Sword Saint's Reincarnation-Chapter 62: Prelude (4)

At its peak, the sun pressed down the earth with light and heat. The winds were the only solace of the people outside the carriages, in a line that led to one of the capital’s gates.

Standing next to their carriages, which remained in line, Luna and Aelfric talked and laughed. A few meters to their left, Rylan rubbed his chin as he looked at the capital’s city walls.

Around twenty-five meters tall.

They were also considerably thick. It was a necessity when faced with Mages’ firepower. He nodded to himself. A kingdom’s capital should be able to at least protect itself well. He turned around after noticing that Karune was approaching him from behind. With traces of interest and respect in his eyes, he bowed.

“My lady would like to ask if you’re willing to stay together even after we enter the city.”

Rylan glanced at his laughing brother and nodded with a smile.

“She and Aelfric have hit it off, so I don’t see why not. At least they’re getting closer.”

Karune nodded and looked at the two of them. Sarah stepped closer to them but stopped once Rylan nodded.

“If I may, I would like to apologize. The encounter with the bandits shook her a bit, so please don’t blame her for keeping her distance,” Karune said in a low tone.

Rylan grinned and shook his head.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Karune turned to Rylan with inscrutable eyes.

“This might be presumptuous of me, but I don’t share her feelings. You did the right thing,” he nodded. “Your brother is talented but still green, just like my lady. You… you’re different.”

“They’ll improve over time. Aelfric’s got me, and Luna’s got you.”

He nodded and moved away with a wave. Sarah immediately stepped closer to Rylan while also keeping an eye on Aelfric.

As time passed, they steadily got closer to the city gate, bit by bit. Once they were close enough, Luna, Aelfric, and Rylan entered the carriages and let Sarah and Karune deal with the necessary steps to enter the city. After a while, the carriages started moving.

They were now officially inside the capital of the Ceotha Kingdom.

***

Damian Gassiec looked through the large windows of his study. Hands behind his back, he watched Caer Rhelon’s bustling streets from above. The sunlight shone on his white beard and hair, but his green eyes were perfectly clear. A voice reached his ears from behind him.

“Everything is ready. The entrance exams will begin in a few days, and the tournament a week after that.”

He turned around, meeting the eyes of a stern, bearded man. Dressed in black, elegant clothes and with a wand on his waist, the man, Dylan, held a pile of papers. He placed them on the mahogany desk, making Damian sigh.

“I suppose those are from the noble families?” he asked, knowing the answer.

Dylan nodded.

“They are questioning the decision to host a tournament.”

Damian clicked his tongue and picked up one of the papers, quickly reading it. Just as Dylan said, it was a formal complaint that argued that the safety of the students: or future students: was paramount, which meant that the decision to host a tournament as part of the entrance exams was misguided. He scoffed.

“They’re just scared that their coddled young masters and ladies won’t know how to fight,” he said, picking up another paper. The contents were similar. He eyed the pile; if anything, the sheer number of complaints was impressive.

Dylan nodded.

“Yes, but the backlash wasn’t just restricted to the noble houses, as you know.”

Damian let out a sigh. Because of their connections to several families, some of the Academy’s professors had been especially vocal against the tournament, even though its necessity had been extensively discussed in meetings.

He snapped his fingers. A flame devoured the pile, burning everything to cinders in moments. A wave of his hand later, wind blew the ashes away.

“These are dangerous times. From now on, our students must be able to defend not only themselves, but the Kingdom as well,” he stated with a serious expression.

Dylan’s visage darkened.

“…Yes. The latest news that reached me was that the Empire had taken over Druwen.”

“I know.”

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Of course, he knew even more. As the strongest powerhouse in the Ceotha Kingdom, Damian received daily updates on the continent’s developments.

That damned madman.

Ever since the new Emperor had risen to the throne, the Empire had started to aggressively expand and conquer territory. Several small kingdoms had already been swallowed up, but it showed no signs of stopping. It was the kind of behavior that was unthinkable, given all that the Empire used to mean for the continent.

I miss you, old friend. If you were still the Emperor…

Sadness washed over him as the memories resurfaced. It was joined by powerlessness and self-hatred. If only he had been stronger, maybe he would have been able to protect his friend. He might stand at the peak of the Kingdom, but what was all of it worth? He hadn’t been able to save a friend who mattered to him.

The students can’t end up like me.

“The tournament will happen, alongside all of the other changes to the Academy’s curriculum,” he said in a firm tone. No matter what, he wouldn’t give up on this. The students needed to be capable fighters and Mages. The world’s threats weren’t limited to the Empire.

Dylan nodded and bowed.

“I agree with you, Headmaster.”

Damian faced the window again, taking in the view.

“I do hope we manage to find a few gems in the rough. What do you think, Dylan?”

His attendant raised his body and spent a few seconds in silence.

