The morning air felt heavier than it should as Ramses walked in hand with Carolene with no body guards in sight.
His uniform sat still on his tiny body his greyish blue eyes lit up like a burning flame as they approached the imperial academy gates.
Eyes followed him as he walked,some waving and bowing,some curious,some assessing and others admiring the other wordly beauty of the Silver haired child said to be the imperial crown prince.
Ramses sensed them staring as he walked but didn't bother looking their way.
He could clearly hear some commending,some condemning and others wondering why he had no knights guarding him.
But unknown to them someone lurked in the shadows watching his every move, teleporting each time to keep up with their paces.
His father had decided he wouldn't be needing the imperial knights protection as long as the keen eyes of the Scarlet prince watched him.
As a result he knew his enemies would make their move but that was exactly what he wanted.
Ren had casted a barrier spell to prevent the little prince's teleportation and any external influence from weaponry,his eyes quietly watching him and the faces of the people around him as he walked,his ears adept to pick up even the smallest suspicious sound or conversation.
The gates of the Imperial Academy Loomed ahead,tall and watchful, opening as they neared it to be greeted by the guards on each side.
Ramses smiled and waved them before sprinting inside,dragging Carolene along.
"Your Highness wait up...do you even know your way here?"She said and Ramses stopped,looking thoughtful.
"You're right I don't"he looked up at Carolene.
"I was just so excited to see Ruel...I haven't seen him in a while".
"Your Highness remember what his majesty told you".
"Yes...at the very best you can,act like a child your age"he chorused with her.
"But how should a three year old act?"
"You're smart"Carolene repeatedly tapped her index finger on the side of her head."Figure it out".
"Since your father already sent in your details for enrollment... we need to go to the mana center to test your indwelling magic abilities,that will determine which magic group you would join in your class"
A middle aged semonio suddenly appeared before them wearing a broad unsettling smile on a face that made Ramses cringe.
"Your Highness I am Mrs Dorothy, the head instructor here and I've come to give you a tour of the imperial children academy..."she said with a bow."It's a honor to have you amongst us... He's even more from up close"She muttered.
"You flatter me"Ramses said causing a soft chuckle to erupt from her.
"Not so your Highness,I merely speak that which my eyes behold"He wasn't looking her way but he could tell his response had surprised her.
"Would you rather I walk you to the children academy or we teleport"
"We will go by foot pls"Carolene replied and Mrs Dorothy smiledvin return
"Then—I will lead the way".
Ramses followed after the two Semonio admiring tall beautiful buildings and statues instead of people.
"The Academy for children is located eastwards...where is eastward?"she pointed at a large sign to her left then her fingers traced the arrow pointing east to point in that direction.
"The Academy for Adults is westward,northwards we have mainly offices and important halls for the adults...The Knight's are trained at the southern Knights academy...it is said that the academy alone occupies almost one third of the entire palace you might get lost leaving the gates of the Children Academy alone"
Ramses felt his leg ache after walking for a while,there was no sign of the children academy in sight.He had never walked this long in his life before and he wasn't about doing this next time.
His legs gave way as he dropped to the floor sweating while he held his leg.
"Your Highness!"
Both Carolene and Mrs Dorothy rushed to him, crouching low.
"My goodness this looks bad"Mrs Dorothy said as she watched Ramses's face.
He had sprained his ankle but yet not a tear gathered in his eyes.
"I do not mean to sound rude but wouldn't a palaquin be more su"She said.
"He didn't want one,the emperor also wanted him to experience this on his first day"Carolene said to cover up the actual reason which was to allow the scarlet prince watch him directly.
Since Ramses wanted a tour on his first day Tyran had thought that walking would be safer than being concealed behind a palaquin's walls.
"Well since it's his imperial majesty's orders....still I wouldn't advice him walking about like this with no guards in sight"Dorothy said in a concerned tone then she turned to Ramses.
"Your Highness could we postpone this tour some other time?...let's get your foot healed as soon as possible".
Ramses nodded and Mrs Dorothy grabbed their hands to teleport them but Carolene pulled away immediately.
"Uhh—that...wont work...I'll take him there on my back instead"she said and Mrs Dorothy looked puzzled.
She crouched low to offer her back and Ramses accepted, wrapping his hands over her neck as he rested his head on her back.
