41 The City of the Middle, Welcome to City of Freedom!

Oh yeah, first, sorry for the delay.

Second, enjoy!

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'Philip felt his head hurt, it seems there was no way out of this one.'

'He didn't want to gamble angering this fragment, even if its power was a far cry from what it once was; the knowledge of a 10th Tier was nothing to scoff at.'

'Perhaps, he didn't even need to move to kill him, it could just use one of the many unidentifiable objects in this room… A magic tool? Scroll? Tome? Or some Unique poisonous objects...'

'So if he wanted the Origin Orb, he needed to cooperate.'

'The only thing he could do was pray… Pray that it's a simple task…'

'But even he didn't believe that, how could the task of such a person be simple?'

"Let's say I accept your offer, what will happen?" Philip asked

'Armund smiled.'

"You will accept, there is no need to beat around the bush."

'He walked to one of the shelves, taking out a singular thick book from the many within it.'

'He turned to him and said:'

"Let's start with what I want, and as I go, I'll tell you how I plan to reward you for your troubles."

"There are 3 things I want from you." He said as he raised his left hand

'He opened the book and showed a place illustrated in one of its pages.'

'It looked like a beautiful crystalline waterfall falling from somewhere beyond the picture's scope, but it was clear that the mountain depicted in it was very tall, or the trees painted in it were very small...'

'Below it was a large lake blue…'

'However, this wasn't a normal lake, the water within it seemed to ignore Gravity as many columns of water slowly rose towards the sky, their destination was unknown as the picture did not show it.'

"My first condition is simple, I want you to find this place and bury 'me' there."

"... What is this place? And... What do you mean?"

'Armund's expression changed slightly, becoming a bit melancholic...'

"This is the source of my family's school of magic… Or to be more precise, my family's ancestral grounds."

"However, long ago, its exact location was lost, and with it, each generation decayed as they couldn't practice our techniques properly anymore."

"With each generation, we became weaker, and with it, unable to seek it out. A constant cycle, almost impossible to escape."

"The only reason I am this strong is that I committed a sin and abandoned the core philosophies my father passed onto me… Adopting my own, twisting the teaching I once held close to my heart."

'Philip then said:'

"But you did go rather far, no?"

'Armund let out a hollow laugh:'

"Hah… You could say so... But at what cost?"

'After a minute of silence, he then said:'

"Find it, and bury my body there."

"Don't worry, this book contains more than enough information, and my body's actual location isn't that far away from it as at the end of my life, I took it upon myself to search for it…"

"But do not fret as I have no intention of giving you only straws to work with. If you were to accept, I would give you something that would allow you to track my body down."

"And if you do find it, you can stay with everything I was carrying before I kicked the boots, you can be assured that I carried some pretty neat things with me…" He said with a smile

'Philip remained silent, thinking.'

'Armund kept gazing at him, he was surprised that Philip had yet to accept, many would be begging for this chance at this moment…'

'Was him just a fool? Or was he simply too cautious?'

"If you aren't convinced yet, let us continue."

"My second condition is even simpler, find me a successor… And once you do, slowly guide him or her until he becomes strong enough to fend for himself."

"To make this possible, you can bring with you all of the items within this room and make use of them as you see fit, apart from selling them or using them simply for quick monetary gain."

"However, you must promise that once you find him, you'll give him all of my inheritance."

'Philip had to digest his words for a little while, but he then said:'

"... Didn't you already have several disciples?"

Armund scoffed.

"I already gave them what they needed, guided them towards their own path... But they aren't compatible with what I'm best at."

"I'm not asking you to find a new Principal for the Academy, only someone that has a high enough affinity with my arts."

"Hm..."

If not even an old guy like you managed to find one, what about poor old me?

'He then looked at Philip and shrugged.'

"The moment I saw you, I thought you were fitting, however, your mentality is a bit off from what I'm searching for."

'Philip felt insulted...'

