Chapter 168: Noels Pleasant Trip to the University

Chapter 168: Noel's Pleasant Trip to the University

A full day had passed since Lance had entered the Shadow Realm. On this Saturday morning, sunlight pierced through the thick cloud cover, casting a warm glow upon the brickwork and glass of Ikerite City.

In this city, which managed to blend antique charm with cutting-edge modernity, red-brick buildings gleamed in the morning light. Glass facades reflected the azure sky and the pristine white of the clouds.

At Ikerite Central Station, magitech trains glided smoothly with a steady hum, whisking residents and tourists alike toward their destinations at high speed. As a person walked through the station concourse, the bustle of the crowd faded into the distance, replaced by the crisp chiming of shop bells interwoven with the melodies of a bard strumming an instrument in the nearby plaza.

A middle-aged man dressed as a merchant arrived at the edge of the square opposite the station. He quickly boarded a small sightseeing horse-drawn carriage, beginning his tour of the city.

The carriage's soft leather seats swayed gently, inviting a cool, pleasant breeze. Though his temples were touched with gray, his poise and air of authority remained undiminished. Every detail of his attire was impeccably in place.

Noel Wilford sat in the carriage, gazing out at the scenery of Ikerite, and muttered to himself, "That brat... He'd better hope that I don't catch him."

His journey had been long. He had to first travel by ship from the city of Glenwaverly on the northern border of the Krati Empire to South Vantina at the southern border of the Kingdom of Hutton before he could then head toward the capital. However, Noel had made the rare journey back after hearing about the fine issued by Professor Boralo, the dean of the College of Magical Engineering.

When he had received the cross-border magical communication from his butler Hans a few days prior, his initial reaction had been one of sheer shock.

Before leaving Hutton previously, he had instructed Hans that unless the news regarding Lance was exceptionally serious, there was no need to use the cross-border communication equipment to contact him. After all, it was costly, involved complex procedures, and was subject to strict regulation.

If it was merely a matter of Lance causing some minor trouble, he had told Hans to simply handle it on his behalf. As a result, Noel had received absolutely no news about his wayward son during his past few months in the Krati Empire.

Naturally, Noel assumed that the rascal had realized the gap between himself and other young geniuses while in the capital, slunk back to South Vantina in defeat, and resumed his carefree, aimless lifestyle.

After all, there was simply no way Lance could pass the College of Alchemy's entrance exam after studying for such a short time.

"I never really expected that much from him anyway," Noel sighed. He knew Lance wasn't cut out for academic work. Making him study had merely been a way to keep him in line.

In fact, Noel had never truly expected Lance to get into a prestigious institution like Ikerite University. As long as his son didn't go astray or get into trouble, that was enough.

Yet, he was subject to a massive shock upon his return to Hutton!

Word had it that the kid had actually passed the entrance exam for Ikerite University and hadn't returned home once since leaving for the capital! To top it all off, he had even been admitted to the Sages' College!

Although the fine notice from the College of Magical Engineering and Lance's admission letter looked completely authentic, something about the situation didn't sit right with Noel. Consequently, he traveled overnight via the domestic magitech rail network to the capital and headed straight for the university in the city center.

Along the way, the carriage bore a pensive Noel past Ikerite's famous landmarks. It was early morning, and the Hutton Pedestrian Plaza had not yet fully stirred to life. From the artistic, streamlined architecture beneath the Erika Magic Spire to the broad, tree-lined avenues along the Yara Moat, shops were beginning to open their doors, and the faint aroma of coffee and pastries wafted through the air.

The journey took dozens of minutes. Finally, the sightseeing carriage arrived near the school. The legendary Ikerite University stood at the very heart of the capital.

While carrying a lightweight black suitcase, Noel stepped onto the university grounds. He had taken only a few steps when he was greeted by the sound of grand, harmonious bells. It was the melodious tolling of the university's iconic ancient clock tower. The bells rang nine times, signaling that it was nine o'clock in the morning.

The clock tower stood amid a vast lawn that was surrounded by lush trees. Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, dappling the green grass with intricate patterns of light and shadow.

Following the map on the signpost, Noel made his way among the various buildings. He saw the ancient Tower Library of the Sages' College, which had its exterior walls inlaid with exquisite reliefs. Then he passed the Knights' College arena, which featured pointed arched windows. Magical screens were ubiquitous throughout the campus, and they formed walls that reflected the sky and the surrounding greenery.

After walking for more than ten minutes, Noel found himself becoming disoriented within the sprawling campus. He felt the College of Magical Engineering's main building was nearby, yet he couldn't figure out how to use the signs to navigate the vast garden. Specifically, he needed to find the old Liberal Arts Hall and then cross to the other side of the garden to reach the complex.

As he was grappling with this, he looked into the sparsely populated garden. Finally, a student appeared.

Noel hurried over to ask a girl with light blue hair who looked approachable. "Excuse me, miss. Do you happen to know the way to the dean's office at the College of Magical Engineering?"

In addition to a magical recording camera hanging around her neck, she wore two ID badges on her chest, indicating she was both a member of the Student Management Council and a reporter for The Hutton Times.

The young woman had a name badge that identified her as Luviselle[1]. She beamed a friendly smile while exuding an energetic and lively vibe.

She responded cheerfully, "Of course, I can show you the way. But may I ask if you have an appointment?"

As the Student Management Council secretary, she had recently been called back to help out due to manpower shortage. She had just stepped out of the Student Management Council headquarters on the third floor of the old Liberal Arts Hall when she encountered someone in need of assistance.

"I do. Professor Boralo is expecting me in his office before noon today," Noel replied, inwardly marveling at how the students of the Hutton Kingdom's finest institution were so well-mannered and helpful.

He then added as an afterthought, "That is, assuming I haven't been scammed..."

In truth, he still suspected that the admission letter from the Sages' College was a work of forgery concocted by that brat. He had a hunch that the boy had run out of money and came up with a nasty scheme: using a fake fine to swindle a large sum from his family so he could continue living the high life in the capital.

He personally suspected the person he'd contacted yesterday via domestic magical communication hadn't been the real Professor Boralo at all, just an actor the kid had hired. If that turned out to be the case, and Noel caught him red-handed, he would absolutely wring the neck of his wretched son!

However, the admission letter and the fine notice looked incredibly authentic... The only flaw was the way the fine had been issued. It hadn't been issued in the name of Ikerite University, but rather under the personal name of Professor Boralo, the dean of the College of Magical Engineering.

As a seasoned merchant, Noel knew full well that in such cases, a fine issued either from an institution to an individual or from one institution to another would have been the standard, logical approach. However, the fact that Professor Boralo sought compensation from the Wilford Trading Company for a fine originally issued against a private individual, rather than the public entity, seemed very strange.

It looked exactly like Professor Boralo was colluding with Lance to extort money from their family!

1. Anyone remember this name from Chapter 36? ☜