I began my return to the Royal Academy after spending one more day in the village.

The village isn't large by any means, so you would think there wasn't a lot to see. I made the same mistake, but I ended up being wrong.

Grok and the rest of the people showed me around the surrounding forest, to the nest of certain rare insects, the homes of all the wildlife around, and even groves where Special Resources safely bloomed. I was even shown the abode of the Quill Jackals from earlier, and it seems there is even a Cadre 3 one serving as their leader.

The few Quill Jackals I saw don't even make up a quarter of the entire force.

"Normally, many more would have come out to greet you. However, the females just gave birth, so they have to watch over the young ones…" Grok told me all about it, and after seeing the cubs for myself, all I can say is that I understand.

Many people view Magivores as evil deities or gods of destruction.

But…

After witnessing the newlyborn Quill Jackals under the gaze of Brad's family and friends, I had to admit that there is certainly more to them.

They are beautiful.

Nature… is truly a master artisan.

At that moment, even if it was only for a fleeting moment, I felt that life was wonderful.

In fact, I still do.

However, the euphoric feeling and purity that filled me when I was in the village has now left me, and all that remains is a cold pragmatism that assesses every situation with a selfish mind.

I'm no hypocrite.

I know…

I have killed many Magivores, including newborns.

The Midnight Charm Wolf Cubs near Cradle Village is only one of the many examples of the slaughter I have wreaked on those creatures. I still feel no guilt about my actions, although there are moments when I silently reflect on them.

I could be better.

I know… I can do better.

But, I do not wish to be a saint after living as a sinner for so long.

I accept who I am.

I am merely a man who desires things from the world and will continue striving towards them, regardless of the will of others.

That is my definition of freedom… a humble treatise for living.

************

The day of the Royal Academy Excursion has finally arrived.

The time for boarding is upon us.

Just as with the time of the Staff Retreat, five Sky Lantern Rays have been dispatched to the Royal Academy for the sake of the excursion. In my past life, I never got to ride a Sky Lantern Ray, and seeing them was very rare. But this year alone, I have witnessed these magnificent creatures in two completely separate events.

However, not even these impressive airborne creatures will be able to carry all of us.

Counting the students alone, there are more than a thousand of them.

There are also about a dozen staff members, as well as almost a hundred guards, all of whom are Knights.

Everyone can't fit atop just five Sky Lantern Rays.

However, this is something that the Royal Academy already prepared for, so they also prepared another means of transportation—Cadre 3 Magivores: Great Spider Elephants.

They are said to be one of the largest Magivores in that Cadre, each having a height of nearly ten meters, and their backs are immensely broad—able to carry a hundred people with ease. It is a land Magivore considered most effective for group travel.

In terms of quality and price, it is even higher than my Turtleback Camel.

'The Royal Family and Dukes also have exclusive rights over them, and while they aren't as rare as the Sky Lantern Rays, they are very expensive to feed. Even if there were no exclusive rights, I doubt any other Household could afford to feed them.'

These Great Spider Elephants only eat food six times a year, and they drink water only three times. However, anytime they do, they are famed to be able to devour entire fields and swallow whole rivers. They are truly amazing creatures, but since the cost of raising them is too absurd, there aren't very many of them readily available for use.

Still, our Academy was able to get a hold of ten.

"As you have all been informed, you will be split into two groups: The Land Team and the Air Team." Earl Balric Wolfshade, the man who will be leading this excursion, raises his voice as he addresses all the students.

Other than him, there are also Justin Bieberlake and Seraphina Lindester, whom I'm familiar with.

As I listen to him speak, I sigh.

The reason is clear.

Only a select number of students will be taking the Sky Lantern Rays, while a majority of the others will have to travel by land. If they had rotated the experience, it would have been a lot more palatable, but even though I suggested this method, it was instantly rejected.

The Academy receives additional payment from the students who wish to travel by air, and since there are limited slots, they sell like hot cakes.

Hence why they can't make it readily available to everyone.

'Even after paying for the Excursion, there's still privilege extended to the more affluent…' I smile wryly, simply accepting the state of the world.

When I was still a student, I never once participated in the Royal Academy Excursions.

