Having disembarked from their previous train, they were now poised to board a direct connection to Hunterston.
They had arrived in Fayton, the transfer city, and within the bustling waiting hall, Isha, clutching her small bag, gazed around, her face alight with astonishment.
“There are so many people! Is this truly what a major city feels like?”
Far livelier than Urgar’s, this waiting hall presented a spectacle of countless travelers, all bustling with hurried steps, dragging their luggage in tow.
Moreover, the entire hall seemed to have been constructed through magic. The ubiquitous magical escalators and enchanted clocks struck her with considerable awe.
‘Are all these brave warriors heading to Hunterston?’ Aurora mused. ‘If so, the pressure of the entrance examination can’t be underestimated.’
Within the grand hall, Aurora’s gaze casually drifted, and she noticed a significant number of brave warriors. They appeared remarkably young, and most seemed to be journeying to Hunterston for the entrance examination.
This realization brought a headache upon her.
“Hmph, what’s there to be afraid of? We defeated a Fourth-Tier Sub-Dragon. Are you telling me we can’t even pass an entrance exam?”
Isha stood with her hands on her hips, exuding an air of fearlessness. Celia, in turn, patted Aurora’s shoulder, offering reassurance.
“That’s right. Don’t worry too much; it’s just a simple assessment.”
Aurora knew the truth, however. The mere thought of attending the entrance examination at Lu’en Academy was enough to stir her nerves.
What kind of place was Lu’en Academy? It was renowned as the most prestigious academy in all of humanity, boasting the finest faculty and resources. Its students were, without exception, exceptional talents from every continent.
Even Silverbloom and her team had graduated from there.
In the past, Aurora had only listened to the legendary tales of this academy before falling asleep, dreaming of one day enrolling. Never had she imagined she would actually stand on this very stage.
The tension and excitement within her made it difficult to remain calm.
At moments like these, she found herself envying Isha and Celia. One was an adorable food enthusiast, while the other was a noble young lady with little understanding of Lu’en Academy.
In their eyes, Lu’en Academy likely held no significant difference from any ordinary academy.
“Come on, come on! We still have time. Let’s find something to eat!”
Isha grabbed Celia’s hand without waiting for a refusal, dragging her towards the shops lining the hall.
“Hey! The train will be here soon!”
Aurora did not want to miss this train. Their tickets had been booked by Huona several days prior, and it was said that any later, only standing tickets would have been available.
Missing this train would likely mean waiting several days for another ticket. After all, it was enrollment season at Lu’en Academy, and the number of warriors heading to Hunterston was exceptionally high.
“There’s still time!”
Unfortunately, Isha paid no heed to her reminder. Watching their retreating figures, Aurora could only sigh helplessly and follow.
Woo—!
Shortly after, the train’s long whistle echoed, accompanied by a female voice broadcasting:
“The train to Hunterston is about to depart. Passengers who have not yet boarded, please do so immediately…”
“Quick, quick, quick!”
After an unknown number of repetitions of the broadcast, three figures, carrying a fragrant breeze, squeezed through the crowd, rushing into the carriage in the final second before the doors closed.
Isha gasped for breath, clutching her chest with a lingering fear.
“Just barely, just barely made it!”
“Isn’t it because you were greedy and wasted time eating?” Celia retorted, raising an eyebrow.
In response to the accusation, Isha tilted her head, blinking innocently with an adorable smile.
“Hehe.”
Seeing this, Celia swallowed the words that had been on the tip of her tongue. She took out the tickets they had booked, noting the seat numbers, and proceeded into the carriage.
There were so many people heading to Hunterston that even standing tickets had sold out. Consequently, many stood in the aisle between the seats, making it somewhat crowded for Celia and her companions to walk.
Fortunately, the seat numbers were clear enough, and after two or three minutes, Celia located their seats.
What struck her as odd, however, was that the seats, which should have been empty, were occupied by three young men. One of them even had his leg propped up, looking quite relaxed.
After double-checking and confirming that these were indeed their assigned seats, she approached them, holding up the tickets.
“Excuse me, would you mind moving?”
“Really? I thought these seats were empty.”
The young man with an earring in his left ear, seated in the middle, turned his head. His eyes flashed with surprise upon seeing Celia and her two companions.
Passengers who hadn’t managed to buy standing tickets often sat in empty seats, assuming no one would claim them. No one would object if the seats were truly vacant. However, if the owner arrived before they did, they would naturally have to move.
Celia expected them to think the same and promptly stand up. To her surprise, the young man pulled a golden card from his embrace and presented it to her.
“What does this mean?” she asked.
“This card is worth ten gold coins, which can be withdrawn by its sound. Consider it our purchase of these three seats.”
No one dared to question the young man’s words. As soon as he spoke, the ordinary passengers around them erupted into a hubbub of whispers.
“Ryan Gold Bank? Isn’t that an industry under Earl Ryan’s name?”
“…If you look closely, he seems to be Earl Ryan’s second son!”
