ShareThe symbol of Asterisk resembles a hexagram, with the six academies—including Livermorny Academy—positioned at the six corners.
Upon leaving the academy and walking along the main street, one enters the city district.
The city is mainly divided into the outer residential area and the central district. The outer residential area features a light rail loop line, connecting the port area with the residential zones on the outskirts. This rail system also links the six major academies, making it common to see students traveling via light rail.
In contrast, the central district relies primarily on a subway network for transportation and is further split into commercial and administrative zones.
During the Festivals, a massive influx of foreign visitors swarms Asterisk, making the commercial and administrative sectors exceptionally vast. Even dueling arenas are scattered throughout these areas.
As a dueling city, Asterisk boasts a large number of combat arenas. It has three major battle stages, seven mid-sized arenas, and countless small-scale dueling platforms. Among them, the most prestigious is the Sirius Dome, the largest competition venue in Asterisk.
During the second half of the Festivals, all matches move to the Sirius Dome, making it the heart of Asterisk. Even outside of tournament seasons, the Sirius Dome remains a major tourist attraction.
To accommodate the Festivals and the wave of international visitors it brings, the commercial district has been developed into a bustling hub.
Currently, it's the weekend, and the district is livelier than ever. The stone-paved streets are packed with students, all dressed casually. However, each student wears a school badge, as required by Asterisk's unique rules.
This policy is in place because dueling is an integral part of student life. Even on holidays, spirited challengers engage in battles for various reasons. Without a school badge, a duel cannot be officially recognized, which is why students must wear them at all times.
Fortunately, today seems relatively peaceful. Instead of spontaneous duels, students and visitors stroll through the shopping streets, enjoying their free time.
Amidst the lively crowd, Erend and his four companions arrived near midday, stepping into the commercial district.
"So many shops..."
At this moment, Natasha appeared more relaxed. No longer nervous, she curiously looked around, her eyes filled with wonder.
"It's true that this place is packed," remarked Butler, a first-time visitor, looking around in awe like a newcomer experiencing the city for the first time.
"This area is mainly filled with restaurants. Each shop displays its menu outside, so customers don't have to worry about unexpected prices after entering," explained Jenni Ortega, finally finding an opportunity to regain her composure after feeling embarrassed earlier.
"The restaurant we're looking for is in this area," she continued. "It's closer to the outer residential district, a bit away from the subway station. Though it doesn't receive many customers, its online reviews are fantastic. Even students from George Academy frequently visit."
Hearing this, Natasha, who had been captivated by the lively surroundings, turned to Jenni Ortega with interest.
"You mean George Academy?"
"Yes, which is why I think this place will be worth visiting."
When the two girls mentioned the name George Academy, their expressions subtly changed. This prompted Butler to ask curiously:
"What's special about George Academy?"
Like everyone else in Asterisk, Butler was familiar with George Academy.
As one of the six major academies, it was renowned worldwide for training elite competitors for the Festivals. Even children knew of these institutions, which included:
Star Guide Academy
Saint Galledovas Academy
Seventh Kailong Academy
Leiwolf Black Academy
Alecanth Research Institute
Woakes Children's Academy (formerly Aoinwei)
Each of these academies was backed by powerful corporate conglomerates that essentially ruled the world, giving each institution a distinct school culture.
For instance, Star Guide Academy was symbolized by a red lotus, representing resilience. It promoted student independence and had lenient school rules, making it a haven for witches, magicians, and those who feared being exploited for research.
On the other hand, Woakes Children's Academy was symbolized by the Nameless Goddess. It had an upbeat and glamorous culture, but there was an unspoken requirement—students needed to be physically attractive to enroll.
Yes, in other words, they did not accept unattractive students.
This was because Woakes Children's Academy focused more on producing entertainment stars rather than training for combat competitions. The corporate conglomerate behind it monopolized the global entertainment industry, making the academy a breeding ground for future idols rather than Festival champions.
Because of this, Woakes Children's Academy was the only all-girls institution among the six academies. It was also the smallest and often placed last in Festival rankings. However, its students took pride in their elite idol status, and many of them actively pursued careers in entertainment. Some even became world-famous stars.
For young women, the academy was a place filled with fantasy and aspiration.
For young men, however, it was the ultimate dreamland.
Naturally, Jenni Ortega and Natasha weren't the type to indulge in such fantasies, but the mention of this prestigious school still made them momentarily daydream.
Meanwhile, Erend simply smirked.
"You wouldn't get it," he said, patting Butler on the shoulder.
"Huh?"
Butler looked completely lost.
Then again, expecting a clueless male protagonist from an English light novel to understand this was probably too much.
Having some experience in this area, Erend chose not to explain further. Instead, he let out a sigh and patted Butler on the shoulder again, making him even more confused.
With that, the group turned a corner and entered a narrow alleyway off the main street. They stopped in front of a restaurant.
"This is the place."
Jenni Ortega compared the location to the pictures she had seen online before confirming. Then, she opened the door and led the group inside.
The restaurant had bright lighting and limited seating, with only about twenty seats available across tables and the counter. Despite that, many of the seats were already occupied.
The majority of the customers were young women, all of whom were stunningly beautiful. Judging by the school badges on their chests, they were undoubtedly students from Woakes Children's Academy.
"W-We're eating here?"
Butler scanned the room nervously, clearly feeling out of place among the gorgeous girls.
Meanwhile, Erend remained perfectly calm, ignoring the store's atmosphere and customers. Instead, he focused on the background music playing at a low volume.
"Not bad… the music here is pretty good," he muttered.
As Jenni Ortega and Natasha browsed the menu, Butler and Erend sat across from them with nothing to do.
"Aren't you ordering?"
Erend asked.
"Anything's fine. I can eat anything," Butler replied casually.
However, moments later, Butler suddenly stared intensely at Erend, making him feel uneasy.
What's with this guy?
There were so many beautiful girls around, yet instead of admiring them, he was staring at me?
And thinking back to what he said earlier—"I can do anything. I can eat anything"...
You have a problem!
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