Three months flew by in the blink of an eye—like half a semester ending. The academy granted students a two-week break to reflect on their next steps.
The long holiday accommodated students from distant homes. Luris, for instance, needed to travel beyond Central City to find a Teleportation Array. Yan Yi’s Ink Village was over 150 kilometers away too. In this world, Teleportation Arrays were common, but ground transport was scarce.
In a way, their freshman year had ended. Liette’s classes wouldn’t be daily anymore. For Yan Yi, formal lessons were over—he had no electives to choose, and attending lectures felt pointless. He planned to live in the library instead.
After Liette’s final class, she exchanged polite goodbyes with students before they scrambled to pack. She walked to the last row, sighed at a slumped figure, then yanked his head up and shoved a small notebook into his mouth.
“Teacher, what are you doing?” Yan Yi mumbled around the notebook.
“Your mission logbook. You’ll need it for future tasks.” She released him. Yan Yi pulled it out, glanced at it, and tucked it away.
“Oh, thanks, Teacher. I’m *so* touched you remembered to give it to me instead of ignoring me.”
Liette stared. *Touched?* His face showed zero emotion. Sighing, she recalled past students. Though the year wasn’t over, she asked cautiously, “Yan Yi… you didn’t leave me any ‘gifts,’ did you?”
He knew exactly what she meant. “Of course not! Think—have I caused you trouble these three months?” He’d been perfectly behaved, settling into a quiet routine. No surprises meant no chaos.
Liette eyed him skeptically. *Hopefully true.* She ruffled his hair. “Use this break to plan your path. Skip my classes, but find others useful. Don’t waste your talent.” She turned toward the door.
Yan Yi watched her leave, smiled faintly, and stretched. Time to head home.
*“Sigh… three months. I wonder if Uncle and Aunt missed me?”*
He loved his academy uniform. After getting a spare set made, he wore it constantly—now he had almost no luggage. Just as he bolted from the castle gates, two figures blocked him. Luris stood arms akimbo; Interle summoned vines that coiled around Yan Yi’s ankles before he could retreat.
He could’ve snapped the vines easily—but risking a magical blast to the face wasn’t worth it. He gave a half-hearted tug and turned. “Miss Luris, Interle… what do you want?” *No point arguing with these two. Just endure.*
“Carry my luggage,” Luris commanded like an Overlord. Her tone brooked no refusal.
“No. I’m going home.” Yan Yi rolled his eyes, broke the vines, and strode toward the gates.
“I’ll pay you.”
*Hah. Do I look that greedy?* He scoffed inwardly—though he *was* broke. Still, dignity first. “How much?”
Luris hesitated, then asked Interle, “What do your family’s servants earn?”
“Housekeepers earn 1 to 10 gold coins monthly. Skilled fighters get bonuses based on rank.”
Luris nodded. *This’ll hook him.* “One hundred gold coins. Monthly.”
“Deal!” Yan Yi’s reply shot out before she finished speaking. His lazy posture vanished instantly. “Ahem. When do we depart, Miss?” He transformed like a beggar turned nobleman overnight.
Luris clenched her fists. *This mercenary…* “Now. You’re on monthly contract—you’ll work at my house too.”
“No problem. Can I get an advance?” Yan Yi answered instantly, as if she’d asked him Liette’s lecture notes.
Luris narrowed her eyes. *At least he’s reliable with money.* She agreed. “Interle, come stay at my place. It’s been ages.”
“I’ll stop by my home first. I’ll arrive the day after tomorrow.”
After dropping Interle off, Yan Yi followed Luris to her Emerald Apartment room. She handed him a cloth pouch of gold coins—originally meant to prove her honesty, now an advance.
Yan Yi’s eye twitched at her mountain of luggage. *Why can’t you travel light like me?* He now carried only a coin purse. *Rich people really do live differently.*
*“Don’t they have these things at home? Do you need a special teddy bear to sleep?”*
“Hmph! I can’t sleep in unfamiliar places,” Luris snapped, cheeks flushing. “These are necessities!”
*Necessities?* Yan Yi sweated but held his tongue. He strapped the luggage to a cart. At the academy gates, Luris’s elderly butler waited. While she chatted with him, Yan Yi loaded the bags onto a carriage.
“We’ll head to White City first,” Luris called. “There’s a Teleportation Array near my home. We’ll stay overnight and leave at dawn—you meet us at the city gates.” White City, Central City’s satellite, would take them until evening to reach. Most Teleportation Arrays shut down at night for security.
Yan Yi nodded. White City was nearly 50 kilometers from Ink Village—a brisk run for him. He’d only get one night home.
“I’ll be there at dawn. Goodbye, Miss Luris, Mr. Bai.” He sprinted off, keeping a moderate pace until clearing Central City. Then he accelerated, racing straight toward Ink Village.
He leaped through forests, ignoring rugged terrain, arriving near the village in under two hours—breathing steady, face calm.
*“I’m home!”* he wanted to shout at the familiar landscape. But afternoon naps were sacred. *Better not wake the neighbors.* He slipped silently into his house.
Mo Ping and Mo Qing never napped. *How does Aunt Mo Qing stay so youthful?* Mo Ping handled village affairs; Mo Qing simply hated naps.
“I’m back.”
“Little Yi?!” Mo Qing dashed over and launched herself at him.
“Whoa—Aunt, calm down!” Yan Yi caught her, exasperated, as Mo Ping emerged.
“Welcome home.”
“Yeah.” He set Mo Qing down and pointed to his uniform. “I’m officially a Central Magic Academy student. Got my ID too.”
They chatted in the living room until villagers dropped by to greet him. By dusk, Yan Yi finally had peace. As Mo Qing prepared dinner, he handed Mo Ping a coin purse. “Use this for village defenses and improvements.”
Mo Ping froze. “I can’t accept—”
“It’s from extra work. I’m not short on cash.” Yan Yi mentioned leaving at dawn. Before Mo Ping could reply, Mo Qing called from the kitchen:
“So… is that young lady pretty? Bring her home sometime!”
Yan Yi and Mo Ping both facepalmed. *Aunt, please act normal.*
