Chapter 3: Academy.

Brilliance and Pale Era Year 637.

2 years had passed by, and I became 8 years old.

I read a lot of books, travelled the barony a lot of times and also learned a few important things on this world throughout two years.

And it was about the scattered mysteries around this world. I may or not have felt the air stir up in front of me, plants that become alive and turned into a carnivore, animals that I thought were the same size of my previous world was amplified by 1.3 times meaning they are as big as the adults here. I also noticed that people around the barony followed a religion, it was one that followed two Gods but are oddly competitively against each other.

Well, that was the important things I learned in two years the other thing I learned was elementary stuffs that a certain scribe or mentor taught me, though I didn't entertain him with my knowledge, I only ask questions over and over again that made him think that I was a dumb child.

Children at the age of 8 were required to attend the academy. Though for me it was kinda early but who am I to judge the systems made by the people here ehem... The academy was a school of thought that specializes in teaching a broad array of subjects and most of all the supernatural forces, despite lacking in permission to teach in Faith due being handled by the church and Ether being a rare power that it is. However they do provide insights on how they function so it was better than nothing.

To tell you about what I've been doing just for fun...well...it's like this;

My time with the people within the mansion was rather successful...I always tried to be considerate and be a bundle of joy to them even though they seemed busy most of the time I had actually memorized their working patterns just to show how much I wanted to make them happy.

Theodora too, she's the one I've been with most of the time. She helps me a lot even giving some advices she had when she started working as a monster hunter during her younger years before swearing fealty to the baron which I asked why but she didn't say anything. I didn't pry any further from then on but I was curious about it all.

Dressed in a uniform provided in advance by the academy I was called by my father saying that he wanted to see me off. I had met him a few times inside but I didn't talk to him much. I don't know why but there was something repelling me from talking to him everytime I see him.

I was already in front of a door so Finea who was accompanying me gracefully opened the door that led to the dining room.

Walking inside I came eye to eye with a man sitting on the other side of the long table that held healthy meals.

He was a large man; over 2.1 meters in height, he had dark blue hair, same with the beard, he was plastered by scars and his expression was neutral yet has a domineering aura around. He looked at me silently, scanning the condition of my body.

"So are you ready?" He spoke in a deep and staunch voice. I didn't get what he was saying.

"By ready, what are you implying?" I smiled, my face becoming tense and my heartbeat to a still.

"By ready, I mean are you ready for the academy?"

"Oh that? Yes I'm ready!"

"Then you shall go. Theodora will accompany you in your journey to the academy and you shall live there until you graduate, also you will be given 30 belets every month so spend wisely." 30 belets could last me for 5 months yet he would readily give me that much? I don't know how much noble houses gain from their income but it sure is a lot if he gave me this much.

"Thank you Father, I'll be going then." I didn't stay much in his presence as he gives me goosebumps everytime he speaks, I felt that he was more of a barbarian than a leader due to how strong his voice is, add to the fact his emotions didn't seem to fluctuate, talk about control.

My items were already packed and all I needed to do was to ride a carriage to the capital. I brought with me some books to read on the road and some clothes that I may use outside of the academy.

The travel from my region called Stanis to the academy which was inside capital was quite far, taking a whole 3 days to arrive. We took stops a lot of time as the coachman needed to rest. While Theodora stuck close to my side throughout the journey.

The terrain here and there was just plain dirt, grass or a forest nothing unusual except for the bugs that constantly annoy me around while I was reading.I didn't notice it before but I started to know that Theodora's stories were accurate or how should I say it? Precise? She held her hands in prayer and chanted a spell I couldn't quite make out...

I asked her what it was and she told me that it was a spell that could scan the area for life force. It was exactly like a geothermal sense that certain animals had but it was specialized on finding anything that has life force.

It was such a useful skill to have when alone in the forest, so I tried to ask her if I could learn it yet...

"You can't learn this Young Master, you aren't a Life force practitioner." I frowned at the explanation but I could only sigh.

