I noticed we were surrounded by a parade of people politely clapping at our entrance. Apparently, right after we entered the kingdom, I found myself following a noble's carriage from another country being warmly welcomed by the citizens here. "Oh, how embarrassing! My carriage looks so different from the one in front," I muttered, covering my face to hide my embarrassment in front of the parade.
**Inside the Noble's Carriage**
Inside the carriage was a noble princess from the Vampire Kingdom, sent to attend Axeris Academy. Her long, wavy black hair cascaded down her back, and her elegant eyelashes framed her striking red eyes. "Sir, is the carriage behind us part of our entourage?" the princess asked, glancing out the rear window.
"No, Princess Abigail. Our entourage consists of only the two carriages in front," the attendant replied respectfully and carefully, addressing the noble princess with utmost deference.
Princess Abigail Cronola was the only daughter of King Alexander Cronola, known as Dracula. Despite being just 14 years old, her exceptional talents had already earned her the recognition of the four basic Elements, even before her Elemental Awakening.
"I see... I'll verify it later," she said coldly, her sharp gaze fixed on Eizan through the carriage window.
**Back to Eizan**
Axeris Academy was supposed to be one of the greatest turning points for the entire continent. Not only did it bring together all the talented youths, but it also aimed to build a future where they could learn under one roof. It was a fascinating venture initiated by the continent's leaders, but undeniably, it would be filled with conflicts and rivalries.
I maneuvered the carriage into a narrow gap between two buildings after passing through the crowd and signaled to Sophia behind me that we were almost there.
I used my Element to burn a small part of the tarp covering the carriage to wake Sophia. "Hey Sophia, wake up, we've arrived in the city," I whispered softly.
Sophia slowly opened her eyes, rubbing them gently as she woke from her sleep. "What? ... Are we really here?" I got down from the driver's seat and walked to the back of the carriage.
I opened the door and extended my hand to help Sophia down. She took my hand, and I carefully guided her out to avoid any stumbles. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Eldoria, the center where all of humanity gathers on this continent."
Sophia looked around with an expression of awe. "It's so big and a bit ancient."
I was taken aback by her comment. "Huh? ... Have you seen anything more beautiful than this place?"
With confidence, she quickly replied, "Yes, I have," while continuing to take in her surroundings.
Soon, someone called out to us from behind, "Eizan! Sophia!" We turned around to see a familiar face—it was Alex, the one who had offered to host us while we attended Axeris Academy. He approached us with two people from his household.
"Finally, you made it. You're a day late; I've been waiting for you," Alex said, expressing his frustration at our delay.
"Yeah, sorry about that, Alex... We'll explain everything once we're inside," I said, raising my hand to my head apologetically.
"Huffftt... Alright then. Servants, can you please take their luggage?" Alex instructed the four servants with him to carry our belongings. 'Wonderful... This is exactly what we hoped for, Alex!' I thought to myself.
"Yes, Young Master," the two servants promptly took our luggage from the carriage.
Sophia and I carried only our bags containing our clothes on our backs. "Follow me," Alex instructed us to follow him.
After about ten minutes of walking around, we finally arrived at the mansion where Alex lived. The place was grand and luxurious—no surprise, given that his father was a magnate in the area.
"This? Is this really your house, Alex?" Sophia asked, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Yes, this is my home. Make yourselves at home," Alex said, opening the large front door.
I took a cautious step onto the stairs, took a deep breath, straightened my clothes, and followed Alex inside...
"Whew—let's do this, Sophia."
"Yeah," she replied, sharing my enthusiasm.
Just as Alex opened the door, the servants lined up neatly to welcome us.
A servant approached Alex, Sophia, and me. "Ahem, it's a pleasure to meet you. Eizan, Sophia, I was informed by Alex and Lady Eva that you will be staying here for some time. Is that correct?" I bowed slightly, and Sophia nodded her head.
The servant who had taken our luggage was already standing right behind us, which surprised me when I turned to see. 'How did he get here so fast?' I wondered.
"Good, you've made the right choice," the servant said, glancing at Alex with a smile. It seemed like they had planned something I wasn't aware of.
"Allow me to show you to your rooms," the servant said, bowing slightly toward Alex to seek his permission.
We followed the servant as he led us upstairs. Sophia marveled at the luxurious surroundings, and I too noticed familiar spots, like the sofa in the front living room where Alex, Elisia, and I used to play.
Our steps halted when we heard soft footsteps approaching. A woman in a luxurious red gown, looking as if she were headed to a ball, appeared. Her blonde hair confirmed her identity—it was Lady Eva, Alex's mother.
The servant in front of us bowed upon seeing Lady Eva, as did Sophia and I. "Lady Eva... Your guests have arrived," the servant announced.
A slight smile appeared on her lips when she saw me. "It's been a long time, young Eizan..." I lifted my head after hearing Lady Eva's words.
"It's been a long time, Lady Eva..." I said, noticing something different about her since I last saw her twelve years ago.
Eva stepped forward and touched my hair gently. "Look at you... You look just like your father now, exactly," she said, her eyes filled with a hint of sadness.
She wasn't the same as before. Lady Eva used to always look melancholy when at home. "Ahahaha, you're too kind, Lady Eva," I said with a nervous grin, unsure how to respond.
"And this must be... Sophia?" Eva turned to Sophia, who was still bowing. Upon hearing her name, Sophia lifted her head.
"Yes, Lady Eva... My name is Sophia Elara," she introduced herself respectfully.
"What an adorable child! Eizan, how did you find such a cute and lovely friend without telling your aunt?" Eva pinched Sophia's cheeks, finding her irresistibly cute.
I never expected Lady Eva to react like this to Sophia. I'd never seen her behave this way before. "Aaskenk," Sophia mumbled incoherently, caught off guard.
'What is she saying?' I thought to myself.
Eva released her grip. "Now, go to your rooms and freshen up. I'll take you on a tour of the city afterward."
"O-Okay!" I wasn't too excited about it since I'd toured the area before, but Sophia seemed very interested in the Human Kingdom.
The servant continued to lead us upstairs. We climbed the stairs slowly until we reached our rooms.
"Alright... Master Eizan, this is your room," the servant said, opening the door to my room.
The servant then walked to the next room, directing Sophia to her place of rest.
I wasted no time entering my room. It felt as luxurious as a fancy hotel in the city. I jumped onto the bed. 'Wow, I feel like I'm in heaven.'
**Sophia's POV**
This is nothing like being in the village. As I entered the room, it felt chilly, as if some magic was cooling the entire space. "Is there anything else you need, Lady Sophia?" the servant asked.
"Ahh... No, this is more than enough for me," I replied.
"Alright then... I'll take my leave," the servant said, exiting and closing the door behind him. 'Since I'm here, I might as well freshen up,' I thought.
I placed my belongings in the wardrobe, taking out the toiletries I brought from the village. As I walked to the bathroom, I noticed that it was already stocked with luxurious toiletries.
Comparing mine with the ones provided, there was a stark difference in quality. I discarded mine and used the new ones.
**Eizan's POV**
"Hahh... That sound... Sophia must be getting ready. I want to listen," I said, pressing my ear against the wall separating our rooms.
**Back to Sophia...**
'It seems this guy wants to listen to me while I'm freshening up... I'll teach him a lesson,' I thought, placing a wind spell on the wall between my bathroom and his room.
'Take this, you pervert,' I muttered, casting the spell.
[Sterom]
The moment Sophia cast her spell, Eizan, who had his face pressed against the wall, was blown back by the force.
'Now I can freshen up in peace,' Sophia thought, continuing with her bath.
Meanwhile, Eizan lay unconscious from the impact of Sophia's spell.