Ch. 8: Ray's Dream and Dimensional Chat Group.
--<3rd PoV>--
"Valderia Academy, huh?" Seraphina finally spoke, her brows knitting together ever so slightly, skepticism dancing in her voice.
"Not to mention, their admission criteria go way beyond simple entrance exams. It's not just about talent—they screen for bloodlines, affiliations, even social contributions."
Ray nodded silently, as if to say, you're not wrong.
"It's the academy backed by both the Adventurer's Guild and the Commerce Guild, right? Hard to believe such ancient organizations are still operating without collapsing under corruption or the weight of time," she added, arms crossed thoughtfully.
"Well," Ray responded, sharing a piece of his own insight, "the founding members of those organizations were said to have wielded miraculous skills—things like blood conversion and soul-binding contracts. It was their vision that allowed them to create a system where everyone, from the cleaning staff to the Guild Masters themselves, are bound by contract the moment they take the position. It's only because of those safeguards that these institutions still stand. If it were any other organization of this scale, the politics from the shadows would've already consumed them."
Seraphina gave a short nod but pressed further. "All of that's impressive… but don't they only accept geniuses?"
CRACK!
Her words struck like a perfectly-aimed dart to Ray's pride.
Though he didn't flinch outright, his lips twitched hard, his silence deafening.
Lilia, noticing her master being underestimated, couldn't let it go. Determination lit up in her eyes as she practically exploded with the enthusiasm of a loyal servant.
"Hmph! Of course a sword-swinging barbarian like you wouldn't understand! So let me enlighten you!" she declared, dramatically spinning around as a pair of imaginary glasses shimmered into existence over her face.
"Ray-sama isn't applying to the main combat division. He's aiming for the Support Class! That's where the geniuses of commerce, alchemy, enchantment—and other intellectual fields—gather. It's way harder to rank top in those written exams than bashing each other with swords."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, visibly intrigued now.
"And," Lilia continued with a flourish, placing her hands on her hips proudly, "Ray-sama already has a D-rank adventurer's card. That means he can directly skip the practical part of the entrance exam—if he scores among the top. Which, obviously, he will. So getting in will be child's play for him!"
She puffed her chest proudly. "Now, I know what you're about to say—that even if he gets in, he'll have to participate in the practical battle exams at the end of the year. But do you even know? How are you sure he will stay in the academy till that point. Passing from the Academy isn't even his goal!"
Seraphina blinked. Even Ray narrowed his eyes at what was coming.
"The real goal is to suck out all the resources the academy has to offer! And he'll do it all in seven to eight months, tops. Once the academy can't give him anything more, he'll just throw it away dramatically and say something like, 'I have learned everything you had to offer. You can no longer teach me anything… I will leave now.'"
Ray now covered half his face with one hand, sighing deeply. "Lilia…" he warned with an exhausted tone, but the girl was fully lost in her own fantasies now.
"And then," Lilia pressed on, eyes sparkling, "that's when the real journey starts! He'll apply everything he's learned to the real world—start businesses that don't even exist yet, with massive potential! With the connections he forms at the academy, he'll slowly but surely buy out the academy itself!"
Even Seraphina was momentarily stunned by how far Ray had thought ahead. Despite his crippled mana circuits, it was undeniable—his brain was still in a league of its own.
'How far has he come… even like this?' she thought, her earlier doubts slowly unraveling.
'If only that idiot didn't experiment on herself…' Seraphina mused bitterly, a shadow flickering across her face. But just as quickly, she smoothed her expression, fast enough that no one noticed.
Well—no one except maybe Ray, but he was too busy executing his next move to pay attention.
"And one day, he'll rule the—"
BAM!
"Ack—Oww!" Lilia squeaked, hunched over and rubbing her forehead, where Ray had given her a firm chop.
Ray lowered his hand, face twitching in embarrassment. His ears reddened slightly as he glanced at his silly maid acting cute again.
'It really is my fault for speaking my thoughts out loud… thinking I'm the only one hearing them.'
"That's enough embarrassing nonsense for today," he muttered. "Lilia, show Sera an empty room. She looks tired. She needs to rest." He pointed at Seraphina, who was seated in the corner, barely holding back her laughter.
"Hmph, what are you talking about? She looks completely fine to me," Lilia huffed still rubbing her head.
"No, she's tired," Ray said, his voice calm and indifferent. His gaze shifted toward Seraphina. "Aren't you, Sera?"
"Yes, yes, I am tired," Seraphina replied quickly, catching the cue. "I'd be happy if you could show me where I'll be staying for the rest of our time here." Her tone was light, trying not to further embarrass Ray.
"See that?" Ray said, his tone flat but satisfied.
"Fineee…" Lilia grumbled with an exaggerated pout, but she still do what was told and led Seraphina away without protest.
As the two girls disappeared down the hallway, Ray exhaled deeply.
One thought lingered in his mind:
This place is going to get noisy.
And maybe, just maybe… a little livelier too.
...
--
I woke at 6 a.m., sharp as my year-old routine demanded.
Too much has happened lately, I thought, rubbing the sleep from my jade-green eyes.
My break was over, and it was time to grind again.
The short peace had ended, and now it was time to return to the usual rhythm of life—mundane, repetitive, but necessary.
