《Darkness inside the Light》


 1 John and Vladimir

    In a faraway land, beyond the mountain of fire, there is a remote village called the village of life. This place''s existence is unknown to the majority of this world, but for its residents it is an oasis, a haven for them to escape from their daily difficulties,their home. Its a simpe small villagewith nothing exraordinary for a passerby to remember it but for this old man who had just passed the entrance of the village it was exactly what he was desperately searching for the past 10 years.


    It was noon, the time the villagers were resting in their houses. ¦¡ heavy silence was dominating the atmosphere with only the cries of the cicadas to break the monotony from time to time. The old man was crossingthe village until he reached a remote demolished house. He stopped and immediately got down from his horse. He kneeled in front of the house with tears dropping from his face. It wasn''t until night that he finally raised his head and glared at the sky with bloodshot eyes. He murmured a few words and then his vision slowly turned black . His breathing was becoming weaker and weaker until it stopped completely...


    *****


    "I am Vladimir, its my honor to meet you""My name is John, its my pleasure to meet you"two young voices echoed inside the room.


    The one who said he was named Vladimir had long silver hair.


    Coordinated with his two big green eyes and his well built body, the word handsome was an understatement for his appearance, while the greatsword he was wearing on his back was giving him a heroic feeling . If Vladimir was considereda ?''god among the men''then John was exactly the person that the word ''average'' was created to describe someone. Brown hair and brown eyes with average looks and body. The person that you would never turn to look a second time if you passed him in the road.


    The two teens looked around the room curiously. The murals on the walls, the statues of the gods around them and the old man dressed as a priest in front of them were clues enough for anyone to deduce that the two boys were inside a temple.


    " Vladimir and John, my name is Father Jonas and I come from the capital. From today you are both 14 years old. You are orphans raised from my good friend Antony. As I promised him I have come to offer you the chance to return with me to the capital and try to pass the entrance exams of the Imperial Academy. Although the Imperial Academy accepts commonersits the academy with the most difficult requirements to enter. Have you made your decision? Although the graduation from an academy can help you raise your status and gain achievementsyou can always attain them too by becoming adventurers like your foster father. "


    The two boys were both found by a middle aged adventurer named Antony. They were raised together for at least 4 years. Their close relationship was well known around their peers. Although they didn''t resemble each other in the eyes of others they were undoubtly brothers. To the question of the priestthe silver haired teen firstly looked at his brother for confirmation and then aswered confidently" Me and John took this decision a long time ago. For our goals, please take us with you Father Jonas".

 2 John and Vladimir 2

    The priest nodded at their answer. Its good to be cautious but one should also be decisive when he has to. For these two kids, this choiceis probably the turning point of their lives.


    " Very well.. Remember that this is the path that you two chose for yourselves. I wish you to continue your journey with the same determination and courage. May the goddess Maria bless your future.We''ll set off tomorrow morning. Go and spend your day today with Antony. A lot of time will pass until you see each other again". The two youths didnt say anything. Instead they only bowed respectfully, kissed the priest''s ring and exited from the temple.


    *******


    The Moon Village was a place with a long history. It was said that the first humans of the continent lived there. According to the myths, thousands of years ago a big war was waged betweenhumans and gods. The Moon Village was the place where the decisive battle took place. In the end, the gods triumphed over humanity. As for the reason of the war, many theories were published through the years, but the story that was generally accepted was the one that was written in the ''holy book'' of the Church of Life. According to the ''holy book''humans betrayed the gods. They tried to steal their power and wealth and take their place in the heavens. In the end, because of their greediness they almost became extinct


    Vladimir and John didn''t return immediately to their house, but walked around the streets of the Moon Village.


    " Has it been nine years since I came here? Time sure passes quickly!" The silver haired youth said emotionally. His eyes were watching frantically his surroundings, trying to engrave everything around him in his memory.


    " Well nine years for you, four years for me. Unlike you I am not really attached to this place. Hell that, I would be happy if anyone remembered that I lived here" said the other youth with an indifferent expression.


    " If instead of sleeping all the time you tried to communicate with others you wouldnt have problems like that" Vladimir said sarcastically.


    John didnt answer, he was pretty much used to the reactions of his brother.Instead he moved his gaze at the sky. The wind was shaking his brown hair. With his sleepy face facing the bright sun he opened hesitantly his mouth" Hey Vladimir, you are really determined to do it, arent you?"


    Vladimir didnt look surprised at this question. In the past few years John would often ask this, as if he was checking his determination, as if he was checking if he would waver under the pressure of the decision he took many years ago.


    " Like I always answer, may the Goddess Maria be my witness.. I swear in the heavens that I Vladimir Erickson, son of Leonheart, will fulfill the destiny that my mother prophesiedwith the cost of her life and become the hero that will slay the Demon Lord and bring peace in our continent. I will stop this devastating war that brought so many calamities in our world. If I fail to keep my. . . hmmm stop closing my mouth bastard!" Vladimircompained with teary eyes. Two hands were trying to shut his mouth. Without relizing his brother had alreadymoved behind him.


    " Are you stupid? Unlike you I dont like to catch the attention of others. Look! Even the kids around us have stopped walking to laugh at us" John whispered grudgingly. Trying to hide his embarrassment he feigned a cool attitude, but he soon realised that the people that surrounded them didnt even notice his existence. They were watching dumbfounded his brother''s ''perfomance''.


    A mocking expression appeared on Vladimir''s face " I say my dear brother, your ability to be invisible is unrivaled under the heavens. Even if you harass every girl you meet in the road, it is possible that ghost hunters around the world will come here to search instead for undead. You are really the biggest threat for the humanity". A cry of pain sounded in the air. Taking his fist back from Vladimir''s face John walked happily to his home''s direction.

 3 Antony

    The two youths were walking leisurely while chatting about various things until they reachedthe entrance of a log cabin.


    Entering inside they saw a topless man around his fifty sitting cross legged on the floor with his eyes closed. The interior of the cabin was almost empty with the existence of only three beds to fill this building.


    Grey hair with a thick beard and fuzzy eyebrows, Antony was a man with a heroic appearance. His muscular body and the countless scars upon his body were the proof of his tough life as an adventurer.


    Upon hearing the sound offootsteps Antony opened slowly his black eyes. A small smile formed on his face when he saw the two kids that he raised alone to be so lively.


    For him, a person who only knew how to fight and with a job that required him to be at the front lines to suddenly have a familycan only be explained as a twist of fate. For Antony though, the warmth that he received from these boys was the reward for all the hardship he endureduntil now.


    "At least you remembered you have a home brats" Antony said jokingly. Without waiting for a reply his gaze suddenly became sharp as he continued " So what is it? Although I know the answer I want to hear it from your lips".


    Vladimir''s and John''s posture became strict. They straightened their back and looked at the face of their father with determined faces. John made a step decisively forward and opened his mouth.


    " It is as you guessed Father, as promised we came to face the final trial of our training".


    Antony stood up and slowly walked outside of the cabin. He completelyignored the youths that were watching cautiously his moves. it wasn''t until he disappeared from their sights that a voice was heard from the darkness.


    "Follow me". Just a simple command.


    *********


    Three figures were traveling through the darkness with high speed. It wasn''t until they entered a forest and found a clearing that they all stopped at the same time.


    For John,the fact that it was night was something that was giving him a sense of confidence and security. Facing against a monster like his father wasn''t something that he could do without being able to go all out.


    '' I hope at least for Vladimir to be able to attract his attention. Without a doubt father will try to confront me first. Even for him to fight against brother while having me lurk in the shadows to ambush him isn''t something worth to take the risk for''. While having these idle thoughts Antony finally started to talk


    "Its been 2 years since the last time we came here. I really look forward to see what kind of path your powers have taken. I taught you everything I knew about martial arts and magic. But for someone to develop his own powers, needs to have his own experiences and enlightenments. Let''s see what personal achievements you have acquired these two years I haven''t seen your training. If you want to go to the Imperial Academy you must defeat me".


    Antony made a step forward. His black eyes started to change their color to a faint blue. Electric sparks started to appear around his body. At the same time, his grey hair started to redden until they became fiery red. In his two hands, an axe made of fire formed slowly. When this transformation was finished, Antony was looking like a demon that ascended from the Hell.


    John andVladimir watched the whole process without thinking of interfering. Trying to prevent a veteran adventurer who have fought over a thousand of battles to complete his transformation by using only trickstery can''t be considered anything else than a pipe dream.


    Vladimir turned to look at John''s side. Upon seeing the confirmation in his eyes, he jumped without a second thought in front of his brother. Dust started to appear from the collision of his legs that had acquired a bronze color with the ground. A layer of dirt covered the whole area making the visibility difficult.

 4 Magic and Mana

    Moon Village, 3 years ago


    Two young kids were sitting in a green meadow, listening attentively the speech of a middle- aged man. The sunshine combined with the bird songs echoing from time to time had created a peaceful environment for the company that had the luck to enjoy this beautiful atmosphere.


    " Listen boys, magic can be described as simple or complicate topic depending on the person.Countless scholars tried to create a clear explanation of what magic really is but no one has managed to achieve it. My Master was also a person like that. He researched about this topic for his whole life, but in the end he was unable to provide a clear answer" the man said nostalgically upon remembering his teacher who couldn''t meet again anymore.


    "Before I share my own views about this subject let''s explain something else before"


    Antony stopped to check if he had his sons attention and continued


    " Mana! Probably the most important thing in this world. It''s a kind of energy that consists of many forms. For our own convenience we have categorized the mana according to the elements. The reason for this is actually pretty simple. The six elements Earth,Water,Wind,Fire,Dark and Light containmana in different colors. For example, Earth''s mana is yellow while Wind''s mana is silver. Increasing your awarenessthrough meditation allows you to sense and see the mana around you" Antony said entusiastically.


    He then opened his palm.


    A small silver ball started to form, then the color changed slowly to red before it changed again and transformed into a white ball surroundedby lightning sparks.


    " The elements that you will feel more familiar with are the ones that have the most similar color with the mana that resides in your body.The manipulation of this manahas as a result the creation of magic. It''s a pity that a human can''t be compatible with more than three elements. This is the limit that our brain can perceive. The majority of people unfortunately are incapable to even sense the existence of mana, much less to manipulate it" Antony said indifferently. Obviously he didnt care much about these powerless ordinary people.


    " Father! Wait a minuite! There are things that I don''t understand" shouted Vladimir. His face couldn''t hide the puzzlement he was feeling inside.


    "Speak" Antony was clearly used to his son''s enthusiastic way of speaking as he answered with a smile.


    " Firstly, when you said ''most similar'', do you mean that the mana in our body doesn''t have the same color with the mana in our environment?And secondly, how did you create this white ball with the sparks? It seems like the element of Wind but at the same time it feels different" the silver haired youth asked passionately.


    A gleam of admiration appeared in Antony''s eyes.


    " Excellet questions! These questions are exactly the reason why magic isn''t so simple. According to my Master''s theory, instead of considering the mana that reside inside of us to have the same color with the elements, its more logical to assume that the mana inside of us is colorless. In other words, we are the ones that give the color to our mana according to our understaning of the elements. My lightning magic is exactly the product of my continuous efforts to gain enlightenment in the mysteries of the Wind element" Antony said proudly.


    The knowledge he had about magic and mana was something that even the magic researchers in the royal palace may not have access to. This is something that only proves how capable really was Antony''s master. He then proceededto take some stones from his pocket.


    "These stones are called fate stones and are the shortcut to learn if you can use magic. Every stone has a different element as attribute. The ones that you manage to make them show their color are the ones that are compatible with you. But firstly its mana training. Your goal for now is in three years from now for you two to defeat me"a cruel smile appeared in Antony'' s face


    *****


    Three years later, the two boys having developed their own understandings in the elements started to confront their father,teacher and master..

 5 Optical illusion and the three Elements

    The dust covered the area around Vladimir, John and Antony. When the visibility finally became clear, only Vladimir could be seen scanning his surroundings. Both his brother and father seemed to have disappeared


    John who was observing the situation hidden in the woods around the clearing, was trying to analyze his opponents moves


    '' Seems like father realised our plan to avoid a scenario where he can come after me first. He shouldn''t be away from my position'' he thought silently. He really wanted to sigh dejectedly.


    '' I should find him before he takes me down by a surprise. It all comes to experience in the end'' while having these thoughts, a firing fist suddenly appeared in front of his face. Antony with his lightning speed had already arrived in front of him before John could even realise what happened.


    The flaming fist approached his face but instead of hitting him, it passed through John''s head. Seeing his son''s figure to slowly disappear, a surprised expression appeared on Antony''s face,but he regained his calmness immediately. He raised his flaming axe to block Vladimir''s attack who had come to confront him when he revealed his position.


    " I can''t believe that I didn''t manage to avoid the scenario where you can ambush me at any time. Seems like your improvements these 2 years are really impressive. I even lost the initiative to attack first" Antony didn''t look sad at all as he was explaining the predicament he had fallen in.


    "As if this is enough to beat an old fox like you" Vladimir replied coldly. His casual attitude had changed completely. His silver hairhad gained the brightness of the sun . On his hands, a huge greatsword made of iron had appeared . Every movement he made seemed to leave a layer of ice behind, while his body was covered by a thick sand armor. Combined with his cold expression and his natural beauty, Vladimir could easily be compared with an angel that descended from the Heavens to judge the ignorant humans.


    Seeing his son''s appearance Antony''s eyes became totally wide. A mad laugh escaped from his mouth


    " Hahahaha! Three elements! I can''t believe it. My son is the first human to unlock three elements after hundreds of years"his eyes started to become blurry. He took a deep breath and tried tocalm down himself from the emotional state he had found himself in.


    Vladimir didn''tlet the chance that Antony gave him to go as he raised his heavy greatswordand thrusted at his father.


    No matter how much distracted the old adventurer was, it was completely impossible to be caught off guard by this kind of attack. The flaming axe and the iron greatsword collided with each other leaving behind fire sparks and ice crystals behind. After 20 moves, Vladimir started to feel exhaustion in his body. A pained expression that he tried to hide started to form on his face. Despite healing his wounds with the Light element, the toll of using three elements at the same time was something thathis mental state couldn''t endure.


    "It seems that you reached your limit. The use of three elements demands extreme concentration and mana consumption. The fact that you managed to force me on a stalematefor 20 moves is already something you can be proud for. In the end, the reason you lost today was because you didn''t have the time to increase your mana capacity. Wait for 10 years and then the result might be different" Antony said as he slowly approached Vladimir.


    In the face of the victory, no matter how experienced someone was, he would still lower his guard even for a second. The moment that Antony became slightly relaxed, a shadow emerged from Vladimir''s body and attacked him.


    '' Fuck! I dont have time to avoid it. It will restrain me for at least 1 second'' Antony thought as he tried to find a way to stall the time before he was attacked.


    The shadow touched the legs of the old adventurer trying to immobilize him. At the same time a figure seemed to have appeared on his side. Holding a black dagger with a sinister aura on his hand he moved to stab him between his ribs..

 6 Departure

    For the first time, the middle-aged man felt threatened. Time seemed to havefrozen. Just before the dagger touch his skin, he managed to free himself from the restrain of the shadow. Lightning magic was immediately activated to counter-attack the man with the dagger, but unexpectedly he felt a sharp pain on his other side.


    Antony turned instictively to see what happened. Unexpectedly, he saw his son John smiling at him while waving a black dagger around as he was mocking him. The figure that he was trying to attack so desperately a minute ago had disappeared like it never existed. The old man lowered his head to see the wound that have appeared on his body dumbfounded.


    " Unexpectedly your dagger is cursed. This wound will probably never close unless you desire it yourself. That would have happened if your magic was stronger than mine" As he talked electricity flowed in his body. A small scream could be heard from Antony''s wound. A black light emerged out of his body and returned to John''s dagger.


    "You little brat, to think that you would actually manage to injure me.How did you trick my perception with just the element of Darkness". Antony couldn''t understand. How did John suddenly appear from his right side to the left. What he was training so many years for if he was being toyed by a junior.


    "Hahaha! How did you like my trump cardfather" John laughed happily as he continued "Like Vladimir who awakened his third element this past year, I also managedto grasp some understanding in the Light element" John said proudly.


    " You actually achieved to unlock a second element! But I didn''t see the use of any other element except from Darkness"


    " This isn''t strange. Usually the element of Light is normally used to heal wounds or for purification. Its actually the exact opposite from the element of Darkness but at the same time they both are the two sides of the same coin. Manipulating the brightness in an area allows me to interfere with my prey''s visual field. I never became invisible, it''s just that you couldn''t see me.In a similar but more complicated way I created a momentary mirage of myself. Anyway, this was the combination of the elements of Light and Darkness according to my understandings and not the manifestasion of only just one element as you thought. You just fell in my trap father".


    John stopped to take a breath and then walked near Vladimir in order to support him. Antony didn''t prevent him. He stayed motionless, lost in thought. Finally he shook his head and looked at the two youths.


    "Forget it. Managing to deal some damage to me with your level is the proof of your talent. Just try to keep some low profile in the Imperial Academy or else you'' ll scare everybody there. Well young men, congratulations for the completion of your training". Antony said with a smile.


    The two teens were taken aback by this unexpected announcement.


    "Father, it''s not like I want to complain but we haven''t won yet"


    "Father, although rare, Vladimir is actually right. A small lucky wound is far from the goal you set for us three years ago"


    " What do you mean by this, bastard! I am always right. Reality has proven so. Why do you think I have so many followers!"


    "Please don''t tell these poor girls that you only see themas followers. You'' ll see how cruel reality can be"


    " Alright guys that''s enough. Don''t tell me you actually thought that you could win. I am a S ranked adventurer. My fighting capability is enough to fight solo against a dragon. It''s already a big achievement that you fought so well when I used 10% of my power"Antony said quickly. The fact that he was injured was already a big slap on his face. His pride couldn''t endure any more hits.


    "Let''s go to eat dinner. Today I''ll let you drink a little" Antony said as he started to leave the area. The two youths didn''t delay either as they started to follow him quickly..


    ****


    The night passed quickly while shouts and laughter could be heard from a small log cabin. Before long, the morning finally came. Unlike the previous day that it had sunshine, many clouds started to gather threatenly on the sky, boding a bad weather.


    In the center of the Moon Village, a temple dedicated to the Goddess Maria existed. A priest was standing outside of the temple with impatience written on his face. Before he lose his cool three figures started to aproach him.


    " At last you decided to come. It''s almost noon bastard Antony! You two too! Oh Goddess Maria give me power to keep my calm"


    "As always you like to be dramatic Jonas"


    "Its Father Jonas! Do you think that I wear these cloths for a show?"


    "Whatever you say. I came here to entrust you my two sons. Do not involve them in anything shady"


    "I'' ll ask again. Do you think I wear these cloths for a show?" Father Jonas wanted to retort but in the end he decided to give up. Exhausted from this kind of comedy skit(?) he made a gesture to the two youths to come closer.


    " Listen well kids, the journey until the capital will take around ten days. It''s impossible to travel so far with only the three of us. It''s definite that we will meet beasts or bandits". Father Jonas said severely. He checked if he had the two teens attention and continued. " Princess Andriana will let us to travel with her and her Order". Upon haring this, both John''s and Vladimir''s eyes almost popped out from the shock. "Do you understand brats? If you insult in some way the princess, then even the gods won''t be able to save you" the old priest said loudly. After seeing the two boys socked expressions he let a satisfied smile.

 7 Port of St.Nicolas

    Planet Kelvin is a planet that consists of five continents. Among them,Andromeda is the one that can be considered as the biggest.Although Kelvin is almost covered competely from seas and oceans with only the 20% of it to be made up of land, it still is this land in whichthe majority of the the liveforms that have developed advanced intelligence, live to.


    Andromedacan be considered as a continent wherehumanity is clearly the dominant race. Among the many countries that exist there, almost 70% of them are consisted of humans with the Empire to be undoubltythemost powerful one and one of the most formidable forces of the continent


    ****


    Inside of a small carriage heading torwards the Imperial Capital, John was reading a book about the races that reside in Andromeda. Despite of the fact the information in the book was something that hehad already knowledge, he could be seen to frown from time to time. Beside him, Vladimir was snoring happily while Father Jonas was gazing the landscape outside. When Father Jonas saw coincedentally John lost in thought he couldn''t help but be curious


    " Is the content of the book that complicated to make you frown so hard?"


    John was surprised when he was suddenly asked a question, but after some time he shook his head toward Father Jonas as he was answering


    "It''s not that. This book only explains what kind of races exist in Andromeda along with their characteristics". John replied as he showed the cover of the book to the old priest.


    " This book was actually written from a renown adventurer.A good friend of mine and your father, butalso a really eccentric person." the priest said with a wry smile.


    " So, what made youdoubtful about this book? "


    "Maybe my thinking is flawed, but don''t you find it strange that so many organisms in Kelvin have advanced intelligence? Humans, elves, dwarves,demons,orcs. And even if we consider that these species have many similar traits since they are humanoid and maybe come from the same ancestors, then what about species like dragons. I am surprised that I still haven''t found someone to try to make a more thorough research about it". John said somewhat disappointedly


    " I don''t really understand you my child, the things that you mention are already written in the ''holy book'' ".said Father Jonas doubtfully. Upon hearing this, John came to a sudden realization.


    After that fateful night six years ago, memories started to appear out nowhere in his brain. These memories were faint and didn''t create any change in his personality,but it''s obvious that the way he was viewing the world since then wasn''t the same as before.


    " I see Father Jonas, I was confused for no reason". John said quickly. He broke in cold sweat when he realised that his comments could mix him in some kind of trouble.


    "It''s okey. But try to be more mindful of your words when we meet with the Order of princess Adriana. Others maybe misunderstand you for an heretic" Said Father Jonas with a kind smile


    The youth didn''t doubt at all the priest. The Empire isn''t theocratic but that didn''t mean you could openly challenge the position of the Church. After silently scolding himself for his carelessness he thanked Father Jonas and closed his eyes to rest.


    ******


    Two days passed since the departure of John and Vladimir from the Moon Village. Luckily for them, they didn''t meet any serious trouble except from some demon beasts that Vladimir slained easily. In the third day they finally reached a small port-town named St.Nicolas.


    " Listen kids, unless something unexpected happen we''ll meet with princess Adriana tommorow. We'' ll stay the night here so be careful. This isn''t the Moon Village. Many bandits live in small towns like these and we don''t want to have many dealings with the local authority too". The priest said as he commanded the driver of the carriage to enter St.Nicolas.


    The sun had already set when they found an inn with free rooms to stay. Although the town was small, it had an unsual liveliness that caught the interest of the two youths. That being said, they didn''t dare to make trouble for this old priest. They remained calm and collected despitethe enthousiasm that existed around them.

 8 Helena and the Old Merchan

    The following morning the three travelers decided to go to the dining room for breakfast. Because the sun had just risen, there weren''t many people inside the room. A young girl approached the old man and the two youths upon they sat in a table, with a bright smile. She had orange hair arranged as pigtails. Her simple clothes and demeanor were revealingher common birth but her cute face as well as her ample bosom with the combination of her aura that radiated warmth and friendliness could captivate any young man regardless of his status.


    "Good morning Sirs, I hope you had a good rest. " The girl said with a sweet voice. Her eyes were widened when they caught a glimpse of Vladimir who was looking to be full of vitality while a faint blush appeared on her face


    " We have for breakfastfried eggs, bacon and cheese, as well as ham sandwiches" she said professionally but her gaze didn''t leave the silver-haired youth.


    " Some cheese and bread for me young miss as well as a cup of coffee" said the old priest "As for the the rest.." before he could finish, a young voice interrupted him" two fried eggs for me as well as a glass of milk. Some sandwiches are also good if they are prepared personally from your two beautifulhands, miss?" Vadimir asked while his face revealed an innocent expression but the slyness in his eyes could not be hidden from neither John nor Jonas


    " Helena" answered hurriedly the young girl while continuing with a quieter voice" 15 years old, unmarried" until her voice became as silent as the buzzing of a mosquito.


    " My name is Vladimir and I come from the Moon Village. I am just a passerby that will leave today. Miss Helena, would you like to accompany me for a walk after the breakfast? Unfortunately I can''t prolong my stay here for another day, so I would be thrilled if you could give me the chance to know each other better in the limited time I have". Vladimir''s straightforward words made Helena''s face to become totally red, but despiteher embarrassmentshe still managed to give a reply shyly." As long as we return before noon. I can''t leavemy parents working without me for too long". As she answered she turned around to leave quickly but an unexpextedvoice suddenly stopped her almost causing her a heart attack


    " Wait miss Helena!Don''t you forget someone here? I haven''t ordered yet. I exist! Don''t treat me likeair!" John who was still lolling on his chair until now shouted dumbfounded.


    *****


    John, Vladimir and Father Jonas decided to seperate and meet at the harbor in the noon. Vladimir went on a date with Helena while Father Jonas decided to visit the church of St.Nicolas. As for John..


    '' Seems like Vladimir caught some interest in this girl. Is it because of her magic power? Well it''s not my business anyway'' the brown haired youth was thinking about his brother''s attitude towards that orange-haired girl while he was walking around the marketplace of the port-town. In the four years that he knew him it was the first time he saw him to actively chase a girl. Suddenly, as he was passing several stalls, an item caught his eye. He started to approach a stall that was displaying weapons.


    The stall had many kind of weapons like swords, bows etc but the item that attracted John was a rusty black dagger that was catching dust in the corner. Searching for the merchant, he saw an old man nodding while sitting on his stool


    "Hey old man, are you awake? I want to ask about the prices of your items" John shouted. The merchant opened slowly his eyes but upon seeing John he decided to close them again. When he saw that he was ignored, the youth became enraged.


    "Hey bastard, do you hear me? Hey! I am a customer for god''s sake. A CUSTOMER! Open your eyes!" The old merchant opened again his eyes, but this time with puzzlement. Looking around he murmured some strange words.


    " Strange, I keep hearing voices in my head. Has someone cursed me? Forget it, I''ll just ignore it for now andgive some money later to the Church of Light to use purification" while having these idle thoughts, suddenly a sense of danger filled him. Searching around frantically he finally found in front of himself(!) a man staring him with a chilly smile


    *****


    "May I help you young master ?" The merchant asked cautioutly


    " So you finally saw me. Among the people that I have met in my life you are probably the one that I want to kill the most!"


    " You have some dangerous thoughts young man. It is not good to be ruthless in your age" The old man answered as he stood up slowly and approached carefully his weapons.


    " Don''t worry old man, if I wanted to kill you I would have done it while you were asleep. And I am not crazy enough to attack you when I am not sure about the chances to succeed"


    " As expected, you are not normal. An assassin I think? In addition, a naturally gifted one". The man answered without lowering his guard in the slightest

 9 Promise

    Hearing the merchant''s comment, John didn''t look surprised at all. From the start there were several reasons that he gave so many clues about his identity. Firstly,he wanted to test if his intuition was correct. The old man gave him a feelingsimilar to his father like he had immeasurable power hidden.But more importantly...


    " Say old man, what is the price of this bow?"


    "5 silver coins young master" the mercant replied while looking at John with amusement.


    If someone were to consider that 15 silver coins are enough for a family of four to live confortably for a whole year, then the price can be considered for a commoner extravagant and ridiculous, but to John''s eyes the bow deserved this much.


    " Then about this sword?"


    " 7 silver coins young master"


    John was now sure. He didn''t know what this old man was doing in a small town like this, but he knew the reason he set a stall. Obviously it was not to sell weapons that only the Lord of this territory had the financial ability to buy.


    "This is my last question old man. For this black dagger over there, what do you want for exchange?"Upon hearing these words a wide smile formed on the merchant''s face.


    ******


    Meanwhile, in the harbor of St. Nicolas, two figures were sitting side by side on some rocks on the coast while gazing at the boats in the sea. The one of them was a young man around 14 years old with long silver hair and two big green eyes. His robust body combined with the greatsword on his backwere creating an image of a heroic being.


    The other was a young girl around 15 years old with orange hair arranged in pigtails and two blue eyes filled with energy. With a slim body but ample bosom, her figure was without a doubt alluring. Her face had a hint of childness and naivety from her youth.


    " The last time I saw the sea was when my parents were still alive. I was only four but I still remember my mother''s warm gaze as she was holding me in her hands" Vladimir said without an expression but his eyes revealed for a moment a trace of sadness.


    " I am sorry Vladimir, I didn''t want to make you feel sad when I brought you here or anything like that" said the pigtailed girl hurriedly. She truly felt bad from the bottom of her heart. Seeing her teary expression, Vladimir revealed a warm smile


    " Don''t worry Helena. It''s been nine years since then. And I had also beside me my foster father and later, my brother" Vladimir said gently as he tried to appease the young girl. Seeing her starting to calm down he turned his gaze again at the sea.


    " Both my parents were killed by demons while they were trying to protect me. Before her last breath my mother had given me a divination". Vladimir suddenly said. His face turned frosty as he stood up. His right hand moved to his back and held the greatsword. Then with his full power he stuck it deeply inside the ground. Layers of frost started to appear on the ground around the greatesword. Vladimir turned back to Helena again but this time his appearance had changed completely. His eyes had become transparent like they were made of water. He started to walk towards her.


    Helena could only stay motionless as Vladimir started to kneel in front of her and hold her hands. In his trasparent eyes, she could see her figure,her soul, every secret she had hidden in her lifebe reflected. The youth slowly opened his mouth.


    " May the goddess Maria be my witness...I swear in the heavens that I Vladimir Erickson, son of Leonheart, will fulfill the destiny that my mother prophesied with the cost of her life and become the hero that will slay the Demon Lord and bring peace in our continent. I will stop this devastating war that brought so many calamities in our world. If I fail to keep my oath, may my soul burns forever in the flames of Hell and never have the hope to reincarnate" the young man slowly repeated the childish oath heswore in front of his parents bodies after he had seen them die in front of his eyes.


    When his foster father found him, he has sleeping beside them, with a body covered with blood. It wasn''t his, neither his family''s, but from his opponents who he destroyed with his bare hands. That day he decided to change his name to Vladimir. The man that was told in the fairy tales that he lived only for blood. As for what he was named before he didn''t remember anymore.


    " Helena, according to the prophecy the hero is always accompanied from companions bonded by the fate" the silver haired youth said. His eyes started to regain their green color and his expression to return to its natural kindness.


    "I felt our connection the moment I saw you". He said as he stared at the orange haired girl.


    " I won''t ask you to come with me, but the moment you''ll feel like finding me, I''ll wait for you in the Imperial Academy ".

 10 Fate

    The two remained silent as they stared at each other. Vladimir was waiting in vain for Helena to say something. He could clearly see that the girl was petrified.


    " Did I go too far? But I don''t think I said anything scary. People usually look forward to meet heroes. That''s what I''ve read in fairy tales" The silver haired youth murmured. He was genuinely filled with doubt.


    Helena couldn''t process in her mind what was happening in front of her.


    '' He is mad! And dangerous too! I have to escape quickly. Oh father, I am sorry I didn''t hear you and went out with someone I didn''t know''. Having these thoughts in her mind she was trying desperately to find a way to get out of there immediately. A sudden voice woke the two of them up.


    "There you are. I didn''t expect you two to still be together" A teen around 14 years old appeared in their sights when they turned to look instinctively at the direction that the sound was heard. He didn''t have anything notable in his appearance, just your average Joe. Naturally he wasn''t anyone else than John. As he looked strangely at the two of them, John continued


    " Is it that strange to see me? It''s almost noon you know"


    " You are... Actually who are you?"


    The one that unexpectedly answered wasn''t Vladimir but Helena who awoke first from her stupor.


    John felt exhausted. This joke had gone too far. First that old geezer, now this rude girl. He couldn''t help but feel like they were trying to provoke him on purpose. Before he could retort, Vladimir opened his mouth quickly


    " His name is John and he is my brother. His presence is weak so it''s easy to forget his existence but please next time try to at least pretend to rememb... Aoutch!"A fist interrupted him before hehad the chance to complete his sentence. Feeling satisfied, John looked again at the pigtailed girl. As if he understood something he opened his mouth


    " Seems like my stupid brother scared the hell out of you" He said slowly. When he saw that the young girl''s expression started to change he couldn''t help but laugh .


    ''Maybe with her he can learn some common sense and her character is also passable. Ok I decided!''


    John moved his hand inside his pocket and took out six small stones. A gleam of surprise appeared in the girl''s eyes. She could feel a sense offamiliarity come from the stones! John moved towards Helena but he didn''t approach her too much ashe was afraid that he would scare her. He lowered his body and placed carefully the stones on the ground. He then took a step back and opened his mouth.


    " These stones are called fate stones. I know that I don''t need to explain you much. You are already in a state where you can freely see and sense mana. If you knew about the elements and how todifferentiate them, maybe you would have already learnt how to use magic".


    For Helena, the view in front of her was breathtaking. Each one of the stones was emitting a different color. All of them were giving a profound otherwordly feeling to her.


    " Your life is happy.Both of your parents are healthy and they love you. Honestly, there is no reason for you to learn magic or to become strong". John said expressionlessly, while Vladimir revealed a trace of envy in his eyes.


    "That being said, there will be a time where you will be called to protect your family, your friends, maybe even your hometown. One day, bandits may attack or demon beasts. The adventurers may protect you for now but it doesn''t change the fact that they are external help. As for the knights, their priority willalways be their lord before the citizens of the territory. Our world isn''t peaceful, me and Vladimir are the living example of this fact. I hope you won''t be powerless like we were ".As he said that he started to turn around. He stopped when he was facing the opposite direction and started to slowly leave the area. Vladimir also followed him without saying anything


    " Wait! Is that it? You say that one day I''ll meet despair and then leave like that?" Helena immediately stood up and shouted angrily.


    " It wasmy pleasure to meet a cute girl like you Helena. Stay healthy. I hope we meet again" Vladimir answered instead of John cheerfully and ran after his brother again


    ******


    '' Both of them are crazy'' thegirl sighed as she remained gazing at the sea. She turned her head and looked at the stones.


    '' In the end, he left these here'' she thought as she approached the stones. She picked up the one she sensed that it had the biggest familiarity with her.A feeling like she had finally found a piece that she had lost emerged in her heart. A wide smile appeared on her face. Her blue eyes sparkled with interest.


    '' If I recall correctly, Vladimir mentioned sometime in his madness the Imperial Academy. If you think you two that you can bully me and leave freely, then you don''t know how terrifying a woman can be!'' she thought.


    *****


    "I never expected you to take interest in someone else other than me, brother." Vladimir said with wonder


    " I was surprised too. I never expected to meet someone that could endure your real self without going crazy other than me and father" John replied happily.


    Vladimir didn''t take John seriously, as he continued


    " What do you think she''ll do?"


    " Well I am not sure. Although she seems to be shy and reserved, I think this is her facade."


    " That''s unexpected!"


    " A girl that goes on a date with a guy the day she meets him for the first time. She seems pretty brave to me."

 11 The Order of the Red Rose

    The two youths were chatting until a man and a woman started to approach them. The man had white hair, wrinkles on his face while his brown eyes were revealing wisdom. He seemed to be around 70 years old while the clotheshe was wearing were revealing his identity as a priest.


    " Father Jonas,you are late" Vladimir said with a smile. He still hadn''t forgotten the scolding he had been given by the old priest the day they departed from the Moon Village.


    Father Jonas didn''t care about Vladimir''s implications , instead he proceeded to introduce the woman that was beside him


    " She is called Sophie and she is a knight under the princess command. We will be under her supervision during the journey"


    The eyes of the two teens fell upon the woman''s body. She was surprisingly young, probably only a few years older thanthem. Despite of the fact she was equipped with the knights armor, her beauty couldn''t be restrained. Her white like snow skin, the ethereal beauty of her face,her eyes that seemed like two black sapphires, as well as her silky black hair, were enough to make anyone stunned from her beauty.She was probably the most gorgeous woman the two youths had ever seen in their lives. Sophie also stared them back with an ice-cold expression.


    " These kids from the left to the right are called Vladimir and John respectively. They are under my care at the request of a good friend of mine". Father Jonas finished the introductions and moved to the side to let the knight talk.


    " Listen well. You two will be assinged to my company as soldiers until we reach to the Capital. Refusing to obey my commands means execution. Also, I don''t plan to protect you either. I have only one warning to give you. If you make me lose face in front of the Princess Adriana de Grenmar, then death is nothing compared to what I'' ll do to you". She said expressionlessly.


