BXBX NOVEL Chapter 176 School Trip [9] [Alapeia]
A few days had quickly gone by as fleeting as the average cycle of a man\'s life. Russell and the others were on their way to the second-to-last destination for this School Trip.
It\'s somewhere that Russell wouldn\'t forget in his lifetime in this world of mysteries and fantasies after he reincarnated — the capital of Cassiopeia, Alapeia.
He and his family, when they were the lowest of slaves under Marquis Solas\' domain, were living just near the gateway before the outskirts of the Cassiopeia\'s capital — which was at least a hundred meters away from the Red Lunar District.
"Don\'t forget to document everything you\'ve learned, and post it to your respective Obelisk Personal Account."
Azalea\'s words reverberated within the Stream Bus. They just left the capital of Arka, which was called Afrostika. What happened in the past few days were simple since it\'s not much different from what they did in Magia and Enfiya.
In the capital, Basara, of the desert land, Bhaskara, Russell, and the others explored different tombs and ancient sites buried deep in some desert caves and washed away from the sands of time.
During that time, Elizabeth, apart from other designated group leaders, their representative as a guide until the end of the School Trip couldn\'t focus. It\'s been a few days since Russell gifted her the Alakin\'s Heart, but for some reason, she couldn\'t take her mind off it.
As the princess of Etheria, Elizabeth wasn\'t new to receiving gifts more luxurious than a mere Alakin\'s Heart that cost only 40 million Obel in an auction house, but she couldn\'t comprehend how peculiar she was feeling.
She also knew if a man\'s interested in her for various reasons, but she clearly didn\'t sense any kind of that interest in Russell\'s deep blue eyes when he handed her the artifact.
Then, even at this moment, she\'s thinking about that time, especially the single System message she was notified of after receiving Alakin\'s Heart.
***
Apart from the above-mentioned simple itinerary, Russell and the others explored ice caves in Afrostika. But they also explored the Ice Palace where the royalty or rulers of the country reside.
With the exception of the King of Cassiopeia and the King of Bhaskara, the rulers of the remaining countries were deeply tied to the Obelisk Organization. Although it\'s mostly the King of Cassiopeia that inwardly wanted to get an upperhand against being under the biggest organization of humanity. That\'s why he\'s cautious and waiting for loopholes to be utilized for his, not the country\'s, advantage.
Since there\'s neverending snow and the cold atmosphere reaches the negative of the temperature scale, if the players didn\'t possess a passive skill like Cold Resistance, they needed their bodies to be under layers of thick jackets that were made of monsters\' hide.
The Ice Palace\'s Queen, though didn\'t make her appearance, had sent someone to cater to the students from both academies. This showed the hospitality of the inhabitants of Arka, which was evident already to some students before even going on the trip because whether it was from the Obelisk or Sky Academy, there were students admitted that lived on Arka itself.
"This is more like a Stress Trip rather than School Trip."
Russell muttered, causing Freya to glance at her older brother, sitting on her right side.
\'Why do we need to post such a document?\'
During the "Wrap Up!" sessions on every trip after dinner and before the free time according to the itinerary, they were asked to do some reports regarding what struck them the most in terms of expressions. In other words, they were required to share what they had learned, although not publicly and only limited to the class they were in. Even so, it\'s something that Russell despised as a student and as an introvert.
Having the resolve to act less and less that resembled his introverted personality because he knew very well that the time for such bearing would be detrimental from now on based on the nearing end of peace, Russell never expected that such mundane student work would be his first challenge.
Similar to his younger sister, the only thing that could motivate him to move or interact with someone he didn\'t have any close ties with was when a beneficial purpose exists on the line.
For a moment, glancing behind the Stream Bus, Russell saw Azalea looking at him with expressions unknown. Although he knew why she was glaring at him that way.
\'Have patience, the Four Seeds of Direction won\'t easily appear out of nowhere.\'
Russell inwardly muttered before closing his eyes, feeling the cold air within the Stream Bus.
According to the locations that Russell had previously told her, the Four Seeds of Directions could be found in Alastor\'s Museum of Botany, which Azalea personally went to for her eyes to see. After verifying its existence, her trust in Russell skyrocketed because of its foundation, but as of now, she couldn\'t detect the other three which were located in Etheria, Bhaskara, and Arka.
It\'s not that she\'s doubting him, but she rather marveled at Russell\'s knowledge. Being someone who practically had eyes almost everywhere in the Orion Continent, Azalea truly found Russell\'s existence as an anomaly.
"Alright, everyone, we\'ve arrived.
"Please be reminded that it will be the same when it comes to designated leader per group.
"Each group will follow the senior guides.
"And since we are at Cassiopeia, be careful in observing strict laws."
\'Number one, it\'s forbidden to go to the Red Lunar District.\'
Russell thought before he looked at his younger sister, and then Amelie at the back, who was sitting beside the other introverted woman, Celine. He gestured for them to come out of the Stream Bus to at least inhale some fresh air.
***
[School Trip Itinerary — Seven-day Trip Guide.]
*Sixth Day — Capital of Cassiopeia, Alapeia.
