The long carriage caravan stopped at the entrance of Chaos Academy. Arthur jumped down from the carriage, leaving his long sword at his waist, and strode to the school gate. He solemnly said, "I am Arthur, servant of Lord Crassus. I request to lead the caravan into Chaos Academy."
"What are those carriages carrying?" Antoine stepped forward, glanced at the long caravan behind him, and asked Arthur earnestly. Arnold also stepped forward, looking at the caravan with some curiosity.
Arthur had been driving Crassus to the academy everyday for a while, so they naturally knew each other. However, it was still necessary to question him before letting so many wagons loaded with goods into Chaos Academy, as that was the school's rule.
"The items carried in the carriages belong to Lord Crassus. The first ten carriages contain gold, silver, and dragon coins, while the last five contain magical items. You may open the chests and inspect them." Arthur said, standing ramrod straight and looking at the two men.
"Ten carriages of gold coins!" Antoine and Arnold exclaimed simultaneously, staring incredulously at the chests filling the carriages. They were all filled with coins! These were all large carriages, if unloaded, they could fill a large room.
"Since they belong to Lord Crassus, there's no need to inspect them. The principal's office has given permission for them to enter the academy directly. However, you must keep a close watch on the carriages to prevent them from bumping into students." Antoine said, shaking his head. He didn't continue questioning, stepping aside and turning his gaze to the dozen or so carriages following behind the wagons. He then asked, "And who are those people?"
"These people who came all the way from Luo Du are not Lord Crassus's guests, they're probably here to cause trouble for your Chaos Academy." Arthur said with a smile, glancing back at the carriages before directing the convoy toward the academy.
"Causing trouble?" Antoine and Arnold both looked puzzled. As the convoy slowly moved forward, their gazes fell on the small tower emblems on the carriages, and they both frowned, saying, "Mage Tower!"
"These people are up to no good. It seems the troublemakers from the Mage Tower have returned again this year." The old man's expression was somewhat grave, but he didn't show any panic. He reached out to stop the carriage behind and said sternly, "Stop the carriage! This is Chaos Academy. Who are you? Outsiders are strictly prohibited from entering during class time!"
"We have been dispatched by the Los Empire's Mage Tower and the Imperial Advanced Academy to Chaos City for academic exchange with Chaos Academy. This is an exchange letter bearing the seal of the Los Empire's Ministry of Education. Please report it to Chaos Academy." A middle-aged man dressed in Los Empire official robes stepped down from the second carriage and handed Antoine a purple gold invitation card.
"This is Chaos Academy?" The first carriage was also opened, and George looked around curiously at the somewhat dilapidated school gate not far away. He said with some disappointment, "It looks too run-down. I originally thought that it was good because it could be on par with Imperial Advanced Academy, but now it seems that the school gate alone is many times worse than Imperial Advanced Academy."
"A school built specifically for poor children, what kind of high-class school can you expect? Even half-races can enroll. The thought of sitting with lowly half-races... even if they begged me to go, I absolutely wouldn't go." Hank lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out, glancing disdainfully at the Chaos Academy's gate before looking down at Antoine. "Hey old man, are you blind? You dare stop a mage tower carriage? Aren't you afraid you'll lose your position as a gatekeeper?"
Just as Antoine was about to accept the invitation, he looked up at Hank and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "This is the rule of Chaos Academy. Whether it is the Mage Tower or the Imperial Advanced Academy, they are treated equally. If I hadn't stopped you, I would have been worried that I wouldn't even be qualified to be a gatekeeper, because Chaos Academy wouldn't want a guy who doesn't even have the guts to be a gatekeeper."
"You ungrateful wretch! How dare you speak to me like that? Do you know who I am? How dare you speak to a level four mage like that? Aren't you afraid of death?" Hank said angrily, his right hand flashing with green magical light.
"Fighting and the use of offensive magic are strictly prohibited within 500 meters of Chaos Academy. This is a rule of Chaos Academy." Antoine said calmly, glancing at the magic in Hank's hand.
Arnold, standing beside him, showed no sign of panic either, but his expression toward those guys was rather unfriendly. The Los Empire would send people to Chaos Academy every year to stir up all sorts of trouble, especially these guys who came from the Mage Tower, who were all arrogant and haughty.
"You!" Hank raised his hand, about to unleash the spell he was holding. As one of the most valued prodigies of the mage tower, he had never been looked down upon like this by a gatekeeper.
"Alright, Hank, remember who you are and where you are." Just then, a voice came from the second carriage, and a middle-aged mage lifted the curtain and gave Hank a rather stern look.
"Yes, Master Uncle." Although Hank was unwilling, but he hesitated for a moment after looking at the middle-aged mage, then withdrew the spell from his hand. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he thought to himself, "Albert, just a mere level seven mage. Give me some more time, and I will definitely surpass you!"
George glanced at Albert, then remained silent.
"Please inform Principal Norvan that Albert, a mage from the Los Empire's Mage Tower, has come today with his younger disciples to challenge the Chaos Academy's Magic Academy. We hope the Principal will grant these young people an opportunity to gain experience and exchange ideas." Albert stepped out of the carriage and looked at Antoine with a serious expression.
"Alright, please wait here. I will convey your invitation and message to the principal's office. Whether you are allowed to enter Chaos Academy requires the principal's approval." Antoine took the invitation and said with the same serious expression, then turned and walked into the academy.
Arnold stood at the school gate, watching the group warily, showing no intention of letting them pass.
"Master Uncle Albert, we came with the King's permission and represent the Mage Tower. Why do we need to announce our arrival even to enter the gates of Chaos Academy?" George asked Albert, somewhat puzzled.
"George, don't underestimate Chaos Academy. Strength and appearance are not necessarily related. You must not be careless in this challenge. Remember, in the past fifty years, the number of mages who have graduated from Chaos Academy is second only to our Mage Tower." Albert said earnestly, looking at George.
"Is that so?" George nodded thoughtfully.
"Just a bunch of frogs in a well." Hank said dismissively, his lips curled in disdain.
Albert glanced at Hank but said nothing more, simply gazing towards the entrance of Chaos Academy.