Don't confiscate my identity as a human race

The morning in the capital of Hutton, Lanci got up early and came to Ichrite Academy alone.

He walked past the station at the school entrance, saw the golden light rise from the east, illuminating the entire campus, and couldn’t help but feel a hint of refreshment and vitality.

Three days had passed since the end of the entrance examination.

Today, Lanci was about to start his journey on campus.

According to what Teacher Teresa told him, he would first go to the Magic Engineering College to exchange his student bracelet, and then he could move into the academy.

During this time, Lanci and Talia were both staying in a hotel not far from the academy. Talia’s room was next door to his, and she would follow him whenever he left the hotel.

Lanci had already informed Talia that once he could move into the very safe Ichrite Academy, Talia no longer needed to protect him in this way.

The salary would stay the same.

She would only be bothered when Lanci had a question to ask her.

Thus, the present Talia was almost reborn with newfound freedom.

No longer needed to act as Lanci’s bodyguard every day.

She even got a fake identity from the Welfort family.

As long as she doesn’t draw attention to herself or register with major associations, she would hardly be discovered.

In just few months, Talia had left her life of destitution and could even enjoy a leisurely life in Capital City Ekrite every day with a generous pension.

When Lanci and Talia were having breakfast together this morning, Talia was a bit dazed.

Like she had retired.

However, seeing that Talia’s life had improved, Lanci also felt very relieved.

Supporting his ageing master was his duty of filial piety.

"Speaking of... every time I think about her age issue, it seems like she would give me a glance... is it just my imagination..."

While walking on the main road of the campus, Lanci muttered to himself.

Although the upgrade of his innate lie-detection magic might evolve towards mind reading.

Talia probably still far from reaching the threshold of the innate magic for mind reading.

Because according to everything Lanci knew, even in the timeline two years later, Talia had not acquired any mind reading abilities.

"In other words, there’s nothing to worry about. The age issue is not a big deal, she probably wouldn’t mind too much."

Lanci gave a relieved smile and continued to walk towards the old literature building of the Magic Engineering College.

The plants on both sides were bathed in morning fog and sunlight, giving off a fresh fragrance. There were many flowers on the roadside whose names Lanci didn’t know - some were bright, some were elegant, and some were grotesquely shaped.

Accompanied by the singing of birds, the buzzing of bees, and the gurgling sound of water, he gradually walked from the end of the road into a soft lawn full of flowers. According to the road sign, all of these buildings were built in the garden.

A few minutes of walking later.

Lanci finally found the typical Gothic Revival building located on the edge of the Magic Engineering College. The old red brick exterior was embedded with statues and bas-reliefs, which was one of the landmarks of the campus---the old literature building of the Magic Engineering College.

This historic building used to be the workshop where magic artisans sparked their brilliant ideas. It was renovated and maintained several decades ago and began to provide technical services from the Magic Engineering College to students from other faculties who needed help.

Lanci looked around and didn’t see many students.

It seemed that those who would come here in these few days were basically new first-year students.

It was still very early, even the doors of the old literature building hadn’t opened yet.

"Ah... I came too early... I forgot that people here work from nine to five. They don’t start a minute early or end a second late."

Lanci said regretfully.

He thought of how the hesitant work habits of the people of Ichrite didn’t align with his.

Many shops closed at five, ending business promptly to wrap their day, let alone the service departments in the school.

So, Lanci had no choice but to stand on the lawn, idly clasping his hands, waiting for the staff from Magic Engineering College to start their workday.

He rationalized it as getting a chance to experience the leisure modern folks should possess. Sometimes, wasting time could also be a form of bliss.

"Actually, it’s not bad to consider it as seeking inspiration..."

Lanci looked up, appreciating the artful and historic architecture in front of him. The smells of flowers, grass and the earth, along with the moist air made him feel as if he was embraced by the garden. He was quite content.

At the top of the Old Literature building was a tall tower with the sculpted emblem of Ichrite Academy embedded in it.

The base of the emblem was a silver shield symbolizing the solidity and conviction of the Hutton Kingdom. At the center of the shield was the Statue of the Goddess of Destiny holding a laurel wreath surrounded by the Cross Holy Radiance. The backdrop was the Southern Cross Constellation, symbolizing the geographic location of the Ichrite Academy on the southern continent.

The white banner at the top of the emblem was inscribed with a powerful ancient magic text meaning, "We shall grow from the reverence of future generations."

Gazing at it, Lanci felt his heart stir as if the last shreds of morning drowsiness had finally been driven away.

Unknowingly, he was drawn in by the emblem. Little did he know, several minutes had already passed.

"This sculpture must be a masterpiece by a master sculptor from years ago…"

Lanci muttered to himself as he stood motionless on the lawn, his eyes fixated on the emblem.

"Indeed, it was made by the magic artisan Jera Zelt, who graduated from Ichrite Academy two hundred years ago. If you look closely, you’ll find many of his works within the academy."

The familiar voice from behind interrupted Lanci’s musing.

As if roused from a dream, Lanci looked back to see a blonde-haired girl standing in the middle of the garden.

He remembered her. She was Princess Vivian, whom he’d encountered earlier at the examination site. She and his teammate Hyperion didn’t have a great relationship.

Lanci didn’t expect to see the princess here so early. However, he noticed that her arrival quickly brought the staff of the Magic Engineering College to open the Old Literature Building for business.

It seemed like the power of personal relationships played a significant role no matter where you were.

"Princess Vivian, I’m sorry I didn’t see you arrive. I was quite engrossed," Lanci greeted the princess, who had also been waiting, with a slight smile.

"…"

Vivian hesitated slightly.

She hadn’t planned to talk to Lanci at first.

From her previous experiences, she found Lanci’s personality somewhat tricky to manage.

Although he was excessively friendly and a bit naïve, this man was insightful.

"What do you think is the difference between this sculpted emblem and mass-produced ones?"

Vivian didn’t engage in small talk but looked at the sculpted school emblem at the top of the Old Literature Building and asked Lanci.

After two encounters, Vivian was confident that this commoner named Lanci Welfort had no sense of awe and distance that ordinary people held towards nobles. He seemed more like a traveler from a land without noble culture.

But Vivian didn’t mind.

Lanci was indeed a person full of potential and had a clear background in their country.

What she wanted to do at the moment was to talk to Lanci about this ancient masterpiece on the tower.

Lanci always had a unique demeanor of a poet, painter, and artisan, which came naturally to him and was impossible to imitate.

It was rare to meet a peer who could potentially discuss art with her.

Vivian decided to seize this opportunity to find out more about him.