[ Luke's POV, The Royal Capital ]
Having completed the first evaluation and with fresh insights emerging about the criteria for the next evaluation set for a year from now, highlighting its significance in enhancing practical skills, Luke now had a clearer understanding of what his next short-term goal needed to be.
A brief conversation with Amanda suggested that she was currently learning the craft of blacksmithing under an old woman who was once considered an expert and that Cervantez encouraged this arrangement and had asked her to continue down this road, apparently because he already knew about the importance of developing skill before the official announcement was made.
Recollecting his own conversation with the man, Luke felt like Cervantez was prompting him to join an organization to develop his skills too and was leaning towards the 'Royal Academy for Knight's' as the first choice.
Although he did not explicitly say it, Cervantez in his last message to Luke when he asked about the best way to develop skill, explained the benefits of the Academy for knight's and ended the message by saying that it accepted Token of honor as a valid reference.
The fact that the Royal Academy was situated in the capital and that it accepted the 'Token Of Honor' that Luke received in his welcome kit as a valid reference for new enrollment, made Luke strongly believe that Cervantez had deliberately lured him to the capital, with his enrollment into the academy always being his end goal.
As for how Cervantez knew about things that Luke had not even revealed to Leo, like the token of honor in his possession, Luke had no idea, however, he trusted the man enough to follow his schemes without questioning them.
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( Royal Academy For Knights, Registration Office )
The Royal Academy for Knights, established on the outskirts of the capital city, Stronghaven, occupied an expansive patch of land, stretching over several square kilometers.
This prestigious institution boasted extensive facilities, including a spacious dormitory, a well-stocked library, numerous lecture halls, and a canteen. However, its fame primarily stemmed from the vast training halls and battle arenas that it housed.
Aspiring knights from across the empire journeyed to the capital, eager to gain admission to the Knight's Academy.
Securing a place as a squire knight in training was considered a monumental achievement, akin to winning a grand prize, as guilds throughout the empire eagerly awaited to offer lucrative salaries to its graduates.
The academy prided itself on a distinguished roster of alumni, many of whom played pivotal roles in the empire's administration, serving as royal knights or infantry commanders.
This legacy of excellence was the source of pride for the academy's emblem, which commanded immense respect among the common folk.
Annually, the academy saw tens of thousands of applications, yet only a select few were chosen for admission.
The path to enrollment was not easy, except for royals of the Ducal family or higher, for whom entry was assured as all other applicants, including children of counts, were required to pass an entrance examination.
The sole alternative to this rigorous admissions process was the possession of a Token of Honor, a rare accolade bestowed exclusively by 'Master' knights upon individuals they deemed exceptionally talented.
With only 15 active master knights throughout the entire Empire, and their endorsements being exceedingly rare, the Token of Honor in Luke's possession was an extraordinarily precious item, one that money could not buy.
Upon arriving at the academy's entrance office, Luke joined the long queue of applicants who were waiting to secure a date to display their talent and be vetted to the second round of selections.
Because of how popular the academy was, the competition for each entrance seat was so intense that only the finest talents from across the empire ever made it to the academy, as even fairly talented people failed to make it past the second or third round of admissions.
Luke, wasn't too worried about his admission as with the token of honor in his possession it was almost guaranteed that he would be able to enroll, however, what he did worry about was if the NPC would buy his story regarding how he obtained it.
Almost an hour later, Luke finally made it to the entrance office where the officer, a stern-looking individual with an aura of authority, sat behind a large, imposing desk cluttered with papers and scrolls.
As Luke approached, the officer's gaze lifted to meet his, an eyebrow arching inquisitively. "Name and purpose?" the officer inquired in a deep, resonant voice.
Luke cleared his throat, extending the Token of Honor towards the officer, "SkyLion, sir. I'm here to enroll as a squire knight in training, under the endorsement of a Master Knight."
The room seemed to hold its breath as the officer took the token, examining it closely, before looking at the other officers present in the room as he had visible sweat beads forming on his forehead.
"It's real…" he said, as the other officers present in the room gasped collectively as they lost their minds.
Many walked into the entrance office with fake tokens of honor, trying to scam their way into joining, however, a real candidate walking with the actual token of honor was almost like a once in a lifetime event.
"May I inquire as to which distinguished knight gave you this token?" The officer asked as Luke shook his head and said " The owner of this token requested that his name be kept a secret, I'm afraid I won't be able divulge his identity"
The entrance officer felt even more worried when Luke said this, as he temporarily shut shop and rushed to call for his superior from within the academy, requesting for Luke to wait till his senior returned.
Apparently, Luke had grossly underestimated the importance of the token of honor, as what it signified was more than just an enrollment opportunity, as what a token of honor really signified was that a master knight had officially chosen a squire as his disciple!