1. Royale Palace\'s sightseeing – two hours only.
2. Phantasmal Guild Headquarters tour – two hours only.
3. Noble Player Training Center – two hours only.
4. Bazaars of Nobility – three hours only, including lunchtime.
5. Free time – 3 P.M. to 6 P.M.
6. Duke Fenrich semi-annual auction – 7 P.M. to 9 P.M., including dinner time.
7. Wrap Up! – 9 P.M. to 10 P.M.
8. Star Hotel of Nobility – 10 P.M. until 6 A.M.
***
The hours quickly went by since the students for this school trip settled themselves. They first checked in to the Star Hotel of Nobility to at least first check their designated rooms. After that, they went to the Royale Palace, though in areas only available to be explored, and not deep inside. It was the same case, treating them as young players who might lead humanity in the future, they were shown different artifacts, arts and designs, and majestic architectures — all of which contained an immense historical value, which would then remind the students of what had transpired in the past forty years before they even came to be in this world.
In addition, Russell and the others visited some areas of the Phantasmal Guild, and this time, the groups were packed together. The attention this time went to Leon and Mira because it was their father\'s guild, which would they inherit depending on the circumstances.
Furthermore, since they were in Cassiopeia, where Acelyn von Ephilon was currently residing, Russell who, without hesitation, kicked her during the mock battle that happened in the Colosseum in Etheria was receiving fierce glares as though his skull would be drilled by lasers. It was the same way in Jiho\'s case because of his words against Acelyn.
\'What a pompous brat.\'
Russell thought as his mind was feeling exhausted from a noble\'s tantrums.
Then at this moment, they arrived at the renowned Noble Player Training Center — one of the places where future players, around eleven to twelve years old, to be enrolled in the academies in Olympia were trained.
***
"Wow! I want to finish the basic curriculum already and go to an academy!"
"Yes!! I hope we can be admitted to the Obelisk Academy!"
"But Sky Academy is great, too!"
Various young aspirants, who wanted to take the dangerous and arduous path of being full-time players, couldn\'t help but speak in admiration as they saw the students from academies.
Although praises could be heard, it was impossible for mockery not to exist, especially since they were in a noble country, whose ruler was only superficially affiliated with the Obelisk Organization and could backstab humanity for his own interest at any given opportunity.
"Tsk. Why can\'t the Obelisk Organization allows academies to be built in other countries?"
"Some of these people just stink!"
"Hahaha! Some of them probably got in due to bribes!"
Pak-! Pak-!
Inside the spacious training center where numerous young aspiring players were doing their respective business seemed to stop when they heard a loud sound as though some skulls broke.
Stopping everyone\'s movements, the senior guide, or someone who\'s a staff in the training center, glanced to the origin of the sound.
There, two young nobles, a woman and a man, both around eleven to twelve years old, were crouching in pain as their hands reflexively touched the back of their heads.
"What did you do?"
The man in his early twenties spoke to the one who hit the two youngsters.
"I\'m teaching them a lesson."
"Russell...?"
Elizabeth spoke with her light green eyes wide as she glanced at Russell in disbelief.
Without waiting for the man to make a response, Russell continued:
"Since something like the influence of a noble status will be heavily weakened inside the Obelisk, Sky, or any player academy as per the Obelisk Organization\'s rules. These students will have a hard time if their views won\'t change.
"And the fact that they\'re indirectly insulting the academies and wanted to have their own within their country also indirectly invalidates the dreams of those aspirants here who want to be admitted in either Obelisk or Sky Academy."
The senior guide looked at Russell with an incredulous look. He knew that this visitor student was somewhat making sense, but it seemed like his words were spoken out of nowhere. Moreover, it didn\'t justify his actions, especially when the two young nobles weren\'t on any of Olympia\'s academy\'s soil.
"I see... It seems you\'re being a presumptuous, young man."
"I-it\'s alright, Sir Lance..."
The young man stood up in pain with watery eyes. He glanced at Russell, fuming inside.
"I won\'t forget this-!"
With his words of conviction, the young man ran off, who was then followed by the young woman, who was in a similar condition as the young man.
"...Be grateful for his generosity. I don\'t know why you did that, but nobles barely forget what they are bestowed."
\'...I\'ll take note of that, Sir.\'
Russell inwardly muttered as he inwardly let out a self-deprecating laugh.
***
"Finally, it\'s the last day."
Czerina, who followed Russell just to acquire the Orb of Truth before the school trip ends, muttered while combing her blonde hair as she looked in a full-body mirror.
Although Sir Britz still wasn\'t telling her the precise reasons why the Shadow Guild needed the Orb of Truth, she needed to confirm something about Russell.
It was her instinct as a woman that was telling her that there might be something about him.
"...Asking him nicely won\'t do."
Czerina muttered before looking at her body under the wet towel.
***
In the Vampire Domain, a Dark Elf woman was standing in front of one of the Vampire Lords.
"Hahahaha-! You surely can hide very well from your own kind, and that\'s why it was harder for us to locate you."
The Vampire Lord playfully spoke, but the Dark Elf\'s expression didn\'t change.
"What\'s the job this time?"
The Dark Elf then asked, seemingly wanting to leave quickly inside this blood-filled environment.
"Alright, it seems you want to just explore and explore everything.
"It\'s been some time already, but the humans, at least what they considered as higher-ups, found out about our existence because Tanya and Ruina, two of the spies we banished, died.
"Amusing, isn\'t it?"
The eyebrows of the Dark Elf pricked up before she made a response.
"That\'s impossible.
"The Queen of the Elves do not trust the humans and left them in the dark about your existence because they thought that humans might take advantage of your war against them."
"Hahaha-! Easy now. I believe you, and that\'s why I wanted you to investigate how the humans found out about our existence."
With increasing curiosity, the Dark Elf nodded her head. Without speaking anymore, the Dark Elf turned around to leave. Then, with the Vampire Lord\'s voice, she paused for a moment and then continued walking.
"I will expect some good news... Rakshana."