    "Try to stay away from the other knights of the order. Though I don''t think they would want tooffend openly Father Jonas who is the Imperial Tutor of the princess, but that doesn''t mean that all of them are on good terms with him. If they find an excuse in your conduct they''ll definitely use you as a trojan horse to make him lose face" The ice-cold beauty said and turned to the old priest. Her expression became gentler as she continued " Father Jonas, I''ll return first. When you arrive at the order, just show the token to the guards and they''ll lead these kids to me."


    Father Jonas thanked Sophie andlooked at the two youths who were staring him with dumbfounded faces.


    After letting a small laugh, he opened his mouth


    "What are these expressions? You couldn''t believe that as your father''s friend I would be a normal person right? Not only I am the Imperial Tutor of the Princess Adriana, but my status in the Church of Life isn''t low either" the old priest said proudly.


    The first to recover wasn''t the usually cool-headed John but the impulsive Vladimir


    "By the way, isn''t she too arrogant? I can''t even feel magic power from her" the silver-haired youth said. It was obvious that he was annoyed by the knight''s attitude.


    "I didn''t expect this statement from someone with your martial arts capability" the one to answer wasn''t Father Jonas, but unexpectedly was John


    " It''s as John said Vladimir. Don''t understimate the knights of the Empire. Their equipment is made by mithril, a material with high resistance to magic. Their swordsmanship isn''t a joke either. They are the biggest reason that Empire is one of the strongest forces in Andromeda". the old priest said with a strict tone as he continued


    " It''s very rare to find people who can use magic and not all of them are formidable either. As you know, the manipulation of mana needs extreme concentration. That''s why magicians usually focus on long range attacks while staying in the rear. The knights and the soldiers are responsible for their protection, as well as interfering with the enemies". As he said that, he looked strangely at the two youths.


    "Being capable to use both martial arts and magic at the same time isn''t the norm. Creating unique magic is even rarer. I have an idea of your combat ability from our journey until now and from your father''s words. I advise you not to stand out too much. Greediness and jealousy can both be enough reasons for someone to hold malicious intentions against you." He lookedat the sky to see the positioning of the sun and opened his mouth


    " It''s getting late, the encampment of the order is outside of St.Nicolas. We''ll talk while walking".


    "How come they didn''t enter the town?" John asked curiously as he started to follow Father Jonas.


    " They didn''t want to waste time since they plan to leave tomorrow, but knowing the princess, she probably wanted to avoid the sucking up of the local Lord".


    " This is unexpected! I thought that important people enjoy the attention of others" John said mockingly


    " You say that because you are a loner. Being surrounded by people can be very tiring" Vladimir replied as he recalled his own experiences


    " Yeah bastard, we understood that you are popular, don''t worry" John answered with annoyance. He sighed and spoke again " By the way father Jonas, that knight is definetely not simple. Not only she is a woman, she is also a captain if I understood well".


    "Yes, Captain Sophie de Woodman is the daughter of the Sword Duke Alexander Woodman as well as best friend of the princess, so try not to provoke her. That''s it if you want to keep your precious heads."


    When these words sounded, John and Vladimir stopped walking. They couldn''t conceal their shock. When they woke up from their stupor, the old priest had almost disappeared from their sights. They quickly ran after him.


    ****


    "Who are you and what do you want!" A guard shouted at the three people in front of him.


    " ¦¬y name is Father Jonas and I am a High Priest of the Church of Life. I am a guest of the Imperial Princess. The two behind me are to report for duty to Captain Sophie de Woodman" While he was talking, Father Jonas took out Sophie''s token as well as a letter with the Imperial emblem.


    Inspecting them, the guard immediately gave a salute and went to bring someone to guide them.After some time the guard returned with two men. The one was around 50 years old. He had black hair and a thick beard. His muscular body combined with his intimidating height as well as a scar he had on his right cheek made him seem like a powerful warrior from the ancient times. The other man seemed to be in his thirties . He had short blonde hair and green eyes as well as two pointy ears. His pretty face and his kind expression were giving the feeling that he was an easy going person.


    " It''s my honor to meet you Father Jonas. My names is Edward de Thundergod. I am one of the two Captains of the Order of the Red Rose under the command of Princess Adriana de Grenmar". The middle-aged man said as he lowered his head and kissed the ring on the priest''s hand.


    "You are Edward de Thundergod, the Iron General?How is it possible" The old priest couldn''t hide his astonishment .Even John and Vladimir from behind couldn''t help but open their mouths wide from the surprise.


    A smile formed on the face of the man called Edward as he spoke"To be known by the Imperial Tutor of the princess as well asthe most favourite candidate to be the next Pope of the Church of Life.... I don''t deserve this honor" He said as turned his face to the two youths behind the priest" And these two are?"


    Before the priest had the chance to talk, Vladimir took a step forward. Awide smile appeared on his face, while his two green eyes were carrying an unusual madness. " It''s my honor to meet Sir Edward de Thundergod. My name is Vladimir Erickson. To ask for guidance from the great hero of the North is one my biggest dreams. Please Sir Edward de Thundergod, fight me in a duel".

 12 Duel 1

    Time seemed to have frozen for the people around Vladimir. The bomb that he dropped made even John who knew him for so many years stupefied. The first to react was the guard that had been forgotten behind Edward.


    " How dare you insolent brat! Have you any idea who is the man you are talking to?" He shouted as he drew his sword and moved to attack the silver haired youth.


    "Too slow!" Vladimir exclaimed as he avoided the attempt of the guard to cut him down by moving to the right side. At the same time he stuck his left leg out to trip him up. The poor guard didn''t have the time to react and fell on the ground.Feeling humilated, he prepared to stand up and fight with his life on the line,but a thunderous voice stopped him.


    "Enough!" Edward shouted enraged. Figuring out the fallen knight''s intentions, he couldn''t help but open again his mouth.


    "Cease your actions and stop bringing shame to our Order. This is a command". As he said that, he turned to the man with the pointy ears.


    "First lieutenant Wardrog!"


    "Yes Captain Thundergod!"


    "Arrange a duel in 2 hours".


    When these words sounded, everyone became dumbstruck. Not even Vladimir expected that the man who was known as the ''Iron General'' would accept so easily the challenge of a fourteen years old youth.


    "Captain!" The man with the name Wardrog shouted desperately.


    "I won''t repeat myself. It''s my duty to educate the younger generation as well as protect the honor of the Order of the Red Rose". The middle aged man said as he turned around and started walking.


    "Lead the Father to the Imperial Princess and send someone to guide these kids to Sophie".


    Without waiting for a reply he slowly disappeared from their sights.


    ****


    " My name is Jason Wardrog, it''s my honor to meet you Father Jonas. As you probably understood, I am a commoner as well as a half-elf, but I still managed to become a knight through my graduation from the Imperial Academy. I will be responsible for meeting your needs, so please let me know your requirements" The manwith the blond hair and the pointy ears saidrespectfully. Father Jonas let out a gasp when he heard his statement.


    " To be a first lieutenant in your age and with the background of a commoner... A capable person, indeed" The old priest said with admiration.


    "I don''t deserve these words!" The half elf replied humbly.


    " You are too modest. I hope you''ll forgive this kid''s behavior. His admiration for the ''Iron General'' made him to act recklessly".


    " Don''t worry Father Jonas. I understand that he didn''t mean to insult the Captain''s honor. That being said, it''s unavoidable that the other knights won''t be as tolerant as me". As he said that he looked at the guard who continued to glare at the sliver haired youth. A sigh escaped from his mouth. He coudn''t help but stare at the boy that managed to disturb the Order''s harmony so easily. Realizing that the youth was still as carefree as ever, he started to feel annoyed.


    "You said that your name is Vladimir?"


    "Yes Sir!"


    " Do you know what is the punishment for being disrespectful toward nobility?"Jason asked with a smile.


    Only when he heard that did Vladimir realise how reckless his actions truly were. Edward de Thundergod was a Baron while he was just a commoner. The crime that he had commited was severe enough to stir up trouble even to his family.


    "It wasn''t a coincidence" John suddenly interrupted. When the eyes of the others fell upon him, he continued.


    "Vladimir maybe is impulsive but his instincts are very accurate. I have never seen him to misjudge someone''s character. To propose a duel to the hero of the North means that the Baron Thundergod lived up to the expectations of my brother" John said stoically. From the beginning, he wasn''t afraid that Edward wouldn''t accept the duel or that he would have Vladimir executed, because he trusted his brother''s intuition. That being said, there was something else that was making him worry. He turned his face to the lieutenant and moved his lips.


    " It''s my pleasure to meet you first lieutenant Wardrog. My name is John Smith. Although Vladimir isn''t my blood relative he is still my brother. I can''t help but worry about the duel''s conclusion".


    Jason looked strangely at John. He had almost forgotten his existence depite of the fact that he came together with Father Jonas.


    ''He said that his name is John Smith. I have never heard such a strange name. His weak presence combined with his average appearance almost make him invisible. At least he seems sensible''.


    " You are afraid that the Captain will be merciless in other words. You don''t seem to trust your brother''s abilities very much".


    " I wouldn''t be afraid even if he was fighting against Captain Sophie, but it''s different when the opponent is the only man that managed to become an ''Imperial Knight'' when he was still a commoner". John replied expressionlessly. He wasthe one who was thiking more highly of Vladimir than anyone else. But in the end, his brother was still 14 years old. On the other hand, Edward had lived more than twofold than Vladimir. He was probably a monster on par with their father.


    "I take it back. You really understimate the prowess of the knights of our Empire. As for your question, all the duels I haveseen until now had only one resultand it''s exactly the result you are thinking it is". Upon hearing this, not only John''s, but even Father Jonas''s face became pale. Only Vladimir was still as carefree as ever.


    ****


    Father Jonas and Jason left together to visit the princess, as for John and Vladimir, the one that was guiding them was unexpectedly the guard from before. The three of them walked silently until they reached the entrance of a big tent that was guarded by two knights.


    " State your name and the pupose of your visit!" One of the guards shouted


    " I am Ryan Hobbs from the Company B. I was sent from the First Lieutenant Jason Wardrogto deliver a message from Captain Edward de Thundergod. As for the two behind me, they are assigned to Company A and they are here to report for duty. Here is and their token" As he said that, he gave them Sophie''s token that he was holding in his hand.


    "Please wait a minute" As the guard said that, he entered the tent. After some time he exited andgestured them to proceed inside. Without hesitation, the three of them moved forward.


    ****


    "You are finally here" Sophie said coldly as she looked at the two youths. It was clear that she was annoyed from their delay. She then turned to the knight. Upon seeing her gaze, Ryan immediately took a step forward and gave her the letter. The three of them didn''t dare to disturb the young woman and waited silently for her to read it. After some time they heard a sigh coming from her direction.


    " You can leave. You two stay!"


    When the knight finally left them alone, Sophie couldn''t endure it anymore and started to shout.


    " Twenty minutes! That''s all the time you have stayed in the Order. Just twenty minutes and I have to arrange a duel!" Her cold expression finally changed to an enraged one. It was natural since she even moved personally to warn them to stay low-key. Not only they didn''t hear her but they even provoked a Captain of the Order.

 13 Duel 2

    Sophie didn''t know what to say. This kind of situation was too bizarre for her to handle.


    ''I thought it was a god-sent chance for me tocreate friendly relations between my family and the Church of Life through Father Jonas, when he asked me to babysit these two kids, but now, everything became complicated. If I stay uninvolved, then it''s the same as sending this boy to his death. If I act then it''s the same as provoking that old monster. What should I do? My head hurts''


    She glared at the the silver hairedyouth and then she opened her mouth


    " You are Vladimir, right?"


    " Yes Ma''am!"


    " Why did you challenge Baron Thundergod to a duel?"


    " Because I want to witness how strong is the hero of the North"


    Shophie started to frown when she heard his statement.


    " Are you mocking Captain Thundergod?"


    "How can I mock the person that I admire the most?" Vladimir asked with puzzlement written on his face. Sophiedidn''t know whether to laugh or cry when she heardhis answer


    " If you admire him so much, then why do you want to fight him to the death?"


    " It''s because that I admire him that I want to fight him to the death" the silver haired youth replied innocently. Sophie couldn''t understand the youth''s sense of logic. She had the urge to punch him in the face but endured it.She then turned her face to the other youth.


    "Do you understand what he says?" She didn''t expect much but she still made a final effort with the hope to get a reasonable explanation.


    "For my brother, Edward de Thundergod is exactly the kind of man that he wants to become. For him, to see the gap with his hero, isn''t it only natural to go all out?"


    The young woman finally started to understand the character of the youth named Vladimir, but there was still a big question unanswered.


    "Then, how do you plan to preserve your life? There is no way you are stronger than Baron Thundergod neither he is a man who is merciful enough to spare you." As she asked this,hope started emerge in her heart.


    ''Maybe he has a way to stay alive! He is reckless, but he doesn''t seem to be stupid.''


    "I will leave it to luck" Vladimir repied after some thought.


    "There is no way I can accept such an unreasonable explanation!" Sophie started to shout again. She was trying desperately to keep her calm, but this boy wouldn''t let her no matter what.


    ''I will kill him! Forget about the Church of Life and Thundegod, I will just kill him to satisfy my anger'' Seeing her that she was ready to erupt, John judged that he had to speak again


    "Don''t worry Captain, I am sure that Baron Thundergod will give some face to Father Jonas and hold back a little. Father Jonas won''t consider you responsible for my brother''s reckless actions too"


    John said calmly in a try to soothe the young woman. His words seemed to have some effect, since her cold expession started to reappear on her face.


    ''He is right. It''s not like I can do anything now. If I interfere, the Order will lose face and this is the thing that I have to avoid the most. I will leave it to luck too and deal with the aftermath later''


    "Your name is John, right?"


    "Yes Ma''am!"


    "Since you are more sensible than your brother, you should have restrained him. For this outcome, you are responsible too"


    "Yes Ma''am!"


    An astonished expression appeared for a moment on Vladimir''s face, but disappeared before anyone had the chance to notice it.


    The woman then turned her face to the entrance of the tent and shouted loudly


    "Adrian!"


    A knight entered quickly inside. He was one of the guards that were standing outside.


    "Go and call Maria here"


    "Yes Captain!" The man gave a salute and left, leaving the three of them alone. Before long, a girl entered inside the tent. She was around 17 years old withshort black hair and large black eyes. Her face was very similar to Sophie''s but unlike her, her skin was dusky. What really caught the attention of the two teens was the long red cloak that she was wearing. The girl looked with interest at the two youths before turning her attention to the female knight.


    "Did you call me sister?"


    "Don''t call me that in front of others" Sophie rebuked her and continued


    "These two will be assigned to your unit for the nexteight days"


    "As expected, I felt magic power coming from them".The girl smiled brightly as she found an interesting toy to play with.She winked coquettishly at the the two youths and spoke


    "Hi boys, I am Maria de Woodman. I am the temporary Commander of the magicians of Company A" before the two youths had the chance to talk, her voice sounded again but this time with excitement


    "So who was it? Who challenged Baron Thundergod? The handsome fellow over there or the guy with the sleepy eyes?"


    "You have heard it already?" Sophie asked surprised.


    "Everyone in the Order knows it. They can''t wait to see Thundrgod to kill the guy who dared to insult the honor of the Red Rose" Maria replied with her smile not fading in the slightest.


    A sigh escaped again from Sophie''s mouth. The rumors started to spread faster than she expected.


    "Maria, make the preparations for the duel"


    "What! Why should I do something so boring?"


    "Because you are their Commander now. First Lieutenant Wardrog will help you"


    Maria stared at Sophie with teary eyes, but when she realised that her sister wouldn''t change her mind, she gave up. She looked again at the two youths and moved her lips


    "So, who was it?" She asked again with an excited voice


    "It... was me" the silver haired youth replied hesitantly


    "Eh? It was you? I would swear that it was the guy with the sleepy eyes. How come I was wrong!" Maria exclaimed in an exaggerate manner. Without giving any importance to the two teens who were giving her blank stares, she proceeded to leave. Only when she disappeared from their sights, did they realise that she didn''t even ask their names.


    ****


    The sun started to set, but the bustle of the encampment didn''t seem to die down. Countless knights had gathered to watch the ''Iron General'' to fight. They had created a huge circle, leaving only the interior empty, as well as one curve so that the Princess and the knight officers could watch comfortably. Vladimir and John were a few meters away from the crowd. Since there was still a little time before the arranged time, they asked from Sophie a few minutes alone, so that Vladimir could prepare his mentality.


    "It''s finally time, are you ready?" John asked with his usual lazy expression. He didn''t seem anxious at all about the duel.


    "Of course I am!" Vladimir replied with a smile. He looked at the setting sun, before closing his eyes. The noice around him slowly disappeared. He could only hear the sound of the wind,the rustling of the leaves as well as the beating of his heart. After taking some deep breaths, he opened them again.


    John could see the determination on his face. An unwavering resolve that could scare even the most experienced warrior. He remembered the reply that his brother gave to the female knight when she asked him how did he plan to protect his life. He gave an incomprehensible answer. An answer that the inexperienced woman wouldn''t be able to understand. But John was sure, that if Vladimir said the same thing to the hero of the North, then Edward de Thundergod wouldn''t need to hear anything else.


    Luck had always been the most important thing for a man to succeed and Vladimir would need it more than anyone else to accomplish his goal. If he couldn''t survive in this fight, then it was only laughable to talk about killing the Demon Lord. That was the path that he chose and it was a path full of blood. The moment that he decided to change his name and give that oath was the moment that he sealed his destiny.


    "It''s finally time, are you ready?" John asked the same question with his usual lazy expression.


    "Of course I am!" Vladimir replied with the same smile. The two youths started walking simultaneouslytoward the crowd.

 14 Duel 3

    The sky had almost become completely dark, when threatening clouds started to appear. Small drops of rain fell on the ground,while John and Vladimir could feel that the rain was becoming more and more heavy. Before long, they could even hearthunder sounds coming from the sky.


    After walking for some time, they found Sophie together with Father Jonas waiting for them.


    Vladimir had an apologetic expression on his face when he looked at the old priest.


    "Do you remember what I told you the first time I met you?" Father Jonas asked with a smile.


    Vladimir didn''t answer. Only four days had passed from the day they had departed from the Moon Village. He clearly remembered every word that the old priest had told them.


    "This is the path you chose for yourself. Follow it through with the same determination and courage".


    Vladimir was moved by these words. He knew that he had created many problems for the priest with his actions, but instead of scolding him, Father Jonas even supported him.


    "It''s time. Follow me" the female knight interrupted them. Everything had to be ready before the arrival of the princess, so they had to hurry. Letting the old priest say some words before the duel was the most she could do.


    The four of them walked around the crowd, toward the empty space of the circle. It didn''t take long for them to reach their destination. Edward was already waiting for themtogether with Jason and Maria, as well as a few knight officers that the two youths didn''t know.


    As they approached them, they natually made themselves visible to the surrounded knights.


    "Who are they?"


    "Is the bastard that challenged Captain Thundergod one from them?"


    "It can''t be. The one is a priest and the other two are kids".


    Wispers could be heard from the crowd, but the boys didn''t give any importance to them. They werewalking steadily under the pressure of the hostile environment that surroundedthem with unreadable expressions on their faces. Upon seeing the four of them, Maria proceeded to greet them.


    "Father Jonas, my name is Maria de Woodman, second daughter of the Woodman House. It''s my honor to meet you" the black-haired girl said humbly and proceeded to kiss the ring that the priest was wearing.


    Father Jonas''s face became serious. His eyes acquired an unsual sharpness as he looked at the girl. After some time, he nodded his head and opened his mouth


    "I have heard rumors before that the second daughter of the Woodman House is one of the most talented individuals in the whole Empire. I have finally confirmed that these rumors are true" Father Jonas said seriously. He tried to sense the mana inside Maria, but he couldn''t determine exactly the quantity of her mana. The girl somehow managed to stop the old priest''s attempt to completely sense her magic power.


    "It''s my honor to hear these words" the girl said with her head bowed. Sophie noticed that she was trying to hide her expression from the opposite party.


    ''It seems that this priest isn''t so simple. Maria is clearly frightened'' the female knight thought. Not many things were known about the Church of Life and it''s people, apart from the Templar Knights, the guardians of the Church.


    "But I thought that you were studying at the Imperial Academy. I didn''t expect that I would meet youin the Order of the Red Rose" Father Jonas said slowly while the expression on his face returned to its usual kindness.


    "No Father Jonas, you are right. Our mission this time was a little difficult, so I nominated her to Her Highness as a temporary Commander until our return to the Capital" Sophie explained quickly instead of her sister.


    Before the conversation between them continue to progress, a distant noice interrupted them. Not only Father Jonas and Sophie, but every individual in the area turned to the direction of the sound. An attractive woman around 19-20 years old, was walking slowly toward the crowd, surrounded by servants. She had scarlet hair that looked as it was burning and light blue colored eyes. The light armor that she was wearing, couldn''t conceal her beauty and her elegance.


    ''So this is Adriana de Grenmar. I can finally understand why the Order is called Red Rose'' John thought as he watched her moving towards their direction. Without a second thought, he got onto one knee while keeping his head bowed so that he could avoid meeting the gaze of the princess. Vladimir seemed perplexed by his brother''s elegant actions. He tried to copy John''s posture, but he almost fell on the ground. After some attempts, he managed to correct somewhat his stance, but the doubt on his face was still clear.


    The Imperial Princess stopped hers steps in front of them. She was genuinely surprised when she looked at John.


    "What is your name?" A melodious voice sounded in the air.


    "John, Your Highness.. John Smith"


    "A strange name.. Are you foreign?"


    "I was born in the Empire Your Higness"


    When Adriana heard this, she turned her face to one of the servants that surrounded her. The servant nodded his head toward the princess, seeming to confirm John''s words.


    "You seem to be familiar with the customs of the good society" she said suspiciously. She didn''t know much about these youths, apart from the fact that they were talented, they were orphans and that they were raised by the S rank adventurer, Antony the Berseker.


    " I was George de Derman''s personal servant for two years".


    No matter if it was the princess, the knights, or even the servants, everyone was shocked upon hearing this statement. Wispers started t¦Ï be heard again.


    "George de Derman! Wasn''t he the young master of the Derman House?"


    "Yes, he was the son of the Marquess Derman"


    "Is this what you are finding surprising? The whole Derman family was eliminatedby assasins. Not even their servants were spared and now a boy appeared claiming that he was the personal servant of the young master of that House".


    "Maybe he has some connection with the Demons. Didn''t they say that the incident was orchestrated by the Demon Lord?"


    Many voices could be heard among the crowd and even among the knight officers. Adriana knew that this wasn''t the right time to ask for more information, so she decided to put a stop to this conversation for now.


    "Enough" she shouted. Upon hearing the voice of the princess, everyone immediately became silent. Feeling satisfied, Adriana moved her lips again.


    "Let''s continue our conversation later John Smith"


    "Yes, Your Highness"


    "You can stand up. You are a soldier assigned to our Order. Until our return to the capital, I am your commanding officer".


    John immediately stood up and saluted.


    "Yes Ma''am!"


    "Good" Adriana said and turned her face to the other youth.


    "Your name?"


    "Vladimir Erickson, son of Leoheart, Your Highness"


    "Vladimir Erickson, you challenged Baron Edward de Thundergod to a duel. According to the laws of the Empire, your crime is equivalent to death, but Baron Thundergod accepted your challenge under the name of his military rank. Since you were assinged to our Order, I authorise this duel as valid" the princess announced with a loud voice. The knights were stunned when they finally learnt who was the bastard who insulted their Captain, but before they had the chance to recover from their shock, Adriana spoke again


    "Soldier Vladimir Erickson, you can stand up"


    "Yes Ma''am!" Like John, Vladimir also stood up immediately and gave a salute. Adriana didn''t give any more importance to the youth in front of her, instead she turned to Jason who was standing beside Edward and opened her mouth


    "Jason, you can begin"


    "Yes Your Highness" Jason replied and spoke toward Edward and Vladimir at the same time.


    "Please move toward the center of the encirclement".


    The middle aged man and the silver haired youth walked decisively to the direction that the lieutenant told them and stood opposite each other.


    "You have five minutes to prepare yourselves"


    Vladimir didn''t hear Jason''s words. The only sound that reached his ears, was that of the heavy rain pouring on the ground.


    ''It was raining that day too, but the color was different. It was a red rain'' .


    "Boy!" a thunderous voice sounded in the air


    Vladimir who was mesmerized by his thoughts, looked instictively at Edward who had had shouted a few seconds ago.


    "For what reason do you fight?"


    When he heard these words, a wide grin formed on his face, while his green eyes revealed madness. He took a deep breath and shouted. His voice was accompanied with the rumbling thunder from the sky.


    "To search for a reason not to fight".


    Jason didn''t give a chance to Edward to reply. He stepped forward and announced


    "I officialy declare the beginning of the duel. You can fight!"

 15 Duel 4

    Vladimir was the one who acted first. Holding his greatsword, he started to run on high speed. Edward was watching him coming closer, but he remained motionless. The silver haired youth was surprised that his opponent didn''t even bother to take a defensive stance, but he shookhis head clearing his thoughts.When he reached close enough to Edward, instead of attacking him,Vladimir did something unexpected. He let his body fall on the ground and slide towards Edward with his legs extended, while aiming the blade of his greatsword at his opponent''s body.


    ''He made use of the fact that the ground is slippery from the rain. Because I wear heavy armor, I can''t be as agile as him, so he decided to attack from below'' the middle aged man analysed quicklyas he jumped backward. Vladimir didn''t let the chance to pass him by. He immediately stood up on his feet and assaulted Edward who was still in the air. The knight knew that his body was in a position that he couldn''t defend. Vladimir was about to cut him down, but when his greatsword penetrated the middle aged man''s armor and touched his skin, the silver haired youth felt as if he had hit a sturdy wall.


    ''Not good'' Vladimir thought as he tried to move his weapon, but before he had the chance, Edward grabbed his arm, lifted him from the ground and threw him over the shoulder.


    *****


    ''Vladimir was careless'' John thought as he watched his brother trying to stand up. Edward also didn''t seem to have the intention to continue attacking. He was just waiting for the youth to stand up on his feet.


    "Your brother seems to be struggling" Maria said to John with a smile.


    "This is natural. His opponent is the ''Iron General'' after all" John replied with his usual lazy expression on his face.


    "But you don''t seem to be worried"


    "Honestly, I think that I had overestimated Baron Thundergod"


    "You had overestimated him?" Maria asked surprised. She couldn''t understand why the youth would say that.


    "Well, even father wouldn''t dare to fight against Vladimir without a weapon. Don''t tell me that Baron Thundergod is stronger than the S ranked adventurer Antony when it comes to hand to hand combat?"


    Maria''s eyes became wide when she heard his statement. Without a second thought, she turned her attention again to the fight.


    *****


    Vladimir looked carefully at Edward before opening hesitantly his mouth.


    "May I ask you what was this power that you used?"


    "Haven''t you seen battle energy before? Truly, a frog in a well" Edward sneered.


    ''Battle energy? I see..... It feels similar to magic. That means that if my magic is stronger than the energy that protects his body, I can injure him'' the youth thought. His eyes started to become transparent, but because of the rain, noone could notice it expect of Maria and John who could sense the manipulation of mana.


    "Water magic? This is convenientwith this weather" the girl murmured.


    "Things will start to become interesting from now on " John said suddenly. Maria didn''t miss the small smile that formed on his face.


    "You seem to be confident, but I don''t understand why. Even if your brother uses magic, Baron Thundergod can just attack him and disrupt his concentration. Knights hold the absolute advantage over magicians in single combats" Maria stated this as a matter of fact despite of the fact that she was a magician too.


    "Just watch the fight. Vladimir may be reckless, crazy and without common sense, but he is by no means weak". As he said that, the silver haired youth coincidentally started to run again. This time, he didn''t use any tricks. Holding his greatsword,he just thrusted at Edward. The knight intented to remain motionless, but feeling that something was wrong he decided to avoid the strike. He made a jump on the ground, wriggling below the greatsword and arriving in front of the silver haired youth. He was ready to counterattack, but a sharp pain on his back delayed his actions, giving Vladimir the time to react. Seeing his opponent lifting his right leg, the middle aged man raised his hands to block the kick that was coming to his face, but a bright light forced him to close his eyes, leaving him helpless to the youth''s attack. Three hundred knights watched dumbfounded their commander falling on the ground because of a boy much younger than him.


    Vladimir didn''t continue attacking. Like Edward did for him, he waited for the knight to get up.


    ****


    "What the hell! Martial Arts and Magic at the same time! He has even unlocked two elements!" Maria couldn''t help but shout. The shock that she felt couldn''t be concealed and she wasn''t the only one among the specators.


    "Captain is injured!"


    "Who the hell is this guy? How can he use martial arts and magic at the same time? I thought that only the Elite Squad was capable of this feat in our Empire"


    "Did you notice the fist time he attacked Captain Thundergod? He created frost around his greatsword, so that he could hit Captain ! God! He has unlocked two elements and and he isn''t even twenty yet!"


    The voices of the knights who were talking were loud enough to be heard by everyone in the area.


    ****


    A few meters away from John and Maria, was standing the Imperial Princess, together with Father Jonas and Sohie.


    "Teacher,why you didn''t tell me that our Empire has such a talented individual. I would have stopped the duel no matter what!" The princess sighed dejectedly. The situation had proceeded to point that she couldn''t interfere.


    "Because I didn''t know, Your Highness" the old priest answered with a wry smile while he was cursing silently Antony who hadn''t told him anything.


    "I can''t let him die. His potential is too big to let him die in a pointless duel. Sophie, do you have any idea?" Adriana asked her best friend with a ray of hope in her eyes. Seeing her face full of expectation, the female knight was speechless.


    ''If even you who are the princess can''t do anything, what makes you think that I can? Do you think that I am a god? Two hours ago, I didn''t even know what I was supposed to do and I decided to give up trying to..... Wait, that''s a good idea''.


    "I think that Baron Thundergod is a rational a person. Seeing the potential of the youth in front of him, he will probably show mercy for the benefit of the Empire.It would be better for us to act only if Baron Thundergod tries to give the final hit" Sophie replied quickly. The fact that the two of them didn''t even think that Vladimir could win despite of the fact that he injured the hero of the North, was evidence of how strong Edward truly was.


    "Let''s do that. I trust Baron Thundergod and his love for the Empire" the princess said after some thought. Upon hearing this, the ice cold beauty clenched her fist triumphantly without of anyone noticing.


    *****


    Edward got up slowly while his face had an unreadable expression. He looked deeply at the silver haired youth before opening his mouth.


    "I made the biggest crime that a warrior can do in a battlefield. I understimated my opponent,not only once, but twice. In other words, you spared me twice. The first time was when you didn''t use magic in the beginning of the duel and the second was when you didn''t go for the kill" the knight said slowly. At the same time, he finally unsheathed his sword.


    Vladimir could feel that the aura radiated by Edward had changed drastically. He could see the kiling intent in his eyes.


    ''So, this is the hero of the North... I am doomed! The previous him was a joke compared to the him now'' Vladimir thought. He gritted his teeth and held tightly the hilt of his greatsword.


    ''Let''s go all out'' he murmured and stepped foward.....

 16 Duel 5

    Vladimir walked slowly towards the knight. Every step that he took seemed heavy and unsteady. A pressure unlike anything he had felt before weighed him down.


    ''I can see the Grim Reaper smiling at me. My insticts scream that there is no way to win this fight'' the youth thought as he stopped his steps. He stared at Edward''s face for a moment before letting a deep sigh to escape from his mouth.


    ''They say that when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. It would be nice to see my mother again. Maybe I''ll remember her voice or the warmth of her hug''.


    Despite his dark thoughts, Vladimir was actually smiling. He was scared to the point that he was trempling, but he didn''t back down. He couldn''t. The whole purpose of this fight was exactly this moment. He knew that he didn''t stand a chance against Edward, he wasn''t stupid. The first thing that his foster father taught him, was to understand the limits of his strength.


    ''This is the final strike. My long awaited revenge finally starts with this very first step. Death or survival. Let''s show to the world that no matter what awaits me, I Vladimir Erickson will face it with a smile'' . Any hesitation and fear he felt before, disappeared like smoke. The only thing that anyone could see on his face was determination, ambition, as well as excitement.


    The youth slowly became expressionless. His long silver hair became as bright as the sun, while an armor made by sand appeared on his body. He knew that the appearance of the third element would cause an uproar not only to the Empire, but to the whole continent. He could already hear the cries around him, but he didn''t give any importance to them. He raised his greatsword that it''s blade was covered with frost and ran towards Edward with an unstoppable momentum.


    The middle aged man didn''t stay on the defensive either. Seeing that Vladimir was going all out, he took a deep breath and ran towards the youth too.


    Firstly, it was the clash of the two weapons. The silver haired youth finally understood why mithril was considered the nemesis of the magicians. He could clearly see that the the sword of the knight could cut through his magic with ease before hitting his greatsword. The force of the strike at the same time almost made him to drop his weapon.


    Vladimir clenched his teeth and focused his mind on the water element. The sudden rainstorm gave him the chance to create a trump card. Although, he couldn''t interfere directly with the raindrops falling from the sky, since that would mean he had total control towards the water element, that didn''t mean that he couldn''t use this weather to hide his magic. The silver haired youth didn''t stop using water magic from the moment his eyes became transparent. As a result, he could feel his manaon the ground that the knight was standing. He didn''t hesitate and made the water on the ground totransform into frosty spikes.


    Edward felt a sharp pain on his feet, but his face remained unchanged. He didn''t even feel surprised by this unexpected attack, but instead he was relieved. The veteran knight knew that the young man in front of him was not simple and that if he had a last card to play so that he could turn the tables around, now that would be the moment.


    Vladimir frowned upon seeing that the knight didn''t even flinch from his sneak attack. Since Edward didn''t drop his guard, his only chance was to take advantage of the fact that the knight couldn''t chase him around with his feet injured. With long range magic, he could attack him unstoppably until he was exhausted and then finish him off.


    He tried immediately to retreat backwards, but how could his opponent let him do whatever he wanted to. Edward used his sword to cut through the spikes and then threw his weapon at the young man with all his power. Upon seeing the actions of theknight, Vladimir was filled with despair. He instinctively knew that he didn''t have the time to avoid the attack or block it with his greatsword. The only thing that Vladimir could do was trying using earth magic. Although, he didn''t have expectations that his magic could stop his opponent''s attack, at least he hoped that it could delay it. Alas, when he saw that his enemy''s weapon continued to fly unhindered, only then did he truly realise how terrifying mithril really was.


    '' Too late for regrets'' Vladimir thought as he smiled.


    ******


    "It seems that we'' ll need to interfere" Adriana said. The moment she saw the killing intent in the eyes of the Captain of her Order she realised that Baron Thundergod wasn''t planning to show mercy to his opponent. The princess couldn''t help than let out a degected sigh. Sophie could understand the feelings of her best friend. This duel had in store many surprises, to the point of making the aftermath a pain to deal with...


    ''Most importantly, her subordinate only wants to protect his honor that was insulted. To refuse him this right and still end this duel forcefully, how can she not feel degected.....'' the female knight thought and couldn''t help than sympathize with the hardships of her friend. After all, she too was a victim of the youth''s crazy antics.


    "Sophie!"


    The sudden shout made the young woman to wake up from her thoughts, only to see that the red-haired princesswas looking at her with a pitiful expression.


    ''Not good'' Sophie immediately thought, as she instictively took a step back. Upon seeing this, Adriana didn''t give the chance to the ice cold beauty to think how she could escape her predicament as she hurriedly opened her mouth


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    "Please, you are the only one that can stop Captain Thundergod"


    That was the final verdict. The only thing that Sophie could do was to steel herself and prepare to confront that old monste

 17 Conclusion

    Sophie didn''t seem to be in a hurry. She slowly unsheathed her sword and stood motionless, ready tointerrupt the fight at any moment. The rain was helping her to suppress the surrounding sounds and let her fully concentrate on the movements of the two figures in front of her. Drops of water were constatly flowing from her flawless face as well as from her soaked by the rain hair. Her indifferent expression exuded a natural arrogance that couldn''t be restrained by the deep darkness she was immersed in. Her fairy tail beauty as well as her lack of movements were creating the illusion that this woman wasn''t a person or more precisely, she couldn''t be a person, but instead a statue, a classical piece of art that could only be observed and adored from afar,but not belong to anyone.


