Rebirth of the Phoenix God

"Fuck… Not good…"

A sudden intrusion into the skies directly above the city wasn't something that the local guards would accept. Unless the young man could come up with a reason to return back to the ground where he could apologise for the commotion he caused, there was a chance that someone would simply shoot him down from the skies!

"I need to descend now… Slowly, slowly… Take it easy brother…"

Speaking to himself to calm his nerves, Fen quickly spread his wings and angled them to enter a soft glide. After reaching the borders of the city, instead of flying away in hurry to return on the foot later on, the young man gently changed his direction and started making circles above the plaza before the gate of the city. 

With each round allowing him to drop down a few more meters, it took the young arcanist only a few moments before his feet finally landed on the ground, fewteen meters away from the guards standing by the gate.

"I'm sorry!"

That was the first thing that Fen said when the guards pointed their weapons at him.

"I miscalculated my path and scared everyone. I came here in such a hurry because I have urgent news for the academy's dean."

Explaining himself in a few words, Fen also slowly moved his hands and pulled out both the insignia of the academy's student a sealed off letter. Only then did the guard's calm down.

"What was that commotion?"

Before the entire matter could be solved between the simple guards and the young man, an annoying persona appeared. And given how Fen could break several laws by invading the airspace directly above the city, this officer could make life a lot harder for the young arcanist right now.

"Sir, I do apologise for appearing so suddenly above the city. I failed to properly calculate the path as my technique of flying is still in its infancy. But I can't wait here any longer, as I have an urgent message for the Academy's dean."

Once again repeating his story, Fen could only watch with hope how the officer gazed at the two items the young arcanist was showing… before waving his hand and moving aside.

"Let him in. It's not like he did anything bad."

Thankfully, no further inspections stopped the young man from entering the city. Given how everyone could see that Fen made sure to not do anything that could be even remotely close to violent or sudden, it seemed that his infringement of the city's aerial space could go unpunished.

Once past the gates, the actual hard part of Fen's travel begun. Squeezing through the crowds of people, most of which were academy students walking to the complex or back from it took way more time than Fen initially assumed it would. When his eyes finally could see the huge walls of the academy compound, the young man felt as if a heavy load was taken off his chest.

Even though the true hardship of his mission was only about to begin.

Just by showing a token confirming his identity as the academy student was enough to pass by the main campus gate and follow deeper into the area. But instead of venturing through this nostalgic-ridden place where his journey of the true arcanism began, Fen instantly directed his steps towards the main administration building of the campus.

"Excuse me…"

Approaching one of the reception tables set up all around the main hall of the building, Fen patiently waited for the woman on the other side of the desk to finish whatever she was doing before she finally raised her eyes up on the young arcanist.

"How can I help you with?"

Strange… Just a few months ago, if he dared to bother one of the dean's personal secretaries, he would be buried ten meters below the surface for infringing on their dignity with his trashy presence. Yet this time, one of those powerful women actually smiled at him!

Was it his aura that changed over the extended period of time he worked as a mercenary? After all, he wasn't just a simple, greenhorn student, but someone who saw and experienced a bit of the real world out there.

"I need to have a talk with the dean. I brought important news with me, and I'm authorised to talk about its content."

This time, Fen finally pulled out the entire envelope and placed in on the table. Just the wax seal that enclosed it added the dignity to the young man's mission, especially when one would notice a small crown decorating the middle of the seal. 

"A talk with a dean… Dear, it's not something that I can organise for you out of the back of my hand… The usual waiting time oscillates around two weeks…"

There was no way for Fen to actually be recognised as someone important enough to implement instant changes in the dean's schedule. Not unless the young man would be able to convince this secretary otherwise.

"I know that I'm asking for much, but I do believe that in this particular case, it's justified. After all, I don't think the rest of today��s visitors are coming to the dean to offer a huge grant of lands in an insanely important deal. Oh, I forgot to mention. I came here as the envoy of the newly established mercenary kingdom."

This name was the only picklock word that Fen could use right now. And just as expected, it was at least sudden enough to surprise the secretary and force her out of her daily routine. Sadly, after the initial shock, her face turned ugly.

"You come here to joke with me? Who do you think…"

Seeing that the woman was about to start the drama and effectively remove all the chances that Fen had at quickly organising the meeting with the dean, the young man had no other choice.

"I wouldn't dare to joke about matters of this magnitude. Due to the inability to pay his debts to my mercenary group with money, the lord that we worked for… offered us the land in exchange for our service. As it so happened, a few other groups joined our ranks in the common effort… And right now, my compatriots are in the control of the only road that connects the Shalian Kingdom and what remains of the Kiznarian Heptarchy. I will ask once again, please reconsider whether the news that I'm bearing are not important enough for the dean to find some time to have a talk with me."

This time, Fen dropped the ultimate attack that he could execute in this battle of words. With what the young man just claimed, he could easily be executed if it turned out to be nothing but a bunch of lies. Thankfully, being the main architect of the country that he was speaking about, such worries didn't apply to him.

"I see… You might go to the Dean's office right away. Just… make sure to not make him any angrier than he is right now already."

Taking a moment to reconsider her situation, the woman finally nodded her head and showed me the doors that were located behind her back. Nodding his head with gratitude in response, Fen picked up the envelope and moved forth. After conquering three corridors and two sets of stairs, the young man finally appeared before the doors of the room that he have visited once in his life already. 

All the way back when he was first brought to this academy.

Approaching the doors and smashing his fist lightly against it, Fen waited. It would be too disrespectful of the position of the man inside to just come in. Instead, the young man moved to a small chair beside, where he spent the rest of the time that Dean decided to subject him to wait.

"Come in."

After what seemed like an eternity, a voice came from beyond the doors, finally allowing the young man to rise up, approach the doors and push them open.

"What do you want?"

Right off the bat, it became obvious that this wasn't a good time to visit the dean. Even if he would be likely to agree to the terms of the deal that the young man came here to propose in any other day, his obviously foul mood could foil Fen and Victor's plans at turning their little country into Kinar protectorate.

"Sir, first I would like to express my welcome as the envoy of the newly established Mercenary Republic to the north. And my mission here is to deliver this message directly to your hands."

Showing the envelope on his open hands, Fen placed the letter on the table. In exchange, after looking with his eyes widened at the young man's face for a moment, the Dean picked up the envelope, ripped it open and started reading its content.

"Okay then, I think I understand the situation. So to make sure I understood this letter's content correctly, you wish for our academy to establish a branch within your new realm, all the while pushing for those lands to be incorporated as a protectorate of the republic?"