Although it's scary, I have absolutely no plans to go away from the main plot, regardless of how dangerous it is. I have knowledge. Knowledge that specializes in the main plot of the story. Because, as far as I'm concerned, my main power is the fact that I know almost everything major about this world and everything major that will happen. I'm more comfortable at the center of the storm than outside of it, not knowing if it will hit me or not.
It sounds crazy, but I must monopolize everything, as hiding from the story and staying weak are useless here. If you don't have power, death will come, and it will consume you. There's only one way to counter it, and that's to be stronger than it.
I need power if I want to survive. So, I need to successfully get in front, no matter what happens.
In the first place, my application was accepted because of my blessing. According to my ID, my blessing is unique to me and only me. Although it sounds like a death trap, being the owner of one and the center of attention and all, it's still, at face value, just a miscellaneous skill. Not a threatening one. Even if there's been only about ten thousand unique skills in history, some of them weren't that great.
It's still enough to catch the interest of others, though.
It's perfect.
With that in mind, if I want to pass the entrance exam, I need to, in some way or another, show that my talent is useful in terms of what they want to see.
So, I should show just that.
As the glare of the sunlight slowly grew stronger with each passing minute, I decided to stand up from my bed and pack up the things I had left behind.
I waved goodbye to the ladies I talked to earlier, thanking them for the services and the free meal, before heading off in the distance.
Off to Front, I go.
Although I didn't know where it originally was, as the specifics of its direction weren't really implied much in the novel, the biggest and most prestigious academy in this entire world was big enough for me to find it the moment I took a step outside the inn.
A floating pillar in the middle of the city. It could only be that. It's really amazing. It's amazing what magic and blessings can do.
"Bejornins meat for sale! Come and get one for free!" As I walked along the streets of the biggest kingdom in the world, I couldn't help but feel amazed by the number of stalls and people surrounding the place. There were people selling the meat of animals I hadn't seen before. Heads of bisons and creatures that I drafted when I was planning the monsters of these worlds were just hanging from the hooks of butcher shops along the streets. There are also weapons scattered around some stalls without any protection whatsoever. Even items such as the bracelet that was covered with white fire were inside the extravagant-looking store along the street. This place was full of life and incredible sights.
Although the buildings are based off of medieval architecture, most of the stores and big shops were based off of somewhat modern-style fantasy, as glass and even steel made out the frames of the shops.
"Dad, can't we just fly there?" A kid who was riding on the back of his dad suddenly complains in boredom.
"Come on, Jimmy, you know we can't. No one can use their blessings or skills without a proper reason."
"But I'm so bored. We'll be faster if we just fly there. "The young boy exclaimed before walking far enough that I couldn't hear them any longer.
Overhearing that exact conversation, I couldn't help but feel anxious, remembering the fact that I tested my blessing on some people in the inn earlier.
Thank God, my blessing wasn't that much of a showoff in terms of its usage. And it being unique and unknown saved me too, or else I would've bit myself in the butt.
At the end of my story, where I spent most of my recent days writing, no one gave any care whatsoever if you used your ability or not. To be fair, it was a war zone at that point in time. So, I kind of forgot about this detail.
Anyway, as I look around and listen to the murmurs of others, I can't help but feel amazed by everything surrounding me.
It didn't even feel like time had passed when I finally reached my destination.
District 9. As I walked along the road, the massive stores and the mansions of noble families surrounded me. They were all so extravagant that I didn't know what to look at. But even all these pale in comparison to the big academy in the distance.
Front Academy, or The Small City of Lux.
An academy that spans from District 9 all the way to District 21. It was as big as a city that I couldn't even see the end of it. Well, the Lepan is just one massive city in the size of multiple cities, so it could easily hold such a grand academy.
I can't see the entrance fully, though, as I'm an entire block away from the main entrance.
How come the line is this long? Despite the massive area of the academy, there's still somehow a line outside. It seems like I still somehow underestimated the applicants to this academy. 20% of the eighteen-year-olds in the entire world are a lot of people, after all. There's even about seven separate lines, yet they're this long. There's supposed to be multiple entrances as well.
Regardless, it didn't take long for the line to shorten. It seems like the competence of the staff is quite good.
Now that I'm this close, it seems like I still haven't fully comprehended the scale of this academy. Marble and expensive materials only found in this world filled up the entire place. It was as if I were looking at a fortress designed to have the atmosphere of a mansion. White walls and golden accents surround the place, giving off an extremely extravagant vibe. Several buildings, grander than even those found in the modern world, surround the area. If the normal architecture outside is the premodern world, this academy seems to be 200 years ahead of modern architecture. It's like a sci-fi academy has shown up in the classic fantasy story. Maybe it's because of that massive floating pillar in the middle of the academy. Which still somehow looked far despite me being in the entrance already. It just goes to show how big this place really is. It's insane. I feel it now. The fact that I'm inside a fantasy world.
