After the knights took the suspect away, the crowd began to disperse.
"What was that all about, Yuna?" David asked, walking over to her.
Yuna pointed to the young girl standing behind the princess, trembling in fear with tears streaming down her face. "Didn't you see the condition of that girl? He's a predator. If the princess hadn't called for the knights, I might have taken matters into my own hands," she said with disgust evident in her eyes.
David lowered his voice and whispered to Yuna, his tone serious. "Yuna, listen. It's none of our business. There's a lot of injustice in the world, but if we involve ourselves in every situation, we're going to attract unwanted attention. Things could easily spiral out of control. We already have someone watching us."
Yuna turned and stared at David with a piercing gaze, her eyes judgmental. David was taken aback, unsure of what he'd said to deserve such a look. He had only been practical—after all, sometimes, it was best to remain uninvolved, especially when in an unfamiliar place.
Just as the tension between them was building, the princess's voice interrupted their silent standoff.
"Thank you for stepping in to help, miss," the princess said, her voice soft but grateful.
Yuna and David turned toward her.
"You could have called the knights from the start," Yuna said flatly, glancing at the girl behind her. "Instead of wasting time arguing with him."
The princess blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Oh... I was so angry, I guess it slipped my mind."
Both Yuna and David exchanged a look that clearly conveyed their mutual thought: *What an idiot.*
The princess's face turned even redder. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not an idiot, okay?" she protested.
"If you have nothing else to say, we'll be going now," Yuna said, ready to walk away. "Take care of that girl, and next time, call for help immediately rather than wasting time arguing."
The two began to walk away when the princess called out again, "Wait! I'm Sophia Junai, the second princess of Shangri-la Kingdom. May I ask your names?"
Yuna stopped and turned slightly. "You can call me Yuna."
"And I'm David," he added.
Sophia thought for a moment before asking, "I haven't seen you around the academy before. Are you here for this year's entrance exam?"
Yuna and David nodded. "Yes, we're from the border city of Refone. We've come to join the academy," Yuna said, omitting the part about the recommendation letter.
"If that's the case, would you like me to show you around the academy?" Sophia offered.
"It's fine," David replied. "You don't have to go out of your way. We can manage on our own."
Sophia smiled slyly. "Oh, don't worry about it. I need to head that way to take this girl to the dormitory anyway. We're going in the same direction."
David shrugged. "Do as you please."
The three of them walked together toward the academy, which sprawled across several miles, encircled by high walls and protected by an invisible barrier that blocked unauthorized entry. From outside the gate, the impressive structures were a blend of medieval and futuristic architecture, a juxtaposition of the past and the future. In the center, a castle-like building floated mysteriously in midair.
"Wow! Look at that," David exclaimed, pointing to the floating structure. "Is that a flying building?"
Sophia nodded. "That's the floating campus. It's where only the best of the best mages get to study."
Intrigued, Yuna and David attempted to approach the academy gates, but as they got closer, they bumped into the invisible barrier.
"You can't enter yet," Sophia explained. "Your IDs haven't been registered. Only students and authorized personnel can pass through the barrier."
"Thanks for the information, Princess," Yuna said. "This is where we'll part ways."
"We'll see you around if fate allows," David added.
Sophia waved as they left, her face brightening with a smile. "See you soon!"
David and Yuna made their way to the business district, searching for a hotel to stay for the night. After navigating through the streets of the capital, admiring the city's advanced infrastructure, they found a restaurant to have lunch. To their surprise, food was cheaper here than it had been in Refone, a curious anomaly given that the capital city was far more developed.
After their meal, they asked a waitress for a recommendation on where to stay, and she pointed them to a reputable hotel nearby. They booked two rooms for the night and settled in to prepare for tomorrow's exam.
***
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, the man and woman who had been spying on David and Yuna earlier sat in a lavish room, a holographic display in front of them showing live footage of the duo. Kneeling before them was Chuck, his head bowed in respect.
"They've arrived in the capital," the man said, smiling wickedly. He tossed a few gold coins at Chuck, who caught them mid-air. "You've done well."
"Thank you, young master. It was an honor to serve," Chuck replied humbly.
"What of Henry's body? No one suspected you when you took his place, did they?" the man inquired, his voice cool but dangerous.
"No, young master. It was easy to slip in unnoticed. As for Henry's body, I burned it to ash. Before he died, he kept saying we were making a mistake—that if we acted against them, we would be the ones to die." Chuck paused for a moment before continuing. "But everything Henry said about them appears to be true. The man, David, is only C rank, while the woman, Yuna, is an S rank powerhouse. I've never seen them apart. They're like inseparable lovebirds."
The air in the room suddenly grew hotter, the temperature spiking as the young master's rage flared. Fire erupted from his body as he stood up, glaring at Chuck with fiery eyes. "What did you say?"
Chuck flinched in fear, falling to his knees. "Please forgive me, young master! I didn't mean to offend you, but everything I said is true."
The woman beside the young master placed a hand on his arm, her voice soothing. "Young master, calm down. Save that anger for the one hanging around the woman you desire."
The flames subsided as the man's anger ebbed. He turned his gaze back to Chuck and issued a chilling command. "You will kill him the moment you get the chance. No one can know of our involvement."
"Yes, young master. I will finish him as soon as I can," Chuck vowed.
"Then leave," the young master ordered.
Chuck quickly exited the room, relieved that he had survived. Outside, his eyes gleamed with determination. He would kill David—no matter what it took.
Inside the room, the young master and the woman relaxed back into the plush couch. She looked at him curiously. "Once that man is out of the picture, how do you plan to win over the girl with S rank power? Surely it won't be easy."
The young master grinned, his expression dark and calculating. "Who said anything about force? When he dies, she'll be in her most vulnerable state. I'll be there to console her, to 'save' her. She'll fall right into my hands."
The woman chuckled seductively, leaning closer to him. "You really are a vicious man, young master."
He smirked, grabbing her and pulling her into his lap. "You naughty little thing."
They quickly lost themselves in their immoral pleasures.
***
The next day, David and Yuna made their way to the east side of the city where the Royal Magic Academy awaited. Today was the day of the entrance exams, and as they approached the academy, they saw a large crowd already gathered outside. Some of the faces in the crowd were familiar—there were even a few elves among the mix.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd as a man appeared, floating above them without any visible support. He descended gracefully, his presence commanding attention. "I welcome all of you who have come to participate in this year's entrance exam," he announced. "I am William Sander, your proctor."
The crowd buzzed with whispers.
"Is that really the infamous Fire Knight?"
"I've heard he has both fire and wind magic abilities."
"And he's an S rank powerhouse! This is going to be tough."
"Yeah, I heard he's really strict with his assessments. Maybe I should just go home…"
William's voice boomed over the crowd, silencing the whispers. "Listen carefully. There are two types of mages in this world. The first are the normal mages, who rely on spells to cast magic. The second are the perfect mages—those who, through natural talent or rigorous practice, can manipulate the elements without the need for spells."
Yuna and David exchanged glances, their eyes widening. *So that's why Yuna doesn't need spells*, David thought.
William continued. "In many other worlds, you'll find that perfect mages are far more common. They've been practicing magic for millennia. But we humans only gained access to magic through the gene evolution our ancestors underwent."
He paused, scanning the crowd. "Your first test will assess both your rank and your elemental attributes. Follow me."