Elarion was stunned for a second, then burst into laughter again. "Don't worry, I'm really good at making Lumen Charm! I bet cinder flasks work pretty much the same way. I can teach you how to concentrate elemental energy into a container! That way, you can earn money with your magic too! Oh—and also—"
Elarion's constant chattering echoed beside Lee Kiwook's ears, yet it wasn't annoying at all. In fact, Lee Kiwook was already starting to get used to the noisy atmosphere.
Though seriously—wasn't this guy way too easy to fool?
As expected of a beastkin known for their speed, the centaur carriage driver got them to the edge of Central Street in just five or six minutes.
"We can't go any farther in, the carriages aren't allowed past this point. You'll need to get off here. If you want to go back to the Academy later, you can catch a ride near this corner too," the centaur said as he pulled over and knocked on the carriage door to remind them.
"Okay, thanks," Lee Kiwook replied. He lifted the curtain and stepped out first.
The moment he raised his eyes, a deep sense of awe filled his gaze.
Central Street was a wide, straight avenue that stretched out of sight in either direction. It was located exactly at the center of the seven major vocational academies, and served as the core hub where all professions and all races came together for exchange and trade.
This place was the site of the highest-value transactions in the entire Holy Empire of Man. No one dared cause trouble here, because the one overseeing Central Street was none other than the direct superior institution of the seven academies: the Holy Empire of Man Combat Academy.
Lee Kiwook had seen this master academy mentioned in the game's introduction.
Rather than calling it a school, it was more accurate to say it was a neutral power formed from a coalition of multiple races.
In the past, whenever Lee Kiwook's character provoked enemies in-game, he would instinctively retreat to the academy's territory for safety, because the patrols here didn't care about your faction or background.
They only cared whether you were breaking any rules.
Central Street operated the same way.
Although dark-element creatures weren't very well liked, there were no restrictions on their entry. By dusk and evening, the entire street would practically become a domain for dark-aligned beings.
As Elarion ducked to avoid the translucent wing of a passing faery, he shifted his backpack from his back to his chest and walked up beside Lee Kiwook. "Should we go to Hero's Tavern? It's a restaurant run by a Grand Mage. They give discounts to students from the Magic Academy."
Lee Kiwook wasn't familiar with all these little details, so he simply nodded and followed Elarion into a narrow alley off the main street.
At the very end of the alley stood a tavern sign glowing faintly with violet lightning.
Elarion pushed open the tavern's heavy wooden door and a wave of delicious food aromas and the rich scent of alcohol rolled out to greet them.
"Welcome~ Oh, students from the Magic Academy, I see! And new faces too—are you freshmen this year?" A shapely young woman stood at the bar on the left, polishing a sparkling crystal glass with a clean white silk cloth.
"Yes, ma'am. Could I please have a berry pie and vegetable stew? And a cup of honey tea." Elarion glanced at the menu board hanging on the wall and immediately rattled off his order—he was absolutely starving.
Lee Kiwook took a serious look at the menu.
The ingredients in this world weren't all that different from those in his previous life, but the flavors weren't particularly rich, and the cooking methods were limited to just a few types. So, he didn't dwell on it too much.
"Wild greens salad, grilled ribs, and a cup of forest black tea, thank you."
"Haha, alright, coming right up! Just got out of Ms. Roaille's class, right? I remember being so hungry after her class I almost gnawed on my spellbook," the young woman laughed when she saw Elarion looking so drained, and she turned to the kitchen to call out their orders.
"Oh? And this must be… the little mage from the East?" she added, turning back and letting her gaze drift curiously to Lee Kiwook.
Her eyes paused in surprise on his black hair and black eyes. "I heard that the Magic Academy has a repeating student from the East this year, could that be you?"
Lee Kiwook hadn't expected this to be how his name got around, and he felt a little conflicted. "That's me…"
Elarion, worried that this upperclassman might be unfriendly to Lee Kiwook, so he quickly stepped in front of him and spoke in his defense. "He had his reasons for repeating a year, he's actually really amazing!"
The young woman chuckled and waved her hand reassuringly. "I know, I know. I've met repeating students from the Academy before."
As she spoke, her expression softened with a hint of nostalgia. "He was really talented too. Do you know about Gaius? He ended up becoming the top graduate of our class. He must be a four-winged angel by now, at the very least."
"An angel?" Elarion was surprised. "Aren't angels born as Light-element mages? Why would one repeat a year?"
"He wasn't a pure-blooded angel," the woman explained. "His mother was a human mage who used lightning magic. That's why he could wield both Light and Lightning elements."
Her face was filled with admiration. "Sounds incredible, doesn't it? And he really did become incredible later on, but before he turned seventeen, he couldn't cast a single spell."
"Wow… dual-element magic…" Elarion marveled. "He must have been truly blessed by the God of Light."
The young woman covered her mouth and laughed. "Exactly. Even the Celestial Nation of Elyndor Sanctum—which normally refuses to acknowledge hybrids—welcomed him back. I heard he was made a candidate for lower-rank angel as soon as he returned. He was only nineteen at the time, I think."