Sena woke up early, she got dressed in her black sweatsuit and wore the pearl necklace over it. She walked around her room committing everything to memory. The years are long and now her life can extend infinitely when she starts cultivating. She won't always have a clear memory of the one thing that has always been her's.
Done saying goodbye to her room she starts heading down slowly. She reached the hall, finding she was one of the first to get here. Sena went to sit in the back, her regular spot. The hall slowly filled up. To Sena it felt like the time was moving backwards. Nerve-racking.
During the progress check Sena found a handful of girls looking at her maliciously. She ignored them as usual. Finally the check ended and Sena immediately left the hall to look for the butler. She found him a hour later outside of the mansion. Smiling, "Good morning butler. I would like to ask Father something. Do you know where I can find him?"
He looked at me nodded turned and started walking. 'Looks like someone learned a bad habit from the brat.' thought Sena while following behind him. He led her to the greenhouse. Then to the same table the Master and First Madam sat at last time. This time, however, the Master was sitting with Fourth Madam. Thankfully the last. With her here this will go a lot smoother than Sena originally thought.
The butler interrupted their conversation, "Master, Fourth Madam. Young Miss Sena would like a word." They stop talking, looking in our direction the Master's face stayed the same. But that Fourth Madam looked like she was swallowing down curses. Perfect. "Good morning Father and Fourth Mother."
The Master looking disinterested, "Say what you came hear to say." Smiling politely, "I would like to go on a trip outside to-" And there go the fireworks. "What business do YOU have outside? You have a fiancé! Stay home obediently!"
The Fourth Madam is a petty, jealous kind of person with an inferiority complex. She is a beautiful lady not looking any older than Sena despite being in her early thirties. This is because she knows some odd methods that affect her body. She made very sure to look as young as possible. These things Sena heard over the years from gossiping girls during the progress check.
One other thing she heard and has experience with is her raging jealousy. Anyone who is more beautiful than her be it girls or boys, will attract her ire. While Fourth Madam can't do anything physical, as the family's flower need to be ready for political marriages. She can inconvenience them like she is paid to do so. Sena is included in this. Not only that but she is currently under house arrest. What could provoke Sena's disinterested 'Father' into dishing out such a punishment is beyond her.
"Augusta go wait for me near the pond." Sena felt extremely awkward at this moment. Despite what she thinks or feels about the Fourth Madam, seeing an adult woman being told to leave like a noisy child is... Familiar.
Fourth Madam left in a hurry with her face red. Whether it's from embarrassment or rage one would not know. The Master turned his attention back to Sena, "Your Fourth Mother is right you have never went outside before, where do you want to go?" Sena is surprised he's never said that many words to her at once before. Sena lowers her eyelids, reaching with one hand for the pearl necklace the other lightly grasping her skirt, speaking softly, "Benjamin gave me such lovely gifts, I want to buy some for him too. I want to pick them out myself so he can feel my sincerity."
There's a long silence. Sena holds her skirt tighter and starts fidgeting with the pearl necklace. Finally, "Very well then. Ask George for what you need." The Master left after saying this. I turned to look at the butler. He nodded smilingly turning to go back to the mansion, "What does the Young Miss need?" Hurrying after him excitedly, "I would please like to have a map with the weapons and some jewelry shops highlighted. Together with money to buy the gifts with."
Pausing at the exit of the greenhouse he turns to look at her eyebrows pinched together, "Young Miss, why would you need to know where the weapons shops are?" Already prepared for this question Sena chirped, "Benjamin likes to collect weapons. He often talks about his collection. I was thinking of buying him dual swords. Hopefully they are to his liking." Sena said starry-eyed.
The butler looked pleasantly surprised and smiled saying, "The Miss will make a fine wife one day. Let's go prepare the things you asked for." And they went on our way. They came to an office on the second floor.
Entering Sena stood by the door while the butler gathered a few things. A storage bag normal people can use, a black card and a map. He put the map on the table taking out a pen and writing on it. Thereafter he walked to where Sena was standing handing over the items, "The storage bag is 1×1 meters in size with one large section and smaller sections for you to organize the gifts. On the city map all the reputable jewelry shops are marked with a J. All the weapon stores are marked with a W. And the malls were both can be found are marked with a M. I shall have someone drive you."
"No thank you. Everyone is so busy I'd hate to inconvenience them too much. The driver can drop me off at the closest mark on the map. I will walk if the next stop is close and take a taxi if it is far." Besides having someone drive her around would make it hard to go through with her plans.
Looking more pleased with Sena, "If that is what the Young Miss wishes." They walked out heading in a new direction. Most directions are new to her, that said she can guess where they are headed. When they arrived it was exactly what she thought, a garage. What was shocking, however, was the sheer number of motor vehicles present. A truly rich family. The maintenance alone would cost tens of thousands. And that would be without using them.
The butler showed Sena over to an inconspicuous car while waving a male servant over. "This is Jimmy. He will be escorting and driving you around the city." Sena felt slightly disappointed. She was still made to take someone with her and not only was the person driving her around they would be walking around with her as well. Smiling gratefully, "Thank you for driving me around today Jimmy."
Jimmy wasn't feeling inclined to act polite. He nodded and got into the driver's seat. "Safe travels Young Miss." With that the butler was gone. Sena hopped into the passenger seat, earning her a sideways glance from her driver. Ignoring him Sena made herself comfortable while putting on her seatbelt.
The driver put his attention back on his job, starting the car and subsequently drove out of the garage. It did not take long to reach the main gate. In the wake of exiting the gate Sena saw large fields on either side with large irrigation systems. The scenery didn't change for another 20 minutes, when it did change the difference was the absence of the irrigation systems. Another 18 minutes passed before she saw the city, taking 10 more minutes to enter.
