GameDev Reincarnated into His Own Creation

Vol 2 - Chapter 17.1 - Class::Quarter

Hileya clutched the dagger more securely, a determined expression crossing her features. "Thank you both. I'll try my best to meet your expectations."

The stagecoach slowed at a major crossroad where several well-kept paths met. Vel's focus shifted from the conversation inside to the landscape outside. A wooden signpost at the intersection showed carved directions—one arm pointed back to Everfront, another toward Lona, with others indicating smaller settlements.

After they passed the crossroad, the transformation was immediate and striking. The previously empty road suddenly teemed with life.

"Look at that," Vel remarked, nodding toward the window.

The road gradually packed with traffic heading toward the capital. Ornate coaches dominated the center lanes, their painted crests catching sunlight as matched horses pulled them forward.

Simple wooden carts hugged the roadside, drawn by lone horses and loaded with household goods. Between them, groups of travelers trudged on foot, faces showing both determination and exhaustion.

Mounted riders wove through the slower traffic, while heavily laden donkey carts crawled along the very edge of the road.

Hileya leaned toward the window, her eyes widening. "There are so many people."

Mora nodded. "Academy season. The entrance exams attract hopefuls from across the region. Some will apply for scholarships like you two, others pay their way, but they all converge on Lona this time of year."

Vel observed the travelers intently. Many were his age or slightly older—teenagers with parents or guardians, their faces displaying both anticipation and anxiety. Some carried books or scrolls, studying as they walked, while others practiced simplified casting gestures.

"Those are applicants too, aren't they?" Vel asked, pointing to a group of three youths walking together, each carrying identical leather satchels.

"Most likely," Mora confirmed. "The competition gets fiercer every year."

Celia's expression tightened. "I didn't realize there would be so many."

"I suppose," Vel said, offering her a reassuring smile. "We've been preparing for years. Hopefully it was enough."

The forest thinned ahead, and through the gaps between ancient oaks, Vel caught his first glimpse of Lona's imposing walls.

The massive stone fortifications dwarfed anything he'd seen before—even Elnor's defenses looked like a child's toy in comparison. The walls stretched endlessly in both directions, their weathered gray surface rising toward the sky like a man-made mountain range.

Guards moved along the battlements in small clusters, their silhouettes barely visible from this distance. Beyond the outer wall, Vel could make out the layered structure of the capital itself—rings of districts ascending toward the center like terraced steps.

At the heart of it all, the royal palace dominated the highest ground. Most of the structure remained hidden behind inner walls and distance, but Vel recognized the distinctive spires and golden domes from memory.

A strange sensation washed over him—part nostalgia, part loss. Giri had walked those very halls during development, testing every room, every corridor, every secret passage. He'd placed each piece of furniture, designed every architectural detail with meticulous care.

Now those same halls were forbidden territory. The palace belonged to King Korivan Garnos the Seventh, not to the man who had created it.

"The Academy should be in the second ring," Vel murmured, more to himself than to his companions. "Where the noble families and major businesses operate."