After a good shower and some time with Nico and his other friends, Valerian returned home exhausted. His parents were already waiting for him with dinner and Valerian felt hungrier than a Nemean lion when the smell of stew hit his nostrils. He told them about his day and received pitying looks from his parents when he showed them his bruises. "He only cares about you, even if his hard shell might not give that away directly." His father said with a cheeky smile on his face. "He was already a tough dog in the war, but he saved my comrades' and my necks more than once." "He treats us like we're at war too," Valerian replied with a mock look of horror on his face. Laughing, his father patted him on the shoulder and began to talk about his day. Valerian really enjoyed dinner and talking to his parents, as he wouldn't be seeing them again for a long time soon. After the naming ceremony, everyone went to their assigned academies, depending on which house they belonged to. There were specialized schools for all professions and specializations, with the elite academies being the most coveted. However, you could only be accepted there if you promised enormous potential and were assigned to one of the most powerful houses. So Valerian didn't have high hopes in this regard.
After dinner, he wished his parents a good night and went up to his room. The rather modern house was decorated in the classic style of a Roman country house and offered a number of amenities. Both the heating and the Mythium catalytic converter were a great luxury that not everyone could afford. Although the catalytic converter was only powered by a very weak piece of blue mythium, it was still able to supply the entire house with light and mythia. Even though Valerian could not see the lines his parents and Magister had told him about, he was still able to operate some of the Mythium equipment. As long as Mythium Chosen interwove Mythia with objects, as his mother had done with the lamp on his desk, even a non-gifted person or a child before their name day could use them. As long as they did not exceed a certain level of complexity. Despite the great tiredness that overcame Valerian after the long day, he struggled to do his homework in math and history. Once he had finished his work, he fell into bed exhausted and was soon asleep.
So Valerian didn't have high hopes in this regard. After dinner, he wished his parents a good night and went up to his room. The rather modern house was decorated in the classic style of a Roman country house and offered a number of amenities. Both the heating and the Mythium catalytic converter were a great luxury that not everyone could afford. Although the catalytic converter was only powered by a very weak piece of blue Mythium, it was still able to supply the entire house with light and Mythia. Even though Valerian could not see the lines his parents and Magister had told him about, he was still able to operate some of the Mythium apparatus. As long as Mythium-Chosen interwove Mythia with objects, as his mother had done with the lamp on his desk, even a non-gifted person or a child before their Nameday could use them. Of course as long as they did not exceed a certain level of complexity. Despite the great tiredness that overcame Valerian after the long day, he struggled to do his homework in math and history. Once he had finished his work, he fell into bed exhausted and was soon asleep.
Valerian was woken up by the slight vibrations that the Mythium alarm clock was sending in his direction. The last few days, weeks and months had been full of training and preparation for today. Today he and many others would be given a name. If I get a name at all, Valerian thought grimly. However, his excitement and anticipation quickly overcame these negative thoughts and he prepared himself for the day. He put on a red and gold uniform that had arrived a few days earlier especially for the Nameday. His shoulders were decorated with lightning bolts and an eagle was emblazoned on his chest. He looked at himself in the mirror and was surprised by the sight. His face looked much more respectable due to the festive clothing and his blond hair also looked sleeker. He wasn't overly tall for his age, but the uniform seemed to give him a new kind of height that came from within.
Satisfied with his appearance, he left the bathroom and went into the kitchen to see his parents. They were already waiting for him and looked at their son with tears in their eyes when they saw him. "You look well, my darling." Said his mother in a shaky voice. "Almost all grown up." His father added proudly. They used the morning to talk to each other in peace one last time and enjoyed their remaining hours together. Around noon, they rode together to the nearest hub of the Transporatorium, which was located in the city center of Retorum. Much of the population relied on horses or carriages for local transportation, though there were growing rumors of Mythium-run vehicles that were not tied to the Emperor's transportation network. For longer journeys, anyone could use the unimaginably large and complex network of the Transporatorium, which stretched from Africa to the conquered territories of the Tsarist Empire. Huge carriages with seats and ample storage space shot through the entire empire at breathtaking speed. Metal rails infused with Mythium were attached to supports and hovered meters above the ground. This allowed the transport carriages to glide over the rails without resistance.The members of House Sentius made a huge fortune from their metalworking and infusion skills, but the benefits of their profession were essential to the infrastructure of the whole of Rome.
When they arrived at the station, there was already a great hustle and bustle and families everywhere were saying goodbye to their children, grandchildren and siblings. They tied up the horses and walked towards the entrance. The building was far too large for its actual purpose and was adorned with statues and decorations. The imperial family attached great importance to demonstrating their power, for which there were few better methods than the sheer display of ultimate wealth. Retorum was a rather small city with just under 50,000 inhabitants, but no citizen of the empire was ever to forget who held the reins of power. The train to the provincial capital of Germania, Mogontiacum, would leave in less than thirty minutes.
In such cities, magnificent buildings reached a whole new level. The emperor or other houses liked to invest their money in huge towers, arenas, avenues or anything else that brought prestige and attention. With a strong tug in his chest, he turned to his parents. Even though they looked sad, they both smiled encouragingly at him. "You'll manage. We believe in you Val! Sure, the first few months won't be easy, but depending on which school you get into, you can come and visit us sooner or later," his father said in a serious tone. For him, there was no way that his only son would become a Nameless. "We love you and wish you nothing but the best. If you should attend the Academia Agricultura, I'm sure I can call in some favors to help you. And your father will surely have some contacts at the Schola Bellum." "I know two of the instructors and the equipment keeper. We'll help you where we can, my son." Valerian's father agreed with his wife. "I love you." Valerian whispered and hugged his parents one last time for a long time. With a heavy heart, he walked through the magnificent archway and wiped a single tear from his cheek.