    BANG.....


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    A sudden thunder sound awoke anyone who was entrancedby the elegence and the charm of the goddess in front of them fromtheir stupor. As if she was proving that everything was all a lie, the female knight that was standing still until a moment ago, suddenlyjumped like a ferocious tiger towards the two men who were fighting until now.


    *******


    Vladimir could only watch helplessly at the flying swordwhich was approaching him closer and closer. He could already feel the scorching flames of the Underworld, as well as see the grim reaper smiling at him with excitement. The impending crisis made him sense the truest form of fear, an instictive terror that every living being would feel towardsDeath. He didn''t believe that the Imperial Princess would let him die just like that, especially after he had shown so much potential in the duel, but it was not like he had definite proof that someone would come and save him. Vladimir really hated this feeling of incompetence, but he could only pray that his intuition that was telling that he hadn''t reached the end of his life was correct.....


    *******


    Edward stared at Vladimir who was smiling, even though his face was becoming paler and paler. The ''Iron General'' couldn''t help but feel some admiration towards the young man. As a veteran knight who had fought countless battles and had managed to survive under some desperate situations, how could he not understand what the youth was feeling!But not even he could boast that he could smile until the very end like Vladimir did.


    ''I hope this lesson will teach you to be less reckless in the future'' Edward thought as a faint smile appeared on his face. Naturally, the intention of the other Captain of the Order to block his attack didn''t escape from his eyes, but he didn''t really care. What he only wanted was to see was how strong the son of his friend Antony really was as well as teach him a lesson to not challenge his luck so much in the future. The youth didn''t dissapoint him. He even surprassed his expectations


    ''But he is too inexperienced. His combat sense is certainly remarkable, but he didn''t even realise that I let him injure me on purpose. It would be okey if he was just a spectator, but how come he did not realise it when he was the one fighting me! I almost dropped my guard from my sursprise. What did you teach him Antony!''


    Edward could only smile wryly before preparing himself for the rest of the play. Since he manipulated the whole fight from the very beginning, he had already made plans about the end of the duel. He suddenly turned his head to the female knight who had just jumbed to block his sword. His gaze towards Sophie was filled with pity.


    ''It''s not that I didn''t feel anger from the attitude of Vladimir, but I can''t harm the son of that madman. He is too scarywhen he is enraged. I am sorry Sophie, but you will be my scapegoat....''


    *******


    The momentSophie blocked the flying sword of Edward, she had already realised that something was wrong


    ''It''s too weak, what''s the matter?''


    Before she had a chance to process what really happened, a thunderous voice echoed in the area


    "How dare you Sophie to interfere with my buisness"


    Preplexed, she turned her face towards Baron Thundergod. Upon seeing his enraged expression, she couldn''t help but feel even more puzzled. The middle-aged knight that she remebered was an unreadable person who didn''t let others know about his emotions. Since the other party didn''t attack her as she expected, but instead decided to engage in a conversation, that was a favorable result.


    "Baron Thundergod, forgive me for my impudence, but for the greater good of Grenmar Empire, please show mercy!"


    The female knight was asking for forgiveness while using the empire as a shield to prevent the Baron from making any reckless actions. It was a well played move if the opposite party insisted on resolving the problem with violence. Unfortunately for her, she would soon learn that Baron Edward de Thundergod was a man who didn''t manage to become a noble only because of his achievements in battle.


    "Captain Sophie, did you forget the Code of Chivarly? In a duel,especially when the honor of the challenged party is concerned there can only be one outcome. Life or Death" Edward answered mockingly.


    "Please Baron Thundergod! You have seen with your own two eyes the potential of this youth. He maybe is arrogant, but he is only 14 years old. Just a child. As the older generation, its our duty to educate them, but also to protect them."


    Hearing these words from a 19 years old woman almost made Edward to burst out laughing. Even the knights around them could hardly keep their calm. As for the princess, she had already lowered her head making it impossiblefor anyone to see her expression. Only her shoulders could be seen to shook from time to time.


    "Well said Captain Sophie. As you said, it is our duty to educate the younger education. However, this matter is serious and it can''t be resolved only with words.As the involved person who was treated unfairly, at least its logical that I should be given some compensation,don''t you think so?"


    By this time how could Sophie not understand what that old fox meant. Suddenly, everything started to make sense for her. She had her suspicions from the beginning, since she couldn''t understand how it was possible for the young man behind her to manage to injure a man who has cultivated his battle energy for more than twenty years, but since the other party had created a so persuasive perfomance, she could only keep her doubts to herself. After all, she didn''t remember of ever provoking that old monster. It was impossible for her to imagine that the Baron would actually make a move against her for no apparent reason!


    Upon seeing the ugly expression that was forming on the face of his comrade, Edward couldn''t prevent himself from lowering his head and letting out a small laugh. Luckily for him, the rain covered the sound, so no person seemed to notice. After calming himself down, heopened his mouth while he was thinking of the lovely money that would fall into his pockets.


    "Don''t make this expression Sophie. He is your subordinate after all. It was your responsibility to keep him in check. And it is a matter of fact that you were the one who interrupted the duel, so it''s only logical that you will be the one to have to compensate me. Don''t worry, you are a Captain of our Order, I will not make things difficult for you. How about we talk later privately with the Commander as witness" the moment he said that he looked at the princess as if he was asking for confirmation.


    What else could Adriana do other than nodding...


    Seeing that his plan was a success he started to become curious about the protagonist of today''s events. Turning his head, he saw him standingbehind the female knight, blinking his eyes innocently.


    ''No matter how cute you act, you''ll soon learn that nobody can save you from the rage of an angry woman. Well, I had my revenge and taught my friend''s child another precious lesson. It was a good day...''

 18 Phantom

    " Where there is light, there must be darkness"


    " Where there is darkness, there must be light"


    " Where there is life, there must be death"


    " Where there is death, there must be life"


    " Where there is peace, there must be war"


    " Where there is war, there must be peace"


    " Don''t blame me for being a bad guy because"


    " Where there are bad guys, good guys should exist too"John when he was 9 years old


    ******


    "I never expected that the Fire Festival would be celebrated even here in Elven Kingdom" an old man around 60 years old said to his company who were sittingin the same table with him.


    "It''s not like we believe in god Ares, but there are many races that reside in Edgar. If you go to another city, I am sure you wouldn''t even understand our folkway" a beautiful woman around 30 years old answeredwith a smile. She had long blond hair and two azure eyes like the color of the sky, but what was the most noteworthy characteristic of her appearance were her long pointy ears.


    "To tell you the truth Anne, before I met you I had always thought that elfs were a little quirky and arrogant. I was surprised when I discovered the existance of so many races here in the capital" another woman also joined in the conversation. Her long black cloak with the pointed hood made it impossible for anyone to see her face, but the tone of her voice was betraying her young age.


    "Your thoughts are correct. They really are arrogant and look down at the other races, but they are no stupid. If they remained isolated from the rest of the world, they would have already been enslaved by the humans" a middle aged man with a thick beard replied with a mocking expression on his face. His small stature couldn''t hide his impressive muscles under the armor he was wearing.


    "It''s because of you dwarfs who taught humans how to use mithril"Anne shouted angrily at the man who just talked.


    Seeing the two of them ready to fight again the 60 years old man hurriedly opened his mouth


    "Now, now stop.... We are here to relax and celebrate the success of our mission. Don''t start again arguing like small kids" the same time he said that he proceeded to fill their empty glasses with red wine. They were adventurers who had just arrived in the capital of Elven Kingdom, after escorting a caravan all the way from Grenmar Empire. It was a difficult journey filled with adversities, making all of them exhausted. He really didn''t have the power to deal with the childish behavior of his two comrades


    "By the way Eric, from what I saw in the Imperial Capital, the people there don''t seem to believe in the god of war, something that surprised me considering the might of Emire" the woman with the black cloak said with doubt. Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Eric''s face


    "Many people have this misconception because of the power of Church of Life, but actually, the empire doesn''t really have any restrictions concerning the religion. In some territories they even celebrate the Fire Festival..." as he said that he couldn''t help than become silent. A distand memory from his past suddenly emerged on his mind.


    "Are you alright Eric?" Anne asked anxiously. Realising that his actions made everyone in the table worried, Eric felt guilty. He quickly apologised and explained


    "It''s nothing..Sorry, I was somewhat distracted after recalling something scary".


    "Are there things that even you find scary?" the dwarf asked with doubt. They had travelled together for quite some time, so he had a clear idea of the combat capability of his friend. More importantly, Eric was actually an A ranked adventurer. Even a dragon wouldn''t find it easy to kill him!


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    "In this world, my friend Aaron, there are many things that even a S ranked adventurer can''t deal with, much less me.... All of you have the potential to suprass me, especially the girls, but even if you do it, you''ll only discover how many terrifying existances actually exist, hidden from the public eye" Eric said as he shook his head. He was hesitant for a little, before opening his mouth again


    "This is my advice, but if you ever meet a ''phantom'', unless its coming for you personally or for someone dear of you, never go to confort it. That''s it if you love your life. As for what a ''phantom'' is.... You''ll understand if you ever meet it" the old man said as the image of a little boy appeared in his mind.


    ''Killing 27 B ranked-adventurers, 164 C-ranked-adventurers, 578 servants , 345 knights, as well as the whole Derman family with neither martial arts nor magic, but only with some words and all of this before he was even 10, this is what I call scary... What did Antony actually think when he protected that demon. Now I can only take this secret to my grave'' Eric thought... He looked at his comrades that they were staring at him with puzzlement, but he could only shake his head again without saying anything else...

 19 The story about the inciden

    The morning quickly came, making the previous stormy night seem like an illusion. In the encampment of Red Rose, an atmosphere filled with peep dominated the area. No matter where John looked at, he could see knights preparing for the departure of the Order.


    The youth was walking towards the tent where the princess was residing to give information about that incident five years ago. John was waiting for a chance like this for a very long time. His father told him often to forget about the past, but the nightmares in the night wouldn''t leave him alone.


    He had never believed even for a moment that he could repent for his crimes that he had commited in the past. He knew that he wouldn''t feel guilty either for the things he was planning to do in the future. It was not that he didn''t want to though, but he was incapable of sensing such feelings anymore. The only thing that remained inside him was emptiness.


    John honestly believed that he was a monster and that he should also have died in that night five years ago, but his father didn''t let him to. The only thing that was keeping him sane were these hazy memories that appeared one morning. Truly a magical world.....


    There were complicated stractures, strange things that could move without the help of horses, but what it was really engraved in his mind was the image of a woman playing the piano. To see something familiar with his world made him feel relieved. At the same time, the melody of the instrument managed to move him. He felt sadness for the first time of his life, as well as a desire for redemption. John decided that day that he would put an end to the darkness that created what he was. For that, he would do anything.... That was his revenge towards the world


    ''I wish one day to hear Chopin-Nocturne op.9 No.2 again'' John thought


    *******


    Princess Adrina didn''t manage to sleep at all. The discussion beteween the Duke and her best friend kept until late at night when they finally reached in an agreement. Afterwards she had to endure the complaints of the female knight about a specific youth for a whole hour...


    ''The worst of all was to think how to hide the existance of the three elements....''


    She had to give commands first thing in the morning to her subordinates to not disclosure anything that happened in the duel as well as give warnings that anyone who wouldn''t abide by her commands would be punished by the Emperor himself!


    ''Finally, I can rest a little before we leave for the Imperial Capital'' she though hapilly.


    By the time she was ready to tell the guards not to let anyone to make an entrance into her accomondation, the knight asked for permission to enter.


    "What is it?" she asked clearly annoyed. Seeing her expression, the knight didn''t dare to delay as he hurriedly explained


    "Magician John Smith asks for a hearing concerning Derman''s incident"


    ''Damn! I forgot something so important. This starts to become ridiculous''


    "Tell him to come in" Adriana said. After taking a deep breath to calm herself down she turned her headto the youth who had just entered inside. Before he had a chance to even open his mouth, she started talking without any care about the state of the opposite party


    "I don''t have time for bullshit. You have 10 minutes to tell me everything you know!"


    EvenJohn couldn''t help than be dumbfounded by the unreasonable words of the princess. The only thing he could do was rashly explain the things that he hypothetically saw in the banquet on that day.


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    "Are you joking with me?" Adriana shouted angrily. How could she believe such an impossible story.


    "Everything that I said, is the truth" John repliedcalmly with a serious expression.


    Seeing the other party insisting, made Adriana to calm down. A deep sigh escaped from her mouth before she finally started to talk again


    "Ok... Let''s take the things from the beginning. First of all, you said that everything started when a knight informed the Marquess that assasins infiltrated the banquet. Afterwards, the first son George died when he was dancing with his cousin in the banquet hall. Everyone suspected that he was poisoned and honestly I think the same. The fight for succession in a noble house in not a joke. Marquess went mad and started executing servants while the knights at the same time were desperately searching for anyone who was hiding in the area. When no one was found, Marquess Derman accused the second son that he was the one who orchestrated the whole assasination story since everything started from that knight in the beginning. He was his subordinate if I remember correctly.." Adriana stopped and then looked strangely at the youth


    "You know, it doesn''t make sense. Why would Marquess act so rashly"


    "There were rumors that the second son wasn''t his bological son, but actually his brother''s" John replied


    "What! Seriously?" the princess couldn''t help than feel surprised


    "Rumors are rumors... Nobody can be sure about what is true, but they can definitely influence the thinking of an individual" John said without showing any emotion. Adriana also sighed. The whole story proceeded like that until it became a battle royal. What surprised her the most was that a B-ranked adventurer was actually a lover of the Marquess. When the personal knight of the wife of the Marquess stabbed him in the back, she went on a rampage killing anyone on her way.


    "So? How you survived?" Adriana asked although she had already an idea in her mind.


    "When the villa was onfire, everyone who survived was trapped inside the building. Father managed to save only me" he replied as he finally showed a pained expression on his face


    Sigh....


    The princess closed her eyes and tried to calm down. The whole story seemed like a story that could only happen in a play. It was impossible for someone to arrange it no matter how much she thought it. Having given up, she asked a final question without having any expectation


    "Well? Do you believe that there was a mastermind behind this?"


    What she didn''t expect was that John would actually nod


    "George before the banquet anxiously told me that his life was in danger. Athough I didn''t understand what he meant, I still remember his words..."


    Stopping for a little to look at the young princess who was staring at him with her eyes wide-opened he continued


    " Erebus has come for me...."

 20 Side Story 1 : The hero of the North

    A man was entering for the first time into a city, somewhere in the south of the empire. It was noon and the unbearable heatway had made him soaked with sweat. He didn''t know for how much time he had been walking when he finally found an inn on his way. A relieved smile appeared on his face which was until now expressionless. Upon entering, he looked curiously at the interior. The inn didn''t look anything special, but what made him surprised was that despite being noon, the place was filled with people....


    "A beer! the colder the better" he shouted after finding with some difficulty an empty table....


    While he was staring absent-mindedly out the window and waiting for his order, a young voice suddenly awoke him from his stupor


    "Excuse me sir, would you mind if we sat with you? It doesn''t seem there is another empty table..."


    Turning his head he saw two young men around 20 years old probably. The man gestured them to sit and without giving them any other attention, he turned his head again toward the window


    "Excuse me, are you an adventurer?" the young voice interrupted his thoughts again. With a sigh, he looked at them for another time and opened his mouth


    "Don''t I look like one?" the man asked with a smile..


    "No, no... Not only that, but you look really strong too" one of the duo hurriedly repied. After thinking for a little, he talked again


    "Would we be noisey if we asked for a story of your adventures? We have always dreamed of becoming adventurers ourselves, but we never had the courage to do so..."


    These words made the man burst out laughing for quite some time. He wanted to calm down,but he couldn''t do it no matter how much he tried. Only after seeing the flushed faces of the two people ahead him, did he finally start to feel a little guilty.


    "Don''t feel bad. I didn''t want to mock you, but I found it hilarious that somebody actually dreamed to do this trashy job" the man explained with a sigh


    ''Is it that bad?'' the young men thought doubtfully...


    Seeing their faces the man could only shake his head


    ''Ignorance is a bliss.....''


    "Let me tell you another story instead. It''s the story of a childhood friend of mine and of how he managed to become a legend known by every single child in the empire"


    *******


    The empire hadn''t always been the powerhouse that it was today. Fourty years ago, there were many countries that could threaten it with the Latheon Kingdom in the north being it''s mightiest enemy.


    Latheon Kingdom wasn''t big, neither had many resources, but the cold weather had made it''s people tough and brave. The soldiers of the army were called Berserkers and many fairy tales had been created about the miracles they had produced in battle, but also for their cruelty against their enemies, but what made them extremely terrifying was the fact that they would never retreat. There was a saying for them back then


    ''For a Berserker, defeat means death and Victory means survival..''


    In a country like that the hierachy was strict and clear. The stronger you were, the more previleges you had. People who couldn''t fight could only do whatever they could to do just to survive, whether that was theft,murder or prostitution. There were many orphans who had to stick together to protect each other and the protagonist of that story was a child like them


    "Edward! Edward! Alfred and the others will go for hunting. Wont you come together with us?" a small girl around 7 years old shouted at a small wooden hut built near the forest. A boy came out wearing, like the girl, old tattered cloths. He was only 10 years old but his height, as well as his sharp eyes made him look older. Seeing the little girl made the boy''s expression to soften


    "Catherine, I have told you many times that you are not allowed to enter the forest, especially now that its winter. You don''t want to freeze to death, do you? Why don''t you go inside and help Jessica and Linawho are trying to fix our cloths?" Edward said with a warm smile


    "No brother! You know that I am stronger than most of the boys in my age! Why won''t you let me come no matter what every time!" Catherine said as she pouted. She then turned her body around showing the boy her back. Watching her throwing a tantrum, Edward approached her and hugged her from behind. Their difference in their height wasn''t small to the point that he almost needed to kneel


    "Because you are my precious little sister. How can I let you be in any danger. Don''t worry, your brother will bring today some meat, so you can look forward it"


    The girl tried to think of something that could persuade her stubborn brother, but no matter how much she tried, nothing came in her mind. She could only give up.


    Edward took with him a wooden spear with only it''s speahead being made from metal. It was aweapon he had managed to steal from a drunken Berserker, an achievement that he was really proud of, though for that warrior, it was nothing more than a toy he was using when he was training.


    After walking for sometime, he saw 6 children waiting at the entrance of the forest. None of them was older than 9 years old and all of them were smaller than Edward


    "Hey, big bro Edward just came" one of the boys shouted


    "You are late, idiot" another boy said. His name was Alfred and he was the oldest after Edward in age among the orphans.


    "Ok guys, we have work to do. Two of you will come with me to check if anything has been caught in our traps. Alfred and the others will search for anything edible in the forest. In three hours we''ll meet again here. If someone isn''t here by the time the sun starts to decline, then we will consider him dead, so be careful..." Seeing that everyone agreed with his words, he opened hismouth again


    "Let''s go!"


    **********


    The three hours passed quickly and it was time for the boys to return at their meeting point.


    "Big bro Edward ,the sun will soon start to decline, we should leave" one of the boys said while he was holding in his hands two rabbits.


    "You can leave first, I want set a last trap near that fir... Take with you and the birds that I hunted" Edward said as he prepared to use a rope that he had created from plants around the forest.


    Knowing that their leader wouldn''t hear them no matter what they told him, they started walking away with no objections.


    It didn''t take long for the skillful boy to finish with his buisness,but the moment he was ready to stand up and leave too, a noice in the bushes made his body to stop. If it was just a noice, it wouldn''t be something for him to worry about, but it was different if he could feelvibrations from the ground. He slowly turned his head and his heart immediately went cold..... The spectacle in front of him was something that even if he were to see it in a nightmare, it would still make him lose sleep for days, much less in real life....


    A5 meters bear was standing on its hind legs behind him...It''s red eyes and huge claws made him unable to move. He couldn''t even breath from his terror. By the time he could return back to reality he was already on the ground with who knows how many broken bones. The beast''s weight was at least 2000 pounds. Someone would even wonder how was Edward still alive. The only thing that he could do was desperately trying to protect his neck with the best of his ability, but he instictively knew that it was only a matter of time before he became the lunch of the bear.


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    Edward couldn''t endure anymore, blood was flowing from all over his body making him feel dizzy. The moment he thought that his end had come, a bright light appeared in his vision making him unable to see anything. He closed his eyes, but he felt impossible to open them again. He was feeling sleepy and cold...


    He struggled to keep his consciousnessawake, but no matter how much willpower he had, he had already reached his limit. In the end, Edward fainted..

 21 Side Story 2 : The hero of the North

    A boy was running in a hurry on a snowy plain. No matter where he looked at, he couldn''t find anything else other than the endless snow in front of him. The only thing that existed other than him, was the creature that was chasing him maniacally. The huge bear was faster than him so it was only a matter of time before it would catch up. Their distance was becoming closer and closer and Edward couldn''t prevent the despair he was feeling from appearing on his face. He turned his head instictively to see how far from the beast he still was only to realise that in front of him was a wide- opened mouth filled with sharp teeth ready to touch his skin.


    ''Noooooo!!!''


    "Wake up! Wake up boy!"


    Edward started to slowly regain his consciousness. He could hear a voice shouting at him, but he still hadn''t recovered from his drowsiness. Suddenly, he recalled the fight in the forest. The memory of that monster biting his body made him jerk awake..


    "Aaarg!!!" a groan escaped from his mouth after trying to sit up on the bed he was reclined


    "Easy now... Relax... Your injuries were very serious. I used light magic to help you, but even this was not enough. I even had to use some precious herbs on you, so don''t waste my efforts on trying to save you"an old voice sounded in his ears


    Trying to calm down, he raised his head, looking around in daze. He was in a small room where there was a bed and even a desk with some chairs. Then he looked at the man who was in front of him. He seemed to be in his fifties with his hair starting to turn grey. His clothes couldn''t be described luxurious, but for the small boy who grew up under extreme poverty, everything seemed dazzling in his eyes .


    "Do you plan to sell me as a slave?" the boy asked indifferently, but the man could feel his vigilance in his voice.


    "Your treatment cost me 15 gold coins, do you think that you are worth this much?"


    Upon hearing this, Edward almost fainted again. He had never seen in his life a silver coin, much less a gold one. He couldn''t believe so easily though that old man inspite of the fact he was his savior


    "Why did you save me?" Edward asked without dropping his guard at all.


    The man shook his head upon seeing this. This was a world where even a little kid had to look at everything with suspicion in order to survive.


    "In this world my little boy, people are capable for the worst. This is something that you probably can already understand from the pointless wars around you that have only taken things from you and never have given you anything, but they are also capable for the best. Don''t you also have someone in your heart that you can love and trust unconditionally?"


    In Edward''s mind the image of a little girl appeared. She was his pillar, as well as his reason to continue fighting for a better future despite the adversities he had to face


    "But you and I have never met before.... You shouldn''t have a reason to help me" the boy said with doubt


    "I saved you for my own reasons. I want the day before I die to look back at my life with a smile on my face. If I let a little brat like you to die just like that, then I am sure you''ll come to hunt me one day" the man said with a laugh


    ********


    Three days had passed before Edward managing to get up from the bed. His injuries had pretty much healed, but his body was now filled with countless scars making him look really intimidating, especially the one on his right cheek.


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    "Will you return to your siblings?" the man asked the boy with a smile


    "I am really worried about their welfare, more so when they must think that I have died" Edward answered anxiously.


    "Do you want me to come with you? With me you can cross the forest without worry."


    The boy didn''t think to refuse. He bowed to the man to show his gratittude and said emotionally


    "Thank youfor everything you have done for me Mister Frank"


    *******


    The sun had started to decline when the two of them reached at the other side of the forest. Edward couldn''t contain his excitement as he started to run rapidly towards the small wooden hut. When it appeared in his sight he couldn''t restain himself anymore as he began shouting


    "Catherine, guys, I am back! I am alive! I am not...."


    He couldn''t speak. It was like he had lost his voice. His body was tembling. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing... He didn''t dare to believe what he was seeing. He felt an indescribable terror that made the fear he felt when he fought against the bear seem like a lie.


    ''Catherine, at least you...''


    Edward entered quickly inside the hut only to see a large man looking at him with amusement.His clothes were filled with blood while in his hand he was holding the head of a girl. Her headless body was covering a little boy as if she was trying to protect him


    "Why?" Edward asked with a quiet voice


    "Hahahaha, another brat suddenly appeared. If you are obedient like a good slave should be then I''ll spare you on the contrary of that kids over there" as he told that he threw the head to the side as he walked leisurely towards the boy.


    Edward felt an invisible energy inside him to awaken. Concentrating it on his right hand, he threw a punch at the approaching man. His hand passed through his enemy''s body like it was made out of air. Only a stunned expression was in time for appearing on his face before he take his last breath.


    "Why?" the boy questioned the dead man with a small voice as he continued hitting the man''s face. By this time, Frank had also entered into the hut, watching silently by the side


    "WHYYYYYY?" his head had long since it disappeared with the hands of the boy hitting the dirty floor. A cry of pain coming from the deepest part of his soul came out from his mouth


    ''Goddess Maria, if you watch us from way up high, why do you let this madness to continue existing in this world?'' Frank prayed as he closed his eyes....


    One hour. If they had come sooner for only just one hour, nothing of this would have happened. A single tear flowed from his right cheek..


    ********


    One week later...


    Edward was sitting on the snowy ground with a dead expression on his face. In the past week he was silent staring at the sky without anyone knowing what he was thinking. Frank had approached him quietly and had sat near him before opening his mouth


    "Your sister managed to save that little boy. She was a true hero"


    Tears started to appear in Edward''s eyes as he answered


    "His name is Antony... Please Mister Frank I ask you..... I beg you to take care of him on behalf of Catherine"


    "What do you plan to do?" Frank asked sternly


    Edward took a deep breath and started talking again but with a determined face this time


    "This country took away my parents, my friends and now even my sister... I will never forgive this country. I will become stronger, I will rise in ranks and when I have become strong enough.... I will betray it with the same way it betrayed me.. I will stop this war with my two hands.." the boy exclaimed and then turned his head to the old man


    "When that time comes Mister Frank, please give me a hand"


    Frank looked with amusement at the little boy and then he let out a small laugh


    "So be it Edward... No, I shallcall you Edward Thundergod from now on.... From the ancient times, justice was symbolised by the image of the thunder. But remember, this name doesn''t only carry your hatred against your enemies, but also your sister''s sacrifice to protect that little boy. As long as you don''t betray my expectations for you, then I Captain Frank de Alvin, magician of the Elite Squad of Grenmar Empireswear to help you with your revenge.. What do you say?" the 50 years old man asked with a smile


    Edward looked at him with an unusual gleam in his eyes


    "To a better future.."

 22 An eventful morning

    "Erebus?" Adriana wondered loudly. John had already left by now and she had stayed alone.


    ''I have heard this name before but I can''t remember where..... If that boy was correct, then there is something unknown to me that is lurking in the shadows. How is it possible for someone with my power to be unaware of it''s existence'' the frowningprinecess thought. She seached in her desk for a white blank page and with a quill she started to transfer her thoughts into the piece of paper..


    ''I can''t have confidence in everything that he told me, but I can''t take the risk to ignore his story either... If what he told me is the truth then there is someone or something hiding in the darkness that can exterminate a noble house in the Empire without leaving the slightest clue. Not even the Demon Lord can do that.... This is impossible to happen without the cooperation by someone from the Imperial Family...'' she stopped a little to take a deep breath to calm her heart which was pounding down before starting to write again


    '' First of all, I have to verify this information, but I am not sure how to proceed. I can''t trust anyone with this... Shall I search first for clues in past incidents? If there is an organisation like that they had definitely done something similar before. Luckily, the officials record everything that happens in the empire, but it''s not like that I can read every single document that exists in the Imperial Library. I''ll need some help here.... I should ask in a way that nobody will suspect my reasons'' after reading what she had written she took the paper and burned it with fire magic...


    ''I can use that boy too..... If he lies, then he is definitely hiding something and it would be only a matter of time before I discover it, but if he is not, he can be the only one with whom I can talk about Erebus without worry, as well as ask him to investigate without beating around the bush. After all, he was the one who informed me about it''s existence in the first place. It is a plus that he will be studying in the Imperial Academy too. The only problem is that he declaired publicly that he was a servant in Derman''s house.... Surprisingly though, maybe I can use this...''


    After clearing her thoughts the princess shouted loudly


    "Ask Captain Sophie... No! Ask magician Maria to come here!"


    A voice was heard from outside


    "Yes Ma''am!"


    **********


    John was returning in the tent that he was temporarily staying, when a man suddenly approached him. He had blond hair and blue eyes, characteristics that were common in the noble circles. He was in his mid twenties. His height could be considered average, but his well trained body and his pretty face made him to stand out from the masse. The youth recognised that man, since he was the first lieutenant of Company A, as well as his superior, Bryan de Bruce. Like Sophie, his father was one of the four Dukes in the Empire, making him someone not to mess with...


    "Do you have any idea what time is it? Why are you not in your unit?" a stern voice came from Bryan''s mouth.


    John didn''t answer immediately. He first straightened his body and saluted and then dared to reply


    "Princess Adriana de Grenmar asked for my presence Sir!"


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    "You?" the blond knight looked curiously at the youth


    "What is your name soldier?"


    "My name isJohn Smith Sir"


    Bryan was standing still with a thoughtful expression on his face. He then opened his mouth again


    "You are the brother of that guy, aren''t you? I hope you are cabable like him. I want you to have all the horses of our Company fed and washed by the time we leave" he said as he turned around ready to walk away, but a sweet voice suddenly stopped him


    "I am sorry, but this won''t do first lieutenant Bruce"


    Bryan turned around to see who had the audicity to dispute his orders only to find his Captain staring at him with a cold gaze. His heart shook a little, but he didn''t back down


    "Captain, I am sorry, but may I know why?"


    Sophie''s gaze became colder as she spoke with an authoritive tone


    "Are you questioning my orders Bryan?"


    The man bit his lip, but he didn''t answer. He left quietly with an unreadable expression on his face


    "Are you alright Tom?" Sophie asked with the same ice cold expression as always, but John could feel that she was really worried about him


    ''How did she manage to become kind and rude at the same time in one sentence?'' he thought doubtfully


    "It''s John Captain" he replied with a wry smile


    "Cough, cough... Didn''t I say the same thing? Anyway.... Tell your brother that he can stop taking care of the horses now. Tell him to wash himself too, I don''t want anyone to say that the people from Company A stink" as she said that she started to move away unhurried, but the youth could see that her ears had gained a faint red color


    '' I had this thought for a while, but is she actually clumsy?''


    ********


    Vladimir had a difficult night. He was a mess from the fight and when he thought that he could sleep a little, a knight came in his tent telling him that he had to shovel the feces that the horses had left behind. Every time that a patrol was coming, they were treating him with mockery and disdain, but the worst of all was that even the squires were laughing at him.


    ''Wasn''t this supposed to be your job? What do find so funny?'' he wanted to retort, but his intuition was telling him that if he voiced any complaint, then a true Hell was waiting for him. It took him hours to finish and the sun had already started rising. The moment he thought that he could finally rest a little, a melodious voice finished him of.


    "Heyyyyyyyy Vladimir!!! Good morning!!! Are you working hard? My sister told me that you have to feed the horses too.Don''t worry. For a strong man like you, I am sure that this is a child play" Maria saidwith a bright smile. She then frowned as she used her fingers to close her nose


    "Aren''t you stinking a little too much? You better wash yourself before reporting to my unit. You don''t want to fight every single magician from our Company, do you?" after saying that she gave him an entusiastic wink and left quickly with the same speed that she came

 23 The Forest of the Lost Memories 1

    Two days had passed and the Order of the Red Rose was already halfway from the Capital. In the morning of the third day they finally arrived at the Forest of the Lost Memories. It was a creepy place covered by thick fog that many people tried to avoid.


    "Tell them to get down from the horses, we''ll walk from now on" Adriana said to her Captains who were riding beside her.


    "We''ll actually go through the forest?" Sophie asked doubtfully


    "I guess it''s a mission of the Church of Life?" Edward said mysteriously as he looked at the carriage which was following them.


    "It can''t be helped, since I was asked by my teacher personally. This is a chance at the same time to discover what''s wrong with this place" the princess repied as she sighed


    ********


    "What a strange place?" Vladimir murmured as he dismounted his horse. One of the magicianswho was nearby, couldn''t help than open his mouth when he heard him.


    "It''s actually famous though..."


    The silver haired youth turned his head to the direction of the voice only to see a young man around 18 years old looking back at him.


    "Don''t talk to him Hanks"


    "Yeah, he is that bastard who insulted the honor of our Order"


    Two of the magicians who were walking by the side of the man who was named Hanks spoke hurriedlyupon seeing their friend interacting with the outcast of their division. Hanks was similar to John in the fact that both of them had average appearances, but unlike the 14 years old boy, he was a person who was very popular among the knights in Company A. Hearing the comments of the two people beside him, made him to talk to them with a strict voice


    "Eric, Claudia, both of you stop it. For how long do you plan on holding grudges with him?" his voice then became louder as if he wanted for anyone from his division to hear him


    "Listen! Don''t forget on where you have pledged your swords. If our liege and our Captain don''t have problems with him, who do you think you are to doubt their decisions?" seeing that he had the attention of the surrounded knights, he continued


    "We will cross the Forest of the Lost Memories, I am sure you have also realised that too, by now... This is the final obstacle that prevent us from returning to our home. If allying with that young man over there means that I can see my fianc¨¦efaster or that I can protect more of my comrades in the battle, then what else do I need? I don''t think that you are different, are you?" Hank shouted loudly. Seeing the agreement on his comrades faces he walked slowly towards Vladimir with a smile.


    "Vladimir right? My name is Hanks d'' Anderson. You see.. The Forest of The Lost Memories is an infamous place with lots of stories about it''s existence. Many people in the past have been lost inside the fog, only to never see them again. Sometimes, we have found some, but their memories regarding of what they saw inside or how they managed to get out are missing, but don''t worry, as long as you don''t lose your way, you should be safe, especially when there are so many people here" he said with a laugh


    "Doesn''t that mean that even if you are lost, you still have a hope to return?" Vladimir asked innocently


    "It is better to die if you are lost, if you want my opinion. There were cases in which the people who were found went missing for 20, sometimes even 30 years... The most of them went mad upon finding out that the members of their families were dead or that their lovers had already been married with children" Hanks replied fearfully


    "That really sounds scary.... Thank you a lot Sir Anderson. I will be careful" Vladimir said greatfully to the young man


    "Just call me Hanks.. My Title is only that of a Knight after all. Seeing your capability in the duel, I can only say that it''s only a matter of time before you surprass me" Hanks said as he shook his head..


    *********


    John was watching his brother with interest, when a voice suddenly interruptedhim


    "Are you surpsised?" He didn''t need to check to see who talked to him since he was already familiar with this voice


    "As expected I guess from a knight of the Empire. If it was any other country, they would have already demanded his execution" he replied to the girl. It was no one else other than his Commander, Maria de Woodmand


    "Don''t misunderstand.. This is an unprecedented exception. If Captain Thundergod wasn''t generous or your brother wasn''t so talented, he would have died before even given a chance to fight. Even your father wouldn''t be able to save him" Maria said with a smile


    "By the way,may I ask a question that I had for a while? I hope you won''t take offence at my words"


    "Speak"


    "How come that First Lieutenant Wardrog is still a commoner? Doesn''t his identity as a commoner gets in his way of fulfilling his responsibilities?"


    Hearing the question of the youth, Maria looked strangely at him


    "I never expected this kind of question.... Well, you''ll realise it soon, but not every noble is like me or Sophie. There are many people who don''t look favorably at the commoners, more so when a commorer is mixed-blood. Luckily, Jason''s achievements are not something that can be suppressed easily. It''s only a matter of time before they promote him. If it wasn''t for Bryan, he would have already been knighted long ago.... This is something that has already been recognised by everyone in the Order, that''s why his position is so high"


    "Is Sir Bruce an extremist? No..... It''s impossible for the son of a Duke to be so narrow minded. A grudge maybe?"


