“Why do you want us to go to Licol?” On their way back to Melka’s house, Seraphin asks Lekas about what he said to Hithindil earlier. She had a bit of a puzzled face. Licol is not known to be the best city nor does it have the best academy in the empire. If anything… “I thought you would be more interested in the capital of the empire: Lucoris.”

“No, not at all. Although the capital has the best academy and might be the best school. It is not really interesting for us. Moreover, they have a very strict selection process based on the rate of your blessing.”

“Ah…” Seraphin then instantly understands why Lekas isn't interested. It is because of her. Because she has no magic.

“But then, you can still-”

“No, as I am saying, I am not interested. You having no magic is not taken into account. Also, you should know that the grandson of the last hero is the actual grandmaster of Licol’s academy. That’s actually the reason why I wish to go there. I also heard that their selection process is well organized and doesn’t consider your blessing.”

“Wow!! Really?!!”

“Yes. But don’t get your hopes too high, it is still very strict.”

Seraphin starts jumping around while walking. The joy from knowing that she could attend school again is clearly showing on her.

***

When they reach the house, Melka has finished packing. Lekas ordered her to do so when they left.

“So, where are we going?” She asks as soon as they arrive, a bit irritated.

“Licol. I want you to become a teacher there and continue with Seraphin’s training.”

“Me? A teacher? You must be kidding?!” Melka furiously glares at Lekas who doesn’t bulged or shrinks back from even a centimeter. “Ah, shit. You really are a bully.”

“Don’t you want to spread the swordswomanship?”

“What good will it have? You defeated me like I was no opponent at all.”

“There numerous masters in the world and Licol will have many surprises for you. If you are already discouraged because I defeated you then you should give up and quietly die somewhere.”

“Tch!”

Lekas’s argument completely shuts down Melka. She closes her mouth and turns her head to the other side, frustrated.

‘That’s what I was planning to do, you meathead!’

Melka felt a little vexed that the man who defeated her without any effort would still ask her to teach her techniques. After all, from a master’s point of view, if you have failed to defeat an opponent, that means your way was the wrong one. Why teach other people how to fail then?

‘I really don’t like this guy!’

“Anyway, let’s go.”

“Yeah, let’s.” Melka takes her bag and starts walking, but noticing neither Lekas nor Seraphin moved, she turns around and screams at them with all the anger of the world.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET’S GO!!”

Then a dazzling light engulfs her. When the light fades, the forest is nowhere to be seen. Instead, a gigantic wall is now in front of her. Where is she? Melka immediately puts her bag down and takes out her sword, thinking that she might have fallen into a trap somehow. But then a familiar voice rings behind her.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

Lekas and Seraphin are already walking, advancing towards some sort of light coming from torches: it is the entrance of a city.

“What the…What just happened?”

Melka’s mouth is gapped open and she stands completely clueless for a moment. But soon enough, she recovers her spirit and follows the other two.

***

Inside the city, Melka’s eyes are opening more and more, the more she walks, the more she is surprised. Even though it is at night, the city is buzzling with activities, shops, people, lights. It doesn’t look like it is night time at all.

“Where are we? Everything is so beautiful.”

“We are at Licol, mistress.”

Seraphin finally answers her master’s question as it is the fifth time she asks the same thing. Melka has never seen any other city than Guthenberg. She can hardly control herself in front such a beautiful scenery unraveling before her, giving her the look of a five years old child.

After walking for a bit, they arrive in front a luxurious looking building with a guard at the entrance. The guard looks at them with a frown face but doesn’t prevent them from entering. Seeing Melka’s eyes and the sword on her waist plays a big role in it.

‘A master swordman. A real one.’

Although she is looking a little shabby right now, there is no doubt that Melka’s very being is that of a master. It is not surprising for a man who has a bit of talent with the sword to recognize her strength. When they enter, Melka and Seraphin realize the inside is even more beautiful than the outside. It is an inn, the most expensive inn of Licol: Cisse.

“Welcome, dear customers.”

The clerk welcomes the three people who enter the prestigious inn. He looks suspiciously at them for a second.

‘What are such dirty people doing here? They are dirtying our precious carpet!’

The three of them advance toward him while each is looking in different directions. Lekas is looking at the ceiling.

‘Well, it hasn’t changed much from my memories.’

Seraphin and Melka are contemplating the red and gold carpet and the wall filled with expensive-looking paintings.

“Welcome to Cisse. The inn of the gods, the best one in all of the empire. Do you want to rent a room?”

“Yes, we want the emperor’s suit.”

“What? S-sir. I am sorry but I believe I might have-”

“I said the emperor’s suit.”

At that moment, the clerk's eyebrow twitches. His face is hardly hiding his anger even though he is trying to.

“Sir. The emperor’s suit cannot be rented normally. And even if you wanted to do it, it costs two million gold a night.”

“Not a problem. I believe you have an appraisal service here, right?”

“Of course, sir.”

The clerk is looking even more suspiciously at Lekas now.

‘That stupid adventurer must have found a gem or something and he thinks it is worth a fortune. Ah, so stupid! I will tell the appraiser to devaluate his item as much as possible. In the first place, is he even an adventurer? He looks so shabby.’

Lekas didn’t take the time to change his upper clothes. He is still wearing the bear fur that has accompanied him for almost four years now. The only thing he added are a pair of trousers and some shoes. One could easily think that he is an absent-minded person since he went to Guthenberg but Lekas had other priorities in mind.

‘Besides, I think I am way too used to this guy now.’ Lekas did know that people were looking at him with doubtful eyes. But his partner has accompanied him for so long that getting rid of him now would be unthinkable.

The clerk takes a bell and rings it three times. Then, less than a minute later, a man wearing a white robe comes.

“Please give the item to our appraiser.”

Lekas takes out two belgian scales from Melka’s bag and hands them over to the appraiser. When did he put it in her bag? Melka is curious as well.

‘Sorry, Leviathan. But I am tired of sleeping in such conditions.’