The carriage wheels rolled over the neat, white stone road, and the faint sound they produced was quickly swallowed by the bustling noise ahead.
As they drew closer to the magnificent city, the air no longer carried the fresh scent of the wilderness, but was instead replaced by a unique aroma mixed with the presence of countless people.
Helos curiously lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.
She saw a main road wide enough for nearly five carriages to drive side by side, leading directly toward a massive city gate that stretched across the horizon like a mountain range.
The city gate was built entirely of white giant stone.
The archway was so high that even a dragon could pass through with its head held high.
Atop the gate, dozens of soldiers clad in silver-white full-plate armor stood like statues. The halberds in their hands reflected a cold luster under the sunlight.
“Halt! Please disembark for inspection!”
As the Olivias family carriage slowed to a crawl, two Sentinels stepped forward, their halberds crossing to block the path.
The driver immediately pulled the reins and respectfully presented the family crest.
However, the guards only spared it a glance, showing no intention of letting them through immediately. The security of the Imperial Capital was clearly much stricter than that of provincial cities.
Just as Helos thought there might be trouble, Christ’s gentle voice drifted out from inside the carriage.
“It is I, Christ Olivia.”
He did not even show his face; he simply stated his name.
Upon hearing the name, the two previously solemn guards suddenly stiffened.
They exchanged a look, and both saw astonishment and awe in the other’s eyes.
The two immediately retracted their halberds and performed a standard military salute toward the carriage, their movements crisp and clean.
“So it is Lord Christ! Please, pass through!”
The carriage drove through the city gate without further obstruction.
“Are you very famous in the Imperial Capital, Brother?” Helos asked curiously.
“I suppose so.”
Passing through the deep, shadowy archway, a brand-new world suddenly unfolded before Helos’s eyes.
If the silhouette of the Imperial Capital from outside was magnificent, the scene within the city was a display of fantasy and prosperity beyond imagination.
On both sides of the wide streets stood rows upon rows of grand buildings.
These structures featured various architectural styles—some were towering, their spires seemingly piercing the sky, while others were rounded and ornate, their walls covered in exquisite relief carvings.
The signs of countless shops flickered with multicolored magical glows.
Crowds of people dressed in all sorts of clothing flowed through the streets like a river.
Helos even spotted several tall Elves and sturdy Dwarves mingled among the crowd, haggling with human vendors.
To be honest, the sight here was not inferior in the slightest, even when compared to the Upper District of Olivius City.
“Wow…”
Helos’s mouth hung open slightly as she practically pressed her entire face against the carriage window.
She felt like a country bumpkin who had just entered the big city for the first time; her eyes simply could not take it all in.
Just then, Eleanor suddenly gave her sleeve a gentle tug.
“Look over there, Helos.”
Helos followed the direction of her finger and saw a massive creature running parallel to their carriage.
It was an elegant magical beast, its body larger than the four horned horses pulling their carriage combined.
Its fur was a strange cyan-green, and a soft green light seemed to flow over its body. Its hooves made almost no sound as they struck the ground.
The most peculiar part was that it was pulling a wide carriage behind it, which was filled with all sorts of passengers.
“That is a windrunner beast.”
Seeing Helos’s inexperienced expression, Christ wore a gentle smile and took the initiative to explain.
“It is the most common form of public transportation in the Imperial Capital. We call it a windrunner beast stagecoach. As long as you board one, you can quickly reach any district in the city.”
Helos blinked and looked at her sister sitting beside her.
“How come you don’t seem surprised at all, Sister?”
“It is not as if I have never been to the Imperial Capital before.”
Christ gave a light chuckle and pointed toward a massive, shimmering building in the distance.
“That way is the central commercial district. The empire’s largest Auction House and Merchant Guild are concentrated there. If you are looking for any rare alchemy materials, that is the right place to go.”
As the carriage continued forward, the architectural style of the surroundings began to change.
The noisy commercial district gradually receded, replaced by quiet and elegant manors.
Every estate here occupied a vast amount of land, with servants in decent uniforms standing guard at the gates.
“This is the noble district,” Eleanor said softly. She was clearly not a stranger to this place. “Most of the prominent families in the empire own their own residences here.”
“Our family’s manor in the Imperial Capital is also in this area,” Christ added. “Once we finish the enrollment procedures, we will go home and settle in.”
“A manor?” Helos tilted her head, as if suddenly realizing something. “Oh… wait? We actually have a manor in the Imperial Capital?”
“Of course we do.” Christ nodded slightly. “Father is a duke of the empire. How could he not have a residence in the Imperial Capital?”
Helos clicked her tongue softly.
‘Well, that makes sense when I think about it.’ She had barely left the house over the years, and no one had ever mentioned these things to her, so it was normal that she didn’t know.
She didn’t say anything more.
The carriage passed through the noble district, and a magnificent white cathedral appeared ahead.
The cathedral’s bell tower reached toward the clouds, and the melodious tolling of the bell echoed in the air, carrying a sacred power that soothed the heart.
“That is the grand cathedral.”
A trace of longing and reverence appeared in Eleanor’s eyes. “It is the headquarters of the Holy Church within the empire. Master Cedric used to serve there.”
Helos looked at the holy building bathed in sunlight, yet for no reason, she felt a wave of oppression in her heart.
She subconsciously touched the cold ring on her finger.
‘I feel kind of irritated.’
The black figure of that man involuntarily surfaced in the girl’s mind.
‘It must be all that guy’s fault!’
Helos sighed inwardly and shifted her gaze away from the church that made her feel uncomfortable.
The carriage did not linger anywhere for long.
It followed a wide road specially opened for nobles, heading all the way toward the central heart of the Imperial Capital.
Finally, after passing through several blocks, a massive complex of buildings appeared before their eyes.
***
The Royal Magic Academy.
Its perimeter walls were not high, and behind them lay a vast, open lawn. Numerous students dressed in academy uniforms gathered on the grass in groups of two or three.
Some were practicing magic, while others sat together engaged in loud discussions.
The main structure of the academy was a massive castle.
Surrounding the castle stood several other buildings with vastly different styles.
The most eye-catching among them was a magnificent white marble building.
Its main body was a giant hall with countless spires piercing the sky as if trying to touch the heavens.
The walls of the building were inscribed with proverbs from the holy scriptures—that was the “Divine Magic Academy” where Eleanor would soon be enrolling.
From a distance, it did not look like an academy but more like a grand temple situated in the mortal realm.
Facing it from across the grounds was another building that looked much older.
It was built of dark gray stone; the main building was heavy and solemn, with walls covered in unknown ancient vines.
The top of the building was not a spire but a massive circular dome made of bronze and crystal, seemingly an observatory used for stargazing.
That was the “Comprehensive Research Academy.”
Compared to the brilliance of the Divine Magic Academy, it appeared somewhat gloomy, yet it radiated a unique charm belonging to knowledge and time.
The carriage slowly came to a halt in front of the magnificent carved iron gates.
Above the gates, a line of text was engraved in ancient runes—
**MAGIC IS POWER.**
Helos looked at the vast campus stretching out beyond the gates and the young figures freely casting brilliant magic on the lawn, but an indescribable, complex emotion welled up in her heart.
‘How annoying.’
‘Why do I still have to go to school even after coming to this world?’
‘Did I just escape the misery of 5:00 AM only to be greeted by the embrace of 8:00 AM?’
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