    The black haired girl looked at the youth with amazement


    "You really should take care of what you say..... You could be beheaded for these words.That being said, I am kinda surprised of your evaluation of him, especially since you have already encoutered him. "


    "It seems that my experiences have already become known" John replied with a wry smile


    "Well, well... Don''t blame me. After all, I have become interested in you from the first time I met you" she said seductively as she moved her body closer to him. Seeing the youth taking instictively a step behind she let out a satified smile


    "If you blushed, it would be perfect... As for what you said earlier, you are correct. According to my sister, when Jason was still a squire, Bryan wanted him to become his follower. It was unfortunate that he was a big fan of Baron Thundergod. It seems he had saved his life when he was a child"


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    ''What an amazing man! From a squire to a First Lieutenant. Bruce''s eyesightis also impressive considering that he discovered his talent so early''


    "Attention to all units! We will start entering in the forest now. Form a square around the carriage. Make sure to have visibility at the people around you..."a loud voice was heard.


    "A square? Would''t it be better if we moved in lines?" John asked doubtfully


    "If it wasn''t for the fog... Well you''ll see it with your own eyes" She answered and then turned her attention at her division


    "Ok guys hurry up! Let''s finish with this and go home! If anyone of you dares to become lost, then make sure not to be found or else I''ll beat you to death!"

 24 The Forest of the Lost Memories 2

    ''This..... This can be dangerous'' John thought. He was less than 1 meter away from the knights that were around him, but he could barely see their figures.


    ''Doesn''t that mean that if something attacks us, we won''t be able to react in time? Although from what I heard this forest seems to be uninhabited with nothing more than dry trees, this can''t be possible considering that there were people who survived here for so many years.''


    "John!" A soft voice awoke him from his thoughts. It was Vladimir who had moved near to him before they entered into the forest so that the brothers could protect each other


    "It''s better if we don''t talk in a place like this, it is imporant to be mindful of the sounds around us" the brown haired youth wispered


    "I know... My insticts scream that something is wrong with the situation"


    John immediately stopped walking. If it was anyone else who said that to him, he would just laugh it off, but it was different if the person who told him that was Vladimir. At the same time, the knight who was walking behind him until now, passed through his body like he was a ghost and disappeared inside the fog..


    "Vladimir, are you here?" he asked with a quiet voice


    "....."


    "Vladimir?" He spoke again, but louder this time


    "....."


    "This is bad..."


    *******


    The Order continued traversing the forest. Adriana was walking steadily through the fog until someone talked to her


    "We must have arrived at the supposed place by now. If I am right, people should have already started to disappear"


    The princess frowned upon hearing this


    "Teacher, I don''t know what the Church of Life plans to do, but no matter who it is, I won''t forgive anyone who plays with the lives of my men, even if it''s you"


    "It''s impossible for a mission to exist without dangers, but if my conjecture is correct, this is necessary for the well-being of the Empire" Father Jonas replied seriously.


    Adriana didn''t continue speaking. She had told everything she needed to. Instead she gave a command to her two Captains


    "We'' ll stop here"


    ******


    At the same time, John was standing motionless, contemplating the knights who continued passing through his body like he didn''t exist.


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    ''Calm down! if I panic here, its over...'' he took a deep breath and then closed his eyes


    ''There are two possibilities. The first one as well as the worst-case scenario is that I became something like a spectre. Others can''t see me, hear me or touch me, this is somethingI have already confirmed... The second one is that I am trapped in some kind of magic. I have never heard of such a powerful magic before, but that doesn''t mean that it doesn''t exist. Now.... The problem is what to do now.... Every knight until now is with no doubt a different individual. If this is an illusion, isn''t it a little too powerful?'' the youth thought deeply. Suddenly, his face became bright as an idea came to his mind.


    He moved his hand and unsheathed his dagger. After making a small cut on his finger and seeing the blood flowing from his wound, a relieved expression appeared on his face. He didn''t waste time and he used light magic to heal his injury.


    ''Who would have expected that the first blood I would see by using my new dagger, it would be mine.... Anyway, I can cross the first possibility off. Ghosts don''t bleed. Moreover, it seems that I can use my magic.... Since my body doesn''t show any changes, it means that I can feel hunger and thirst as a normal person. That makes my hypothesis correct. Assuming that the same thing happened to the others that went missing, there must be ways to survive in this place. It seems that I'' ll need to move forward after all. As for where... '' John thought a little and then he took out from his pocket a compass.


    ''This way''


    *******


    John was walking constantly through the thick fog. He looked calm and collected, but in reality, he was extremely anxious. He was moving pretty much blindly, without having any idea where he was. Every time he looked at his compass, he could only hope that his thinking wasn''t flawed and that sooner or later he would meet something or someone that would let him escape his predicament. He didn''t know how much time he had walked. It may have been minutes, hours or even days. He was exhausted, but he didn''t try to rest. He knew that he was in a critical situation and that he didn''t have the luxury to drop his guard.


    Time passed and the brown haired youth felt that his skin had been dehydrated. The continuous growls of his stomach were warning him that he couldn''t carry on like this, that he would die alone, burried by the fog....


    ''How nostalgic'' John thought as he kept going on...


    Days passed and the boy didn''t have the strength to walk anymore. His body finally collapsed on the ground. His piercing eyes were staring at the endless white veil, when suddenly a black figure appeared in front of him looking down at him. A hoarse voice sounded in the area..


    "How laughableno. 9... As I always told you, not all people are capable of deciding for themselves. You decided to rebel, to fight, to betray, only for what? For a pointless and pathetic death. This is a fitting punishmentfor a useless tool like you"


    John didn''t answer. After making sure that it was impossible to stand up, he started instead crawling across the ground. The black figure slowly vanished only to be replaced by a small child. His features could be seen clearly. It was a beautiful boy with bright red hair and greenish yellow in colour eyes.


    "Why you betrayed me? I thought of you as my friend.... Why did you kill my family? They took care of you when you were in need... Why did you kill the servants and the adventurers? They were innocent parties that weren''t your targets... Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?..."


    "Oh, shut up.... I can''t answer what I don''t know" John murmured as he was using the last reserves of his power to continue. His suffering went on for quite some time, but his efforts in the end weren''t in waste. For the first time, after who knows how long, the fog in front of him started to burn off...


    In front of him appeared a large clearing in which there was an abandoned village. It was probably the only place that there was sulight in the forest. John felt something unknown to stir inside him. He had always prefered the calm and the security that the darkness offered him, but only now did he realise that as every human, even he longed for the warmth of the sun occasionally.


    The village was giving him an unexplained sensation that he couldn''t describe. It was like he had returned to the place he belonged to, a place where he could rest without worry, something that was totally new to him...


    ''It''s like something that George told me once in the past. The feeling of finally returning home after a long journey''


    He suddenly felt a warm energygiving him power. He managed to slowly stand up andenter into the village. What he didn''t see though was a sign at it''s entrance that it''s words had almost faded


    ''Welcome to the Village of Life''

 25 Old man

    Every person will stand at crossroads at least once in his life. Will his choice lead him to a better future or to an one filled with grief and regrets?Many years have passed and despite seeing what the future had in store for me, I still don''t know if I made the right choice back then....


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    *********


    John passed by the derelict buildings when he finally arrived in front of a remote demolished house. For a moment he didn''t know what to do, he looked curiously at his surroundings when a sudden voice shocked him to the core


    "Welcome, traveler. You seem tired.. Have you come from faraway? Why don''t you follow me? I''ll provide you with food and water as well as a place for you to rest."


    John turned his head around cautiously to look at the opposite party. At the same time with his right hand, he carefully touched the hilt of his dagger. His actions wereclearly filled with vigilance. An old man was in front of him wearing a sheepskin cloak as well as a woolen hat, cloths that were worn usually by peasants. The youth though didn''t let his guard down. In a place like this, that old man couldn''t be just a normal person.


    "I know that you are suspicious, since you met suddenly with an unknown person, but if I wanted to harm you I could just let you starve to death, so stop being stubborn young man and just come with me" the old man said with annoyance. He didn''t wait for an answer as he immediately walked away. John was a little surprised, but he didn''t dare to let the chance slip away as he quickly followed behind


    *********


    Meantime, in the Order of the Red Rose


    The High Priest of the Church of Life, Father Jonas was scrutinizing an old yellowish map which he was holding. His face was filled with impatience and anxiety. Princess Adriana who was watching him by his side couldn''t help but open her mouth


    "You seem desperate"


    "If we don''t find the item, we won''t find the missing people either... This is something you sould urgently want too"


    "Yes, but they are my knights... You are not a man who would care for people unrelated to him or is it because of the boy? Even if Antony is a S ranked adventurer he couldn''t in any possible way harm you."


    Father Jonas looked at his student with disapprovement upon hearing this. A strict voice escaped from his mouth


    "The safety of the boys is my responsibility. I made a promise I have to fulfill with not anyone unrelated to me, but with a dear friend who had helped me a lot of times. Also...." Father Jonas gave a deep look at the princess and he continued


    "There is not something convenient like certainty in this worldwhen it comes to enemies. Your Captain is an example of this. He started as a mere commoner, but he managed to destroy a whole country. Make no mistakes though that Antony isn''t just a commoner but a powerful person with many connections that even I don''t know..."


    Adriana couldn''t help than nod. She agreed with her teacher despite knowing that the power of the Church of Life is by no means weak.


    "We can''t stay in the Forest of Lost Memories forever though. It is already noon and we only have a few hours before the night comes. Are you sure that this map is genuine?" she asked with doubt


    "It should be, or else, how is it possible for the fog to exist for thousands of years?"


    "Maybe it is really a natural phenomenon"


    "The fact that the closer we get to the center of the forest the more people start to disappear should prove my conjecture.... Let''s see, I think I have found something... Send some knights there next


    time....."


    *******


    John was currently wolfing down the hot soup that the old man had given to him. He was currently in a small wooden house that was in a good condition, especially if one were to compare it with the other buildings in the village. The old man was looking at him with a smile before starting speaking


    "It seems that you had it hard. Good job coming here, you are the first one who didn''t get lost in the fog."


    The youth didn''t answer immediately. He first made sure to finish the food and only after that he raised his head to look at his savior


    "I can''t thank you enough" John gratefully said. He hesitated for a moment and continued


    "My name is John Smith, may I know your name?"


    "Hahahahaha!! You don''t have to talk so politely young man... Unfortunately, I can''t answer your question since I have long forgotten what my name was..... Yours though is quite peculiar"


    "Many people have told me the same thing" he replied with an embarrased smile. He paused for a moment and after organising his thoughts, he opened his mouth again


    "Is this village your home?" he asked


    The old man was taken aback, but he still managed to asnwer patiently


    "I could call it that way long time ago, but now I am not worthy to do so anymore"


    "I am sorry if I awakened memoriesyou would prefer to forget" John sincerly apologised


    "Don''t worry... After all, this place is a memory itself, as well as this old man who is in front of you..."


    The youth didn''t understand completely what he meant, but he had an idea; however,he had to clarify some other things first.


    "You said previously that I am the first one who managed to arrive here, but this shoudn''t be possible since there were cases that people managed to exit the forest before"


    "To answer this, I have to explain in a way that you''ll understand in what kind of place you currently are.... Let''s see... It took you around a week to come here, but in the real world only a few hours must have passed. That was because you were moving toward the centre of the forest. Time would flow conversly though, if you decided to move towards any other direction. This is something like another dimension, but even if it''s an artificial world, it has it''s own rules. Considering your actions you must have grasped the first one....."


    "Is it to stray from the forest path?" John hurriedly interjected. He was really worried since the situtation seemed to be more complicate than he thought


    "That is correct. This is the first condition. The closer you get to the centre of the forest the more possible it is to enter in this world"


    ''As expected. I hadn''t realised in the beginning because of the fog, but it seems that the princess was purposefully leading us away from the path. It seems that they are searching for something''


    "As long as you find the path again, you can ecape from here, but many years might have passed until then in the outside world, while the individual might have only walked for some days, as for the second condition for someone to enter that can be connected to the creator of this world. That means..."


    "Wait! Wait! I don''t understand what you really say.. In the first place, is this even considered magic?"


    "Yes, this is definetely the product ofmagic" the Old man replied seriously


    "This should be impossible in many kind of ways.... How can someone control time or create another dimension, it doesn''t make sense. Even if he could, this world should exist for who knows how many years. How much mana someone needs to have to preserve this. Old man, were you perhaps a god?"

 26 Old man 2

    "God? Me? Hahahahahaha!" the old man burst out laughing for quite some time until he could pull himself together and talk properly


    "That was hilarious.... Anyway, I can''t answer immediately all of your questions, can I? I will try to satisfy you curiorisity, so be patient young man" he said with a smile


    "It''s my bad. It''s just that everything seems so bizarre that I couldn''t contain my emotions. I am truly sorry" John said as he apologised.


    "It''s alright..... What was I saying? Ah, I remembered. It''s about the second condition for someone to enter in this man-made world. You have to be someone that can be connected to the creator. Well, I said that but it''s nothing that much complicated. To put it simple, the world accepts these that most likely won''t refuse to do me a favor that I want to ask them. As for what this favor is I will tell you later. What else do you want to know?"


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    "You can control time and space. Is it something that the elements can do?"


    The old man looked strangely at the youth before he opened his mouth again


    "This is something that you have to discover slowly on your own young man. I can dispel your doubt about mana though. It''s naturally impossible for someone to preserve a magic for a long time, but it''s another story if there are items that can help you"


    "This can''t be. One can use only his own mana to create magic after all..." John replied with confidence


    "No, to say it in a way you''ll understand, there is an item that has colorless mana, like the mana inside you. That means that you can use it with whatever way you want, but despite it''s huge mana capacity, it''s an extremely rare item. Back then we called it mana stone" the old man said as he sighed. He didn''t have much information about the world now, but he was sure that the mana stones must have gone extinct.


    "I was an extremely powerful person in the past and I had cultivated the mana inside me to the limitsthat a human body could contain. I used almost all the mana stones I had with me at the same time, as an insurance that this magic will be preserved"


    ''An item that has colorless mana? This shouldn''t be possible.... We use colors from the start to describe the elements for our own convenience. That means that even if this mana stone has colorless mana as he said, it doesn''t mean that we can use it''s mana..... Let''s forget it, it isn''t something that I can make speculations with my current understanding in magic and it''s not like I have a mana stone to study it''the youth thought and then opened his mouth


    "You must have really used an incredible amount of mana for this magic. It sounds like a fairy tale if you want my honest opinion, but for what reason in the end? Is it for the so called favor that you said in the beginning?"


    "Yes... You see, there was a time that like you, I came to this village as a traveller... I was asked to restore this place and especially that demolished house that you saw before. I once managed to do it, but I found myself standing at crossroads back then... Thousands of years have passed and I still don''t know if I chose correctly. What I want from you is to ask you the same favor that I was asked. Create the Village of Life again. Nothing more, nothing less... As a reward, you can have the mana stones that remained in the forest" the old man said and closed his eyes waiting for John''s answer..


    "It doesn''t sound difficult.... I accept to fulfill your wish, but didn''t you say that you used all the mana stones that you had in your possession?" the moment he said this, he had an idea what the Order of Red Rose was searching in this place


    "No matter how powerful I was or how many items I had, it''s impossible to create a long scale magic and maintain it for so long without help. I am just a human after all...I can''t give you your reward personally since the real me is already dead, but my friend is still alive inside the forest. Since you accepted this favor of mine, this magic doesn''t have a reason to exist anymore, so he can give you the remaining mana stones that were being used for preserving this memory"


    "A friend... you say?" John asked as he started to have a bad premonition


    "Yes.... His name is Kalan. He was a small dragon that was accompanying me in my adventures when I was young, but after so many years, he should have already become adult."


    "A DRAGON?" John shouted instictively. Didn''t that mean that the Order was about to face a member of the strongest race in the world?


    ''This is bad.. Vladimir is in danger''


    "You don''t have to worry young man. Since you accepted my mission, Kalan will be friendly with you. Well, maybe your companions are in a little danger, but as long as they don''t touch the stones, there should be no problems. After all, Kalan should be sleeping now, he won''t wake up from something this weak like these humans in the forest" the old man said with a laugh upon seeing the worry on the youth''s face.


    "What if they try to take the mana stones?" John hesitantly asked


    "Don''t worry young man. Nobody is stupid enough to steal something from a dragon, right? Not even gods back then would dare to do it" the old man answered with disbelief


    "Yes, you are right. Nobody should be that stupid." the youth said somewhat relieved.


    "I can''t help than feel a little anxious though. Maybe it''s time to leave. How can I do that, old man?"


    "Well, there are two ways. The first one is to escape, but your memories regarding the forest will be erased. Simultaneously, your age will be synchronized with the age that should have been in the real world. The second one is to leave with my approval, but you''ll return to the place where you firstly disappeared. The fog won''t disperseuntil you meet with Kalan, but considering that you managed to find me, I don''t believe that you''ll become lost. I advise you though not to meet with your companions immediately or suspicions are bound to arise" the old man said with a smile. Although he would soon cease to exist, he wasn''t depressed, but excitedthat his plan was going smoothly.


    "Then with your permission, I will bid goodbye here. I swear that I will do my best to fulfill your wish honorable sir" John seriously said


    ********


    John had already left and the old man was alone again. He decided to take a stroll around the village only to find himself in front of the remote demolished house. He stood motionless, staring at the building with some nostalgia


    ''Fate has finally brought you to me. Will you walk the same path or you''ll break this endless circle that exists for millions of years.... John Smith... John Smith.... Truly a strange name. That man was also using some really peculiar names. I mean Erebus, what kind of name is this?''

 27 The boy who took the name of sVladimirs

    Vladimir was walking carefully with evident vigilance through the fog. His stoic expression as well as his cold eyes would create mixed feelings for anyone who knew the enthusiastic youth and the knights who were together with him weren''t an exception.


    The Order had sent small teams to investigate the area, hoping that they would find some clues regarding the people who had disappeared after their entry in the Forest of Lost Memories and Vladimir was the first person who readily volunteered for this mission.


    Nobody dared to mock him for the disappearance of John. His frosty glare was enough to make even the bravest person to shallow his words. No matter what they thought about the youth, his strength was something that was generally recognised, but what was extremely terrifying, was his potential.


    A fourteen years old boy with outstanding combat sense and magic power. Adding to the fact that he had actually unlocked three elements, he was a boy that was destined to become an important person in the future. If he didn''t provoke their Captain, they would definitely try to create connections with a person like this, but unfortunately, the Code of Chivarly wasn''t something that they could easily ignore...


    Since the silver haired youth insulted the honor of their Order, they couldn''t hold positive feelings towards him. Beceause they were Knights. Because they had given the Oath to protect their and the Order''s honor. Baron Edward de Thundergod might have forgiven him, but how could they accept any duel with an outcome other than life or death....


    "We''ll go this way" a female voice sounded suddenly.


    It was Maria, the temporary Commander of the Magicians in Company A, as well as the second daughter of Woodman House. As always, she was wearing a long red cloak that was covering her whole body, but still couldn''t hide her natural attractiveness and charm.


    "Isn''t there a danger to become lost?" a man suddenly asked. He had tawny hair and pitch black eyes, but what was the most impressive characteristic of his, was his astonishing muscular physique, especially if one were to consider that this man was actually a magician. His name was Eric and he was the best friend of Hanks, the person that had helped Vladimir previously before they entered into the forest.


    "We''ll just have to create some signs, so that we won''t lose our way. We can engrave some symbols on the trees or use earth magic to create a path" the blackhaired woman answered.


    They started walking slowly towards the direction that Maria indicated. The solemn atmosphere that surrounded the group was enough for anyone to deduce that the state of their mind was anything than ideal.Many of their comrades haddisappeared, making everyone feeling restless and impatient to finish with their task.


    Time passed and when they thought that they wouldn''t find anything worth mentioning, signs that the fog was starting to thin out suddenly appeared. Everyone felt excited, but also alarmed.


    "We''ll proceed carefully. Everyone, be on guard.. We don''t know what we''ll see when the fog dissipates" Maria wispered. The knights unsheathed their swords with as less noise as they could and started to walk silently... What they saw when their visibility became clear was something they wouldn''t forget even if they tried to in their whole lives


    *********


    ''A d-dr-dragon!''


    Vladimir couldn''t even believe what he was seeing. In front of his eyes there was an unbelievable existence that was like it came out from a fairy tale. A massive white dragon was sleeping casually in the centre of a huge clearing.He suddenly recalled his father''s words...


    ''Listen kids. If you ever find yourselves in front of a dragon, first make sure if it''s an adult or a young one. Don''t place any importance in their size, since a young dragon can still be enormous, but before it''s adulthood it is still considered a baby. If you feel fear then you can consider yourselves lucky, but if it''s an adult...'' the moment he thought that, he as well as the others of the group simultaneouslyfell on their knees. They didn''t even dare to breath, fearing that they would disrupt it''s sleep. Vladimir clenched his teeth trying to calm himself down without success. He couldn''t even use magic because of the terror that he was feeling...


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    ''It is like facing against a god. I can''t even move before it''s presence. This can''t continue on or we''ll die here from thirst or hunger and John will be lost forever. There must be a way. Remember... Remember... Remember....'' as he was desperately trying to find a way to escape from his predicament, a sound suddenly awoke him from his thoughts. Hanks, who was until now in a similar situation to him, had actually managed to stand up with some difficulty! Upon seeing the surspised looks of the knights, Hanks gave them a refreshing smile as he opened his mouth


    "I am so lucky that I find it hard to believe. Killing two birds with one stone just like that... This is amazing" the young man excitedly said. Everyone was doubtful of his words, but Vladimir''s intuition told him that he was in an unprecedented danger. He didn''t know why, but he felt that if he didn''t do something right now, he wouldn''t be alive to see the sunset again..


    "When I was thinking how I could bumb that guy off, he actually lost his way. Now, even his brother is at my mercy. I will definitely be promoted" as he said that he looked at the silver haired youth and continued


    "I can''t thank you enough. I know that you don''t understand what is happening, but I can assure you that your death won''t be in waste. Thanks to you and your brother, both me and my family will survive the impending calamity. You have my grattitude" he said and raised his sword....


    *********


    "It seems that I managed to return" John murmured as he looked around... He tried to scrutinize his surroundings, but the thick fog was making it difficult for him to find anything noteworthy


    ''Well, if I follow the tracks on the ground, I can find where the Order is now, but I need to meet Kalan first... I can assume safely that someone in the Order has some information regarding the mana stones, maybe and where their location is, so I have to be careful. They definitely don''t know though that a dragon protects them or they wouldn''t enter in the forest so nonchalantly as they did...'' the youth thought and began walking quietly.


    ''I think father once told us that an adult dragon''s aura isn''t something that a human can endure, but there was a way to lower the pressure from it''s influence with the usage of mana. Unless I meet one though, I can''t be sure how I can do it... Well,Kalan will probably wake up the moment I go there, so maybe it won''t be necessary, but I have to think some counter-measures in case something unexpected happens''


    *********


    Vladimir was watching at the upcoming sword that was ready to end his life with an unreadable expression. The surrounded people were also watching terrified what was about to happen with no clue why their friend and comrade was behaving so eratically. The cold steel was about to touch the neck of the youth....


    "H-How?" a hoarse voice sounded suddenly and then a heavy silence dominated the area..


    A man fell with a thud in front of a silver haired boy who was holding a greatsword covered with blood.


    "You didn''t try to ecape from any calamity, you brought one to yourself. Take your regrets together in your grave and remember that the one who killed you was a person who took the name of ''Vladimir''....."

 28 The magic circle

    Vladimir stared coldly at the lifeless body on the ground. A metallic smell emanated from the drops of blood that were contstantly flowing from the greatsword in his hand...


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    ''If I didn''t manage to calm myself down by manipulating forcefully my mana, I would be the one lying down on the ground now.....Luckily, he gave me enough time with his babling to restore my power as well as a chance to catch him off guard. The only thing I had to do in the end was just to avoid his strike by moving my head below his sword''s trajectory and stab him in his gut... '' the youth thought and turned his head behind to look at the remaining knights who were still kneeling down.


    Their expressions made him want to sigh, but he restrained himself and opened his mouth


    "I will tell you now how to return to your original state, but before this I have to warn you that if anyone of you wants to seek revenge, he has to wait until we go back to the Order. Don''t worry since I don''t plan to back off from any challenge, but I don''t plan to show mercy on anyone either who has the nerve to avenge this bastard. Now, I will explain to you how you can...."


    Vladimir hurriedly told them the method that he had used to escape the influence of the dragon''s aura without hiding anything from them, but at the same time he raised his guard in case that the words he had said before would be ignored.


    The first one that managed to stand up was as expected Maria. She looked strangely at the youth before moving her head towards the man that was once one of her most trusted subordinates. She slowly closed her eyes and prayed silently before opening them again. She wasn''t stupid, neither was anyone other here. They all understood that since Hanks dared to attempt committing a crime in front of them, he didn''t plan to leave any witness alive.


    Maria waited until even the last man stood up and only then did she begin talking


    "Let''s not talk about what happened now, don''t forget that we are still in danger. We don''t know when the dragon will wake up, but considering that it is still sleeping despite the previous fuss, we can assume that as long as we don''t do anything stupid we can still investigate safely. That being said, it is hard to believe that the frequent incidents that happen from time to time in the forest have nothing to do with the creature in front of us. We''ll look around, but no matter what, don''t touch anything."the young woman said with a quiet voice


    "Yes Ma''am" the knights answered in unison


    The group started to look around carefully as quickly as they could. The existence of a huge dragon near to them was enough to almost make them go crazy. Vladimir wasn''t an exception. If he wasn''t worried about the well-being of John, he didn''t know if he could handle this pressure. He even started to use water magic so that he could control better his emotions. His efforts didn''t go in waste in the end as he noticed something peculiar...


    "Commander! It seems that there is a cave behind the dragon" the youth hurriedly shouted


    "It must be it''s lair.." Maria muttered and then fell silent. After organising her thoughts she opened her mouth again.


    "Alright! Me, Vladimir, Eric and Claudia will proceed to investigate inside the cave. The rest are to return and report our findings to the princess"


    "Commander, I think it''s reckless to enter into the cave. There is a risk that the dragon will wake up!" Claudia desperately said.


    Because of the Imperial Academy there were all lot of female knights and magicians in the Empire and the Order of the Red Rose wasn''t an exception. Claudia was a gratuate of the Academy, as well as a good friend of the deceased Hanks.


    "No... As long as we don''t touch anything or try to damage the lair we should be safe. The Woodman House has some information about the idiosyncrasy of the dragons, so I am confident in my conjecture. In their mind, we are not different than ants, so there is no way it will disrupt it''s sleep for us"she answered with some hesitation, but she couldn''t back down now. The survival of her men depended on her, so she could only grit her teeth and move forward.


    "Let''s go"


    *******


    When Vladimir entered inside, he was stunned from what he saw. There were countless gold coins, items, even some ancient books in front of him, but what really caught his attention were some stones that their mana was actually colorless!


    ''This... How it''s possible?''


    "I think that I might have found the cause of the incidents" a melodious voice suddenly awoke him from his stupor. The youth didn''t bother to turn his head as he had already known what she was talking about... After all, he was looking at the same direction.


    Below the stones, there was an enormous magic circle that emitted a powerful energy. Vladimir didn''t need to be a magician to understand what this energy was. What else could it be other than mana..


    ''This isn''t something that can be created by a human. Was it the dragon? No, it can only be the dragon. But for what reason?''


    The youth couldn''t understand why a prideful existence like a dragon would actually use magic on humans. It didn''t make sense no matter how hard he thought.


    ''It doesn''t matter what this magic''s purpose is, it doesn''t change the fact that I have to destroy it. Even if I have to confront a dragon..... Isn''t a little too quiet? What are the others doing?''


    Unfortunately, neither him nor Maria noticed in time that something was off. The spectatle of so much wealth wasn''t something that anyone could just ignore. The moment that Eric and Claudia saw the gold coins, they couldn''t contain the greediness in their hearts. Inspite of the fact that they knew that they couldn''t touch anything, they still approached them....


    When Vladimir saw Eric''s hand ready to touch a gold coin, he tried immediately to shout but it was too late....


    One second.... Only one second later...


    In front of Vladimir, only Eric''s armor had remained. His body had already been dematerialised, just like that.


    "You are next"a thunderous voice suddenly sounded. He didn''t even have the chance to turn around and Claudia had already disappeared from this world. Only her equipment was visible, fallen on the ground.


    "One of you will become my food, the other can leave, you have ten seconds to decide. Ten, nine, eight..."


    ""I''ll do it"" both Vladimir and Maria shouted at the same time.


    "Five, four, three...."


    "I'' ll do it. I am a man after all" Vladimir desperately said


    "No, I am the Commander, I''ll do it" the black haired woman didn''t back down and immediately shouted.


    "Two, one, zero... You didn''t decide so you''ll both die here"

 29 Darkness inside the Ligh

    "Finally, some signs of life" John muttered. He was walking for at least one hour until he heard some noise from the distance. He took the compass again from his pocket to check his coordinates and only then he decided to rest for a little.


    ''I am lucky that Elven''s magnetic field is similar to that of the planet in my memories or else I would have never managed to create this invention. I thought that maybe I would need it in this forest, but how could I expect that it would help me so much'' he thought and then he took a glass bottle from his backpack. He seemed to hesitate for a little whether to open it or not. While he was struggling to make a decision, sudden shouts sounded near to him.


    "First lieutenant, it seems that there is nothing here" a voice was heard.


    "Alright... Let''s check one more time before we return. You don''t have to be in a hurry, the princess told me that we''ll pass the night in the forest."


    Upon hearing what they said, John finally opened the bottle and he placed it carefully on the ground. He counted silently to ten and then he opened his mouth...


    "Help! Help me!"


    It didn''t take more than two seconds and in front of him, several knights had already been gathered.


    "It''s the brother of that guy!"


    "The one who had disappeared? What is he doing here?"


    "Enough! Move over and let me see" a loud voice suddenly interjected. John looked carefully at the approaching man. He was familiar with him so he didn''t have any problem recognizing him. The moment he saw his blond hair as well as his arrogant expression, he immediately knew that it couldn''t be anyone else other than the first lieutenant of Company A, Bryan de Bruce.


    "You are alive?" Bryan asked with some amazement.


    "Cough... Cough... Please, give me some food or water" John begged as he fell on his knees. The knights were dumbfounded. It shouldn''t be more than six hours that the boy had disappeared, but his miserable appearance made him look like he had been missing for at least some years.


    Bryan shook his head with doubt before turning his head towards one knight


    "Tell Mac and Jake to come here with the supplies"


    "Yes sir" the knight replied with a loud voice.


    They waited for a few minutes when the three men appeared, carrying two large bags. After giving some food and water to the boy, Bryan couldn''t endure it anymore and he opened again his mouth.


    "Can you talk now?"


    "Yes sir, but maybe it would be better to talk privately..."


    The first lieutenant nodded almost immediately and then he signaled to the surrounding knights that they should move a little farther from them.


    "You can start..."


    "Honestly sir, most of my memories have already been erased, but it seems that at least ¦© managed to find my way in time. The only thing that I seem to recall was a strange symbol that portrayed a strange black gate wrapped in flames..."


    "What! What did you say?" Bryan''s face changed color when he heard what the youth said


    "I said that I saw a strange symbol that portrayed a strange black gate wrapped in flames... It seems that the first lieutenant knows what it is?"


    "Shut up! I ask the questions. Do you remember anything else?" the knight asked angrily.


    "No..." John replied as he shook his head.


    Bryan closed his eyes for a little and then he shouted.


    "I have determined that the person here is an impostor. He probably has something to do with the disappearances. Kill him immediately" the moment he said that, he unsheathed his sword and got into a fighting stance. The rest of the group were perplexed by the command they were given, but they had to follow it with no questions.


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    "Why?" John asked in fright


    The blond knight didn''t answer, he slashed the youth''s body without the slightest hesitation, but his sword passed through his body like it was made of air. The boy that until now was standing in front of him, disappeared like he was a ghost.


    "Where is he? Everyone, be careful.."


    The knights didn''t need the instructions of their lieutenant to see that something was wrong. Everyone was alarmed by what transpired previously. A soft voice suddenly sounded in the area.


    "The past three days, many things happened that were out of my expectations, so I started to lose confidence in myself, but at least you didn''t disappoint me, Bryan de Bruce"


    "Shut up and come out" Bryan shouted anxiously, but in reality, he was calm inside. He tried to determine the position of his enemy from the direction of the voice, but the fog was making it difficult for him. What made him truly realize the gravity of the situation was what transpired next.


    "Cough... Cough.."


    A knight suddenly started to cough violently. When he finally stopped, a stream of blood was flowing from his mouth. As an experienced warrior, Bryan naturally didn''t think that it was a coincidence.


    "Its poison. Stop breathing and retreat immediately."


    Unfortunately, it was too late. They didn''t even have time to be organized before they started to collapse one after another. By now, Bryan had already realized that he fell into a trap. He tried to support himself with the help of his sword and with some difficulty he managed to slowly open his mouth.


    "Who you truly are?"


    The boy slowly emerged out of the fog and talked.


    "It doesn''t matter who am I, but what your real identity is... For now, I will ask you some questions and you''ll answer them. I know already that you are a member of Erebus, but considering how easily you were exposed, you shouldn''t be in high position. How about telling me who gives you orders?"


    "I was exposed? How?" Bryan asked in shock


    "I am the one who asks questions, but since I am in a good mood, I''ll answer this as your last wish before you die. When I revealed in public that I was a servant of the Marquess House, I was expecting someone like you to try to prize information out of me or even worse, attempt to bump me off. Naturally, since you were the one who tried to interact first with me, you were the most suspicious one. Honestly, I wasn''t sure about my conjecture, but your previous actions verified it. You didn''t suspect me until the very end. Do you want to know why?"


    John didn''t wait to receive an answer as he was the one who replied to his question.


    "It was because of my brother. He is a person that for better or worse, he attracts too much attention. Someone who wants to hide something, wouldn''t stay near to somebody like him, right? That''s what you thought subconsciously and that''s what your mistake was too. The best way to deceive others is not to stand out in any way, but I can tell you that this is impossible. Even if you try to hide in the darkness, you are bound to be discovered one day. However, if you stay near to a light that is so bright that it''s glaring the others, it also prevents them from noticing your existence. Vladimir is the light and me the darkness. I am the darkness inside the light...."


    The blond knight looked at the youth with horror. He had never expected that he would play into the hands of someone.


    "You can''t kill me! I am the son of a Duke!" Bryan shouted with desperation.


    "We are in the Forest of the Lost Memories, a place where anyone can disappear at any time. The question is if you want a painless death or..." the moment he said that he took out another glass bottle from his backpack and showed it to the powerless knight.


    "Its name is ambrosia. I am sure that you know what it is since its a specialty of Erebus. A miraculous drug that makes its victim to hallucinate. The problem is that when you are affected, you see your worst nightmares. I have been a professional assassin for ten years and I have never met anyone that managed to resist its effects. All of them answered hurriedly to our questions so that we could put an end to their misery. Shall we begin? What will you choose..."

 30 A reques

    John looked at the lifeless body on the ground. Bryan didn''t provide him with much information, but at least he had now a clue from where to begin his investigations. He didn''t spare anyone from the group, even though he knew that most of them were innocent people who were at the wrong place at the wrong time.


    ''Killing them won''t be enough. When I meet Kalan, the magic that covers the forest will break too and it''ll be only a matter of time before they find the corpses. For now, I have to dispose of them and put the blame on someone else. Only then I''ll feel safe...'' the youth thought and decided to act the appropriate measures so that he could hide his real identity. Since he was close to the Order, John decided to bury the bodies instead of burning them. He didn''t want the smell of burnt flesh to attract any unwanted attention from any patrol.


    ''It will take some time and I am in a hurry. Although I don''t believe that anyone would be so reckless to risk awaking the dragon by doing anything stupid, I am a little worried. I have to finish this business as quickly as I can...''


    ******


    Vladimir was terrified by the spectacle in front of him. He had already known that the white dragon was enormous but upon seeing it standing, he realized that only now he had an idea of how outrageous its size truly was.


    ''If the fog didn''t exist, it could probably be seen from the capital!''


