Chapter 100: I Want to Become Someone Like Him

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After entering, I discovered that the interior was quite different from what I had imagined.

The internal structure of the tower didn’t give off that tall and narrow feeling I had expected, but was instead quite spacious. The spiral staircase leading to each floor extended all the way to the top of the tower, and climbing it would probably be quite exhausting… Although I wouldn’t feel tired, what about those people living on the eighteenth or nineteenth floors who weren’t in very good physical condition?

Going up and down the stairs every day would be torture, and there’s no elevator either.

“Miss Peylo, I’m guessing you’re probably praying in your heart right now that you won’t have to live on the top floors, right?” Teacher Melville, who was walking ahead, turned back and looked at me. Seemingly seeing through my confusion, he said with a smile.

I nodded.

Well… though it might be different from what you’re thinking. With stairs like these, I could run up and down several times without getting out of breath, but if I had to do this every day, I’d probably find it annoying before long.

“Actually, the academy designed the dormitory this way for a specific purpose. We screen out those with weaker Body Refinement Power during testing and assign them to higher floors… You should be able to understand what I mean, Miss?”

Oh, so this is also part of daily training. The details are quite well thought out.

Carlos suddenly interjected at this moment: “But this won’t be a problem for Miss Peylo. It wouldn’t matter if she were assigned to a high floor.”

I immediately glared at him.

“Generally speaking, first-year students are never assigned to low floors, especially those delicate girls with weak constitutions. Body Refinement is the foundation of all endeavors, and the academy won’t accommodate anyone in this regard. If you can’t even endure this little hardship, then you simply shouldn’t come here… So Miss, your room is on the 15th floor.”

…Fine then.

With things put this way, did I have any room to object? Troublesome is troublesome, but it’s not that big a deal.

Following behind Teacher Melville, we stepped onto the ancient corridor of the 15th floor.

“Rooms 01 to 08 here are all girls’ dormitories. Miss, just pick whichever one you like.”

“Are they all the same?”

“The same, all four-person rooms.”

Then what was there to choose?

I casually pushed open the wooden door closest to me, marked with the number ‘1504’.

“I’ll take this one.”

Thin light spilled across my face.

The furnishings in the room… were naturally not luxurious.

Simple desks and chairs, wooden bunk beds that obviously wouldn’t be very comfortable, but surprisingly clean and tidy.

What comforted me was that the space was much larger than I had imagined, roughly estimated to be nearly 100 square meters, with independent washrooms and bathrooms that were separate from each other. These conditions were already more comfortable than the homes of most commoner children.

After all, this was the Royal Academy.

The entrance exam for new students would last two days. Those who passed the interview still had to take written tests and practical application evaluations, so other students probably wouldn’t move in until tomorrow evening.

I placed my books on the upper bunk by the window. Teacher Melville handed me the key to room 1504 and gave me a map of the academy.

“The academy has a chapel, library, infirmary, cafeteria, and on the right side of the academic area, there’s an entire street of shops. While the goods there aren’t particularly exceptional, they can at least meet daily living needs. You can go take a look later.”

He stroked his beard and took out an exquisite silver badge from his pocket, handing it to me.

“After the opening ceremony, you must wear the academy badge on your chest. Forgetting it will result in punishment.”

I nodded and took the badge, seeing a lifelike lion’s head carved on it, identical to the one on the horned carriage when I arrived… Speaking of which, how many badges do I have now?

“That’s all then. School uniforms will be distributed uniformly the evening before the opening ceremony. You two can arrange your time as you wish from now on. You may leave campus, but you must return before tomorrow evening. I have to go now.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Teacher.” Carlos said.

“It’s nothing. My study and the principal’s office are on the same floor. During the day, except for class time, I’m basically always there. Miss…”

“Teacher, just call me Peipei.”

“…Miss Peipei, you can come find me anytime if you need anything.”

“Yes, thank you.” I curtsied to him again.

