Chapter 182: Enrollment
The group arrived in a tidy residential district, where rows of brick houses stood in neat lines. Each house had its own touch—different-colored doors, unique porch decorations—so they didn’t all look the same.
The houses here weren’t as large as Yuvika’s estate back in the county, but owning one still marked someone as well-off.
Before long, their carriage came to a stop.
Yuvika guided Gara and the others into a house with a cream-colored door, while Kevio and his two attendants crossed the street to a house opposite theirs. That meant Orman, one of Kevio’s subordinate, had to part ways with Madha and the rest for now.
Inside the room prepared for him, Gara first set up a protective barrier. Only then did he retreat into his dimensional space to rest.
But he quickly realized something. This time, he wasn’t dizzy like he usually was after traveling by carriage.
"If only I had teleportation... no more nausea-inducing rides," he muttered to himself.
As soon as he stepped into the house inside his space, he was greeted by Rea’s sharp chirps of protest—loud, indignant.
Rea always complained, but her three little ones were usually quiet. What had riled them up this time?
Hearing their cries, Gara slapped his forehead lightly.
He exited through the side door, Rea hopping onto his shoulder and scolding him nonstop, her three children trailing behind, chirping in chorus.
Out back, Ares was chopping wood. The logs, however, were all uneven—different lengths, misshapen pieces with no consistency at all.
"Ares," Gara called out.
The dragon turned, caught like a child sneaking sweets. "Forgive me, Master Gara. I... I don’t know how to build a treehouse."
Right. Gara should’ve realized. Ares was royalty among dragons. Expecting him to do laborer’s work was absurd.
"You don’t need to keep working on the treehouse. Just... focus on keeping the lights running," Gara said.
He had to remind himself—not every man was as reliable with everything as Fian and Madha.
"Yes, thank you, Master," Ares replied in relief.
...
The next morning, Gara’s group had already changed into their robes. Among them, only Gara and Fian still wore robes trimmed in white; the others’ hems had turned purple.
"Weaklings," Kevio muttered under his breath, almost a whisper. He disliked those village folk, but Yuvika had warned him yesterday not to stir up trouble.
Their carriage rolled through a stretch of dense woodland until, at last, it halted before an enormous gate. Carved across its top in bold, shining letters was: The Gyakarta Imperial Liner Academy.
As Gara stepped down, he finally had a moment to admire the grandeur of the gate.
They weren’t the only ones there. Lines of other youths stretched toward a smaller side door. Apparently, the main gates weren’t always opened.
Falling in line, they waited.
It didn’t take long for their turn to come.
"State your purpose?" the staff member asked.
"Enrollment into the Academy," Yuvika answered.
"Follow the young man ahead of you," the staff instructed, stepping aside.
Their gazes shifted to the young man the staff had pointed out—only to see that another person stood ahead of him, adding yet another link to the long line.
Falling into place, Gara couldn’t stop looking around, murmuring in awe under his breath. This... this looks like a palace.
The building before them towered grandly, with multiple levels and spires that reached high into the sky. Strange, fantastical creatures soared overhead.
For Gara, it felt like he had truly stepped into a fantasy world. Though, it was.
The line moved slowly, and their wait stretched long filled with Kevio’s endless complaints and Orman nervously admitting how anxious he was.
Just ahead of Orman, Madha gently tapped Gara’s shoulder. "Do your feet hurt? Want to lean on me?"
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried well enough for their whole group to hear. In unison, heads turned toward the tall young man.
Madha didn’t seem to care. Gara, on the other hand, was still painfully aware of everyone’s stares.
"I’m fine, Madha. Thanks," Gara replied quickly.
"If you feel uncomfortable, just tell me," Madha said again, his expression full of concern.
Gara could only nod, returning his gaze with a soft smile.
Maybe people thought their interaction looked odd, but when Madha looked at him with such worry, there was no way Gara could brush it aside.
Not long after, their turn finally came. Yuvika and Gara, standing at the front, handed over the documents they had prepared.
"Unlimited Water Talent?" the staff muttered, scanning the parchment.
Her eyes flicked to Gara, and then she leaned toward the colleague beside her, whispering something. Whatever it was, both nodded afterward.
"Did you receive an offering from Professor Langga last year?" the staff asked.
Gara gave a simple nod.
"Follow me. You’re a Liner chosen directly by Professor Langga. You don’t need to go through the regular registration."
For a moment, Gara froze in surprise, then quickly spoke up. "Not just me. Him too—Madha. His Talent is Flesh Shield."
"Oh?" The staff checked through another set of records, then nodded. "Both of you, come with me."
And just like that, the two of them walked away, leaving the others behind to complete the regular enrollment process.
"They... got offerings?" Kevio muttered under his breath, but Orman caught it.
Orman straightened with pride. "Yes. Last year, Professor Langga personally help our awakening. They were so gifted that he offered to take them on the spot."
"Impossible!" Kevio snapped.
Orman chuckled coldly. "Funny, considering you heard the staff say it yourself."
Kevio shook his head in denial, unwilling to accept it. Orman’s expression brimmed with pride, Yuvika’s eyes shone with admiration, and even her respect for Gara deepened. Fian, however, watched the two depart with a look that was difficult to decipher.
Gara and Madha followed the staff member in her washed-brown robe down the Academy corridors.
They passed a handful of senior students—though not many, since it was still vacation season.
Those seniors wore black robes with gleaming badges on their chests, burgundy uniforms peeking out beneath.
At the far end of the corridor stood a winding staircase. As they approached, a man descended. His eyes landed on them immediately.
"New students? Why are you bringing them upstairs?" he asked.
...