The next two days passed slowly.
I spent every hour training in the basement. My body was sore.
Every muscle in my legs and arms was screaming in pain, but I didn't stop.
I used the Tide Spear technique against the simulated goblins until my movements were fluid.
I learned how to control the water on the spear.
If I moved too fast, the water would fly away.
If I moved too slow, the water wouldn't have enough power.
I had to find the perfect balance.
On the third day, the atmosphere in the mansion changed. My mother and sister were back. I heard their voices in the main hall. They were laughing and talking about their trip.
I stayed in my room. I didn't want to see them yet.
I looked out the window.
The moon was high in the sky.
I was leaving the Glaciel mansion.
I felt a bit of excitement.
This was the start of my real journey.
I closed my eyes and went to sleep, but I didn't dream, I only thought about the challenges ahead.
When the sun rose the next morning, I was already standing by the door with my bag.
Lester was waiting for me.
He gave me a small bag of gold coins and a ring full of potions.
"This is from your father," he said.
I nodded and took the coins.
I walked toward the car.
I didn't look back at the mansion. I was looking forward.
POV Ruby Sillion
My son was back from the Cold Forest.
I was very happy, but yesterday I was too busy to say hello to him.
So, I waited for the family lunch to see him.
I arrived at the long table in the dining room. My two oldest sons, Caleb and Ivan, were already sitting there.
Layla was sitting near the head of the table. She is the daughter I am most proud of.
I heard footsteps from far away.
My husband, Edward Di Glaciel, entered with a firm step.
He sat at the head of the table.
"We can start eating," he said in a low voice.
My thoughts stopped for a few seconds.
"Honey, aren't we waiting for Rain? Is he eating in his room again today?" I asked with uncertainty in my voice.
Edward looked at me and shook his head.
"Rain left this morning."
"What?" I whispered. I put my hand in front of my face because of the shock.
Caleb and Ivan stopped moving their hands.
Layla's eyes seemed to shake for a moment, but she recovered quickly.
"Where?" I asked the question that was in my head.
"Exas Institute," he answered calmly.
My mind went blank.
"Whaaat!?" I hit the table with my hands and I stood up.
I lost all the calm and elegance of a powerful woman.
The faces of all my children showed only one feeling.
Confusion.
"It was his choice," Edward continued. "I simply agreed."
The strength left my legs and I sat down in the chair again.
My baby was gone.
I didn't even have time to see him after I came back, and he was already away.
"Also," Edward said while putting a hand on his chin.
A smile appeared on his face. "I am thinking about making Rain the next heir of the Glaciel family."
The faces of my sons, especially Caleb and Ivan, became dark.
Layla didn't seem particularly shocked, but she squeezed her hands into fists because of her emotions.
"Why, father?" Caleb asked with a look full of anger, even if he tried to hide it a little. "That trash with a..."
His words were immediately interrupted by Edward's look.
"It is not official yet," Edward said. "This is just a thought in my head right now."
He continued his speech.
"I am still undecided, so don't take this too seriously."
His words seemed to calm the chaotic atmosphere a little bit.
- POV Layla
I stayed silent while my brothers argued with my father.
I looked at my father.
He wasn't the type of man to make a joke about the family heir.
If he said that Rain could be the next leader, it means he saw something incredible.
My father only cares about power and talent.
looked at the empty chair where Rain usually sat.
My brothers are fools.
Caleb and Ivan only see the Rain from the past.
They think he is still a weak boy with no mana.
But I know my father better than anyone.
He didn't look disappointed today.
In fact, he looked interested.
"What did you find in that forest, Rain?" I wondered.
The Cold Forest is a place where even experienced knights struggle to survive.
Rain went there alone and came back alive.
Not only that, he came back different.
He managed to change my father's mind in just one meeting.
That is a miracle.
I felt a strange sensation in my chest.
I looked at Caleb.
He was still shaking with rage.
He wants to be the heir more than anything. He will probably try to do something stupid to stop Rain.
- POV Rain Di Glaciel
The mountain landscape changed slowly.
Instead of rocks and trees, I saw a modern city in the distance.
It had skyscrapers that seemed to touch the blue sky.
The journey lasted for a few more hours until we entered the city of Kalos.
It was one of the ten most prestigious cities in the Areus Empire.
The city looked like a paradise, but the truth was very different.
Kalos was divided into two parts.
There was the area where rich people lived and then there was the area for the poor.
In the poor area, crimes happened every day.
The protagonist of the story "Heroes of the Academy" lived exactly in those slums of Kalos.
The car stopped in front of a huge skyscraper.
This was the Exas Association.
The building was one of its branches and it was one of the largest.
The building probably had more than ninety floors.
Lester left me in front of the Exas Association after he gave me some information.
It appeared that the Exas Association managed the access to the school.
I started walking toward the entrance and I stopped at the reception desk.
A girl in her early twenties was looking at a computer.
She was organizing some data.
Her long aqua-green hair fell over her shoulders and her blue eyes were focused on the screen.
Suddenly she noticed me.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you," she said with an embarrassed tone.
She put her hand behind her head.
"How can I help you, Mister...?"
"Glaciel," I told her.
I saw her body stiffen when I answered.
"Rain Di Glaciel."
She looked at my white clothes until she noticed the Glaciel family crest.
"I'm here to access the Exas Institute," I continued with a small smile.
I wanted to make the atmosphere more relaxed.
"Of course, sir. I will call someone to help you immediately."
She dialed some numbers on the phone very quickly.
Then a middle-aged man with brown hair and a long scar on his face arrived.
He walked with me toward the elevator.
We reached the third floor fast.
I followed the man in silence until he stopped in front of a spatial rift.
The rift was inside a room made of strong glass.
The man put a card in front of the door handle and the door opened.
The silent man stopped and he didn't enter.
He gave a small bow and left me alone in front of the rift.
"Let's go," I thought.
I didn't hide my excitement.
I walked toward the rift and it sucked me in.
Space seemed to bend and the air felt thin for a moment.
But this feeling disappeared in a heartbeat.
I opened my eyes and the view was amazing.
The skyscrapers were gone.
Instead, there was green nature everywhere.
In the middle of this land stood a huge medieval castle with several towers.
There was a long path in front of me.
I walked along that path for a while and I looked at the small lakes.
There were also some expensive wooden benches along the way.
After a few minutes, I saw a large open gate.
I walked into the castle and a boy with a notebook welcomed me.
He wore a green uniform with yellow details.
I saw his name on the badge around his neck.
Eric Maliv, third year student.
He had a friendly smile on his face.
"Rain Di Glaciel?" he asked.
He probably noticed the crest on my clothes.
I nodded my head.
"Not a man of many words, eh," he sighed.
"Take these things and then go to the dormitory. Also, remember that the opening ceremony is tomorrow at 8:00 AM."
"All right," I answered him.
"Where is the dormitory?" I asked Eric.
"Since it's your first time here, I will take you there," Eric replied.
The walk didn't take long.
We stopped in front of one of the large towers of the castle.
Eric told me that the castle had four towers.
Each tower had a specific use.
One of these towers was the dormitory for all students.
It was called the Tower of Rest.