In the very center of the Sorcerer Kingdom stood a mysterious area where the teleportation magic circle was located.
The magic circle was cleverly hidden within an ancient temple, surrounded by towering stone pillars and ornate sculptures.
The temple floor was laid with intricate mosaic tiles, forming a complex and beautiful pattern.
At the center of that pattern sat the teleportation magic circle, faintly glowing.
On the surface, six squads of Quagoa soldiers, clad in armor and armed with sharp spears, stood guard around it.
But behind the scenes, several Golems forged from rare ores lay dormant here, disguised as statues.
If anything went wrong, these beings, all above Level 70, would awaken to stall and eliminate any intruders.
Something that required such elite forces to guard it was, naturally, of great importance.
Under normal circumstances, it could only be used at specific times or by those with authorization.
However, today, two important guests were about to arrive.
Suddenly, the two rings of runes within the magic circle began to flicker, and a brilliant light formed into a circular gateway.
The Quagoa soldiers understood immediately that someone was locking onto the coordinates and preparing to teleport.
Since they had already been notified in advance, they remained calm.
The next moment, a flash of light passed.
Two figures appeared in the center of the hall.
The leading Quagoa stepped forward.
His name was Basse, once the second strongest among the Quagoa, a powerful demi-human ruler.
Although his level was not as high as Pe Riyuro's, his tribe had long lived in a region where constant conflict with other demi-humans was unavoidable. Because of that, he had accumulated extensive experience and knowledge, refining himself to an optimal state.
With the addition of magic items obtained through trade with the Dark Dwarves, he might even have stood a chance against Pe Riyuro in the past.
Of course, that was then.
If they were to fight to the death now, Basse estimated his chances at about one in three.
Well… more like he would die three times in a minute.
"Are you Lady Enri?"
Basse lowered his posture considerably.
Normally, he wouldn't be this polite. For example, when those exchange students from the Holy Kingdom arrived earlier, he showed no special treatment.
Even when their leader was the Holy Queen's brother, he still carried out inspections strictly according to protocol.
He knew it might come off as rude, but so what?
The Holy Kingdom simply wasn't worth his concern.
As long as the Three Great Majesties gave the order, the Quagoa soldiers of their guard unit could mobilize in full and take it down without effort.
But the two in front of him were different.
According to their captain's warning, their status was anything but ordinary.
They were figures whose standing was nearly on par with Prime Minister Renner of the Sorcerer Kingdom and the Bloody Emperor of the Empire.
He couldn't afford to be careless.
After all, knowing how to handle people properly was the same in any world.
"Um… just call me Enri. 'Lady' and all that feels a bit too much."
"And this is my younger sister, Nemu. Anyway… we'll be in your care."
Her voice carried a hint of awkwardness.
Basse sized her up.
She was a young girl with chestnut-colored hair, braided into three strands that fell to her chest.
It was clear she exercised regularly. Her skin had a healthy tan, and her arms showed defined muscle.
Beside her, her younger sister Nemu peeked out from behind, looking around curiously, her excitement obvious.
A simple and kind-hearted country girl.
That was Basse's impression.
But on the surface, he lightly struck his chest and gave Enri a formal noble salute.
"You're too kind. On behalf of the great Sorcerer Kingdom's Guard, I sincerely welcome Lady Enri and Lady Nemu."
"The carriage is ready. According to the schedule, we'll head to the Magic Academy first, and then proceed to the Royal Palace."
"Mm… alright…"
Seeing that Basse had no intention of changing how he addressed her, Enri scratched her cheek awkwardly. She was still a bit nervous, but she didn't insist.
After all, everyone had their own circumstances.
Under Basse's guidance, the two boarded a luxurious carriage drawn by a dragon-blooded beast.
They traveled along the city's main road toward the Magic Academy.
To avoid disturbing the pedestrians on the streets, and also so Enri and Nemu could take in the scenery outside, the carriage moved at a leisurely pace.
Inside the carriage, Enri watched the lively, bustling streets and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
As expected of a city built by the three gods…
At one point, she had thought she'd been forgotten.
After all, the three of them had once said they would come visit her, yet there had been no news for so long. She understood the situation, but she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
But that feeling didn't last long.
The moment the Sorcerer Kingdom's invitation and [Human Blood] arrived in her hands, an overwhelming joy surged through her.
Her gods hadn't forgotten her.
There was nothing that could make a believer happier than that.
And it was at that moment—
With the help of [Human Blood] and the deep faith in her heart, Enri broke through her limits, leveling up while gaining entirely new power.
It felt as though a seed had sprouted within her, nurtured constantly by the power of her faith, growing stronger and stronger.
