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Chapter 37: Lanchi Receives an Invitation
Chapter 37: Lanchi Receives an Invitation
The buildings ahead loomed tall and majestic, a fusion of ancient engineering and wisdom from the Magic Engineering Institute. They were constructed from red bricks, their grandeur a testament to the institution's rich history.
The two strolled along the school's pathways, a serene creek meandering alongside, its clear waters reflecting the lush green foliage that lined the banks. In the distance, beyond the creek, lay a vibrant flower field, part of the Alchemical Institute's botanical garden and a hub for biological research and education.
Beyond this shaded path lay the campus of the Sage Academy.
"If you want to challenge the Shadow World as soon as possible, you should consider joining a team. You can gather information and choose a suitable team that will benefit and assist you greatly." Vivian thought for a moment, deciding against reprimanding Lanchi and instead offering him sage advice. She recognized that he wasn't a reckless fool, given his humble inquiry about the difficulties of the third-tier Shadow World.
His confidence was simply a match for his innate talent. For a young man, this was perfectly normal.
And even if she were to speak harshly to him, she knew he would maintain his gentle demeanor.
Vivian was loath to hurt those with kind souls; chastising them only induced guilt within her.
"..."
Lanchi fell silent for a moment, contemplating Vivian's words.
After their previous exam, he had inquired about the academy's Shadow World challenges while chatting with Hyperian on the steps of the Learning and Teaching Building.
Indeed, there were several well-known and acknowledged powerhouse teams within the academy, according to student folklore.
Some of these teams had only formed in recent years, while others boasted a much longer history, with their names passed down through generations of team leaders.
The reason these teams were considered the strongest wasn't just because they had gold-level veteran leaders, but also because some of the more established teams included platinum-level "fourth-years" or "part-timers" in their ranks.
Although the platinum-level elites mostly lent their names in name only and didn't interfere with the team leader's decision-making or actively team up with other students, their occasional guidance was invaluable to newcomers! Moreover, any platinum-level individual had genuine top-tier "Association Registered Permanent Teams" at their disposal.
If one were lucky enough to catch their eye, they might, upon proving their strength, be introduced to a team at the pinnacle of the Southern Continent—a shortcut to the platinum tier.
However, these weren't matters that Lanchi needed to concern himself with in the short term.
He still had a long way to go before reaching the copper or silver tiers.
Today, Lanchi had received a notification from the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association. His school had submitted all the necessary documents for "registration exam exemption," and he only needed to complete the final steps with the association to become an official iron-tier registered challenger.
"Sigh, I don't even know which team would suit me." Lanchi finally responded.
He had almost no connections in the royal capital, and much of his knowledge came from the kindness of Hyperian and Vivian.
"Don't worry," Vivian said nonchalantly. "There will be plenty of opportunities to learn more once school starts, and teams may even approach you proactively."
It would be a lie to say that Vivian wasn't envious of Lanchi's first place ranking. She had initially believed herself to be a strong contender for the top spot in Sage Academy.
But she never expected that a gentle young man like Lanchi would surpass her by a significant margin in the final composite score.
Over the years, newcomers who excelled in the entrance exams had always been sought after by numerous teams eager to recruit potential talent.
She added, "Although your strength remains a mystery to all upperclassmen, your achievement of first place in the Sage Academy entrance exams will make you a desirable recruit."
Lanchi's performance in the third round of the exams had been sealed by Dean Loran himself, leaving even Vivian unable to uncover any details.
As a result, there were many doubts and questions surrounding Lanchi—
For instance, there were rumors that Lanchi and Hyperian had merely stumbled upon Examiner Ferret, who suffered a sudden cardiovascular disease, and that they had simply lucked into passing the third round.
The Sage Academy officials had offered no explanation, and the influential figures behind Examiner Ferret, who shared his faction, remained silent on the matter, even if they knew something.
"Is that so?" Lanchi was surprised to learn that he might be actively recruited after the start of the school year.
