Chapter 34 :The Royal Academy
After Zane arrived at Sofia’s mansion, he stayed there for five days. The grand estate offered a peaceful sanctuary, yet Zane chose to spend his hours sharpening his craft rather than resting in luxury. In those days, Zane would practice with Sofia and Maria, exchanging swift blows and testing his martial limits, and also teach Gloria how to use her wind abilities to make her strong enough to stand on her own and defend herself in close-range fighting.
The morning sun cast a warm golden hue over the private training yard. Zane stood calmly on the manicured grass, holding a simple wooden branch in his hand. Gloria stood a few paces away, her focus entirely locked on him.
"Put your soul into the blade," Zane said. "If you do so, you can even cut steel using a stick like this... "
With a relaxed stance, Zane lifted a stick from the ground and swung it toward a towering oak tree across the courtyard.
BOOM!
A violent shockwave of compressed spiritual energy erupted from the tip of the branch, tearing through the air with deafening force and slicing clean through the thick trunk as if it were paper.
"Wow, that’s amazing!" Gloria said out of shock, as it was her first time being taught swordsmanship like this, her eyes wide with disbelief at the sheer effortless display of power.
"That’s enough for today, you guys," Sofia said while walking toward Zane and Gloria on the training ground, her footsteps light against the paving stones. "Zane, you need to pack some clothes I just bought and rest. Tomorrow is going to be busy."
"Sister, you are back," Zane said while sitting down on a nearby stone bench.
"Yeah, I just finished preparing things for you, and I bought some things for you," she replied, smiling warmly.
"Thanks, big sis."
"Let’s stop wasting time here. The maids have prepared dinner, and as you can see, it’s becoming dark," Sofia said, turning around and walking back to the mansion.
They ate dinner and rested, as they wanted Zane to enter the entrance exam without any tiredness. The evening was quiet, allowing Zane to mentally prepare for the trials awaiting him at the prestigious academy.
The next morning, Zane and the others woke up early and helped load his stuff. Bags were secured and personal items neatly organized.
"Zane, make sure you pass, okay?" Sofia said while fixing Zane’s collar with an affectionate touch.
"Do I look like someone who can fail something like this?" Zane replied with a confident smirk while turning around and entering his carriage alone, as he had refused to come with any guards.
Zane left with his belongings in a carriage, heading straight to the Royal Academy. Within two hours, Zane had arrived at the grand gates of the institution.
As Zane got closer to the Academy, he started seeing well-maintained golden buildings that gleamed brilliantly under the midday sun.
’Wow, this gate is gigantic,’ Zane thought while looking around, seeing different types of carriages with crests he was seeing for the first time.
’Wow, there are many people,’ he thought while coming down from his carriage, taking in the bustling sea of young nobles and aspiring prodigies.
"You can go back. I will handle everything from here," Zane said as he entered the Academy premises, putting his belongings into his spatial inventory with a subtle wave of his hand.
"Out of the road! The 14th Prince is here!" some guards shouted while clearing the path.
"He is flashy," Zane muttered, looking at the golden carriage heading toward the noble assembly area.
Ignoring the commotion, Zane then signed in at the registration desk.
The student clerk looked down at the parchment registrar, then blinked in sudden disbelief. "Hey man, are you sure about what you just wrote here? This is a Royal Family name, you know," the student clerk asked, his voice dropping to a nervous whisper.
"I am. Do you have a problem with that?" Zane replied with a serious face.
"No... no..... no.. ," the student stammered, shaking his hands frantically in denial.
Zane then headed to the assembly, where he saw many people standing in dense, expectant crowds.
"Welcome everyone to Drakoria Royal Academy! We all know everyone here has amazing abilities and noble heritage, so we are going to enter our first entrance exam, which is a written exam," an old man with white hair, a long white beard, and glasses announced.
"That’s the Principal of the Royal Academy, right?" students started whispering to each other.
"Mmm..." He cleared his throat. "My name is Gabriel, and I am the Principal. Everyone will use a designated number during this entrance exam. As you all know, the moment you pass the exam, you will enter the academy, so I hope you came with your supplies," he said while casting magic.
FWOOOSH!
A wave of ethereal light swept across the plaza. Numbers appeared above each person, and Zane received number 18.
"Numbers 1 to 20, you are going to use the room over there," Principal Gabriel said while pointing to a classroom to his right. "21 to 40, you are going to the class to the left. From 41 to 60, you are using the class next to Numbers 1 to 20, and the remaining applicants will be using the Academy Hall!"
The Principal then turned and headed to his office.
Zane and the others headed to their assigned classrooms. Zane went to sit in the corner of the class, holding his chin and looking outside through the window, completely detached from the nervous chatter of the other students.
STEP..... STEP....
The classroom door swung open, and an immediate hush fell over the room as a striking figure stepped inside.
"Wow, look at that beauty!"
"Her hair is shining too," the boys started commenting as a girl entered the class.
"Hey, she will kill you if she hears you," one of the classmates whispered in a panic.
"Who is she?"
"That’s Eveline, from the House of Everheart," one of them replied with visible awe.
Eveline looked at Zane and started walking toward where he was sitting, ignoring every single gaze directed at her.
BANG!
Eveline hit the desk with both hands and sat next to Zane.
THUMP....... HUMP....
’Why is my heart racing this fast?’ Zane thought to himself while turning his head to see who had hit the desk.
"So when were you going to visit your fiancée, huh?" Eveline asked, looking directly at Zane.
Zane opened his eyes wide as he looked at her, his face turning bright red as a blush crept up his neck.
"Who is he?" people in the class started asking, murmurs instantly erupting around the room.
BANG!
"BROTHER, are you here?!" A young man entered the classroom, banging the door open.
He started looking around for Zane. "Ooh, there you are! I have been looking for you," he said, walking over to Zane and Eveline.
"Hey, can’t you see I am trying to talk to my fiancée, Prince LEON?" Eveline interjected while releasing killing intent at Prince Leon.
"Ooh, sorry, sister-in-law," Leon said while taking a few steps back, sweating under her immense pressure.
"WHAT?!"
Everyone was in complete shock that Eveline had a fiancée, since she was known for being cold and powerful.
"Hey, hey! Sit down, the exam is beginning now!" the proctor called out, restoring order just as the papers were handed out.