Wish I had a car...
As I lay on the ground I feel a sudden halt in the carriage which sends me into the wall of the carriage.
[Ha!]
Shut up!
I get up and open the carriage and see out of the door window in the distance a grand wall that seems to be high up in the distant plains. This has to be the capital, I can see a single grand building that is higher than the wall.
I look at the trail we are on and it seems we have met a stone gate. Might be a checkpoint or garrison inspecting like when I first entered Jarleum. I am actually getting a bit excited now. While also nervous as shit since I spent 2 months getting used to Jarleum and not going to a high-prestige school for extremely gifted people.
[Remember, Arthur warned us about potential schemes by some royals who may not like an unknown foreigner coming to the Academy.]
Yeah, I will be careful. I am sure however I can handle a bit of what comes my way. As I see the guards more closely, I see the armor they have is gray with blue feathers and clothes on them. I remember the Order's are basically like regional police departments with different jurisdictions. I wonder who these guys are. I've seen the Lion Guard and the Cardinals.
I focus my eyes and my vision zooms in automatically because of my implanted eye and begin seeing the insignia in their armor.
It has symmetry and looks to be like a bird facing forward. With a fan of feathers behind the head of the bird.
Looks like a falcon or hawk.
As dozens of these knights begin walking in my direction I leave the carriage and stand out for inspection like before.
*20 minutes later*
They finished the inspection and waved the guys up the wall to open the gate. With a loud crunch and sounding of metal chains and mechanisms I see the iron door begin to open, then I see a metal fence behind that raise up afterward.
Extra door in case the first got destroyed.
"Alright move out, we are almost done with this journey finally."
*1 hour and 20 minutes later*
As we get closer to the wall and the gates it is towering. I am guessing the wall is about 300 feet. I know for a fact a wall this size would be hard to scale with the technology I have seen so far. Modern weapons would still have a hard time beating a wall this high. They would need to use para-troopers to drop them into the city or siege the city for likely months.
No wonder this is the Capitol for how defendable it is. It has height, now I wonder how thick the wall is.
*48 minutes later*
The line in front of the city gates is long with how many people are leaving and entering. With last-moment inspections to ensure security for any items and papers to know weapons and goods are not illegal.
We managed to get through sooner, even though it was like 40 minutes of waiting. Mainly because since I have been sent here by Arthur, his royal status makes him a lot of benefits such as getting through security sooner.
As I look out the window the city looks bustling with people walking around, conversing, and trading, and kids playing in the street. The capitol seems to be even more diverse than Jarleum. I see people with more features than I did in Jarleum. People standing taller than others with horse-like ears, people with very clean clothes with long ears, and some people with scales and tails but have humanoid-like faces and body structures.
I read in my time in the Estate libraries of other races a bit but I am unsure still. There are other races of humans, but other races of beings. There are beast-men, demon-born, humans, elves, and other subraces that some don't count as the main intelligent races.
However, I never got into the lore and history of them more. But I can say I am sure at the Academy I can learn a bit more. Especially since in ym country at least there have always been divisions for just looking different.
[You going to go into political history then?]
That's a class at the Academy?
[Not sure, but I am sure it might be if the Academy is how it sounds.]
We will see. Arthur wants me to hone and harness my magic ability. He said it was un-refined and dangerous, but also had a lot of potential.
Well, we're almost to the Academy I hope so it won't be of concern. My knowledge they would gather students up to part take in a magical power exam, which is supposed to be similar to the process of measuring the power and magical mana one has and accomidate for it.
However Arthur told me something else,
*Flashback weeks ago*
"Be warned about the magical exam. I took it and I did very well. However, I am also royalty and one of high standing being related to the current king. But those of none royal standing or magical power are less fortunate" Arthur says sitting on the other side of a bench.
Arthur and I were both sparing a bit and taking a small break.