"Besides, I'm sure you're already filled with things to do, right? Your expression says it all."

'Philip frowned.'

"Okay, even if I were to find someone like that, how would I identify them?"

"I'll give you something just right for that, but… Would you like to hear the 3rd option first?"

'Philip nodded, not like he could do anything else.'

"My third condition is simple, tell me, who are you, trully?"

'Philip became frozen, what did this question even mean?'

'As if understanding his troubles, Armund said:'

"Deeming my current condition, there isn't really much I can do, so in my endless free time, I sometimes watch the students in the hopes of finding someone worthy of succeeding me."

"You quickly attracted my attention, after all, I'm already used to all of these old men in the upper levels of the Academy, and the new students are often uninteresting to watch."

"Power unfitting for your age, a body that doesn't match its Skills… Although that isn't the case anymore."

"And an objective that could only be described as insane… A growth speed of insane proportions… I am very curious about who you are."

"This last condition isn't obligatory… So treat it as the wishes of a dead man…"

"..."

'Philip was really stumped now, how was he supposed to answer him?'

"Well, if you want an answer, I'll tell you, but it isn't as fantastical as you wish…"

One day, this information will be of 0 worth, so I don't see why not use it now of all times.

"Simply put, I'm a 'Hero'... Well, at least, this is what they called me when I was brought to this place…"

"Hero?..."

'Armund's eyes opened wide as his expression changed to one of enlightenment.'

"Ah of course! The time is about right, the 100-year tradition is right around the corner…"

'He smiled, satisfied, thinking of things beyond Philip's current knowledge.'

"It makes me even more curious, but I thank you for sharing it with me."

"However, this isn't the time to be emotional, so tell me, what is your choice?"

'Philip let out a sigh, from the start, he was planning on doing so anyway.'

"Fine… But may I add one more condition?"

"Sure."

"As I told you, I'm a 'Hero', so I can't actively seek to complete your tasks…"

'Armund nodded.'

"That's okay, take your time… As long as you never forget it."

'Philip nodded, and said:'

"Then I promised to do this task."

If what he said is true... Then I do have a lot to gain from it...

Who knows, perhaps that guy knows where this is and someone who can inherit this old man's teachings...

/Clap!/

'Armund clapped his hands, and suddenly all of the items on all of the shelves disappeared, and a small golden ball appeared on his hand.'

"Take it, and seek out your destiny." He said with a smile

'As Philip raised his hand to grab the box, Armund said one more time:'

"This is a special container, everything in this room that I could pack is contained within it, however, I've made a slight rule that prohibits you from taking everything inside at once."

"Otherwise all of its contents are going to be destroyed… Together with you." He said in a deep tone

"So be careful okay?" He said with a wide smile

"..."

'He then pointed towards the Office Table, making Philip turn his eyes.'

'On top of the table was now a small box with 2 glowing marbles. Philip immediately recognized what they were due to the strange reaction he felt from his mental power.'

'One looked like a crooked egg, it was transparent like the other Origin Orb he had, it also had a unique symbol edged inside of it, however, he couldn't really explain what it was…'

'It looked like a sideways I? (𝚵)'

'The other one was actually pure red gas contained within a glass encasing, if you paid enough attention, from time to time, the gas would gather and form a rune, this one he recognized, it was Omega (ꭥ).'

"Wasn't this what you wanted? Take it... Just remember a thing, be careful."

'But Philip felt a bit conflicted… Wasn't it a bit too easy?'

'Still, he grabbed the 2 and stored them near the other one, this made it 3.'

"As for how you'll find my body and a qualified person..." Armund said

'He pointed towards the Golden box and said:'

"Inside it, you'll find another Box, it's very hard to miss."

"Inside it, I have separated all of the items you'll need. Including some bonuses for you, materials that will certainly be useful on your journey."

'Philip raised an eyebrow.'

"You did all of this with a clap?"

"That was much more than just a clap..."

