Mike was carried by the large man for several minutes. The way the man carried Mike was far from comfortable. He was being held with just one hand gripping his clothes, as if he were a handbag, lying on his back with his feet and head dangling down, leaving him in an awkward arched position.

  Because of this position, Mike could only look at the ceiling and walls as he was carried. Even though he was seeing everything upside down, he was certain he had never passed through the corridors they were traversing now. Then again, it wasn’t like Mike had much knowledge of the building to begin with. The purity tests were only conducted in cities, so Mike had to leave his village and travel to the nearest city just to take the test today.

  As the man walked through the building's corridors, Mike continued to stare at the ceilings and walls. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door opening, and a beam of sunlight hit his face, signaling that they had exited the building and were now outdoors. Mike’s first reaction was to shut his eyes to avoid the direct sunlight, but the moment he closed them, he regretted it.

  Mike felt the man’s grip loosen, and suddenly, he was being hurled through the air. Opening his eyes in panic, unsure why on earth he had been thrown, Mike braced for the worst. However, when he landed, he was pleasantly surprised. He had been tossed onto a very comfortable cushioned seat. Looking around, he realized he was in an enclosed space with windows and another black seat similar to the one he was on.

  Seated on that other seat was a middle-aged woman with purple hair, a hideous face, and a large wart on her nose. She stared at him with an indifferent gaze, but all Mike could focus on was the silver flame-shaped brooch on her chest.

  “Professor, this is one of the successful candidates. His name is Mike, and he has no surname.” The large man who had carried Mike walked in through the same door he had thrown Mike from and spoke respectfully to the purple-haired woman. The large man sat down beside Mike, facing the woman, but she remained silent even after he introduced Mike. Mike, too, said nothing, sitting quietly. After hearing the large man address the ugly woman as "Professor" Mike instinctively knew it wouldn’t be wise to anger her.

  The woman stayed silent for a moment before knocking on the wall behind her. “Let’s go.” Mike found her action strange, as he didn’t understand why she was talking to a wall. However, he quickly realized she wasn’t just some crazy person.

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  Mike felt the place they were in begin to move, and when he glanced out of the window beside him, he saw that they were lifting off the ground. Panicking, he moved closer to the window and looked down, only to see they were already several meters in the air. Below, he could spot the large building where he had taken the purity test and a line of identical black vehicles Mike had never seen before.

  “Are those magical cars?” The thought crossed Mike’s mind as he stared at the lined-up black vehicles. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he asked the large man sitting beside him.

  “Yes, those are the royal academy’s magical cars. In fact, you’re in one right now.” The large man responded politely, which surprised Mike. However, at that moment, Mike was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was inside a flying object.

  Mike had never seen a magical car before but had heard of them. Magical cars were flying vehicles powered by mana, allowing them to move much faster than traditional vehicles. As Mike marveled at being inside a magical car, a realization struck him.

  “Wait, I haven’t told my family that I passed the test!” Mike exclaimed anxiously, turning to face the large man. He didn’t know where this magical car was taking him, but he was certain it wasn’t back to his parents’ house. His parents were likely very worried about him, as he had left his village alone to take the test in the city. He wanted to let them know he was okay.

  “The academy will send a letter to your parents informing them that you passed the purity test. If you pass the final test and are admitted, another letter will be sent notifying them of your admission. I’m sorry, but you won’t have any other means of contacting your family until you either become an elite or fail the tests and return home.” The large man explained calmly.

  Mike listened silently. He sat back down, the excitement of being inside a magical car replaced by a bitter feeling in his chest. Clenching his fists tightly, Mike recalled the letter his parents had received, notifying them of his older brother’s admission to the royal academy. It had been three years since then, but that letter was the last news his family had received about his brother. This was one of the main reasons Mike wanted to become an elite, he wanted to find his older brother.

  “Sir, if I die while I’m a student at the royal academy… would my parents be notified?” Mike asked politely, his tone serious, though the emotion in his voice was evident. The large man, unaware of Mike’s older brother, assumed the boy was simply worried about his parents. If you die or disappear during the admission tests or after being accepted as