I had a thought of mimicking her movements but knowing that accidents happen everyday...I might as well not...I was busy stressing over how to get a supernatural force too but Theodora whispered something to my ear.

"Master, please hide inside there's trouble." My mind grew tense and my body shivered in place, Theodora pinched me in the face snapping me out of my petrified self. I hid quickly inside of the carriage whilst Theodora already disappeared from my sight, my heart pounded due to the screams. I know Theodora would win this...I trust her...

The clanking of metals and screams echoed, before finally concluding with silence after a minute. A familiar voice killed the snake inside my chest, freeing my breathing.

"Young Master the problem has been taken care of, you can come out now." I came out to see the aftermath and I saw Theodora covered in blood. it wasn't hers but the other guys who she fought with. Saliva filled my mouth as bouts of excitement filled me, I instantly suppressed the unusual bodily reactions I had when I saw blood, I knew this was not normal due to how I knew people reflexively vomit at the sheer smell of lingering blood in the air. However for me it seems I was a weirdo to this case, though I don't identify myself as a sociopath. I just had a strange quirk that I should control in the future.

"We should take a stop at a river, you will surely smell when we get to the capital." Theodora widened her eyes and nodded at my command.

"Theodora, what will you do with the bodies? would you just leave them there to rot? I think it's best to bury them." I felt like a jerk trying to honor people who kills for a living, I knew they were bandits who else would attack a carriage belonging to a noble? bandits and their greed always gets them killed, their gains were only temporary and in the end they will still regret the choices they made. I just slumped my body to my chest just to ease the tightening feeling I had in my chest.

"We don't have time Young Master." I simply nodded at her words, gritting my teeth as I wanted to process the notions that flooded my mind a moment ago whilst continuing the journey to the capital.

After a while, our destination was close for us to view the wide walls it boasts. The gate was heavily crowded with people wearing the same uniforms as me. One student even tried to interact with me while he was riding a carriage, but what he didn't know was that you shouldn't talk while it was moving. He tried to talk but a small bump on the road made the carriage shake making him bite his tongue. I grinned, though I tried to hide it.

We reached the gate, not before being confronted by guardsmen asking for identifications, we already had it covered so we continued inside the capital without delay. Looking around the place, what greeted us was the prosperity of the city, clean roads, a sewer system, a lot of ornamental plants displayed and a distinguishable sign for a shop's location.

Soldiers patrolled around with their sharp spears in full dark metal armor, and at the horizon I saw a large building that dwarfed all the buildings along the way, it was the Emperor's Palace where the emperor and his relatives live in.

It took an hour for the carriage to travel to the academy a testament to how big the kingdom was. Not for long the academy came into our view, it was big but saying big I meant like how harvard university big however with a twist as all sorts of elemental energies swirling around it, humming a dangerous current that seemed to repel any invaders that would launch an attack. Towers and sturdy walls erected at each corner for extra security...I guess they follow the offense is the best defense for sure...

"Hello there youngling, I supposed you wanted to attend this academy right? Then please show your Attendees Card for verification." A middle-age guy wearing a uniform with gold linings, he acted just like a receptionist on a hotel I once knew of.

"Here." Theodora proxied for me and brought out a card presenting it to him, the middle-age guy checked it by simply holding it, I don't know if he used magic though, but there was a sound of a small click.

"It's verified, if you don't know where to go just look at your card and there you will find the schedule. also he is the only one who can enter here. Any escorts are only allowed with an official appointment with one of an official in the academy." Theodora knew the proceedings so she looked at me with her usual smile on her face. A smile of confidence.

"Young Master, this is how far I can go. I trust that you already know what to do." She bowed down to me and left quickly.

"Thank you for accompanying me! Theodora!" I honestly don't know if she heard that but I really wanted to thank her more...maybe in the future I guess?

"Back to school again huh? I wonder how would I do this time. My last life was uneventful due to how much I've laze around, sigh." I thought before heading straight into the entrance, hoping I wasn't late.