'He stood there, looked at Philip with a calm gaze until he finally said:'

"That's all then, go while you still can." The old man said as he looked at the window of his room

"..."

'He let out a hollow laugh to Philip's silence.'

"I can hear you thinking from here…"

"I know... I know that you have many questions, especially since I didn't force you to go through a magical contract…"

"You must be thinking that it was too easy… But it's simple really, I'll simply trust your promise... Words hold power after all."

"However, if you're thinking that it has already ended... Well, I'm going to break your illusion right now."

"The moment you entered this room, the emergency intruder alert activated, and although I delayed it for now, without my real body here, there is no one with enough authority to cancel it."

"It is a shame really, but the Academy's Spirit is really stubborn sometimes, but I can understand why."

"At most, I can delay it until you leave… Oh yeah, even if I delay it, the alarm will still sound within 10 minutes of your arrival."

'Philip started to sweat hard…'

"And that was… 4 minutes ago? So you better run, kid!" He replied with a small smile

"What?!"

'Philip looked around the place but there was no exit… Not like hee could leave through the door.'

/Snap!/

'Once again, the wizard snapped his finger, opening a passage for him.'

"It was quite the pleasure to meet you, young man. However, I'm afraid our paths will have to diverge here."

"As long as you never forget our deal today, my blessing will be with you."

Perhaps, if I had met you while still alive, I might've taken you as a disciple…

Although I wonder, though what I saw in these short 4 weeks, I wonder if you'd accept it...

'He smiled.'

"One last thing before you go, be careful outside, you did cause quite a bit of trouble for some of these brats, they would surely not waste a chance to put you in place…"

"Nobles tend to remember grudges for a long, long time... Pitiful people really."

'Philip grimaced. It was just what he needed, more problems to look out for.'

'Perhaps he shouldn't have beaten those annoying kids… Nah, it felt way too good.'

'He would do it again, but perhaps, a bit more carefully... To make sure no one saw it.'

"Good luck!" Armund exclaimed

"?!"

'Philip suddenly felt a pulling force on his entire body, and he was forced inside the portal.'

'He instinctively tried to resist, but he had never felt such a force before, and before he could even identify how to counter it, it dissipated...'

…

'The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself inside a… Bathroom?'

"Urg..."

I'll take a piss once I'm out of this damned place...

'He got out of the cabin, startling a student who was brushing his teeth… His clothes were fancy and by the suitcase on the ground, it seemed he was going somewhere...'

'The student looked at Philip with his mouth full of foam...'

"..."

I swear… There wasn't anyone there previously…

'He felt creeped out, he had heard many stories of ghosts and such creatures... Especially the ones that happen inside innocuous places like this bathroom.'

'But Philip ignored him… No, he stopped and asked the kid:'

"Where's Transportation Nexus Number 2?"

'The student seemed baffled as if his question didn't even make sense to him…'

"It-It's right outside…" He said with an awkward smile

How did he get here without seeing it in the first place?

"..."

'Philip also frowned, well... A bit of awkwardness is nothing compared to the convenience of being right beside his objective.'

'So he adjusted his black jacket and left the bathroom, leaving the perplexed kid behind.'

…

"I'm really here…"

Seems like the old man's spirit or whatever he was, really did have some lingering power left… And also a part of the authority the Principal has.

I made the right choice… At least for now it seems that I did.

Better than clashing with an unknown power in the heart of enemy territory while on an undercover mission...

So it's time to leave… Before things get chaotic…

'Philip knew that as soon as the alarms rang, he would be trapped in the Academy, and that would be a death sentence.'

'He looked around the room, seeing the many golden disks scattered around the place, floating silently…'

'It was rather empty as he expected, those that could use these rooms were few and far in between after all.'

'The only reasons why he did manage to get inside was thanks to Fabrin's help and influence.'

'After checking the place, he finally found who he was looking for…'

'A girl with long purple hair was sitting on a bench next to one of the floating disks, holding a large suitcase as she waited for someone.'