“Young Master Ryan? Hiss, his father is a truly influential figure! Not only does he own vast properties, but he’s also rumored to have connections with many Sixth and Seventh-Tier warriors…”
“Why would such a noble run around various places to become a warrior? Wouldn’t it be better to just be a young master in his territory?”
One warrior seemed to recall something and lowered their head in thought.
“He must be with the princess from the Tanas Empire, right? Isn’t he her guardian?”
Hearing their conversation, Ryan looked quite pleased, while Celia grew indignant about her own status.
Although the Tanas Empire was far from the Rodhesia Empire, she had heard of Earl Ryan. After all, this nobleman wielded considerable power, making him a valuable ally for the Ryan family.
Yet, no matter how influential he was, his attempt to seize their seats was enough to infuriate Celia.
Thus, amidst the ill-intentioned glances of many warriors, she coldly refused, “I’m sorry, but these are our tickets.”
“Twenty gold coins.”
“Oh?” Ryan scoffed, believing the issue to be a lack of funds. Doubling the offer, however, only caused Celia’s expression to turn frigid, and the atmosphere within the carriage solidified.
Seemingly aware of her stubbornness, and knowing that the other warriors would not agree, some brave warriors couldn’t help but whisper a warning:
“It’s best not to offend him. At most, we’ll stand for a dozen hours. For us warriors, that’s nothing…”
This was not cowardice on their part, but rather the reality that most warriors came from humble backgrounds. In conflicts with imperial nobles, they were always the disadvantaged party.
While their strength might protect them from noble oppression, their families and friends lacked such protection. Nobles had countless ways to deal with them.
For warriors to truly rise, they had to become genuine powerhouses.
“We can stand, if you wish.”
Upon hearing her words, the warriors collectively exhaled, knowing that this conflict would only escalate further.
Celia raised two fingers towards Ryan, and the carriage immediately fell silent. Other warriors shook their heads, realizing this conflict could not end peacefully.
Ryan stared at Celia’s face, a sneer twisting his lips. “Two thousand gold coins? Commoner, don’t try to claim gold coins for yourself.”
After a long pause, he chuckled softly. “Commoners sure talk a lot of nonsense.”
“Hmph, if you can’t afford it, then scram!”
“Get out if you don’t have money!”
Isha, who had long been unable to bear it, crossed her arms and looked down at Ryan, directly confronting him. With a cold snort, she asked,
“You’re the first warrior who dared to speak to me like that.”
Ryan rose from his chair, his eyes narrowed, his tone hostile.
“If you had met me earlier, I would have scolded you already!”
Isha showed no fear whatsoever.
At her words, Ryan’s two henchmen also stood up, clenching their fists, seemingly ready to act. However, Ryan extended a hand to stop them.
He let out a cold snort and asked, “Are you also heading to Lu’en Academy to participate…”
“…in the entrance examination?”
“That’s right.”
“Then you must have recommendation letters, right? Which famous warrior recommended you?”
His words caused Celia and her companions to freeze. Then, Isha scratched her cheek, asking in confusion, “…Recommendation letters? What are those?”
Ryan hadn’t expected them to be unaware of recommendation letters, so he chuckled and explained.
“Registration for the Lu’en Academy entrance examination closed more than ten days ago. Everyone currently on this train holds a recommendation letter, allowing them to bypass on-site registration and proceed directly to the assessment.”
“On-site registration requires a simple magic power test. This test alone screens out fifty percent of applicants, but those with recommendation letters are exempt from it.”
“However, recommendation letters also have requirements. They must come from a warrior of at least the Sixth-Tier.”
As he spoke, he pulled a letter from his embrace, pointing to the signature. “Look closely. This is a recommendation letter from the Seventh-Tier warrior, Thorn. You might not know Earl Ryan, but you surely know the famous Thorn, right?”
“Thorn?”
At the mention of that name, the warriors nearby all cast envious glances his way.
Thorn was a front-line warrior, also considered one of the most renowned Seventh-Tier warriors. Legends of her deeds were widespread.
That such a legendary warrior would personally recommend Ryan revealed the immense power wielded by Earl Ryan.
Unlike Ryan, these warriors’ recommendation letters were earned through their own strength and hard work at their respective academies.
These words, however, only left Celia and her companions utterly bewildered.
On-site registration? Recommendation letters? Did one need all this to participate in the entrance examination? Silverbloom and her seniors had never mentioned such things!
Yet, they soon understood. Silverbloom and her seniors hadn’t mentioned it because they themselves weren’t aware.
So many years had passed, so it was only natural. As for Sharlene, she didn’t pay attention to such information, so remembering anything at all was already quite good.
Silverbloom, needless to say, was completely clueless. Chiling also wouldn’t pay much attention to Lu’en Academy.
Moreover, Celia and her companions were also ignorant, and the name Thorn meant nothing to them. All they seemed to remember were the warriors from their own academies…
Ryan sensed their bewilderment. He held up the recommendation letter in his hand, incredulous.