Enri Level: 57 Race Level: None Class Levels: Magic Caster Lv8 Commander Lv10 Summoner Lv9 Monster Contract Master Lv6 Apostle of Naohara Lv10 Apostle of Herohero Lv7 Apostle of Momonga Lv7
In addition to the [Yggdrasil] class system, there were also three special classes unique to this world.
Apostle.
These were special magic-based classes formed over time through devotion, where one worships a certain being as a god. They were named after that being.
They belonged to the magic caster category and possessed special skills with limited daily uses, as well as the ability to extend spell duration by consuming mana.
Perhaps due to using [Human Blood], the class [Apostle of Naohara] was three levels higher than the other two.
After offering her usual silent praise to her gods, Enri turned to her younger sister.
"Nemu, from here on, you need to study hard."
"Since the gods personally sent you an acceptance letter, don't let them down. Otherwise… even I'll be upset, you know?"
Enri couldn't help but remind her again.
They had already gone over this many times before leaving, but knowing her sister's playful nature, she still couldn't stop herself from repeating it.
"Alright, alright, I know already, sis. My ears are practically worn out from hearing it."
Nemu, who had been staring out the window, rolled her eyes and replied helplessly.
Since when did her sister become such a nag?
It wasn't like she didn't understand. Honestly, she sounded just like the nagging women back in the village.
Even if it was just for Sephis-Onii-san, she'd give it her all. Hehe.
Thinking of something pleasant, a bright, innocent smile spread across her face.
I hope she really takes it seriously.
Enri sighed inwardly but said nothing more.
She didn't want to disappoint her gods, but more than that, she didn't want her sister to feel burdened.
As her older sister, all she wished for was for Nemu to grow up healthy, find someone she loved, get married, have children, and live a happy life of her own.
And she would always be her shelter…
Just then, the carriage gradually came to a stop, and Basse, who was driving, called out.
"Lady Enri, we've arrived at the Magic Academy."
"Alright, thank you for the trouble."
Enri thanked him first, then got out of the carriage with Nemu.
The moment her feet touched the ground, a magnificent complex came into view.
The Magic Academy was located more than ten kilometers northeast of the city, nestled deep within the mountain forests. Funded primarily by the Sorcerer Kingdom and constructed under Renner's direction, it covered a vast area, spanning several kilometers, comparable in size to a small city.
Inside the academy were restaurants, clothing shops, bars, and other service facilities. It could practically be called an independent city of its own.
"This…"
Standing at the entrance, Enri froze for a moment.
The main gate of the Magic Academy was a full fifty meters wide, and above it hung an enormous crescent-shaped structure inscribed with all kinds of profound magical runes.
Just from how intricate it was, anyone could tell it was a large-scale spell kept in constant operation.
"Pretty surprising, right? Hahaha, everyone reacts like that the first time they see it."
"This structure was only recently renovated. The inscriptions on it are something called Runes. It's a responsive shrinking spell that automatically adjusts according to a person's height."
"After all, some races have bodies that make movement inconvenient, like the Sea Giants from the Holy Kingdom's coastal waters or the Frozen Giants of the Azerlisia Mountains."
A dragonoid walked over from the side.
Its head was massive, with sharp dragon fangs protruding from its mouth. Its eyes burned like flames, radiating a fierce heat.
Its body was covered in blazing red scales, and enormous wings spread from its back, moving like dancing fire. Every beat stirred up waves of scorching wind.
"Um… may I ask who you are?"
Enri asked hesitantly.
She was sure she had never met him before, yet for some reason, the aura this dragonoid gave off felt strangely familiar.
"My apologies. I forgot to introduce myself."
"My name is Slimear. I am the mount of Sephis-sama."
The dragonoid gave Enri an elegant bow, his smile as warm and gentle as a spring breeze.
He saw nothing wrong with bowing to a human.
As a close friend of the White Frost Dragon Lord, Slimear understood very well the value of knowing when to bend and when to stand firm.
Back when he was still an Ancient Flame Dragon, it was precisely because of that that he had managed to seize a fleeting chance and attain what he had today.
Of course, he still couldn't compare to the White Frost Dragon Lord.
He had heard that the other party had recently earned another round of merit and exchanged it for a Talent that could accelerate the learning of magic.
Now he was studying with all his might, trying to master Wild Magic and become the first True Dragon Lord in dragon history to command both tier magic and Wild Magic at the same time.
He even intended to engrave that experience into his DNA, in other words, into the dragons' inherited memory, so that his name would be remembered for all time.
Tsk tsk. He really had gone a bit crazy over it.
Slimear was rather speechless. If it were him, he definitely wouldn't do that.
The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward? Forget that.
With his master's personality, even if he did nothing special, as long as he obediently fulfilled his duties, he would still receive benefits and grow stronger.
