Croy leaped lightly from the hood of the sports car onto the sidewalk, letting his gaze sweep over the streets of the imperial capital.
The sight was overwhelming. Millions of people lived in this metropolis, yet it didn't feel cramped. Of course, there were skyscrapers and residential areas where buildings nestled together like loving couples, but that wasn't what defined the city.
It was orderly and clean, filled with parks and historic buildings. The Empire had a long history and was very proud of it.
Maglev trains crisscrossed the city, mighty long-range Spellcannons occasionally pierced the sky, and elsewhere stood colossal structures, their purpose unknown to Croy.
In the distance, he could make out the Imperial Palace. The structure consisted of four mighty towers surrounding a vast, dark red palace. This meant he was also near the Imperial Academy.
But before heading there, he had something else to do. He stood before a shopping district, surrounded by gleaming storefronts and chic boutiques.
He had nothing with him but his military clothes and needed at least a few normal items. Even though a new uniform awaited him at the Academy, he felt he should adapt a bit to his new environment.
Unfortunately, he had no idea what normal people usually wore. The clothes he'd worn before his parents died had all been bought by them, and he was no longer a child.
Croy took a deep breath. He let the atmosphere of the city wash over him and couldn't help but feel a slight sense of awe. The bustle of people, the humming of floating advertising drones, the polished architecture - everything felt so different from what he knew before.
And he had to admit, he kind of liked it.
Suddenly, his peace was interrupted by an annoyed voice behind him.
"Are you serious?!"
Croy turned around with a crooked grin. Oh yes. The girl from the sports car. She was still here.
He looked at her, and even if he didn't want to admit it, he had been a bit overwhelmed when he first saw her.
She appeared both elegant and commanding. Her black, slightly wavy hair reached just to her chin and shimmered in the sunlight, with dark blue tips that seemed to glow softly.
Under the elegant black evening dress, he could discern the sleek curves of her slender figure. She was undoubtedly a healthy, growing young woman.
And there she sat in that silver sports car, as if she were a piece of imperial nobility, which she probably was. Poised and with a composure that matched her high-end outfit and the luxurious atmosphere of the vehicle.
'Are all people in the capital like this?' he thought.
The sight was hard to process. Croy was used to being surrounded by officers and veterans, but the cool elegance of the girl was something entirely different.
Most of the time he'd spent with strangers involved killing other strangers. In such situations, appearance and presence were unimportant. The only times where he would've had to tidy himself up were important meeting, but they were always attented by Spider and Cookoff.
He smirked. He and his comrades were always either covered in ash and dust or stained with blood. Good times.
So the sight of this beautiful girl had taken his breath away a bit. Bunny and Cookoff were also stunning in their own ways, but they had never sat in a breathtaking dress in a sports car - or at least, he'd never seen them in one.
He was sure he would have liked the sight.
But before this unfamiliar feeling could settle, he noticed the shocked expression on her face, the unfiltered look he knew all too well.
A look that screamed how out of place he was in military gear. They thought he was a weakling. Or a victim.
She regarded him with that mix of surprise and doubt, just like everyone did when they first realized he was actually a soldier.
Croy narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together. He was tired of that look... So he had jumped onto her sports car.
Maybe he had felled that decision too fast.
He cleared his throat before asking, "Did I do something to upset you?"
Internally, he winced slightly, almost expecting Spider to appear behind him at any moment and give him a smack on the head.
'Well, that's what you get for sending me to school! I'm already becoming a cheeky kid,' he thought bitterly, pushing aside the image of his leader.
The girl huffed indignantly.
"Well, how about the fact that you dirtied my car! Oh God, I hope it doesn't have a dent!"
Her voice quivered with horror and indignation as her eyes critically examined the hood of her precious vehicle.
"But you said I could. After all, I had to get out," Croy replied calmly.
"That was clearly sarcasm!"
She crossed her arms and glared at him. Of course he knew that, but the girl had annoyed him, and now he suddenly felt foolish and remorseful for his childish behavior.
Maybe he should apologize.
But before he could, the man - apparently the girl's butler - took the words from his mouth.
"Young lady, the young soldier clearly comes from the front lines. Perhaps you could be a bit more lenient with him."
He then calmly pointed to the now-empty street ahead, as the military transporter had turned around.
"Besides - this could be your chance to indulge in your desires before you go to the Academy."
'So she's going to the Academy too... Wait, indulge in what?'
For a brief moment, a completely out of place image of the wealthy, beautiful girl formed in his mind.