“You don’t even know Thorn?!”
“Um… is she famous?” Isha asked in return, her voice soft.
Ryan’s hand, clutching the recommendation letter, trembled. He felt as though he were casting pearls before swine, and his rage completely shattered the noble etiquette he had maintained.
“You truly are a bunch of fools! Without a recommendation letter, and having missed the registration period, what are you doing in Hunterston? Get off at the next stop and go home early.”
He couldn’t be bothered to argue with them further. After saying this, he directly returned to his seat, intending not to give them back the seats.
Seeing this, Isha clenched her fist, somewhat indignant. “According to you, recommendation letters aren’t just something you can easily get your hands on, right?”
In her opinion, there were many senior warriors who could write them recommendation letters. Moreover, given Celia’s background, there must be many Sixth and Seventh-Tier warriors willing to do so.
However, these words reached the ears of the other warriors, causing some of them to lose their composure.
Ryan naturally laughed. He didn’t even turn his head, scoffing, “Who can’t boast?”
Isha was furious, almost losing her temper, while Celia’s face darkened as she issued a final warning.
“Say it again. These are our seats. Move, or else…”
Seemingly sensing her intention, Ryan stood up once more, looking down at Celia from his elevated position.
“What? You want to fight?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“You can try. With your Third-Tier strength…”
Thud—!
Before he could finish his sentence, Celia’s heavy punch landed squarely on his face, sending him sprawling onto the carriage floor, screaming and spitting blood.
“Young Master Ryan!”
“How dare you hit the young master? You’re asking for death!”
One of his henchmen quickly helped Ryan up from the floor, while another lunged at Celia, throwing a punch to retaliate. To his surprise, his fist was caught by Isha with a single hand.
His expression changed, and he tried to pull his fist back. But then, Isha smiled, her slender fingers tightening slightly, and a piercing pain shot through his fist.
“Ahhh—!”
He howled in agony, feeling as though his fist was about to be crushed by the young woman before him, despite his Third-Tier strength.
Fortunately, someone arrived just in time to stop it all.
“Stop! Fighting is forbidden in the carriage!”
The vice-conductor, dressed in a uniform, walked over with a stern expression. His formidable Fifth-Tier strength put pressure on the warriors in the carriage, making them struggle to breathe.
He carefully examined the injury on Ryan’s face. Seeing that it wasn’t too severe, he turned to Celia and her companions, his gaze filled with anger.
“Vice-conductor, they violated the rules! Shouldn’t they be expelled?” Ryan stammered, covering his face.
The vice-conductor nodded at his words, preparing to subdue them and throw them off at the next station.
Celia knew that the vice-conductor had actually been there all along. However, since Ryan had initially held the advantage, he hadn’t intervened.
It was Ryan who had violated the rules first.
Now, seeing him about to act, Celia remained unperturbed. She crossed her arms, slowly stating, “Go ahead and try. I am, after all, the eldest daughter of the Fiona family. I can’t just let myself be bullied without fighting back, can I?”
The vice-conductor paused, seemingly finding the name ‘Fiona family’ somewhat familiar, but couldn’t quite place which empire’s noble family it belonged to at that moment.
Celia didn’t stop there; she continued, “If I don’t fight back, it would seem as though the Fiona family is afraid of Earl Ryan. Moreover, though I don’t know him personally, I know several senior council members, and our relationship with them is quite good.”
Listening, the vice-conductor recalled that the Fiona family was a prominent noble family in the Rossi Empire. The mention of knowing senior council members added a degree of credibility.
This caused cold sweat to break out on his forehead, soaking his back.
“You’re listening to her nonsense! How could they possibly know council members?” Ryan naturally didn’t believe it. He merely chuckled, then continued.
However, the vice-conductor decided not to engage with him. He gave an awkward smile and said, “Uh, misunderstanding, misunderstanding, it’s all a misunderstanding.”
With that, he pushed Ryan and his two henchmen towards another carriage.
“Young Master Ryan, those are their seats. Please bear with it for now. It’s only a dozen hours’ journey; it’ll be over quickly.”
“What? You, you fellow…”
Ryan was furious, yet helpless. In the end, he stretched his neck and shouted at Celia and her companions, “Without a recommendation letter, just wait! I’ll see if Lu’en Academy doesn’t kick you out!”
Seeing his exasperated expression, Celia finally chuckled. Isha, in turn, waved her delicate fist at Ryan again, a clear warning in her gesture.
Other warriors in the carriage watched the scene unfold, and afterwards, they couldn’t help but discuss information about the Fiona family.
A smile lingered on Celia’s lips as she settled into her seat. She knew that what had truly deterred the vice-conductor wasn’t some ‘Fiona family’ she had mentioned, but rather Silverbloom’s reputation.
Sometimes, borrowing Silverbloom’s prestige didn’t seem like such a bad idea. After all, Silverbloom had said she would stand up for them if they were bullied, hadn’t she?
With this thought, Celia’s smile grew even brighter.