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A relieved smile stretched his lips as he left the port. After two months of arduous travel, leaving the sea\'s embrace was a blessing. Even more so after the ship suffered several sea beasts\' attacks along the journey. Fortunately, they weren\'t too strong, allowing the burly sailor harboring strange drawings on their skins to protect the boat.

After the terrifying price he paid to embark if his security wasn\'t even guaranteed, fate would have played a cruel joke on him.

His smile turned bitter as he recalled the four years of saving to afford the captain\'s fee of four gold coins. Every coin came from low-profile menial jobs, gradually accumulated at the cost of necessities. It was a long journey, but he could finally see its end.

Before leaving, he cast one last glance at the sea, the salty breeze ruffling his hair and the scent of brine filling his lungs. A hint of sadness and longing sparkled in his eyes. But he couldn\'t linger. He had to continue his journey.

During the past four years, he had learned about the magic academies, their specialisations and locations, and his steps were directed toward one of them. To be more specific, to the College of Alchemy and Transmutation, in the city-state of Alkemia Al-Nur.

Most would consider his choice bizarre, unwise even. After all, there were nine unique academies arranged around the world. Six of them focused on the application of magic in battles, while the last three delved more into crafts and utility. At first, he wanted to join one of the six battle-oriented academies. Sadly, he couldn\'t join the affinity test organised by the academies\' recruiters.

However, he didn\'t lose hope.

\'Nothing can go wrong by choosing alchemy!\' He thought back in the day, recalling the scent of medicinal and mystical plants, the crackling sound of wood burning and the complicated discussions about potion-making surrounding his childhood.

Reminiscing about his happy childhood memories, his steps carried him to the city gate. Now, he only had to travel for a month on foot to reach his destination. However, before he could begin his journey under the summer\'s scorching sun, someone unexpectedly stopped him.

"Hold on, kid! Where are you going?"

A handsome and richly dressed boy asked, his authoritative tone and demeanor contrasted by his stature. The scene ended up more comic when the boy was fifteen centimeters shorter but dared to call other kids.

"Ha? To the Alkemia Al-Nur, why?"

Surprised by the sudden question, he answered without thinking.

After hearing his answer, the short boy nodded. Then, he examined him with interest as though evaluating his physique. A brief moment later, he clapped his hands, an elated smile stretching his lips.

"What a coincidence! That\'s where I\'m heading too. What do you say? Want to travel together?" the wealthy kid asked, pointing at two knights oiling an opulent carriage behind him.

"Hum... Sorry, I don\'t have money to pay you."

He lowered his head, his cheeks taking a redder tint as he answered.

"Humph. Who asked you for money? If you really want to pay, you can clean the carriage and keep me company." The wealthy boy offered, his smile broadening warmly. But his eyes glinted with something else... Maybe exasperation? Or was it despair?

He didn\'t know exactly. He got his answer the next second as the boy continued.

"I\'ll go crazy travelling alone with those muscle-headed knights! Do you know how annoying they have been until now? Well, annoying enough for any noble to hit their heads against the road to stop this torture!"

He pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. The safety and comfort of the ride tempted him, but what if the boy had nefarious intentions? \'It doesn\'t look like he is lying, though,\' he thought, sending a subtle surge of energy to scan the knights. \'Both in the first tier...\'

After a moment of deliberation, he nodded, a mysterious smile tugging at his lips.

"Ok!"

Upon hearing his agreement, the boy\'s face brightened, his smile showing his dimples.

"I\'m Arun. What\'s your name?"

"Julius!"

Julius grinned, finding the situation more amusing after each passing moment. Somehow, he enjoyed the boy\'s frankness... and company. He had been alone for the past four years, too.

"Let\'s enter the carriage. These idiots should be done oiling the wheels. By the way, how old are you?" Arun asked, curiosity gleaming in his beautiful green eyes.

"I\'ll turn twelve this month."

He answered, following Arun to the carriage.

"Heh?! I can\'t believe we are of the same age. I thought you were older with such a well-developed body."

Arun\'s eyes darted between his thin arms and Julius\' well-toned physique, in awe and... a hint of jealousy.

Until they reached the knight.

"These two are idiot one and two. Ignore them as much as you can."

Arun gazed disdainfully at the two knights, ensuring his voice was loud enough for them to hear him. Then he boarded the carriage, gesturing for Julius to sit near him.

Before Julius could follow, one of the knights moved in his path, reflecting the sun\'s light on his face with his shiny armor.

"I\'m sorry, young master, but we can\'t take random passengers."

Hesitation sprinkled his words, but he spoke them anyway.

"Who am I?" Arun asked haughtily.

"The young master?" The knight answered, not understanding the meaning of the question.

"So, climb on the driver\'s bench and shut up!"

Arun\'s voice echoed his impatience and exasperation. His fingers moved to massage his glabella. "It\'s going to be a long journey..."

Baffled by the violent reaction, the knight flinched. He muttered something under his breath and climbed onto the driver\'s bench, hiding the hate dancing in his eye\'s depths. Ever since boredom settled on their journey, they suffered from Arun\'s bad temper. Rapidly, the short trip became a nightmare for all of them.

Meanwhile, Arun turned to Julius, waving his hand in apology for the poor spectacle.

"I told you! A couple of..." He lingered to find the right words to define their intelligence. "Well, not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Anyway, I can\'t wait to reach the college and be done with them!"

Soon after, a finely crafted carriage began its journey down a winding country road. Pulled by a pair of sturdy bay horses, their coats gleaming in the early light, the carriage exuded an aura of elegance and tradition.

Inside, the young Arun was excited to have someone his age to speak with after several weeks of solitude. He explained to Julius how he came from a family renowned for its alchemical skills and how his father could easily brew tier-four potions with pride.

Tier-four alchemists were few and far between. They usually were authoritative and respected figures. Everyone wanted to be in their good books, hoping to order potent potions from them.

His dream was to enrol in the college, learn alchemy with the beast teachers, and, one day, surpass his father! He knew how challenging the task was, but imagining the glory of becoming one of the few living tier-five alchemists fueled his determination!

As Arun spoke about his dreams and alchemy with fiery passion, Julius couldn\'t help but remember his grandpa and big brother. Their eyes burned with the same excitement... once.

But not anymore.

Smiling bitterly, he looked at the ethereal silhouette floating next to him. A silent tear rolled down his cheeks when he saw his dim eyes.

\'It\'s been four years... When are you going to wake up... big bro?\'