After a tiring journey, they reached the final rest point before the capital. They had traveled from Reinhardt under constant threat, wary of both Jane's pursuers and common monsters.
This rest marked the end of their tough ordeal. The nearer they got to the capital, the fewer pursuers they encountered, as the capital's security deterred any anomalies.
Jane, exhausted from the relentless chase, decided to leave for the capital immediately without resting. She seemed eager to complete her task and get some proper rest.
The trio understood her haste and prepared themselves for the final leg of their journey. They knew that once they reached the capital, they would be safe under its vigilant guard and the watchful eyes of higher authorities.
Before leaving, Jane handed a badge to Alec and said, "Take this to Moon's Library. They will help you get new identities so you can be admitted to the Royal Academy."
Moon's Library was renowned for its records on Moon goddess teachings, magic, and various fighting techniques.
The trio's guardian had arranged a deal with someone who could help them gain admission to Vernor's Royal Academy. However, with Jane now aware of their presence, using other channels might make her suspicious, thinking they were spies or had ulterior motives.
Alec, Sasha, and Harry exchanged worried glances but knew they had no choice but to follow Jane's suggestion to ensure their safety and maintain her trust.
There was no doubt that Jane was an important figure at Lymhurst. Before she left, Sasha asked her if they would meet again. Jane only smiled in response and then departed.
Without her near, the trio finally sighed in relief. They were near the capital city, and they felt safer just being in its proximity. Many soldiers patrolled the area around the city, ready to eradicate any source of uneasiness from the public.
The trio decided to forget about everything and rest here. Harry and Sasha were sleeping in the tent, while Alec sat near the fire, keeping watch. Though they were only 15–16 years old, the professionalism they showed during their travels left a deep impression on Jane.
Having trained in tough situations and dealt with many ordeals, they were far better than any random adventurers at the same level.
The moon hung high in the sky, illuminating everything with its beautiful moonlight. Alec occasionally looked up at the stars and sighed, as if pondering many big problems at the same time.
If it weren't for the three horses near him, his figure would give off a deep sense of bleakness and loneliness. The horses, meanwhile, were munching on tree leaves from a nearby branch they had cut. Occasionally, they would stare into the depths of the forest, as if wary of some unsettling presence.
It wasn't that Alec didn't notice the horses' wariness; he just knew those things were not a big threat. After a while, he glanced at Harry sleeping in the tent.
Unable to control his urge to test the feeling-checking capabilities of his new tool, Aria, he used it on Harry. A notification popped up on the screen:
[4 points deducted]
Then, another text appeared:
[feelings: happy, satisfied]
But soon, the words changed:
[feelings: fear, despair]
It took a different number of points from Jane's feeling calculation. A lot less. Indicating that calculating the amount depends on a person's strength.
Before Alec could wake Harry, who was sweating heavily and whose breathing was becoming rough, the feelings changed again to 'courage' and 'rage'.
Alec didn't try to wake Harry after that. He couldn't guess why Harry's feelings were changing so rapidly in a dream, but he knew that Harry was sleeping well. Alec also understood that, unless he figured out how to gain points. He can't waste them.
He resolved to be more cautious and thoughtful about when and how he used Aria, recognizing that its powers came with significant consequences and potential, but it also needed points to run it.
The Aria System seemed incredibly useful to Alec. He realized that the feelings Aria calculated were real feelings, unlike the potentially deceptive feelings shown on the face.
This feature of Aria was going to be immensely helpful in discerning the right person for a job and identifying people that they should avoid.
A person who looked like a bandit might not necessarily be one, and a person who looked like a scholar might not be as genuine as they appeared.
Alec saw great potential in using Aria to navigate through the complexities of human interactions and trustworthiness.
While Alec was contemplating the current usefulness of Aria, he felt a frightening gaze on his back, which sent hair-raising chills down his spine. The intensity of the fear was so overwhelming that his body went stiff, immobilizing him.
He couldn't muster the courage to turn around and see what was causing such terror. The fear was so profound that Alec, along with his horses, fell unconscious, unable to comprehend the power behind the gaze.
If anyone had told Alec that the world was going to be destroyed, he wouldn't have been this afraid. But the fear induced by this unknown entity shattered his mental fortitude, causing him to collapse into unconsciousness.
It was like he was not even allowed to resist this sense of dread in his spirit, which he had honed in his past training.
He couldn't even recognize the nature of the fear—whether it was the fear of losing something, death, pain, betrayal, or something else entirely.
Nor could he understand what kind of entity could instill such dread. Was it a human, a monster, a witch, a ghost, a Leikhaar (a mysterious race), or something entirely different? Alec couldn't analyze it before he fainted.
