Royal Capital Endnest

Only when Nathan stepped out of the teleportation device and glanced over Endnest's landscape did he realise why Lostburg was considered a "Living Hell" by other citizens of Runalond.

Skyscrapers demonstrating mystical brilliance dominated the entire landscape. The use of Rune Arts by citizens had far exceeded what he had previously witnessed in Gemville. People weren't just using Rune Arts for daily life—they were employing their elements to assist others as well.

The streets and buildings were perfectly polished and devoid of chaos. Everything emitted a sense of comfortable stability and order. Even the three boys next to him seemed to have forgotten Nathan's peculiar words, their focus fully captured by the elegance of the royal capital.

Especially Daniel Whitedawn, his eyes carried unusual grief and disappointment. The Whitedawn family had played a crucial role in the capital's construction and expansion, but for a clan to remain in Endnest, mastery of Rune Arts and contributions alone wasn't enough.

The pain in Nathan's heart returned, but this time, it only filled him with determination and hope. If he managed to craft a way into the circle of the kingdom's most influential families, he might truly make a difference.

The transportation station behind them was one of many in Endnest. The capital's substantial size required several destination stations to be constructed. The transportation center, positioned near the royal palace, served as the link that truly connected all cities.

Nathan could almost see the Imperial Rune Arts Academy of Runalond in the distance. It was a structure that could not be ignored. Striking the perfect balance between modern orderliness and ancient serenity, it was a massive castle designed like a pyramid. The closer the buildings were to the centre, the taller they became. To some extent, it could even compare with the royal palace itself, though the palace was too blurry for Nathan to fully perceive.

"The academy's welcoming ceremony begins at night. We still have quite some time to do whatever needs to be done," Jay began thoughtfully. "There are some business partners my father told me to meet with."

Joseph nodded. "Yeah, I need to visit the central headquarters of the Rune Arts Federation. If you guys don't want to come with me, then see you tonight."

Daniel and Nathan nodded to each other as well. Nathan didn't have anywhere specific to go, but he had an uncontrollable urge to explore this unfamiliar yet fascinating environment. There was still so much for him to learn, he couldn't afford to waste any time.

After they parted ways, Nathan strolled along the streets of Endnest, absorbing every piece of information he could gather from people's conversations and the places around him.

The atmosphere of Endnest was entirely different from Lostburg or Gemville. Nathan knew he needed to adapt quickly to this environment to fit in without anyone suspecting his true identity.

Suddenly, Nathan noticed a strong shift in the crowd's behaviour. People on the streets seemed to move aside to avoid someone. Before Nathan could react, the path had already cleared. Before him stood a young girl. Her short, elegant white hair matched the uniform she wore.

"A representative student," Nathan murmured to himself quietly. He recognized the pattern on the uniform. But that wasn't what truly caught his attention, the most unique thing about the girl in front of him was her eyes.

Despite her gentle and soft appearance, her eyes told a different story. They carried the same sense of intimidation and murderous intent as Joseph Gravekin's, but the chill they sent down Nathan's spine was even colder.

On the other side, the girl's eyes also scanned Nathan with caution. His clothes hadn't yet been changed to the academy uniform. Simple yet spotless, they gave away little about his identity. Still, she sensed something in Nathan's gaze that set him apart from anyone else she had ever seen before. 

The people on the sidelines seemed to form a stage in the middle of the street, focusing on the two figures locked in silence.

"Would you get out of my way?" the girl announced slowly, her voice filled with authority. No matter how suspicious the boy before her looked, he appeared to be a commoner at best. After all, she had never seen an aristocrat from a powerful family wearing something as plain as Nathan's clothes.

"The street is wide enough for you to go around," Nathan replied calmly. This time, he didn't need to be as careful as when he faced Johnson Frederick. At the royal capital, his identity as a representative student could truly pay off.

The girl raised an eyebrow. For someone to speak to an Imperial Academy representative student like this meant one of two things: either the boy was suicidal, or he belonged to a monstrous organization or clan.

Before she could respond, Nathan swung his ragged bag forward and opened it. Pulling out the academy uniform, he shook it lightly in front of her.

"Now we can talk to each other as equals, can we not?" Nathan continued with a smirk as he tucked the uniform back into the bag.

The girl froze. The representative student uniform in Nathan's hands seemed out of place. His plain clothes, his appearance and his way of speech, did not align with the uniform's identity in any way. Nathan didn't look like someone from an influential clan, but this was more of a concern to her rather than a relief.

Nathan's black hair was the most unsettling part. Among the representative students this year, only one had black hair.

William Schwarz.

Before she could react or speak, Nathan extended his hand.

"My name is Nathan Modernson. Nice to meet you," he said with a polite smile. If there was something special about his family, he could uncover it through interactions with other influential clans' members.

The girl seemed startled, but not necessarily at Nathan's name. She had never even heard of the last name "Modernson" in her life. 

Holding back her emotions, she bowed gracefully, though her figure trembled slightly. "I'm Jennifer Lumendra."

Nathan didn't lower his hand. "Are you going to leave me hanging here?" he asked, amused.

Jennifer's surprise shifted into anger.

"You… How dare you!" she hissed quietly, clenching her fists.

Sensing the cold intensity in her gaze, Nathan's body tensed. Though unsure of what he had done to offend her, he was certain he had triggered one of the representative students.

"Horrible start…" he murmured to himself.

Suddenly, Nathan felt a chill as he turned to find a masked man behind him, his hands pressed on a brown rune.

It was too late. The Rune Art had already been cast, and several rocks hurtled toward Nathan. Considering his identity as a representative student as well, the attack was not fatal, but strong enough to leave bruises.

Nathan cursed under his breath. With no time to dodge, he covered his face and closed his eyes.

But the pain never came.

"Enough, enough!" an annoyed, commanding voice rang out from above. Everyone, including Nathan and Jennifer, looked up to see the figure who had neutralized the attack.

It was a tall, handsome man holding a wand, with two others attached to his waist. His hair was evenly split, one half snowy white, the other pitch black.

He wore the representative student uniform but looked slightly older than Nathan and Jennifer. Nathan guessed he was from a higher grade.

"I am Arthur Paradox, president of the student council," the man announced loudly, his tone authoritative. "Both of you, don't you dare bring shame upon the academy's name. If you are honoured enough to carry the weight of being aristocrats, you'd better act like ones."