Chapter 110: New Trainees and Relaxation

The rest of the journey was straightforward. The four of them were once again escorted back to the academy by a small spacecraft. Upon arrival, Mentor Otto handed Leia over to Alice and then departed.

The two girls chatted animatedly the entire way, their voices a constant stream of lively chatter. Rando even overheard them planning an excursion together to explore an intriguing world. When he casually suggested that he wouldn’t mind joining them, it was no surprise that they politely declined.

Watching the two girls wave goodbye and walk away arm in arm, Rando shrugged helplessly. At that moment, only a hearty meal could soothe the emptiness in his heart.

As he strolled leisurely through the academy grounds, Rando noticed something peculiar: the campus seemed livelier than before. Many students were walking in groups, a stark contrast to when he first arrived, when the place felt deserted except for the occasional public lecture or mission hall gathering.

Rando rubbed his head, sensing that he had missed some important news.

Entering the dining hall, though it wasn’t mealtime, he found the place already bustling with people.

From a distance, he spotted Old Moore. Before Rando could call out, he saw the elder seated at a table chatting with a young boy. It seemed that the spread of food before them was prepared by Old Moore himself, which made Rando smirk.

Approaching, he teased, “Hey, Old Moore, am I no longer your favorite kid?”

Old Moore glanced at him up and down and replied with a grin, “Well, if it isn’t Lord Rando himself! I heard you made quite a splash in the Crystal World, snagging all the glory for yourself!”

Rando was startled. “Whoa, news travels fast? I just got back!”

“Heh, that story has been all over the new school already. Impressive, kid!”

“Ah, it was nothing—just lucky to have good company! Haha!”

The truth was, as long as Rando didn’t feel awkward, everyone else did.

“I’ve noticed the academy’s gotten much livelier. What’s going on?” Rando asked.

Old Moore gave him a look of disbelief, as if he’d lost his mind. “You don’t know about the new student enrollment at Silver Tower Academy?”

“New students?!” Rando truly had no idea. Scratching his head, he said, “I was sort of ‘fast-tracked’ when I enrolled. Who would know about this?”

Old Moore was momentarily speechless; it seemed that during their time apart, Rando’s knack for bragging had grown considerably.

Feeling victorious once more, Rando turned to the young boy who had already stopped eating politely and said, “You must be my junior, right? I’m Rando.”

The boy immediately saluted, “Hello, Senior Rando. I’m Seth Kane, from the world of Lefredrikson. I belong to the Sea of Trees Elf tribe. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“Elf?” Rando studied Seth, who was fair and handsome with vibrant green hair and eyes, but lacked the pointed ears typical of elves in Rando’s understanding.

Noticing Rando’s gaze, Seth explained, “Our Sea of Trees Elves are quite different from the elves you know. Though we share a philosophy of harmony with nature, we emphasize the balance between development and preservation. Most of our tribe are natural magic users or druids, not archers leaping through forests. And, by the way, we love eating meat.”

Rando nodded in understanding. Seth seemed used to explaining this, speaking with practiced ease, though Rando himself wasn’t particularly interested.

“Old Moore, I brought you some good stuff from the Crystal World this time,” Rando said, rubbing his hands as he handed over a bracelet.

“For me?!” Old Moore scoffed but promptly accepted the bracelet. He examined the colorful ‘ingredients’ inside and nodded with satisfaction. The Crystal World, opening only every few centuries, was the source of rare delicacies. Many had tried to capture crystal creatures for breeding, but these beings weakened quickly outside their realm, and their offspring lost all crystal traits, rendering them worthless.

“I’m starving!” Rando called out as Old Moore took the bracelet.

“I knew no good would come of you showing up!” Old Moore grumbled while rising to prepare food in the kitchen.

“Heh heh!”

Rando and Seth soon fell into conversation. He noticed that Seth spoke with a formal tone, and he wondered how the boy had gotten on so well with Old Moore, who only personally cooked for those he liked. Most others were barely acknowledged.

Apparently, academy teachers generally got along with Old Moore well.

Through Seth’s descriptions, Rando learned more about Lefredrikson: it was a world where land covered over sixty percent of the globe, and more than eighty percent of that land was covered in plants and trees. Even extreme environments hosted special plants cultivated by the Sea of Trees Elves.

The tribe possessed a natural affinity for nature. A rare few were even born able to manipulate plants. Many were natural mages and druids. Seth himself was exceptionally gifted, which earned him a recommendation to study at Silver Tower Academy.

Listening to Seth, Rando thought his junior’s talents might be better suited to the Biopark, but he kept that to himself—after all, one shouldn’t speak too quickly when still getting acquainted, nor push one’s own prodigies elsewhere.

After some idle chat, Old Moore brought out several large platters, half piled with roasted meats, alongside stews and thick soups. Rando’s eyes lit up; compared to Old Moore’s cooking, his own efforts paled.

Inviting Seth to join them, Rando began to feast heartily. Old Moore didn’t hold back either, digging in at once. Seth, a bit shy, hesitated at first but soon ate well under Rando’s encouragement.

After the meal, Rando felt refreshed and uplifted. A good sleep awaited him, followed by a new wave of research. The discoveries from the Crystal World had sparked many fresh ideas, promising to elevate his abilities in all areas once fully digested.

Before leaving, Seth sincerely invited Rando to visit his world someday, promising to treat him to their local specialties.

Old Moore also admitted the meal had been prepared a bit hastily and vowed to study the Crystal World’s recipes further, so next time Rando could enjoy an even more delicious feast.

Rando smiled and agreed to all, anticipating what tomorrow would bring.