The elderly but spirited teacher waved at us and left hurriedly. Looking at him, he must be quite busy today… Yet he still made time to pick me up from Londor Street, which made me feel a bit sorry…

In the afternoon, Carlos accompanied me to the most prosperous market street in Order City — Morswell Street, where we shopped for my daily necessities at the academy.

The things Mother had prepared for me were left at the mansion. I still wanted to go back on rest days, so I couldn’t keep carrying things back and forth. We took a stroll around the academy’s commercial street and found that it was indeed as Teacher Melville had said, it could basically only meet daily living needs… The quality of the goods wasn’t bad per se, but in my opinion, it was somewhat lacking.

It wasn’t hard to understand.

Although this should be the academy with the most noble children in the world, those at the very top of the pyramid were still few. The vast majority were still ordinary nobles and slightly wealthier commoner children, so naturally the academy had to consider them first.

So I had no choice but to go shopping outside.

This wasn’t me being picky. I could endure the harsh conditions in the village, but now that I could use better things, why should I settle for less? Wouldn’t that be making things difficult for myself?

Besides, I have requirements for beds, they must be soft!

Otherwise, I’d feel like I was sleeping in a carriage! I don’t want that.

I immediately used soft silk and down quilts to layer the wooden bed inside and out, making it thoroughly cushioned. I lay down to test it… It should allow for a good night’s sleep.

Only then was I satisfied.

During this time, Carlos went to visit Grandma Bertha once. When he returned, the sky was already turning dusky.

The dormitory definitely wouldn’t have anyone tonight, so I shouldered my bulging little bag and returned to the mansion on Londor Street with him.

That evening, Carlos told me many details about living in Order City that I needed to pay attention to. His usually scattered gaze showed bright colors in the candlelight.

Actually, I could tell he wasn’t very familiar with Order City either. He was probably only half-understanding many things and must have taken time to learn about them in the past two days, but he still spoke in great detail and very seriously.

This was the first time I felt gentleness from this guy.

Then came the second day, when he had to leave.

……

The sunlight in Order City was gentle.

Golden curtains passed through the high-altitude barrier, spilling onto the small grass growing on the brown earth, making Carlos’s white ceremonial outfit appear somewhat yellowed. He waved at me, his stubbled face showing a smile.

“I’m leaving.”

I deliberately put on an impatient expression.

“Go ahead then.”

Actually, I felt somewhat empty inside.

“You’ll be fine, right? Take care of yourself,” Carlos said with some concern.

I rolled my eyes.

“You don’t need to worry. Really… only saying this when you’re about to leave…”

The latter sentence was more like a murmur to myself. Carlos probably didn’t hear it, as he continued giving instructions: “Don’t get into arguments with the Queen. If you encounter problems, you can discuss them with her… Don’t take this lightly, many people want to talk to her but can’t.”

“…I know!”

The Church’s horned carriage slowly stopped at the front gate. Carlos walked forward two steps, then turned back to look at me once more.

“Little Syl…”

“Carlos.”

Both of us called out each other’s names at the same time, then laughed together.

“You go first.”

Carlos shrugged his shoulders, gesturing for me to speak. I hesitated for a while, but finally couldn’t help asking what was in my heart.

“Will you… will you come back?”

A bird flew across the sky.

Carlos raised his head, looking up at the golden membrane above the heavens, gently tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Probably not.”

“…Why?”

“Order City has stood in this world for thousands of years. It doesn’t need a knight like me.”

“Oh…” I lowered my little head. “Then you’ll just… stay in Winter City?”

“Maybe, but not for long.”

“Why…”

The wind swept up the green grass and flowers in the courtyard, tousling his loose white hair across his face.

“Where do all these ‘whys’ come from…” Carlos’s smile became increasingly bright. “Because there are many things to do… My teacher, Sir Ryan, has spent his whole life setting his heart on heaven and earth, and giving purpose to the people. Now he’s 70 years old and still stands on the side of the weak…”

He looked at me, his eyes holding some kind of mesmerizing tremor.

“I want to become someone like him.”

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