Luminis city, otherwise known as the city of light is positioned west of king Godfrey's kingdom.
The city was the center of worship of to Lumia, the revered goddess of light.
It was far bigger than I had imagined. It was the capital of sea exploration.
The vast majority of the workforce were fishermen and seasoned sailors.
Shielding the thick walls of the city is a formidable magical barrier to ward off demons and monsters lurking beyond sight.
Security was tight as newcomers were required to go through thorough inspection before they were allowed through the collosal Iron gates.
That was too much time wasted for me. Of course I couldn't wait that long.
I opened a portal into the heart of the city and stepped through it alongside Gwyneria.
"Excellent work, master," Gwyneria praised me as I closed the portal with the snap of my fingers. "You've truly mastered portal magic in such a short time. Only a minority ever do."
She wasn't lying.
Portal magic was notoriously complex and devours more mana than I expected.
Still, it took me only two days to master it. It appears I have an unusual talent for mastering spells faster.
I had spent two days buried in the Red dragon's library. In those two days, I devoured two hundred books.
Gwyneria nearly ran nuts when she saw how obsessed I was with ancient knowledge of spells.
"Well, I had a good tutor," I replied, eyeing her from head to toes. "The maid outfit suits you just fine, Gwyneria."
Gwyneria's cheeks stained red.
She placed her hands on her face and wriggled her body in excitement. "I'm so glad you love it, my liege."
Before we teleported from the Red dragon's domain, she and I had a little debate over her clothing choice.
I insisted if she was going to accompany me to the academy, she must be dressed appropriately.
This woman was revealing too much skin. It's as if she had a penchant for skimpy clothing.
Now, I pride myself as a gentleman. I wasn't about to let her draw the wrong kind of attention us.
Gwyneria tried on various outfits but I wasn't comfortable with any of her choices.
We eventually settled for a black and white maid's outfit and boy, does she look so cute in it.
Her wavy long fiery hair contrasted beautifully to her flawless white skin. Gwyneria had absorbed her dragon's scales and horns, perfecting her human form.
She also added a pair of rimless glasses to give her a geek touch that completed her looks.
I couldn't help myself liking her new look. She looks absolutely stunning.
"Let's go," I said to her, turning to the direction of the towering silhouette of the academy before us. "Today's the selection exam. I can't afford to mis it."
* * * *
Waurweth Academy was built with the structure of an ancient temple. I've never seen anything like it. The school has a mass area of 30,000 square meters and is 158 meters tall.
Its spires rose into the heavens like a cathedral.
After we made it through the gate's entrance, a custodian approached us with a warm smile on his face.
"Welcome to Waurweth Academy, my lady," he said, bowing slightly. "May I have your name?"
I noticed he held a long scroll and a feather quill.
This man was a non-magical support staff, who is likely responsible for checking in candidates for the selection exam.
"My name is Archer," I answered. "I hail from King Godfrey's kingdom."
The custodian then asked, pointing at Gwyneria. "And you are?"
"His guardian," Gwyneria answered coolly.
The custodian scanned his lists. His eyes glanced at me with interest. "Ah, you must be the slave boy King Godfrey registered alongside Princess Camilia."
I forced a smile. "What can I say? King Godfrey is a very generous man."
"Indeed he is," the custodian ticked my name off the list. "I heard Princess Camilia wouldn't be joining us this year. There was talk about an orc ambush. Thankfully, the Iron Knight rescued her."
I've also heard the news. Because Krell refused to give out my identity to the king, he received all the credit.
I even learnt he got a promotion. Good for him.
The custodian looked at me with interest. "Well then, young lad, you are in luck. If you pass the selection exams, we will be happy to admit you into our prestigious academy."
"I intend to pass," I said, my voice filled with confidence.
The custodian turned to Gwyneria. "The exam will begin shortly. All guardians and parents will wait in the grand hall while the exam is conducted. Trust me, we will make sure you are entertained."
And that was how I was separated from Gwyneria.
Another custodian led me through long corridors all the way to the Examination Court.
I marveled at the sight lying before me.
Usually, the required number of candidates for the exam was fifty due to how costly the tuition fees were for ordinary men.
But this year was different. The crowd was over a hundred by headcount.
I joined the crowd and quickly noticed that the majority of the candidates were children of noble blood or mage-servants to powerful lords.
The acceptable age for the selection was from ten to forty years old.
I saw children my age. Others were teens, and some were seasoned mages with years of experience.
So many individuals of every age and background were here. This year's selection was packed.
A thrill of excitement surged through me as I realized I was going to study among these people very soon.
Suddenly, a chorus of horns blew, silencing the loud chatter.
A tall man with a nose like a beak stood on a raised platform and cleared his throat.
"Allow me to present the Chancellor Of Waurweth Academy—Chancellor Elysia."
All eyes turned to her as she emerged from the shadows into the light.
Chancellor Elysia had a magnifying presence to her that caught everyone's attention.
Her most eye-catching features was her long silver white hair, cascading down her back.
She has high cheekbones and an angular carved jawline that a stone sculptor would be proud of.
Her piercing icy blue eyes missed nothing.
She wore a deep navy blue gown with golden embroidery. A tailored corset is adorned around her neck, just off the shoulders.
A deep red cape with gold embroidered emblems draped from her back against the wind.
Clearing her throat, Elysia addressed us in her rich, commanding voice.
"Welcome to the Selection Exams of Waurweth Academy," Chancellor Elysia began, her red lips spreading into a wide smile. "Diamonds in the rough."