On the city streets one can see many different kinds of people. Luckily the city was suffering heavy traffic, both on the roads and the sidewalks. Eventually pulling up to Amber's Jewelry the car was parked, "With the roads so full it would probably be faster to walk to the other side of the city than to drive there. If you don't mind let's go on foot." Sena spoke with an air of despondence while rejoicing inside.
Jimmy gave a non-committal hum, getting out of the car. Rolling her eyes at the wall Sena exited as well heading straight into the store. She took two steps in and went out immediately, blinking her eyes repeatedly while taking out the map. Jimmy looked at her strangely, "What's wrong?" "I went blind." Still looking at her strangely he walked in curiously. Inside he saw all types of extremely tacky jewelry reflecting and refracting light, stepping out just as quickly.
Looking at the map Sena picked a route that goes past eight shops, half being jewelry shops the other half weapon stores and a mall that happens to be across the street from her goal. She started making her way through the foot traffic, her chauffeur lagging behind a bit.
Sena spent the next few hours going from store to store, surprisingly not finding anything she liked. The jewelry was either too extravagant or too minimalistic. And none of the weapons were even remotely close to a sickle sword. Feeling depressed Sena headed for the mall using the entrance facing away from Panoptēs Academy. She still has a tail attached to her after all.
Entering the mall Sena ignored regular shops going for the ones marketed towards cultivators. Entering one a necklace caught her attention and she headed straight for it. As they do in retail one of the stores employees came from nowhere, "Hello Miss, is there a product you are interested in?" "The necklace." Sena pointed out her target.
"You have excellent taste Miss! That necklace is a 3×3 meter storage space. As you can see it is an infinity style ouroboros. However, this one was designed for men. Should I look for a more feminine one?" Sena liked the necklace as is. Sena has a story to sell so she speaks jokingly, "Well I am buying it for my fiancé. It would look quite odd if it were more feminine." Walking over to the checkout counter to ring up the necklace for her, "He's a very lucky man to have such a beautiful future Mrs buying him gifts." Smiling Sena didn't carry on talking. She paid for her necklace, placed it in the storage bag and went to look for her other necessity.
Sena wandered into a cultivator store that looked like it sold weapons. This one was twice the size of the previous one. Not wanting to waste time Sena spoke to a sales clerk, "Excuse me, do you sell any sickle swords?" The tail stirred for the first time in a while after hearing this, thankfully she had a mind not to be specific despite her growing impatience.
"No we do not." Sena repeated this process with all the shops in the mall. Coming out empty handed. Sena seems to have chosen a niche weapon. Cutting her losses she decides to revise her plan a bit. Sena heads for the entrance that is in front of the Academy, exiting it she goes straight for the gates, still packed with people pushing in to apply even though the sun was three fingers away from disappearing.
Before she can join the crowd the tail grabbed her wrist, Sena turned looking at her wrist then at him, without bothering to hear what he has to say she starts hollering angrily, "Get your hands off me! I have a fiancé!" Everyone that heard looked over to watch the drama. Seeing people look their way Sena started tugging incessantly with her arm looking increasingly distressed when Jimmy wouldn't let go.
Soon a Good Samaritan walked over to Sena's side, "Let her go already! You heard she's engaged right? Just because she doesn't like you doesn't mean you can grab her like this!" Jimmy looked Sena in the eyes rage piercing the sky at being made into a spectacle as a jealous ex. Gritting his teeth, "Young Miss please stop joking around you will get into trouble if you enter that building you will be in trouble!" Taking a page from her fiancé's habits, " Hmph! What trouble could I possibly be in? My fiancé already lives and learns here! I'm sure he would be happy to learn we'll be learning alongside each other!"
Looking exasperated Jimmy let her go, raising his hands in surrender meanwhile looking at Sena as if she were a lost cause and left. Since the drama was over people continued to mind their own business. Smiling happily, "I'm Sena, thank you for helping me!" The Good Samaritan was a boy one head and a half taller than her with honey colored skin and full lips. "Your welcome! But Young Miss if you really want to thank me, why don't you tell me why you were causing so much drama?" He bent down slightly his ear towards her while talking, looking eager to hear a secret.
A gossiper. Sena rolled her eyes, "I'll tell you if I pass." He looked disappointed with this, "Fine then, when you pass you have to tell me." He said the when and have louder than the rest of his sentence. Deadpanning, "Sadly I don't know your name or how to find you later and you won't know if I passed." Most people would take the hint to leave her be, he simply hooked one of her arms, "Your right! Since your right let's apply together. That way I'll know if you passed!"
He looked very happy with his reasoning. Meeting such a sticky person before giving up exasperated, "What's your name then?" Smiling mischievously, "I'll tell you if you pass." Sena resisted the urge to facepalm instead shaking off his arm, "Fine, but I advise you to act like a stranger you'll get yourself into trouble otherwise." Furrowing his brow he nods, falling back a few steps.
Sena finally made it to the registration area when the sun touched the horizon. After getting a number she was told to follow the signs matching the first number of her sequence of numbers which happened to be 0. The first number is for normal people. The only people who can apply are regular people and those at the Entry stage who's first number is 1. However, you can stay there as long as you want provided that you pass the subjects you chose every quarter. Naturally they will be kicked out after they have passed all the subjects the Academy offers.
Following the signs Sena arrives at a large area separated into different test zones. Some theory, for subjects like alchemy and beast taming. Others physical for instruments and weapons. Sena headed straight up to the weapons test. Grabbing the two most curved swords in each hand she waited her turn, looking at the tests of her predecessors.
Sena doesn't know what criteria they are judging on because people with seemingly good swordsmanship is failed while everyone else passed. But that is none of her concern she just needs to pass not excel. She calms her mind as she walks up to take her test.