The long journey across national borders finally reached its end. For eight full days, the special military carriage carrying the entourage from the Garveon Kingdom had traveled through various terrains across the Azvel Continent. They had passed through thick forests shrouded in morning mist and descended into vast green valleys, until finally, the wilderness transformed drastically into a highly advanced civilization.
From behind the clear glass windows of the carriage, Kazien and his three fiancés could see the striking changes in the city's architecture as time went on.
They had now entered the borders of Ameryn, the capital of the Larkvood Kingdom, which was renowned throughout the land as the highest center of magic civilization in the Azvel Continent. The city's main streets were made of smooth white marble that emitted a faint, bluish magical glow under the midday sun.
Buildings on the left and right sides of the road towered with elegant and symmetrical designs, adorned with energy-storing crystals at every roof peak that served to illuminate the city when night fell.
Inside the carriage cabin, the atmosphere felt slightly different from previous days. There was a thick sense of anticipation hanging in the air. Dean Claus, who had been sitting across from Kazien while reading several documents, finally set aside his parchments. He cleared his throat softly to draw everyone's attention in the room.
"Kazien, Alvin, Allen, Arken..." Dean Claus began, looking at his four students one by one with a serious yet proud expression. "We have almost reached our primary destination. Our first stop is the Larkvood Central Academy. The four of you, as the representative participants from our academy, must complete your re-registration there before we head to the resting quarters in the pavilion specifically prepared for royal guests. Prepare yourselves; let us head to the academy now!"
The four of them nodded in understanding without much protest. Kazien straightened the collar of his academy uniform, which had been slightly folded, while Alvin, Allen, and Arken checked each other's appearance and the neatness of their clothes with small smiles gracing their faces.
Outside, the carriage wheels creaked softly and finally came to a perfect stop without any significant jolting in a giant plaza. The area was immense, featuring a crystal fountain shaped like a dragon in its center, located right in front of the main gate of the Larkvood Central Academy. It was here that the prestigious inter-kingdom tournament would be held in two days.
The carriage door was opened from the outside by a royal guard who had also served as the coachman during their journey. First, dozens of fully armed elite soldiers stepped down. Their movements were incredibly swift, lining up with a very high level of discipline, immediately forming a sturdy circular security perimeter around the stopping area.
The clinking of their silver armor as they moved sounded synchronized and authoritative, signaling to anyone watching that this was no ordinary group to be underestimated.
Then, King Nalvon followed, stepping down calmly and radiating the aura of a true ruler that made several people around the plaza reflexively bow their heads. Behind the King, Dean Claus, Felix, Elisa, and Erica stepped down one by one.
Felix, Elisa, and Erica stared in awe at the plaza, which was filled with the coming and going of great mages and academy students from all corners of the Azvel Continent, as well as the magnificent building nearby.
People going about their activities around the academy plaza immediately stopped in their tracks. The atmosphere in the usually busy area came to a sudden halt. They were left stunned by the sight of the group. It wasn't just because of the Garveon Kingdom's emblem, which was carved boldly and largely on the side of the carriage, but rather the phenomenon unfolding before their eyes: the number of people continuously emerging from a single carriage that, from the outside, appeared to be of standard size.
"What kind of carriage is that?" one Larkvood academy student in a neat blue uniform whispered to his friend beside him, his eyes wide in disbelief. "How can so many people come out of there?"
"You're right!" another student chimed in with a deeply furrowed brow. "It should be nearly impossible for an ordinary horse-drawn carriage to hold dozens of people at once along with their supplies. Is that a high-level spatial magic artifact? The Garveon Kingdom truly brought a surprise this year."
Shortly after, Kazien and his three fiancés stepped out of the carriage cabin as the final group. Their boots stepped firmly onto the marble-paved ground of the plaza. As they looked up and scanned their surroundings, they were immediately met with the beautiful sight of the plaza and the truly breathtaking Larkvood Central Academy building.
The building was far larger, more majestic, and more luxurious than the academy where they studied in the Garveon Kingdom. Its outer walls were made of clean white stone that reflected the sunlight in such a way that they appeared to glow, with observation towers rising high as if trying to pierce the clouds in the sky.
Multi-colored magic crystal ornaments were installed at every corner of the roof and window frames, emitting a pendar of magical energy so dense it could be felt by the skin. Even the main gate was guarded by two giant winged lion statues that looked like sleeping guardian golems.
"Wow!" Allen exclaimed in awe, his eyes shining brightly as they reflected the image of the extraordinary architecture. The young man unconsciously opened his mouth slightly out of pure amazement. "I never expected the building to be this big! It's truly much larger and more magnificent than our academy in the Garveon Kingdom!"
"You're right, Brother Allen!" Arken, standing right beside him, added as he looked up with a completely undisguised expression of admiration. "It turns out the magic civilization center of the Azvel Continent is incredibly elegant and extraordinarily luxurious. No wonder every student at our academy desperately wanted to be a tournament participant in the Larkvood Kingdom."
"This place is truly amazing!" Alvin added while continuing to observe the intricate details of the complex protective magic runes carved into the academy walls in front of him. "This is the first time I've seen an academy building whose level of luxury and scale matches, or even exceeds, an actual royal palace."
However, while Kazien's three fiancés were deeply impressed by the academy building before them, the opposite was happening to the people around them.