An Extra’s POV

It was a completely random encounter.

"Why do you look so troubled, young one?" The voice came from an elderly man who sat on a bench by the roadside. He had red hair, ebony skin, and crimson eyes. He wore a dark robe, holding his walking stick very tightly as he looked at Adonis on that fateful day.

The old man had two horns, which should have made him a lower-middle-class member of society, yet he seemed a little too posh for that. Still, his appearance was the least suspicious thing about him.

It was the way he smiled.

Perhaps it was because Adonis was growing frustrated with planning, or because he was growing increasingly worried about his friends back in the Capital, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy when he looked into the man's eyes.

Still, he knew better than to act on how he felt.

Doing so would only make him appear suspicious, and that would taint his cover.

"It's nothing." Adonis replied with a shrug and began walking away. In his mind, he already crossed the encounter off as completely unimportant, and he had more important things to deal with.

Besides, merely talking to Dragons disgusted him beyond words.

If only he knew how much he would owe to the old man once the next words came out of his mouth… he wouldn't have been so hasty to walk away.

"You remind me of my kid. He's doing his best in the Academy right now… working hard for the sake of the Emperor."

'We look nothing alike! Stop talking nonsense!' Adonis thought to himself, wondering how he could possibly remind him of his son.

The man appeared old, which meant he must have lived for several centuries at least.

How could his kid look like him?

There were so many holes in the old man's words that made Adonis grow increasingly more upset, but he controlled his temper and kept walking away.

He had nothing to say to a senile old Dragon.

"My boy… if he proves himself in that Academy… he could finally be taken to the Capital—to serve the Emperor."

soon as Adonis heard this, he

'Academy… Capital… Emperor…?!'

Emperor. It was also where

that the Chamber Of Ancients existed there

live in the Capital, and all of them had one purpose or the other there. They either served their Empire exceptionally well in wars, or proved themselves in one major

the first time Adonis was hearing about the Academy being another way for someone to get into the Academy, hence his interest

are you

course! My son's performance is great, you know? Once you reach the Third Stage in the Academy, you must go for a compulsory internship within the

Including the Capital." Adonis muttered,

for that privilege, though. It's not guaranteed for any other Class… so my son is working very hard to reach Class A before moving to Stage 3. Ahh… the Capital… it's such a dream come true,

Adonis heard this, he smiled at a

"Indeed… it is."

**************

closest library he could find and researched for the validity

his amazement,

man…

student in their Third Stage, Class A, could indeed apply for an internship in the Capital. If he could secure a role in his desired location, then he could easily increase the proximity

Chamber… the key to my

on his own if he had enough time. All of a sudden, a viable path opened

the Academy in all my reasoning. How long would it have taken me before I thought in that direction?' He still

be living a comfortable

indebted to

I ever encounter him after my Regression… I'll be sure to thank

learn as much as he could about the school's requirements for entry—which

had to make sure he didn't advance too quickly. At the same time,

rationale, he developed a roadmap

ensure he stuck to his plan and completed everything

Training. Study. Classes.

accounted for, and Adonis could feel himself making progress every single

he was