    "Some ants actually tried to steal the treasures of the mighty me! The two of them had already paid the price with their lives and now it''s your turn..." the booming voice of the monster said.


    "We wouldn''t dare, honorable one!" Maria shouted desperately.


    "Enough with the idle talk! I will eat the girl first..." the dragon said as a smile(!) formed on its face. Its claws slowly approached the young woman who from her terror couldn''t move. Vladimir who was watching the exchange between the two of them struggled to calm himself down and with extreme difficulty, he managed to open his mouth.


    "There is something that you want from us, isn''t there?"


    The dragon stopped his movements and looked at the youth with some amusement.


    "Why do you say that, boy?"


    Vladimir took a deep breath to gather his remaining courage and started to talk


    "You are a powerful existence that wouldn''t waste its precious time talking to mere mortals like us unless there is something that we can help you with...'' the youth replied with confidence.


    "Aren''t you unexpectedly smart? I have some interest in you, but the girl is unnecessary. I don''t have a reason to keep her alive..." the white dragon said as he proceeded to grab the black-haired girl. It then lifted her in the air and moved her close to its opened mouth. Upon seeing the sharp teeth of the monster ready to devour her, Maria couldn''t endure it anymore and she lost her consciousnesses.


    "If you kill her, I swear in heavens that if I miraculously survive today, one day I''ll come for you, no matter how much time passes! I, Vladimir Erickson, am a person that never forgets his grudges!" the youth shouted hysterically.


    The dragon wanted to laugh at the powerless boy who didn''t know the difference between heaven and earth but upon seeing the madness in his eyes, an uncomfortable sense of uneasiness slowly emerged on its heart.


    ''This boy''s destiny is a little peculiar. There is actually a possibility that he can turn his words into reality in the future! A human killing an adult dragon isn''t unprecedented but it hasn''t happened for thousands of years. It seems that this era will change once again.''


    "If you answer some questions of mine, young lad, I''ll spare both yours and your companion''s lives. What do you say? A nice deal, right?"


    Seeing the nod of the youth, the dragon immediately continued.


    "Where are you from, boy?"


    The question made Vladimir dumbfounded but he still replied truthfully.


    "I don''t remember the name of the place where I was born..." Vladimir replied as he shook his head. He thought for a little and after some hesitation, he opened again his mouth.


    "I was only five when the demons destroyed my home and killed my family. I was found and raised by my foster father. Whenever I asked him about my birthplace, he would avoid the topic and would say that I was not ready to learn about the truth..."


    "I see..." the dragon muttered and fell silent. After a few minutes, it proceeded to its next question.


    "Do you know a young lad with brown hair that uses dark and light magic?"


    Vladimir was extremely surprised when he heard what the creature in front of him said. His initial goal from the start was to save his brother and the words of the monster gave him hope that John was still safe. He couldn''t hold back his enthusiasm and he hurriedly talked


    "It''s my brother, John. Is he alright? He became lost because of the magic circle over there. Please, I beg you to return him to me!"


    ''I was thinking of killing him in case he creates problems for me in the future but it seems that this is something I can''t do after all... I can''t kill the brother of the man who accepted my friend''s proposal...''


    "Don''t worry. Not only he is safe, he managed to escape from the magic too. He will be here soon. No, to be clear he has already come, right?" the dragon said as it turned its head around. A youth suddenly entered the cave with a smile. A young man who didn''t have the slightest feature that could make him stand out from the masses.


    "It''s my honor to finally meet you, Kalan... I don''t plan on hiding anything from Vladimir so you don''t have to lie." John said as he bowed respectfully.


    "John!" the silver-haired youth shouted enthusiastically but the dragon quickly interjected.


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    "I didn''t lie for you but my old friend. Know your place brat" Kalan said with a stern voice.


    "Naturally, I am aware. By the way, some knights are heading here. I am afraid that we don''t have much time, so I would like to ask you for a favor if it''s possible.


    "If it''s about the mana stones, you don''t have to worry. They have already served their purpose so you can take them." the dragon replied indifferently.


    "I thank you, honorable one, but that''s not what I wanted to ask..."


    Kalan started to become angry upon hearing the words of the boy, but he restrained himself for the sake of his old comrade that was accompanying him in the past.


    "There is something else? Be careful of what you''ll say!"


    "Of course I wouldn''t dare to ask for anything complicated. I think that you''ll find it very easy to complete my request. As I told you before, there are knights that are coming here. What I want from you is to exterminate anyone with the exception of a red-haired girl, a middle-aged man with a scar on his face, a priest and the sister of the unconscious girl over there. They are the strongest in the Order so you can kill everyone who is weaker than them"


    "What? What do you mean John?" Vladimir yelled in shock.


    "If it''s only that, I can fulfill your wish but are you sure? Aren''t they your companions?" Kalan asked in doubt.


    "Many things happened that were out of my expectations. Since I can''t control everything as I originally wanted, I''ll remove any possible variable that might appear someday..."

 31 An unforgettable tragedy

    Jeremy was one of the knights of the Order of the Red Rose, a middle-aged man that faced a lot of adversities to reach his current position. He was born in a small village somewhere in the south of Grenmar Empire, a commoner that had to work hard in the fields to support his sick mother as well as his younger sister. When he became an adult, he decided to enlist in the Imperial Army to gain more money for his family. The Grenmar Empire was in war back then against the Latheon Kingdom and Jeremy had to fight for many years on the front lines. Nonetheless, he still fell in love with his Captain in the previous Order he had been assigned to before he was knighted and married her. He felt content with his life until the day he was informed of his wife''s death by a subordinate of hers. She was raped and killed by a Berserker...


    He was desperate and tried to die many times as he volunteered in the most dangerous missions but always managed to survive under the most hopeless situations, gaining one merit after another. His mother and sister were killed by some bandits, he witnessed the deaths of his friends on the battlefield and only he remained alive, fighting one battle after another. In the end, not only he didn''t die in the war, he was even knighted by the Emperor himself...


    *******


    Jeremy was looking at the fog that had started to disperse. He wasn''t the only one as many other knights were doing the same thing. The Forest of the Lost Memories was considered a cursed place by the people of the Empire and he wasn''t an exception. For the first time though, he would have the chance to witness the lift of this curse with his own eyes. The white veil started to vanish, revealing the terrifying existence that was hidden inside...


    *******


    Jeremy was looking at his surroundings searching for any survivor. Corpses, blood, fire, everything around him seemed so familiar to him. For a moment, he thought that he had returned in the past. In that cruel war that took everything from him. He raised his head to stare at the monster that had massacred his comrades with a small smile on his face as well as tears in his eyes. He grabbed tightly his sword, gritted his teeth and shouted for the last time the same thing that he had been shouting every time before a battle.


    "For the glory of the Empire!!!"


    Jeremy de Leon was a man that managed to become a noble despite his poor background. Neither sword nor magic managed to take his life. Until the very end, he fought as a knight of the Empire...


    *******


    Father Jonas was standing motionless in the place that not long ago was filled with life. No matter where he looked, there were no signs of life anywhere. He fell on his knees and slowly closed his eyes. He had lived for many years but he had never felt so exhausted like this before.


    "Oh, Goddess Maria, who watches us from up high, I pray in this time of loss"


    "Let perpetual light shine upon them"


    "May the souls of your brave children"


    "Rest in peace in your embrace"


    The old priest couldn''t hold back his tears anymore. A cry of pain from his deepest past of his soul escaped from this mouth...


    ********


    Edward de Thundergod had seen many things in his life. Nobody knew what kind of hardships he had to face in order to end the war in the past. He had fought countless battles, he betrayed his motherland and even beheaded his king. He had never seen though something like that before. An existence so powerful that one can only feel despair before its presence. He thought that he would never lose his loved ones again but today he realized that nothing changed from the past. He was too weak...


    "You maybe think that you are invisible and that we are like ants in your eyes but I''ll come for you one day, I swear it in the name that was given to me by Frank" the middle-aged knight muttered and fainted.


    He was gravely injured but the monster didn''t finish him off. He would make sure to make the dragon regrets its actions. These had been his last thoughts before he lost his consciousnesses...


    ********


    "Sophie! Sophie, wake up! I beg you!"


    The young woman opened her eyes with difficulty to see who was yelling maniacally only to see the miserable appearance of her best friend, Adriana. Her clothes were tattered, her face was pale and her whole body was covered with blood.


    ''What happened?'' the female knight thought as she tried to move but the sharp pain that followed made her change her mind immediately.


    "Don''t move. You are in a grave situation...Idiot, why did you try to protect me?" the princess tearfully complained.


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    Sophie gathered her strength and asked hoarsely.


    "We survived?"


    "We did... But we paid the price for this" Adriana replied as she looked around. She knew that the regrets would hunt her from now on forever. She was a Commander who lost all her men because of a reckless decision of her. If the Order had taken a detour instead of crossing the forest, everyone would have returned alive to the capital.


    "I know that you blame yourself but you couldn''t know that a dragon resided in the forest. Nobody could know."


    "I didn''t need to take any unnecessary risks but I still did. I will never be able to forgive myself. Their deaths are my fault. I can only carry this sin inside of me and move forward..."


    "Is my sister okay? Did you find her?" Sophie asked with some hope in her voice.


    "I don''t know... I don''t know..."


    ******


    "I don''t know if I''ll ever forgive you" the silver-haired youth muttered while he was sitting on the ground. The dragon had already emptied the cave with magic and had flown away.


    "You don''t have to. What I did is evil. It wasn''t even something that I was planning on doing." John replied while he was sitting beside him...


    "But you still did it. Why?"


    John looked at the sky for a moment and then he sighed.


    "I have my reasons that I can''t tell you yet. I am like you Vladimir. I am also a person created by the hatred that exists in the world. I also want revenge but I can''t do it in a straightforward way like you want.I can only do it by hiding in the darkness. I am this kind of person."


    "I have never asked you about your past but what if someday you kill people that I consider them friends for reasons that I don''t even know? What you expect me to do? I don''t want to hate you, John... You are my brother!" the silver-haired youth shouted.


    "One day I''ll tell you everything about me. Until then, I can only ask for your forgiveness."


    Vladimir wanted to talk again but the sudden noise from inside the cave stopped him. He turned his head behind and saw that the unconscious until now Maria was starting to wake up.


    "Let''s talk again later..." John said as he stood up and entered the cave.

 32 The forest of the Lost Memories end

    "Are you all right?" a gentle voice sounded...


    Maria was in a half-asleep state. She struggled to open her eyes but an instinctive fear she was feeling was preventing her from doing so.


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    "Wake up Commander... There is no danger anymore" the voice continued urging her to wake up. The black-haired girl didn''t know how much time had passed until she fully regained her consciousness. The first thing that she saw when she finally moved her eyelids was the image of a brown-haired boy, a little younger than her, staring at her with worry.


    "You are alive..." she muttered in a daze. She had never expected to meet the youth again after he had become lost inside the fog. Although she had met him only three days ago, she truly felt happy from the depths of her heart that he was safe and sound. Suddenly, she remembered the terrifying existence that tried to devour her. Her body began trembling while her face was slowly becoming pale. Seeing that her condition was turning worse, John tried his best to soothe her.


    "Everything is okay. You are not in danger anymore... You have nothing to worry about..."


    "What about the dragon? Where is it?" she shouted desperately.


    "It''s okay. It had already left. You should rest a little more."


    "What happened with the dragon? Where is it now?" Maria started asking persistently upon realizing that something was wrong. How could that monster leave like that...


    "..."


    "Answer me! This is an order!"


    "The dragon was headed towards the Order. We still don''t know what happened after." The one who answered wasn''t John but Vladimir who had been silent until now. He was still sitting on the ground with his back turned. Neither John nor Maria could see his expression.


    "The Order!" the girl screamed and quickly stood up. Any sleepiness she felt had long disappeared. She began running towards the exit of the cave but a hand suddenly grabbed her arm, preventing her from moving.


    "Let me go!" the female magician roared and then slapped John''s hand away. The youth didn''t try to stop her anymore, he allowed her to exit the cave and witness herself the cruel reality he had created.


    The first thing she saw was a thick black smoke in the air. She froze for a moment before returning to her senses. Her legs started moving with an uncontrollable speed. The boys didn''t dare to leave her alone and quickly followed behind her. After all, the reason they hadn''t gone to check the situation back in the Order was because they were worried about the black-haired girl and her mental state.


    ******


    Maria had experienced a plethora of feelings the whole day, but nothing could compare to what she was feeling right now. She thought that after her near-death experience, nothing could affect her anymore, but only now did she understand how wrong she truly was. Around her, there were the corpses of countless people. She was familiar with almost all of them. They were comrades in arms that had fought and survived together.


    "I killed them" the girl muttered. She was the one that discovered the dragon and proceeded to investigate its lair instead of reporting back to her commanding officer.


    "It''s definitely not your fault" Vladimir shouted from behind. He didn''t give the chance to the girl to talk back as he hurriedly continued


    "Nobody could predict that things would end up this way. If Eric and Claudia abided by your commands, nothing of this would have happened."


    "Vladimir is right..." John interjected


    "Nobody can predict the future. We have to be strong and move forward for the people who were left behind. What we have to do now is to steel our hearts and search for any survivors. It''s our duty as the people who luckily escaped from this devastating crisis." the brown-haired youth said with an unreadable expression.


    "Survivors? Sophie!" Maria exclaimed. Without waiting for even a second, she started scrutinizing the faces of the lifeless bodies around her. Some were destroyed beyond recognition but she didn''t let herself be discouraged. As long as there was a chance to save her sister, she would give it her best.


    *****


    The night had finally come when knights from the capital arrived at the place where the incident had happened. When the fog dispersed, the dragon could actually be seen all the way from the capital. The Emperor immediately commanded his eldest son as well as the older brother of Adriana, Johan de Grenmar, to lead the elite squad and rescue the princess and her Order.


    The spectacle in front of them was so repulsive that even the veteran warriors couldn''t help than frown upon seeing this. The whole forest was filled with scattered limbs, blood, and corpses.


    "Your Highness, I am afraid that we came too late..." a middle-aged man said gravely.


    "Leave your conclusions for after we have investigated the area!" Johan replied angrily. The knights searched around carefully but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn''t find anyone alive. When they started losing hope, someone suddenly started shouting


    "There is light in the distance!"


    ''Light? Maybe it''s a bonfire!''


    "They might be survivors! Let''s go quickly!" the prince said with excitement.


    ********


    They had been searching for at least a few hours when they managed to find Adriana and Sophie, as well as, Father Jonas and Edward. When Maria saw that her sister wasn''t dead she could finally let a relieved sigh to escape from her mouth. All of them were seriously injured, so they had to move them away from the battlefield carefully to treat their wounds. Luckily, both John and Vladimir could use Light magic so their lives at least weren''t in danger.


    "The Empire should have already been alarmed by the existence of the dragon. We only need to wait for help to arrive" Adriana said. She was the only one from the survivors that was conscious since she had the least injuries among them, thanks to Sophie that protected her.


    "You should rest too your Highness" John pleaded but the princess pretended not to hear him.


    "I have many questions about the two of you. I will start with the handsome boy over there. You and Maria were the first ones that discovered the dragon. I won''t ask now what transpired but I want to know how you two escaped from its wrath."


    "The dragon was about to eat Commander Maria but it changed its mind upon realizing that humans were heading to its lair. It suddenly became enraged and decided to massacre the knights of the Order first. When it returned, it seems that it had vented its anger and decided to spare us." Vladimir hurriedly replied.


    "I see... At least the deaths of my men weren''t in waste. Remember that you are alive today thanks to their sacrifice. Never do anything that will dishonor them." the princess softly said with a heartbroken expression. Neither of them could answer, both of them for their own reasons.


    "What about you, John? I remember that you disappeared back then... What happened?" Adriana asked. She was a little suspicious about the boy in front of her. Wherever he went, catastrophes would happen but he always managed to miraculously survive. She was planning on using him to sniff out any spies from Erebus, that''s why she had asked Maria to keep an eye on him but now it was pointless. Except for them, nobody else was alive after all...


    "I had lost most of my memories. If the dragon didn''t break the magic, I would continue walking lost in the fog. When my senses came back to me, I decided to search for Vladimir first. Maybe that''s why I survived. When I arrived at the cave, the dragon had already left" John replied with an awkward smile.


    ''It makes sense. After all, a boy couldn''t be related to a mighty existence like a dragon in any way. I have become paranoid...''


    She was about to open again her mouth when she heard the sound of footsteps.

 33 Conclusion end of first volume

    The Imperial Capital was a large city at the foot of the mountain of fire. It was also the only city in the world that didn''t have a name on purpose, symbolizing Grenmar''s lifelong ambition to unite the world and make this city the capital of Andromeda concurrently. At its center, including the walls that surrounded the capital, there was an additional fortified area where the nobility was residing and also where the Imperial Academy was located. The common people were calling this area as ''inner area'' or for brevity, ''inside''.


    ******


    Vladimir and John were currently staying in an inn in the outer area of the capital. Father Jonas proposed them to stay together with him, but the two youths didn''t want to impose on him. After all, their foster father provided them with the necessary money to cover their expenses in their stay. The boys decided to take a stroll in order to become familiar with the city.


    "What do you think? Isn''t it an extraordinary place?" John asked with a smile.


    "Yeah..." Vladimir answered flatly. He was clearly still angry with his brother, trying to ignore him as much as he could.


    The brown-haired youth could only shake his head and sigh upon seeing how dispirited his usually energetic brother was. He thought of something and took a small notebook from his backpack. It wasn''t an item that a commoner could easily have but Antony still bought one for him from one of his travels. Many letters were written inside and John started to read some of them aloud.


    "The goals that we need to accomplish before we reach the capital... Do you want to discuss the results of our journey?"


    Vladimir''s eyes gained a momentary gleam, but he tried to hide the fact that John''s words had sparked his interest. Unfortunately for him, this change was immediately noticed by the boy who continued.


    "Goal number one. Leave a strong impression on the princess... Hahahaha! I am sure, that even if she wants, she will never forget us. Especially you, who went to challenge her subordinate on your very first day in the Order!"he said with a laugh.


    "What else I could do! There was no other way for me as a commoner to interact with a member of the Imperial Family. I had to show her my potential in some way and it was a plus that I could experience how strong is a knight from the elites of the Empire!" the silver-haired youth shouted indignantly.


    "You didn''t need to be in so much hurry though, but since I did exactly the same thing with you, I have no right to judge you" John muttered. He revealed a part of his past publicly because he knew that he wouldn''t have a second chance to talk with Adriana again. At the same time, he wanted to exploit his recklessness to sniff out the spies of Erebus. It was the only way that he could find a lead regarding his enemy.


    Unfortunately, he lost a lot of time wandering in the Forest of the Lost Memories and he didn''t have the chance to interrogate the people he was suspicious about. The fact that he had almost died also shook his confidence. Since unexpected variables started to appear, he decided to stop taking risks and get rid of anything that can endanger him and his brother in the future. He didn''t kill Edward and Father Jonas only because Vladimir would never forgive him if he did that, but he was still a little worried that one day they would come for revenge.


    ''At least though, there will be no rumors about Vladimir''s elements or my past in the Marquess House.''


    "But why did you use all the three elements? Did you want to create new enemies?" he asked mockingly.


    "The Demon Lord will send assassins after me either way. That''s what father told me, so I thought that if I revealed my potential, I would be at least protected by the Empire and it would be easier for me to gain information about the demons!" he answered boastfully.


    "This kind of idea isn''t bad, but it doesn''t suit your character. You are the kind of man that resolves his problems with his own strength. Never forget that!" John advised him gently.


    "And what kind of man you are, John?" Vladimir asked seriously.


    The brown-haired boy fell silent for a few minutes. He didn''t know the answer to this question or more precisely, he had never made the effort to understand himself.


    "If I have to say something, I am a person with no face. I choose my identity according to what scenario I have created in my mind. Yes, I am an actor. If the circumstances demand me to be a brave knight, I''ll become that, if I have to be a knowledgeable scholar, I''ll play successfully that role..." John replied as he closed his eyes. He thought for a little and he then opened his mouth again.


    "A person who blends easily in his surroundings, a person with many identities, but without a real one... I am a ''phantom''" the youth added expressionlessly. The last words he said, weren''t his, but someone''s from his distant past.


    "You are wrong! You are John Smith, the only brother of mine.You are the one that should never forget that..." the silver-haired youth exclaimed.


    "Hahaha! You are right! I''ll leave it to you then! One day, tell me what kind of man I am since I am too stupid to find the answer myself." John said with a laugh. A smile formed on the face of Vladimir as he remarked


    "It took some time, but in the end, you realized it yourself."


    "Whatever you say... Let''s proceed with our conversation. Goal number two. Prove our strength to others. Honestly, after this journey, I have never felt so weak like this before."


    "What can I say? My life has been spared twice. It''s only ten to eleven days since we left the Moon Village, but I feel like a year had passed. I was too arrogant." Vladimir muttered.


    "I am the same. I actually underestimated the Hero of the North. I even mocked him during the duel. It was the first time in my life that I was tricked by a person. There are not many things that are known for the ''Iron General'', but it seems that his past is more intriguing than we thought. His appearance is also misleading. He is more like a crafty fox. As for the dragon, I don''t even have the power to say anything." John analyzed coldly.


    " Edward de Thundergod was a commoner who was born in a remote village in the north of the Empire. He was also the only survivor when the Berserkers raided his birthplace. He decided to take revenge and he raised an army with people with similar backgrounds to him. He attacked the Latheon Kingdom when it''s forces were facing the knights of the Empire. A respectable man without a doubt." Vladimir said proudly like he was the one who was praised.


    "What do you think about the prince?" John asked curiously.


    "..."


    *******


    Two days ago...


    Adriana suddenly heard footsteps. She turned her head alarmed, but upon seeing her brother, a wide smile appeared on her face.


    "Johan!" she shouted happily as she stood up and ran towards him.


    "Adriana... You are safe... What a relief!" Johan said as he hugged his little sister. The surrounding crowd was looking at them awkwardly, but the siblings didn''t seem to care.


    "What happened here?" the prince asked as he commanded the magicians to provide help to the injured people of the group. The red-haired girl quickly explained about the dragon that massacred her knights with tears in her eyes.


    "I see..." he said as he looked at the two exhausted boys. His gaze was filled with pity.


    "I can only ask you for forgiveness in advance." Before they even had the chance to realize what he meant, the knights knocked them out and arrested them!


    ******


    "That was close! If we weren''t the sons of an S-ranked adventurer, we would have been used as a scapegoat for the incident." Vladimir said with a little fear.


    "The Empire can''t show any weakness, even if it''s facing a dragon. Since Kalan escaped in time, they had to put the blame on someone else. Luckily, we are not just any commoners, but people who had gained merits in the incident. The princess wouldn''t let them execute us easily. Don''t forget that we also came together with Father Jonas. They really acted rashly."


    "The irony is that they were actually right... " the silver-haired youth muttered.


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    John didn''t say anything. They had to move forward. Their story after all only starts now...

 34 The Imperial Academy 1

    The Imperial Academy was established by the current Emperor fifteen years ago, after the end of the war against Latheon Kingdom. The ruler of the empire was shocked when he saw that the decisive factor that made them defeat their mortal enemy didn''t come from his forces, but a subject of his foe. His father was always telling him that the people are they who deem the emperor worthy, but before he met with Edward Thundergod, he had never realized how wise these words truly were.


    ******


    "It was why your father decided to establish the Academy. He wanted to give a chance to the commoners to change their status. He also wanted to find some talented people from the masses. His endeavor had met with opposition from the nobles, but after so many years, his initiative is considered successful..." a man in his sixties said. He had white hair and beard as well as blue eyes. The pair of glasses he was wearing combined with his demeanor made him look like a scholar. His full name was Tudor de Logan, the man that was acting as the principal of the Imperial Academy.


    "My father''s policy toward commoners changed dramatically in only one day. He announced to the nobles that he wouldn''t tolerate any abuse of their power. My mother would often tell me how difficult these days were. The empire, in the end, benefited greatly in the long term." Adriana commented with some admiration.


    "The emperor is a wise man. By only improving the living conditions of the populace, he managed to raise our country''s might. There are countless people we can make good use of their talents. Since you decided to work here as a teacher, you have to be aware of how important your responsibilities are..." Tudor said with a kind smile.


    "I know... I plan to use this opportunity to recreate my Order. The loss of my men in the Forest of Lost Memories was a stain on my reputation. There will be no knight willing to serve under my name. I am the one who needs more desperately than anyone else to nurture new blood that can help me in the future to achieve my goals..." the red-haired girl replied with determination.


    "I heard about your story. It was an unavoidable outcome. The dragon race is the most powerful in the world, after all.In some texts, I have read that some of them can threaten even gods. Luckily, they are the kind of existence that doesn''t have many ambitions or humans would have long gone extinct."


    Upon hearing this, the young woman shook her head. It was a disaster that they could avoid just by taking a detour, but they were greedy to find an item that they could extract its mana. Instead of finding treasure though, they brought a calamity upon them. Naturally, Adriana couldn''t say what she was thinking to the principal since it was confidential information.


    "There will be two interesting individuals taking the exams this year, by the way..." she remarked, trying to change the subject of the conversation.


    "Oh? How so?" the old man asked curiously.


    "The first one is a user of dark magic..." the princess said mysteriously.


    "He has already unlocked an element? He must be a noble then. He can already be considered an elite among the newcomers..." Tudor said with a smile.


    "No, he is a commoner and also one of the foster sons of Antony, the S-ranked adventurer."


    "The Berserker had a son?"


    "It''s too soon for you to be surprised. The other individual is also one of the foster sons of Antony. He is a person who has unlocked three elements!"


    "Impossible!" Tudor shouted. That was something that humans hadn''t managed to achieve for hundreds of years. How could he believe that a boy has already done it?


    "He is a troublesome person who even challenged Baron Thundergod in a duel. His combat capability is the real deal, but he is too naive. We have to guide him carefully, but also warn him to stay low-key or rumors are bound to rise..."Adriana advised seriously.


    "You are right. No one should learn about this..." the principal murmured as he started thinking. He looked for a moment at the girl in front of him. A wide smile formed suddenly on his face.


    "..."


    *******


    John was currently walking alone on the roads of the capital.Seven days had already passed since he arrived in this city, but he had already become familiar with its neighborhoods. The downpour had made him soaked, but he didn''t seem to care. His steps were slow and steady. He didn''t stop until he found himself standing in front of a church. The brown-haired boy was hesitant whether to enter or not, but in the end, he opened the door of the building.


    A middle-aged priest was sweeping the floor when he heard the noise. He raised his head and looked curiously at the newcomer.


    "Are you here to pray or to confess?"


    "I am here to confess, Father."


    "Follow me..."


    *******


    John wasn''t wearing his usual clothes, but a long black cloak with pointed hood. It was an attire that many adventurers preferred when they wanted to hide their faces.


    "A friend of mine told me to come here." the youth said with a hoarse voice.


    "Tell me what troubles you, my child!"


    "Before I arrive here, I was warned to be mindful of the capital''s darkness. I couldn''t help than wonder what kind of people are so dangerous to make my friend worried about my well-being." John said as he took out 5 gold coins and threw them on the floor.


    The priest''s eyes became wide when he saw the money, but his expression remained unchanged.


    "This is only the advance fee. I want another five after you have checked the validity of my information. Don''t think that my price is too expensive, not many can provide the details that I give."


    "As long as it''s accurate. If you dare to trick me, don''t think that you can escape alive. I''ll hunt you no matter where you go..." the boy said calmly.


    "In this kind of job, being trustworthy is important..." the priest replied as he stood up. He left for a few minutes before arriving with a sheet of paper.


    John started reading carefully what was written inside before letting a sigh to escape from this mouth.


    "The situation in the Capital is messier than I thought. I am satisfied with this information. I''ll come again..." he said as he gave the remaining five gold coins to the priest.


    *******


    ''I can only speculate who the true owners of these shady organizations truly are...'' the boy thought as he exited the church. Five forces were controlling the darkness of the capital according to the information he was given. Four of them belonged to the Duke Houses and the remaining one to the Imperial Family. John was confident though that things weren''t so simple.


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    ''It doesn''t matter. For now, I have to deal with something else. I have waited enough. Nobody should be suspicious of me now. It''s time for hunting!"

 35 Irene

    "This was the last song for tonight, thank you, everyone!" a young woman shouted smilingly. Under the sound of the claps from the crowd that surrounded her, she left the stage and entered her dressing room.


    Her name was Irene Allison. She was a beautiful woman in her twenties with two charming hazel eyes and curly brown hair, an aspiring actress that wanted to improve her reputation through her bewitching voice. Unfortunately, it wasn''t easy for someone to become an entertainer in this world.


    "Irene? Can I come inside?" an impatient voice sounded outside of her room. The young woman didn''t even have the chance to answer as a white-haired man entered without hesitation. He was the person that she hated more than anyone in the world, as well as, her foster father, Morris Allison.


    "I have told you to wait for me to..."


    "Shut up! I don''t want to listen to your bullshit! Count Boyce is waiting for your company. As long as you satisfy him, there is a slim chance that he will let you sing at his son''s birthday party. You have one hour!" Morris interjected and proceeded to leave.


    "I want to be an actress, not a bard. I don''t want to sell my body either!" the young woman shouted tearfully, but a big slap on her face made her fall on the floor.


    "I didn''t ask for your opinion. It is your honor that a great man like Count Boyce found an interest in your body..." the man said as he tore her clothes off. He looked with lust at her naked body, but he restrained with difficulty his desire.


    "You are lucky that I have sold your virginity at a good price or I would educate you right now..." he said as he spat on her face and then he left.


    ''Is this my fate because I was an orphan or because I was born a woman? No, it''s because of both of them...'' Irene thought as she continued weeping loudly. She didn''t stop until her swollen eyes noticed a sharp item under a pile of clothes. She recalled that it was the knife that she was using in one of her roles. Before long, the young girl was holding tightly the cold steel weapon, ready to stab her heart.


    "You disappoint me..." a young voice suddenly sounded, socking her to the core. Irene immediately turned her head to face the intruder, only to see a fourteen years old boy. The sight of the youth calmed her down, but she couldn''t help than remark mockingly.


    "What do you know about me. You are just a boy. You know nothing about the world."


    "If you think that your sex is the reason for your problems, then you are the ignorant one..." John replied with a small smile. The young woman would normally scorn the youth''s words, but since she was emotionally messed up today, she paid attention to what he said.


    "Tell me then why nothing good has ever happened to me!" Irene screamed.


    "It''s because you are weak. The law of the jungle didn''t stop to exist because humans started building houses or wearing clothes. It''s still a world where the strongest survives. If you want to live your life the way you desire, you have to fight for this right. Then you''ll discover the most priceless treasure that has ever existed. The only thing that it''s worth someone''s sacrifice. "


    "The most priceless treasure?" She asked in a daze.


    "It''s called freedom. Once you taste it, you can never live without it anymore..." the brown-haired boy answered.


    "Freedom..." the woman muttered the unknown word that she had never heard before.


    "It''s when you have the right of choice. How you''ll live or die can be decided by no one other than you. If you want to stop being a slave of your fate and take back what belongs to you, then it''s time for you to fight. What you''ll choose? I can show you the way if you do something for me..." John said as he stretched out his arm.


    Irene fell silent for a moment. She felt an instinctive fear towards the unknown, but also excitement. For the first time, she could see in front of her a brighter world than the one she resided. She raised her hand timidly and grasped the only hope that she had ever found in her life.


    *******


    Meanwhile, in a big room, a man was drinking unstoppably red wine with several females in his company. He was groping the women and laughing simultaneously when suddenly a knocking sound interrupted his fun.


    "Who is it?" he shouted angrily.


    "It''s me, Morris. May I enter sir?" the white-haired man asked politely.


    "Oh, it''s you who sold me your daughter. Come inside..." Count Boyce replied.


    Morris entered hesitantly and gracefully genuflected toward the noble. He kept his head lowered, not daring to meet the eyes of the man.


    "It seems you are familiar with interacting with nobles. Well, where is the girl?" he asked impatiently.


    "She is preparing herself to entertain you, sir. In a few minutes, she''ll be here."


    "If she isn''t a virgin, you''ll lose your head. Don''t forget!" the count warned sternly.


    "Of course. I wouldn''t dare, sir."Morris replied with fear.


    "All of you can leave. I have a special guest for this night." the noble said to the women with excitement.


    ******


    Time passed and the count had stayed alone.


    "Knock! Knock!"


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    "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, sir. Irene Alisson..." a melodious voice was heard. The man had already informed the knights that were guarding him to distance themselves from the room.


    "You are finally here. Enter!"


    When the woman appeared in front of his eyes, Boyce was stunned. She was wearing a seductive nightdress that was making the curves of her body even more alluring and was also showcasing her rich blossom.


    The count was about to rush at her, but the soft words of the girl made him hold back.


    "Can we drink a little before we proceed. I am a little shy since it''s my first time." Irene said with whimsicality.


    "Hahahaha! Of course, let me bring the wine..." he answered with a hearty laugh.


    "No, my Lord. Allow me today to fully serve you..." the young woman interjected as she winked at him.


    Boyce watched at her lustfully as he waited for her. He couldn''t wait to hear her screams when he would take her to the bed. As he was imagining the scenes that would soon follow, a glass of wine appeared suddenly in front of him.


    "Let''s make a toast, my Lord!" Irene proposed.


    "Okay. Let''s drink to our future..." he said impatiently.


    "To our future then!" she shouted and drank the wine unhesitantly. The count also followed her actions and raised his glass. When he swallowed the liquor, a strange dizziness started to affect him.


    "That boy told me that that the poison he gave me acts immediately. How do you feel, my Lord?" she asked curiously.


    The man tried to talk, but his mouth had become numb. He wanted to stand up, but he couldn''t move a muscle. In less than a minute, he took his last breath. Until the very end, he didn''t even have the chance to say his last words.


    "Men really become stupid when they are involved with women..." the young actress muttered with some amazement.

 36 A day in the Capital

    Irene was staring expressionlessly at the dead man. She tried desperately to stop her trembling without success. She couldn''t endure it anymore as she started to vomit.


    "You are beautiful, Miss Irene!" a voice sounded in the room.


    It was John who had managed in some way to trespass, avoiding the knights who were guarding the area. The woman looked at the youth with a pale face before opening her mouth with difficulty.


    "Are you mocking me?"


    "I don''t. I considered you before as a miserable girl that could only succumb to her fate, but the you right now, is like a butterfly that is ready to open its graceful wings and fly toward the sky..." the brown-haired boy replied seriously.


    "What is next?" Irene asked, pretending to ignore his words, but her ears had gained a faint red color.


    "What is it that you want now?" John turned the question back with a smile.


    "I wish for revenge!" she answered with a gleam in her eyes.


    ******


    Morris was currently watching the singers of the cabaret. With the money that the count gave him, he could live luxuriously for quite some time. He invested in his daughter''s beauty since he saw her begging in the streets. The white-haired man had a discerning eye for things that could provide him profit thanks to his experience as a slave trader in the past. Unfortunately, after the end of the war, the emperor decided to abolish slavery, making him lose his business once and for all.


    ''As long as humanity fights against demons, there will always be victims ready to be exploited by me. No, even if the war ends, there will be another one some time, this is how the world works. I love my job!'' he thought as a wide smile formed on his face. Alas, his daydreaming was destined to finish quickly. A group of knights suddenly intruded the place where the customers were drinking leisurely with the accompaniment of music in a rush.


    "Where are you, Morris Alisson? Get the hell out of here now!" a knight who seemed to be the leader shouted with hostility. Nobody dared to make a noise, making the silence unbearable. The white-haired man was stunned, but he recovered almost immediately. His first thought was to escape, but upon seeing that the other customers were staring at him, he realized that it would be pointless. The cunning man took a deep breath to calm down and stood up with a polite smile.


    "May I help you, my..."


    Morris didn''t even have the chance to finish the sentence when a punch landed on his face. The force made him stagger back dozens of yards before he fell on the ground. A stream of blood flowed from his head.


    "Did I tell you to talk? Did I?" the knight shouted as he started kicking him to the ribs. He didn''t stop until Morris was half-dead and fully covered with blood.


    "Are you in pain? This is nothing compared to what will happen to you in prison. The guards won''t stop torturing you until the day of your execution. You will die by burning for your crimes, bastard!" he said and then shouted toward the crowd who were looking at the scene dumbfounded.


