Beep!

The moment he stepped out of the wooden cabin's door, the scenery around him abruptly changed, reverting once more to a silent narrow path.

Arro looked back, only to see that where he had just emerged, there was nothing but a mural sketched simply in ink. It depicted a twisted jungle, and at its very center stood the little wooden cabin Arro had just seen.

Simple lines, exaggerated artistry, dim and gloomy colors.

It was exactly the same style as the oil painting illustrations in a fairy-tale book.

"Arro, hurry up. The sun is really scorching today."

"Hm?"

Following behind Desi, Arro, who had been pondering carefully, raised his head in confusion.

The sun was bright?

Dazzling sunlight poured into his eyes. Arro gave a muffled groan and hurriedly narrowed them, blinking repeatedly for a while before finally readjusting to the light around him.

Looking at the brand-new street before him, Arro could not help but feel dazed.

So... it was still daytime.

Like students crowding outside a classroom after an exam to compare answers, the students at this street corner had gathered together, exchanging words with one another in excitement and restraint.

"After I went in, I encountered a ghost. But why would I be afraid? If I hadn't remembered that we were choosing an academy, I would have rushed up and beaten it already."

"That's right, that was what I thought too."

"By the way, what was the wizard academy you were in called?"

"A Third-Grade Academy, Wendell Wizard Academy. I wonder if it's any good. What about you?"

"Mm, I got Mount Caren Wizard Academy. I heard it's very far from Raphael City."

"Look, Young Master Arro is out."

"Wasn't that bound to happen sooner or later? How could Young Master Arro possibly fail when choosing an academy?"

Having just arrived, Arro was puzzled when he heard that.

"Fail? Fail at what?"

"After going in, anyone who gets scared out of their wits and keeps running forward has failed at choosing an academy," Desi said with a faint smile, gesturing for Arro to look at the carriages parked by the roadside. "They'll lose their chance to choose an academy, as well as their chance to ride an airship for free. They'll travel by carriage with those students without slips to Wendell Wizard Academy."

"So you could even fail at choosing an academy."

Arro shook his head slightly. The academy's selection process truly was everywhere.

"By the way, Big Brother Desi, why are they going to Wendell Wizard Academy by carriage?"

Arro was not surprised that Wendell Wizard Academy had accepted students without slips.

After all, Grandfather had originally belonged to Wendell Wizard Academy. Since word had spread through him that there were children of suitable age who needed further study, Wendell Wizard Academy was most likely the one that received the news and sent out ships.

But traveling by carriage was a problem.

Desi had just told him that they had only recently arrived on this continent and could easily wander into Anomaly Space. If they traveled by carriage...

"That's right, they're being sent into Anomaly Space."

Desi said with an inscrutable smile, "Don't worry. This time, it's all their own choice. Wendell Wizard Academy will send airships to pick up and drop off those unwilling to come. Only those willing to take a gamble will be allowed to ride the carriages."

Noticing Desi's expression, Arro knew that he had misunderstood again.

Still, it was no wonder. If his mother and Teacher Gemma had not been on that ship, then rushing out to save the other students under those circumstances truly would have been a great deed.

That was why he was truly conflicted—wanting to be mature, yet still prone to hot-blooded impulses.

Fortunately, he had ultimately entered a pretty good academy.

Why bring up the past again? What he should be thinking now was:

The path of a wizard—I'm here!

On an open expanse of level ground, numerous enormous and bizarre vessels stood in neat rows.

As he entered the plaza, Arro inexplicably felt as if he had entered an airport from his previous life. Only, these "planes" looked exceedingly strange—some resembled wooden boats with two enormous oval balloons strapped to either side.

"These are all airships that only Formal Wizards can refine. We'll be riding one soon."

Desi moved through the enormous airships as though he knew the way by heart. Arro also noticed that every airship bore a different insignia, indicating its affiliation.

"Owl House's airship is parked in the third row from the left. You'd better remember the location, so it'll be convenient next time you come."

"Wait," Arro said, turning his head in surprise. "We? Next time?"

"That's right!"

Desi grinned smugly. "You didn't think I came out here by carriage, did you?"

"The academy issues some tasks every day, and many of them need to be done in the Outside World. If we had to ride a carriage every time we went out, we wouldn't get anything done in a year. We'd spend every day riding carriages instead."

Arro nodded thoughtfully.

Desi continued, "It's only here that you need to remember where our academy's airship is. This is Raphael City, and every academy has airships stationed here. At other mission locations, only a few academies usually have airships docked there, so there's no need to specifically remember their locations."

"Alright, we're here. Take out the card you just received and put it on here like I do."

As he spoke, Desi swiped his card over the side of an airship more than ten meters long.

Beep!

Whoosh!

A heavy, solid sound came from behind the door.

"Intermediate Wizard Apprentice Desi, welcome back!"

Looking at the scene before him, Arro's expression turned strange. This... was that not simply swiping a card?

He felt as though he had transmigrated again. They both belonged to Jungle Home, yet the island where his family lived was much like the Middle Ages, while this place already felt almost like his previous life.

How could the gap between eras be so vast?

Noticing Arro's strange expression, Desi asked with a smile, "Scared, weren't you?"

Arro came back to himself and answered casually, "Mm, a little. I've never seen anything like it."

"Do you know what to do?"

Taking out his card, Arro said, "I'll give it a try."

Beep!

Whoosh!

"Arrow Garner, welcome to Owl Wizard Academy!"

Stepping onto the brown footboard, Arro entered the airship and curiously looked at his surroundings.

Several rows of backrests were arranged neatly inside, with a few transparent windows on both sides. It was somewhat similar to the interior of an airplane.

But above the airship was a jointed crossbeam, much like a creature's spinal cord. The other walls around it were also the pale white of bone, and were very likely made from the skeleton of some creature.

And after observing the space inside the airship, Arro arrived at a strange guess.

The airship... had no cockpit?

Whoosh!

After Arro and Desi sat down, the side door closed again, and a heavy voice sounded from the skeletal walls around them.

"Please remain seated, students. The airship is about to take off."

Arro looked around in astonishment.

Could this airship be a living creature?

What kind of structure did it have inside?

How had this thing been made?

Whoosh!

A faint sound rang out. Arro only felt his body sink as the airship swayed slightly, and the scenery outside the windows gradually fell away.

The airship had taken off.