"… "
Luka lay lifelessly in the carriage, his body slumped against the cushioned seat as his mind replayed every unfortunate event of the past few weeks.
It was a never-ending reel of frustration—getting his kills stolen, missing out on precious XP, and worst of all, his daily quests rewarding him with utter garbage.
Such as mere coins and clothing.
'A tunic…'
Luka still hadn't recovered from the sheer uselessness of that reward.
No stat boosts, no special effects—just fabric.
He'd have been better off looting corpses.
Despite his older sister apologizing nonstop—claiming it was just instinct that made her steal his kills—Luka felt betrayed.
Every time he tried to sneak away and farm XP alone, she would somehow find him.
It was like a twisted game of cat and mouse where he was the unfortunate prey.
A mental prison with no escape.
And now, after all that suffering, he was entering the official start of the game at a mere level 2.
Luka clenched his fists.
'It's fine,' he thought to himself, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling.
'She's not around anymore. I'll have more freedom now, and I can finally start grinding properly.'
With renewed determination, he sat up, adjusting his posture as he peered out the carriage window.
The landscape rolled past in a blur of greens and browns—vast fields, small villages, and the occasional bustling town.
It had already been a full week of travel; the road leading them toward the grand Capital of the Eternity Kingdom.
That was where the Academy awaited.
Luka narrowed his eyes as the towering city walls came into view on the distant horizon.
Sitting across from him, Serene was playing with Snow, her fingers lightly tickling the little dragon's stomach.
Snow let out a soft, contented purr, his tiny body wiggling in delight.
Serene giggled at his reaction, her expression filled with warmth.
"You are such a cutie! I just wanna kiss you all over!"
She was not dressed in her armor, she was in her maid uniform—black and white, neatly pressed, the fabric hugging her form with proper elegance.
After all, she wasn't just a companion on this journey; she was officially assigned as Luka's attendant at the Academy.
Something she took with great pride.
Luka had fought against the idea at first.
He didn't see the need for an attendant—he could handle himself just fine.
But his father had shut him down immediately, stating that it would be a disgrace if their noble family was the only one without a proper attendant accompanying their heir.
And so, here he was.
Forced to accept it.
'I guess it's fine…' Luka thought, stealing a glance at Serene as she continued to entertain Snow.
'She doesn't cause too many problems, at least.'
He turned back toward the window, watching the outside.
All of it passing by as they neared their destination.
Luka leaned his head against the cool glass of the carriage window.
'I should get some shut-eye before we arrive,' he mused, closing his eyes.
There was going to be a test to determine who would be officially accepted into the Academy.
It wasn't anything he was particularly worried about—it would be a breeze for him.
If anything, it was just a formality.
But damn, he was tired.
Just as Luka began to drift off—
THUD!
The entire carriage rocked violently.
Luka's head slammed against the window.
"OUCH! That fucking hurt!" he groaned, immediately rubbing the sore spot.
"Are you alright, Young Master?" Serene paused her tickling assault on Snow, her voice tinged with concern as she glanced over.
Luka let out a small sigh, raising a hand dismissively.
"I'm fine… Just didn't expect the carriage to shake so suddenly," he muttered.
He shifted his position, stretching out along the cushioned seat and resting his head against the plush material.
Serene studied him for a moment before nodding.
"I see. Well, Young Master, I'll wake you when we arrive." She offered a soft smile.
"…Thanks," Luka mumbled, his voice already heavy with exhaustion.
As he finally let his eyes drift shut, the rhythmic sound of the carriage wheels against the road lulled him into much-needed rest.
▬▬ι═══════ﺤ
"Yo—"
Luka stirred as he felt a nudge, a voice slowly cutting through the haze of sleep.
"Young—"
His eyes fluttered open, and as his senses returned, he let out a long yawn.
"Young Master, we're here. It's time to get up," Serene's voice came clearer now, and as his vision adjusted, he saw her standing just inches above him, looking down with a patient expression.
"Alright, alright, I'm getting up…" Luka responded, taking off his glasses for a second to rub the sleep from his eyes.
Blinking a few times, he turned to glance outside the window.
What he saw surprised him.
"Whoa… I thought we'd stop at a security checkpoint first, not right in front of the Academy."
His gaze took in the towering gates, grand archways, and the bustling men and women who were walking in.
Serene simply turned and opened the carriage door.
"I didn't want to wake you for such trivial inconveniences, so I had the coachman handle it. And don't worry—"
She stepped gracefully onto the brick pathway, "—I made sure they didn't disturb you."
Luka let out a small chuckle.
He could already picture Serene glaring daggers at anyone who so much as thought about interrupting his sleep.
"Thanks, I appreciate that," he said as he stretched and got out of the carriage.
Just as his boots touched the ground, Snow hopped onto his shoulder, letting out a small chirp.
'If I'm not mistaken…' Luka's eyes wandered as he began walking forward.
Behind him, Serene shut the carriage door with a soft click before falling into step a few paces behind, maintaining a respectful distance.
'The main character should be getting into an argument right about now…'
Luka's gaze swept across the Academy entrance, searching for the scene he knew was about to unfold—one that he remembered vividly.
In the game, a group of spoiled noble brats would be throwing their weight around, looking down on a "countryside bumpkin."
Who just so happened to be the main character.