Free Web NovelChapter 26: The Journey Begins
The dawn sun rose above the horizon, bringing the sound of chirping birds to the academy grounds. Students stirred awake from their sleep and quickly started getting ready to leave for today’s trip.
Several large buses were already stationed outside the academy gates. Crowds of students from different sections lined up to get inside. The academy was busy with activity today. Everyone was in an excited mood, and their luggage was already loaded securely by the academy staff into the buses.
The Arcane Academy was situated in ’Arclight City’, within the human nation known as ’Astera’. The buses were going to travel to ’Nerevia’, a coastal city of ’Astera’. From there, they would begin their journey to travel across the border into another nation known as Beastriheim.
The instructors from different sections guided their students into the buses without creating any commotion. The murmur of the students remained constant as they entered with excitement and sat along with their friends.
Alden sat near the far back where fewer students were sitting. This excluded him from being disturbed by the large murmurs of the crowd. He looked out of the window peacefully, waiting for the bus to start so they could finally leave.
Suddenly, he felt someone’s presence reach closer to him and then settle down on the seat right beside him. He turned his head to find a familiar face.
A girl with silver hair and beautiful lavender eyes sat beside him. Her face was completely expressionless, and she clasped her hands gently on her lap, sitting calmly as if she owned this place.
She wore a refined black lace-trimmed satin dress with a fitted waist. It was paired with a white overcoat adorned with a violet flower brooch, golden accents, and elegant jewelry, giving her a sophisticated and regal appearance. She looked like a human doll, and her expression was completely unreadable.
She didn’t say anything even after sitting just beside him, so close that their shoulders were just inches away from touching.
Alden stiffened as he looked at her.
’Why did she suddenly sit beside me after leaving all the other empty seats in the back?’
He couldn’t comprehend his own thoughts. But nonetheless, he quickly averted his gaze from her and looked out of the window again.
Alicia glanced at him once before looking at the front and questioned,
"Won’t you ask why I sat here?"
Alden turned around at her question.
"Will you answer if I ask?"
She tilted her head and said,
"Of course."
"So then tell me, why did you sit beside me?"
Alicia answered without looking at him. Her voice was flat.
"It’s because there is quite a commotion of students in the front rows, and I need quietness."
Alden looked at her with a frown, feeling confused.
"Then why not sit in the back? There are many other empty seats available, aren’t there? You could have gained silence anywhere else besides sitting right here."
Alicia answered calmly,
"Of course, but just because I prefer silence, that doesn’t mean I prefer being lonely."
Her answer made Alden stop. He couldn’t help but feel surprised by her words.
’Well... Does it mean she prefers silence, but she also doesn’t want to feel lonely? It seems she is not a loner at least. Not like me, who gets energy and peace while staying alone...’
Silence maintained itself between them. Once everyone was on board, the bus started to move and left the academy gates, slowly picking up speed as it merged onto the highway.
Alden turned to look outside the window again, and Alicia also looked outside as if nothing had happened between them.
Alden looked out of the window with deep curiosity. He glanced at the different infrastructure and buildings around the city, which looked slightly different from his past world. He also noticed that the vehicles were not working on fuel or electricity. They mainly ran with the help of mana cores, as he could sense the energy from them. It was his first time seeing the outside world beyond the academy, at least for the real him who had been transmigrated here.
Because Alden was completely focused on the view, he couldn’t be able to notice the subtle shift in her movement as she lean towards him.
Time passed. As Alden watched the outside scenery, he felt a sudden pull on his sleeve.
Alden turned around to see Alicia looking at him while offering a packed box of cookies.
He looked at her, bewildered.
"Where did you get that from suddenly?"
She just put the box in his lap, taking one of the cookies and eating it calmly.
"I just made them yesterday, packed them, and stored them in my storage ring. You can try them and tell me how they are. It’s the first time I have made pineapple flavor cookies."
Alden stared at her, sighed, and picked up one of the cookies from the box to eat it.
His expression brightened at the taste. He couldn’t complain at all; it was his first time eating this kind of cookie, and it was so good that even the finest restaurants couldn’t make it better.
He looked at her and offered a compliment from the bottom of his heart.
"It is tasty. It seems you are the best cook I have ever met! How are you such a good cook?"
"Well, I learned cooking over the years for ’someone’ special, that is why I am such a good cook."
Alden nodded and continued to eat another cookie.
’It seems she might have learned it for her father or mother. It seems she loves her parents... Sigh... I also started to miss my parents.’
As the bus continued to travel to Nerevia, it took a few hours to reach the coastal city.
The massive sea could be seen from a distance, spreading out so far that no one could measure its end.
The air felt fresher, and tall coconut and palm trees were planted all around the place.
The sunlight streamed onto the sea, making the water sparkle and turning the view beautiful and attractive.
The passing beach was filled with crowds busy enjoying themselves and playing near the water. Children were playing with each other, making small sandcastles, while couples walked around holding hands. Some people who seemed to be friends were playing volleyball, and older people sat on the sand, enjoying the peace of the sea.
Most of the students’ faces were fixed on the windows. Their eyes sparkled with excitement.
But unfortunately for them, they hadn’t come to play in this place. Their destination was far away in a different nation, so they couldn’t just stop and enjoy the moment.
As the bus traveled through the city of Nerevia, they finally reached the seaport and halted.
Professor Carasina stood up from the front seat and looked toward the students.
"We have reached the seaport. From here, we are going to travel by sea to cross the border and reach Beastriheim, the Island of Beasts."
One over-curious boy, wearing luxurious clothes and expensive jewelry, raised his hand and asked,
"Ma’am, why couldn’t we use a teleportation gate instead of traveling?"
Carasina turned her eyes to look at the student. Her eyes were blank.
"A teleportation gate can be very costly. Traveling such a long distance once with thousands of students will need enough money to buy ten large cities. Do you think even your family can afford that?"
The boy pulled his hand back, feeling embarrassed by her words. The students around him started to laugh loudly, and the boy slumped down in his seat.
Carasina folded her arms across her chest and looked around at the students.
"Now listen carefully. There is still some time left before we embark on our journey over the water. So, you are allowed to roam around the city."
The students started to cheer with excitement at her comment, glad they could now visit the sea and look around.
"But, you all have to come back before 8 PM. If any person is not able to come back in that period of time, then you will not be able to go to Beastriheim. You will also lose your practical marks, which will decline your rank on the academy’s list. So I hope you all come back safely and on time."
The students started to leave in hurried steps, rushing out of the bus to roam around the city.
Alden sat there, waiting for the bus to become empty. He sighed and then stood up to go out and check around the city, but he stopped. He noticed that Alicia was still seated beside him. Her eyes were closed, and she was sleeping peacefully.
Alden looked around the empty bus, and then looked back at her. He finally sighed and sat back down in his seat beside her.
’Sigh, why am I even waiting for her? It’s not like I want to hang out with her.’
He turned around to look at her beautiful, flawless, doll-like face. He just couldn’t help but stare at her continuously.
’Sigh... I can’t even leave her alone. It would be wrong to leave her when she just sat beside me. She also said she didn’t want to feel lonely.’
’I should wait until she wakes up. I will leave later, saying that I have some work to do. It won’t be wrong then.’
He sat there, leaning against the window.
Alicia stirred slightly from her sleep. She unconsciously grabbed his sleeve and leaned her head on his shoulder.
Alden looked at her, feeling surprised by her sudden closeness. He didn’t push her back because he didn’t want to disturb her peaceful sleep. He looked away, trying to control the warmth spreading across his face.
As he looked out of the window, he couldn’t be able to notice the small, imperceptible smile that tugged on Alicia’s lips.
