I let out a yawn as I got up from bed.
Man, it sure was a different feeling waking up completely refreshed. This was the third time I experienced this.
A bit over a week had passed since the night of my engagement and the day of the Intis Institute's entrance exam drew near.
Checking my Arcanet account, I noticed I had amassed over 120 million followers, far surpassing nearly all the other high noble heirs.
The clip of my "fight" with Quinn, a touted genius of the generation, had garnered over 400 million views while the full length video with all the context and events had around 70 million.
My memes had also gone really viral, the highest one nearing 150 million likes.
Man, I was famous.
I knew my actions would send waves through the empire, but not to this extent. I only expected maybe a tenth of the fame I got.
I believed that, at most, it would reach the Romano empire, the neighboring and other major human empire. However, it went stupid viral.
Now, the dwarves, elves, and beastkin from the Khaz-Barrum, Lumineth, and Varkesh empire are looking at it as well.
That's the power of having a universal language and 95% internet access I guess. I wonder when that will be finally achieved on earth.
Past the numbers, I looked at the replies. Specifically, Quinn's.
'Aurelius Augustus Astrea. Do not think this is over. Intis Institute begins class in two weeks. That's all I'll say.'
Short, simple, to the point.
Yeah, this guy definitely had a PR person or someone else write the reply.
Did someone lock him out of his account and post that? He should be foaming at the mouth, furiously using ChapGTP to come up with overtly fancy and long-winded insults that make little sense.
Sigh, there's really not enough material in that tweet for me to make a witty response or mocking meme.
It's already been three days of no inspiration, I just decided to hit 'em with the 'k' and move on. Hopefully that gets on his nerves.
Finally finished with my doom scrolling, I took a shower and completed my morning routine.
Typically, I would have woken up earlier and had my Magichess lessons right now, but not today.
Magichess is a highly regarded and respected strategic board game evolved from classical chess, retaining its structured battlefield while layering it with arcane complexity.
Now, you may be asking, 'why the flip am I suddenly learning Magichess?'
Well, the answer is simple: to aurafarm.
Playing/being good at chess has always brought immense aura to the character and/or scene depicted.
And, I feel like being good at Magichess just adds to and fits my character as a deceptive and clever trickster.
Not to mention, if someone challenges me to a Magichess match to prove their intellectual superiority after I embarrass them in a battle, thrashing them in a Magichess game will thoroughly and utterly humiliate them.
Thankfully, as a high noble heir, I have already been taught extensively since I was young, so I wasn't learning from scratch.
My peak was around 2100 elo at 17, placing me within the top 5% of all players, and top 0.1% within my age range.
If I hadn't stopped playing, perhaps I would've become a Grandmaster by now or in the near future, but no need to mull over it now, the past is in the past.
Heading down to the dining area for breakfast, I was met with my parents and sister.
We were eating our final meal together with our parents for a while because the entrance examination for Intis Institute was nearing, and we were departing today.
Obviously, Anastasia didn't need to take the exam, but it was more convenient for us to go together and she just wanted to be with me.
On the way, we were also going to meet up with Evelyn at the teleportation formation to Intis.
She left our manor two days after our ceremony to handle some business at home or something. For me, either there was nothing to do, or my parents just took care of everything. Thank god, or... my parents.
"So, how has your training in Path to Sagehood online been?" My sister cheerfully asked across the mahogany dining table.
"It's going well. I'm confident no one will find anything off about my power."
I had been playing the game almost every day, mixed with my usual training routine and sparring sessions with trusted confidants of the family who knew my real strength.
This was to prevent me from getting too immersed in acting like a middle stage, so I underwent a mixed arrangement of practice.
"Ahhh, this'll be the first time you're away from the house for long…" My father solemnly voiced, my mother nodded as she tenderly smiled at me.
***
The chamber was circular and bare, its stone walls carved with dense rings of runes that vibrantly glowed, now its brilliance shimmering.
Dense mana, feeling warped and displaced, flowed through the room, making the space seem misaligned.
"This experience is always hard to get used to, it's so disorientating" my sister said as we exited the chamber like we were drunk. Four guards draped in black followed us.
They would normally be hidden—underneath the shadows—but, with the spatial runes and lingering mana still in the air, it was unwise.
It was fine though, as we were in a private chamber reserved for esteemed guests.
Walking out, the halls had a modernistic design that my sister geeked about. I don't know why she seems so into architecture.
Soon, the guards vanished without a trace and we entered a private room where Evelyn stood waiting, gazing out the window.
She was wearing a dark, elegant dress with lace along her arm, looking both graceful and quietly dangerous. The vibrant emerald headpiece and earring perfectly complimented her verdant green eyes.
I swallowed.
Damn… She looked good…
Turning around at the noise of the door opening, her composed expression softened into a warm smile as she noticed the two of us.
Swiftly yet dignified, she made her way over to us, giving both of us a hearty hug.
She chose my sister first though, which made me… displeased I guess?
As we wrapped our arms around each other and rested our chins on each other's shoulder, I softly bit her earlobe, away from the view of my sister.
She subtly squirmed in my embrace, letting out a sudden exhale.
"Oh?!" Anastasia exclaimed. "I know that absence makes the heart grow fonder but really…? It's been barely a week!"