Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

"Relax," the professor said, pushing two cups of black tea towards them. "We're just having a casual chat. Lu Mingfei, why did you choose Kassel College?"

Lu Mingfei thought about the pictures on the admissions website, "I heard the food is very good?"

Guderian paused for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Honesty! A fine quality! Geniuses are all like that!"

He turned to Frilian, "And what about you, Frilian?"

“I am interested in ancient civilizations and folk culture,” Frilian said, picking up her teacup. “I have heard that your school’s vice principal is an expert in alchemy, and I hope to have the opportunity to learn from him.”

"Oh? You know about our alchemical research?"

"I've heard a little about it," Frilian nodded.

The following questions were unremarkable: favorite subjects, extracurricular activities, and future plans.

“One last question,” Guderian said, closing the folder, “What are your views on ‘unnatural phenomena’?”

Lu Mingfei's palms were sweating: "This."

“Existence is its own justification,” Frillie replied calmly. “Our understanding of the world is still very limited, isn’t it?”

Guderian nodded, took two lollipops from his drawer, and handed them to them. "Congratulations, you passed the interview. The official acceptance letters will arrive within a week. Mingfei, be sure to take my class after the semester starts!"

“Professor Guderian, isn’t this kind of pre-arranged decision a bit odd?” Lu Mingfei thought the white-bearded old man looked a bit strange.

Stepping out of the conference room, Lu Mingfei let out a long sigh of relief: "It's that simple?"

“It’s just a formality, a screening process to select qualified hybrids,” Frillian said, looking at the lollipop. “He was observing us; his heart raced when I mentioned alchemy.”

"You even know this?"

“My hearing is very good,” she said, pointing to her pointed ears.

Back in the waiting area, Zhao Menghua said sarcastically, "Oh, so the interview with the 'God of Road' is taking this long?"

Frillian took Lu Mingfei's arm and said in a calm voice that everyone could hear, "Professor Guderian just said the report would be next week, right?"

Lu Mingfei suppressed a laugh: "That's right."

"I see," Frilian said, deliberately drawing out her words. "Goodbye, senior."

Chapter 5 Chicago Train

One week later, at the Chicago train station.

The clock struck 11:30. Lu Mingfei stared at the electronic screen that still showed "delay" after countless refreshes, sighing repeatedly.

"How could the train be delayed?" he asked listlessly, leaning back on the bench, his stomach growling in protest.

Frillie examined the vending machine. "Do you have coins?"

"Yes, what do you need?" Lu Mingfei took out a coin from his pocket, which he had exchanged before leaving the country.

Before he could finish speaking, a dark figure pounced on him.

Before Lu Mingfei could react, he was surrounded by the strong smell of beer.

"One dollar! Just one dollar!" The bearded German youth clung tightly to his leg. "For the sake of us being from the same school!"

"Where did this homeless man come from?!" Lu Mingfei exclaimed, his eyes wide.

The German youth, dressed in ripped jeans and a greasy T-shirt, looked like a homeless person.

"My name is Fingel, junior brother, please help me!" Fingel's eyes lit up, then he put on a mournful face. "Please help my senior brother! I've only been eating fries for three days!"

Frillie leaned closer: "Who are you?"

“The Kassel College repeat student king,” a cold voice came from behind, “Fingal von Frings.”

A train conductor in a dark green uniform appeared on the platform, his pocket watch gleaming.

He glanced at Fingel and gave him a look of disgust: "It's you again."

“Dear Train Conductor!” Fingel released Lu Mingfei. “For the sake of us being alumni, I’ll do this for you.”

"Train CC1000 is about to arrive at the station," the train conductor ignored him and turned to Lu Mingfei and Frilian, "Please show your student IDs."

Lu Mingfei frantically pulled out his student ID.

When the train conductor saw the gold-embossed "S" on the card, he almost dropped his pocket watch. "S-class?! The first one in over forty years!"

He continued examining Frillie's student ID, his eyebrows twitching even higher: "A grade?! What's going on this year?"

"Hey! Hey!" Fingel waved his peeling student ID. "What about me? G-level is still a level!"

The train conductor sighed: "Fingal, didn't you say you were going to drop out of school last year?"

"It's just that I'm reluctant to leave my alma mater," Fingel said with a grin, leaning closer. "And I'm sure I'll graduate this year!"

"Just like you said the year before last and the year before that?" The train conductor shook his head. "Follow me."

Fingel wailed as he followed, "Discrimination! This is blatant discrimination!"

A steam train, puffing out white steam, pulled into the station, its black body adorned with the World Tree emblem painted in gold.

