The wagon rolled out of Thornfield at dawn on the tenth day, creaking under the weight of five students, two academy guards, and enough supplies to last the four-day trip to the capital. I sat in the back with Mira, our packs wedged between us, the morning air still cool enough to raise goosebumps on my arms. The provincial academy already felt small behind us, shrinking into the distance as the road wound through farmland and scattered woods.
Mira bounced her knee, unable to sit still. "Four days. Four whole days on this rattling thing, and then the capital. Actual streets with more than one inn. Markets that sell things besides potatoes and old boots."
I leaned back against the side rail and watched the fields slide by. "Try not to sound too excited. The guards will think we have never left the village."
One of the noble kids up front, a quiet girl named Lira who had made the list, gave a small snort but did not turn around. The other two recommended nobles kept to themselves, occasionally shooting us glances that said they still were not thrilled about sharing the ride with scholarship commoners.
The guards rode on horseback beside the wagon, loose swords at their hips, eyes scanning the tree line out of habit. Bandits were rare on the main imperial road, but not unheard of. After the rat fight in the labyrinth, I had started carrying my short sword openly. Mira had her reinforced staff strapped to her pack. Better safe than sorry.
By midday the road had widened, and we passed a few merchant caravans heading the opposite way. The guards waved them through with short nods. I watched the merchants with their loaded wagons and armed escorts, wondering how much of the empire's real business happened on roads like this. Taxes, trade, secrets. All of it flowing toward Valdris like blood through veins.
We stopped for a quick lunch under some trees near a stream. Mira and I sat a little apart from the nobles, sharing bread and dried meat Mom had sent in the last care package.
"You think Eren will be pissed when he hears?" Mira asked around a mouthful of bread. "That we both made it and he is still back home fixing fences?"
I chewed slowly, tasting the familiar smoky flavor of home-cured meat. "He will say he is relieved. Tell everyone how smart he is for staying out of it. But yeah, part of him will be jealous. He just will not admit it."
Mira wiped her hands on her pants. "Your brother is weird. In a good way, I guess. Always acting like the world is too loud for him. But you… you look like you were born for this."
I gave a short laugh. "Born for it? I worked my ass off in secret for years just to get this far. The capital is going to be ten times harder. More eyes, more politics, more people like Harlan but with real influence."
She shrugged, eyes bright. "Then we get stronger. Together. We already proved we can handle blood and mess in that labyrinth. Capital snobs are just rats with better clothes."
That pulled a real grin out of me. The memory of the fight flashed quick and ugly: the hot spray of rat blood, the crunch of bone under Mira's staff, the way she had kept swinging even with her leg torn open. We had carried that exam. The evaluators had noticed. Now we were moving up the ladder while Kael stayed behind, still sweeping floors and waiting for his break.
The thought twisted something in my gut. Kael should have been here. The story needed him in the capital eventually. But for now, the path was clear for Mira and me to build our own foundation without him stealing every spotlight.
Afternoon turned into long hours of bumpy road. The wagon hit every rut, jolting us until my ass went numb. One of the guards rode ahead to scout a campsite as the sun dipped low. We made camp in a cleared area beside the road, fire crackling while the guards took watches in shifts.
I lay on my bedroll that night, staring up at the stars through the thin canopy of leaves. The fire popped softly. Mira was already asleep nearby, curled up with her staff within easy reach. The noble kids kept their own small fire a respectful distance away.
Sleep did not come easy. My mind kept turning over the next steps. Capital academy meant real instructors, advanced Aether theory, maybe even early exposure to frontier reports. Prince Dorian's name had come up once or twice in passing lectures. The quiet second prince stationed out east, fighting the real threats while the capital played politics. Attaching myself to the right faction there could open everything.
But I had to be careful. Too eager and I would look like another ambitious climber. Too slow and I would get left behind.
The second day brought rain. Steady, miserable drizzle that turned the road to mud and made the wagon wheels slip. We huddled under oiled canvas, water dripping from the edges. Mira cursed every time a cold drop hit her neck.
"Gods, if this is the glamorous road to the capital, they can keep it," she grumbled, wiping her face.
I laughed despite the wet. "Better than rats trying to eat your face."
She punched my shoulder lightly. "Do not remind me. I still have nightmares about that big one's teeth."
By the third day the rain had stopped, and the landscape started changing. Farms gave way to more villages, bigger ones with stone walls and actual market squares. We passed a patrol of imperial soldiers in crisp uniforms, their armor polished and Aether wards faintly glowing on their shields. They nodded to our guards but did not stop us.
That night we camped near a larger inn. The guards allowed us a hot meal inside, and for the first time I tasted decent spiced stew that was not watered down. Mira's eyes went wide at the price of a single mug of ale, but she bought one anyway, savoring it like it was liquid gold.
"Capital is going to ruin us for village life," she said, leaning across the table toward me. "What if we actually like it there? What if we never want to go back to flipping potatoes and mending fences?"
I took a sip of my own ale, the warmth spreading through my chest. "Then we do not go back. We climb. Make something better."
Her expression turned serious for a moment. "Just… do not forget where we came from, okay? Some of those noble kids look at us like we are temporary. Like we will wash out by winter. I do not want to become like them."
"I will not," I promised. But inside I wondered how long that promise would hold when real power was on the table.
The final day dawned clear and bright. The road climbed gently, and by mid-morning we crested a low ridge. The capital spread out below us like something out of the old novels I remembered from my previous life.
Valdris.
Massive stone walls encircled a city that stretched for miles. Towers rose above the rooftops, banners of the empire snapping in the wind. In the distance I could just make out the imperial palace on its central hill, gleaming white and gold even from here. Smoke rose from countless chimneys, and the faint hum of a living city carried on the breeze.
Mira stood up in the wagon, gripping the rail. "Holy shit. Look at that."
Even the noble kids looked impressed, their usual sneers gone for once.
One of the guards chuckled. "First time seeing it? Enjoy the view while it lasts. The capital eats dreamers for breakfast."
I did not answer. My pulse was racing, a mix of excitement and that old familiar hunger. This was the real stage. The place where the original protagonist was supposed to rise, gather his harem, and face the big threats. But I was here now. Mira too. We had earned this seat through blood and sweat and calculated risks.
The wagon started down the slope toward the main gate. Guards in full imperial livery checked our papers, their eyes sharp and professional. They waved us through after a quick inspection.
As we rolled into the outer districts, the noise hit me first. Vendors shouting, carts rattling over cobblestones, the constant murmur of thousands of people going about their lives. The air smelled of bread, horse shit, smoke, and something metallic I could not place. Buildings rose two and three stories high, some with glass windows that caught the sunlight.
Mira's eyes were wide, taking in everything. "Aldric… we are really here."
"Yeah," I said quietly, a grin spreading across my face despite myself. "We are."
The wagon wound deeper into the city, heading toward the academy district. My mind was already racing ahead. New classes. New rivals. New opportunities. Somewhere in this city, the real plot was turning. Kael would find his way here eventually.