The difference between CASC and EASC was not significant, except that CASC was far larger and, of course, far more populated.
In fact, CASC was known as the most densely populated city in the entire world.
It housed the Hero Academy and the Void Dungeon, making it a sacred capital ruled by the Four Great Clans and the government.
Jasmine sat in the back seat of a car, Azriel beside her, while the driver and a bodyguard occupied the front.
They were on their way to the Hero Academy for the entrance exam.
As children of the Crimson Clan, their security was tight. A black car escorted them from the front, while another followed behind. Even so, they had deliberately limited their security presence to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
Unfortunately, servants were not permitted to enter the academy, which meant they would have to take care of themselves from that point onward.
Nol, who was also joining them, had chosen to ride in the car behind them for reasons known only to himself.
Leaving the Crimson mansion had been a struggle. Jasmine had practically needed to pry their tearful mother away from Azriel.
Their father, despite maintaining his usual stoic expression, had not fooled her. Jasmine knew he had been just as reluctant to let them go.
Glancing to her side, she noticed Azriel staring absentmindedly out the window, his face blank.
She sighed inwardly.
'Still the same, huh…'
Ever since Azriel returned from the void realm, many things had changed.
Jasmine had begun to rebuild her relationship with their parents, a process made easier by Azriel's return. In a way, his presence had started to heal the fractures within their family.
And yet, despite being the catalyst for that newfound closeness, Azriel himself had slowly distanced himself from them.
It was not that he avoided them.
In fact, no matter how clingy their mother became, he never once complained. Instead, he always smiled warmly, as if he genuinely enjoyed her attention.
'Mom must have noticed too. She's been watching him in her own way.'
A small smile tugged at Jasmine's lips.
She had tried to keep an eye on him as well, even attempting to rekindle their old sibling dynamic by annoying him whenever she had the chance.
But no matter what she did, Azriel never got angry.
He maintained a gentle distance, never losing his temper with her or their parents.
Jasmine's gaze softened as she looked at him.
'It must have been horribly lonely…'
She still did not know what had happened to him in the void realm.
A part of her was afraid to ask directly.
She had tried probing Nol for answers, subtly hinting at her curiosity, but he remained tight-lipped.
For some reason, Nol was fiercely loyal to Azriel. He refused to speak of their time in the void realm unless Azriel gave him permission.
His behavior was unsettling.
Jasmine was certain that if Azriel ordered Nol to take his own life, he would not hesitate.
The thought terrified her.
What had they endured to forge such a bond?
But the most baffling thing of all was Azriel's behavior at the Christmas Banquet.
She still could not understand why he had done what he did.
Azriel had never been the proactive type.
Or at least, she had thought he was not.
'The way he acted… like some charming prince, taking control of the entire banquet.'
He had definitely been planning something.
What that something was, however, remained a mystery.
The conversation he had with the headmistress and Saint Solomon, hidden beneath a sound barrier, only confirmed her suspicions.
'Whatever they were discussing, it seemed important.'
Asking their father for insight would be useless. He believed in letting his children take responsibility for their own actions and would not intervene unless it was absolutely necessary.
Even their mother seemed to be in the dark about Azriel's plans.
Suddenly, Jasmine cringed as she remembered how Azriel had almost gotten engaged to Celestina at the banquet.
'Yeah. There's no way he's capable of capturing a maiden's heart.'
Jasmine nodded to herself, utterly convinced.
Then she sighed again as she looked at him.
'Still… I hope you can let go of whatever is holding you back.'
*****
When something important looms on the horizon, and one has done everything possible to prepare for it, nervousness is only natural.
And with that nervousness comes doubt.
A great deal of it.
Those doubts plagued Azriel's mind as he stared out the car window, watching the passing scenery blur beyond the glass.
'Did I do enough…?'
'I didn't overlook anything, did I?'
'Everything will work out, right?'
After the entrance exam today, classes would begin the day after tomorrow. The fact that they would start so soon spoke volumes about the academy staff's efficiency.
But it also meant something else.
Only one week remained before the first-years would enter the Void Dungeon.
And that would lead to a potentially disastrous event.
Azriel knew he would likely receive the quest related to the Void Dungeon incident at any moment.
Not that it mattered.
'I probably won't be able to complete it this time…'
He was certain of that.
It was frustrating to think he would miss out on all the rewards, but it was necessary.
For himself.
As the weight of the coming days settled over him, another, darker thought gripped Azriel's mind.
The architects of the tragedy waiting ahead.
'Neo Genesis…'
To the public, they were the obvious enemy, portrayed as an organization bent on annihilating humanity's future.
That was the narrative.
Simple.
Terrifyingly clear.
Yet Azriel knew better.
He knew there was a deeper, far more complicated truth behind their actions.
He knew their true goal.
It was not that he supported Neo Genesis's methods or their vision.
Far from it.
He understood their reasoning, even if he could never condone it.
The path they were walking was morally wrong. There was no denying that. But from their perspective, it was an agonizing necessity.
Azriel could not bring himself to blame them.
Or rather, he could not bring himself to blame him.
He understood their motives.
His desperation.
But understanding did not mean support.
Not because Azriel believed he was inherently right.
No.
It was not about whether he thought he was right or wrong.
Both he and that man knew exactly what awaited this world.
'I wonder what you're thinking about all this…'
"..."
"Ma'am. Sir. We have arrived."
The driver's voice cut through Azriel's thoughts, pulling both him and Jasmine back to the present.
Neither of them had even noticed that the car had stopped.
He must have some unique skill to drive this smoothly.
Stepping out of the car with Jasmine, Azriel stretched his arms and took in the sight before him.
'The Hero Academy…'
The building's architecture was impressive yet understated, with elegant stone facades and tall arched windows. A broad cobblestone path led toward the entrance, where massive wooden doors stood invitingly ajar.
'...How normal.'
For once, there was nothing absurd or extravagant.
The Hero Academy looked almost ordinary.
It was surprisingly similar to an elite university he might have seen in his previous world, at least from the outside.
Of course, he could not ignore the modern buildings surrounding the academy, which made the entire place seem slightly out of step with its environment.
'Those must be the dormitories.'
"Are you ready?"
Jasmine asked calmly, waiting beside him as both of them ignored the shocked glances and hushed murmurs directed their way.
Azriel grinned.
"Of course."
It was finally time for the main story to begin.
The story Azriel had read through countless sleepless nights in his previous world.
The story about the path of heroes.