"Atlas! What are you saying!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing slightly.
She shook her head and looked at Croy with narrowed eyes, as if sizing him up for another moment before sighing.
"What's your name?"
"Croy Belmont," he answered.
"And yours?"
"Inera Clayford. Hopefully, we won't meet again, Croy Belmont."
With those words, she placed her hands back on the steering wheel, hit the gas, and the engine of her sports car roared as she sped away. It looked like she was a bit embaressed and in a hurry.
Croy watched her go as the sound of the engine faded into the distance.
'I'd like to try that someday,' he thought, a slight smile crossing his face before he turned back toward the shopping district.
"Maybe we'll see each other at the Academy."
Now he had his first acquaintance, even if it probably wouldn't be the most pleasant one. He sighed. If he saw Inera Clayford again, he'd apologize for his behavior.
He had been in military uniform, after all! Spider would be furious. Not only had he tarnished his own reputation but also that of the Imperial Army, and thus the Emperor's... Long live the Emperor.
But the Academy's welcome ceremony wouldn't begin for a few more hours. So he still had enough time to buy some clothes. He couldn't always be in a student uniform.
So he continued on and soon found himself in a crowd of people. The shopping district was clearly popular, and as Croy saw it, not without reason.
It seemed everything was sold here - from simple everyday kitchen utensils to high-tech hoverboards. He even spotted a few shops for Spellcasters, but these seemed to regulate their clientele more strictly.
No wonder; there were still more people who couldn't control their mana than those who could - and not all could be called Spellcasters. Croy's parents had also been non-Spellcasters.
No one seemed bothered that he was walking around fully geared up with a Spellrifle in the middle of the city. The Imperial Army enjoyed great trust among the civilian population.
Every now and then, a passerby nodded to him respectfully. A feeling of pride welled up inside him.
'Even if I should actually be wiping out the rebels right now...'
He pushed the thought aside again. He would simply consider the Academy his next mission. Spider and the others would complete his quest for revenge while his injury fully healed.
But he hadn't heard anything new from them yet. Hopefully, everything was all right.
With this last thought, he strolled onward. He was in no hurry and wanted to enjoy the opportunity to be in the imperial capital.
***
Croy had been walking through the city for two hours now, pulling a suitcase behind him. The simple suit a friendly salesman had recommended fit well - nothing flashy but plain and unobtrusive, just right for his taste.
Inside the suitcase were his military gear and Spellrifle, hidden under a few new clothing items he'd bought for life on the Academy grounds.
The closer he got to the Imperial Academy, the more he noticed the surroundings changing. The streets and buildings appeared increasingly upscale, as if every stone and plant had been carefully selected to create a special atmosphere. It was as if this part of the city was wealthier and more distinguished, but not ostentatious or gaudy, instead full of subtle elegance.
Several times, Croy noticed young people on the same streets, looking around just as curiously. Most seemed to be heading to the Academy as well, some chauffeured in limousines or sports cars.
These were undoubtedly Academy students. Some wore formal suits or dresses like himself, while others were already in the red and white uniforms of the Academy.
They must have been upperclassmen.
The Empire's banner adorned these uniforms, and a golden flame on the chest reminded everyone that they served the Emperor - long live the Emperor.
Relief washed over him. The suit choice had been exactly right. A renewed thanks to the salesman flashed through his mind as he pulled the suitcase a bit closer and continued toward the imposing Academy building.
The Academy itself was a futuristic masterpiece that exuded the might and history of the Empire. It rose in an architectural style that was functional yet impressive. Towers of silvery metal soared into the sky, crisscrossed by red, softly glowing lines that looked like veins of a giant, sleeping creature.
In front of the building was a wide staircase leading to the main entrance of the fenced main square - large double doors of polished metal adorned with the Empire's banner.
The students here looked like a radiant assembly. Croy noticed that they weren't just children of nobility; many possessed a glowing aura, a confidence that suggested they had extraordinary talents.
The blood of a Spellcaster seemed to flow in each of them - a tingling sensation came over him as he looked through the crowd.
It was as if he stood before an army of future legends, and a certain respect for his fellow students rose within him. Soldiers were made out of discipline. What were these exceptional people made of?
Back in the military, the units on the barracks and assembly grounds had been outstanding in formation and discipline. But here, it felt like... like...
'A sea of shining stars,' flashed through his mind.
Yes, this was an academy of a thousand shining stars. An academy of talent and fame.
An uneasy feeling overcame Croy.
He was a soldier, after all.
Should he really be here?