"It's ready," Carl was snapped out of his thoughts by the voice of the man who had just finished preparing his egg sandwich. He got up and took the sandwich from the man. "Thank you," Carl said as he sat back down at the table. For some reason, he felt a sense of anticipation before taking his first bite. "I wonder if the egg sandwich here tastes the same as the one I know?" This doubt lingered in his mind.
Carl looked around for about ten seconds before saying, "To heck with it," and took his first bite of the sandwich. To no one's surprise, it tasted the same. The bread felt as hard as a rock, but it was just as he remembered from back on Earth. Carl didn't take long to finish eating. He stood up, left a copper coin on the counter, and caught the attention of the man before leaving.
His expression was something like this: "-" as he walked away, determined, with his destination in mind. "Let's go to the academy and get this exam over with. I remember it ends today." This was something that was fresh in the mind of the former owner of this body.
As Carl walked, he passed through the red light district, something that only existed in the slums. Men from all parts of the city came here for entertainment, including some influential family's sons. It was morning, and most of the establishments in the area were closed or closing from the previous night. "This is where the sons come to make more sons hehehe," Carl laughed. As he thought about this, he saw something.
A young man with a physique similar to his own and clothes that clearly said, "I am a young master," was dragging a girl along while laughing with her. "Come on, darling, just one more time before I go take the test," Carl couldn't help but notice his clothes, although clearly belonging to some "young master," didn't seem to be from a big family. The young man and the girl leaned against a wall of a closed establishment. "Young master, you naughty boy, there's no place for us to do it," the girl laughed softly as she looked at the young man.
"We can do it over there," the young man pointed to some trees. Without waiting for the girl's response, he began to drag her there. "Hehehehe," Carl had an idea. He sneaked closer to the couple, managing to hide behind a bush.
The young man seemed desperate to peel his banana, so he quickly undressed while fondling the girl's breasts. Carl narrowed his eyes -_- to see a pile of clothes on the ground. "Hehe, let's go shopping," he thought as he sneaked closer. The couple was too focused to notice Carl approaching, and like a magic trick, he grabbed the young man's clothes and left.
"New clothes, check," Carl chuckled inwardly as he walked away slowly. He stopped in the first alley he saw and had no shame in changing clothes, with the possibility of someone seeing him. When he came out of the alley, no one could tell that he was a commoner. Despite not having many friends in his previous life, Carl always thought he was above everyone else, so his chest was always puffed out.
Finally leaving the slums, Carl saw the castle in the distance, imposing on top of a hill. Below this colossus, some larger buildings could be seen, such as towers. "These towers are probably important associations, like the Alchemist Association, for example," Carl reflected as he accessed his memories. "I guess I have to head in that direction."
Carl headed northeast, following what was in his newly acquired memories. According to his recent memories, the Arcane Academy is to the northeast. He decided to explore the city as he walked. Outside the slums, everything was more lively, with children running and playing, people going about their personal business, and merchants working. "It seems like these people simply don't acknowledge the existence of the slums, but they just don't want to see it," Carl thought as he walked.
After about thirty minutes of walking, the imposing figure of the Arcane Academy emerged before Carl. The building was an architectural masterpiece, a colossus of stone and magic that rose majestically, dominating the landscape. The academy's tall, slender towers reached for the sky like accusing fingers challenging the limits of the physical world. Its walls were adorned with intricate carvings, telling stories of magical feats and legendary battles, while stained glass windows sparkled in the sunlight, casting a mosaic of colors on the ground. Carl paused for a moment, letting himself be enveloped by the atmosphere of power and knowledge that emanated from the place.
In front of the monumental Arcane Academy, Carl murmured in admiration, "Seeing this up close is mind-blowing," his voice filled with a mix of reverence and disbelief. As if echoing his thoughts, a voice beside him responded, "It's true, it's mind-blowing." Surprised, Carl turned slowly and found himself standing next to a young man whose eyes gleamed with the same admiration. The young man, with a vibrant and enthusiastic expression, seemed to soak in every detail of the grand building. Carl, still with his reserved posture and impassive expression, observed the young man for a moment.
Noticing Carl's intrigued gaze, the young man extended his hand with a warm and genuine smile, breaking the silence. "I'm Damian, I'm taking the exam today too. Nice to meet you," he said with a friendly voice that conveyed a mixture of confidence and camaraderie. Carl, maintaining his reserved demeanor and impassive expression, responded with a nod and a brief greeting, "You can call me Carl, buddy."
"Shall we go?" Damian suggested with a glint of excitement in his eyes. Carl began to walk toward the entrance, with Damian by his side. "You're my first friend here, Carl," Damian said, with a tone of camaraderie. Carl gave him a look as they walked, responding with a touch of irony, "Buddy, we just met." Unfazed, Damian replied with conviction, "I can judge people well, friend. And something tells me we'll get along." Together, they entered the academy grounds.