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As we descended the gangway, the city we had observed from the ship now welcomed us.

“Oh, look! A tram!”

Not far from where our ship was docked, we could see the tracks of a tram line. Following Alfe’s pointing finger, I spotted a maroon-colored tram receding into the distance.

Tracing the tracks with my eyes, I noticed that, true to the nature of trams, it ran parallel to the road. The tracks wove through the buildings, something that didn’t exist in Torch Town, where we grew up. While Alfe’s voice bubbled with excitement, I took in the sight of the trams and the steam vehicles passing by.

With the arrival of the passenger ship at the port, steam vehicles for pick-up and large cargo transport had gathered, making the area around the port somewhat crowded.

Unlike in Torch Town, where you could freely ride an Arkecius around the city, the advanced transportation system here likely meant stricter regulations. It was possible to obtain the necessary permits to ride it in the city, but I had no desire to draw unnecessary attention.

“Master, I have completed the large cargo transportation procedures.” Hom returned, carrying two trunks—one for me and one for herself—after checking on Arkecius.

“Right, thanks for your hard work, Hom.”

As I thanked Hom and shifted my gaze to the parking area for the transport vehicles, I noticed one of the vehicles bearing the emblem of Canalford Academy pulling in.

Arkecius would be transported to the academy’s storage facility, where it would be kept under their supervision. It would be a while before I could see Arkecius again.

“Well, it’s time to head to the dormitory.”
“Yeah! Leafa, I want to ride that!”
“Of course, that’s what I had in mind.”

At Canalford Academy, transportation was provided by steam-powered trams. The fare was a flat ten Galdas, and since the tram circled the city, even if we missed our stop, we could eventually return to the port.

“Hom, pay the fare with this.” I took out two copper coins from my wallet and handed one to Hom.

“Thank you, Master.” Hom gratefully accepted the copper coin, holding it tightly as she bowed respectfully.

“Hehe, when you do that, it’s like you’re her mom, Leafa.”
“Well, I am her biological parent, after all. Still, it seems like it’s time for you to have some money of your own, Hom.”
“For a distance like this, I can simply run. There is no need for me to use Master’s funds.”
“I appreciate the thought, but we’re family, Hom. Father and Mother made sure to set aside an allowance for you too.”

Until now, there hadn’t been much need for Hom to spend money, but considering that we would have different areas of study, it was time for her to have a wallet of her own.

As we boarded the tram at the nearest station, Port Front Station, a cool breeze drifted in through the windows, carrying the refreshing scent of the lake. I had expected there to be many students heading to Canalford Academy for tomorrow’s entrance ceremony, but surprisingly, the only other passengers were adults.

“Do you think everyone’s already at the dorms?”
“Probably. A lot of students come from far-off cities, so I guess they’d want to arrive early.”

Considering the potential for delays due to weather or transportation issues, it made sense for those traveling from afar to ensure they arrived well in advance. Also, many of the students attending Canalford Academy were likely from noble families, who might have arranged for private steam vehicles for their arrival.

“It’s so nice… and so different from back home,” Alfe marveled, sitting at the rear of the tram and gazing out the window with wide eyes. I had worried she might feel anxious about starting this new chapter of her life away from home, but she seemed to be handling it better than I expected.

Her feet swung back and forth cheerfully, a habit she had since she was a baby, whenever she was happy. Watching her grow up so quickly right in front of me, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of joy. Even though she was changing and growing, I knew that her core essence remained the same.

“You look happy too, Leafa. You’re excited, aren’t you?” Alfe suddenly turned to me, her eyes meeting mine as she smiled.
“Yeah. I was worried you might feel lonely, but I’m relieved to see you’re doing fine.”
“As long as you’re with me, Leafa, I won’t feel lonely, no matter where we are.”

As she spoke, Alfe reached out, intertwining her fingers with mine. The sensation of her now-grown hand enveloping mine only deepened my sense of relief.

“Oh, I can see the dorms now. Is that ours?” Alfe pointed eagerly toward a building with a blue roof and white walls, standing out against the skyline.

“That’s the dorm for nobles. Ours is the next stop,” I explained, glancing at the building she pointed to. The northern stop near the port was indeed for the noble dorms, while the commoner dorm, where we would be staying, was at the next station.

The student dormitory area had two stops along the tram line, one to the north for the nobles and one further south for the commoners. As the tram passed by the noble dorms, it continued southward, cutting through a park that separated the two areas.

The dormitories themselves were divided by school levels—middle school, high school, and university—with each level having its own building. The spacious area included a park, large gardens, tennis courts, and a training hall with a distinctive brown roof. There were even small shops selling daily necessities and groceries, making the dormitory area feel like a small town of its own.

As we passed the expansive noble dormitories, a building with a green roof came into view—our dormitory, the commoner dorm. Although the tram route caused the two stops to be quite far apart, looking at it now, the noble dorm and the commoner dorm were actually positioned almost directly opposite each other, with a courtyard separating them.