"You can choose up to two training manuals from the ones present in this room. I recommend picking one for hand-to-hand combat and the other to learn how to properly utilize the weapon you received at the armory.

As you can see combat-related manuals aren't the only ones that are present in this room. There are many other kinds of manuals that can teach you different topics. Some could instruct you, for example, on how to distinguish poisonous plants, harvest and efficiently utilize them. Again, you could find others that speak about various sentient species you can find underground, some others might teach you about psychology and the art of interrogation.

Nonetheless, at the moment, you are still a weakling that cannot defend himself properly. Self-defense is extremely important here in Ceres.

That is all. Make your pick quickly, I do not wish to wait there for more than 5 minutes."

Captain Cole had accompanied Nestor through an arcade of columns located on the far end of one of the sides of the garden. At the end of it, a wooden door brought them inside a spacious room.

There Nestor noticed that many honeycomb-shaped shelves filled the walls of the room. They were holding numerous scrolls which were unusually thin.

'Would they even work as normal books would? I bet they have some hidden features to help the readers through their studies.'

Then Nestor observed as Cole had his speech and quickly sat on the only chair present in the center of the room. The knight crossed his legs and stared with a serious expression into Nestor's eyes as if to pressure him more.

'This knight seems to be annoyed at me for some reason, I'm seeing him as less righteous and chivalrous by the second. Shouldn't this be a very important moment for us newcomers?

The teacher didn't seem to value this as a waste of time at all. Still, this knight will be my future physical instructor, I cannot start by giving him a bad impression already.'

Thus Nestor quickly read through the various subjects that each shelf covered. For instance, there was one dedicated to the plant life of the various underground circles of Ceres, and it covered up the first three circles.

Even if he didn't know how much that was, he had his interest piqued. Just the thought of it made these manuals extremely appealing to him, as the study of medicinal herbs was a practice he held dear in his previous life.

'However, I can't forget that I can't pick up more than two manuals in total. To gain complete knowledge related to this theme I'd have to obtain all of them.

I think that for now, I'll have to follow Cole's suggestion, there must be a way to obtain more of them too. Maybe with either money or compensation for a mission in the army.'

Then Nestor passed a few other shelves until reaching the combat-related ones.

"Captain Cole, sir, I have already taken out the two scrolls. They are 'Ancient beginners self-defense and 'Sword dance'. Thanks for your earlier suggestion."

It didn't take much to choose the manual for self-defense, since he couldn't tell which one would be better for him, Nestor chose one of the most general and complete overall.

He couldn't take one that focused on offense or a single move in particular, but one that prepared him on a larger yet less refined scale.

For his sword art, he searched among the curved swords, here he went by heart. Since he didn't have much time he chose one that inspired him the most.

"I see, you are more respectable than I thought. I don't have anything more to say to you though.

Go back to the central hall of the academy, talk to Teresa so that she will assign you a room at the lodgings of the damned.

A full form now will start your first session with me, do not be late. I advise that you'll acquire something to take trace of time, the valley of avarice would probably be your best shot.

Don't be late, I don't like having my time wasted."

By now Nestor had a vague idea of why the knight seemed to be so pissed why talking to him. He probably thought of him as a waste of time, probably he held the same feelings towards all the new souls that arrived at the chained city.

'However, there seems to be something more beneath all the annoyance and anger. What he exactly is feeling I cannot be sure, maybe a couple of manuals about psychology would be quite useful huh?'

Even if the knight left him without any further indications for the hall, Nestor was a patient man. Thus he knew that holding a grudge wouldn't certainly take him to his destination in any easier way. After all the knight had still given him a little advice.

'I'll meet up with Linneo and see what he has to say, we could exchange our thoughts as well. However I doubt he'll be participating in the physical training, he seems to be quite strong in this aspect already.'

Soon enough Nastor was walking through the short grass field of the garden, taking wide strides toward the fountain in the middle.

He was planning to wait for Linneo here, he couldn't know when his friend would finish his business with his new teacher. However, even as tired as he was, he couldn't afford to miss him here. If Linneo truly wouldn't take lessons with Cole and had a different teacher too, the two of them would need quite some time before bumping into each other.

In the gardens almost only humans had remained, except for the 'fiery' lady and, with her, who Nestor guessed to be her little brother.

As minutes slowly passed, Nestor didn't have much to do. He quietly watched as the lady comforted her brother, who seemed to be in his early teens until he finally approached and entered the door. A teacher would probably be on the other side, waiting.

Then he took a glance at his tablet, which he had previously put in one of his trouser's pockets. He then pressed his finger on the small icon representing his face.

Suddenly it expanded, revealing to him his face. Not that he hadn't already guessed about his facial feature. But for the first time, Nestor could see his face clearly, as if in front of a mirror.

He had short, curly red hair, green eyes, and a round face. He wasn't really that chubby either, but still with an ounce of fat around his cheeks. A soft smile and a tranquil, yet tired expression were also noticeable.

Then he slowly relaxed his shoulders and leaned himself along with the outer border of the fountain. The constant flowing of water and their pounding against the walls of the fountain remembered him of the small streams back in Tuscany.

Together with the starry sky, they made Nestor almost indifferent to the mobs arguing with each other not more than ten meters from the fountain.

Finally, he had fallen asleep. Only about forty minutes later, the slender hand of his friend Linneo woke him up.