Chapter 328 – Accepted

Chapter 328 – Accepted

One ninety-nine. Two hundred.

Kai aligned the rows of gold mesars on the table of the inn. The sunlight filtering from the window made the hawks embossed on the coins shimmer.

All there.

A butler from House Helion had delivered his winnings at the crack of dawn.

When he made that bet on a whim, he hadn’t truly expected to receive the money, but he had underestimated the pride and deep pockets of patricians. Letting a few chatty candidates spread word of the wager must have helped, too.

Before the Winter Intake was over, the cleaning staff also knew he and Rain escaped the first room in thirteen and a half minutes—an indisputable win.

Easiest money I ever made.

Kai felt a twinge of guilt recalling Jorin’s disbelieving babbles and shattering ego, but the snide insults that came before washed that away. No one forced the short boy to take the bet—or to behave like an insufferable brat. His family could afford to pay.

He got even points from being grouped with us.

A fair deal, though Helion House might argue otherwise.

Tapping his fingers on the hardwood desk, Kai ran his hand over the gold to store it in his ring. Two hundred mesars. Most people wouldn’t see that much money in their entire life—and he won it on a stupid bet. He didn’t know how to feel about that.

Proud, thrilled and melancholic?

Numb and overwhelmed?

A mix of everything.

He was entering a different world.

From starving in the dingiest town of the archipelago, he’d risen to the gilded halls where the Republic’s elites mingled. Even the commoner applicants seemed accustomed to servants fluttering around them like invisible drones—tossing aside meals from chefs who honed their skills over decades.

It seemed yesterday that he’d run along the shores of the archipelago—scalding sand beneath his bare feet, salty wind in his hair. A nobody from a forgotten corner of Elydes. Now, Nerethi’s rooftops sprawled for miles beyond his window. He stood in one of the Republic’s largest cities, about to enroll in one of its most prestigious academies.

The shift felt jarring—like he had missed a step in between.

Two years alone in the Sanctuary probably didn’t help…

His memories of the time there were a muddled tangle he didn’t wish to touch. He went in as a child and emerged as an adult. Everything moved in a rush afterwards.

He had only been on the mainland for a few months—and not quiet ones. Yes, he just needed some time to adjust.

A knock pulled him from his thoughts.

“Hey.” Flynn poked his head through a crack in the door. A giddy grin on his face. “Ready to go? The streets are getting packed. We can’t be late.”

At least he’s adapting well…

“Coming!” Kai grabbed his spatial bag and headed downstairs into the common room where Rain was waiting. A crowd of late risers lingered over breakfast at the Wandering Soldier’s tables.

Flynn skipped the steps to reach the white-haired boy, uncaring of the glances from the other patrons. “Ready to go. Did you get everything?”

“Yes—” Rain let himself get hauled to his feet, looking amused by Flynn’s excitement. “I’m curious to see the academy’s portal…”

Kai followed the chattering duo into the bustling streets. The crisp morning air was untouched by the harsher city smells, carrying the scent of fresh bread from a nearby bakery.

They splurged on a private carriage to reach the central district. The mustached coachman welcomed them aboard, guiding an awakened horse at a brisk pace; the enchantments smoothed out any bumps in the road.

“Do you think the academy is as large as they say? In a high mana zone?” Flynn continued sharing his expectations. He had been radiating enthusiasm since he qualified for Martial Studies with a top fifty score and earned twenty credits.

“…I heard portals were rare in lower kingdoms…” Rain hadn’t been fazed by earning first rank, but looked equally eager to see the human academy.

“Hmm.” Kai nodded along with their conversation, rubbing his eyelids with the heel of his hand. They had all done well in the practical tests, perhaps too well.

The flexibility of his elemental magic had carried him through the last trial and the optional sparrings. Ranking fourth, his plan to keep a low profile looked ever more naive, though he still hoped to blend in better at the academy.

It was worth it to get two hundred credits.

The rewards for Mana Studies were much higher, proportional to the heftier tuition fee. Students still preferred to pay the enrollment with mesars if they could afford it.

There must be better uses for credits.

Before even stepping foot in Raelion, Kai could see the cracks in its veneer of fairness. Hardly surprising…

“Mat?” Flynn poked his shoulder as the carriage rolled to a stop. “Come back among us mortals. We’re at the checkpoint. Time to get off.” He grabbed both their bags and hopped onto the paved street.

Kai followed him. The arched gate to Nerethi’s central district cast a shadow over them; the black stone crenellations glimmered fifty meters above. Every line and angle seemed sculpted to intimidate, bearing the howling wolf of House Hart, burnished gold on a dark-green field.

With few exceptions, commoners paid twenty silvers for the privilege of entry—a hard boundary in everything but name.

Why don’t you rob them already?

Guards in the Hart livery regulated the flow, their posture as straight as the halberds they carried. The queue to pass was predictably short. A stone-faced man scrutinized Raelion’s acceptance letters before waving them through.

Crossing the thick walls of the gate, wards washed over them, scanning for threats and marking their mana. Kai rubbed his arms to stave off the uneasy feeling. The mark would fade once they left the district. Hallowed Intuition confirmed it.

Damn annoying.

Exiting into a wider street, he shielded his eyes from the rising sun. Dense mana tingled on his skin, and the sweet aroma of flowerbeds blooming in winter made his nose twitch.

This book’s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

There were few passersby, and plenty of carriages rolling over the sparkling pavement—their rates incomparable to those outside. Behind the enchanted fences, the most modest house dwarfed the palaces in Higharbor.

Why does everything need to be so grand?

Kai jogged to catch up with Rain and Flynn. The academy’s property was a short walk from there.

Unlike the late summer testing, Winter Intake applicants were given only three days to settle their affairs. It had been a mad rush to finalize his deals with Reishi and purchase what he might need for the academy.

While the shops at Raelion sold everything, Valela had warned him their wares often came with an upcharge. He wouldn’t waste money just because he had them.

“A chip for your thoughts?” Flynn slowed to flank him on the sidewalk. His excited gleam dulled. “Uh… is that how you say it? You’ve been quiet since yesterday. You know my wisdom is at your disposal if you want to share the burden.”

“Thanks.” Kai tried to smile nonchalantly. “I’m fine.”

Ahead of them, Rain was studying the window of a smithy with suspicious zeal.

Did they organize?