Alec woke when the sun shone on him in the morning. Harry and Sasha were still sleeping. He was shocked that he could have fallen asleep while on watch.
The horses were grazing on grass nearby. Alec asked his brown-white horse, Stan, "How are you, my friend?" The horse neighed, showing his happiness and love for his master. Alec patted his horse.
The strange thing was that Alec seemed to not remember how he had fallen unconscious after feeling the chill. He let it go after reassuring himself that he was simply tired and had passed out from weariness while on watch.
After stretching a bit, Alec yawned, like he had slept very well last night and wanted more. After freshening up, he went to wake Sasha and Harry.
They both woke easily, without any extra effort, just like in their training days. After waking them, Alec started a fire and hung a tea pot over it.
He added water, tea, and sugar, along with some herbs that travelers usually use to deal with severe tiredness. It was called Morning Breeze Tea. It can be considered a rank 2 potion.
While making tea, Alec put his hand on his right wrist and panicked upon finding it devoid of his bracelet (Aria). In the next instant, he remembered something and laughed at himself. The bracelet had melted and fused with him after he added the leaf to it. He felt stupid for forgetting.
It was then that the twins noticed his bracelet was missing. When they asked about it, Alec only said three words: "I ate it," which made them confused. They soon realized they shouldn't pry further into the matter since Alec always talked like this when he had to hide something.
After witnessing Alec's weirdness, they paid no further attention to him. Sasha whiffed the tea and smiled brightly, and Harry's reaction was not different from his sister's.
Estimating that the tea was going to be ready in a few minutes, they hurried to freshen up. When they returned, Alec was slicing the bread. Without saying anything, Harry put out three big cups and poured the filtered tea into them.
They soaked the bread in the warm tea and ate it while sipping their tea, savoring the simple but satisfying meal.
Harry took out some carrots from his bag, which didn't look fresh, and threw them to the horses, saying, "You'll get a better meal when we reach the school." The horses eagerly nibbled at the carrots, grateful for the treat despite their condition.
Alec, Harry, and Sasha shared a knowing glance, understanding the importance of getting to their destination quickly and safely.
Harry broke the silence, asking Alec and Sasha whether they should stick to their previous arrangements or use Jane's influence to get into the academy. He added that the original arrangements were made by his father's friend, a man he didn't know by face but trusted because of his father's seal.
Though his father's friend was a stranger to them, Harry's father had assured them he was a good man who wouldn't treat them badly. This man was like an uncle who had left their state to pursue his passion and dreams in a foreign country.
Harry emphasized that he could be trusted, and it would have been better if they had followed his arrangements.
"But who would have thought we would meet Jane on our journey, and she would figure out our motive at a glance?" Harry continued. "How can we lie to a master whose power is recognized by the public and who seems to value honest people?
Making a single mistake could cost us our lives. We could only twist a little bit of truth to hide the bigger one, which gained us her favor. Now, she has promised us foreigners a seat in the academy, which is only meant for countrymen."
Alec and Sasha exchanged thoughtful glances, considering Harry's words and the weight of their decision. The path ahead was fraught with uncertainty, but they knew they had to choose wisely to ensure their safety and future.
This problem could be solved in other simple ways: either they don't study in the academy or they study in another country's academy, which is even more impossible.
Other options included joining a magic tower, martial hall, swordsman hall, adventurer guild, or other organizations they liked.
However, this would make their fame increase, which they wanted to avoid, and most powerful organizations focus on one type of professional ability, which was not in their favor.
After contemplating for a bit, Alec realized his cup was empty. He poured another cup of tea from the kettle and said in a firm tone, "We can only join the academy with Jane's sources and let the previous arrangements be our retreat path.
Since Jane knows us, she could find out about us in the capital. If we join the academy using our own sources, after finding it, she might become skeptical and think we are spies, which is not good.
With Jane's help, we can eliminate many roundabout processes we would have to go through to gain an identity as Vernor's citizens."
Harry and Sasha nodded in agreement, understanding the logic and necessity behind Alec's decision. They all knew that leveraging Jane's influence was their best bet for a safer, more secure future at the academy.
After making their decision, they departed for the city of Lymhurst. The journey ahead was daunting, but they felt a renewed sense of purpose.
As they rode, they kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings, ready for any threats that might come their way. With Jane's influence paving their path, they hoped to secure their place in the academy and start a new chapter in their lives.
The road to Lymhurst was long, but their determination and the bond they shared as a team gave them the strength to press on. Each step brought them closer to their goal and the future they envisioned.