However, the prospect of choosing a team and potentially declining enthusiastic invitations filled him with apprehension.
Lanchi had no idea which team would be the best fit for him or if there were even better options out there. He knew he'd have to invest time to find out.
"You don't enjoy being in the spotlight?" Vivian asked, curious about Lanchi's slightly dazed expression. She wondered why he didn't seem particularly happy and instead looked somewhat troubled.
"Wouldn't being favored and expected by strangers just add to the pressure?" Lanchi replied with a gentle smile, turning to look at Vivian.
Although Vivian's interpretation of his thoughts was slightly off, Lanchi could easily tell what she was thinking.
"... Indeed," Vivian nodded after a brief silence. "Being a princess and having everyone's expectations on you must be exhausting."
"Ah... It is tiring," Vivian sighed.
Even though she, as a member of the royal family with many responsibilities, shouldn't agree with Lanchi's self-indulgent and laid-back attitude, she truly felt the same way deep down.
She just wanted to lie down in the grass and take a nap, instead of constantly running herself ragged with her efforts to be a dignified and noble princess.
Wait a moment.
Vivian soon snapped out of her reverie.
She was supposed to be the one asking Lanchi questions, so how did they end up chatting about life like this?
And the more they talked, the more she felt like giving in to her inner desires.
This young man's natural way of speaking was like a devil's whisper, unconsciously stirring up her latent lazy desires.
Vivian quickly shook her head to stop herself from continuing this irrelevant topic with Lanchi.
"Lanchi, if you don't have any particular preferences, you can consider joining my team. I can give you an introduction. There are mostly students from the Sage and Magic Engineering Institutes in my team, which would be convenient if you need card-making commissions. And we have a Platinum-level member who's the strongest mechanic in the fourth year at the Magic Engineering Institute."
Vivian had already preselected a team, having grown up in the royal capital and holding a position of power; she naturally had many acquaintances.
She believed that her team was highly attractive, and she wasn't just randomly recommending it to Lanchi.
As one of the strongest teams in the academy, their biggest advantage compared to other teams was their extremely robust logistics support.
For example, finding an excellent card-maker in the Card-maker Association often involved risks like getting ripped off, exorbitant prices, long wait times, or even outright rejection.
But within a team, it was much easier to negotiate and forge friendships with card-makers.
"Are there any combat jobs in the Magic Engineering Institute?" Lanchi asked, surprised.
His focus was obviously not on the team itself, which made Vivian feel a little frustrated, as she thought her pitch was quite enticing.
Lanchi probably had no idea how valuable it was to forge connections with potential card-makers from the Magic Engineering Institute! It seemed that young men from the borderlands still had a lot to learn about the Shadow World.
Vivian sighed helplessly and explained to Lanchi, "Not all members of the Magic Engineering Institute are battlefield card-makers. Some of the best engineers are also formidable fighters, not inferior to students from the Law and Knight Institutes."
"And don't underestimate the Alchemy Institute, either. Getting on the wrong side of some troublesome individuals there can also spell big trouble."
Vivian added as if she had remembered something unpleasant, "Hmm?"
Lanchi made a confused sound.
He knew that the Alchemy Institute had more scholars, healers, pharmacists, and alchemists, leaning more towards research. But according to Vivian, there must also be a few individuals skilled in combat.
But who exactly would be considered a big troublemaker?
Vivian shook her head in distress, as if she had personally suffered at their hands, and said, "The Intelligence major at the Alchemy Institute... I don't know who started it, but in recent years, it has gradually veered towards the direction of yellow journalism... The 'Hutton Times' was actually first published by the Alchemy Institute, and now it has grown bigger and stronger. If you offend them, they might just smear your name all over the place."
Vivian, as the highly watched princess, lived in fear of having her every move scrutinized and any misstep publicized.
"Whoa—"
Lanchi drew in a sharp breath.
He felt that compared to joining a team, he'd rather join the newspaper club.
In a society governed by law, wasn't controlling public opinion more powerful than fighting and killing?
(End of Chapter)
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