After finishing his milk, Alex stood up, went to the counter, and asked for a room. The receptionist, Aisha, imdiately got srized by the handso and rugged look of the young man.
"Ahem," Alex coughed.
Aisha got startled.
"Oh yes, sorry! One copper per night."
Alex booked the room for 15 nights with one silver coin and went up to his room on the first floor. When he entered, he walked over to the window and started observing the city below. He saw many people who had lost their families crying in the streets.
I have six months. What should I do? Alex thought.
First, I have to live here. I haven't lived with humans for a long ti. I have to get used to it if I'm going to enter the academy. Then let's do this — keep a schedule: training in the forest and hunting to make so money.
Six months later
Alex ca to the receptionist counter.
"Hi Aisha, how are you?" he greeted casually.
Aisha replied warmly,
"Hey Alex, I'm fine. Are you here again today for a mission?"
Over the past six months, Alex had gotten to know Aisha. She often ca and sat with him whenever he ca to eat at the Hunter Guild café.
In Alex's opinion, she was a good girl — but still, not soone to be trusted.
Alex replied,
"No, I'm here for the elental evaluation for the academy test."
Aisha's eyes widened. She couldn't believe the man she liked was just a fifteen-year-old kid.
Her heart shattered, tears poured into her eyes. She snapped back to reality and blurted out,
"But you look like you're in your twenties!"
Alex looked confused.
"Huh?"
Aisha quickly wiped her tears and said,
"Sorry, I'll bring the elental evaluation globe right away."
After a little while, she returned, her eyes still red and tear-stained, carrying a black-colored globe in her hand.
She placed the globe on the counter desk and said softly,
"Alex, please put your hand here."
Alex placed his hand on the globe.
Two green lights and three white lights lit up inside the black sphere.
Aisha spoke in a heavy tone,
"You have passed the elental test. You have two rare elents — one at Master rank, and the other at Interdiate rank."
(In the black evaluation globe, the dark elent showed as white light.)
She handed Alex a paper confirming he had passed, with the type of elents written clearly on it.
Aisha said,
"You have until tomorrow to go to the inner gate and show the guards this paper. They'll brief you about the next process."
Alex nodded.
"Thanks, Aisha. I'll be going then. Take care of yourself. Goodbye."
Aisha, with a heavy heart, replied,
"Goodbye, Alex."
Alex stood in front of a tall black gate where two guards in shiny armor were standing with spears in hand.
He approached and showed his paper to one of them.
The guard said,
"Move straight from here. You'll see a tall tower-like building. Go there. You'll be told further instructions."
Alex entered the inner city for the first ti.
He saw polished white houses with beautiful gardens. The people walking in the streets wore expensive-looking clothes.
The roads were so clean and polished you could almost see your reflection in them.
Lush plants lined both sides of the road.
In people's eyes, Alex noticed a condescending look — the look you give to an ugly insect, he thought.
Most of the hatred ca from n, while the girls mostly checked him out or gave him a curious glance Alex didn't quite understand yet.
Alex moved toward the central building.
No — it wasn't a building — it looked more like a tower, twice as tall as the city walls.
The tower was pure white in color, giving off the appearance of a place of worship.
Alex approached the gate of the tower.
There, a man dressed entirely in white, looking very much like a worshipper, stood guarding the entrance.
Alex showed his paper to the guard.
Without much reaction, the man took the paper, opened the gate, and gestured for Alex to move inside.
Inside, Alex found himself in a massive hall.
White sofas and chairs were neatly arranged around the room.
Tall white pillars were decorated with delicate gold patterns.
The high ceiling had huge chandeliers, each glowing brilliantly with soft light.
In the center of the hall stood a large, circular structure emitting a faint purple glow, surrounded by six smaller white pillars.
Around the glowing circle, several people were gathered.
As Alex moved toward the circle, a man with a gray beard and gray hair, dressed in a white uniform, noticed him.
"Hey kid, co here," the man said.
Alex approached.
"Show your paper," the man asked.
As Alex handed over the paper, all attention in the hall shifted toward him.
After inspecting the paper, the gray-bearded man said with a faint smile,
"You look like you'll have a bright future. Now go gather over there; we'll be leaving shortly."
Alex moved to the area the man pointed at.
There, he noticed about seven people around his age — five boys and two girls — all dressed in expensive-looking clothes.
Among them stood a boy and a girl dressed completely in black, with black hair and green eyes, their expressions utterly emotionless.
Even before Alex arrived, they stood out like sore thumbs.
Now, Alex — with his shabby clothes and worn-out appearance — stood out even more among the wealthy group.
All the kids gave him the sa look:
What the hell is an insect doing in our food?
A loud cough broke the tense silence.
Everyone turned their heads toward the front where the gray-bearded man stood.
"Now, everyone be ready. We'll be leaving shortly. Please gather on the teleportation circle.
You'll feel so discomfort if it's your first ti traveling via teleportation.
Don't try to use your elental power during teleportation — you may die if you do."
Alex stepped onto the circle, which was now glowing with faint purple light.
The glow intensified, and slowly, the world around him began to vanish.
Alex felt an increasingly pleasant sensation — like a warm embrace — surrounding him.
And then, suddenly, the world reappeared.
He found himself standing in a similar-looking hall.
All the other kids were vomiting and retching, clutching their stomachs from the effects of teleportation —
but Alex was unaffected.
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