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    "Morris Alisson is charged for the assassination of Count Boyce. He used his daughter to poison a noble. The woman has already been found dead with her face disfigured near to the body of the Count. We speculate that the Count beat her to death when he realized that he was about to die!" he stopped and turned his head to his subordinates.


    "Arrest him!"


    ******


    "Are you satisfied with this?" John asked with a smile. He was standing on the roof of a house with an unreadable expression on his face.


    "I would prefer to kill him with my own hands, but he will suffer at least more in prison. I only pity that young woman we used as my substitute."Irene replied quietly. She was sitting beside the young boy, staring at the streets.


    "She planned to murder the Count and kill herself anyway, but she couldn''t find a chance. If she were alive to see the outcome, she would be happy. She detested him as much as you hated your father."


    "I hope she will rest in peace..." she muttered as she closed her eyes to pray. When she opened them again, a new colorful world appeared in front of her. She looked at the youth for a moment before opening her mouth.


    "You never told me what you want from me..."


    "You never asked!" John replied as he winked at her.


    The woman shook her head upon hearing his cheeky answer. He was trying to flirt her, but his inexperience was making him clumsy. She couldn''t help than smile as she found cute that side of him.


    "Will you tell me your name now?"


    The boy didn''t answer immediately. He took a sheet of paper from his backpack and gently gave it to the woman. Irene lowered her head instinctively to look at the thing that he gave her.


    ''Information of a woman? Should I investigate her? This address...''


    "My name is John..." the youth''s voice sounded through the hiss of the cold wind.


    When Irene raised again her head, the young man that entered her life suddenly like a hurricane disappeared just like that.


    She stayed motionless in a daze for a while. After taking a deep breath, a small laugh escaped from her mouth.


    "Hahahaha! Trying to act like the cool guy until the end, huh? You don''t need to. I had fallen for you the moment you saved me from the darkness. You have to become a little older though if you want me to become yours..." the woman shouted smilingly to the darkness.She didn''t know if her words were heard or not from the boy.


    *******


    John finally reached the inn he was staying in. He tried to enter silently the room, but he found Vladimir still awake reading a book.


    "You are not sleeping yet?" the brown-haired boy asked curiously.


    "I try to find information about the battle energy, but I can''t find anything useful..." Vladimir replied with a sad expression.


    "Did you finish with what you had to do?" he continued.


    "Yeah, I met some interesting people today. A priest in the morning and a woman in the night." John answered with a smirk.


    "Hahaha! Alright, whatever you say. Go to sleep and keep on dreaming!" the silver-haired youth remarked with a laugh.

 37 The Imperial Academy 2

    The Imperial Academy consists of four departments with each one of them having different kinds of examinations.The Department of Economics is considered the most famous among them with the highest number of applicants. This was logical since many commoners were children of merchants and had some experience regarding trade. The second one was the Department of War, the structure of which was the most complicated since it had many objects that someone had to study. Strategy, Martial Arts, Mana manipulation, Magic, were only some of the subjects that the graduates had to be proficient in. The rest of them were the Departments of Science and Law. Each department had a separate building in which the classes were conducted, but also a dormitory that the students had to reside compulsorily.


    *********


    Ten days had passed when the day of the examinations had finally come. Countless people started to gather out of the inner area waiting for the guards to let them enter. Naturally, there were strict regulations for someone to be granted access to take the tests of each department. First of all, there was an age restriction. One had to be fourteen to sixteen years old to have the right to enter.


    "Alright. I want all of you who have a recommendation to come here. We will test you first. Everyone else, move backward." a knight shouted to the crowd. Several youths started to head toward the man upon hearing his words under the envious gazes of the surrounding people.


    "We are lucky that Father Jonas provided us with a recommendation..." Vladimir whispered.


    "Probably father asked him in advance back in the Moon Village..." John replied with a smile.


    "Alright... Create a line. It doesn''t matter who is first or last since you ''ll have to wait until we have determined that everyone''s information is correct. Then someone will lead you to the Academy!" the knight shouted again and took out a gray stone.The applicants didn''t dare to delay and immediately followed his instructions.


    With a satisfied expression, the knight sat leisurely behind a table and placed the stone on it.


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    "Let''s begin!" he said and gestured at the boy on the front to proceed forward. The youth started walking timidly with a letter in his hand until he arrived in front of the man, giving it to him.


    "Everything is okay. Touch the stone..." the man said with some boredom.


    When the boy did as he was told, the stone started to shine, making everyone who was watching the spectacle dumbfounded.


    "You pass... Next!" the knight who was indifferent by the change of the item, immediately said.


    The process continued for some time until and the last one with a recommendation had been tested.


    "You''ll be the first batch of people who''ll take the tests..." he announced and turned his face toward one of the guards.


    "Ismael, you lead them!"


    ********


    When John and Vladimir arrived in front of the Imperial Academy, they were stunned. They were already surprised by the luxurious houses in the inner area, but what it was in front of them had left them in shock. Four huge towers were forming a square with a fifth one located at its center. The walls prevented them from looking inside but considering the distance between the towers, the place was enormous.


    "This place is the Imperial Academy. The towers that you see corresponds to each department with the one in the center being the Department of Educational Administration and Management..." Ismael explained with amusement upon seeing the gazes of the examinees. He then walked toward the guards standing behind the gate, asking them for permission to enter.


    "This place is amazing!" Vladimir exclaimed. Some people who heard him couldn''t help than nod. It was like a small town inside a city. There were houses, stores, even a small forest. The area was so big that someone could easily be lost if he wasn''t careful.


    "Alright. My job ends here. You will be guided from now on by people sent from the academy. I wish you all good luck." Ismael said with a smile and started leaving. At least four hundred people were waiting anxiously until two men and two women approached them. They were all wearing similar uniforms with only the symbols on the right side of their chests being different.


    "Anyone who is for the Department of War, gather here!" a stern voice sounded.


    Similar statements were shouted as John and Vladimir headed toward one of the men., together with others.


    "My name is Reis and I am a student here. I will lead you to our tower. Make sure to memorize the road. Please, follow me..." Reis said as he started walking without giving any other explanation to the confused crowd. It was obvious that he wasn''t happy with his role as a guide for the applicants. A courageous boy couldn''t hold back his curiosity as he opened his mouth with determination.


    "Excuse me, Reis, may I ask you about the contents of the tests?"


    Reis looked with scorn at the youth as he replied.


    "You are not allowed to ask questions here. I will tell you the truth. Among you, only 1% will manage to pass the tests. You are also forbidden to speak of my name again. If you want respect, you have to win it here."


    "I am not worthy? I am the son of a Marquess! I don''t even recognize your face so you shouldn''t be a noble. You must be a commoner!" the boy replied with an angry expression.


    "I see... What is your name?"


    "I am Gene de Hamilton. As long as you apologize, I will pretend that nothing happened." Gene said proudly.


    Reis nodded and opened a notebook that he was holding. He wrote down something and then shouted to others.


    "Is there anyone else who agrees with the young man over there?"


    Seeing that nobody else dared to answer, a smile formed on his face...


    "Not bad...Alright... I declare with my status as an examiner that Gene de Hamilton failed the examinations..." he said happily and continued walking. Most of the people weren''t surprised. They had already investigated what kind of place the academy is. Someone couldn''t discriminate against others here openly.


    "What? Why?" Gene asked with doubt. When he saw that everyone was ignoring him, he thought he would go mad.


    "What do you mean? I am talking to you! I know your name. You''ll pay with your life for this."


    Reys finally stopped and looked back at him with pity.


    "The students here are protected by the Emperor himself. If you continue threatening me, you''ll force me to arrest you. I have the authority. As long as you apologize, I will pretend that nothing happened."


    Some of the people couldn''t endure it anymore and started laughing. The giggle pierced Gene''s eardrums, making his face red from his anger. He shot a cold glare at his surroundings and talked hatefully.


    "You dare to laugh at me. Unless you are all people of the same status as me, I''ll exterminate your families, bastards!"


    Some of them started to panic since they were commoners, but Reis decided to put an end to this farce. He approached the flustered youth and knocked him out without hesitation. He then proceeded to call some knights to arrest him. The boy would have to answer to the Emperor. He wouldn''t be executed since his father''s position was truly high, but he would surely suffer a lot.


    "Let''s continue!" Reis said with an indifferent expression.

 38 The tes

    Vladimir would never forget what he saw that day. The flag that fluttered on the top of the imposing black tower, portraying a big green turtle that was enduring the relentless attacks of a mighty dragon. Bravely, without a single shred of hesitation. It was an indestructible shield that protected the glory of the Empire.


    "This is our pride as well as our goal. If you pass the tests, never forget what you are feeling now..." Reys said upon seeing that the silver-haired youth was staring at the building in a daze. The words of the man awoke him from his stupor making him feel embarrassed, but he could sense that Reys wasn''t making fun of him, he truly meant what he said. He couldn''t help than answer with stutter.


    "I-I won''t forget. Never..."


    The young man nodded with a smile and then he gestured at the people to wait as he entered the tower. A few minutes had passed until he returned together with several middle-aged men and women. One of them moved forward and moved his lips.


    "I will now announce the contents of the examination. The test will be a simple one this year. It will be a one versus one duel against us. If you manage to endure for more than three exchanges, we will accept you in the academy. Since there will be soon other people coming here, let''s finish with this already. You can use anything you want if you believe that it will help you in a fight."


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    *******


    The crowd and the examiners moved toward the training area of the Department. There were many weapons that someone could choose, as well as, large spaces that people could fight against each other to their hearts'' content.John observed the first applicants who entered in the arenas. He could only shake his head when he realized how incompetent most people of their group were. Many of them could use magic, but their sense of battle was laughable. He started to wonder why people like these were recommended with this kind of skill. When he thought that everyone here was weak, a boy started fighting against one of the teachers. He had blond hair and two pointed ears. He was using a bow, a weapon that only common soldiers were usually using. The blond youth was extremely agile and versatile, using wind magic to create distance from his opponent and shooting arrows continuously.


    "Impressive!" John exclaimed.


    "He is undoubtedly a veteran" Vladimir also commented excitedly.


    "What do you think are his chances?"


    "It depends... If the teacher starts using magic, he doesn''t stand a chance..."


    "It''s a pity that he can''t use wind magic in his arrows. Our style of fight would be perfect for him. If he could use his bow and the magic simultaneously, I can''t imagine how strong he could be..." John said as he sighed. The fight didn''t continue for long, the teacher used earth magic to create a wall in front of him so that he could block all the attacks of the youth and he started throwing the stone javelins he was creating one after another. The boy had already used almost all of his mana, making him vulnerable to his opponent''s attacks. When one of the javelins pierced his left shoulder, he finally fell on the ground exhausted.


    "Good job! Your brother would be proud!" the teacher praised him and then shouted to the man that was recording the results.


    "Gregory Wardrog passes the test!"


    ******


    "Did you hear what he said?" Vladimir asked with fear.


    "I am afraid that I did. As expected I guess from the brother of Jason" the brown-haired boy replied with an awkward smile.


    The silver-haired youth was about to open his mouth again, but John''s turn to enter the arena had come.


    The person in front of him was a middle-aged woman that was holding a spear. He remembered that she was a user of water magic, a person that could be annoying in a battle. That being said, he was confident that he could win this fight easily. The youth approached slowly the woman with an unreadable expression on his face. The examiner frowned upon seeing his relaxed attitude. She readied her spear and attacked without hesitation, aiming at his shoulder. When the weapon was about to pierce the boy, John started to disappear like he was a ghost.


    "What the hell!" the woman cursed as she tried to turn around, but she realized that she couldn''t move. She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her left ribs. The teacher desperately tried to free herself from whatever restrained her and when she finally managed to do it, she created countless frost arrows ready to destroy the boy that injured her.


    "Stop Daniela!" a shout sounded, making her wake up from her madness. Daniela looked at the endless arrows with fear, realizing that she almost went berserk. She had never felt so humiliated in her life. She looked at the man who talked to her and hurriedly apologized.


    "I am sorry, Lloyd, I thought that I would die for a moment and lost my mind..." she said as she touched her wound from where blood was flowing continuously.


    "Your name?" Lloyd asked John alarmed.


    "John Smith, teacher..." he answered innocently.


    "Oh, it''s you. Alright, John Smith passes the test!" he said as he moved towards Daniela. When he checked her wound, a frown appeared on his face before calling another man to come here. The brown-haired boy walked under the stunned gazes of the crowd to where Gregory was standing.


    "I still don''t even know what magic he used..." Daniela whispered.


    "It was dark magic. As for how he used it, I am not sure. If it wasn''t an examination, you could have lost your life. You were too careless. Make sure to learn from today''s mistake." Lloyd replied.


    Everyone was commenting on the fight excitedly, but the next person that entered the arena, made all of them to close their mouths dumbfounded.


    The teacher this time was cautious from the very beginning, influenced by the previous duel. Unfortunately, no matter how careful he was, he couldn''t expect that the youth in front of him would use two elements. Vladimir didn''t delay and immediately used his greatsword to attack the man. The examiner who was using a sword tried to block the strike, but the ice magic of the youth froze his weapon. It was only natural to be surprised upon seeing someone using magic and swordsmanship at the same time. The teacher tried to repress his astonishment as he attempted to retreat, but the youth didn''t plan on giving him the chance to use magic. Every time the poor man wanted to manipulate his mana, Vladimir would mercilessly interrupt him without a second thought. The teacher desperately tried to use fists and grabs to turn the situation around, but upon seeing the sand armor with the spikes that his opponent was wearing, he almost puked blood from his anger.


    ''Fucking bastard! Did an enemy send you to create trouble for me? I can''t use my sword because you froze it, you don''t let me use magic and now you even use the earth element to create an armor. Do you have to be so amazing? If I find another countermeasure, will you suddenly turn into a god?''


    The man, in the end, was forced to surrender, making him the first teacher in the history of the Academy to lose so pathetically to an examinee. The rest of the examiners looked viciously at the remaining applicants, ready to fight with their lives on the line. Nobody learned what happened later expect of the people that were present.

 39 Aftermath

    "So, what do we do now?" Vladimir asked innocently the young man that was currently walking ahead of the three boys. Reys turned behind to look at the silver-haired monster that caused the disaster in the test area half an hour ago. Because of him and his brother, the teachers fought against the examinees like they were their mortal enemies that killed their mothers. When the test was finally over, the place looked like a battlefield, making the light magicians that came to heal the injuries of the applicants think that demons intruded the academy. It was the first time in the history of the empire that among the people that had recommendations, only three managed to pass. Shaking his head to forget what happened some minutes ago, he opened his mouth.


    "We will first go and take your uniforms. You have to wear them compulsorily until you graduate, whenever you are in public."


    "Why?" John asked with doubt.


    "It''s the proof of identity that you are now soldiers of the Empire, even if you are students. The principal will explain to all the freshmen in detail when the examination will be over, so be patient."


    None of the boys said anything more, as they were ready to follow the instructions of their guide when a young voice suddenly interrupted them.


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    "John... Vladimir... Were you perhaps with the Order of the Red Rose when the incident happened?" Gregory suddenly asked out of nowhere. The group became silent until the brown-haired boy decided to move his lips.


    "Jason was your brother, right? I am sorry for your loss. He helped us a lot when we traveled together. He was a brave and capable man that fought like a hero. We wanted to attend the funeral, but we were questioned about the incident by the investigators sent by the capital."


    "I see..." Gregory answered as he nodded. He thought for a little before he opened his mouth again.


    "Did you happen to see his last moments?"


    "We didn''t, but I can assure you that he fought undoubtedly until the very end..." the one who replied was Vladimir with a quiet voice. His head was lowered, preventing anyone from seeing his expression.


    Reys was a little surprised upon hearing the content of their conversation, but he decided not to ask for details. He decisively interjected without a second thought.


    "Alright, you can always discuss later. Let''s finish our business first."


    *******


    At the same time, in a spacious room in the central tower, several teachers had been gathered, sitting around a wooden table. If the two boys were there, they would immediately recognize them as the examiners of the first test. The only difference was that there was an extra person who wasn''t present in what happened during the assessment of the applicants. He was one of the greatest magicians of the Empire, as well as the principal of the academy, Tudor de Logan.


    "So, what happened? It''s unusual to hold a conference before the examination is over..." the white-haired man asked with doubt.


    "It is alright since we are not in charge of the second batch. More importantly, things went awry during the test..." Lloyd said with an embarrassed smile. He couldn''t help than recall of what transpired previously, feeling ashamed of his incapability to control the situation. He then proceeded to describe the occurrences of the test, as well as its conclusion, making Tudor dumbfounded.


    "You are telling me that only three people passed among those who received a recommendation?"


    The principal shouted instinctively with the surprise written in all his face.


    ''If even the nobles who had received education for years and could already use magic failed, then how could the commoners have a possibility to be accepted in the academy? These idiots went all out against youths who don''t have even half of their age...''


    "This won''t do. The Houses will accuse us of trying to make things difficult for them on purpose. After the examination is over, I want you to retest them seriously this time..." he said sternly.


    "Yes, sir!" The teachers replied all simultaneously. It was unprecedented to give a second chance to the people who failed, but since they were the reason for this change, nobody dared to refute.


    "So? What are your opinions about the boys who passed?" Tudor asked with a smile as he adjusted his glasses. He already had an idea about the capability of the two boys thanks to Adriana, but he never expected that they could defeat their examiners and with ease additionally.


    "That boy with the name of the legendary pirate was amazing. He could use magic and martial arts at the same time, as well as two elements. I had never thought that a prodigy equal with the third prince would appear in the same era. The heroes truly come from the young..." one of the teachers said with a sigh. The others also couldn''t help than agree, showering them with praises.


    "My favorite is Gregory. With his quick wits and determination, he will catch up to them sooner or later..." the teacher who fought against the young archer said with confidence. He had many expectations for the little brother of his deceased friend, as he witnessed his potential personally.


    "What about the boy with the dark magic?" Tudor asked with puzzlement. He was surprised when he saw that nobody mentioned that peculiar youth who managed to injure an examiner.


    "This..." Lloyd tried to answer, but he couldn''t find the right words.


    "Allow me..." Daniela suddenly said coldly. She looked around carefully, and only when she had the attention of everyone in the room did she continue.


    "His original magic is extraordinary, but it depends on the element of surprise. In the beginning, I thought that he could teleport, but I realized later that his magic should be something that interferes with the visual field of his opponents. If he could teleport, he would attack me when I lost control of my magic, but instead of that, he was about to block my attack. My conjecture may be wrong, but if I am right, it''s too easy to counter his magic. Honestly, I can''t imagine him neither as a mage knight nor as a magician..." she concluded as she tried to make her opinion as unbiased as she could. She didn''t believe that the brown-haired youth didn''t have potential, but his fighting style was suited for one versus one battles, something that contradicted the role of the magician in the army. His mysterious techniques might be surprising, but they also lacked the might of the mage knights...


    "I see..." Tudor muttered with a thoughtful expression.


    "What do you think, Amos?" He asked a fat middle-aged man who was silent until now. He had a piggy face and small stature, making him look like a caricature. Nobody expected that the principal would ask the opinion of that disgrace of the Academy. Daniela frowned upon hearing what her superior said, making her to hurriedly interrupt.


    "Principal, don''t tell me that you plan to move that boy to the Rat-class! If he starts to use the orthodox way, he has the talent to become a capable magician!"


    It was natural for no one to look favorably upon that kind of decision. After all, John was an individual that could already use magic and could defeat a teacher despite his means. Calling him an elite wouldn''t be wrong.


    "Amos?" Tudor insisted, pretending not to hear anything.


    A wide smile formed on the fat man''s smile, as he voiced his opinion.


    "Give him to me. That boy can bloom only in my hands. He is a diamond in rough that can offer a lot of contributions for the Empire."


    "You? Don''t make me laugh!" Daniela remarked mockingly.


    "Enough!" the white-haired man shouted. He turned his head toward one of the teachers, as he slowly opened his mouth.


    "Lloyd, I''ll leave the decision to you as the head of the tower of war. What do you think?"


    "I''ll trust Amos in this case..." the man replied decisively, surprising everyone in the room. Voices of doubt started to rise from the others, but the decision had already been made.No one could change it with no valid reason.


    "Alright! You can all leave. We will hold another conference at the end of the examination." Tudor declared and stood up to go to his office.


    "Yes, principal!" the remaining teachers answered politely and proceeded to return to the test area.


    *******


    Time passed and the sun had already started to set. A crowd of youth had been gathered in front of the tower of war, waiting anxiously for what would happen next.


    "Vladimir!" a melodious voice suddenly sounded among the noise that had been created by the people who had been talking to each other.


    The silver-haired boy whose appearance had already attracted the attention of the female students around him turned behind to see who called him only to freeze from the spectacle in front of his eyes. A girl with orange hair arranged in pigtails was staring him with her two expressive blue eyes. The youth felt the time to stop, as he was mesmerized by the girl, making him unable to voice any words. He walked slowly toward her and suddenly hugged her. His unexpected actions made Helena confused, as well as embarrassed. She wanted to escape, but she felt that the boy that she met one month ago was a little different from what remembered. He was a shy, innocent youth, similar to her, never that brave, taking the initiative to touch her.


    "Vladimir?" she asked with a quiet voice, but he didn''t seem to hear her. His mind was already at the small port-town where he met her. The boy was not the same anymore after the Forest of the Lost Memories. The massacre that was orchestrated by his brother made him to become fearful, although he tried not to show it. He had made a few friends in the Order of the Red Rose, only to see them die with ease, without being able to do anything to prevent it. He was feeling powerless to protect the people who were dear to him, so when he saw again the girl that he fell in love at first sight, he held her instinctively in his arms, refusing to let her go, afraid that she would suddenly disappear.


    Sigh...


    John approached them with a regretful expression as he whispered to the speechless girl.


    "Let him be for a little. He faced a lot of hardships this month. Seeing a familiar face made him to become emotional. He will return to his senses soon."


    Indeed, it only took a few seconds for Vladimir to realize what he was doing. With a flushed face, he let her go, though not willingly. Wanting to clear his embarrassment, he started talking with stutter.


    "H-Helena, we meet again! How are you? Was the journey difficult? Did you face any difficulties in the test?"


    The orange-haired girl smiled cutely, as she opened her mouth.


    "I am alright, mister silver knight!"


    "Silver knight?" Vladimir asked with puzzlement.


    "That''s what the other girls call you!" she answered as her smile became brighter, but both John and Vladimir felt that the temperature dropped abruptly.


    "I am sorry, but I have to go. I think that Gregory called me. Let''s talk again later..." the brown-haired boy said as he proceeded to leave, but a loud voice made him halt his steps...

 40 A new beginning

    "Attention, please! The teachers and the principal will soon arrive. Form into lines and stay silent. Quickly or we''ll be all be in trouble!" a man around eighteen years old shouted anxiously, as he proceeded to give instructions together with some other students like him to the freshmen. It didn''t take more than ten minutes for a group of men and women to arrive in the area. In the lead, there was a white-haired man who was wearing a pair of glasses that made him look like a scholar. He was surrounded by many teachers, but the person that caught the attention of not only John but all the youths was a woman with scarlet hair and light-blue eyes. It was neither because of her astonishing beauty nor her confident and dominant body language. What stunned everyone was the identity of that person, as she was the sole daughter of the Emperor, Adriana de Grenmar!


    "No way, right?"


    "T-the Imperial princess? Shall we kneel?"


    "No, idiot, we are in the Academy. We have already become soldiers."


    "Shut up!"


    Whispers started to sound from the crowd, but the upperclassmen hurriedly controlled the situation. The principal looked with interest at the newcomers, before he opened his mouth.


    "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. No, students of our Academy is more proper. Today, you made the first step for a new beginning for your lives. You might believe that since you managed to pass the examination, your hardships are over, but I''ll tell you that they only start now. Each one of you probably thinks that the moment you entered the academy, you have already accomplished your goals. Some of you might want to become nobles, others to become famous. No matter what are your wishes, if you don''t have strength, they will never become a reality.We are in a war against the Demons. Not evenI know how many of you will survive until graduation. You might have become soldiers of our Empire, but in my eyes, you are all weaklings that will die the moment they send you on the front lines." Tudor said mockingly. Seeing the frustration on the faces of the youths, he smiled before he looked at the peak of the tower.


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    "Look! This is your flag.Do you see how the turtle defends with self- sacrifice against the continuous attacks of the dragon? This turtle is what you''ll become. A shield for the peace and the prosperity of our country. Heroes who''ll protect your loved ones and the place where they live. Do you think that I debase your sense of dignity? Then, prove that I am wrong. This establishment will give you the chance to gain power. Become proud warriors who''ll guard our homeland no matter what adversities you''ll face. Freshmen of the Imperial Academy, I welcome you to the Tower of War..."


    The students started to clap with frenzy. The excitement that they felt couldn''t be hidden from their eyes. The principal waited for a moment for the noise to subside before he started talking again.


    "I will now explain to you what you need to know here. The Tower of War is divided into four classes. The Dragon, the Phoenix, the Human and the Rat. You have to abide strictly by the Academy''s rules. As for what these rules are, you''ll be informed personally by your teachers. We will start now to classify you in your corresponding class. Lloyd, you may begin."


    "Yes, principal!" the man shouted before he started reading aloud the paper he was holding in his hands.


    "Stephanie Hogan, Human- class!"


    "Leonard de Drummond, Phoenix-class!"


    "...."


    John was watching the procedure with interest. He already had an idea about what these classes were from his investigation. The Dragon-class could be considered the place where the students with the biggest potential were. The people there would become both swordsmen and magicians, in contrast to the Phoenix-class that produced solely magicians and the Human-class in which, the students were only training in martial arts. As for the Rat-class, he had no idea.


    "Vladimir Erickson, Dragon-class!"


    ''As expected. Vladimir could be considered the most suitable person for that class. Using martial arts and magic at the same time is something that not even the majority of the mage knights haven''t accomplished. ''


    "Helena Greene, Phoenix-class!"


    ''It should be the sweetheart of my brother. She was a genius if I remember correctly. I wonder how well she fought against the teachers.''


    "Gregory Wardrog, Dragon-class!"


    ''No surprises here. I should observe him in the future though.He might become a troublesome enemy someday.''


    "John Smith, Rat-class!"


    ''What?''


    ****


    "Alright! My name is Elisa Parkes. I am an upperclasswoman here. Welcome to the Rat-class, beansprouts!" A gorgeous woman said with a smile to the confused group in front of her. She had green hair similar to the color of the grass and black eyes. Her pale skin and her fleshy lips, combined with her slender and attractive body, were making her look like a goddess. Even John was a little mesmerized by her appearance. He looked around so that he wouldn''t be considered tactless and saw that there were fifteen people here.


    ''Seven women and eight men together with me. They don''t seem to have anything special. What kind of class in this?''


    "It seems that all of you are wearing your uniforms. Good! We will head now towards the dorms. They are in the small village behind the tower. Alright! follow me!"


    *****


    The village had pretty much everything. From stores, houses, even a guild. Someone could imagine how huge this Academy was considering that there were another three villages inside for the other departments. The forest was the only thing that separated the towers from each other making someone wonder how this enormous place was located in the inner area.


    "It''s not that strange..." Elisa suddenly said as she had already guessed what the youths were thinking.


    "The Imperial Capital is the biggest city on the continent. There are at least ten million residents only in the outer area. The size of the Academy might seem outrageous, but it''s nothing compared to the rest of the capital. Wait to see the fields out of the city. You''ll be dumbfounded."


    As they talked, they soon arrived in front of a building. It was in the middle of a square courtyard that contained a beautiful garden, as well as a small training area.


    "That''s your new home. On the ground floor is the shared kitchen and the living room. There are two wings on the first floor. The left belongs to the girls and the right to the boys. Inside you''ll also find a note about your classes and what time you have to be there. I live in the opposite building. If you need anything you can come to ask me."


    *****


    ''Impressive!'' John thought as he looked at the interior. The living room and the kitchen were spacious enough to accommodate all of them at the same time. Two separate staircases were leading to their corresponding wings.


    "Shall we introduce ourselves first?" one of the boys took the initiative to ask. Upon seeing the agreement on the faces of the others, he started to talk.


    "My name is William Bostock. As you have guessed, I am a commoner. I wanted to become an adventurer, but, in the end, I decided to try my luck here. It''s my pleasure to meet you."


    ''He will probably become the leader of our class. He has both the looks and the charisma'' the brown-haired youth thought.


    "Hi, there! I am Alisha Brown. I am a commoner too. Nice to meet you!" one of the girls said as she winked with coyness at William. The boy returned her cute action with a smile.


    ''She reminds me of Maria. I wonder what happened to her. If I am not wrong, she is a student here...''


    "I am Mateo..." another youth continued with a monotonous voice. His face was expressionless.


    ''Here comes the male version of Sophie. Is it my idea or am I the only one with an average appearance?''


    "Hello, ladies and gentlemen, especially the ladies. My name is Reece de Downs. I am the son of a baron. It''s my pleasure to meet you."


    ''At last, a noble!''


    "H-hi! My name is Zofia. Zofia Acosta! N-nice to meet you!" a girl shouted with a flushed face.


    ''Is it the fifth person? I have already almost forgotten their names!''


    "John... My name is John Smith."


    ******


    There weren''t many nobles in the group. With the addition of Reece, only five of them with the majority of the group consisted of commoners. John looked with satisfaction at his large room that had two beds and an oak desk.


    "Hey, John, right? It seems that we are roommates!" a voice suddenly sounded behind him. Upon turning around, he saw a muscular man that looked several years older from his real age. He wasn''t surprised by his remark since there were only three rooms in the wing.


    "You are Henry Berry if I remember correctly. Let''s get along!"


    "Sure. You have to know though, that I snore at nights..." Henry said with a smile.


    "What a coincidence! So do I!" the brown-haired boy replied with a laugh.

 41 The first lesson 1

    The morning of the next day quickly came. The classes for the first years would be conducted on the first floor of the tower. The students also had the chance to eat their breakfast free of charge in the dining room on the ground floor. Since the majority of them were commoners, the Academy was covering the basic needs for the first years. Although this privilege ceased to exist afterward, one could meet many upperclassmen there. The reason for this was its low cost considering the quality of the food.


    "Hey, Henry! Wake up! We''ll be late!" John was shouting at the sleeping boy who didn''t seem to want to open his eyes. It was already six in the morning, meaning that they had only two hours before the beginning of the class.


    ''Forget it. Don''t blame me if you end up with an empty stomach...'' he thought as he proceeded to leave. The moment he opened the door, he was greeted by the appearance of three boys who were talking to each other in the corridor.


    "Morning, guys."


    "Oh, you are alone. What about the big guy?" Reece asked upon turning to see who called them.


    "He is still dreaming. He didn''t wake up no matter how much I tried." John replied as he shook his head.


    "Well, yesterday was a hard day. It might be better to let him rest..." William commented with his trademark smile.


    ''What a compassionate man...''


    "Good morning, John!" an energetic youth shouted. His name was Stanley Hurst, a commoner who came from a merchant family. The bins he was wearing were making him look a little funny, but this guy was in reality, pretty smart.


    "Do you want to come together with us? We are heading toward the Tower for breakfast."


    "Sure. I wanted to go there anyway."


    ******


    "It seems that my worries were pointless..." Reece said as he put the cheese upon the rye bread.


    "We are lucky we found an empty table. This place has so many people!" Stanley also commented as he looked around with amusement.


    "This place''s food is popular, especially to the commoners. I went yesterday to Elisha to ask for information about the Academy. She told me that I would be surprised when I see what they serve at noon..." William added.


    "That sounds interesting. Did you learn anything else?" John asked as the previous statement piqued his interest.


    "Well... When I asked her about the Rat-class, she didn''t answer, but I still remember her sympathetic gaze. She only told me that after my first lesson, I would naturally know. I still don''t understand what she meant though..." the boy replied with an awkward smile.


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    "I see..." he muttered as he continued eating. He was ready to guzzle the egg he was holding in his hand when a sudden voice stopped his actions.


    "Where the hell have you been? Didn''t you tell me that we would eat together?"


    ''What an idiot! It was a golden chance for you to spend some time alone with your girlfriend...''


    "Hey, mister Silver Knight. Can you not curse me in front of other people?" John said mockingly to Vladimir who had appeared, holding a tray with food. He then looked at the orange-haired girl who was beside him apologetically before he opened his mouth.


    "Good morning, Helena. We didn''t have much time to talk yesterday. How are you?"


    "Good morning, John. It''s a pity that no one from us is in the same class. By the way, may I ask you a question?" She asked shyly with a red face. Her cute appearance attracted the attention of the boys sitting at the table, but her next comment froze all of them on the spot.


    "Sure, what is it?"


    "Please, never call Vladimir with that hateful nickname again. Will you do me this favor?" the girl asked with a sweet voice, but John would swear that he saw a dragon rising from behind her.


    "S-sure. Oh, I almost forgot. Alright, guys. This is my brother Vladimir and his girlfriend, Helena. These three young men are William, Stanley, and Reece who is, by the way, a noble.


    The boys frowned upon seeing the heroic youth with his long silver hair who looked like a divine warrior that descended from the heavens.


    "You said that you are brothers?" Reece asked with doubt.


    "So, how are you, Helena? Almost a month has passed since the last time we had talked..." the brown-haired boy opened his mouth, pretending not to hear the question of his peer.


    The pig-tailed girl''s eyes gained a momentary gleam as she sat naturally on a chair and started talking. Minutes after minutes passed quickly, but she didn''t seem to have any intention to stop.


    ''Crap, I forgot. When did I become so stupid?''


    "Wait for a second..." he shouted with some desperation. When he saw that the devil stopped, he hurriedly talked under the hopeful gazes of the rest of the group.


    "Did you just say that you almost defeated your examiner in the test?"


    It wasn''t a question he only asked because he couldn''t endure anymore that endless monologue. He hadn''t forgotten that Helena was taught about magic by Vladimir only one month ago. If what she said was true, even his brother''s talent which is unrivaled among those on his age is nothing at all compared to hers.


    "I told you, John. When it comes to magic, she is a prodigy. She was cultivating her mana unconsciously and even managed to use magic without even knowing the basics. Her mana capacity isn''t inferior to ours. She needs combat experience though..." Vladimir remarked as he looked affectionally at the girl, making her feel bashful.


    "Are they mad?" Stanley whispered.


    "Probably? I was trained in both magic and martial arts since I was five. I wouldn''t even think of defeating a teacher."


    "No, they aren''t lying. Elisha told me that John defeated a teacher during the test. Don''t underestimate him. He is the strongest in our class. What I don''t understand is why they didn''t put him in the Dragon-class..." William commented with a mysterious smile.


    *****


    At last, the time for the lesson to begin came. The students of the Rat-class were sitting in a small auditorium, waiting anxiously for the delayed teacher to arrive.


    "Why you didn''t wake me up?" Henry asked with a little anger. By the time he got up from the bed, it was already about time for the beginning of the class. He had to run on the way to come early, not to mention that he was hungry since he didn''t have breakfast. He was about to continue nagging, but the cold glare of the brown-haired youth silenced him immediately.


    "I tried..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Sorry?" the muscular boy couldn''t endure the awkward atmosphere anymore as he hesitantly apologized, only to see a triumphant smile forming on the face of the youth. He wanted to rage, but the entrance of the teacher didn''t give him the chance.


    "It seems that you are having fun!" a fat middle-aged man said with a laugh. John remembered him as one of the examiners of his test, although he was only observing and not fighting.


    "How funny! A batch of small rats dare to be happy in front of me. Hahahaha!" a mad laugh escaped from his mouth, making everyone in the auditorium to be creeped out.


    "This is a trash-class. For outcasts that miraculously passed the test, but nobody wanted them. A class to get rid of the annoyances that are not needed in the Academy. That is what the Rat-class truly is. You dare to be happy?" The faces of the students started to change color. The man''s smile became wider as he stared at the brown-haired boy.


    "It''s nice that we have an elite together with us. Mister John Smith, you are a talented person that unfortunately provoked miss Daniela, the teacher in charge of the Phoenix-class. You didn''t believe that she would leave you like that, right?"


    John started to become worried upon hearing this. After all, he was the only one that injured his examiner.


