Chapter 55: The Black Card
"Follow me," Seraphina suddenly said as she dragged Lucien forward.
They cut through the line, walking straight toward the receptionist. The people who had been waiting in line saw this and immediately began to protest, shouting at them in frustration. No one could accept someone cutting the line after they had been waiting for so long.
But with one glance from Seraphina, as she released her aura, everyone fell silent. They were just children, still familiarizing themselves with the path of cultivation. Some of them hadn’t even killed anyone before.
Seraphina walked with Lucien to the reception counter, where a young woman with small dragon horns sat, her black hair and eyes calm and professional.
Looking at Seraphina, who had clearly cut the line, she said, "Sorry, ma’am, you’ll have to wait on the line until it’s your turn."
The policy here was strict, and it was only because Seraphina’s presence was overwhelming that the receptionist gave her face and replied politely, otherwise, she would have simply ignored her. In Draktharion City, most of those who lived in the core section carried an inborn arrogance, especially those from the dragon race.
Seraphina wasn’t bothered. She simply waved her right hand, and a pale white card appeared between her fingers.
She flicked it toward the receptionist, who caught it and looked at it in surprise.
The card was palm-sized, its edges trimmed with a thin border of gold. At the top, the emblem of Aethel Academy was stamped in shimmering, raised silver. It gave a feeling of being crafted from a smooth, cream-colored material that felt like polished bone, yet it carried the weight of solid metal.
At the center of the card stood the golden tower, its spiraling form catching the light as if it had been etched by the hands of a master artisan. The tower’s runes seemed to shift faintly when viewed from different angles. Beneath the tower, an open book lay with its pages spread wide, thin lines of text barely visible, like untold ancient knowledge. Surrounding the tower and the book was a ring of nine stars, each star a distinct hue, glowing softly as if alive. Above the tower, a small, radiant diamond-shaped gem pulsed with a faint, warm light.
At the bottom of the card, elegant script was embossed in gold:
"Through Knowledge, Power. Through Power, Transcendence."
The crowd also saw this card and began to murmur.
"Wow, another Special Invitee Card."
"Man, I wish I was that lucky."
"Honestly, wouldn’t have to go through this stress."
It turned out that his card was a special invitee card from the Aethel Academy, sent to talented geniuses and descendants of major powers.
The female receptionist held the card and brought it to a machine, which let out a soft beep. Suddenly, next to the emblem, a holographic portrait of Lucien shimmered into view, his face captured in a soft blue glow. Beside it, his name, age, and a unique identification number were engraved in fine silver letters.
"Okay, but it seems that this special card is only for this young man here, Mr. Lucien," the female receptionist replied.
Lucien was a bit surprised by this. It seemed that Seraphina had it covered, which was somewhat expected. But when he heard it was only for him, his surprise deepened before he remembered something.
"Wait, wait, you’ve passed the age limit. How are you going to enter?" Lucien whispered into her ear, his voice laced with genuine concern.
Seraphina raised her brows before letting out a soft, amused giggle. "So you just noticed?"
Lucien scratched his head, a sheepish grin forming on his face. He couldn’t be blamed, it was due to the fact that they were of similar age in their past life, so he hadn’t even put her current age into consideration. To him, she was still Seraphina, the same woman who had been by his side through it all.
"Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered. Don’t be shocked, my darling," Seraphina continued, a mischievous grin spreading across her lips.
Her words only deepened Lucien’s confusion, stirring his curiosity about the surprise she had in store.
Seraphina turned to the receptionist. "Yes, that card was only for him. As for me..."
She waved her hand, flicking another card toward the receptionist. "I think this should be okay."
The receptionist caught it. The card was black, larger than the former, and it felt as if it was absorbing the very light around it. When the receptionist’s eyes landed on the black card, her breath caught. She looked at Seraphina, who responded with a subtle wink.
The receptionist understood the hidden message, calming her racing heart. But when she checked the authenticity of the card, her hands nearly trembled. She almost froze, the weight of what she was holding settling over her like a heavy cloak.
She returned the card to Seraphina with shaky hands, her voice barely steady. "When it’s tomorrow, information will be given on how the enrollment will take place."
"Okay, thank you," Seraphina said with a warm smile as she collected the cards back.
"Let’s go, darling," Seraphina said, dragging him out.
Meanwhile, Lucien’s gaze lingered on Seraphina as she pulled him along. The receptionist’s body reaction hadn’t escaped him, the shock, the fear that had flickered across her face when Seraphina handed her the black card. If it was a card from the Aethel Academy, what position did Seraphina hold to cause such a reaction from the receptionist?
The crowd watched as both of them left. Most of those on the line envied them, they had been waiting here since early morning, yet Lucien and Seraphina had arrived, cut through, and finished within minutes.
How they wished they had such a background.
But that was just how the world worked. They let out a collective sigh as the female receptionist continued with her duties.
As Seraphina and Lucien stepped out into the open air, Lucien couldn’t hold back his curiosity. "Seraphina, did you attend Aethel Academy?"
Seraphina paused mid-step and turned to him, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "Why ask such a silly question? Of course I did."
"Then how many years did you study there?" Lucien pressed, his voice laced with genuine curiosity.
Seraphina simply smiled, placing a finger on her lips in a playful, secretive gesture. "It’s a secret."
Lucien felt a wave of frustration wash over him. He hadn’t expected her to shut him down so quickly. But speaking of things, he realized just how little he truly knew about her, even in his past life, and now in this one, it was as if a thick veil shrouded her past, her origins, her very identity.
"What are you thinking about?" Seraphina’s loud voice cut through his thoughts, jolting him back to reality. He realized he had been standing still, lost in thought, while Seraphina was already halfway into the carriage.
The passing crowd, both from the walkway and those exiting the Mercenary Association, all turned to look when they heard her shout.
"I’m coming," Lucien replied, shaking off his thoughts. Whatever it was, he would leave it for the future. If she wasn’t telling him, there must be a reason, and he trusted that, in time, she would share it with him.
As he walked off, he suddenly brushed into someone with his right arm.
"Sorry," Lucien hastily apologised, not looking at the person as he walked towards the carriage.
Suddenly, a wave of ill intent washed over him....
A/N: The image of the special invitee card will be posted in the discord server. Continue to support this author, your support is my greatest motivation.