Ardent Crossing never truly slept.
As dawn painted the eastern sky, the streets were already alive.
Merchants arranged their wares.
Blacksmiths reignited their furnaces.
Bakers filled the air with the scent of fresh bread.
Guild messengers hurried through the crowds with sealed letters.
To Kieran...
Everything was fascinating.
But Crystal's advice echoed in his mind.
«"Observe first. Act second."»
So he did.
---
Rather than rushing through the city...
He spent the morning walking.
Watching.
Learning.
He discovered that every district had its own purpose.
The Merchant District overflowed with caravans from every corner of the Gardenia Empire.
The Artisan Quarter rang with the sounds of hammers, chisels, and enchanted tools.
The Residential Wards were quieter, filled with children playing beneath flowering trees.
Then there was the Guild Plaza.
Unlike the other districts...
It belonged to no noble house and no merchant consortium.
Instead, several organizations maintained headquarters there.
The Wanderer's Guild.
The Alchemist's Association.
The Blacksmith's Union.
The Beast Research Society.
The Rune Crafters' Hall.
Each building bore its own emblem, welcoming practitioners from all walks of life.
Kieran stopped for a moment.
"So these are the organizations Mama told me about..."
---
He continued walking until he reached a large public square.
In its center stood an enormous stone monument.
Carved upon it was a map of the Melika Realm.
Major empires.
Great forests.
Mountain ranges.
Ancient lakes.
Trade routes.
Even the location of the Grand Academy.
Several children stood around it while an elderly storyteller spoke.
"Remember this well."
"The Melika Realm is vast."
"But never believe it is the whole world."
"There are lands beyond our seas..."
"...though few possess the means to reach them."
Kieran smiled faintly.
Crystal had told him the same thing.
---
His attention shifted when he noticed a crowd gathering nearby.
Two young cultivators stood on a raised platform.
One wielded a spear.
The other, twin daggers.
A city official announced,
"Friendly spar!"
"First to surrender loses!"
The spectators erupted with cheers.
The duel began.
The spear user fought with overwhelming reach.
The dagger wielder relied on speed and footwork.
Neither attempted to seriously injure the other.
Instead...
They displayed discipline.
Technique.
Respect.
The match ended with the spear stopping just short of the other's throat.
The dagger user laughed.
"I yield."
The crowd applauded warmly.
Kieran joined them.
He hadn't watched to see who would win.
He had watched to learn.
---
As the crowd dispersed...
An elderly man selling roasted chestnuts smiled at him.
"You've got good eyes."
Kieran blinked.
"My eyes?"
"You weren't watching the weapons."
The old man chuckled.
"You were watching their feet."
Kieran smiled sheepishly.
"I've been taught that's where battles begin."
The old vendor nodded in approval.
"A wise teacher."
He tossed Kieran a warm roasted chestnut.
"No charge."
Kieran instinctively reached for his coin pouch.
The old man waved him off.
"One day..."
"You'll help someone else."
"That'll settle the debt."
Kieran bowed respectfully.
"Thank you."
---
By afternoon...
He arrived before a modest inn.
The Resting Oak
It wasn't luxurious.
Nor was it shabby.
Just as Crystal had advised.
«"When choosing an inn, avoid both the cheapest and the most expensive."»
Inside...
The innkeeper greeted him warmly.
"One room?"
"Yes, please."
"For how many nights?"
"Three."
The innkeeper nodded.
"Three Silver Mel Coins."
Kieran counted the coins carefully before handing them over.
The innkeeper smiled.
"Breakfast is included."
---
His room was simple.
A clean bed.
A wooden table.
A wash basin.
A window overlooking the busy street below.
It was the first room Kieran had ever rented.
He quietly unpacked his belongings.
The wooden pendant around his neck caught the afternoon light.
He gently held it.
"...I'm doing alright, Mama."
A soft smile appeared on his face.
---
As evening approached...
A loud bell rang throughout Ardent Crossing.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong...
People immediately looked toward the central plaza.
Curious, Kieran followed the crowd.
There...
A large notice board had been erected.
A Guild official pinned a fresh parchment to it.
Official Notice
The Grand Academy Entrance Examination will commence in forty-two days.
Applicants are advised to arrive no later than seven days before the opening ceremony.
A murmur spread through the gathered crowd.
"Forty-two days..."
"That's plenty of time."
"Only if nothing goes wrong."
"The roads ahead are dangerous."
Kieran quietly calculated the distance in his mind.
Even at a steady pace...
He had enough time.
But Crystal had taught him never to rely on perfect circumstances.
He decided then and there.
He would leave Ardent Crossing in two days.
Not because he was in a hurry.
But because preparation was better than regret.
---
High above the bustling square...
The Nine-Tailed White Fox lay comfortably atop the tiled roof of a watchtower.
Its golden eyes lazily followed Kieran below.
The city was noisy.
Crowded.
Chaotic.
Yet...
The boy hadn't changed.
He still stopped to help strangers.
Still observed more than he spoke.
Still carried himself with quiet humility.
The fox closed its eyes.
Perhaps...
Following him would prove far more interesting than remaining hidden in the valley.
Unseen by anyone...
Its nine tails flicked once in quiet satisfaction.
End of Chapter 56