February 21, 1976 (Present Day)
The House of the Crowleys
(Dazai Crowley's POV)
The City of Cheshire is known for many things, but its most well known feat in human history was its role as the ultimate fortress that protected the kingdom of Wüder during war from times long gone.
Course, now that times have changed and peace has now been established, this fortress eventually was transformed into a large and commercial city.
While it may not be the most popular city in all of Wüder, it still by far holds a reputation of its own, especially due to its current location.
Being rested on the edge of the kingdom between human civilization and the demihuman country, Cheshire happens to get a lot of tourist action from traveling merchants, other adventures walking to and fro from between and even those of other races.
To say that business is booming would be putting it mildly. While I'm not too up to date with the politics anymore, one good look at the general statistics is enough to clearly see that Cheshire is one of the most prosperous cities around.
And out of the many businesses littered throughout every road and plaza, there is one establishment in particular that puts all of that money to good use.
Cerulean Academy.
This school dedicates all of its tools and resources into cultivating the next generation into becoming those who would, and I quote, "shape the world".
While it may not be a well hidden secret, they hold a lot of political power and governmental influence behind the scenes. With them, anything is possible.
Cerulean knows that and they aren't afraid to show it off to others. If you're able to successfully graduate from their school with flying colors, it is said that they can make any dream of yours come true, so long as it's humanly possible.
If there was some career that you're trying to pursue, they can give it to you like it was nothing.
They can provide you the bare essentials into becoming an influential politician or merchant within the specific association of your choice.
They can even provide you with a recommendation to the Holy Knights that comes with a ninety-nine percent success rate of getting approved, which is saying a lot.
To top it off, Cerulean isn't like all of those other prestigious schools who only allow nobles or the children of influential families inside.
So as long your ethnic background checks out legally, their doors are practically open to nearly anybody.
Not to mention, their tuition is also affordable for even the average working class. And to those who are still unable to make ends meet, negotiations like business loans and extensions are indeed possible.
Meaning that even those of the middle class and perhaps even the poor are still granted the opportunity to score really big in their lives.
So it's no surprise to hear of the many people coming from all around Wüder to put their skills to the test and try their luck to score themselves that golden ticket to the life of their dreams.
And I'm no different.
However, the thing that I'm after isn't exactly what people would consider "valuable".
But that's fine by me.
Hell, even I know that it would be pointless in terms of my future, but as of now, I couldn't care less.
Because there's something I gotta take care of in that school. Something that I need to do while I'm still young, so I won't live regret it some other time later down the line.
That's why I won't stop at nothing until I reach the top and get exactly what I want. And until then, there will be no other place besides Cerulean that would be enough to satisfy my selfish ambitions.
Unfortunately, this is where the dreams stop and the problems begin….
You see, like every other school, Cerulean Academy has this thing called the "Entrance Exams". And unless you pass it, you aren't getting in the first place.
And despite as grand as it may sound at first, the school is a lot smaller than what one might assume.
Which means that in order to even score yourself a seat in their precious school, you're going to need to fight tooth and nail against hundreds of others for it.
And you would be surprised how many people would actually kill a person for a seat like that.
Not to mention, Cerulean is very, very picky with who they deem "worthy" to be their students.
Only those who show true talent or honest potential will be allowed to enter their premises for the following years that are to come.
And the Entrance Exams alone proves that.
Despite the thousands who flock to their campus, that test alone is said to be so difficult that it reduces those numbers to a mere hundred or so.
Hell, even if you, by some miracle do well and get a high grade, there is still the remote chance that there was somebody else who did better than you and they give them the spot instead.
Statistically, I think the success rate of getting approved is about a rough and abysmal ten percent.
Cruel, I know, but that's just how Cerulean works.
But that's all the more reason as to why me and Alice were studying so hard right now.
With this year's Entrance Exams being only a few months away, the only thing standing between us was the summer break we was enjoying now.
However, only those who truly took this matter seriously would be wise enough not to spend such moments in leisure.
For the past couple of months, I have been training nonstop without so much as a break. In fact, I just did so this morning with my father and somebody else….-who, oh so stubbornly, insisted on joining us.
"*Sigh*"
Today, we were learning about the importance of conserving our magical power rather than wasting it by going guns blazing. Which of course is important since nine times out of ten, the one who runs out of magic or strength first is usually the first to lose.
On top of that, we did a lot of strenuous exercises to improve our physique and endurance. Something else that's going to come in handy later.
Thanks to Dad, I was able to hit my limit yet again and make some more headway in my training.
Well, probably-…..
As I began reminiscing on the past, I stared at my left hand for a short while…
Was I truly getting somewhere? Was I really getting stronger? Those questions weighed heavily on my mind.
It always has and it probably always will.
"I wonder-….if I'm less of a "nobody" then the guy I was yesterday-…." I mumbled aloud.
I have to be stronger. I'm not asking for power to change the world or anything, but I definitely need the power to overcome the me in the past.
Because if I don't, nothing will change….
"*Knock Knock*"
Suddenly, I heard a knock on my bedroom door.
"I wonder who that could be…"
It probably wasn't Mom or Alice since I know they were still busy working downstairs and Dad was away running grocery errands for the shop.
Then that means there could only be one other person trying to come in-….
I sighed, knowing full well who it was.
But before I let that person in, I grabbed my glove that sat near my desk and covered my left hand.
There was a reason as to why I didn't want it to be seen, but that's a story I don't want to get into.
Well, I mean, I guess it doesn't really matter since "she" technically already knows why.
But I guess I've grown to be pretty conscious about it.
"Come in."
"Pardon me~...." The woman replied.
The door opened soon after and a young white hair girl entered the room.
"What do you need now….-Yamato?"