"What do you mean?" I ask
"In the magical exams, it isn't just a way to gauge one's magical power and reserves, but also as a way to weed out the weak and those of opposition. When people do it, other students watch them, meaning everyone will see how powerful someone is or not. At times people, especially royals, would go after those of lesser standing who exceed with outstanding potential and weed them out in order to get them pressed under their high horse. I have seen it myself when I was in the Academy. I didn't do anything because I thought at the time it was just how things must be. But now I realize I should've done more and stomped those behaviors myself." he says gripping his left hand into a fist
"So there is a hierarchy. Noted" I say
"You should take this seriously, however."
"Oh I do, Arthur. I remember when I was younger I got bullied and oversized by my own peers for being considered weak. No one came to my aid really. However, this will be an interesting experience to see how big the hierarchy is there..."
*Present time*
I need to keep in mind if my magical ability is on par with royals, and I am of no royal, noble, or even known background or status and exceed great potential, I have no doubt some might take me as an enemy on the spot.
[Well if you got enemies, then you are always vigilant right?]
True. But could do without the chance of some royal trying to get me kicked out of a prestigious school for me a salty stuck-up prick.
"Alright, this is your last stop kid!" the captain of the escort says opening my carriage for me.
I jump out of the carriage and take in the active scenery of buildings, converse and people walking around. Some looking at me, and some are just passing by me.
"We have another cart that will take you to the Academy for you. Good luck kid. Also, make the prince proud." the captain says soluting me
I give him a bow in response instead.
I await my luggage with some guards until the cart mentioned arrives. Not sure how long public transportation is here at the capitol. Hopefully good.
*10 minutes*
As a cart begins to pass me it stops halfway and then calls out my name.
"Daniel, a representative for Arthur Huningust for the Academy?!"
"Here!" I say waving close to him.
He gives me a look and gestures to throw my luggage into the cart. I do just that and hop on without grabbing the handle and take a seat and nod my head.
[You seem to be adjusting well in this place. Even though we still don't know where we are in the world.]
"Maybe...But until then we might as well make the most of it."
[Why are you speaking out loud? You will sound insane if you do that]
Good point. But yeah I just mean that I think that I have not had a happy life since my mother died and I was diagnosed with KDD. But since I have never felt more alive than I did 2 months ago I never felt better. I just had to disappear and sleep for 3 years.
[Well, I will keep an eye out for any clues about our circumstances]
Yeah. I might not be in a rush to go back to my country, or world even by this point. But I still find this whole circumstance of me teleporting across the planet into the most remote place I have ever seen. You said the region is uncharted, and the people are closer to European in visual style, but nothing European in factions, gods, or even people of these races I saw.
I am taking a nap...I have done a lot of sightseeing to the point I just want to sleep.
[Fine...I will wake you when you get left in a warehouse at night]
Yeah, I will likely wake up by then so night-o
*Unknown amount of time later*
"Hey...Kid...Kid! HEY!"
My eyes open up with force and I lean straight up within seconds. My head makes contact with a hard object and a loud clank of metal is made.
*DINK*
"Agh! What the-How the?!" the knight says holding his helmet.
"Uh...I uh fell asleep..."
"Yeah, I know," he says re-adjusting his helmet, "That's why I was yelling for you to wake up, for 2 minutes straight since we arrive. I was thinking of dumping water into your face. But glad you woke up kid. However, I think you actually did something to my helmet. Feels off now. Not to be offensive but my head is almost dense as metal, and felt and sounded like an iron mace slammed into my head...Believe me when I say I know how it feels to get hit in the head by an iron mace" he says still trying to adjust it in place.
"I uh...*Ahem* my mother told me as a kid that my head was always dense and was difficult to teach me," I say trying to play off the fact my skull is basically indestructible.
[Damn it...I should've made sure you got dumped with water...]
Hold up a moment, you were supposed to wake me up!
[Oh look at the time time to be silent for a bit]
There is no clock to look at you doof, you are a worthless AI assistant!
*Sigh*
"Huh, well anyways. We're here."