In only a few more minutes, I managed to reach the entrance before being blocked by a guard.
He's quite small.
As I looked at him, I couldn't help but think I could beat him. At least if it's back on earth. Something such as size isn't that important here.
The guard then brings out his palms before looking at me straight in the eye. He was obviously asking for my ID, so I handed it to him without any hesitation.
"Hmm... Julius Solomon. "He reads the ID I gave him. He then handed it over to another staff member who was inside a small room beside him. The staff holds my ID and scans it onto a panel, which lets out a small blue hue before sending out what seems to be a hologram upwards.
It holds my details and more information I couldn't see, but it was clearly more elaborate than the details I had in the ID.
The guard who took the ID peeked inside, seemingly curious about my details.
But as I look at his clothes, he doesn't seem like a proper staff. He's wearing a simple cotton shirt as if he were just a normal civilian, far from the suits and formal wear the others are wearing. Even more so, the tag on his chest seems like it was clipped hastily. It was not only him, though. Most of the people at the entrance except the ones inside the booths had about the same clothes as each other. I wonder why... but as I read his name, I soon remembered why.
'Temporary Staff: Harold Bons'
Temporary staff. Right, that was the main scenario for the entrance exam. The protagonist, Magnus, who was currently serving the Jules family, a noble family that houses the main heroine of the story, made their way to the kingdom of Lux from the Rondell kingdom directly east of the lower part of Lux. He joined a caravan that was supposed to escort the young miss of the Jules family, who would enroll in Front. They soon befriended each other, and that was the start of the story.
But as soon as they arrived at Lux, the sudden surge of applicants due to the incredible talents that appeared, causing a surge in their influence, left Front in an incredibly busy week. That's why they also hired the staff of the nobles who had come to help with the exams.
And as most stories go, though Magnus was just a guard, he found trouble when an altercation began between the Jules family and another rival nobility. That was when his ability and power caught the attention of the higher-ups, causing him to have a special admission in Front.
Anyhow, this guy is also from a noble family, most likely. Either a guard or some hired mercenary at most.
"Unique?" As soon as he read my blessing, his voice intonations seemed friendlier as he stared at me with interest. As he continued to read, however, his expression became grim, as if he had just stepped on some shit.
"A fucking orphan from the slums? "He whispers.
A flash of disappointment went through his face, as if the diamond he found was just some painted coal.
"HAHAHAH, I can't believe bastards like these have the audacity to apply."
Although I was annoyed by his exclamation, it was a part of the culture in nobilities to look down on commoners. Although this man was clearly just a guard, it seems like the title of the family he's serving fills his head with arrogance. Regardless, I faced enough people, like this bastard, to not lose control of my emotions right now. The important part is for me to enroll successfully.
Although it was in a low voice, he clearly wasn't trying to hide his voice, as it was still loud enough for people around me to hear.
"Follow that lady on the left; she'll lead you to your destination. "The other staff member who was inside pointed at a woman who was wearing formal clothing. There were a lot of them in line, so I just went towards the first. I'm guessing they just escort people.
He then grabbed the ID from the staff inside and threw it on the floor.
"These useless bastards keep wasting my time; I've been here for six hours already, and shit still dares to show up. "With a grin on Harold's face, I could see that he was riling me up on purpose. He probably wanted to see some drama and try to abuse his authority. A participant attacks a staff and gets kicked out immediately. Or something in that scenario. It was clear that he was part of a noble family; this guy's arrogance clearly has something to back it up. Even if it's just a guard, they'll still treat it as disrespect if you go against them.
"What are you looking at? You want to follow your parents in the afterlife?" he laughs out loud before the man inside stops him.
"Oi Bons, even if you're just temporary staff, you're still hired by Front. Stop sullying the academy's name."
"I know, I know, who will even know? That's an orphan. Regardless, letting him in Front will sully the academy even more; we should fail him now." He laughs before finally removing his attention from me.
...
I've received so much of that'orphan' insult that I've grown sick and tired of it already. It doesn't remove the fact that I'm pissed, though.
I'll remember you. You bastard.
"Woah! Mr. Swordsman! Come, come, you just need to follow that handsome guy there, and he'll lead you to the site! I'm sure it'll be easy for someone like you to pass the exam."
Although I had already expected this scenario, I wrote this world after all. Power and authority determine your worth, and I can't help but have an awful taste in my mouth.