Lu Mingfei whispered to Frillie, "Did you just use magic on the vending machine?"

"Hmm," Frillie said, pulling three cans of cola from her pocket. "Want some?"

"drink."

The interior of the carriage was much more luxurious than it looked from the outside, with chilled champagne placed next to the leather seats.

Fingel slumped into his seat, expertly pouring himself a glass of wine: "Ah~ I'm alive again~"

"Senior brother, you're quite the social butterfly."

"I don't deserve it," Fingel said with a grin, pouring himself another glass of wine.

"New students, please proceed to carriage number 3 for orientation," the train conductor announced over the loudspeaker.

Lu Mingfei and Frillie entered carriage number 3. A middle-aged Japanese man in a kimono, wiping his katana, stood up and bowed upon seeing them.

"Welcome, A-level student Frilian and S-level student Lu Mingfei. I am psychology instructor Masafumi Tomiyama."

The curtain behind him slowly opened, revealing an aquarium.

Lu Mingfei gasped. A scale the size of a washbasin was floating in the box.

“The scales of the third generation,” Masashi Toyama tapped the glass gently, “can withstand .50 caliber bullets.”

Frillie peered through the glass and observed: "The magic patterns are quite unique."

"Magic?" Masashi Tomiyama keenly grasped the meaning of this word.

“I mean, it looks really good,” Frillie said without changing her expression.

Masashi Tomiyama nodded and pressed another button.

A glass jar rose from beneath the floor, inside which floated an embryo the size of a basketball, with a lizard-like head, underdeveloped membranous wings, and a tail curled up at its side.

“The fourth-generation embryos captured last year in Kentucky,” Masafumi Toyama said solemnly, “Now, please look into the eyes of the embryos.”

Lu Mingfei subconsciously looked up and met the golden pupils of the embryo.

A surge of anger crept up his spine; he felt something awakening in his mind—

"Don't move." Frilian grasped his hand, the cool touch instantly dispelling any discomfort. "That was just a faint dragon's might."

Masashi Tomiyama looked at Frillie in surprise: "You know?"

“I guessed,” Frilian said calmly.

Lu Mingfei's vision was now terrifyingly clear; he could see every pore on Masashi Tomiyama's face and hear Fingel drinking champagne in the next carriage.

"Congratulations, Mingfei, you passed the test." Masashi Tomiyama recorded Lu Mingfei's reaction and sent it back to the principal and the others.

He looked at Frilian: "It's your turn."

Frilian stared directly into the embryo's eyes.

Three seconds later, Masashi Tomiyama looked at the embryo that had closed its eyes and was pretending to be dead, cold sweat beading on his forehead: "Unbelievable."

Frillie handed over a handkerchief.

"Okay, Frilian, you've passed the test too."

On the way back to his seat, Lu Mingfei asked in a low voice, "Are there many dragons where you live?"

“Not many, as rare as we elves.” The last time Frilian saw a member of her race was that warrior monk who worshipped the goddess.

Fingel was enjoying his meal at his seat, with seven or eight empty lunchboxes in front of him.

"Junior brother!" he waved with his mouth full of food, "Come and try this special steak!"

"Is this our lunch?!" Lu Mingfei looked at the dwindling amount of food left and felt like crying.

"Don't be so stingy~", Fingel licked his fingers, "In exchange, I can tell you the secrets to surviving on campus! Like..."

He lowered his voice, "Whatever you do, don't go to the library at midnight, or else, hehe."

Finally, Lu Mingfei used his S-level privileges to get himself and Frilian another lunch.

As the train passed through the long tunnel, sunlight streamed through the windows again, revealing a cluster of quaint buildings.

“Welcome to Kassel College,” Fingel said, unusually serious, “a paradise for madmen and freaks.”

Lu Mingfei pressed his face against the windowpane. A large group of students had gathered in the school square, holding banners in their hands.

"That's my name?" Lu Mingfei's eyes widened.

The banner read "Welcome S-Class Freshman Lu Mingfei," and some people were waving small flags.

Frillie narrowed her eyes: "The group of people on the left are holding 'Frillie's Support Group'."

"The forum has been in an uproar for three days now," Fingel said sourly. "The youngest S-class in history, plus a once-in-a-century A-class beauty."

He tugged at Lu Mingfei's sleeve. "Seriously, is she really your cousin?"

"Genuine or genuine."

The train slowly came to a stop. Lu Mingfei and Frillie each dragged a suitcase into the campus.

The loudspeaker announced: "Attention all new students! Attention all new students!"

"We're doomed!" Fingel jumped up. "Freedom Day has begun!"