Arrival at the Royal Capital

Although his strength had reached Title Rank, Li Qi was not yet officially a Title Rank.

This rank was called that because everyone who reached it would receive an official title granted by the state.

Even Wood, though he was an old-established Title Rank, had never received a title from the state.

As for his title on the battlefield, that had been coined by his enemies and did not count.

The same went for Li Qi.

Wolf of Mien was also a name given to him by his enemies and had nothing to do with combat strength.

But Li Qi did not care.

Titles were merely empty fame. What he cared about was his own strength.

Li Qi was certain that before fighting Mad Axe, he had truly possessed only Tactical Rank strength, far from Title Rank.

Yet during this assessment, he had been confirmed to have broken through the limits of Tactical Rank.

It was obviously impossible for his magic power to have improved so greatly in just a few days.

That meant something must have accelerated the growth of Li Qi's strength.

And the only thing Li Qi could think of was the combat technique he had secretly learned from Mad Axe: Magic Entanglement.

Perhaps it was precisely this technique, Magic Entanglement, that had improved the quality of Li Qi's magic power.

Li Qi had also indirectly asked Wood whether he knew of this technique.

But Wood's response was that it seemed to be a secret technique unique to certain knightly families of the Kingdom of Falor.

It was also Li Qi's first time learning that every country used magic power differently, and that different families and nations possessed different techniques for using magic power.

So even those of the same Title Rank could differ in combat strength because of the magic techniques they used.

Take Mad Axe, whom Li Qi had faced.

His Magic Entanglement was extremely troublesome. If it had not been Li Qi, even an old-established Title Rank like Battalion Commander Wood would likely have been caught off guard.

After all, who would have imagined that vital areas not covered by armor could still block an enemy's attacks?

Li Qi felt that if Magic Entanglement were developed to its limits, it might even be able to block bullets.

Of course, that was only a feeling. He would not be foolish enough to test it with firearms.

He talked with Wood for a long time, only leaving and returning to his room late that night.

Now that it was confirmed he had become Title Rank, Li Qi felt much more at ease. At the same time, after confirming that every family had its own magic techniques, Li Qi set himself a small goal.

He would gather as many magic techniques from every family as possible.

If he could combine these different magic techniques, perhaps his overall strength could rise another level.

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, Li Qi and Wood boarded the train bound for the Royal Capital once more.

As the train continued toward the Royal Capital, Li Qi and Wood talked about many more things during the rest of the journey.

He rarely had the opportunity to sit down and talk with such a high-ranking official. Over the past few days on the train, he had made quite an impression on Wood.

Wood also thought highly of Li Qi.

Li Qi understood proper conduct, possessed exceptional talent, and would likely achieve even greater things than Wood in the future. He was worth befriending.

Several days passed in a flash.

The Royal Capital of the Duchy of Uno, Onoé, was now close at hand.

Onoé, the Royal Capital, was the power center of the Duchy of Uno, combining politics, economics, and culture.

This was Li Qi's first time coming here.

He had been born in a remote small town in the Duchy of Uno. Forget the Royal Capital—even larger nearby cities were places he had rarely visited.

Thus, he was filled with curiosity about the place.

The overall style of Onoé resembled an ancient Western European city.

High walls rose on all four sides, while the royal palace stood at the very center. Looking upward from the edge of Onoé, one could vaguely make out the palace's outline.

The train entered from outside, passed through the checkpoint set beneath the high walls, and arrived within the Royal Capital.

As they were about to get off, Wood suddenly said to Li Qi:

"By the way, I forgot to ask. Do you have somewhere to stay in the Royal Capital? Forgive my rudeness, but I recall that you seem to... have no family."

"Yes, but there are dormitories at the school. I heard the officer who transferred me here has also made arrangements for me, so I need not worry about lodging."

"Is that so? I was thinking that if you had nowhere to stay, you could live with me for the time being."

Wood smiled.

Li Qi's gaze shifted, and he quickly waved his hands.

"How could I trouble Captain Sir? This subordinate comes from a poor background. If I stayed with you, Captain, it might invite gossip."

Li Qi was not exaggerating.

This era had not yet fully entered a civilized age, and many old corrupt practices remained.

