The walls of Lucaria were towering; Jin had never seen city walls of such size and thickness before.
These walls were adorned with many captivating carvings and inscriptions, but what caught Jin's attention most was the sculpture on the gate itself.
The massive city gate was carved with a figure holding a long sword, thrust into the ground. This figure wore armor and a helmet that concealed their face, giving the impression of a formidable and seasoned warrior.
However, it wasn't just the gate that impressed Jin; the road itself was majestic, paved, and decorated with columns and flowers.
There were many people moving in and out of the city, all dressed in intriguing attire.
The men wore matching outfits consisting of black suits with long white cloaks draped over them, bearing the emblem of a knight holding a sword raised high.
In contrast, the women wore white suits with short white skirts or white trousers, and over their clothes, they wore black cloaks adorned with the emblem of a girl holding a sword and looking up at the sky.
Hanging from each person's cloak, whether male or female, was a golden pendant engraved with unique numbers identifying each individual.
Jin realized that those in the same attire were students of Lucaria, while the others were ordinary city dwellers.
Jin and the saints continued forward and entered through the gate.
"Wow, what a city," Jin's eyes were filled with admiration.
Inside, the city was a network of branching roads lined with magnificent buildings and houses that Jin had only seen in books.
The towering buildings with wooden frames had protruding upper floors above the narrow streets below, with many flowers and blossoms hanging from their roofs, creating a beautiful decoration.
As one passed through the wide cobblestone and iron-paved roads, one could enter the bustling market.
There were numerous shops, markets, and vendors everywhere displaying their goods. The city's population was large as well, with Jin seeing many people in every direction.
The city's scent was filled with the aroma of various medicinal products and other goods Jin had never encountered before, mixed with the sounds of vendors selling their wares, artisans practicing their trades, and lively conversations of the city's residents.
The city was a tapestry of diverse areas, each neighborhood pulsating with its own unique rhythm.
For example, the artisan district was filled with the sounds of blacksmiths' hammers and the faint hum of weavers' looms. There were also grand guild halls with facades adorned with various symbols.
On the outskirts of the city, there were many luxurious mansions, each set amidst expansive gardens.
The most impressive feature of the city was that all side roads led to a towering building in the center of the city, the Lucaria Academy.
The academy was vast, a sprawling complex of towering spires, enchanting gardens, and maze-like paths. Its architecture was intricate, with the academy's towers resembling great halls.
There were 13 grand halls in the northeast of the academy, while the northwest housed several residential buildings that appeared to be student dormitories. In the center of the academy was a building that seemed the most secure, likely the administration building.
In the southeast, there was a large training ground, and in the southwest, there were many buildings, including a large library.
Jin thought that the size of the academy alone was comparable to Anvil, the city where he grew up! Though it wasn't quite that large, it was big enough to make him think so.
Park smiled, "What do you think, boy? Isn't this place amazing?"
Jin looked around, left and right. "What a big place, and so many people too..." Jin was amazed.
Park laughed, "Yes, it is really impressive, but you haven't seen anything yet."
"Well, follow me. We'll meet with the head of the academy."
Jin replied, "Alright."
"I'll be on my way now. See you later, Park." Lamar was already heading out.
Before she left, she looked back and told Jin, "I advise you to be cautious of the royal families here, you impudent boy," before waving goodbye.
Jin was puzzled by her words, as she had never seemed interested in him before.
Then he followed Park to meet the school director and headed to the administrative building in the center of the academy, and they entered.
Inside, there were many doors and rooms. The building consisted of three floors, each dedicated to different functions.
The first floor was for student affairs, the second for teacher administration, and the third, where Jin and Park ascended, was for academy officials.
Jin stood in front of a large door on the third floor, adorned with gold and solid iron. The door appeared indestructible.
"Wait here for a moment," Park said as he entered the room.
Jin paused and thought, "What a truly wonderful place. There's also a large library... Haha, I can't wait to read there."
As Jin waited, a group of students passed by and gave him disdainful looks.
"Hah ?, why is a commoner here?" one of the girls in the group whispered to another.
A student with red hair approached Jin, looking at him with contempt and anger. "What are you doing here, you filthy commoner?"
Jin glanced at him carelessly. "That's none of your business."
Jin was used to being treated this way by the wealthy, so it wasn't surprising that one of these arrogant people looked at him with disdain.
"Haha, it seems you don't know your place here." The person spat on Jin's shoe while looking him in the eye.
