It's time…
I'm in front of a rather large mirror in our room.
"Looking good, Arsen." Yuri is tying my tie. I'm currently wearing a formal uniform, a white shirt, black pants, and shoes.
I must say, I've never looked this good before. My black hair is styled back, my eyes sharp, and my skin pale.
Not bad at all.
Then, the look was completed with a black thick fur coat with red linings. Mother bought it yesterday for quite a price, somewhere around 3,000 Krevna Solins.
I was also informed that she has already paid for my education, which, if I recall correctly, was around 20,000Krevna Solins for admission and 120,000 Krevna Solins for the entire course, including tuition fees.
Quite the expensive investment from my mother… all for me to pass the entrance exams and not embarrass our bloodline.
Yuri was putting on the finishing touches, even adding some cologne, it was strong, but I wasn't going to complain.
I must say, she also looked wonderful today: a trench coat, her white hair tied in a ponytail.
In my eyes, she is the symbol of modesty.
Mother was supposed to come with me instead of Yuri, but as usual… she simply doesn't have the time.
Considering the money she spent on my clothes and tuition, I suppose she had enough reason not to skip a day at work.
"Arsen, shall we go?" Yuri said, offering me her gloved hand, which I gladly took.
"Don't go too far away, okay?"
"I won't get lost… maybe!" I said, though she pinched my cheek again, for my teasing.
Owiie!
We went outside to continue our journey, taking advantage of the fact that the snow hadn't grown too violent yet.
We walked all the way from our house to the inner wall gates.
Along the way, I saw multiple kids around my age wearing the same uniform as mine.
The national tradition seemed to be on full display.
I must say, I like the aesthetics of this town; it's as if I've been teleported to medieval Europe.
The combination of stone and wood architecture set against the snow was stunning.
I saw a sign that read Varvarka Street.
Its pathway was made of concrete, where horse-drawn carriages carried supplies and most pedestrians walked beneath dark, tall lamps, similar to the ones by our home.
Those things didn't require electricity.
The miracle of magic.
Most people wore thick fur clothing, which made sense given the cold.
Even I was bundled up in similar attire, though I noticed everyone's clothing was surprisingly formal.
Come to think of it, this would be the first time we'd enter the inner walls.
I had to trust that everything would be fine.
Soon, we reached the gates. There was a checkpoint for both carriages and townspeople before entering the inner wall.
There were a lot of officers in black, thick fur clothing here, intimidating stuff.
The walls themselves were genuinely massive—50 meters high was no joke.
We joined a line of people: a mix of kids and parents, students and laborers.
I swear I saw Phoebe, Bernardo, and Arnel, who were all already ahead in this long line.
I also noticed that the walls seemed unusually thick, yet there appeared to be a hollow space inside—perhaps six meters worth.
The wall had windows on its body, and some even had cannons.
That's pretty sick.
However, I knew the walls were made from magi stone. Looking at this architecture, its strength was unimaginable. I wondered what it would be like if such a material existed in my old world.
While waiting in line outside the checkpoint, Yuri seemed concerned for me. Apparently, I was doing an awful job hiding my emotions.
"What's wrong, Arsen? Are you nervous for the exam?" she asked.
I was, in fact, nervous—but at the same time, it was just overthinking. I should be fine. Honestly, I was more anxious about going back to school.
Never in my years would I have thought I'd be redoing this part of life.
"Yuri, what if I fail? Would Mama hate me? Would she be punished?" I wasn't going to fail, but I still did my best to act like a worried five-year-old—albeit a dramatic one.
Yuri tilted her head and softly patted my shoulder. "Don't think about that. Unlike the other children I've encountered throughout my life…"
"You've worked the hardest at your age, so I'm confident you'll pass. So… don't be too nervous. After this, Miss Natalia promised to bring us a special meal tonight for another celebration."
What did she mean by throughout her life? She was barely thirty. I assumed she was simply being generous, giving me a few encouraging words, which I genuinely appreciated.
"Yuri, I'm glad you're our maidservant. You're the best!" I said.
To my surprise, her expression softened. She clearly loved that compliment.
"I'm glad you think that way," she said, though I sensed an underlying emotion in her words. I couldn't be sure what it was, only my assumption speaking, as she gently patted me on the head.
Eventually, we reached the checkpoint, and I could see a semi-tunnel connecting to the town within the inner walls.
Yuri stopped as a guard approached, fumbling with the required credentials and certificates—all mandatory for everyone entering even if you're a citizen.
Heavy security they say.
But as soon as the guard noticed Yuri's white hair, his expression changed.
"Oh! Please, go right in. No need for credentials," the officer said. Even the other guards were tipping their hats at Yuri.
I blinked, confused. Why were we being exempted?
One of the older officers leaned closer to Yuri, speaking in a low voice. "Is this… Arsen? Natalia's son? He seems healthy enough."
Yuri nodded with a small smile. "Yes, sir. He's well taken care of."
The officer grunted approvingly. "Excellent. Make sure he stays that way."
I didn't understand all of it, but I nodded politely.
"Young man, do your best and make the Sorcerer Kingdom proud," another officer said.
I smiled and even saluted to show my exquisite mannerisms. "I will!"
"Strong young man, eh?" another officer remarked.
"He'll make the Sorcerer King proud one day!" Yuri boasted, pride shining in her voice. The officers laughed, not mockingly, but the warm sound of camaraderie.
"Comrade, young people like you are the future. Do your best," encouraged another officer.
"Well, do, sir!" I replied.
I hadn't expected them to be so encouraging. It felt unusual, but I supposed this was technically my first time really outside.
As we entered the inner walls, I was greeted by something I didn't expect. The walls, which had seemed black and red from the outside, now glowed, but not hot, casting a gentle warmth throughout the town.
Not only that, I noticed red banners emblazoned with dragons fluttering everywhere.
In general, this town was more developed and polished compared to the area outside, but the color red was unmistakably prominent.
"Don't go too far from Arsen…" Yuri advised.
"I won't!" I replied, feeling a small sense of security.
Then I heard a whistle from our right. Wait…
Is that… catcalling?
A man was approaching us. "You're looking quite beautiful as always, Yuri," he said.
He was wearing officer's clothing, brown-haired, and gave off the vibe of one of those flashy playboys I sometimes see on the internet.
But one thing was immediately clear—Yuri was irritated and annoyed.
"What do you want, Victor?"
Oi oi, what's the meaning of this?!
Chapter End.