Two days of travel after leaving the village.
The carriage swayed on the well-maintained stone road, unlike the dirt tracks they had used until then. Imperial roads, wide enough for three carriages side by side, marked every kiloter with stone posts engraved with symbols of the Capital.
First day, dense forests giving way to cultivated fields. Organized farms, well-made fences, workers stopping to wave when the Valtherion carriage passed.
Second morning, larger, more prosperous villages. Secondary roads converging on the main one. More traffic. More movent.
Afternoon of the second day, other carriages appearing. rchants, nobles, adventurers. All following the sa direction.
Haru on the roof of the carriage as always, but this ti looking ahead with increasing attention.
```
[PROGRESS UPDATE]
◊ Prologue Arc: 80% Complete
◊ New Phase Approaching...
◊ Warning: Difficulty scaling will adjust
```
Haru read that, frowning.
"80%...?" he murmured to himself. "So all that was just... introduction?"
He thought about everything that had happened there: Cedrick, Corvus, Vandris, Kaelthar, the dungeon, Vorath, the Custodians, the ancient forge.
"After all, the first Chapter doesn’t start as soon as you leave the spawn point..." he said, trying to convince himself that he knew the ga.
But the truth is, he knew almost nothing.
The carriage climbed a long hill and finally reached the top.
And they saw.
Haru stood on the roof, his mouth opening involuntarily.
The Imperial Capital stretched before them across the giant valley, so vast it was hard to see where it ended.
Absurd walls, not of ordinary stone, but blocks the size of houses, stacked on top of each other.
Towers pierced the sky every two hundred ters along the wall, flags fluttering atop them:
Imperial flags, gold and red, sacred white flags with religious symbols, and flags of each noble House; the flag of House Valtherion was clearly visible fluttering on one of the towers of the east gate.
The flow of people was constant, thousands entering and leaving like organized ants, roads converging from all directions leading to the main gates.
The contrast was overwhelming: villages around the capital seed like toys compared to that tropolis.
The landscape was beautiful: rivers cutting through the city, arched bridges connecting districts, hanging gardens on so noble buildings, and in the exact center, visible even from afar, the Imperial Palace rising like a mountain made of white marble and gold.
It wasn’t the only carriage on the road. Dozens followed in the sa direction, forming an organized line.
"PAPA! LOOK! LOOK!" Yukihi shouted from the window, her eyes wide with pure wonder.
Isabela and the Valtherion guards remained silent; familiar to them, but still impressive even after seeing it several tis.
Haru remained speechless. It was more beautiful than in the ga. Much more. Graphics never did justice to the real scale, the movent, the slls that began to reach him even from afar.
"Am I... dreaming?" he thought for a second.
From inside the carriage ca a familiar sound:
"Bleeeuuuaaaa..." Kira vomiting again. "Is it much further?"
The closer they got, the more obvious the sheer size beca.
A giant queue ford before the gate, hundreds of people waiting: rchants with full carts, adventurers on foot or horseback, refugees carrying everything they owned, entire families with children.
Interrogations took place at each guard post, ten guards working simultaneously, checking docunts, asking questions, sotis searching luggage.
The world showed a clear rule: no one enters without being evaluated.
But the Valtherion carriage advanced along a separate lane, a special lane beside the common queue, reserved for identifiable noble carriages.
People automatically moved aside, so waving respectfully, others just observing with controlled envy.
Inside the carriage, Isabela finally wore the Valtherion ring, for the first ti since the entire journey that she had put it on her finger. Red gold shining faintly like flas.
The carriage stopped at the noble barrier.
Guards began to approach Isabela’s window, her armor different from the village guards’, not cheap, generic fantasy armor.
Segnted armor of polished black steel, peculiar helt with a T-shaped visor and a crest of red plus indicating rank, each carrying a ceremonial spear and short sword at their waist, others with shields as well.
Isabela only stuck her hand out the window, showing the ring.
The guards stiffened imdiately. Posture changed from alert to formal reverence. They pounded their fists in greeting, then signaled for the gate.
Passage facilitated. No questions. No searches.
The barrier lifted and the carriage entered.
It wasn’t just magic, it was also a power structure.
Haru observed all of this, processing it. "So... this is how the world works."
They crossed the gate and the city exploded with sensations.