The others behind him laughed too, and one of the girls said, "You should kneel and bow, you filthy commoner. Don't you know who you're speaking to?"
Jin wanted to punch him, but at that moment, the president's door opened behind him, and an elderly man with white hair, leaning on a cane, emerged, smiling kindly at everyone.
"It seems there's going to be a long talk with your parents, Mark, from the Manchester family."
Mark's face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost. "Mr. President," he stammered, then bowed deeply to the old man, followed by everyone in the group, who also bowed respectfully.
Park smiled. "It seems you're already causing some trouble, Jin."
Jin glanced at Park and the elderly man and sighed. "That fool started it," he said, pointing to Mark.
Mark's brow twitched with anger, and he tried to say something, but no words came out in front of the academy president.
The old man laughed warmly. "You're really like your father young man. Come, we need to talk."
Jin sighed, shrugged, and followed the old man and Park into the majestic room.
Mark muttered as he stared outside the room, "I'll kill that bastard."
A boy with short black hair, leaning against the wall behind Mark, said, "Don't be hasty. It seems the president knows him somewhat."
He then added, "If you want to deal with him, you should do it secretly." He smiled slyly.
Mark smiled. "Ah, you're right."
The room Jin entered was large, and everything in it looked very expensive, making Jin feel a bit nervous about breaking something and ending up in debt for the rest of his life.
The old man called out, "Come, sit in front of me," pointing to the chair opposite his desk.
Jin moved to sit in front of him, looking around the place.
"Well, I'm going now, Jin, so I'll see you later. Make sure you enjoy the academy." Park smiled and patted Jin on the shoulder.
Jin smiled. "Thank you for everything."
Park left the room, leaving Jin alone with the academy president, who was clasping his hands on the desk.
Jin spoke first, "It seems you know my father, sir."
The old man replied, "Of course. Arthur was an exceptional student at this academy."
"My grandfather told me that before," Jin responded.
"Oh, Adrian, how is he these days?"
Jin looked down, sadness in his eyes. "He passed away to join his beloved wife in the afterlife."
The old man's expression changed slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
Jin replied, "It's alright, but I thought you already knew that, sir."
The old man answered, "Oh, why do you think I would know?"
Jin looked at him questioningly. "Didn't Park tell you anything about me?"
The old man stroked his chin and looked at Jin. "No, he only told me that you are Arthur's son and that you are interested in joining our academy."
Jin sighed, "That's right. Anyway, can I know who you are, sir?"
The old man smiled and replied, "I am Saruman, the president of this academy."
Jin responded respectfully, "Nice to meet you, President Saruman." He extended his hand for a handshake.
Saruman laughed and extended his hand to shake Jin's. "Nice to meet you too."
"The school year will start in two weeks, so you should prepare and familiarize yourself with the lecture halls and other facilities here."
Jin smiled. "Yes, of course. Can I visit the large library here?" His eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes, you can do that. But first, let me advise you to stay out of trouble here."
"As you know, there are many troublemakers from royal families."
Jin sighed, irritated. "Fuck I know they are."
Saruman looked at Jin with great interest. "I can understand your hatred, but you should avoid them for now."
"There are some families that I will have a very hard time dealing with."
Jin looked at him and sighed, "Alright, alright. But when I'm strong enough, I'll crush them all. You don't mind that, do you, sir?" Jin looked at him with a confident smile.
Saruman smiled. "I look forward to seeing you shine, Arthur's son."
Jin replied with a playful glance, "I feel like you were lying a bit when you said you don't know anything about me."
Saruman laughed cheerfully. "You're quite a funny boy. Anyway, we'll continue our conversation another time. One of the teachers will come to guide you to your dorm room."
Jin responded, "Alright, thank you."
He then left Saruman's office to find a thin teacher with large glasses waiting for him.
"Hello, I'm Teacher Howell. I'll guide you to your dorm room now, and tomorrow I'll show you the rest of the academy."
Jin kept staring at the large glasses and muttered, "What strange glasses..."
"Nice to meet you, Teacher Howell."
Howell adjusted his glasses. "Follow me, I'll take you to your room."
Jin and the teacher headed towards the dormitory complex, which consisted of two very large buildings: one for males and the other for females.
They arrived at room number 642.
"This is your room, Student Jin." Howell then pulled out a key for the room and handed it to Jin.
"Here's the key. Make sure you get plenty of rest, and I'll show you the rest of the academy tomorrow."
"Alright, thank you." Jin entered the room and whistled.
"Wow, what a luxurious room..."