In fact, after spending half a year in the 【Heavenly Key】, eating well and living comfortably, he had grown a little taller. This was especially true after Bruno shattered his bones to pieces in the Third District—once he recovered, he’d shot up noticeably. Before, he had measured between five foot three and five foot four; now he was around five foot four and a half, having gained a full three or four centimeters.
Though he hated to admit it, getting his bones broken really could make you taller… What a load of nonsense—don’t buy it~
Well, no rush anyway. He was only fourteen this year, with plenty of growing left to do. Worst case, he’d end up like in his previous life and hit at least five foot seven by eighteen.
Sure, he was a bit short…
But you know—being short was all about showcasing genetic diversity in living beings. It also made tall people stand out more. Without someone like him for contrast, how obvious would your height even be!?
Yeah! The more the boy mulled it over, the more convinced he became. He even felt a spark of pride.
Short and proud.
Heh heh heh~
Meanwhile, Snow Hill and Aisha Hodhua watched the boy with peculiar gazes. This guy really loved to overthink things—every emotion played out plain as day on his face.
And that was exactly what made him seem so disarmingly sincere.
“Uh… why are you staring at me like that?” A moment later, Sang finally noticed the two women’s odd looks. His eyes widened, and he bit his lip suspiciously.
Snow Hill remained silent. Aisha Hodhua usually refrained from nicknames in front of outsiders, but this time, she couldn’t help blurting one out from the heart.
“Dumb Watermelon!”
“Pink-Haired Little Lolita…”
Watching the two of them snipe at each other like squabbling kids, Snow Hill simply stood off to the side, her mind drifting.
The Knight Academy City might only cover about the size of the Central’s Outer Ring, but it matched the First District in every way—economy, culture, you name it. Medieval European-style buildings dotted the landscape everywhere, and the infrastructure was top-notch. An artificial canal and its tributaries ran right through the heart of the city, dividing it in two. A sturdy steel suspension bridge linked the halves: one side evoked classical civilization, while the other hinted at the dawn of an industrial age.
In that industrial half rose a towering structure known as the “Eiffel” Iron Tower, soaring three hundred meters high—second only to the 【Heavenly Key】 itself. It was both romantic and imposing.
The environment was beautiful, the air crisp and clean. The Knight Academy near the Central area was downright majestic, a place from which countless knights had graduated over thousands of years.
No doubt about it—this was one of the premier cities on the continent, right after the Central.
To Sang, though, it boiled down to one simple description: the university city of another world.
As he bought some milk from a nearby stall, he took a moment to eye the passersby. They moved in small groups of two or three, whether Blood Race or humans. Most looked between sixteen and thirty years old, though there were a few older ones too. After all, with the credit system, a small handful never quite managed to graduate—mostly humans.
It really gave off that classic college town vibe.
“Hey, what’re you thinking about?” Aisha Hodhua caught up to him just then, spotting his thoughtful expression and asking out of curiosity.
Sang replied, “It reminded me of a friend from back home.”
“A friend?”
“Yeah. He’s the most naturally gifted knight I’ve ever seen. Always yapping about wanting to become a great knight and protect humanity… I bet he’d give anything to visit this city.”
In truth, Sang was thinking of Adolf—that stubborn kid with the tragic backstory who kept pushing forward no matter what.
“Can’t he come?” Aisha wasn’t really interested in such matters. As a Blood Race member educated in the proper Central traditions, she had zero fondness for humans…
Except for the boy right in front of her.
She was only asking to humor him.
“Yeah, he’s only about fourteen or fifteen. Probably needs another two years.”
Yeah.
That was right.
In this world, kids aged fourteen to sixteen were required by law to undergo the 【Grace】 ceremony at their registered hometown. Leaving during that window marked you as a heretic.
Unless a noble sponsored you early, that is. In a backwater like Kaen Town—a real godforsaken hole—good luck finding any noble patronage…
Adolf was fifteen this year, so he was definitely still stuck there.
When Sang called him “the most naturally gifted knight I’ve ever seen,” Snow Hill glanced his way from a short distance away, her masked face giving nothing away. It lasted only an instant before she looked away again.
“What the… peeking at people without saying a word…” As he muttered, Sang took the initiative and changed the subject. “Snow, did you graduate from here?”
Snow, Knight-something-or-other, Miss Hill… Out of those options, Sang picked the absolute worst one. Don’t underestimate the kid—he knew how to read people and situations. He figured she wouldn’t mind the familiarity, especially given his own status and position, so he went for it.
At his words, Snow Hill glanced at Sang, then at the Knight Academy in the distance. She shook her head. “Regretfully, no…”
“So you never had any systematic training…”
“Objectively speaking, that’s correct.”
“Tch~”
The trio hadn’t stopped to rest properly in four straight days. Considering Sang’s human limits, Snow Hill decided they’d spend the night in the Knight Academy City.
Truth be told, Sang was beat too—back aching, whole body sore. Four nights on a carriage would wear down even the toughest guy. Besides, he had one thing he wanted to check out here.
What was that?
Well, he planned to head to the academy in the Central district. Rumor had it they had equipment to test for superpowers. Sang might not say it out loud, but as a kid from the modern world, he secretly yearned for that kind of power deep down.
Even though the True Ancestor had told him he was a 【Abandoned Child】 without a channel, he still wanted to confirm it himself. At least then he could put the idea to rest for good.
Sometimes, you just have to try. How else will you know how badass you really are!?
Though nine times out of ten, it just proves you’re a total loser.
Not long after.
The three checked into an inn just a few streets from the academy. Don’t let that fool you into thinking it was some rundown dump—this was hands-down the best hotel in the city. They took a three-bedroom suite with a living room: two silver coins a night. Pricey, about on par with a five-star back in his old world.
Never mind how many gold coins Aisha Hodhua—this True Ancestor maid—had brought along. Snow Hill, daughter of a duke, was hardly going to be strapped for cash. These two were loaded.
Hahaha! Rich loli on the left, rich big sis on the right—Sang felt like he’d hit the peak of life right then!
Joking aside.
Aisha Hodhua opted to stay in the room and unpack their luggage. Sang headed off to the Knight Academy to test for superpowers. He’d planned to go alone, but Snow Hill insisted on tagging along—for his safety, she said, especially after that recent incident where human traffickers had snatched him.
Fine then. He’d let her come.
