On a clear morning in the royal capital of Hetton, Lanchi woke up early and made his way to Icrithe Academy alone.
As he passed the station near the academy gates, he saw golden sunlight rising from the east, illuminating the entire campus. The fresh morning air filled him with a sense of vitality.
Three days had passed since the entrance exam.
Today marked the beginning of Lanchi’s journey at the academy.
According to what Teacher Theresa had told him, his first stop was the Magic Engineering Institute to exchange his student wristband, after which he could officially move into the academy.
For the past few days, Lanchi and Talia had been staying at a hotel near the academy. Talia's room was right next to his, and every time he went out, she would follow him.
Lanchi had already informed Talia that once he could move into the highly secure Icrithe Academy, she wouldn’t need to act as his bodyguard anymore.
Her salary, however, would remain the same.
He would only seek her out when he had questions or needed her guidance.
And so, Talia was now practically enjoying newfound freedom.No longer burdened with the daily duty of being Lanchi’s personal guardian, she even had a false identity under the Wilford name.
As long as she didn’t attract too much attention or attempt to register with a major association, she wouldn’t be exposed.
In just a few short months, Talia had bid farewell to her days as a destitute wanderer. Now, she could spend her time leisurely in the royal capital of Icrithe, receiving a generous pension.
At breakfast that morning, Talia had seemed almost dazed.
As if she had already entered retirement.
Seeing that she was living comfortably, Lanchi felt a sense of relief.
After all, supporting an elderly mentor was a form of filial piety.
“Still… every time I bring up her age, she seems to glance at me… Is it just my imagination…?”
Lanchi muttered to himself as he walked along the academy’s main road.
If his truth-detection magic improved further, it might evolve into mind-reading.
But Talia was nowhere near the threshold of mastering a mind-reading ability.
Based on what Lanchi knew about the setting, even in the main storyline two years from now, Talia still hadn’t developed any such skill.
“So really, there’s nothing to worry about. Age isn’t a big deal. She probably doesn’t care that much.”
Lanchi chuckled to himself and continued toward the old Liberal Arts Building of the Magic Engineering Institute.
The plants on either side of the path were bathed in morning mist and sunlight, exuding a fresh fragrance. The roadside was dotted with flowers—some vibrant, some delicate, and some strangely shaped, none of which Lanchi could name.
The chirping of birds, the hum of bees, and the gentle sound of flowing water accompanied him as he walked, leading him to a soft grassy area filled with blooming flowers. According to the signs, this part of the academy was built within a garden.
After a few minutes of walking, Lanchi finally arrived at his destination—a grand Icrithe Revival-style building on the edge of the Magic Engineering Institute. The ancient red-brick walls were adorned with statues and relief carvings.
This was one of the academy’s landmarks—the old Liberal Arts Building of the Magic Engineering Institute.
This historic building had once been a workshop where magic engineers brought their creative ideas to life. Several decades ago, it was renovated and repurposed to provide technical services for students from other faculties.
Lanchi glanced around. There weren’t many students in sight.
It seemed that over the past few days, only first-year students had been coming here.
It was still early. Even the doors to the old Liberal Arts Building hadn’t been opened yet.
“Ah… I came too early… I forgot that people here start work at nine and leave at five. Not a minute early, not a second late.”
Lanchi sighed regretfully.
He suddenly remembered how different Icrithe’s work culture was from his own.
Many shops closed at exactly five, completely disregarding potential earnings, and the school’s service department was no exception.
With no other choice, Lanchi stood on the lawn, crossing his arms as he waited for the staff to arrive.
Might as well take this as a chance to experience the leisurely pace of modern life—sometimes, wasting time could be a kind of happiness too.
“Actually, I can just treat this as an artistic outing…”
Lanchi tilted his head back, admiring the artistic masterpiece before him.
The floral scent, the aroma of soil, the moisture in the air—it all enveloped him, making him feel at ease.
Atop the old Liberal Arts Building stood a towering spire, embedded with a sculpted Icrithe Academy emblem.
The emblem’s base was a silver shield, symbolizing the steadfastness and faith of the Hetton Kingdom. At its center was the image of the Goddess of Fate, holding a laurel wreath, surrounded by a cross-shaped holy radiance. The background depicted the Southern Cross constellation, representing Icrithe Academy’s geographical position on the South Continent.
At the top of the emblem, a white banner bore ancient magical script that read:
"We shall grow in the respect of those who come after us."
Just gazing at it filled Lanchi with a surge of emotion, washing away the last traces of morning drowsiness.
He found himself completely captivated, unaware that time was passing.
“This level of craftsmanship… It must be the masterpiece of a legendary sculptor…”
Lanchi stood motionless on the grass, eyes locked onto the academy emblem as he murmured to himself.
“It is. It was crafted by Jera Zelt, a magic engineer who graduated from Icrithe Academy two hundred years ago. If you look carefully, you’ll find many of his works throughout the campus.”
A familiar voice sounded from not far behind him, interrupting his thoughts.
Lanchi snapped out of his daze and turned around.
Standing in the garden was a young girl with long, pale-gold hair.
He recognized her immediately—Princess Vivianne, whom he had briefly encountered during the entrance exam, and who didn’t seem to get along with his teammate, Huberian.
Lanchi hadn’t expected the princess to arrive so early.
But upon closer inspection, he noticed that with her arrival, the Magic Engineering Institute’s staff had promptly shown up to unlock the building.
As expected, social influence mattered no matter where you were.
“Princess Vivianne, sorry, I got too absorbed and didn’t notice you were here.”
Lanchi smiled slightly and greeted her.
“……”
Vivianne hesitated for a moment.
She hadn’t originally planned to talk to him.
After their last encounter, she found Lanchi’s personality difficult to deal with.
He was overly nice, a bit clueless, yet somehow incredibly sharp-witted.
“What do you think is the difference between this sculpted emblem and an ordinary crafted object?”
Instead of making small talk, Vivianne gazed up at the emblem atop the old Liberal Arts Building and posed a question to Lanchi.
After meeting him twice, she was convinced that this commoner boy, Lanchi Wilford, lacked the usual sense of distance and reverence toward nobility.
He behaved more like a traveler from a country completely devoid of noble traditions.
But she didn’t mind.
Lanchi was undoubtedly a promising talent in their kingdom, and his background was clean.
Right now, she simply wanted to have a conversation with him about this ancient masterpiece.
There was something about Lanchi’s aura—like that of a poet, a painter, or a craftsman.
It was a natural quality, impossible to imitate.
It wasn’t often that she met a peer who might actually be able to discuss art with her.
Vivianne decided to take advantage of this quiet moment to test his insight.