Ava finally noticed that Kyle was still standing in front of the puppet, trembling with fear.
The robe on the floor remained untouched, and the exquisite feast on the table that had mysteriously appeared in the center of the room also remained untouched.
A countdown timer had appeared in the upper right corner of the screen, indicating that the magician report would be ready in ten minutes.
What frustrated her the most was that after falling off the bed and getting scared, Kyle's remaining lifespan had shortened even further—he now had only two hours left.
Oh no, she really couldn't afford to let her virtual friend die.
Ava rubbed her stomach and glanced at the table full of food in the game. The cherry on top of the small cake looked incredibly fresh. The level of detail in the game was astonishing—it didn't feel like simple textures at all. The fruit looked so fresh, as if she could actually reach out and grab it.
It was already afternoon, and she hadn't even had lunch yet.
Ava picked up her wallet, massaged her slightly aching forehead, and decided to grab a burger from the McDonald's around the corner.
She decided to continue playing the game after lunch.
...
Kyle Carter, Male, 14 years old.
Four years ago, he and his mother moved to the outskirts of Silverleaf City. Shortly after, he fell seriously ill and completely forgot everything before the age of ten.
Kyle's mother was rather neurotic and extremely reclusive. She wouldn't even let Kyle leave their house.
Except for the rare occasions when she had to go into Silverleaf City to buy essential supplies, the mother and son barely set foot outside. Not only that, but she also refused to interact with their neighbors.
After four years of living there, Kyle had only caught glimpses of their closest neighbors a handful of times from a distance.
This made Kyle's life incredibly difficult.
On the continent of Nolan, children who reached the age of ten were eligible to undergo a special test at one of the many magic academies scattered across the land. The test assessed their mental strength and elemental affinity.
Becoming a mage was the most prestigious profession in the entire continent. If a family had even one member who became a mage, their social status would rise dramatically.
Yet, despite the importance of this test, Kyle's mother forbade him from taking it.
If not for the fact that she took meticulous care of him in other aspects of life, Kyle would have doubted whether she was truly his mother at all.
And so, for more than three years, the mother and son lived in seclusion, relying on each other.
But half a year ago, Kyle's mother passed away.
She had always been frail.
Whenever Kyle asked about her condition, she would brush it off, claiming it was an old illness. No matter how much Kyle pleaded, argued, or even begged, she refused to seek treatment from an apothecary in Silverleaf City.
And so, she endured it—until the sickness finally took her life.
They had only a few hundred silver coins in total. After purchasing a burial plot and arranging for her funeral, Kyle was left with almost nothing.
Then, last weekend, after buying a single loaf of bread, Kyle spent his very last copper coin.
With no other choice, Kyle was forced to break the promise he had made to his mother. He stepped into Silverleaf City for the mega test.
Silverleaf City was located in the southeastern part of the Rhine Duchy, near the border of the Arcane Empire.
Rhine Academy of Magic was the finest magic school in the Rhine duchy. Even in a remote place like Silverleaf City, the academy had a branch.
As long as a candidate passed the test, they could become a magic apprentice and enroll in the academy.
Not only was tuition completely free, but exceptionally talented students even received a stipend in silver coins.
The age limit for this test is fourteen.
Early this morning, with barely anything to eat for the past two days and feeling weak to the point of collapse, Kyle waited at the academy's entrance.
At exactly 8 AM, as soon as the school gates swung open, he dragged his exhausted legs inside.
At the same time, a lavish two-wheeled carriage pulled up at the academy's entrance.
From within the academy, a group of four or five boys emerged, at the center of their circle, surrounded like a king among his subjects, was a blonde-haired boy.
Trailing behind them were seven or eight servants.
None of the well-dressed boys even spared a glance at Kyle, who stood to the left of the entrance.
Kyle instinctively stepped aside, trying to avoid them, but his hunger had dulled his reflexes.
Just then, the boy on the far left—the one with freckles on his face—brushed against Kyle's shoulder as they passed.
It was only then that the freckled boy noticed the filthy figure standing at the gate.
His gaze swept over Kyle's ragged clothes, and his expression immediately darkened.
"Where did this beggar come from? How dare he set foot in the Rhine Academy of Magic? Get him out of here."
Two servants trailing behind the young masters immediately stepped forward. Without hesitation, they grabbed Kyle's arms—one on each side.