Getting out of bed, I thought to myself that today was finally going to be a normal day. Given everything that had happened recently, I was half-expecting Lilia to invade again… or maybe even Sera to—SLAP! No! Focus! "Women will only make me waste my time!"
Freshening up, I headed to the mansion's grounds for my morning run, the cool Lushthorn air a sharp wake-up call against my skin.
No mana this time, I reminded myself, recalling the last time I overdid it and collapsed. Not passing out first thing in the morning.
Jogging around the grounds, I was stunned to spot Seraphina, her fiery hair a blazing cascade as she practiced swordsmanship under the dawn's faint glow. Her blade, covered with beautiful yellow lightning, carved arcs through the air with explosive grace.
Clad in a tight black training tunic and leggings, her athletic frame was a study in lethal elegance—shapely long legs carved with muscle, wider hips flaring with a bold curve, and a taut waist that screamed discipline. Her breasts, though generous and straining the fabric, were smaller than Lilia's, yet still far above average—their pert bounce catching my eye as she swung her sword.
Hell, she's built like a warrior goddess, I thought, jade-green eyes lingering on her fluid power. Each move radiated a siren's allure, no less captivating for its raw edge.
We locked eyes for a moment, but she only nodded before returning to her swordsmanship practice. It seemed she took her morning training seriously.
The ground bore deep gouges, and her sweat-soaked body glistened. From the look of it, she'd been out there for nearly two hours already.
'Damn, that's from 4:30 in the morning. Or is that still night? Whatever—that's some intense motivation...'
Her focus was unshakable, and the fire in her eyes told me she wasn't about to stop anytime soon.
What was I supposed to do? Simple—stick to my own routine.
I focused on my laps, hitting my 20th around the mansion in under 30 minutes.
'That's a new record!'
I mentally thanked Super Recovery, its faint tingle soothing my muscles.
Settling at the Ivy Tableware castes—green and gold patchwork blending with nature's harmony—I inhaled the flower garden's soothing fragrance, petals vibrant against the dawn.
Paradise.
Then, a soul-stirring sound hit my ears.
"Good morning, Ray-sama!" Lilia's cheerful voice rang out, her steps perfectly timed—a vision in her cute maid uniform.
Her long silver hair shimmered, crimson eyes glistening like blood rubies.
An angel's face, succubus's body, I thought. As she walked, her large, shapely assets strained her uniform, the apron doing nothing to hide her hourglass figure that made every step a provocation, her peaks bouncing with defiant allure.
Each step she took made her… well, certain assets giggled, tempting me to stare.
Just like every other day, it was a challenge to keep my focus.
But, no matter how hard it gets, I know I can do this!
I forced my gaze away, determined not to let myself get lost in distractions.
Oblivious to my internal struggle, Lilia started her usual duties, going about her work with the precision of a well-trained maid. But this time, my attention was drawn elsewhere.
Ding!
[00:00:03]
[00:00:02]
[00:00:01]
[All processes complete! The Dimensional Chat Group is successfully installed!]
[Congratulations! You have successfully joined the Chat Group, becoming the First Member and Admin!]
[As Admin, you have the following exclusive perks:
25% discount on all items you buy.
25% increment on all items you sell.
2 daily points drawing chances.]
[You have 4 chat group invitations... Would you like to send them across dimensions?]
[Y/N]
I quickly selected Y, and soon enough, a fresh group of messages appeared before me.
['Last Descendant of Tang Sect' has joined the Chat Group!]
['Desert Country Princess' has joined the Chat Group!]
['Daughter of the Demon Lord' has joined the Chat Group!]
['The Intergalactic Dukedom's Heir' has joined the Chat Group!]
[Welcome to the Dimensional Chat Group. This is a cross-dimensional space created to facilitate interaction between selected individuals from alternate universes. As of now, the following features are open for members to use:]
[1. Daily Points Drawing – You can obtain from 1 to 100 Dimensional Points (DP) daily based on your luck.]
[2. Item and Skill Exchange – The ability to exchange or gift items, skills, and abilities with other members.]
[3. Quests – Special quests and missions that provide rewards based on your contribution.]
[4. System Store – As each new group member joins the Chat Group, a shop section of their world will be opened up. Members can buy items from there using DP.]
Following those messages, a new series of notifications appeared, visible only to me.
[Note: As the First Member and Admin, you are granted special authority. This includes the ability to send and receive invitations to new dimensions, control the group's settings, and determine the rules of engagement for new members.]
[Please be advised that you are responsible for maintaining the balance of the Chat Group and ensuring its smooth operation. Any disruptions caused by misuse may result in penalties or removal from the group.]
As those notifications disappeared, new messages appeared inside the Chat Group itself.
[As the Chat Group is made to connect people of different worlds, there are a few rules to remember when interacting with members inside the Chat Group.]
[1. Any member who tries to threaten or harm other members will be immediately kicked out.]
[2. Members are not allowed to disclose the existence of the Chat Group to outsiders.]
[That's all!]
[The first round of interaction is now open. Feel free to start chatting with the other members.]
____________________________
To Be Continued:
[Word Count: 1925]
A/N: Now I will speed up a bit.