Well, burning the house might not have been the best idea. It had been few hours since he reached the city but well, there were rules and it appeared that not everyone could enter.
The guards had ultimately denied him the chance to enter. He had ended up setting up camp right outside the gates at the wall.
The guards wore a familiar uniform and it was obvious to tell that they were academy students.
Lyren had tried to negotiate saying that he had an appointment with Lady Sera but the guards had laughed at him so hard.
"So, you want to tell us that you know Lady Sera?" One of the guys asked and his lips were sealed tightly or else he appeared he would laugh his ass out.
"Yes." Lyren had said with finality but who could have thought that his words were going to be the trigger for their laughter. It was not an exaggeration that one guy had fallen on the ground in his laughter.
Another one was clutching in his stomach with his back bent forward. Every time they looked at him and his serious face, they would only end up laughing harder.
The guy who was clutching his stomach pointed at Lyren and their laughter broke out once again.
Well, their reason for laughing was simple and Lyren was just about to find out why.
"Who doesn't know about Lady Sera. Even a commoner like you might have seen her yet you want us to believe you know her? We also do know her by the way."
The guy on the floor managed to speak and when he finished talking, they broke out into another fit of laughter.
It was obvious that they all knew her and it was a surprise and also ridiculous that someone would come here and say he wanted to enter the gates because they knew her.
If that was possible then everyone could enter the gates. It was even more ridiculous that a commoner like him really thought that he stood a chance to have an appointment.
They, who had been in the academy longer than her, barely saw her and yet a commoner was here for an appointment. If that was not funny, then the whole world had lost its sense of humor.
They slowly regained their composure and stood up after fully suppressing their laughter.
"Listen kid, not everyone is eligible to enter the city and for a commoner like you, it is not even possible. This city does not have anything that you can afford. I advise that you leave. Or you can just stay here and wait until Lady Sera comes out and you can go have an appointment with her."
The guy who had been rolling in his laughter said for the time showing they were serious.
"Its not like we are hating on you but even if we were to let you in, it would cause you more harm. The cultivators in there will ostracize you and they won't buy or sell anything to you. Just stop wasting your time here," the other guy said.
"I am here to join the academy."
Now Lyren had fully done it. They broke into another fit and Lyren felt like giving up. These guys were hopeless.
"You? The academy?"
"Enough with your bullshit. I would have even considered letting you in if you said that you are here to be a comedian but you…"
The two guys walked towards Lyren and took him by his hands and they dragged him away and they left him fifty meter away from the gate then they returned to their position.
Lyren was speechless. He had come this far only for him to be labeled as a comedian. Was it funny that he wanted to join the academy?
He did not quite get it but if the Lady Sera knew that there were rules that stopped commoner from entering, then she had gotten him for real this time. This was what happened when you underestimate a woman.
Lyren walked back and that was where he had set camp a few meters away from the gate.
This was a drag.
If he wanted to enter, he had to reveal he was a cultivator but that would be too soon from his view. He could also not reveal his identity or he would void his deal with Sera.
Why did everything have to be so complicated? He sighed as he closed his eyes and went on to study the creation scroll.
If bad came to worse, he was going to reveal his cultivation.
***
Lyren closed the scroll immediately. If he did not enter soon, he was going to have to spend the night out there. If he entered too late and he missed the chance to look for Sera, he was also going to sleep in the streets.
Maybe he should have sold the house instead. After all, he had no money with him and his future lay in the hands of a sly fox who was not going to let him have an easy time.
He stood up and started walking towards the gates and when the two guys saw him, they wore grins as they waited for him. Just how persistent was this kid going to be.
Well, guarding the gates was so boring and having persistent brats like him usually made things more fun. They folded their hands on their chests as they waited.
"So only cultivators are allowed into the city, right?" Lyren asked and the guys were caught off guard as they looked at each other and they were preparing to hold back their laughter once again. "Then if I can cultivate, I will enter right?"
"Yes. But if you fail just make sure that you leave and don't bother us again. Are you still going to try?"
"Yes. But the stakes are clearly unfair. You lose nothing whether I enter or fail but my whole future is on the line here. What do you think we place a bet first?" Lyren asked and the guys' eyes widened as they broke into a fit of laughter.
"You? Bet? Okay, we are going to stake 100 silver coins each but if you fail, you will have to undress and jump a hundred times shouting that you shit yourself," one guy said and the other agreed.
This was going to be more fun. The kid had just fallen into their trap.
Q
"Okay, I agree to your terms but you must show me the coins first." Lyren was not going to play their game and he had to make sure that he had his leverage. He could not make a blind bet even he knew he was going to win.
"Acting smart huh? Okay here it is."
The guy who had been rolling said as he removed a pouch from his chest and dropped it on Lyren's feet. The other guy did the same and Lyren could not contain his happiness.
He must have encountered the most foolish human beings in the world. They were both in the sixth stage and he was sure that they were not going to try to take the deal back if he revealed his cultivation. This was a fair deal.
Lyren bent as he picked the two pouches and poured all the coins on the ground as he started counting them one by one.
The two guys wore amused smiles because the kid was just buying time before he undressed and made their day.
They were patient and even if it felt like forever, the kid finally finished counting and he stood up holding both pouches in his right hand.
"I can't thank the two of you enough for your hospitality..." Lyren said as he looked at the two each in the eyes before he kept the two pouches in his chest under their shocked gazes.
Could it be that he wanted to run away?