'She was wearing a long brown coat with a large circular hat, it made her look Vintage in Philip's eyes, although he would never say that out loud.'

'She also seemed to have some light makeup, still, her age couldn't be hidden by the makeup as she still looked like a big kid.'

'Given a year or two that'll probably disappear...'

'But most of all, she seemed bored…'

"..."

Time to go.

'Without any further ado, Philip approached Viera with a smile and several excuses for his absence.'

…

"Hm…"

What's taking him so long?

'Viera raised her head, reading the time on a floating clock, hanging in the air in the middle of the room…'

It's been over 20 minutes already… Our scheduled time ends in another 30 minutes or so…

If that happens, we'll be stuck here for another day...

'She frowned, but she had every right to do so.'

"That guy is just…"

'Viera had already accepted the fact she would be following Philip for a while, it was her master's orders.'

'It wasn't so bad, in the first place, there wasn't much more she could learn in this Academy, she was already fed up with the Academy's toxic environment and the unending competition of these Noble Kids.'

'She used to spend most of her time in the libraries reading rather than training like other students, there was no need to do so as she was already far ahead of most of them…'

'However, her master told her that it was time for her to practice what she had learned… And the best opportunities would come from following none other than Philip...'

'How does she know that? Viera couldn't quite point out... In the first place, what was the relationship between her Master and him?'

'It seems more than simply acquaintances, but Philip definitely didn't know her...'

'Besides, she came to learn who Philip was over the course of several weeks, and even though it seemed that he was hiding many things… He was very hard-working, honest, and he was very patient with her.'

'She was fine with being around him, much better than being around those Nobles, and if that wasn't clear enough by now, she was fine being anywhere other than here.'

'However, throughout the course of these 3 weeks, Philip gave her a very odd task, and that was to use a small object to, as he said, 'scan' several of the Libraries contents.'

'She didn't know what he meant by that, but he said for her to be careful and to avoid other people seeing it…'

'And so she did... Without knowing the massive impacts this would have in her own development.'

"I wonder where we'll be going?…" She mumbled to herself

'Her only complaint to Philip, apart from his jokes and easy-going attitude, was how he told her they were going to leave a week ago and that she should prepare...'

'Only when the day finally arrives he somehow gets late…'

"Hm?"

'Viera looked to the side to see the well-dressed Philip walking leisurely with his suitcase in his right hand.'

'She frowned, ready to ask where he'd been…'

"Shall we go?" Philip asked as he interrupted her

"..."

"Don't give me that look, it hasn't even been half an hour…" Philip said as he looked at the clock above

'Philip patted her shoulder and said:'

"I'll make up for it later, for now, let's go on our way…"

The quicker we leave the better…

"Now you're in a hurry?" Viera asked sarcastically

"I'm sorry, I had something I had to finish before leaving." Philip said as he scratched his head

'She rolled her eyes and said:'

"It's okay, but next time, don't hurry me up if you're going to be late anyway."

'Philip smiled.'

"That I can do."

'He put his left hand in his chest pocket and took out a small Emerald green ticket.'

/Rip!/

'He ripped it apart and threw its remains in the air, immediately after, those remains combusted into green flames...'

/Dong!/

'With a loud bellowing sound, one of the floating disks started to spin, and the ground beneath it was filled with glowing runes that shinned faintly.'

"Time to go." Viera said as she stepped on the runes

"Yup."

I've already said my goodbyes to everyone...

There weren't that many people to talk to in the first place...

Fabrin... The Elven Princess and her guard... Viera is with me...

Hm, I forgot to talk with Fabrin's daughter...

After I started training with him, she would often times join me in my training and even spar with me.

It was awkward at first since she felt guilty for how we first met and how I saved her later in the underground, but she eventually opened up a little.

She isn't a bad person, only very stubborn... Fabrin used to say that she resembles her mother...

