various swords of different types and weights, along with daggers—some traditional, others enchanted.

  Enchanted weapons were certainly superior and more dangerous, but they were far from cheap. Alright, I should stop. If I continue examining everything, I won’t leave this shop anytime soon.

  The capital was filled with energy and vibrancy, evoking a sense of comfort and happiness. Seeing families enjoying their time, merchants working diligently, and the numerous horses trotting about—it all felt like an intricate musical rhythm, quite unlike my usual life.

  I glanced at the clock; it was still nine in the morning. The entrance exams began at twelve, so I had plenty of time to explore. I decided to visit some of the kingdom’s historical landmarks.

  After asking around, I learned about several places, including the Emperor’s statue, which piqued my interest. Fortunately, it wasn’t far—perhaps a ten- or fifteen-minute walk.

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  I bought a drink as I walked. The sky was blue, scattered with pure white clouds.

  As I approached, the statue came into view—a golden monument standing at about 5 to 7 meters tall, exuding strength and grandeur. The Emperor's statue had a thick beard, a powerful and robust physique, and a proud chest. His attire, crafted from fine marble, was meticulously detailed, showcasing even the smallest features. A magnificent sword and shield added to his aura of importance and might.

  Coming here was definitely worth it. Well, now I needed to grab something to eat before heading to the academy—I couldn’t afford to be late on my first day.

  I searched for a restaurant that offered a unique experience. After asking a few kids for recommendations on a place with good food at reasonable prices, they pointed me toward a spot that wasn’t exactly nearby. I hoped it would be worth the effort.

  Upon arrival, I realized it wasn’t a restaurant but rather a small shop tucked away in an alley. I felt uneasy since there were no customers.

  I noticed a man holding a bottle of liquor standing nearby. I greeted him, "Hello, sir."

  He looked at me and said, "Don’t try to rob me. I have no money. Find someone else to steal from."

  I was stunned. This man wasn’t joking—he truly thought I intended to rob him! I couldn’t hold back my laughter, which only made him embarrassed, realizing that he had mistaken me for a thief.

  He sighed, "Sit down. I’ll get you some food. It's important to have money, you know."

  I replied, "Don’t worry about it."

  He served me some rice and soup. I took a sip of the soup—damn! What was it made of?! Molten lava?! Why was it this hot?!

  He gave me a condescending look. "Kids these days can’t handle a little heat."

  I replied, "If you wanted to kill me, you didn’t need to serve this deadly soup. I would’ve gladly hanged myself instead."

  He glanced at me sideways. "Well, you have to finish your food."

  I stood up and asked for the bill. I was shocked by the price—ten bronze coins.

  "This is cheap food," I thought, but I wasn’t cruel enough to say it out loud.

  I paid the bill and thanked him. Then, I started feeling annoyed—where was I? I definitely wouldn’t return the same way. There was no shortcut.

  I stood there, thinking. After a while, I felt someone’s presence. Suddenly, that person poked me with their finger.

  Who was this annoying person? I turned around to find a well-dressed young man with red hair and hazel eyes. He kept poking me with his finger.

  I was about to hit him, but I held back—causing trouble on my first day in the royal capital wasn’t a good idea.

  Finally, he stopped poking me and said enthusiastically, "Are you heading to the academy? First, your clothes are too elegant for this alley. Second, if you were just a thug, you wouldn’t dress like that and walk confidently with such expensive swords—you’d be afraid of being robbed. Third, you’ve been looking around for a while. You don’t seem familiar with the area. Fourth, you look older than me, so maybe you spent some time gathering funds for the exam and decided to come to the capital now."

  As I thought about his deductions, I remembered the shopkeeper who immediately assumed I had come to rob him. I pondered it for a bit and realized he was probably hiding something. It wasn’t normal for a shopkeeper to immediately say, "Don’t rob me, I have no money," to a customer upon arrival.

  The reason remained unknown—was he hiding secret wealth? A valuable enchanted weapon or artifact that the rich would desire? And he suspected me because of my appearance?

  I stopped overthinking and looked at the young man before me. I replied, "Well, you’re not wrong. I’m heading to the academy."

  I then asked, "Are you going there too?"

  "Yes," he answered.

  I said, "I’m Ilarion Edward. Nice to meet you."

  He responded, "I’m Thaid Lerg. Likewise."

  We shook hands.