It might take a little longer, but it was stable.
So when you could win by lying down, why bother taking risks?
Glory couldn't fill your stomach anyway.
...
Enri froze for a moment when she heard that, while Nemu immediately spoke up.
"Sephis-Onii-san… it's Sephis-Onii-san, right? Is he here too?"
"My master is currently attending Albedo-sama's tea party and isn't here at the moment."
Seeing Enri's excitement and Nemu practically bouncing in place, repeatedly calling out "Sephis-Onii-san," Slimear felt a bit surprised.
However, his expression didn't change. Before they could show any disappointment, he continued,
"However, my master instructed me to assist with your enrollment and then escort you both to the palace for the banquet. He will appear there."
Slimear didn't concern himself with anything beyond that.
All he cared about was completing his task and receiving his reward afterward. Anything outside his assignment didn't matter to him.
Whether it was a True Dragon Lord or an NPC, it made no difference.
As long as he didn't make mistakes, his master was the perfect shelter. Aside from the Three Supreme Beings, no one could touch him.
"I see… then we'll be in your care."
Enri let out a quiet breath, as if setting something down in her heart, then gently nudged Nemu.
Getting the hint, Nemu immediately jogged toward the academy.
At the entrance, things were quite lively. A row of staff members were handling enrollment procedures, with several people already lined up.
Noticing that the group at the front of the line all wore the same uniform, Nemu curiously tapped the person ahead of her on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, are you all from the same place?"
"Ah!?"
The sudden voice startled the girl in front, and the book in her hands nearly slipped.
Nemu leaned closer for a look. The title read: What Is Happiness — The Sorcerer Kingdom.
"S-sorry, I think I interrupted you…"
Nemu shrank back a little, her voice soft and timid, like a kitten that had done something wrong.
"It's… it's fine. I just got too absorbed in reading."
"We are from the same place. We're exchange students who came all the way from the Holy Kingdom."
Seeing that the book was safe, Neia let out a small sigh of relief before looking at Nemu. She seemed a bit surprised by her age, but still answered.
Perhaps because she hadn't spoken much with others for a long time, her voice sounded slightly hoarse.
Combined with the unique intensity of her gaze, it gave the impression that she was glaring at people.
That made Neia feel a little nervous.
Because of her eyes, most people she met for the first time would instinctively avoid her gaze.
As a result, she had almost no friends growing up and wasn't good at forming relationships.
"Wow, that's so cool!"
Just as Neia was feeling uneasy, Nemu suddenly exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as if she had discovered something amazing. She looked at her with clear admiration.
"Huh!?"
"Hey, big sis, don't you think your eyes look really cool?"
Having already seen Naohara and the others, Nemu wasn't scared of Neia's gaze at all. Instead, she found it exciting.
To her, that sharp, intimidating look was undeniably cool.
Yeah, just like Momonga-sama.
It would be even cooler if it flashed red every now and then.
"Um… I…"
Neia was at a loss for words.
This was the first time in her life anyone had ever called her gaze "cool." The feeling was so strange it left her a bit dazed.
"Next."
A voice from ahead called out impatiently.
Neia snapped back to her senses and realized she had somehow reached the front of the line.
"S-sorry, I didn't react in time."
"Be more careful next time."
The Clear Light Dragon Lord sat upright behind the desk, speaking calmly as he looked at her.
At the same time, his gaze subtly swept past Nemu behind her, then over Enri and Slimear standing outside the line.
Tsk. Connections, huh?
He curled his lip slightly. Anyone with a bit of sense could tell these people weren't ordinary.
That dragonoid wasn't weak. By his estimation, it was close to Level 60.
As for that human…
Something about her was off.
She didn't seem to be a pure human. There was something mixed into her blood that he couldn't identify.
More importantly, he could sense traces of faith within her.
Not just one, but three entirely different sources of faith.
What kind of oddity is this…
The Clear Light Dragon Lord felt a flicker of interest and instinctively wanted to probe further.
When it came to the power of faith, he was an expert.
After all, he was a being who wielded Tier Magic, Super-Tier Magic, Wild Magic, and the power of faith all at once. Among the NPCs, he was even hailed as the strongest Dragon Lord in history.
Very few things could pique his curiosity.
But after a brief moment of consideration, he gave up on the idea.
If he unsealed his power here, there was no guarantee he could conceal it within the Sorcerer Kingdom. If he was exposed, things would get troublesome.
There would be time later.
For now, work came first.
He had heard that the Sorcerer Kingdom had recently imported a batch of fresh "abalone," and he still hadn't had the chance to try them.
Hopefully that damned cow had saved him some.
No way he was letting that idiot eat them all.