I hope she manages to grow stronger the way she wished to.

'Philip shook his head and took a step forward.'

'As Philip followed her she asked:'

"What's our destination?"

"Hm?..."

'Philip thought for a moment and said:'

"North." He lied

People may be hearing... So just in case...

"North? Are we going to the land of the Elves?"

"That's too far North…" Philip replied as he shook his head

"Trying to act mysterious…" Veira complained

"You're the one who's in a hurry, we'll soon be there anyway…" Philip joked

"And you're one to talk!" She replied loudly

/FLASH!/

'The floating disk flashed, and as the light dissipated, Philip and Viera had disappeared.'

"Huff… Huff… Where?…"

'A few minutes after Philip and Viera disappeared, a girl entered the Nexus running, she seemed a bit tired.'

'Her ears were sharp and her beauty was otherworldly, it was an Elf.'

"Was I too late?" She said out loud, disappointed

/Fwoosh!/

'From the side, a figure flashed to her side and kneeled, she was wearing full black like a Ninja.'

'The clothes were rather tight, but thanks to her dark cape, her curves were well hidden from prying eyes.'

"My apologies Madam Dinna, it seems they left." The figure said in a feminine voice

"..."

'Dinna seemed rather disappointed, so let out a sigh and said:'

"No no, it was my fault in the end, I focused too much on my own matters instead of making up some time to meet with him, and in the end, he left before I could even speak a word with him…"

However…

"Why didn't you try to stop them?" She asked the Ninja girl

'Her voice stuttered as she replied:'

"I… I lost track of him when he entered the Central Memorial Park, my utmost apologies…"

"I see…"

That's impossible… Lyra wouldn't lose track of someone just like that…

Did he know and purposely led her away? But if so…

'She smiled.'

That makes him even more interesting.

'Dinna turned around, there were a few more things she would like to ask her Niece… Sister.'

"Let's go back…"

"My apologies…"

"Enough, I don't want to hear that anymore." She said in a gentle tone

We'll meet again… I'm sure of it.

After all… My little sister gave him 'that'...

He'll come to her either by his own will or by force...

'Dinna then left the Nexus room while Lyra disappeared into the shadows as if she was never there, to begin with.'

…

/At the same time, somewhere further South…/

/Flash!/

'Within a very extravagant room, Philip and Viera suddenly appeared under the cover of a white flash of light.'

"Urg..." Viera said as she clutched onto her stomach

'Philip was already used to this, but Viera, having a much weaker body, wasn't.'

'Noticing this, he said:'

"We'll take a rest after we find a place to stay in, so uh... Remain strong." He said to her as he tapped her back

"..."

'Viera remained silent, but she did feel a bit more relaxed.'

"This place is quite vintage..." Philip mumbled to himself

'It was a small room around 5x5x3 M.'

'Philip looked around the place and thought that the room looked very much like an old-style hotel with the shiny wood on the ground and walls.'

'There were many decorations in the room, paintings, drawers, shelves... Including a strange device that was playing a faint soothing song…'

/Creak/

'The single door that led to this room opened, and a man wearing butler clothes took a step forward and said:'

"Excuse me, Gentlemen and Madam, welcome to the City of Freedom, please follow me so we can proceed with the identification process." He said with a bow

"Hm?"

The City of Freedom? Isn't that in the South…

'She looked at Philip as her eyebrows twitched, but the latter just smiled.'

'He looked at her with a smug smile before walking forward.'

"..."

This guy…

'Viera shook her head, going after him. It didn't matter where they went, she would follow him regardless.'

…

/At the same time, back in the Academy…/

'Everything continued as per normal, the students talked leisurely in the corridors and the teachers made their way to their respective classrooms…'

[EMERGENCY ALERT!]

"What?!" Said a Student

"OUCH! My ears!" Exclaimed cat boy as he blocked his sensitive ears

[EMERGENCY ALERT!]

