The next morning, after completing his preparations, Anvis boarded a vehicle for Carlras City, accompanied by the Duke and the others.
The vast square before the City Lord's Mansion served as the gathering point for new students from the various academies. Young men and women whose talents had reached a certain standard would board Floating Vehicles here and depart for their respective academies.
Among them, the small handful with the greatest talent belonged to Royal Pamir Academy. Those slightly less gifted would be taken in by academies established by the Four Great Families.
Only the remaining majority, those passed over by the others, could then be fought over by the other academies.
This was the unalterable framework Emperor Gloria had established when she founded the nation—
Issued alongside this decree was a strict requirement that the direct descendants of the Four Great Families and other great nobles had to enroll at Royal Pamir Academy upon reaching a certain age.
It was a measure of both favor and intimidation, essentially hostages in another form.
To prevent a backlash from the nobles, the Emperor also promised that in Pamir, they would receive the finest resources in the entire empire and have the opportunity to study Secret Arts exclusive to the Royal Family. That way, everyone could save face.
Of course, as the empire's circumstances changed over thousands of years, the implication of hostages had long since vanished into history. Yet this rule remained, preserved as a symbol of the provinces' submission to the Royal Family.
Thanks to this rule, Royal Pamir Academy had practically become the birthplace of the empire's upper class.
Other minor and middle-ranking nobles racked their brains just to send their descendants to Pamir, hoping to gain an opportunity to enter that circle.
Emperor Gloria was a truly legendary