Constant noise, voices of thousands of people, carriages passing by, church bells ringing the hour, vendors shouting promotions, street musicians playing instrunts.
Comrce everywhere, shops, stalls, open-air markets selling everything: food, weapons, clothes, exotic animals, magic crystals, books, potions.
People of all races mixed together: mostly humans, but also tall, pale-skinned elves, robust dwarfs, beastkins of various kinds, even dragonborn with shimring scales.
Kira felt visible discomfort, her ears flattened, her tail curled around her leg, her instinct screaming alert with so many people nearby, so many conflicting slls.
Yukihi, in pure wonder, her little face pressed against the window trying to see everything at once, her ears wagging happily.
Haru, in a state of cold analysis, comparing it to the previous world, to the Tokyo she knew, noting differences and similarities, a ntal file forming.
On their way to the Academy, they passed through distinct zones that Isabela pointed out:
The Noble District: clean, silent streets despite their proximity to the comrcial chaos; mansions surrounded by gardens; private guards at each gate; people dressed in expensive silks walking slowly.
The Comrcial District: organized chaos; artisan guilds; banks with golden symbols; auctioneers shouting; caravans being carried; money changing hands every second.
Poor District, palpable tension but not despair, cramped but functional houses, children running through the streets, workers returning from shifts, fewer guards but still a visible presence. It wasn’t as bad as the villages along the way had been.
Academic District, isolated by a secondary wall, smaller but equally guarded gates, students recognizable by their uniforms.
They arrived at the gate of the Academic District.
They tried to enter.
Guards imdiately stopped them, not with hostility, just procedure.
"Restricted access."
One of the Valtherion guards got out of the carriage. "We are escorting candidates to the Imperial Academy."
"Understood." The younger Academy guard, tired eyes, consulted a scroll. "But it’s a new asure. Because of... certain things." He looked around as if checking if anyone was listening. "Official registration required now. Registration Office opens tomorrow morning."
Haru realized there were Custodians there. Two of them stood near the gate without masks but with the discreet golden symbol on their hoods. The "new" asure ant more security, more control, more hunting of gars.
"Where is the office?" Isabela asked.
The guard gave directions: administrative building in the Comrcial District, opens at eight in the morning.
It was already late afternoon, the sun was setting, so they would have to wait anyway.
...
They found an expensive inn on the border between the Comrcial and Noble Districts, three floors, well-maintained facade, attached stable, receptionist in a clean uniform.
Haru looked at the prices on the board on the wall and almost choked:
```
Single room: 15 silver/night
Double room: 25 silver/night
Suite: 50 silver/night
al: 5 silver
Stable: 3 silver/horse
```
"Fifteen silver per NIGHT!? In the village it wasn’t even one silver!"
Isabela decided without hesitation.
She used the ring.
The receptionist saw it, his posture changed instantly, he took a special magic parchnt, paper that glowed faintly with runes, and Isabela stamped it with the ring.
The runes accepted the mark, glowed green, and the receptionist put the parchnt away.
"Costs will be debited directly from the Valtherion House account, miss. How long will the room be vacant?"
"Indefinitely for now."
"Understood."
No money changed hands.
Haru watched, processing it. "Credit system... but only the powerful have it."
He looked at his own ring, the one the Baron had given him. Different from Isabela’s. Simpler. Strange inscriptions he had never been able to decipher.
"What exactly does this ring do, besides burning my soul?"
That night, Haru stood at the window of his room looking at the illuminated city.
Magic lanterns automatically lighting up the streets. Movent continuing even after dark. A capital that never slept.
He realized sothing fundantal:
Physical power ≠ social power.
He had defeated Vorath. He had survived the Custodians. He had Lower Maestro Tier 1 Rank.
But here? He was nobody.
No noble house. No title. No connections.
Isabela could enter anywhere just by showing her ring.
He would be interrogated, searched, possibly arrested if he acted wrongly.
"I’m still small here..."
```
[WARNING]
◊ Devouring Covenant: Rank Suppression Completed
◊ Previous: Lower Maestro Tier 1 (Suppressed)
◊ Current: Initiate Tier II
```
Haru read that three tis.
Maestro for Initiate.
He looked at his own hand, trembling slightly.
"I’m... weak again."
"Damn... Son of a bitch..."
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