[EMERGENCY LEVEL: BLACK!]

[ALL STUDENTS AND PERSONNEL ARE TO RETURN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DORMITORIES AND REMAIN INSIDE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!]

[REPEAT, ALL STUDENTS AND...]

'Loud sirens started to echo throughout the entire Academy, the gates were closed, the force field activated, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.'

'All of those that were making their way out, be it via teleportation or some other means were forcefully interrupted as all systems were shut down.'

'Those that were already outside were also forced back inside.'

'People started to run in panic, not knowing what was happening… Although some understood that something big was happening, so instead of waiting like sitting ducks, they made their way to safety.'

'But deep within the Academy, a group of people had already gathered around a marble table…'

'There were dozens of people within this room, including many chairs…'

'2 of which looked like thrones, but one was empty… And the other was being occupied by an old man that was clearly not Human.'

'In front of each seat was a small plaque showing the person's position and name.'

'One of which was none other than Fabrin, who had a clear annoyed look on his face as he looked at everyone around him.'

'Once everyone got inside, the Academy's Spirit said:'

[EMERGENCY! SOMEONE HAS BREACHED INTO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE]

[EMERGENCY! SOMEONE HAS BREACHED INTO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE]

[Time of occurrence: 37 seconds ago]

'While everyone outside was told to remain put, in this room, they received a quick debrief of what was happening.'

'But the nature of this event shocked them…'

"What's the meaning of this Gatekeeper?" One of the Elders asked in an angry tone

'They all looked towards an old man with a cloak…'

"Impossible, I never left my post, no one has even approached the door the past 3 months or so."

'Before anyone could complain, he raised his hand and said:'

"I want a quick analysis of all corridors that surround the Principal's Office in the past month!"

[Identity confirmed, Heaven's Gate Warden]

'Multiple images suddenly appeared in the air, showing video footage of several hallways and rooms…'

'They were all sped up, so fast that a normal person wouldn't even understand what was going on...'

'But even so, there was nothing apart from your occasional person walking around…'

"What's the meaning of this? How did the Office get breached if no one ever approached it?" Another Elder asked confused

'Just like the old man, everyone was having a headache.'

'Some felt confused, some felt angry…'

'After all, someone has managed to accomplish something even they didn't manage to do.'

'This alarm represented many things…'

'For one, someone bypassed all security measures and managed to get inside the most desirable... Secure, place within the Academy!'

'And second of all… The Principal was definitely missing!'

'For a few years, people haven't heard even a single word from the Principal, however, most assumed he was simply in seclusion or in an important experiment...'

'But even if that was the case, it was impossible for him to not say or do something in these conditions.'

'It then became clear, the Principal wasn't in the school anymore... And this meant many things...'

'So one of them, a being that looked like an Elf, but his ears were pointing downwards said:'

"We can't continue like this. Without the Authority of the Principal, the alarm will keep going on forever, and doing so would simply spread panic."

'He said with sharp eyes:'

"Not only that, we won't be able to properly investigate the crime scene..."

"I propose Protocol Erte 1-A… In the absence of the Principal, the Council of Elders will take his position until his condition has been confirmed."

/Smack!/

'One of the Elders smashed his fist against the table in anger.'

'He was different from the last Elder, he was a Human!'

"Do you think we're stupid?! You're simply trying to…"

'But he was interrupted by an old woman, also Demi-Human, however, she had cat ears on top of her head.'

"Now isn't the time to talk about politics, it's true that we can't get in contact with the principal and it's also true that someone got inside, and that's all that matters…"

"Someone who could very well be running away as we speak."

"There's no time to discuss, I approved of this." She said

"..."

Dammit! These crafty old people!

'There was a reason why the Elder wanted to prevent this from happening.'

'If they received a high level of Authority, why would they give up on it later on after the issue had been resolved?'

'For a long time, most of these Elders had been unsatisfied with the current state of the Academy... Not in regards to the toxic environment within the students, no, they don't care about that.'

