"Welcome to Edgeheaven. I trust the journey was pleasant, The Morph Vialist."
The speaker was a second-ranker knight, lean and tall, though his height was hard to notice as he sat on a chair behind his desk. His presence, however, was not hidden. He gestured toward the seats across from him, inviting them to sit.
Damian nodded silently and sat down, Evrin following closely behind. The moderately sized office—or whatever it was—was filled with stacks of documents, shelves crammed with books, and an assortment of strange objects. Some of these objects emitted faint traces of mana, hinting at their runic nature.
After a prolonged silence, Damian finally spoke.
"It was nice enough. Call me Maximus."
"Ah, of course… And this young lady with you?" the knight asked carefully, as though walking on eggshells to avoid offending him. The behavior baffled Damian. What did they think he was?
"She'll be staying with me until the entrance exam. Would that be a problem?" Damian asked shamelessly, his tone implying a relationship that wasn't there.
The princess, cloaked with a hood since they had disembarked, kept her slightly pointed ears hidden. At Damian's words, however, she reacted strangely, though subtly.
The knight—whether an administrative officer, teacher, or something else—visibly hesitated. After a few moments of contemplation, he relented. "For a week… we can arrange that."
Damian simply nodded in acknowledgment.
Edgeheaven was a relatively safe island city, but the risk remained that someone from Eldoris might have discovered the princess's journey to the academy. Ashenvale was close by, and Dawnstar's naval connections could reach Edgeheaven easily; they didn't have many ships other than supply vessels but an elite team or a talented young individual could be sent. The academy's VIP section, also known as the noble quarters, was likely filled with influential individuals from across the five kingdoms, many of whom might harbor less-than-noble intentions towards the princess.
In Eldoris, they were informed about the academy a little: only those who ranked in the top 25 in the entrance exams were granted VIP status, securing residence in the noble quarters. This privilege was typically reserved for the nobility of Duke rank or higher, while lesser nobles had to earn their place or settle for the common living areas.
The plan was for Sam and Einar to secure high rankings and accompany the princess in the VIP section for mage and swordsmanship students.
As expected, the knight offered Damian a parchment listing the available classes for a fifth-year student. The list contained mostly crafting and theory subjects, though a few spellsword courses were included, likely because they weren't certain of his class, even with information from his war days-nothing was conclusive.
Damian also received an enchanted uniform, designed to adjust for height and temperature, as well as a badge made from a polished alloy bearing the Highsword monogram. It served as an identity card and could store honor points, the academy's internal currency. Damian listened half-heartedly to the knight's explanation, more interested in studying the runic patterns etched on the badge's back.
His badge, outlined in red, marked him as a fifth-year student.
The knight then asked to see Damian's status tool, should he feel comfortable sharing it. Damian politely declined. The knight didn't press the matter but mentioned that some classes or academy events might be inaccessible without it. Damian merely nodded, ignoring the warning.
Afterward, the knight summoned a guard to escort them to the VIP section of the crafting and scholar students.
Since the entrance exams had yet to begin, the VIP crafting and scholar section was mostly deserted. Only a handful of rooms were occupied—an unusual sight compared to the bustling mage and swordsmanship sections. Nobles typically took pride in their warrior heritage, and only a few strayed toward intellectual pursuits. Such divergence was often seen among younger siblings of royalty or high nobility, who had the luxury to follow their interests without the burden of succession or responsibilities-of course not counting the ambitious bitches.
Damian envied these "lucky brats." With wealth, influence, and freedom, they lived what seemed to him like a dream. Why hadn't he been born into such privilege? Instead, all he got were people who sold him like a jwellery or bought him as a gift for their daughter.
The guard led them to an empty corner of the VIP section. The unoccupied rooms remained dark as they passed, and the lit ones stayed silent-no one even coming out to see the newcomer. At last, they reached a room on the farthest edge, overlooking the sprawling academy grounds and the city below. Instead of one, it had two windows which gave the room a unique feel compared to others.
The badge doubled as a key, unlocking the door with a faint hum of enchantment. It was his first time seeing an item that was both runic in nature and enchanted. The room, now registered in Damian's name, was impressively spacious. They only gave them one room, taking Evrin as his.. Well as his maid or bed warmer. No one even questioned his age for having such interests, which was common in nobility but felt really weird and uncomfortable for Damian.
The guard left them alone.
"This is ridiculous…" Evrin muttered, ignoring Damian as he curiously explored the room.
The suite had an attached bath and washroom, equipped with runic and enchanted tools for water and waste management—far more advanced than Damian's accommodations at the research facility in Eldoris. The main room featured a large bed and elegant furniture, with runic metal embedded into the stone walls. Some of the runes channeled fire and wind mana, others water and wind.
Damian couldn't help but grin like an idiot. Heating and cooling through mana—this was the kind of innovation he admired-lifestyle improving and really creative.
"How do you expect us to stay here for the night?" Evrin asked in her typical aristocratic tone.
"The room's big enough," Damian replied, confused by her hesitation. He was sure she was older than him.. She ought to be above such trivial discomforts, especially with her rigorous royal etiquettes and behavior training. "Don't tell me you're shy now…"
"Hmph! Not at all!" she refused a bit too quickly, standing tall with her arms crossed. Her flushed cheeks, however, betrayed her. "I'm just not used to strangers being near my bed."