    "That''s it from me. Do whatever you wish. I am going to sleep..." the man finally stopped talking as he left the same way he entered. Like a hurricane.


    Sigh...


    John stood up and headed toward the exit. He didn''t seem to care about the frozen like statues students around him. His steps were slow and steady.


    ''So it''s that kind of class. I didn''t expect that...'' the youth thought. He seemed to realize something for a moment, as he touched his face with his hands.


    ''Fuck! I am too happy. I can''t even hide my smile!''

 42 The first lesson 2

    The sun gave its position to the moon, and the darkness covered the continent of Andromeda. In the Imperial Academy, the students who were walking around the villages started to return to the dorms, but a figure seemed to have other plans. It was a young man who was heading sneakily toward the Tower of War. The door wasn''t locked even though the Department should have been closed after the evening. When the youth reached on the third floor he saw a suspicious light coming out from a room. He decisively put his hand on the knob and pushed the door forward.


    "As expected from you. A new record..." a voice sounded with a mixture of laugh.


    "It seems that I was right..." the boy said with an indifferent expression. He had brown hair and eyes, a person with no existent presence. It couldn''t be anyone else other than John.


    "So, how did you find out?" The voice asked with curiosity. It belonged to the fat middle-aged man from the morning.


    "I was suspicious since yesterday when I read the note. The writing was formal, but when the hour of the class was mentioned, there wasn''t any clarification if it was ante meridiem or post meridiem. When I heard your incomprehensible words in the morning, I realized that something was wrong. Taking into consideration of what is the common thing among us in the Rat-class made it easy for me to figure out the rest."


    "Why don''t you explain in detail?"


    "So be it..." the boy replied, and he then started talking again after clearing his throat.


    "I will start with what you said in the morning. You described us as outcasts that nobody wanted, but we somehow managed to pass the test. You also said that the Rat-class existed for people like us, but don''t forget that this Academy was created by the Emperor. There is no way that the supreme leader of our country would waste money on people that the teachers didn''t even have a purpose in educating them. We miraculously managed to pass? If we were truly useless, you wouldn''t even let us enter the Academy no matter how well we did in the test. This is my guess, but I think that your words weren''t to describe our situation, but our current identity. We are not weaker from the other first-year students, we have to be nonetheless. Since it''s impossible in my situation because I defeated my examiner, you made up the story with teacher Daniela. Adding to the fact that everyone in my class has killed at least one person before, I believe that you plan on training us in the path of the Assassin, maybe and the spy. Am I correct?"


    "You did well... The time of your class isn''t in the morning but the evening. I also wanted to test your perception. You are outstanding as expected. However, how did you know that the others had killed before?" the man asked with doubt. He had investigated all his students, so he had an idea about their past. John couldn''t have access to that kind of information.


    "I could tell since I was a child. I realized later that it''s because of my affinity with the element of Darkness. I can see the stain of blood in the souls of others."


    "Oh, I see. Dark Magic and Light magic have a lot to do with the souls since the first one contains all kinds of curses and the other can purify them. It seems that you are a Chosen."


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    "Chosen?"


    "There are some people who feel connected to one element from the moment of their birth. That girlfriend of your brother is someone like that. They sometimes use unconsciously magic before they even discover its existence..." the middle-aged man commented with certainty.


    ''It makes sense...'' the youth thought. Every magician could see the shape of the souls of the others, but the magicians of Darkness and Light could perceive them a little better. Because of that, some of the curses of the Dark magicians could be extremely fearful since it wasn''t easy to counter them. Naturally, John wasn''t even close to that level. He was, after all, only fourteen years old.


    "So, what about the rest of the class?"


    "Their deadline is two days. Those who''ll fail after so much time to figure out what''s the matter, are not needed here..." the man replied indifferently. He fell silent for a moment when he suddenly remembered something.


    "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Matias Hicks. I am the teacher in charge of the Rat-Class. The Rat-class consists of ten teachers together with me. We will teach you History, Magic, Foreign Languages, Strategy, Martial Arts, or whatever else needs an assassin or a spy. You''ll be trained to carry the darkness of the Empire. Since not many people know about the reason for our existence, we''ll have you sign a cursed contract so that you won''t reveal anything to others unless the Emperor permits it. "


    A cursed contract was something that John was familiar with as a Dark Magician since only a user of dark magic could create a product like that. Naturally, one had to be powerful enough to do it. The way it worked was that If one side broke the agreement of the contract, his soul would be destroyed. However, it had many disadvantages that one could exploit. First of all, if John was a stronger magician than the one who created the contact, he could resist with ease the curse. Most importantly, the terms of the contract had to be clear and logical. One couldn''t become loyal to someone or fall in love just because he signed that he would do it, the curse wouldn''t work in these cases either. Someone could also backlash if he hadn''t been careful. For example, if John covenanted not to talk to anyone about the Rat-class, he could reveal it in other ways. The youth, of course, didn''t have the delusion that something like this would happen.


    "May I ask some questions?"


    "Sure..."


    "How should I act in public and what would be my identity after I graduate?"


    "You can act as you want. You are, after all, a different case from the others. The reason you are here is because you ''provoked'' someone, not because you are weak. As for your identity, unless we send you on a specific mission, it will remain the same. Since you are the foster son of Antony the Berserker, we can''t manipulate you easily. In my opinion, if you do well, you''ll work for the counter-espionage of our country. You''ll have to prove your loyalty, of course, first."


    "I was afraid that I would become cannon fodder..." John said with a sigh.


    "You wouldn''t be even if you weren''t related to an S-ranked adventurer. We plan to make you elites who''ll be assigned only special missions. For this reason, you have to be prepared for the worst. Even if you don''t die during the training, you might go mad..." Matias commented with a laugh.


    "Then, with your permission, I''ll return now."


    "Yes, you can go. Oh, I almost forgot. In this Academy, only the principal and Lloyd know about what we discussed. Of course, the students and teachers of the Rat-Class don''t need to be mentioned."


    "Lloyd? He is the supervisor of the Tower of War, right?"


    "You met him during the test. The one who read the names of the freshmen yesterday."


    "I see. Won''t be then my story of being transferred here strange? Teacher Daniela doesn''t know about the real situation, after all."


    "It''s better not to discuss this. You don''t have to worry. You can go..." the middle-aged man said with a sigh. He couldn''t help than recall what happened when the conference ended. Daniela who couldn''t accept Lloyd''s decision to put a talented youth in the worst class of the Academy continued protesting until they couldn''t endure it anymore. Matias had to tell her that he wanted to make John his disciple to reassure her. Disciples were different than the students. They were given more attention from their teacher. Although the woman looked down on him, she had to respect his wish. She even agreed to go along with his story, so that the other students wouldn''t alienate the brown-haired boy. He had told her that he wanted to keep his decision a secret so that the other students in the class wouldn''t be jealous of John. He even asked her to pretend that she was the reason that he was put to the Rat-class to justify why the youth ended up in this place despite defeating a teacher. Seeing that Daniela didn''t hesitate to stain her reputation for John''s well-being made the man feel guilty.


    "Yes, teacher!" the boy who was unaware of that story replied energetically.


    ******


    ''How should I proceed from now on?'' John thought as he was walking toward the dorms.


    ''Next month, I have to return to the outer area and contact Irene. I was planning on controlling the darkness of the capital, but I might not need to do it anymore. However, I''ll need a force that works in the shadows. I hope that my next prey will give me some information. Things might become clearer then. Oh, I arrived!''


    He opened the door of the building and found a figure waiting for him in the living room. It was a blond girl with blue eyes and a bright smile. Her full name was Alexandra de Conley, a daughter of a Baronet, as well as one of the nobles here.


    "Alexandra! Are you not sleeping yet?" he asked with doubt. It was already around eleven o''clock, so he didn''t expect to find someone awake when he returned.


    "I was waiting for you..." the girl replied with a smile.


    "Why?"


    "You realized something, didn''t you? That''s why you left so late at night."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Let''s not waste time anymore. I am sure that you already know that I am talking about what happened in the morning. Tell me. How much you want to give me information?"


    ''I love this place!''

 43 The proposition

    "Good morning, Henry!" a young voice sounded in a room.


    "Morning. It seems that you are in a good mood..." the muscular boy said with suspicion. After what happened yesterday, he couldn''t understand why the youth in front of him was so happy.


    "I had a good dream last night..." John replied as he thought about the pouch with the gold coins he received from Alexandra. He wasn''t afraid that his decision to reveal everything to the blond girl would interfere with the test of their teacher since the act of the female noble to purchase information from him proved her ability.


    ''I managed to refund the money that I gave to that priest and even make a profit. I never expected that the daughter of a Baronette had so many gold coins. Maybe I should consider becoming a merchant.''


    "Are you all right? Why are you smiling?"


    "No, no, I just remembered something. Most importantly, you woke up again late. Get dressed so we can leave!"


    "Alright, alright... Give me five minutes to wash my face, and I''ll be ready..." Henry said as he got up from the bed. He grabbed his uniform and headed toward the bathroom.


    ''That guy is a little slow-witted. It''s a pity that he comes from a poor Household or else I could help him since I am a selfless guy. For a price, of course...''


    ******


    The two youths were about to enter the Tower of War when the whispers around them attracted their attention, making them stop their steps.


    "Look! It''s him! The one that the teacher talked about!"


    "The one that injured his examiner and went to the trash-class"


    "What an arrogant guy! We should teach him a lesson!"


    "Forget it... We are not his opponents. Not to mention that he is the brother of that guy..."


    "Damn! We can''t provoke that monster. We''ll end up like the people he beat-up yesterday!"


    "Wait! What did you say?" John suddenly asked when he heard something that he couldn''t ignore. He approached the students who were talking to each other until now, but they pretended that they didn''t see him.


    "If you try to disregard my existence, you have to know that my patience is limited. I''ll ask once again, what did you say? What happened yesterday with Vladimir?"


    The moment John questioned them, his eyes started to become darker and darker until their color turned into pitch black. The boys who were watching what was happening felt so terrified that they couldn''t utter a word.


    "Oh? Won''t you answer?" the brown-haired youth asked with amusement. His voice seemed ethereal, making them wanting to shut their eyelids, but their instincts were screaming that they had to stay awake no matter what happened.


    "Enough, John! Even if they want to, they can''t. You have scared them to the point they can''t open their mouths!" Henry criticized as he walked toward him.


    ''He is unaffected? My dear roommate is more mysterious than I previously thought...''


    The magic he had used should have affected everyone who was currently in the area, making them be in disarray. John was confident that no one who was here could break his spell since the people around him hadn''t learned how to use magic yet. For Henry not to be affected meant that external factors couldn''t influence the boy''s mental state.


    ''It doesn''t matter since these bastards must be scared enough to talk now...''


    "My friend here saved you. Why don''t you begin talking now?"


    The youths didn''t dare to ignore him again. They immediately narrated what happened yesterday.


    "So, some brave people from the Dragon-class wanted to bully me. What they didn''t know was that Vladimir is my brother. How stupid! Didn''t they know that they didn''t have a chance?"


    "W-well, as long as they are more than you..."


    "As long as you are more than me, you can defeat me? Hahaha! Alright, I''ll teach you something good then..." as he said that he unsheathed his dagger, making the boys almost wet their pants."


    "Don''t be afraid. Take it and try to stab me."


    "N-no way!"


    "Now or I promise you that you won''t live to see tomorrow. I am already in the worst class in the Academy, so I don''t have much to lose. They will probably expel me, but they won''t touch me since I am the son of an S-ranked adventurer."


    One of the boys took the weapon hesitantly with tears in his eyes. His hand was trembling as he aimed at the brown-haired youth.


    "Hey, John, are you sure that it''s okay?" Henry asked with worry when he saw his roommate''s actions.


    "This is important for you too. Take this lesson in your heart..." John replied as he gestured at the youngster to attack him.


    The youth closed his eyes and tried to stab John, but the dagger could not pierce the brown-haired boy''s body. He felt like he was hitting a wall made of steel. He couldn''t help that look at the weapon with doubt.


    "If you think that the dagger has a problem, then I can tell you that my weapon can pierce even mithril. If you don''t believe me, I can prove it to you easily."


    "T-then why?"


    "It''s because of the difference in the quantity of mana that resides in our bodies. When the difference is so big, you can''t even deal damage to me. As long as I use my mana to protect my body, you can''t injure me no matter how hard you try. Against the likes of you, I don''t need to use magic..." John answered with a serious expression. He didn''t try to mock them with his rely, but state the undeniable fact of what power truly is. Numbers or common logic are useless against absolute might.


    "Make sure you know who are you trying to provoke next time..." the boy''s words sounded in the air, as he turned around and entered the tower. The people who were watching him leaving could only stare at the youth''s back, dumbfounded.


    *******


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    ''It''s rare for me to show off like this, but I didn''t have a choice. Being a low-key here would make me stand out instead. Now that I have intimidated these annoying bastards, I have protected at least my inner peace. It will be alright to be a person with power as long as I am not one of the strongest. It won''t be hard to achieve it since I am not good at fighting anyway. What I excel in is killing after all...''


    "John, here!" a sudden shout awoke him from his thoughts as he raised his head. There was a large crowd that was eating, a well as a line of waiting people that wanted to order. The small dispute earlier delayed him enough until the students had populated the dining room. A frown appeared for a moment on his face, but it disappeared when he discovered who had called him previously.


    "You ordered food for me too? Did you foresee what would happen?" He asked the person with doubt.


    "How couldn''t I know. It all started from me, after all..." the one who answered was Vladimir, who was having breakfast with Helena.


    "Good morning John. You must have it hard..." the girl said with sympathy.


    "Not really. This kind of class is perfect for me. However, I wonder why rumors started to spread only today."


    Vladimir and Helena looked at each other with doubt as well.


    "Well, forget it. How are the people in your classes?"


    "They... are strange, I guess..." Vladimir replied with an awkward smile. Half of his classmates were nobles. Most of them were spoiled brats that didn''t know about the world. There were some charismatic youths among them, but not more than two. Vladimir wasn''t sure if they were chosen because they had genuine talent.


    "I see... Let''s change the subject. I wanted to talk to you about something more important."


    "Important?" Vladimir instantly became curious.


    "Yes. I asked around and learned that the Academy doesn''t prevent its students from becoming adventures. It''s the reason that a guild exists inside the establishment."


    "You mean?"


    "Yes. The reason that we didn''t try to become adventures doesn''t exist anymore. It''s our chance to learn more about the demons."

 44 Guild

    "Seriously?" the silver-haired youth asked with shock.


    "Yeah. When your lesson is over, come to meet me at the entrance of the Guild." John replied with a smile. He knew how long Vladimir waited for a chance like this. He then looked at the girl with the pigtails before he opened his mouth.


    "What about you, Helena? Are you interested in becoming an adventurer?"


    "As long as I am with you guys, I don''t have a problem. Not to mention it sounds fun..." she replied happily.


    "Alright. I am going to train then. Let''s meet again in four hours." John said as he stood up, ready to leave.


    "Wait!" Vladimir''s shout made him stop his steps, turning his head around bewildered.


    "Did you forget to tell me something?"


    "Shut up! You said that you are going to the training area. What about your class? Don''t tell me that you plan on skipping it?" the tone of his voice made John realize that his brother was genuinely angry with him.


    "Don''t worry. I promise you that I am an exemplary student." John answered with a bright smile that didn''t suit his usual expressionless face. Instead of waiting aimlessly for his teacher in the classroom, he could make good use of his time by doing something productive. Although Vladimir wasn''t convinced, he could only postpone his grumbling for later since he had to hurry for his lesson. The three of them said goodbye to each other and left the dining room.


    *******


    At the same time, somewhere in the inner area of the Capital, a black-clad figure was heading toward a luxurious mansion. The hood prevented anyone from discerning its characteristics, but the shape of its body indicated it was a female.


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    "Halt! Who are you, and what is your purpose?" the threatening voice of the guard made the woman stop her steps.


    "Inform the fourth wife of the Marquess that her third sister has come to see her."


    "Lady Violet doesn''t have any relatives. Naff off, or I''ll beat you to death!"


    Seeing the hostile expression on the man''s face, the woman took out a letter and gave it to him with disdain. Her cold aura made the guard feel doubtful, but upon reading the letter, his face became pale.


    "Please, forgive this servant''s vulgar language. Nobody told us that Lady Violet was waiting for guests and..."


    "Enough! How much time do you intend to make me wait?"


    The guard didn''t dare to delay anymore. He hurriedly went to inform his superior, before returning with a butler.


    "Please, follow me..."


    ******


    "It''s been a while, third sister!" Violet greeted the black-clad figure with a warm smile. The fourth wife of Marquess Glass was considered one of the most beautiful women in the Capital. Despite being a commoner, the Marquess fell in love with her at first sight to the point that he made her an official wife. Her status was considered low, but nobody else besides the other wives dared to offend her.


    "I am happy you didn''t forget your little sister, Violet!" her melodious voice sounded in the area, as she revealed her curly brown hair, as well as her two hazel eyes.


    "Did you believe I would forget my best friend, Irene? You have hurt my heart!" the exaggerate answer of the woman made Irene roll her eyes. The two smiled at each other and began talking about their experiences from when they separated.


    "What? Your father almost sold you to Count Boyce? How dare they. I will destroy them!" the rage of Violet was genuine. She and Irene were both wandering singers that happened to cooperate in a cabaret. The two of them had similar aspirations, so they quickly became fond of each other. She was lucky enough to meet her husband, who was a respectable man that loved her and didn''t care about the fact she was a commoner. When she married the Marquess, she had to leave behind her dream, but her friend wasn''t willing when she volunteered to help her escape her predicament. Learning about the suffering of Irene, how could she not be enraged!


    "My father and Count Boyce are both dead..."


    "D-dead? Both of them? Don''t tell me..." she gulped as she looked at Irene with shock. There weren''t convenient coincidences like this. The girl she remembered wouldn''t dare to commit a crime, much less a severe one like murdering a noble.


    "Your guess is correct. I poisoned that lustful pig and framed my father for his death. I even staged my death to avoid the suspicions of the investigators. Irene doesn''t exist anymore. I am nothing else than a ghost."


    Violet couldn''t endure it anymore and hugged her with teary eyes. She blamed herself for letting her little sister suffer so much.


    "Why didn''t the second or fourth sister help you? Why didn''t you ask the help of your big sister? Don''t you trust me?"


    "All of you have created your homes and secured your futures. I also know that despite marrying the Marquess, your status is low because you are a commoner. I can''t have you doing something that the other wives can exploit to bring you in a difficult situation. I care for you the same way you do for me." Irene answered as she cried her heart out. She had long forgotten how it was to be loved until she met her friend again. Her words had reminded her that she still wasn''t alone in this cruel and dark world.


    "It will be alright. I know a person that can help you escape the Empire. He is an A-ranked adventurer, so nobody will dare to inspect your identity in the border. I will give you some money to start a new life. Leave everything to me!"


    "No... no, you don''t have to. I need your help with something else." she quickly said. She didn''t wait for an answer, as she hurriedly explained.


    "I want information about a person."


    "Have you gone mad? If a patrol stops you, your life will be in danger. We don''t have time to waste!" Violet shouted angrily. She didn''t understand why her friend wasn''t alarmed by the severity of the situation.


    "Please, Violet. Trust me! I know what I am doing!" the girl insisted.


    "Why? Aren''t you afraid? Are you hiding something from me, Irene?" the woman couldn''t help than ask in doubt.


    "I can''t tell you. Please, don''t force me to act in front of you. I don''t want to lie to you."


    "Alright... I guess that you have your circumstances. Just promise me that you are safe."


    "I am... I swear! Everything I do, I do it willingly!"


    "I''ll believe you. Who is it then that you need so desperately information?"


    Irene took a deep breath and opened her mouth.


    "The youngest daughter of the Emperor. The imperial princess, Rosemary de Grenmar."


    *******


    "Aren''t you late? You didn''t even go to your class!" Vladimir shouted with annoyance.


    "I was absorbed and lost the sense of time. I think Vladimir that you have become short-tempered lately." John replied as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Relax, Vladimir. We have only waited for five minutes." Helena also commented, trying calm down the silver-haired youth.


    "You don''t know him well, Helena. That guy is too lazy to train first thing in the morning. I bet one hundred bronze coins that he went to sleep and woke up only now."


    "No way... Right?" the orange-haired girl said, but upon seeing the guilty expression on John''s face, she started to have doubts.


    "Okay. Enough with the nonsense. Let''s enter!" the boy hurriedly opened his mouth to change the subject. Under the eyes of his bewildered comrades, he opened the door of the building.


    The interior inside didn''t differ a lot from the inns since it had tables that the adventurers were sitting to eat and discuss. Naturally, since the guild was inside the Academy, the majority of the inside were students. When they heard the noise, they looked with interest at the newcomers.


    "Did you see? They are freshmen."


    "Registering as adventurers two days after the examination, are they crazy?"


    "Hey, John! It seems they are talking about us..." the silver-haired youth whispered as he looked around with interest.


    "It''s logical. Most freshmen don''t know how to use even magic."


    The three of them arrived in front of the registration desk where a female elf was.


    "Are you interest in becoming adventurers?" the elf asked with a smile.


    "That''s right!" Vladimir answered with confidence.


    "I am sorry, but if you are first years, you need to be accompanied by an upperclassman."


    Upon hearing this, the boy frowned, before turning his head toward his brother.


    "She must be here by now..." John muttered as he searched his surroundings, disregarding Vladimir''s gaze.


    "I am here!" a shout accompanied with a hearty laugh sounded in the building.


    A girl with short black hair looked at the three youths triumphantly.


    "Maria..." Vladimir shook with an awkward smile.

 45 Becoming adventurers

    "Hey, Matias!"


    The fat middle-aged man turned around, only to see his old friend, Lloyd. He couldn''t help but frown before he opened his mouth.


    "Have you gone mad, Lloyd? Don''t call me with that name here."


    "No one is on the upper floors at this time other than us. You are the only one who teaches at night" the head of the tower answered as he shook his head.


    "It doesn''t matter if we are alone. As long as we are in the tower, my name is Amos."


    "I never understood why you have two names and what is the difference between the two of them. Which one of them is correct anyway?" Lloyd asked with doubt. He never tried to investigate the past of the man in front of him because he knew he wouldn''t find anything. That person appeared suddenly out of nowhere as a merchant in the Capital. Many people tried to discover his real identity without success.


    ''At least, I know what his real profession is. I met him when I was a scholar, but after so many years, I still don''t know anything about him.''


    A wide smile formed on the fat man''s face upon hearing the question of his friend.


    "Which one do you think is the correct one?"


    "Forget it..." Lloyd replied with a sigh before he continued.


    "I wanted to ask you about your students. What do you think of them until now?"


    "Its too early, but..." Matias stopped to take a deep breath before he answered.


    "The potential of the class as a whole is the greatest I''ve ever had. Especially John. He found out the purpose of the first lesson on the first day."


    "That''s unusual for you to praise someone so much!" Lloyd commented with surprise.


    "Well, my test is still not over, but I think that for the first time, the chance of all of them passing isn''t a dream. What I don''t know is if they can handle the training." the man answered with a sigh. The cruelty that the youths had to face wasn''t something they were supposed to deal with at their age. Matias couldn''t do anything other than support them from the shadows.


    "Normal people can''t live in the darkness. Even I know it. Make them stronger, Matias. You are the only one who can do it." Lloyd said as he patted the shoulder of his friend and turned to leave.


    "Wait!"


    "Did something happen?" Lloyd asked as he looked at him with puzzlement.


    "There is something. Do you know about the murders that occurred recently in the outer area?"


    "Is there anything strange about them?"


    "I am not sure..." Matias commented and cleared his voice. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth.


    "I want you to persuade Marvin Robles to forward my request of investigation."


    "Marvin Robes? The guild master? Are you planning on asking adventurers to look into the case?" the middle-aged man asked in shock. He didn''t understand why the person in front of him would need to involve other people for a small matter like this.


    "Wouldn''t it be enough to send some of your men? You are experts in gathering information, after all."


    "It is confidential, but since I ask for your help, I''ll tell you..." Matias replied with a serious expression. He closed his eyes to organize his thoughts for a little and started talking.


    "One year ago, we found some clues that some demon spies infiltrated the Capital. We found their hideout and killed all of them, except one who managed to escape."


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    "I see... You want to use the adventurers to discover the demon so that you can act from the shadows. You can also guard yourselves against the enemy''s possible plot since his attention will be on them. It''s a good idea. Unfortunately, Marvin would never agree with that. Don''t forget that the guild isn''t an enemy of the Demons." Lloyd remarked as he shook his head.


    "I want to hire adventurers to deal with a criminal. If the Guild won''t help us even in a simple request like this, it doesn''t have a reason to exist in our Empire!" Matias said with anger.


    "Shut up, Matias. It is better to be allied with them than be enemies. The guild is necessary for our country, after all. If it wasn''t, do you think the Emperor would allow for an independent power to exist in the Empire? Even the Demon Lord let them operate in his land. Unfortunately, the guild masters are all idealists that don''t discriminate against others. If they weren''t, do you think they could expand in Kelvin as they did?" the stern voice of his friend, made the fat middle-aged man to calm down.


    "I am sorry. It''s annoying that there are so many powers that don''t obey the orders of the Emperor. The Guild and the Church of Life. Both of them do as they wish. Don''t they know that the only reason they exist in our country, is because our sovereign allowed them to do so?"


    "Don''t be stupid, Matias. They know it better than you. However, they understand that the benefits they offer are more than the dangers they have in store. Their influence also spreads in the whole planet. Not even the Empire can deal with them with ease. Luckily, both of them don''t seem to care about authority."


    "Nonsense! Father Umar, one of the candidates for the position of the pope, is a greedy bastard. Do you think I can ignore these insects that lurk for the right moment to make their move? The Demon Lord is already a strong enemy. We don''t need more."


    "I get it. I''ll persuade Marvin for you. I know him, he doesn''t care for power. He didn''t even want to be the guild master for our country. The headquarters forced the position to him." Lloyd said as he had given up.


    "Thank you, Lloyd. I plan to pay well if they discover the ''criminal'' or provide any information about his whereabouts.


    ********


    "You are late! Are you trying to show off?" John asked the girl with the short black hair mockingly.


    "Oh? Where did you find the courage to make fun of me? Did you forget that you had to call me commander some days ago?" Maria answered with a smile that made the brown-haired boy regret his idiocy to try to win against her. Luckily for him, his brother came to his rescue.


    "It''s been a while, miss Maria. I thought you had returned to your House. I didn''t expect to meet you here."


    "Yes... After the incident, the Academy permitted me to rest for a while, but when my sister told me that Princess Adriana would be a teacher here, I decided to attend, after all. So, have you met with her Highness?"


    John shook his head, but he didn''t expect to see Vladimir nod.


    ''We only saw her two days ago after the entrance exam. We didn''t even talk to her.''


    "She is my teacher..."


    "What?" three voices sounded at once.


    It wasn''t even John and Maria who were surprised. Not even Helena knew anything about it.


    "Well... She seems to monitor my actions in case I reveal that I use three elements. She is more like a supervisor." the silver-haired youth explained with embarrassment. His flushed face caused laugh to the company.


    "Excuse me? If you want to discuss, you can do it somewhere else!" the female elf''s word that expressed the annoyance she felt resuscitate them to reality.


    After the four of them apologized quickly, she started explaining about the procedure of the registration.


    "I have to tell you that the guild inside the Academy is a little special. If you want to take requests that demand you to leave from the Capital, you''ll need permission from the Tower Master. You''ll have to fill in this form, and I''ll give you the identification of the adventurer." as she that, she distributed to each one of them, except Maria, one sheet of paper. There were questions written that asked about their identity, as well as their ability.


    "Your personal information doesn''t have any special meaning to us. That''s why we only ask for your full name. You also don''t need to mention your ability if you don''t want to. The ranking is the one that determines your worth."


    "Is it possible that by writing about our ability, we can start from a higher ranking?" John asked after thinking for a while.


    "That''s correct. I would advise you not to do it though, young man. Accumulating knowledge slowly, as well as becoming used to danger gradually, is the only shortcut to success. Not many know that Antony, the S-ranked Adventurer, started from the bottom. Even the F-rank requests can help you to become stronger. " the female elf said with a smile.


    Naturally, John knew all of these, but he still thanked her for her kindness as he continued writing.


    The three of them finished quickly and gave her the forms. The elf left for a moment, only to return a few minutes later with some cards in her hand.


    "Sorry for the wait. Congratulations, Vladimir Erickson, John Smith, Helena Greene. You are now adventurers. These cards will be the proof of your identity. There is a penalty, so don''t lose them. The registration fee is ten bronze coins."


    The cost wasn''t expensive since many commoners tried to become adventurers to improve their financial state. One silver coin was equivalent to one thousand bronze coins. One hundred silver coins needed for one gold coin and ten gold coins for a platinum one. The money that John gave to the priest was enough for him to start a business in the inner area!


    The brown-haired youth paid the money and received his card. It was yellow with the name and the rank written. John, like the others, decided not to mention his ability, so he wasn''t surprised upon seeing that he was F-ranked.


    "You can only take F-rank missions or one rank above you. You need to fulfill ten of them to become D-ranked. On the wall at the side, you can find which requests are available. If you fail to accomplish them, you''ll have to pay one hundred bronze coins. Be careful!"


    "Shall we try one then?" Vladimir asked the group with excitement.

 46 The first mission

    "Don''t expect too much. The F-ranked missions are anything than exciting." Maria said to the eager youth with a pitying expression.


    "I see what you mean..." John commented as he shook his head with a smile. He had just read the contents of the requests and couldn''t help than be surprised. There were not many missions they could take, but they were all eye-catching.


    "A request to clean the public toilet, a sending to gather some dragon flowers... Do you need to be an adventurer to do these jobs?" Vladimir muttered stupefied.


    "Look, Vladimir! The cute cat in the painting is lost. We must find it!" Helena also remarked innocently.


    "Maybe we should check the D-rank missions."


    "You shouldn''t!" the one who answered to John''s suggestion wasn''t anyone from the group, but the female elf who had been listening to their discussion silently.


    "It''s a taboo to start immediately from tasks of higher ranks. Not to mention that every beginner should do these jobs at least once in his life." Maria, who already had some experience as an adventurer, explained.


    "Miss Maria is right. These missions will help you be toughened up, as well as adapt to the life of an adventurer. You can also accumulate experience for the future. Being able to recognize the herbs in the forests can help you have a steady income every time you go on a mission. Many of them have healing attributes, so they might become handy when you are in danger. These chores are nothing compared to the hardships you''ll face as you raise your rank. You don''t have to be reckless. Unlike others, you aren''t desperate to make a profit from this business. Your job is to graduate from the Academy." the elf continued after Maria.


    John understood what they meant, but he and Vladimir were special. First of all, they weren''t truly beginners in this profession. Their foster father was an S-ranked adventurer, after all. They also had a reason for registering in the guild. They couldn''t afford to waste their time in fruitless and time-consuming jobs that would delay them from ranking up. He was about to thank them and refuse their advice, but his brother''s statement caught him off guard.


    "Let''s do it this way then."


    "What? Why?" the brown-haired youth expressed his doubt. He knew that Vladimir should have been more impatient than him. Their purpose of learning more about the demons had to do with his brother''s goal, after all.


    "I know what you mean to say, John. It''s alright." the boy replied as his eyes turned to Helena in secret.


    ''Is he afraid that she will fall behind? It''s true that although Helena is a prodigy, she lacks experience. However, I didn''t expect that Vladimir would prioritize his girlfriend over his revenge. I wonder if he has realized it. I don''t know if this is a good thing or not.''


    "Alright. Let''s choose the request for gathering the dragon flowers. I suspect that since these missions are to train new members, we''ll find these plants in the forest inside the Academy."


    "Let''s create a party then. Will you arrange it, Bianca?" the black-haired girl asked the female elf upon hearing John''s suggestion.


    "Sure. Remember that when you rank up, you can act without the company of your upperclasswoman. Please, be patient." Bianca said with a smile, but her unexpected attack caught Maria off guard.


    "Are you saying that I am annoying, Bianca? Is this how you talk to your dear friend that comes to fraternize you when you are bored? You have hurt my heart!"


    "I am sorry! Please shut up!" Bianca, fed up from the exaggerated answer of her friend, shouted and ran toward a small room.


    "She went to validate that we took the request. We don''t have to wait. Let''s go!" the black-haired girl said and proceeded to leave.


    "Shouldn''t we wait and say goodbye to her?" Helena asked with some hesitation.


    "I realized that we haven''t introduced to each other yet. My name is Maria de Woodman. I was the commander of the two boys here during our return to the Capital. Don''t be afraid that I''ll steal your boyfriend. I like plain guys, after all." as she said that she winked at John while carrying a wide smile. Both John and Helena flushed, but for different reasons.


    "I am not plain..."


    "Steal my boyfriend..."


    Upon hearing their answer, Maria burst out laughing, taking a little time to calm down. When she finally relaxed, she started talking again.


    "You see, Bianca isn''t a girl that cares about formalities. She has probably already considered that we would leave. Don''t worry."


    "I see... I mean, I understand. My name is Helena Greene. You said that your surname is Woodman. Do you happen to be related to that Woodman House?" Helena asked fearfully. Since Maria was a noble, she had difficulties talking to her.


    "We are students from the same academy, so we are equals. Please, talk to me unreservedly, or I''ll be angry. As for your question, I am indeed the second daughter of the Woodman House. If anyone tries to bully you, ask for my help. I''ll scare them to death."


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    The orange-haired girl felt relieved upon hearing the words of Maria. She wanted to open her mouth again, but Vladimir didn''t give her the chance to do so.


    "Come on! Hurry! Let''s finish with this task today."


    ******


    "It sure is nostalgic..." the brown-haired youth muttered as he put another bunch of flowers inside a wooden basket.


    "You were always good at this!" Vladimir complained when he saw that his brother had long finished his task and kept on gathering more dragon flowers.


    "If I didn''t know it''s impossible, I would swear you know the forest better than me..." Maria also commented astonished.


    "I can''t find anything. I can''t! Vladimir, help me!" Helena shouted in tears.


    Seeing his brother trying to appease her, John let out accidentally a small laugh from his mouth. Realizing that Helena was looking at him with tears in her eyes, he felt a little guilty.


    "Listen, Helena. I am sure that among us, you are the one who can find the most dragon flowers. Don''t be stupid like my brother. The dragon flowers are cactus-like plants that conserve water. As a water magician, it should be easy for you to find them. Try to focus."


    "Oh? That''s a good idea. However, how you discover them so quickly?" Maria said as she looked at the boy with suspicion.


    "I am just smart enough to know how to search for them." John didn''t lie when he said that. He was accustomed to the characteristics of herbs and plants since he used many of them as poisons. Naturally, he was proficient in finding them.


    "I don''t like using magic in things like these. Wasting mana inside a forest can become fatal."


    ''Well, he isn''t wrong...'' the brown-haired youth thought upon hearing the comment of his brother. He looked at the sky and saw that the sun had started to set.


    "Let''s call it a day. We have already finished the job, after all. We can come here tomorrow so that Helena becomes used to it."


    "Shall we return to the Guild then?"


    "I am sorry, but I have a job to do. We can go tomorrow after the morning classes. Will you be free tomorrow, miss Maria?"


    "Don''t worry. Third years don''t have classes. We are currently training for the Tournament of Five Swords."


    The Tournament of Five Swords was a contest of Martial Arts in which only students from the five most powerful countries in Andromeda could participate. Maria was the daughter of the Legendary Sword Duke, so she had to answer the expectations of her country by reaching at least the top ten.


    "It sounds tough..." John said with sympathy.


    "Well... the third prince will participate this year. I can''t imagine that guy losing to anyone." the black-haired girl said with a sigh. Her father wanted to marry her to the prince, but she didn''t have a good impression of him. He was talented, but an arrogant and overbearing guy. She decided to follow princess Adriana to escape from his influence. Unfortunately, she couldn''t foresee the destruction of the Order of Red Rose. It wasn''t easy for her to avoid him anymore, especially now that she wasn''t a commander anymore.


    "Is he that strong?" Vladimir asked with the excitement he was feeling appearing on his face.


    ''Shit!'' Maria immediately thought upon seeing his expression.