'What they cared about was how for the past 4 elections, all Principals had been Human!'

'With this chance, they could use it to completely remove the current Principal from his position before he chooses a successor...'

'Besides, they would even make excuses to plunder the Principal's office…'

'After all, for 4 generations, every single Principal has been a Human… For them, the Principal had long lost their respect and instead, was a treat to them.'

...

'Time passed, and each Elder said his own opinions and voted, and in the end, only the Humans voted against it.'

'However, they were the overwhelming minority…'

"So it has been decided… By the Majority of the votes, Protocol Erte 1-A is now in effect!" Exclaimed the Elf sitting in one of the 2 big chairs

'It was for a moment, but he smiled widely.'

[Confirmed, Protocol Erte 1-A is now in effect, the Elder Council is now in charge until the Principal is back] Replied the Academy's system

"Good, then I propose for the Principal's Office to open!" He said with a smile

'Once again, the exact same scene happened...'

[Confirmed, the Principal's Office seal has been lifted and the Alarm has been canceled]

'Immediately after, the elder sitting on the big chair jumped and rushed towards the corridor, he wished to be the first one inside the Principal's Office!'

'A lifelong dream of his, to have access to those resources, tucked away in the unreliable hands of Humans!'

'Now all his to have…'

'He didn't really care much about who had breached the room, it was impossible for said person to leave the Academy on time anyway, he or she would eventually be captured, and everything they stole would fall in his hands…'

'In fact, he was indeed a bit curious about the methods used by said person to breach into the Office.'

'Once they're captured, he'll make sure to get those methods from his/her mouth!'

'But… He was in for a big disappointment…'

/Creak!/

'He entered the Office like a storm! However...'

"Wh... Where..."

'His eyes trembled as he looked around... There was nothing in the room anymore!'

'So his first thought was that whoever breached here had already left with the loot!'

"WHO?!"

/BAM!/

/CREEEEEEEK!/

'His anger was such that the room started to creak and the wood and stone started to crack...'

[DISCLAIMER: REIGN IN YOUR ENERGY BEFORE DISCIPLINARY ACTION IS TAKEN] Replied the Academy's Spirit

"..."

'The Elf bit his lips...'

/Fwoosh fwoosh!/

'And as the other arrived, he looked at the window outside...'

'It was as if he could see whoever had stolen these things, the target of his wrath...'

...

/At the same time back in the South.../

"Is it to your taste?" Asked the Butler as he saw Philip taste the tea

"It's very much so." He replied with a smile as he rested his back in the comfortable couch

"..."

'Viera remained silent, enjoying her tea and cake...'

"Everything is on order Mr.Philip, all of your papers are within this document." The butler said as he gave him a large folder

"Now, I hope you two enjoy your stay!" He said with a bow before leaving the room

"..."

"..."

'Philip and Viera looked at each other.'

'He grabbed his teacup and raised it to his mouth, saying:'

"Cheers."

"... You don't say cheers when drinking tea..."

'Viera smiled helplessly before drinking her tea one more time...'

'It seemed a bit sweeter...'

...

.

.

.

Notes

So yeah, quite a lot happened behind the scenes in this chapter.

It was quite a shame, but I ended up cutting a few scenes.

The scene of his farewell with the Elf, but I felt their last encounter was already enough, although there was a bit of lore that could've been added there.

His scene with Ivia.

And his discussion with Dinna.

All of them would've focused mostly on character development, and I feel that would've been important, and at the same time not as much.

I could make a side chapter showing them later on, after all, as important side characters, they need a bit of screen time.

Next chapter will start directly at the city of freedom with an initial look at how it looks and what he plans to do...

Also, he'll probably soon change his Class, for real this time.

I'm planning on having him fight someone as well to show his development... But that is uncertain.

There's much more I would like to say, but now I'll go edit my other novel's chapter.

See ya all there!