Chapter 21 A visit

"So you are now the new students at the magic academy, and first year magic knights, since most of you are already good with swords, our job is to teach you how to use your limited Mana to make yourselves better swordswomen, and I'm sure you already know you'll be joining other students, I hope you get along well, you'll each receive a magic crystal" the instructor pointed and Gabriel went away and brought magic crystals, not like the one used for communication.

"Infuse a little of your Mana into it and return it, your Mana will get registered and you'll be able to pass through that gate" the instructor pointed to the gate we used to get here.

"Today is a special day so the barrier is lifted, but from tomorrow, the barrier will be down so if your Mana isn't registered as a student or an instructor, you won't be able to pass, unless you break it, which I'm sure in years none of you would be able to, so goodbye, pack your bags and tell your parents you are now part of Avalon future forces, lessons started in two days time, that is all"

After speaking both of the instructors walked away, while all of the students that passed infused their Mana into the crystal and returned it to Gabriel.

After returning the crystal I walked towards the gate with a smile on my face, even though the test took longer than I wanted it to, there was still time so I'm going to visit the lower part of the city.

"H...Hi" I heard a voice speak from behind and I quickly turned around to see a short petit girl with black raven hair staring at me with her cheeks red, I didn't notice her till now that she spoke to me

"Hey...is something wrong?" I asked staring back at her.

"No...I just wanted us to be friends, I'm M-Mia, what's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Xavier nice to meet you," I said as both of us walked towards the gate without saying a single word, but then I took a good look at her, she was beautiful but if someone saw both of us, they would mistake her for my little sister.

"Bye, I'll see you when the lessons start" Mia spoke as she walked away while I took another path.

First I haven't visited the lower part of the city before so I'm going to buy a map, I don't have any particular reason to go there so I'll just be walking around, checking stuff.

I walked around asking for directions to a map shop and I finally arrived at the shop and walked inside.

I could see scrolls displayed on shelves and a lady behind the counter was staring at the paper in front of her without paying any attention to me.

"Each of the maps has a label so search the store, if you didn't see what you are looking for then it's not here, don't bother me" she spoke without an ounce of concern.

I looked around without bothering her as she said but all the maps in her shops were maps to different cities, I didn't see the map I was looking for so I walked towards the counter.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you but I want to ask for a map to the lower part of this city, do you have it?" I asked.

"I said don't bother me, aren't you...you, what did you say you were looking for?" She quickly asked me as she looked at me.

"A map to the lower part of the city, do you have something like that?" I asked.

"Yes, but you are a noble right, why are you looking for a map to the lower part of the city, I don't think it's safe for someone like you, you could get robbed, or kidnapped by girls since you look so handsome" she spoke.

"Ohh, you don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine," I said, I was with my sword so I wasn't worried.

"I have a map for the lower city but it's quite expensive" she spoke. 

"Expensive, how expensive would a map for the lower city be?" I asked.

"But you don't have to pay with coins if you don't have, you can pay with something else if you want"

"Something else, something like what?" I asked.

"I don't know, there are many other ways to pay for stuff, whichever way you want" she spoke.

"I prefer to pay with coins if you don't mind" I spoke with a smile on my face.

"*Tsk* Fine, it's ten bronze coins" the lady replied.

"I thought you said it was expensive" I muttered as I gave her the coins and she handed me a small map detailing the lower part of the city, some taverns, brothels, inns, shops, and an adventurer guild.

I walked out of the shop staring at the map, if the lower part had an adventurer guild that meant there were two in this city, I guess not only noblemen become adventurers.

Adventurers are people who go in search of treasures in caves, hunt beasts for their crystals, and plunder dungeons, most of them are magic knights while some are self-trained.

When a student graduates from the magic academy, he/she is required to serve three years in the army before deciding what to do with the rest of their lives, most people choose to remain in the army while some of them leave, and most of them become adventurers.

I passed through a medium sized gate that marked the entrance to the lower part of the city, the slum.