Back in his tiny apartment, Amon sat cross-legged on his creaky mattress, holding the shimmering golden ticket between his fingers as if it were the Holy Grail itself.
"Wow... I don't believe it. I can actually go to Arcadia Academy."
The corners of his mouth curled upward into a rare, genuine smile. It all felt surreal. The most prestigious academy in the entire world, and now he, Amon the Broke, was holding a free pass to get in.
His eyes sparkled for a moment before gradually dulling as reality hit him.
"Fuck... My talent for magic is trash. Weapons? Even worse."
But instead of getting discouraged, he smirked.
"It doesn't matter! As long as I can graduate, even if I'm dead last and the weakest guy in the school, I can still get a job. Civil services, baby! Working for the kingdom in the tax office, magic department, or any other government department!"
He leaned back on the mattress, staring at the cracked ceiling as he chuckled to himself.
"Hehehe~ Maybe my good times are finally coming. Sure, I might get bullied for being a commoner, but that's nothing new. I was bullied in my past life too, and guess what? I fought back then. I can fight back here too!"
Then a horrifying thought crept into his mind.
"Wait... What if they're nobles? And way stronger than me? Shit, that might be a problem. Well, I'll think about that after I get into the academy."
His gaze drifted back to the golden pass.
He needed to tell Mr. Ellias, Leon, and Martia. After all, he wouldn't be working at the tavern anymore.
"Hah, I've been working there for so many years."
His voice softened, the excitement gradually giving way to melancholy.
He still remembered arriving in Valerion at the age of twelve. The city had been nothing but cruel to him. With no family, no money, and no support, Amon had done everything he could to survive.
He had delivered illegal packages, worked as a lookout for street gangs, and even picked a few pockets.
He shuddered as memories of the gangs Quickhand and Flicker Hands came to mind.
They had used him like a punching bag, venting their frustrations on the scrawny orphan kid.
Everything changed on the night he tried to pickpocket Mr. Ellias.
Instead of turning him over to the city knights or beating the hell out of him like any other adult might have done, Ellias had simply looked at him, sighed, and said,
"If you're that desperate, kid, how about you work for me?"
It had been the first time someone had shown him kindness since his parents died.
With Mr. Ellias's help, along with a few connections to powerful individuals and some unsavory but influential gangs, Amon had finally been left alone.
The beatings stopped. The harassment faded.
Ellias had given him food, shelter, and a purpose.
"I owe that man a lot," Amon whispered.
And tomorrow, he would finally be able to tell him goodbye.
Arcadia Academy
Even saying the name felt unreal.
Arcadia Academy was the most prestigious academy across the entire continent of Elyndros and even beyond it.
Located in the neutral and well-developed city of Elarith, the academy welcomed students from all over the world. Humans, elves, beastkin, and many other races.
The city of Elarith belonged to the Kingdom of Valmoria, the kingdom where Amon currently lived.
There were two other kingdoms on the continent of Elyndros, both also ruled by humans. They were Dravencourt and Caelvane.
Elyndros was, after all, a continent dominated by humans.
Now, back to the academy.
Demons, vampires, and werewolves were banned for... obvious historical reasons. After all, they were considered enemies by almost every other race.
Most of the student population came from powerful noble families, including dukes, marquises, and other high-ranking nobles from the kingdoms of Valmoria, Dravencourt, and Caelvane.
Especially Valmoria.
Yes, commoners could enter the academy. However, they first had to pass a brutally difficult entrance examination. And even to take the exam, they needed a recommendation letter from a noble or someone with sufficient authority, such as a guildmaster.
Nobles had it much easier. They could take the examination without any prerequisites. If they passed, they were admitted.
But for people like Amon?
It was nearly impossible.
"I swear, if I had to take the entrance exam, I'd fail miserably," he muttered with a nervous chuckle.
The academy accepted students between the ages of seventeen and twenty-three, although most students enrolled at eighteen, which was generally considered the most appropriate age.
The golden tickets were among the rarest forms of admission. Only twenty were issued each year by the academy and distributed among select royal families, guild leaders, and legendary individuals.
The recipients could either use the tickets themselves or give them to someone they considered worthy.
Which meant...
Whoever had given him that ticket must have been someone extremely powerful.
He recalled the mysterious, drunken, hooded woman with her vibrant orange hair, dangerous curves, and a bottle of basilisk liquor in her hand.
"Who the hell was she?"
He had no idea.
But what he did know was this: she had just changed his entire life.
He stood up and began packing.
His entire wardrobe fit into a single, battered suitcase—a couple of faded shirts, two pairs of trousers, a threadbare jacket, and some undergarments.
He tossed in a toothbrush, some half-used soap, and a few books he had collected over the years.
After about ten minutes, he zipped the suitcase shut and looked around the room.
"All done. Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the tavern, tell everyone the news, and say goodbye."
He sighed.
There was sadness, of course, but also excitement.
Maybe he could finally change his life in this new world. After everything he had been through, this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to waste.
He couldn't wait to begin his new journey, and he was determined to become stronger as well.
He would miss Mr. Ellias, Leon, and Martia. The tavern had been like a second home—a chaotic, loud, grease-smelling home.
But it was his home.
Still, this was his chance to rise above his circumstances. His chance to escape poverty. Maybe even make a name for himself.
He lay down on his mattress, staring at the flickering ceiling light. Outside, Valerion's chaotic nightlife continued to buzz.
"I'll get to meet beastkin and elves too," he whispered with a smirk. "Especially elves. They're supposed to be really beautiful. Hehehe."
His eyes slowly closed.
"Good night, me. Don't mess this up."
And with that, he drifted off into a peaceful sleep, clutching the golden ticket as if it were the key to his future. Because it was.