...

Taking a deep breath, Sino suddenly turned around.

However, Angel's figure had already disappeared into the crowd at the marketplace behind her. She could only lower her head in disappointment.

...

Angel hid behind a stall at a distance, staring at the despondent young girl from afar.

"Listen, Angel, I don't care what she thinks—you like her, right? That much I can tell," the devil said seriously to Angel, "Even if it's just to be laughed at, don't you want one last moment with your goddess? Soon, you both will walk different paths, and perhaps you'll never have the chance to meet again."

"No," Angel gritted his teeth and replied, "We will meet again, we definitely will. She will become the greatest Elf Hunter, and I shall become the most powerful Elf Mage. Then, on a sunny afternoon, I'll stand before her in a red mage's robe, under the admiring gaze of everyone, and present her with a violet. That's the perfect beginning."

"Why a violet?"

"Because I like violets, and I want to give her the most beautiful things," Angel said to the devil with a smile.

The girl turned away, disappointed, and left.

Only after her figure completely disappeared from sight did the boy silently collect himself, then stepped onto his own path forward.

Life is always wondrous, and life is always filled with regret. You will never know what you've missed in a careless moment—it could be something you'd give everything to regain in the days to come.

At this moment, all you need is to take one step forward to seize it, yet you give it up for some ridiculous reason.

"The boy stepped onto his journey, an unknown venture. To escape shackles, to earn the life he dreams of, to pursue an ethereal love. Will he sink to the depths of despair? Who knows? Will he rise amidst storms and wield power over the winds? Who knows? The road is long, and once embarked upon, there is no turning back. Will his destiny be the same as his distant brother's? Who knows?"

Angel's ears echoed with the clumsy ballads of the bard.

The wind swept past Angel's ears, lifting his hair. He sprinted toward the direction of the Magic Academy.

...

"Hello! I want to sign up for the Magic Academy's examination. Could you give me a form?" Angel stretched his neck in front of the counter.

The elf woman, who was filing her nails, glanced up at him, then looked to his left and right. "Are you signing up for yourself or for someone else?"

"For myself!" Angel answered eagerly.

"Did your parents not come with you?" she asked, handing him a form casually.

Angel hurriedly took the form.

For some reason, as his hand touched the form, his eyes suddenly grew moist, and he said in a slightly choked voice, "I... My parents are busy... They couldn't come, so I came alone."

"I see. Judging by your appearance, you shouldn't be a hundred years old yet, right? To register here, we need a seal from at least one parent."

"I know." Angel quickly pulled out a seal.

"Good, as long as you have it." The elf woman casually handed him a pen.

"I brought my own." Pulling out his pen, Angel leaned against the counter and began carefully filling out the form.

The elf woman at the front desk craned her neck to take a look. "You're already thirty-five years old?"

"Yes, I'm thirty-five."

"Normally, the children who sign up for our exams are under fifteen. Even with relaxed age restrictions, the limit is usually twenty."

Handing over the completed form, Angel asked nervously, "So... Does that mean I can't sign up at thirty-five?"

"No, you can sign up. But our requirements for you will be higher," the elf girl said with pursed lips. "You should know that learning magic as early as possible is key—it's not like archery. If your age is too advanced, it becomes exceedingly difficult to excel in magic. We must ensure you can graduate before you turn a hundred."

"No problem, just let me try!" Angel forced a smile.

"Processing fee, two silver coins." The elf woman examined Angel's form while extending her hand toward him.

Angel hurriedly grabbed two silver coins from his pocket and handed them to her.

Taking the coins, the elf woman placed them in a nearby drawer, her gaze never once leaving Angel's form.

"Angel An, Angel An... So your surname is 'An'?" After pondering for a moment, the woman suddenly asked, "Is your father by any chance named Andrew?"

"No! He's not! My father isn't named that!" Angel was startled.

The elf woman casually handed Angel another form. "Please accurately fill in your family members' names and professions. Remember, it must be truthful. If we discover any falsehoods in the information you provide, even if you pass the exam, your qualification will be revoked. Do you understand?"

Angel nodded dumbly, then lowered his head and started writing.

He filled in his father's name and profession, his mother's name and profession, but when it came to "other family members," his pen hesitated slightly before leaving it blank.

The elf woman glanced at the form silently before saying, "Alright, your registration is successful. Please wait over there for a moment, and I'll arrange your exam right now."

"Now?" Angel exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course, I've already mentioned that your advanced age means your exam will be different from others—more rigorous, and arranged individually."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Angel bowed repeatedly in gratitude, then turned away.

After taking a few steps, he returned hesitantly. "May I ask... If I pass the exam, what's the tuition fee approximately?"

Sitting at the counter, the elf woman raised her head to glance at Angel, frowning as she said, "Maybe you should wait until you pass the exam before asking. If you don't pass, then the tuition fee won't concern you. Frankly, I don't think you'll pass."

"I... I'd really like to know. So please, could you tell me?"

Reluctantly, the elf woman hesitated before answering, "Around... a thousand silver coins, I'd say. Maybe even up to nineteen hundred, or it could just be a thousand. Tuition varies every year. Honestly, you shouldn't worry about tuition fees because the Magic Academy's fees have never been expensive. The real expense lies in magical materials and books. Of course, if your parents have agreed to your enrollment in the Magic Academy, they must have made preparations. That's not something you need to worry about."

"Alright, thank you. Thank you so much." Angel bowed twice more before retreating step by step. He accidentally bumped into someone passing by behind him, drawing disdainful glances from the crowd.

Sitting in the corner of the Magic Academy's hall, Angel felt a mix of excitement and unease, fidgeting in his seat and changing his posture several times within a minute. He could never figure out where to place his hands.

Passersby seemed to glance at him—whether intentionally or unintentionally, he wasn't sure. But it wasn't his imagination; many people did appear to be looking at him.

Soon, Angel realized their gazes were focused on the bow and quiver slung on his back. Well, it wasn't common to see someone carrying a bow and quiver inside the Magic Academy. Angel carefully tried to hide them behind him, doing his best to keep them out of sight.

"Are you worried about tuition fees?" the devil appeared quietly on his shoulder.

"I don't have any money—I only have six silver coins left in my pocket, and five of them were stolen... Maybe I should first ask if there's any way to earn income here. I heard the Arrow Technique Academy has such opportunities; I wonder if it's the same here."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Angel. I've never heard of Luo Ge Xian Ni ever expelling a student for failing to pay tuition. The Blood Elf Queen wouldn't allow such a thing to happen."

"But it'd still be embarrassing, wouldn't it? When the time comes to pay tuition, everyone else would do it, and I wouldn't be able to. And I wouldn't even have a reason to explain."

"For the sake of your dream, what does a little embarrassment matter? Perhaps you could find a job."

"But what could I do?"

"Who knows? But it's worth trying, isn't it?"

Angel looked defeated at first but then smiled as if a spark had been reignited. Turning to the red devil perched on his shoulder, he said excitedly, "Alright! That's the plan! If I pass the exam, I'll find work and earn the tuition myself!"

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