"Lioncrest Academy harbors deep hostility toward Sirius Academy. If they see you, they'll certainly attack. Be careful," Gayle warned before turning and walking away.
The others, having heard this, remained calm; most were already aware of the situation.
Blanche rubbed her round belly and said,
"From what I know, Lioncrest Academy currently boasts two peerless prodigies, a young man and woman. The man's name is Eisen, and the woman's name is Beatrice. Both are under twenty and have already reached the peak of tier-gold, possibly nearing tier-platinum!"
"In the entire Plantagenet Kingdom, the only person who can confidently defeat them is Duke Alice."
At the mention of Duke Alice, everyone's expressions grew visibly heavier.
After all, Duke Alice was a legendary figure. If these two were only second to her, how formidable could they be?
Blanche continued,
"Besides those two challenging figures, there are three other star students. These three are highly unusual and have been secretly cultivated by Lioncrest Academy. It's rumored that even Duke Alice would struggle against them if they joined forces!"
Francis shrank back, visibly uneasy, and tentatively said,
"I think I'm feeling unwell. It's probably not too late to withdraw from the academy, right?"
Blanche replied coldly,
"Anyone from Sirius Academy will be targeted by Lioncrest Academy. A year and a half from now, they might not even let you go."
"What the hell?! That dwarf Gayle really set us up!" Francis clutched his head, his expression grim.
At this moment, Alan stepped forward and said,
"There's something more pressing we need to address!"
Everyone looked at Alan curiously and asked,
"What is it?"
Alan glanced at them and said,
"Have you all noticed the academy's state? We're out of everything—no seasoning for grilled meat, no vegetables, no magic potions to aid our training…"
"So, I've decided to go shopping. The cost will be split equally among us."
The group fell silent, none of them immediately responding.
Seeing this, Alan added,
"If you don't like this idea, that's fine. From now on, we'll live separately."
Blanche, Francis, and Fort almost spoke in unison:
"I think that's a great idea!"
None of them were skilled in cooking, and Alan and Isabella's meals were far too delicious to pass up.
"How much gold coin are we talking about?" Blanche asked.
"About a hundred gold coin per person," Alan replied.
Blanche handed over a pouch of coins without hesitation. Alan scanned it and tucked it into his pocket.
Fort also quickly handed over his share.
Only Francis hesitated and complained,
"That's too expensive…"
Alan smiled and said,
"That's fine. If it's too much, you can handle your meals yourself."
"Wait, no!" Francis reluctantly fished out a pouch of gold coins and handed it over.
Alan accepted it, nodded, and said,
"Good. Now, you two can help my sister and me carry things."
Although he had a storage ring, it couldn't store living items, so some things needed to be transported manually.
Francis and Fort had no objections. Joining the shopping trip would also allow them to pick out some of their favorite foods.
Isabella, being a young girl, was thrilled at the idea of exploring the bustling imperial city.
Soon after, they compiled a list of ingredients, basic magic potions, and supplies, and began their descent from the mountains.
On the way down, Francis looked at Alan and Fort, who both appeared indifferent, and frowned,
"Aren't you two worried about the life-and-death duel a year and a half from now?"
"Lioncrest Academy is superior to us in every way—especially those five monsters Gayle mentioned…"
Fort confidently declared,
"What's there to be afraid of? The headmaster told me that my potential surpasses anyone in the Plantagenet Kingdom. The kingdom's future rests on me. I'm the legendary Chosen One! Those people are nothing but clay dogs before me."
Alan and Francis stared at Fort, dumbfounded. They'd seen confident people before but never anyone this overconfident.
"Is something wrong with what I said?" Fort asked, puzzled.
Alan and Francis exchanged a look:
"…"
This guy was as clear-eyed as a fresh spring. He actually believed the headmaster's exaggerated claims.
Adjusting his tone, Alan turned to Francis and said,
"Overthinking won't help. All we can do now is train hard and give it our all when the time comes. They're human, and so are we. No difference!"
Francis looked at the confident pair and felt his pride trampled into the dirt.
"You're right! Whether we cower or charge, the risk is the same," Francis said, taking a deep breath as his usual swagger returned. Then, more tentatively, he added,
"Have you considered alternatives, like sneaking away early?"
Alan thought of Gayle, whose depths he couldn't fathom, and laughed.
"You can try, but good luck not getting dragged back by the headmaster."
At this, Francis slumped in defeat. There was no way Gayle, who had gone to such lengths to recruit them, would just let them leave.
"Forget it. At least we're here to learn something!" Francis muttered, giving up on the idea.
Shortly after leaving the mountains, Alan led the group to a bustling mall run by the Church of Steam and Magic.
Alan had a diamond card from the Church, allowing him to buy at cost and enjoy premium service.
As they entered, the five-story building was packed with people, its shelves filled with dazzling goods that left Alan and the others momentarily stunned.
A saleswoman in a sleek dress approached with a professional smile,
"What can I help you with today?"
Alan handed over his diamond card and a shopping list.
When the saleswoman saw the diamond card, her professional smile turned into a genuine grin, her crow's feet crinkling as she gestured,
"Honored guests, please follow me to the VIP lounge. Your items will be delivered shortly!"
Alan nodded and said,
"Make sure everything on the list is packaged, and remember—cost price!"
The saleswoman hesitated upon glancing at the list:
"Chicken, duck, beef, lamb? And various spices?"
Wait… something wasn't right. This mall specialized in mage supplies—luxurious, high-end items. None of these things fit.
Seeing her hesitation, Alan asked,
"Is there a problem?"
"Sir, with all due respect, these items aren't sold here," she replied hesitantly.
Before she could finish, a manager arrived in a hurry and said respectfully,
"Honored guest, while we don't carry these items, we can source them for you elsewhere!"
"And the price?" Alan asked.
"For someone of your status, free of charge!" the manager replied.
Alan shook his head.
"I don't take freebies. Just charge me the market cost."
The manager nodded, appreciating Alan's stance. Before long, three carts full of items were delivered to him.
"Here are the goods you requested. Please inspect them," the manager said deferentially.
Alan used his mind power to verify the items, nodded in satisfaction, and handed over a large pouch of gold coins.
"Count it and see if it's enough."
The manager didn't even check and replied,
"It's more than enough."
Alan smiled, loaded the carts with Isabella and the others, and left.
Just as they left the mall, someone in the crowd spotted Alan at the front of the caravan and exclaimed,
"Isn't that the failure expelled from Lioncrest Academy, Alan?!"