Chapter 33 Grand Magic Ship

After Lyrian and his parents returned home, they settled into a rather uneventful week. Nothing much happened except for one noteworthy discovery that Lyrian made: using spells didn't actually deplete his mana permanently, or at least that's what he found out.During the affinity test, Lyrian noticed his mana stat decreasing when he cast spells. But to his relief, it gradually restored itself over time, returning to its original level.

Curious to confirm this, he conducted a few experiments using the Enhance spell he learned from the ancient scroll. Each time he tapped into his mana, the stat went down temporarily, only to bounce back to its previous state.

This revelation brought a sigh of relief to Lyrian. Now he knew he didn't have to fret about conserving his spells to save his mana.

A few days later, something interesting arrived in their magical mail.

It was a letter containing an entrance exam ticket to Anaviotis, the renowned academy. The ticket had been anonymously paid for and sent by Theagard. Braakan couldn't help but feel a tinge of pain in his ego when he heard the news that Lyrian passed his affinity test, but he wasn't entirely surprised either.

Having witnessed firsthand Lyrian's magical prowess, Theagard had recognized the young boy's talent. Still, he doubted Lyrian's chances of passing the entrance exam.

The following morning, just a few hours after Lyrian had returned from his nightly cultivation, strong gusts of wind began rattling their house. Oblivious in his deep slumber, Lyrian was suddenly jolted awake by Grasus.

"Hey, Lyrian! The ship's here!" Grasus yelled impatiently, scooping Lyrian off the bed and plunking him on the floor.

Rubbing his eyes and still half-asleep, Lyrian groggily muttered, "What ship?" He yawned, "Let me go back to sleep," as he rolled over and closed his eyes again.

Grasus shot back, his voice exasperated, "What ship? Obviously, the ship for the entrance exam! What other ship would I be talking about?"

Confused but now fully aware of the commotion outside, Lyrian hastily slipped on his shoes, grabbed his bag filled with essentials, and rushed toward the exit.

As he swung open the door, a gust of wind whipped through, tousling his hair and causing his clothes to flutter. In front of his house, an enormous wooden ship hovered in the air, magically sustained by floating paddles on either side.

The ship was colossal, comparable to a massive yacht, around 80 meters in size. Its grand sails gracefully danced in the wind. Lyrian also noticed a crowd gathering outside, astonished by the sudden appearance of this extraordinary vessel.

"Holy cow!" a person exclaimed amidst the blustery winds. "What in the world is this? A magical ship!"

Within seconds of stepping outside, a rope gracefully descended from the ship's top, swaying about 20 feet above the ground.

Lyrian took a moment to scan his surroundings, trying to recall if he had missed anything. Finding nothing amiss, he steeled his resolve and stepped toward the waiting rope.

"Lyrian!" Rosa's voice suddenly rang out from behind him as she held her hair away from her face.

Drufus, standing beside her in the doorway, extended a sheathed sword toward Lyrian. "Take this," he said, his voice filled with pride. "I crafted this obsidian blade to assist you. Use it wisely, and good luck, son."

Gratefully accepting the sword, Lyrian felt a surge of determination. He embraced his parents tightly, their farewell filled with love and a touch of bittersweetness.

"Don't worry, Mother, Father. I won't fail. I have to go now," Lyrian reassured them, his voice brimming with resolve. With steady steps, he headed toward the ship, bidding his final goodbyes.

His determination intensified, knowing that this was the last time he would see his parents for a while and the beginning of his journey beyond the city limits.

"There's no way I'm going to fail this exam," he affirmed within himself with unwavering determination. He sheathed the sword at his waist, slung his bag over his shoulder, and began to climb the rope leading to the ship.

In a mere five seconds, he reached the top, where a mysterious green light enveloped him, working its magic on his entire being. It cleaned his skin, tidied his hair, straightened his clothes, and even boosted his energy a bit. It was a surprising touch, but Lyrian had no complaints.

The aura was a cleansing effect, ensuring that all the students were presentable for the entrance exam.

To the left, Lyrian spotted two flights of stairs leading to the main deck, while to the right, he noticed the ship's head, featuring a magnificent dragon carving. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NøᴠᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

In the center stood tall poles holding the ship's sails, and the rest of the deck was flat, dotted with around a hundred kids his age, scattered about, awaiting the journey ahead.