In the system of the Hundred Academy Exchange, the gap between the Five Great Academies and other magic academies was not merely reflected in the quality of magic education and talent cultivation; it was equally evident in a more pragmatic dimension—funding.
This was clearly illustrated by their method of traveling to the Imperial Capital.
To participate in this exchange, people from other magic academies mostly needed to set out more than half a month in advance.
Because they did not possess their own airborne means of transport, they could only trek long distances via ground transportation such as carriages.
Crossing mountain ranges, traversing plains, and passing through several transit towns, they traveled through wind and dust, consuming a great deal of time and energy.
Lodging conditions along the way were also uneven, sometimes even requiring them to camp out in the wild.
By the time they reached the imperial capital, everyone was thoroughly exhausted, their condition severely compromised.
Of course, a portion of the academies were able to travel by airship.
However, what they rented were public airships belonging to merchant groups, with cramped cabins and rudimentary facilities.
Multiple people sharing a single cabin was the norm, with poor soundproofing, noticeable turbulence, and meals that were merely enough to fill their stomachs.
Yet for ordinary magic academies with tight budgets, this was already quite a luxurious choice.
The Five Great Magic Academies, on the other hand, were completely different.
Each possessed its own exclusive luxury airship—every single one a masterpiece combining magic technology and artisan wisdom.
The interior of the airship was spacious and exquisitely decorated, with every representative having a private luxury room of their own.
An independent bedroom, a comfortable bed, a fully equipped desk and storage space, and even a dedicated tea area and bathing facilities.
More importantly, these airships were extremely fast. Equipped with the most advanced mana-driven engines and wind-attribute acceleration arrays, they could arrive from the academy to the Imperial Capital in just a single day.
"It's been a long time since I felt this comfortable."
At that moment, Greg was lying on the bed in his single cabin, hands resting behind his head, looking up at the magic lamp emitting soft light on the ceiling as he sorted through his goals and plans for this trip in his mind.
The primary goal was naturally to ensure his own survival.
He had to successfully clear the third layer of the Empire Dungeon before all of Act Three's plot concluded.
Although he had Allie's assistance, the Empire Dungeon was different from the Academy Dungeon after all. Since he had never been there before, the hidden dangers and variables within were completely unknown, so he could not afford to lower his guard.
Secondly, he needed to find a way to get the Church of Light's current Saintess to lift that damn curse for him.
Regarding this point, he already had a concrete concept in mind, which happened to satisfy Headmistress Olivia's request for him to perform well.
Specifically, by displaying sufficiently dazzling strength and potential at the Hundred Academy Exchange, he could draw the Saintess's attention and thereby create an opportunity to make contact.
As long as he could establish enough of a connection with the Saintess, he would have the chance to trick her into willingly lifting the curse for him.
And then came the point that required the utmost vigilance—he had to constantly maintain a distance from the Primary Heroine, Melina, who was about to make her official appearance.
Although according to the original story's progression, Melina's primary target should be Victoria, so logically speaking, she shouldn't pose too much of a direct threat to him for the time being...
...Greg knew full well that this heroine's thoughts were deep and unpredictable; every single action of hers might hide a deeper purpose.
He didn't want to be dragged into her complex game of chess due to a moment of carelessness, so it was best to be extra cautious.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Greg was immersed in these thoughts, a sudden knock came from outside the cabin door.
"Hmm? Who could be coming to see me right now?"
Greg sat up from the bed, tidied his collar, and walked over to open the door.
When he saw clearly who was standing outside the door, he froze slightly.
It was Silvia standing at the doorway.
She was wearing a black-and-white academy uniform—a tailored white shirt covered by a short black jacket, a delicate bow tied at the collar, and a black pleated skirt that fell just above her knees.
Her signature long pink hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders, glowing with a soft, warm sheen under the hallway lights.
Her figure was already exceptional, and the snug cut of the uniform delineated her curves perfectly, with the rise of her chest being particularly eye-catching.
Beneath her skirt were long legs encased in black over-the-knee socks, revealing a band of fair skin between the skirt's hem and the socks—forming a perfect absolute territory.
She stood at the doorway, her hands clasped somewhat uneasily in front of her, her head slightly lowered, her pink eyes holding a hint of apprehension and expectation.
"Silvia? Why did you come over to my room?" Greg asked, somewhat surprised.
He was indeed a bit surprised.
Because before boarding the airship, he had noticed that Silvia seemed somewhat nervous about this journey and had been keeping her head down, studying hard.
So he had assumed that, with Silvia's personality, she would continue locking herself in her room on the airship to read, making final preparations for the exchange.
He hadn't expected her to take the initiative to come see him at a time like this.
"Mm... I always feel like this bitch from the Church of Light comes with ill intent this time. You'd better be careful."
Nightmare's voice echoed in his mind, carrying a gloating tone.
Greg retorted in his mind without hesitation, "Please stop looking at the world through your tinted cat eyes. How could Silvia possibly do anything dangerous to me?"
"Heh, foolish man."
Greg ignored her mockery and shifted his attention back to the pink-haired girl at the door.
Silvia raised her head, her pink eyes looking at him cautiously, a hint of nervousness and unease in her voice.
"U-Um... Does Senior Greg not want to see me?"
"I didn't mean that, I'm just a bit surprised."
Greg quickly waved his hands, stepping aside to clear the doorway.
"Anyway, come in first. I'll pour you a cup of tea."
"Mm."
Silvia nodded lightly, a subtle smile appearing at the corners of her lips as she followed him into the room.
What Greg failed to notice was that as he turned toward the tea counter, Silvia's hand behind her gently pulled the cabin door shut, her fingertip softly flicking the lock—with a click, the bolt slid into place.
The furnishings inside the room were simple yet comfortable.
A single bed against the wall was covered with clean white sheets, with an adjustable reading lamp at the headboard.
In the corner stood a small wardrobe and storage shelf, while the other side featured an embedded tea counter holding tea canisters, a kettle, and a set of clean ceramic teacups.
On the cabin wall was a round porthole window through which the surging sea of clouds could be seen, glowing golden-red under the setting sun.
Greg walked up to the tea counter, picked up a tea canister, and was just about to open the lid to brew tea—
Before he could react in any way, a soft yet powerful impact struck from behind, pushing him down onto the bed.
His back sank into the soft mattress, and immediately after, a warm body straddled his stomach, pinning him firmly down.
"Silvia, what are you...!?"
Greg's eyes widened as he stared at the pink-haired girl riding atop him, his mind instantly falling into chaos.
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