“All applicants are young and inexperienced. Even if a few of them have fought before, it’s unlikely that they are good combatants. This is especially true in the case of children from noble houses, who would have grown up without real danger.”

“And the children who have to struggle to survive didn’t have enough resources to reach adequately high stats or receive formal training.”

It was an age-old problem that every Academy faced. As the best Academy in the kingdom and the one closely associated with the royal family, they naturally had to deal with it.

“Yes, Headmaster. However, the tournament might allow the children who didn’t have resources to shine in another way.”

Damian smiled. It was something he understood well. No applicant would be rejected before the tournament, no matter how lackluster their performance was. To give them an opportunity to showcase their full talents, the Royal Magic Academy included a variety of types of exams, and applicants could choose which ones to participate in. This year, the tournament would be part of every single applicant’s entrance exams.

"Dylan, make a formal announcement that the top three in the tournament will become my personal disciples and students. That should help us deal with the complaints, as well. There's no such thing as a tournament without a reward."

Dylan blinked rapidly.

"A-Are you sure, Headmaster? There's no way to estimate the impact these news will have on the Kingdom," he said, stumbling over his words.

Damian only nodded with a calm expression. Dylan bowed again.

"It will be done," he continued after a few seconds of silence.

Damian smiled. His anticipation for the tournament only grew.

***

Rylan whistled as he looked at the city through the carriage’s window. Next to him, Aelfric stared at it with shining eyes, leaning forward.

“It’s more impressive than I thought,” Rylan said, smiling.

“Cantavega doesn’t even get close!” His brother quickly replied, making Sarah give them a small nod.

After going through the necessary procedures to enter the city, the two carriages still stuck together: Luna had said she would go with them to their lodgings before she went on her way. It would compromise their location, but Rylan had no wish to separate Luna and Aelfric as they bonded.

At least our hotel isn’t outstanding or anything. She won’t think too much of it.

It had taken much convincing, but Gerard had been willing to compromise on his choice of where his sons would stay. Rylan had been the one who argued for it.

There was no harm in being careful. Besides, there was no need to spend too much money on something like lodgings.

The two carriages went down the main road. It was then that it became obvious just how much larger Caer Rhelon was.

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The paved roads were twice as wide as Cantavega’s, and much longer. The bustling streets were filled with people, from the moment they entered the city until their current point. Elegant carriages mixed with plain pedestrians as tall buildings extended toward the sky, ranging from restaurants to shops and hotels.

Large water fountains could be seen every so often, shining in the sunlight as small children ran around them, followed closely by their parents. The restaurants and taverns were packed to the brim, filling the streets with the sounds of loud conversation. The smell of good food was carried away by the breeze, slowly entering the carriage through the open window.

Some pedestrians walked quickly, carrying boxes, while others were couples leisurely strolling. Overall, the city felt alive in a way that Cantavega didn’t.

No, maybe that’s because of the life I led.

When had he truly explored everything that Cantavega had to offer? His wastrel past self had only cared about the brothels, taverns, and Dust. He lacked far too much knowledge about his hometown. Still, that was no longer who he was.

With a small grin, Rylan continued to watch the scenery until the carriage stopped. Two knocks from the coachman signaled that they had reached their destination. Aelfric hurriedly opened the door and walked out, followed by Rylan and Sarah, who looked at the building in front of them. Rylan nodded to himself.

“This is enough,” he stated with a grin.

The four-storied yellow building stood tall next to other hotels. White curtains lined the windows, while the double wooden doors that were the entrance had a few engravings. There were no pieces of outside decoration or elaborate sculptures, but the place was clean and organized. Overall, it was an ordinary hotel, in a safe area of the city.

Luna approached Aelfric with a smile after running her gaze over the building.

“The Royal Magic Academy’s exams start in three days. Why don’t we use this time to explore the city a bit?” she asked, eyes shining.

Aelfric turned around to face Rylan, who could see the excitement in his brother’s eyes. Rylan shook his head with a smile.

“Let’s get our rooms, first. After that, sure, you can go. Sarah will go with you.”

It’s my fault that Robert isn’t here, anyway.

Aelfric quickly nodded. Together, the party entered the building. The interior was, as expected, rather simple. Warm lighting blended with wooden columns to give the hall a welcoming, soft atmosphere, despite its small size. At the far end, a counter stood, with a man dressed in a black and white uniform. He bowed as the party approached.

“Welcome to our hotel, esteemed guests.”

Before he could say anything else, Sarah stepped forward. After some back and forth, they were given the keys to their room. After leaving everything they needed over at their room, Aelfric set out with Luna to her lodgings with Karune and Sarah in tow; after Luna reached her room, they would explore the city. Rylan stayed behind and focused on training. No matter what, he couldn’t stop. It was good for Aelfric to enjoy the capital with his new friend, but he needed to train. There was no time for distractions.

The next three days passed quickly. The first day of the entrance exams dawned.