The long walk to the imperial Children academy made them thirsty and dehydrated,luckily for her the building was stationed close to the gates.
Carolene helped Ramses sit before offering water from his bag pack as Dorothy spoke with the Chief physician charge.
The physician,a young goodlooking semonio with short brown hair walked over wearing a broad smile on his face.
"Welcome your highness...I am physician Carlos,it's a pleasure meeting you"his voice was calm and unhurried,matching his soft looks perfectly.
"May I take a look?"
When Ramses nodded,carolene watched his rough arms as they reached out to examine Ramses's foot,they were hard and calloused, like that of a swordsman from years of gripping steal,unmatcing his calm looks and what he took as his profession.
It made her wonder why a swordsman would suddenly turn a healer and a physician.
A green light glowed around Ramses's foot as his joints repositioned itself back in place and Carlos finished with a wide grin,tapping on the foot.
"There done!—any pain?"
When the prince shook his head,Carlos got to his feet before walking over to his desk to resume his paper work.
"Enjoy your first day at school young Prince".He said finally with a friendly wave and Ramses returned the smile before tugging on Carolene's dress.
"Do I get to see Ruel now?"
"Not yet your highness"Came Dorothy's voice as she took his arm"We must test your magical abilities right now then after that I will take you to see your brother".
Ramses's lips thinned as he muttered barely inaudible grumbles, kicking his feet in the air.
Dorothy took his arm before crouching to his eye level.
"I promise it won't take so long this time okay"She assured and was relieved when the prince nodded quietly.
She led the way once again out of the office to stop at a secluded building with a fountain in front of it.
"I will wait outside...his majesty has ordered a free day for workers at the mana center and has blocked teleportation in this building... Except you and his examiner,no one is allowed in there...The examination is carried out at the hall in the first floor"
Carolene nodded before taking Ramses's hand to walk in as the doors flew open on its own.
They ailnated the large flight of stairs facing the entrance before taking a left turn to arrive at a huge door,the only door on that side of the first floor.
She paused as she grabbed the handle,her eyes darting around her surroundings in search of the general.
When she found no sign of him,they stepped in.
The hall was wide with a huge black crystal ball in the middle surrounded by numerous rows of seats.
Carolene followed Ramses's eyes to the silver hair of an older semonio visible behind the crystal ball.
He stood up, and bowed to Ramses with a warm welcoming smile.
"Your Highness...it's indeed a great honor meeting you in person".He said taking his tiny arm in his."Such strong aura of mana!"
He stared into Ramses's puzzled face before leading him to the crystal ball.
"Wait...how do I know it's safe?"Carolene asked.
"What do you mean?".
Let him...she heard a familiar voice in her head and looked ahead to spot the general's Scarlet hair by a pillar in the hall.
She didn't percieved him probably because the emperor had ordered him to use Fripju to conceal his scent,Carolene felt relieved.
"My apologies sir...you may test him".
"The mana crystal releases a glow matching one's magical energy...The stronger your magic level,the stronger the glow...it helps us classify a semonio based on his magical abilities and of course one can be reassessed after cultivating his or her abilities but these are rarely seen cases because magic cultivation to a higher tier would require not less than a hundred years but as you know we have the same lifespan as humans and barely live more than a hundred years"He told Carolene."Now there is the lower tier, middle upper and lower tier,upper tier,lord tier and Commander tier the level known to have been reached only by the Emperor himself...now I don't suppose the little prince would understand this right now but he would when he gets older".
"Tssskkk!!...You don't say..."Ramses muttered in a low whisper to himself and the examiner's eyes rested on him for a while,his face grew pale but he didn't dare lock eyes with him.
Oh! It appears he heard that... okay—Ramses act your age,act your age...even though I don't know what that means.
Ramses stretched out his hand and shut his eyes as the energy from the crystal ball coursed through him merging with that within him to return it back to the Crystal ball.
The Mana crystal's glow intensified slowly at first then rapidly till it released a bright blinding light, causing all that were present to conceal their eyes with their arm.
Ramses shut his eyes but didn't let go then the crystal began vibrating, so did the floors of the hall,the walls cracked open,forming fissures that crept upwards from below towards the ceiling.
"How is this happening?...Let go of it your highness!"the examiner called out,Ramses tried but couldn't.
"I—I can't!"