Upon leaving the academy, after receiving his card and bank details, Edward encountered the spring breeze of Lor City blowing against his face on the main road east of the city.
Many people walked briskly along the sidewalks, wearing long robes typical of the era, or loose pants and sweaters. Many others wore combat armor, with swords, spears, and other types of weapons hanging from their waists.
In the central part of the road, there were two lanes where medieval carriages traveled, galloping quickly toward their destinations.
This road stretched across the eastern part of the city and reached the city's center. He couldn't help but turn toward that area.
In the distance, hidden among square three- or four-story buildings, stood a large castle-like structure with rounded roofs and walls.
It was the Provincial Government Castle... but to him, it was better known as the Provincial Central Academy, the place where he would spend the next five years of his studies.
The academy itself governs the entire province, so there are politicians, nobles, and other influential people there. That's why only a few are allowed to enter.
'I have to take advantage of this opportunity. I can only reach the top if I take advantage of the resources that the academy can give me,' he thought, and squeezed the uniform in his hand again before starting to walk along the long, busy roads.
He lived in the eastern part of the city, but far from the central area. Lor City is divided into three strata.
Upper Stratum, Middle Stratum, and Lower Stratum.
The upper stratum is home to the rich, nobles, political leaders, and the academy.
The middle class is usually made up of middle-level businesspeople or capable individuals who are not particularly powerful. They have money, but not enough to reach the upper class.
The lower stratum is the largest, with approximately 80% of the population living here. It has middle-class areas that, to poor people like Edward, seem like extreme luxury, and then there are the lower-class areas where he lives.
Dirty, stained roads accompany him on his walk through this place, while the intense smell of many unpleasant things greets him. In the distance, the sound of hammers and a strange variety of work noises tells him that he is in the busiest and most annoying part of the city.
The difference between the upper and lower strata is too significant. While in the upper stratum, it is common to see kittens with fiery tails running and jumping around the buildings, giving the city a cute, pretty, and clean appearance, in the lower stratum, there are only rats and more rats.
Sewers with horrible smells, where all kinds of animals come out. Drunks, drug addicts, and all kinds of smelly things were everywhere.
Before coming to this world, he had not imagined that a medieval fantasy world would have so many drug addicts, but it was even worse than on Earth. Many people fell into depression after failing to become a Beast Master and turned to drugs.
Although he had learned to ignore it whenever he came here, it was still unpleasant.
He used to come here once a month, when his father was granted permission to return home for a week.
'He should only have three days of rest left. I hadn't been able to come earlier because I was trying to prepare for a possible graduation...' Edward felt relaxed now that he wasn't going to graduate, so he quickened his pace.
After passing through most of the lower part of the city, he arrived at what appeared to be a small village away from the city. If it weren't inside the city walls, it would surely be one of the neighboring villages.
There were 18 houses in this area, and his stood out above all the others. Not because it was better, but because it was the smallest and most different, having been built by his father when he was still a baby.
From a distance, he noticed something strange.
'Are there people?' he thought, and widened his gaze. He hadn't noticed it before, but thanks to awakening his beast, his vision had improved.
Although he was some distance away, he could see what was happening.
"Abraham, I allowed you to apologize to Mr. Henry and pay him back the full amount, but you dared to give him just enough to keep your house... Do you think my protection fee isn't that important? Are you insulting me?!" A man approached another who was being forced to kneel and punched him hard in the stomach.
Abraham, the one who was kneeling, endured the pain but was left breathless; he tried to recover quickly, but in vain. Suddenly, the same fist struck his cheek with all its force.
Abraham felt his jaw dislocate... he had been hit with something heavy and hard.
'That wasn't the bastard's strength.'
It wasn't. In his hand rested a device used by city guards to fight thugs, which increased in weight the more force you applied to it.
"Bastard..." Abraham spat blood and tried to get up. His muscles tensed, and his right hand moved quickly forward to deliver a powerful punch to his enemy.
The enemy was alarmed and stepped back. Although he was a bully, he couldn't defeat Abraham on his own. That guy had tremendous strength, and he still remembered the last time he had felt it. So fear overwhelmed him for a brief moment, making him forget that he was accompanied.
Abraham's fist couldn't reach its target, as the two city guards who were holding him from behind quickly restrained him.
"Damn it, you bastard, you still have ridiculous strength." One of the guards stepped hard on his calf, causing Abraham to scream in pain and glare at him fiercely.
Although the guard ignored him, he looked at the idiot who had gotten scared. "Do you think that if they see us here, you'll get away with it? Take his money quickly and cut the crap, Joel!" growled the guard.
Joel sighed with relief when he saw that the fist hadn't hit him and adjusted his shoulder.
"Tsk, you don't leave me any fun," he complained and approached Abraham with a mocking tone. "Well, I'll have it when your stupid son fails his awakening. After all, he's useless trash, a nobody, compared to my son."
Joel focused on the pockets, searching for the cash.
Suddenly...
"What the hell are you doing to my father, you damn bastard?!" Edward roared with rage as his fist met Joel's cheek, and a tremendous force that mere Joel could not withstand turned his head around.
His body fell to the ground, rolling several times until it came to a stop when it hit the wall of the house.
Edward ignored him completely and glared fiercely at the guards. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Let my father go!" he shouted.
They had been taken by surprise. The last thing they expected at that moment was to see a young man suddenly appear, but that enormous strength... Was everyone so strong these days? They thought, remembering that Abraham also had superhuman strength.
Perhaps it was Edward's strength or his shout, but they felt afraid and quickly moved away.
Edward quickly held his father and helped him up. "Dad, don't worry. I'm here now," he said, helping him catch his breath.