Chapter 82: Make it double (1/2)
”Here, we have the main study hall. As long as your problems are of the usual nature, this is the place you will go to seek advice.” Pointing her hand at a spacious building in the middle of an otherwise low-rise area, the guide smiled. Appearing to be in her middle twenties, her brown skin coated with insanely white hair made her truly a marvel to look at.
'I guess they changed the strategy, huh?' Smiling to his own thoughts, Layn ignored the building the girl was presenting just like he did with the entirety of this trip. 'After all, we are here to show ourselves to everyone else, not to learn about the layout of this place.'
Satisfied with the current course of the events, Layn decided to focus on something far more important and urgent. Holding up Irea's hand, they were actually supposed to enjoy this trip before going for a meal and then a romantic date somewhere in the meadows!
”Junior, I don't think you are appreciating the wonders of the academy at all.” Suddenly attacking, the guide pressed on with her brightest smile. What she didn't know though, was that the intensity behind this expression killed all of the cuteness that would show otherwise.
”Oh, don't mind me, senior. I'm not going to stay in this place for long, so I just can't feel the need to learn all this stuff.” Putting on not an arrogant, but sheepish smile, Layn refused to act in line with what he just said. ”You see, the one thing that I regretfully remember is one of my friends claiming that the world isn't actually flat, but round!” Suddenly striking a pose, Layn covered his face with his hand. ”Can you believe it? For me to remember that such a question even exists… I would much rather learn more about local wines or good places to eat!”
Playing the role of a slightly dumb, happy-go-lucky persona, Layn perfectly enjoyed himself. With the added sugar of Irea constantly losing it from laughter and desperately attempting to hide it, the guide quickly turned into another type of leisure.
”You little…” Muttering through her clenched jaws, even their guide was slowly losing her patience. ”That's why I hate normies…” Adding yet another unexpected comment, the girl turned around, allowing her long, white hair to flutter on the wind. And smack both Layn's and Irea's faces by 'accident'.
Despite all the fun they had, the guide continued. From the main teaching hall, through the common quarters for the disciples, villa plaza where elders and more prominent teachers lived…
'I wonder…' There was one thing that was obviously wrong with this place. Something so obvious and so out in the open, that Layn actually had to take his time to notice it. 'This place is way bigger than it should be…'
The location of the academy was in a fortress atop a small hill. According to Irea's lecture, only later the growing city swallowed the outpost, filling the gaps between the old town and the vanguard fortress. But while outer academy was fitting that space perfectly…
Just where did the space for all those massive buildings come from?
'Teleportation? No, that's super hard even for the modern magic…' Pondering over this topic for the greater part of their trip, Layn occasionally even lost awareness of Irea snuggling up to his side. On the other side, while some signs of anxiety occasionally appeared on the girl's face, she appeared to grow used to Layn's antics.
'A condensed space? That's possible even with their level of knowledge but still…' Puzzled by this problem, Layn continued to look around with curiosity. Beside him, the blonde guide took it for a good sign. As a result, rather than keeping up the slightly hostile nature from before, her instructions and lectures turned a bit more inspired and engaging.
In the end, Layn could only give up on trying to figure out the answer to his problem. Without proper samples, testing, and discovery learning, he would be unable to determine the variables of this space. As such, even if he could somehow prove that this indeed was abnormal space, not knowing what kind would make the entire scientific endeavor completely useless.
”And here you have the market. Most of the goods that our fellow disciples and teachers obtain will circulate through this place. What's more,” for the first time since the trip started, a true passion appeared in the eyes of the blonde, as she turned her hand towards the open area covered with primitive rain shields, ”once in a while, a treasure from the core sect will make its way here, granting great opportunities for anyone lucky enough to obtain one!”
Just from the way in which the girl explained the possible event one could clearly tell how big this matter was. Even if only for the disciples of the inner sect, the fact that some goods circulated from the core academy to its inner division managed to score a few points for this place in Layn's mind.
”Oh, I believe this group is here to talk with you…” Suddenly, the voice of the guide changed. Clearly unhappy about the development, she pointed her hand towards the approaching group, 'accidentally' standing in the position where the entire side of her body was fully exposed. With her robe consisting of two straight patches of cloth bound by several straps on her side, not a hip nor a side of her chest escaped Layn's attention.