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."

as Adonis heard this, he froze

'Academy… Capital… Emperor…?!'

of the Emperor. It was also where the power of the Empire

the Chamber Of

the other there. They either served their Empire exceptionally well in wars, or proved

was hearing about the Academy being another way for

you talking

son's performance is great, you know? Once you reach the Third Stage

Including the Capital." Adonis

though. It's not guaranteed for any other Class… so my son is working very hard to reach

Adonis heard this, he smiled at a Dragon

"Indeed… it is."

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

that encounter, Adonis combed through the closest library he could find

his amazement,

man… he

for an internship in the Capital. If he could secure a role in

within that Chamber… the key

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

in that direction?' He still despised Dragons to death,

else would he be living

he was indebted to the

I'll be sure to thank him with a quick

the Academy, Adonis made sure to learn as much as he could about the school's requirements for entry—which was perhaps the

he didn't advance too quickly.

a result of this rationale, he developed a roadmap for

to the littlest of details—all to ensure he stuck to his plan

Training. Study. Classes.

accounted for, and Adonis could feel himself making progress every

in Class B—which he got into after his Entrance Exams, he