Not only due to financial constraints, but also due to my busy schedule and the many worries associated with my academic life. While others were slacking off or having fun, I couldn't afford to do the same.

It's one of the reasons I decided to go on an adventure once I graduated.

I wanted to see the world I missed out on.

'My adventuring years definitely made up for it…' I laugh silently, watching as the children board the Magivores that they have already been assigned to. There are several faces I don't see among the students, and I'm tempted to think that it's a true shame they won't be participating in this event.

But, apart from the imminent danger ahead, their absence simply can't be helped.

The only people who can afford the Royal Academy Excursion are the High Nobles and those sponsored by them. The trip was designed with them in mind, after all, and it is only over time—through reforms and many changes in the Randalorion Kingdom—that less privileged people can have the opportunity to also participate.

As I watch the remaining trickle into their respective places, the staff start boarding as well.

Naturally, we will also be split into two groups: some will be with the land travelers, while others will be with the air travelers.

Slots have also been shared among the Royal Faction and the Noble Faction.

Although, as a Senior Professor, I have every right to ride atop the Sky Lantern Ray, I have chosen to instead stay with the Land Students. I made Seth take my slot, so he's currently staying with the Air Students.

My reasoning is pretty straightforward.

'Between the two, the Land Students are more likely to face danger. Also, since we don't know where or when the tragedy might take place, and Seth's dream showed a landscape of death, then it's the Land Students that require my utmost attention. Adding to these reasons, the Land Students are a lot more than the Air Students, and in Seth's dream, there seemed to be at least a thousand corpses that filled his sight. Last but not least, the Air Students have greater mobility with the Sky Lantern Rays, so they're far safer and can escape more easily…'

After carefully analyzing all of these things, it's safe to say that I have made the right choice.

But I still have to be cautious.

The routes of the Air and Land batch will be different. Since Land Travel is much slower, the Air Students will be able to make a lot more stops and visit more places, while the Land Students will only see a few places and take the quickest route through the Hidden Mountain Grove near Lumian Town.

Thankfully, this will be a combined stop, and the students will be exploring its ruins quite thoroughly before returning to the Academy.

I'll have some time—a few days, even—to explore its surroundings for clues about the Sanctuary.

'I wonder if Seth will have any dreams that could point me in the right direction…' I glance at the boy, watching as he waves me farewell before finally boarding the Sky Lantern Ray.

I return the gesture with a calm wave.

'Speaking of Seth… should I reveal my identity to him? He's clearly a special existence, and if I can find information on what the church knows about Leviathans, I can deepen my knowledge of even more things I am yet to understand.'

After considering this for a moment, I firmly shake my head.

'No, I can't tell him.'

As curious as I am about the mysteries of Leviathans, especially the weird similarity between Divination and Clairvoyance from the Seeker Pathway, it is too dangerous.

The Seth I see now isn't the same one who attended the Academy with me all those years ago.

I can't assume I know a lot about him.

There's also the fact that I don't trust the church.

'If made to pick, Seth will likely choose the church—or, at least Father Gerome—over me.'

That isn't something I want.

My inner circle, those who know my secret, must prioritize me above all else.

'It appears I'll have to find out the link between Leviathans and these other mystical professions in some other way…' I sigh silently, wishing that Eva had dropped more information with the villagers before she died.

I tried to ask as many questions as I could about her, but they knew nothing.

It appears she only spoke to Brad about Leviathans, and it was only a brief conversation.

If I had known Leviathans would be so relevant in my life, I would have asked Brad more questions back when he was still alive.

Now the trial has run cold.

But, it hasn't stopped concerning me how many correlations appear in this new world of mine.

Leviathans can control Magivores like Druids.

Leviathan Conceptions like Clairvoyance are eerily similar to Divination.

What else?

What more is there that I haven't uncovered?

Oh well!

'We're going to be away from the Academy for almost a month, and if Seth is right… This will be quite the eventful trip.'

[A/N: So, for all those who have remained… the Slice of Life aspects of the novel will be taking a major break after a couple of chapters. I feel your pain, to be honest. I am also itching for some action, but I already promised myself not to rush the story that I wish to tell. So… if you are still here, then that's great! Let's have fun.]

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