Upper-class nobles liked young boys and girls. It had long become an unspoken custom. A youth like Li Qi would likely suit the tastes of certain nobles perfectly.

If Li Qi had not received the Unicorn Medal, belonged to the military, and held a Military Rank, he definitely would not have dared come to the Royal Capital alone.

Who knew what those nobles might do to him?

Therefore, if Li Qi followed Wood and stayed with the Coffield Family, people would certainly gossip.

Wood smiled when he heard that.

"Very well. Since that is the case, I will not force you. Oh, one last suggestion: wear the Unicorn Medal while you are at the school. It will save you a great deal of trouble."

"Thank you for the advice. This subordinate will do so."

Li Qi sincerely thanked Wood.

Just then, the train arrived at the station. Their conversation ended, and they disembarked separately.

Compared with the previous stations, there were far more pedestrians on the platform at the Royal Capital station.

And the number of trains had gone from just one to three.

Several rail lines and three trains were neatly arranged within the station, giving it something of the beginnings of civilization.

Li Qi looked toward the other two trains.

One of them was a freight train, with several cars piled high with coal. He did not know where it was being sent.

The other had few cars and bright colors. It did not look like an ordinary train and was probably a noble's private train.

Li Qi inspected it briefly before withdrawing his gaze and walking out of the station side by side with Wood.

The moment they left the station, someone came to receive them.

"Warrant Officer Li Qi Grat!"

A Blonde Youth in a green military uniform and overcoat approached from afar. After arriving before Li Qi, he gave him a military salute.

"By order of Captain Bolent, I have come to escort you to the academy."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Li Qi returned the salute and handed his luggage to the soldier who had come to receive him.

Seeing this, Wood also said to Li Qi:

"Since someone has come for you, I shall be leaving as well. I look forward to seeing you distinguish yourself on the battlefield in the future."

After offering Li Qi one final blessing, Wood left.

Li Qi bade Wood farewell, then followed the soldier responsible for receiving him and took a carriage toward the academy.

Rolex Military Academy.

The highest Military Academy in the Uno Kingdom. Though it had been established for less than ten years, it had indeed produced quite a number of Advanced officers for the Uno Kingdom.

Wood, whom Li Qi knew, had graduated from this Military Academy. That was why he had held the rank of Second Lieutenant as soon as he enlisted, and after displaying a little prowess on the battlefield, he had been promoted to Captain.

In the current era, where magic had weakened and individual martial prowess could no longer determine the outcome of a battlefield, this Military Academy had become the only path for Ordinary People to rise in status.

As long as one graduated from here and became an Advanced officer, one could at the very least obtain a baronet's noble title in the future.

At that moment, two high-ranking military officers were smoking in the principal's office of the academy.

One of them had a white Full Beard, a close-cropped haircut, and rather gloomy eyes. He looked quite old.

The other had short brown hair, burn scars along the left side of his face, and appeared to be in his thirties.

The white-bearded man sat in the principal's chair, smoking a cigar as he read through the documents on the desk.

After a while, he set the documents down.

He asked the scar-faced man before him:

"Tell me, among those enrolling this time, how many do you think will pass the screening?"

The scar-faced man exhaled a ring of smoke, a foxlike smile appearing on his face.

"Three."

"There are ten newcomers permitted to enter the academy this time, and only three meet your standards?"

The bearded man raised his brows as he asked.

The scar-faced man said leisurely:

"After all, most of these ten are useless trash forcibly shoved in by those nobles. Only three have truly caught my eye."

"So you believe that aside from those three, everyone else will be eliminated?"

"Isn't that only natural?"

The scar-faced man's lips curled upward. "How could the trash raised by those backward old fossil nobles compare to the elite who fight and kill on the front lines?"

"You seem to be one of those 'old fossils' yourself..."

"Do not lump me together with those bloodsucking parasites hiding in the rear."

The scar-faced man spoke disdainfully.

The bearded man smiled helplessly at that.

"You have not changed at all, Bolent."

The man called Bolent said nothing.

The bearded man took another puff of his cigar and lowered his head to look at the documents on the desk.

"Very well. Then let us see whether your guess is right."

As he spoke, the bearded man's gaze moved to the gray photograph on the documents.

The person in that photograph.

Was Li Qi.