(It's my Birthday today! Plz leave a review if you have enjoyed the series so far.)
A tall young man sporting pristine clothing and a sword with a drop of blood engraved on the pommel walked through the streets of Ornare city.
Regulus couldn't help but be confused at the luck he had been experiencing recently. Not only had he escaped paying for clothes, but he also managed to get a 'Prince' rank sword free of charge.
According to David, who took a while to calm down, a sword that has achieved harmony with a wielder can only be used by that person from then on.
David's masterpiece, a mid 'Prince' rank sword, was now useless outside Regulus's hands.
In an attempt to clear his conscience, Regulus offered to pay him back in the future but was vigorously shut down by David.
According to the young blacksmith, witnessing sword harmony allows a blacksmith's understanding of forging to increase, which would boost David's growth for a period of time.
Hence, instead of being the one paying David, Regulus found himself being treated like a benefactor despite not losing anything.
'In reality, I am the one who owes you, Regulus; I promise to pay you back in the near future for this opportunity.'
Recalling the parting words David had left him with, Regulus understood this new connection to a genius blacksmith would pay dividends in the future.
Yet, glancing around as he walked through the lively street, he was smiling at the true gift he had gotten from the ordeal.
'That's what's known as a snow elf, and over there is a whale, how rare to see in the Jack Kingdom.'
Like a child at a zoo for the first time since coming to the world of Immisso, Regulus understood his surroundings entirely.
Experiencing the soul weight of the Soul Doctor allowed Regulus to witness it as if watching a play from the audience.
From his childhood to his life in a smaller academy outside of Ornare to his experimentation into the depths of the soul, Regulus felt as if he had fully assimilated the knowledge.
'Such a diverse world. It would take centuries to explore the hidden secrets of it entirely.'
At this point, Regulus saw a familiar imposing building casting a shadow over him as he approached Karta Academy.
The black steel gates seemed to hold an additional weight now that he fully understood the institution contained behind them.
'To think a talent like the Soul Doctor failed to get into Karta Academy, the standards are ridiculously high.'
Yet Regulus was still confident, for he had gained something he had wanted since awakening: the method to gather card energy.
There was no unique way to gather card energy within Immisso, meaning the poorest farmer and King Lucien would gather card energy the same way.
In this way, card energy was fair to all; however, this just raised the importance of talent. While both a farmer and the King cultivated the same, their talents remained far apart.
Although there were anomalies as talent was hereditary, it remained within the royal families, allowing them to remain the strongest and suppress those below them.
Lacking even a single drop of card energy within, Regulus could only assume he possessed a hidden problem, yet he still resolved to try it out later.
Despite the preference of many nobles taking the examinations to return home between each test, people from foreign Kingdoms were provided with temporary accommodation.
As the Cosmos family was banished to a remote barony on the outskirts, Saintess Evergreen had informed Regulus he was allocated there overnight.
With applicants often being the children of important nobles, however, they were obviously not being held in cramped student accommodations.
Regulus's golden medallion guided him to a small manor of grey brick and brown roofing, where he saw a foxgirl waiting outside.
Her ginger hair, pluff orange tail, and innocent and cute face would likely make her the target of many suitors.
Yet Regulus, who now understood card rankings, could feel she was likely around the peak of 'Jack' rank enough to scare most men her age away.
'Why is such a talent waiting outside my house? Is she also a student?'
Although she looked young, Regulus felt she was slightly too old to be a student and likely held another position within Karta Academy.
"Hello Regulus Cosmos. I'm Amy; nice to meet you."
A voice like honey came out of the fox girl who identified herself as Amy as she greeted Regulus with a warm smile that didn't reach her eyes.
'A commoner? It must be hard for her to survive within the Academy grounds; backing is a necessity within Immisso.'
"Nice to meet you as well. Would you explain what's going on here?"
Regulus responded unfazed, seemingly bored with the situation entirely. His tone shocked the fox girl, who was expecting something completely different.
Most nobles she met had eyes filled with lust or contempt for her as a commoner. Thinking she could be bullied, they would often attempt to entice her in many ways.
'He seems nothing but bored and tired, as if the first thing he wants to do is take a nap.'
As a professional, Amy quickly regained her composure and began explaining the reason for her presence to Regulus.
"As you probably know, possessing a golden medallion usually provides you with a private residence between examinations."
Although Regulus didn't know this, as the Soul Doctor possessed nothing close to a golden medallion, he feigned knowledge and nodded.
Seeing this confirmation, Amy continued to the crux of the reason she was here.
"However, your situation as a member of the Cosmos family is anything but normal, so instead of being alone, you will be sharing with one other person as a compromise."
Amy looked up at Regulus, slightly flinching as she waited for him to start talking, as a teacher in one of the lowest positions in the academy.
She was seen as inferior to someone like Regulus who was both a noble and held a golden medallion.
The higher-ranked teachers had forked this task onto Amy, who, due to her status, wouldn't be able to do anything if a golden medallion holder, people equivalent to Kings within the academy, insulted her.
Regulus' lips parted, and a voice devoid of any emotion cut through the silence.
"Okay, that's fine"
'eh?'
Was Amy's only thought.
-Author's Note-
It's my birthday :) Leaving a kind review would be the best present.