The three horse-drawn carriages of the Zelia Kingdom rolled out of the eastern border gate, marking the beginning of their journey. The first carriage carried the primary team members and their supervising teachers. The second carriage accommodated Clayton, his teammates, and Teacher Harvey. The last carriage was designated for the reserve team with their supervising teacher.
"Have you guys ever been to the White Lily Empire?" Kai asked, breaking the silence.
Everyone shook their heads, except for Clay, who appeared to be asleep—though it was more likely he was pretending. This behavior only added to his reputation as a 'useless boy' or 'Loser Knight,' or 'unreliable captain.'
"What does the empire look like? I hope it's as beautiful as the rumors suggest," Raylee mused, attempting to picture the scene.
"I heard White Lily is a vast region with many large cities. But I also heard its security is so lax that it allows the demon clan to infiltrate and send spies under their noses," Heidi remarked.
"Is that true, Teacher Harvey? Isn't it dangerous?" Raylee asked, concern evident in her voice. Now she regretted joining the tournament as she felt safer at home.
"Don't worry," Teacher Harvey reassured. "The Realm Knight is there to protect us."
Gwen's eyes lit up at the mention of the Realm Knight. "He's coming with us?" she asked eagerly.
"I've heard he's already in the empire and will intervene if the demon clan attacks."
While most of the group hoped to avoid any encounters with demons, Gwen secretly wished otherwise. She wanted a chance to witness the legendary Realm Knight in action. Or better yet, she wished to meet him in person and identify herself as Space Master!
As the journey continued, the team members used their time wisely, cultivating their skills. In the second carriage, five of them were absorbed in training, leaving only Gwen and Clayton idle. Gwen stared out the window, bored, while Clayton seemed fast asleep. Even Teacher Harvey didn't know that Clayton was faking sleep to secretly recover his eyes. He needed his eyes to detect demon clans among citizens.
When Clayton felt his recovery slowing, he leaned sideways, letting his head rest on Gwen's shoulder. Gwen glanced at him with disdain. Not only is he useless, but he's also a lazy pig! What does this guy even do besides eat and sleep?
Yet, strangely, Gwen didn't shove him away. Instead, she adjusted her position slightly, as if to make him more comfortable. Why do I feel bad about waking him? she wondered, perplexed by her own actions.
After ten days of travel, the Wisdom Academy carriages finally arrived at the gates of the White Lily Empire. The team members, except for Gwen and Clayton, paused their cultivation to marvel at the city.
"Wow! How marvelous. Even the ordinary houses are adorned with gold and silver!" Kai exclaimed. Not only him, but others―except for Clay, and Gwen―felt the same way.
Clayton, meanwhile, silently opened his eyes, sensing a strong demonic aura nearby. It was only a seventh-level monster, unlikely to attack openly. Still, he summoned his shadow mount as a precaution. A ball of light emerged from his chest and formed a protective shield around the carriage. No one noticed this, except Gwen.
Gwen's heart raced when she saw the ghostly ball of light. That thing followed me here? What kind of monster did I kill for it to hold such a grudge? Fearing another encounter, she activated illusion magic on her eyes, shielding herself from the spectral presence.
The illusion magic helped, but it left her dizzy and fatigued. Deciding to conserve her strength, Gwen feigned sleep, ignoring her teammates' attempts to get her to admire the city.
When the group reached the tournament registration, Gwen reluctantly opened her eyes, her illusion magic still active inside her eyes. Thanks to that, she didn't see the black ball-sized monster. Nonetheless, she didn't withdraw her skill. Fortunately, installing a magic skill inside her eyes continuously wouldn't trigger her telekinesis. Otherwise, she would be terrified, knowing an unknown ghost stalked her all day long.
The primary team registered first, followed by the secondary team. Each participant's mana level was measured, and their bones were checked to confirm they were under twenty years old.
Cain went first, and the crystal ball confirmed him as a peak-level five warrior, just as he had claimed. The same was true for Heidi, Kai, Zak, and Raylee. When Clayton's turn came, everyone paid little attention. They already knew he was an early-stage third-level knight—the weakest 19-year-old knight in history.
Finally, it was Gwen's turn. Unlike the others, her mana level drew considerable attention. She claimed to be a level two mage, yet her physical strength rivaled that of a rank 5 warrior. Her illusion magic also seemed far beyond level 2. They wished they could see what level Gwyneth's magic power at.
Gwen recalled how Heidi urged her to hide her true power, and she really wanted to win as this was her first tournament ever. So, she decided to hide her mana level and make it as what she had registered in the academy.
How to do that? She had a trick that was unknown to others.
She carried a pig's heart crystal containing a level 2 plant spirit, which she used to manipulate the mana measurement. As the crystal shattered, the plant spirit's magic enveloped her hand. She pressed her hand against the measuring stone without releasing any of her true mana. The ball glowed dimly, confirming her as a level 2 mage.
Gwen turned away with a satisfied smile, pretending the results matched her expectations. However, Clayton had seen through her trick. His eyes could see what the girl was trying to hide.
Does she cheat like this during school evaluations too? he wondered. What is she hiding?
"What?" Gwen asked as Clay stared at her in high curiosity.
"I know we hadn't known each other for long, but I thought I got to know you better. I just realized I was wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"You piqued my interest, dear girl."
Gwen felt goosebumps hearing the endearing name. Should she summon the carnivore plant now?