 47 One surprise after another

    "Listen, Vladimir. I know you are strong enough to duel Baron Thundergod, but you have to stay low-key. Not every noble is forgiving enough to let you provoke him, much less the third prince who has a bad character. Although I am intrigued to see his smile disappear from his face..."


    "Miss Maria!"


    The shout of Helena brought the black-haired girl back to reality. With an embarrassed smile, she proceeded to talk.


    "Please, don''t speak to me formally. We are a party now. As for the third prince, I am joking. Without using all the three elements, I can''t imagine Vladimir winning against him. He is an official magic knight, after all. He can use both magic and martial arts simultaneously. Most importantly, his sword is a piece of divine equipment. A relic from the age of the gods."


    "A piece of divine equipment? What is this?" John asked, but he wasn''t the only one who was puzzled. No one except Maria had ever heard anything like that before.


    "They were weapons that ancient dwarves forged during the war of fate. Unlike other weapons, they have souls. If they don''t acknowledge you as their owner, you can''t use them even if you want to. These things can grant you amazing abilities. The third prince''s sword allows him to absorb the mana of his enemies and use it as his own."


    "Impossible!" John exclaimed emphatically. Using mana of other people is impossible. Every person had a different mindset toward magic making his mana unique. It''s what his father taught him, and he found this theory logical enough.


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    ''Does father know about the existence of an artifact like that? No, he must know it. As an S-ranked adventurer, his knowledge has to be deeper than almost everyone in the Empire. Does that mean that the sword doesn''t copy the mana of others, but uses some other tricks? Strangely, he didn''t mention the existence of these weapons. He might not know the answer himself, so he let us make our judgment when we come in contact with these things. I have to start to think out of the box. That person in the Forest of Lost Memories could also manipulate time and space. If I count the strange memories in my mind, there are many microorganisms that I can''t see with the naked eye. Do they have mana? I wonder what color they have if they exist. Since I can use light magic, I may manage to create something similar to an optical microscope. Now that I think of it, I can use this concept to create new magic...''


    "John, you hear me?"


    "..."


    "John?"


    "..."


    "John Smith, stop ignoring me!"


    The scream scared the brown-haired youth death. He glared at Maria, but she didn''t seem to care.


    "Since I have now your attention, I can continue. I know why you are doubtful, but these relics truly have these abilities. Not even Sir Frank de Alvin, the great researcher, could discover the reason for this. My father once told me he heard him declare that if he could solve the mystery behind these weapons, humans could become as powerful as they were in the past. Unfortunately, until the end of his life, he didn''t manage to do it."


    "He must have been an amazing person." John honestly praised. He deeply respected people who were open-minded.


    "Yeah. However, not many have the same opinion as us..."


    "Did you say something?" he asked Maria as he didn''t hear what the girl said, but she decisively shook her head before she opened her mouth.


    "Alright! Enough with the chit-chat. It has already become dark. Let''s return to the dorms."


    *****


    ''A sword that can absorb mana and allow you to use it. So these are the weapons that humans used to fight against gods. However, I am satisfied with my dagger. If its price was lower...'' John thought as he wandered in the darkness. He couldn''t help than remember what the merchant asked him to do back in the small port-town. He demanded from him to kill someone, but the brown-haired youth couldn''t find him no matter how hard he searched for him.


    ''If the merchant didn''t assure me that the target resided in the Capital, I would suspect he didn''t live here. Is he a member of these organizations that I read in the paper the priest gave me? If it''s true, things might become complicated. Not to mention that I have to kill that person from the Erebus that Bryan told me. Unfortunately, it won''t be easy. Since she is the third princess of the Empire...''


    Before he realized it, the youth had reached the Tower of War. His thoughts had made him lose his sense of time. He proceeded to enter, but his steps stopped abruptly.


    "If you want to follow someone, you have to learn to hide your presence first."


    "It''s best not to shout. We don''t want anyone else to hear us, after all." a melodious voice sounded in the air, making John honestly surprised. Not because he didn''t expect the person behind him to meet him, but because he thought she would come to talk to him a few weeks later and not immediately after he enrolled in the Academy.


    "It''s been a while, your Highness. Please forgive your servant''s insolent behavior." the brown-haired youth said as he bowed gracefully to the imperial princess, Adriana de Grenmar.


    "Are you mocking me?" the girl with the scarlet hair said with some irritation as she looked at her former subordinate.


    "I wouldn''t dare..."


    "Then stop talking to me like we are in the palace. Inside the Academy, I am nothing more than a teacher. The only person that has the right to have authority here is only my father and no one else."


    "Then... teacher. How can I help you?"


    His answer made Adriana suspect that the youth was making fun of her, but since he didn''t say anything blamable, she didn''t speak out her thoughts.


    "I came here to talk to you about the story you related to me..." as she told that, she looked around with vigilance and continued with a quiet voice.


    "The one about the destruction of Derman House."


    John didn''t expect that the princess would be so reckless, mentioning the incident in a place that anyone could eavesdrop them. He wanted to reprimand her, but the young woman wasn''t planning on letting him talk.


    "Don''t worry. I have made sure that nobody will approach this place for five minutes. Come and meet me in three days at my office in the central tower. We''ll talk in detail there."


    She left like a hurricane, leaving John speechless. He could only watch her walk away until she disappeared in the darkness.


    "I don''t consider myself a normal person, but why are the people around me weird as well?" the brown-haired youth muttered and headed toward the auditorium. He expected to meet some of his classmates tonight, but he couldn''t imagine that every single person from the Rat-Class would be here.


    "What the..."


    "Oh, it''s John! You are late!"


    "Since you knew what this test was about, why you didn''t tell us?"


    "Come on, Reece. He probably wanted us to surpass this trial with our powers."


    "William! You are so kind! Even to pests that only care for their well-being and nothing else."


    "A-Alisha! You are rude. He can hear you."


    "That''s why I said it, Zofia."


    ''How? It''s only one day.'' John thought as he looked at them dumbfounded.


    "Hello, classmate John. I informed everyone about our lesson today. I hope you don''t mind." a blonde girl that approached him silently told him with a warm smile.


    "You know what you did, Alexandra? It was okay for me to tell you since your act to purchase information, was proof of your ability. However, your decision to reveal the secret of the test unconditionally will force the teacher to fail all of you without exception."


    "You worry too much, John. Go to your seat. You too, Alexandra." Matias, who had just entered, said with a stern voice.


    The fat middle-aged man looked at his surroundings indifferently before his eyes landed at the female noble.


    "Tell me a reason not to expel you."


    Alexandra, with a smile, took out a pouch as she let her pleasing voice sound in the air.


    "There are inside five gold coins. Is this apology enough, teacher?"


    Under the bewildered eyes of the students, Matias counted the money before nodding to the girl with a fatherly expression.


    ''This is ridiculous! Didn''t you tell me yesterday that you planned on making us assassins and spies? Why I only see a greedy merchant in front of me? Where is the mysterious air you had in our conversation?''


    "Congratulations! You all passed! You were all magnificent."


    "..."

 48 Proposition 2

    "Since you passed, you are all members of the Rat-Class officially. Your days will be tough, so prepare yourselves. For the next ten days, I''ll teach you the basics that you''ll need to survive in the darkness. First of all, you shall all sign a cursed contract..." Matias explained to the students the same things he said to John. Although the youths knew now about the true nature of the class, they still listened carefully. They didn''t know what the future had in store for them.


    "What did you give to Alexandra as an exchange for the information about Rat-Class?" John asked quietly Henry, who was absorbed in the lesson.


    "What can I give her? I am just a commoner. I only promised to do her a favor when she askes me to. However, some wealthy students, like Reece, gave her a lot of money. I don''t understand why you didn''t take advantage of the situation too." the boy was surprised when John addressed his question to him but still replied calmly.


    "It''s not that I didn''t want to do it..." he muttered with a wry smile. He was afraid to meddle too much in things that didn''t concern him. Alexandra might appear as wise and kindhearted thanks to her decision to reveal everything to them for a price, but John didn''t regret his choice not to do anything to help them. First of all, he didn''t want to take unnecessary risks because of his greed. Matias might have approved the girl''s actions, but what if he considered them as cheating instead? Her actions could expel not only her but everyone she selfishly involved. She probably knew it herself but still proceeded with her plans anyway. As a noble, her stay in the academy wasn''t a matter of life or death, after all.


    Matias continued talking for two hours before he declared the end of the class. John slowly stood up and headed towards the dorms. He couldn''t wait to bed down, but the group of students that stopped him in the middle of the road didn''t empathize with his desires.


    "It seems that we have to talk..." a young man who seemed to be the leader said with a mocking smile as he glared at him. John didn''t understand what these guys who were a few years older wanted from him.


    "Do I know you?" he asked with some doubt. He had provoked many people in the past but not these in front of him.


    "It seems that because other first years don''t know how to use magic, you can do whatever you want. I''ll teach you today that if you want to survive here, you have to stay low-key." the youth said arrogantly and gestured at the three people who followed him to attack.


    ''What the hell! I didn''t do anything! I only threatened these guys in the morning a little since they planned to bully me. Don''t tell me that I have not the right to at least protect myself.''


    Unfortunately, his opponents didn''t care about his thoughts as they approached him with malicious intentions. John understood that unlike the people from the morning, they were upperclassmen who knew how to fight and use magic. The youth knew he was in a disadvantageous situation. He wasn''t a fighter who could confront others openly without prior preparations. Most importantly, his techniques were all used for killing. He couldn''t just murder them inside the Academy just because they wanted to intimidate him. That was why he immediately made his decision.


    "Do you know how my brother called me some times, back in the Moon Village?"


    They didn''t seem to care as they were ready to throw him to the ground. Alas, their hands passed through his body like he was a ghost. They could only watch dumbfounded his figure starting to disappear. The moment they thought they had gone mad, they heard a distant voice through the darkness.


    "He calls me, sneaky bastard."


    The four of them stared at their surroundings, alarmed. They waited and waited, but their opponent didn''t seem to want to make a move against them. Someone from the group couldn''t endure it anymore and whispered with some hesitation.


    "Boss, he might have already escaped..."


    "Shut up!" the leader shouted with anger as he glared at the darkness.


    "Next time, you won''t be so lucky, bastard!" his voice sounded in the air.


    *****


    "That was scary..." John muttered as he entered the dorms. His decision to leave the auditorium quickly alone unexpectedly backfired. Fortunately, these idiots attacked him without having any information on him.


    ''I don''t want to deal with them. It''s troublesome and not worthy of my time. Normally, I would ask Vladimir for cases like these, but the fact they are third years complicates things...'' he thought as he arrived at his room. If his brother defeated students that were close to graduation, he would attract too much attention. John could also avoid them continuously, but he wasn''t willing to give them the satisfaction that they made him behave like a coward.


    ''Since you managed to annoy me, I''ll do the same for you! Didn''t you come to bully me because I bothered these weaklings in the morning? That means that you are related to them in some way. From tomorrow, I''ll make their life in the Academy intolerable, hahaha...''


    He approached the desk and opened a notebook that was on it. Inside there were incomprehensible letters that someone from this word would find it impossible to understand them. He took a quill and started to write.


    ''Since I have some time before Henry returns to the room, I''ll imprint some of my thoughts on the paper. Writing in the language from my memories is convenient since it will prevent anyone from understanding the content of this notebook. First of all, the princess Adriana came to see me. It was faster than I expected, meaning she probably discovered something and needs my help. I would usually be happy about this, but I wanted to deal with the things I planned to do first. I have to go to the outer area and meet with Irene as soon as I can. I don''t have a choice but expedite the creation of an organization that works in the shadows. I gave her almost all of my money for this task, but I doubt it''ll be enough. So my goal for this week is to find the necessary funds. Alexandra gave me some money, but they are sou compared to what I need. I don''t have a choice. I didn''t want to do it, but I ''ll have to use some of the knowledge from my memories. Of course, I''ll use Irene as a proxy. Now, another thing that caught my interest is about...''


    He was about to continue, but the sound of steps warned him that his roommate was approaching. He quickly closed the notebook and left it on the desk. Even if Henry opened it from curiosity, he wouldn''t find anything, after all.


    "You are already here?" Henry asked as he entered.


    "Since I left immediately after the end of the class."


    "The others were criticizing you for being heartless."


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    "Of course they do..." John replied as he shook his head. He doubted they would do something differently from him if they were in his place.


    "William tried to defend you, though."


    ''As expected from the leader of our class. William is the best!''


    "However, Alisha wants to beat your ass."


    ''That bitch. She only disagrees with William''s words when it comes to me.''


    "What about you, Henry?"


    The muscular boy that looked older than his real age smiled and spoke.


    "Chit-chat is useless against real power. As long as they are weaker than you, the only thing they can do is to complain. They know it too deep inside. That''s why they are frustrated." He said and stopped to take a deep breath before he continued.


    "As for me... If I didn''t see what happened in the morning with these first years, I might have been the same as them."


    "But?" John asked while also wearing a smile as he looked at him.


    "But since I want my life, I prefer not to create an enemy I can''t defeat."


    ''That guy keeps surprising all the time. He may become a reliable friend, after all.''


    "Well, Henry. Are you interested in becoming an adventurer?"


    "..."

 49 Revenge

    "Why don''t you say anything?" John asked with a laugh as he saw how much surprised was the youth in front of him.


    "It''s that I don''t understand what you want from me..." Henry replied, not hiding the suspicions he felt.


    "You worry too much. I only want to invite you to the party I created in the morning. I registered as an adventurer today, you see."


    Henry stared at John for a few seconds and seemed to decide something before he started speaking.


    "As long as you treat me well, I would like to become closer to you. Don''t misunderstand my words, though. I don''t swing it that way."


    "Shut up, narcissist. I am going to sleep. My day was hell today. I''ll tell you the details tomorrow." John said as he headed toward his bed. He was exhausted since he didn''t have the time to rest at all. Henry wanted to retort, but he soon realized that the youth had already fallen asleep.


    At the same time, somewhere in the outer area, a young woman was running desperately on a deserted alley. She wanted to shout for help, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out of it. Only thick red blood was flowing like a stream from her lips. She turned her head again behind to see if her pursuer was close only to see that no one was chasing her. The young woman started to relax somewhat, thinking she escaped when she suddenly collided with something that made her fall to the ground. She raised her head fearfully and stared at the person in front of her. Her nightmare turned into reality since she recognized the face of the man as he was the reason for her current predicament.


    "Why?" she said with some difficulty as her injuries didn''t allow her to speak clearly.


    The man didn''t answer. He continued to look down at her with his demonic eyes that contained a peculiar red color that a human couldn''t have.


    "Why, George?" she asked again in vain while she was watching his hands that were approaching her throat. Her lover had become a monster that could not recognize her. She didn''t have the power to resist anymore. Her survival instinct was the only reason she managed to delay her predetermined end. With tears in her eyes, she welcomed the Grim Reaper that came to take her to the underworld.


    "It seems that the experiment is successful. I was afraid that the subject would hesitate to kill someone it knew, but my worries were pointless. The problem is that it''s uncontrollable. Its intelligence has become lower, unlike its power that has multiplied." a black-clad figure muttered while it was watching the man with interest.


    "We can use it as a weapon, but it won''t be too useful. I don''t understand why Frank de Alvin hid so desperately his research about this. There must be a reason. I have to discover this." he continued his monologue as he descended from the roof of the building he was standing on. It didn''t take more than a few seconds for the figure to appear in front of the man and behead him before it disappeared again. Two soulless bodies only remained on the ground.


    *****


    The eventful night passed quickly, giving its place to the bright sun. John, who was unaware of what happened in the outer area, was waiting outside of the Tower. He had woken up early and was in a good mood as he thought about his imminent revenge. His eyes suddenly shined upon seeing the arrival of a group of boys. He approached them silently, trying not to alarm them.


    "Do you think he''ll make trouble for us?" one of the youths asked fearfully.


    "Hahaha! Don''t be stupid! My brother told me that he ran for his life yesterday. He''ll probably beg us for forgiveness." said another one arrogantly. He was related to the young man who tried to harass John the previous night. The rest of the group burst out laughing upon imagining of the predicament of the youth. The boy who mocked John felt proud of himself as he continued bragging. What he didn''t expect was that one of his friends suddenly punched him in the face for no apparent reason.


    ''What the hell! I only wanted to boast a little. You didn''t have to attack me for this...'' he thought as he looked at his assailant with puzzlement. He didn''t understand how he provoked him no matter how much he tried to think about it. He wanted to ask help from the others when he saw that a leg from someone else was about to touch his head. Alas, the kick like the punch caught him off guard.


    "I am sorry, Thomas! For some reason, I hit you instinctively. I didn''t mean to do it. Please, forgive me!"


    "Me too! It seems that I can''t control my body. Believe me! I wouldn''t dare to attack you!"


    The two of them hurriedly explained upon seeing their injured friend that had collapsed on the ground.


    "You think I''ll believe this kind of bullshit? From today on, we are enemies!" the youth replied with anger when he heard their excuses.


    He wanted to take revenge for this humiliation, but the spectacle that followed after left him speechless. A battle royal took place outside of the tower, making anyone who wanted to enter the building to stop. Teachers needed, in the end, to intervene, but John didn''t care anymore. He used dark magic to curse them in the beginning to influence their actions, but he didn''t need to do anything else for a fight to break out.


    "That was fun, but it was too easy. I hope the Academy won''t expel them so that I can play more with them."


    "You are a devil!" Vladimir commented upon hearing what his brother said. When John narrated what happened yesterday, he was naturally angry, but now he felt some pity for these guys who messed with the wrong guy.


    "Aren''t you afraid that the third years will come again for you?" Helena, on the other hand, was worried about the youth''s well being.


    "Have you forgotten who else is a third-year in the Academy? Since we will meet her later, I plan on asking her help."


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    "You are not only a devil but also shameless!" Vladimir said in shock. He had already guessed that John would talk to Maria. His brother liked to use others to solve his troubles, after all. What he didn''t expect was that he would admit it so proudly.


    "Forget this. Let''s talk about something important. I want to add my roommate to the party if you don''t mind. You haven''t met him yet, but I am sure you''ll like him."


    "No problem for me. I am happy you have made a friend. I was afraid you would remain anti-social here too like Moon Village."


    "I have never been anti-social. Although my presence is weak, I was popular in the village." John answered with indignation. What he didn''t say, though, is that the girls approached him to ask if Vladimir was single, as well as help them to introduce them to him.


    "What about you, Helena? Do you have any problem if our roommate joins us."


    "I wanted to ask the same..." the girl muttered embarrassed.


    "You have a friend that you want her to join our party?" John asked in doubt. He didn''t expect that Helena would take the initiative to ask something like this.


    "She said that she wanted to meet you. Specifically you, John."

 50 Deal

    "She wants to meet me?" John expressed his doubt. Although his achievement to defeat Daniela was impressive, he managed to do it because she underestimated him. His victory couldn''t compare to his brother''s who won thoroughly against a teacher. That was the reason why he wasn''t well-known like Vladimir. If Daniela hadn''t spread the rumors of their fight, the students of the Academy would probably not even know about his existence. It wasn''t that his victory wasn''t eye-catching. If Vladimir didn''t beat his examiner to the point he needed to surrender, John''s name would probably have spread too. However, Vladimir had all the characteristics of an ideal knight that made others forget about other people, no matter how impressive their results were. His appearance alone was enough to monopolize the attention of the whole student body. Considering that he wasn''t just a pretty face, but a powerful individual with unlimited potential, he was more popular than even princess Adriana inside the Academy. Helena had also become as famous as him. Unfortunately, it wasn''t because of her beauty, her talent, or her charm, but because she was Vladimir''s girlfriend. She was probably the most hated person inside the establishment. John wouldn''t even dare to imagine how many girls must be jealous of her position. That was why he was surprised she had made a friend.


    ''I might have overthought some things. Most importantly, a person who wants to meet me is suspicious. The only reason I can think is that she wants to use me to become acquainted with Vladimir.'' John thought as he looked at the girl with pity. Helena was too innocent to understand how devious someone can become.


    "That''s what she told me. What do you think, John?" she asked anxiously. Her friend had helped her a lot these days when everyone in her class was gossiping about her. She pretended that everything was fine in front of her lover since she didn''t want to worry him, but she was quite stressed.


    "Sure. I wouldn''t refuse a favor that my sister in law asked for!" he replied with a smile as he winked at her. The girl blushed upon hearing his answer, but Vladimir rolled his eyes instead.


    "You should thank her since she helps you socialize with the opposite sex and not pretend you accepted with a heavy heart!"


    ''This idiot! Do you think I''ll care for a girl that is probably interested in you as always? You even dare to criticize me. Have you no shame saying these words?''


    John ignored him and stood up to empty the tray with the food in the bin. Since he finished with his breakfast, he planned on finding Stanley to ask him some questions.


    "Wait! Shouldn''t we talk about where to meet after the end of the lessons?" Vladimir asked quickly.


    "Since we have two new members, we''ll meet naturally out of the guild. " the youth said without ceasing his steps as he headed toward the exit.


    ****


    In the Imperial Capital, there were two guilds, something unprecedented compared to the other countries in the world. The Emperor requested the construction of an additional one inside the Academy, something that the Headquarters gladly accepted. The students had the chance to experience the dangers of the world away from the protection of the Academy. At the same time, the Headquarters secured the registration of talented youths in their organization. The Emperor wanted a second building for that to limit the dealings between adventurers and students. Many of them were spies from other countries, after all.


    Outside of the main guild of the Imperial Capital, a middle-aged man was about to enter. His appearance caught the attention of the adventurers since they instantly recognized his face.


    "Isn''t he the smiling devil?"


    "No way, right?"


    "He was an A-ranked adventurer before he retired. Who knows how strong he is now?"


    The man approached the girl who worked at the guild and spoke with a smile.


    "It''s been a while, Athena. You have become a beautiful woman now."


    "You said the same thing one month ago." the girl said as she shook her head. She was already fifteen years old, but he treated her still as a child.


    "How is your grandfather?"


    "He just returned from the Elven Kingdom. If you have the time, go and see him. He complains all the time that his friends have forgotten about him."


    "Hahaha! This guy is always the same. Anyway, is Marvin inside? I want to talk to him."


    Athena looked mysteriously at him before she started talking.


    "He is inside. He told me that you would come one of these days to see him. You can enter."


    The man didn''t seem surprised as he decisively headed toward the staircase leading to the second floor. Before long, he arrived outside a room with the sign "Guild Master" on the door.


    Upon receiving permission, he entered the room without hesitation.


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    "Hello, Marvin. You look fine."


    "You came a little sooner than I expected, Lloyd."


    They stared at each other for a few seconds before they started laughing simultaneously.


    "Well, I guess you don''t have much free time, so let''s cut to the chase. I need your help."


    "About the recent murder?" Marvin asked with a smile. He knew that the situation was a little tricky, so he had to manage it carefully.


    "Yes. Some people pressured me into talking to you. According to the usual business, the Guild should have assigned missions regarding the apprehension of the culprit. For some reason, you don''t seem to be willing to do it. They have started to become upset." Lloyd said, leaving his friend no way to escape from the subject.


    "You know our policy. We can''t involve ourselves in matters concerning the relationship between countries. If I didn''t know about the identity of the culprit, I could turn a blind eye, but..."


    "Others may not understand how the Headquarters work, but not me. I was an adventurer too. This incident has nothing to do with politics. Don''t forget that despite being enemies with the Demon Army, the Empire doesn''t discriminate against races. In this case, we have a criminal who murders innocent people. Nothing complicated."


    "This is sophistry!" Marvin shouted. When he realized he lost his calm, he stopped to take a deep breath and continued.


    "Since he is just a killer, why doesn''t the Empire send knights after him! I''ll tell you the answer. They want to use the adventurers to discover why the demon goes around the Capital killing random people. There is no way I''ll put them in danger, Lloyd. That demon managed to escape from the Empire''s counter-espionage. He is probably stronger than me. How can I ask others to deal with him!"


    "You underestimate yourself too much. I think you misunderstand something. What I want from you is to find the demon''s whereabouts. Leave the rest to the knights. The Elite squad will personally participate this time. This much should be fine, right?"


    Marvin wanted to retort, but he stopped. He tried to find another solution, but he knew the Empire wouldn''t accept anything less from what Lloyd proposed. With a sigh, he proceeded to give his answer.


    "So be it, but in one condition."


    "As long as it''s reasonable."


    "This will be at most a D-rank mission. I don''t want to endanger high ranked adventurers. Not to mention that low ranked will be safer since they won''t alarm the demon."


    "I won''t tell you how to do your job. We have a deal then." Lloyd said with a smile. He completed the task successfully.

 51 A "friend" from the pas

    Time had frozen. Every second that passed as he looked at her seemed to him like an eon. How was it possible to meet her here? The past came to knock his door when he was making plans for the future. How could he know that before he had the chance to confront the ghosts from his life, one of them would suddenly appear in front of him?


    "Hello, John. My name is Angelica." Her voice sounded like a clap of thunder in his ears. Behind the smiling mask on her face, the youth could feel her hidden hostility that was ready to devour him the moment he would let his guard down.


    "It''s my pleasure to meet you." his calm voice didn''t betray the turmoil inside him. John was sure that she didn''t expect he would be in the Academy too. If she had come for him, she wouldn''t make him aware of her existence. She would come to meet him instead, under the pale light of the moon in some isolated area with no friendly intentions.


    "Shall we add them to the party then?" Vladimir asked as he looked at Henry and Angelica innocently. John didn''t dare to reject his brother''s suggestion for three reasons. Firstly, he had already lost the initiative when Angelica found him first. He could only wait and see what the girl had in her mind when she asked Helena to meet him. Most importantly, there should have been a reason she was in the Academy. John had to find out why a person like her enrolled in the Academy. As for the third reason..."


    ''I have to kill her. I can''t let someone who knows my real identity and the fact that I am alive to exist. It seems it''s our fate to become enemies.''


    "Let''s go then!" Vladimir shouted with excitement.


    *****


    "Why are you here?" John asked the girl with a monotonous voice. The group was currently heading towards the forest for another request for gathering herbs. The youths were left behind on purpose to talk privately.


    "Shouldn''t I be the one to ask this question? Why are you alive, no.9? We even found your corpse. Master was very disappointed you died in a simple mission like this." she replied with a smile.


    "You wanted to see me. Why?"


    "I wanted to say hello to an old friend and warn him not to involve himself in my business. Although assassinating you would be the safest choice, I am not confident in winning against you. You were a troublesome opponent when you didn''t use magic, much less now that you can manipulate the Dark Element. Since you are an unpredictable variable, I decided to negotiate with you."


    "An interesting suggestion. However, I don''t have a reason to accept it."


    "Are you sure? I can already find four reasons for you to accept." Angelica answered with her trademark smile as she stared at Vladimir, Helena, Henry, and Maria, who were chatting happily.


    "Are you an idiot, no.4? Why do you think I would care if you killed some brats?" the youth asked indifferently.


    "You wouldn''t? People change, no. 9. No, I shall call you John now. Not that it matters. The fact you are with them means you have your reasons for this. I don''t need to comment that if I revealed to the organization that you are alive, they would hunt you to ends of the Kelvin." the moment she said that she used her one hand to block the strike of the boy who had taken out his dagger silently and with the other, she attacked his neck. Alas, the youth suddenly disappeared, but the girl didn''t seem to be surprised. Like she had eyes in her back, she attempted a round kick instinctively at the space where John suddenly appeared. The move of the girl caught him off guard, as it threw him on the ground. The noise, though, alarmed the group that was in front of them.


    "What the hell are you two doing?" Maria asked, surprised. Although these two were taking intimately, they suddenly started fighting like they were mortal enemies.


    "I heard that John managed to defeat a teacher, so I asked him to spar with me a little. I was lucky to hit him by mistake when I started to panic." Angelica said while carrying an apologetic expression.


    "John, are you alright?" Vladimir, who didn''t believe her nonsense, asked with worry. His instincts were telling him that the girl wasn''t so simple, but since she was a friend of Helena, he had thought he had been paranoid.


    "No, she is telling the truth..." he replied with a laugh as he stood up. He gave a momentary glare at her before he continued his explanations. That demon was the roommate of his brother''s girlfriend, after all.


    "I wanted to impress Angelica with some moves, but she caught me off guard instead..." he said with a flushed face.


    "We should leave them alone for some time!" Helena said to the silver-haired youth with a pleading voice. The girl truly wanted the two of them to hook up, as she cared for both of them.


    Vladimir was hesitant, but upon seeing the eyes of his brother staring at him confidently, he changed his mind and gestured at the rest of them to proceed forward.


    "It seems you have become stronger."


    "No, you let me hit you on purpose. The moment I would think I had the upper hand would be the moment that would signal the end of my life. If the others didn''t stop us, I wouldn''t notice you camouflaged your weapon with dark magic. You didn''t betray my expectations."


    "So you noticed! You sensed my mana? How surprising since I only used a little magic." John remarked with a nonchalant expression.


    "Do we have a deal?" Angelica ignored his nonsense and got down to brass tacks.


    "As long as you don''t reveal that I am alive."


    "I can promise this, until the end of my mission, though."


    "Let''s sign a cursed contract then. I am sure you came with one."


    "My big brother knows me well..." she answered with a smile as she took a piece of paper from her backpack.


    *******


    Time passed, and John had to go to the Tower of War. He truly had an eventful day. He first asked Stanley some advice on how he should act when proposing a deal to a merchant before meeting with a ghost from his past. John knew that one of them would die in the future for the other to continue living. He had to gain information on his opponent to be prepared for that moment. The two of them knew well what someone needed to do to survive in the darkness. Both of them had to become monsters. Emotionless and cruel, the organization raised them to turn them into puppets, after all. John renewed his resolve to destroy Erebus after meeting her again.


    ''Too many things to do, and now, I have to walk a tightrope. After meeting with Adriana tomorrow, I will start acting. I have no time to waste anymore...''


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 52 Conversation

    "It''s been a while..." she said as she scrutinized the youth''s face. It had been only a few days, but she felt that John was somewhat different compared to before. He was usually carrying that lazy expression on his face, giving the impression of an approachable and slow-witted person. Although he was still radiating the aura of an easy-going youth, his eyes had gained an unusual sharpness that was making her feel uncomfortable. Were these changes the result of his contact with the Rat-class, or did his true self start to be revealed? His brother''s existence, combined with his weak presence, tended to make others underestimate him. Even she wasn''t an exception to this phenomenon. As a princess, she had learned to give everything the appropriate attention. Vladimir''s talent was that overwhelming, though. Adriana couldn''t stop comparing the two brothers subconsciously, even though she knew it was wrong. She was also aware that she wasn''t the only one. John''s prowess should have been more than enough for him to enter Dragon-class. If Vladimir didn''t enroll together with him, he would also be the top student. Surprisingly, everyone seemed to forget him after the completion of the entrance exams. After meeting him again, she realized she had to change her initial impression of him. It wasn''t only unjust, but also dangerous to evaluate someone so soon.


    "It''s your subject''s honor to meet Your Highness again," John replied as he genuflected.


    "You know that I don''t like these formalities."


    "I don''t dare to be disrespectful without being commanded to speak informally."


    "Were you always this careful with your actions?" She asked as his comment picked her interest.


    "Naturally, I have to be mindful of my position as a commoner. I am not as courageous as Vladimir, after all."


    "You mean reckless? It''s not like you to badmouth your brother."


    "I don''t. I only promote my good points since Your Highness plans to assign me a mission."


    "You mean that your good point is to be careful before you act?"


    "Of course not." John shook his head decisively before he opened his mouth again.


    "Being too careful isn''t always a good thing. What I mean is that I know when is the right moment to say and do what is necessary. I am confident in evaluating the situation correctly."


    "These are pleasant news then. I was reluctant whether you are capable enough, but your performance persuaded me."


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    John didn''t answer, but a small smile formed on his face. Everything was proceeding according to his calculations. He didn''t need to do anything spectacular to impress the princess. A small change in his demeanor was enough. The opposite party didn''t have many choices, after all. Being more trustworthy in her eyes also meant access to more information on his enemy. As he said, it wasn''t always a good thing to be too careful, especially now that a terrifying enemy had appeared from his past. John would prefer to face Edward in a fight than having Angelica lurking in the shadows. He had to quickly discover, not only her weaknesses but also her goal. He was sure that whatever she was involved in would concern him in the future too. For Erebus to appear here meant that something huge was about to happen in the Capital.


    "Many murders are happening in the outer area lately. The culprit is undoubtedly a demon, but I have my reasons to believe that Erebus is also involved in these incidents. In a few days, a request for investigation will appear in the guild outside of the Academy. It will be a D-rank mission. Do I need to say anything else?"


    "No, I understand what my task is," he replied. John wasn''t surprised that Adriana knew he had become an adventurer. According to his mission, he had to raise his rank quickly and leave the Academy for some time. The real problem was that he needed Maria to take the request as a first-year.


    "I will wait for the good news. In the future, I''ll find some way to communicate with you without creating suspicions. We don''t know if there are any spies, after all."


    The youth was relieved upon hearing her words. Angelica shouldn''t be alarmed about Adriana yet. It would be a different story if they continued meeting, though.


    "I shall leave with your permission then."


    "Be careful! Don''t forget about the Demon''s existence. Its power should be comparable to an Imperial Knight of the Elite squad. Someone like the Iron General, for example."


    John hid his tremble hardly before he proceeded to leave.


    It was still morning, and the upper floors of the tower of war were almost empty. One of the reasons the youth wasn''t too worried if Angelica had followed him was that the classes hadn''t ended yet. John headed towards the auditorium, as his lessons were still ongoing. Their teacher had informed them yesterday that they didn''t have a reason anymore to gather at nights since everyone passed his test. They would also avoid creating suspicions this way. John funnily skipped his first real day as a student. Adriana similarily should have been teaching the Dragon-Class, but she feigned sickness to meet him. Unfortunately, it was something they could do only once.


    ''I don''t have a good feeling about this mission. What do the Erebus want from a Demon? Why is Angelica here? The Imperial Academy isn''t a convenient place for her to act without interferences. How did Adriana found information so quicky towards Erebus? I have to find the answers to these questions.'' His thoughts made him lose the sense of time as he found himself standing outside his destination. He contemplated whether it was a good idea to enter since he didn''t ask permission from Matias to be absent. In the end, he didn''t dare to waste any more time and opened the door, attracting the attention of the whole class.


    "Mister John Smith! What an honor to condescend yourself and come here!" the mocking voice of the middle-aged man made him realize that his teacher wouldn''t let him off the hook easily.


    "I am sorry! I forgot that the lesson was in the morning. I promise it won''t happen again." the youth said with a pitiful expression.


    "Of course, it won''t..." Matias said as his eyes fell upon the rest of the class.


    "We are all moving towards the training area. The next lesson will be a practical one!"


    Two hours later...


    "Fuck you, John!" Henry''s curse sounded with difficulty amid the laughter of the surrounding people. The spectacle of the buried until their necks students and the teacher watering their heads with a watering can was indescribable.


    ''I hope I''ll survive their wrath...''

 53 Side Story:Vladimir

    "Do you know the story of Vladimir, the pirate?" the little boy stared puzzlingly with his big innocent eyes at the figure that addressed the question to him. A hearty laughter sounded before being replaced by a manly voice.


    "Once upon a time, there was a small peaceful island, somewhere in the ocean, a forgotten country. The people there were living happily, isolated from the rest of the world. The protagonist of the story was a fisherman. His name was Vladimir, a hard-working man that had to fight with the waves daily to support his family. His benignant character had made him especially loved to his fellow villagers."


    "Was he strong?" the chirping voice of the boy caused the appearance of a small smile on the face of the man.


    "I''ll leave the decision to you after you have heard the whole story."


    The boy grimaced with dissatisfaction upon hearing his answer but continued listening obediently.


    "Vladimir and his family were living peacefully until the sudden appearance of several foreign navy ships. The locals were afraid but still tried to welcome them to the island. Unfortunately, these people had come with hostile intentions. They didn''t appreciate their kindness. They started killing them instead."


    "W-why?"


    "Greediness. They saw that the locals were weak, and they decided to enslave them as well as steal their wealth."


    "These people are bad!"


    "Vladimir was taken by them and became a slave. He managed to save neither his precious wife nor his two cute children. They made him fight his friends in the arena for his survival. Vladimir couldn''t restrain his rage and hatred towards the invaders that destroyed his life. He escaped and started saving people that were in a similar situation to him. His talent at reading the direction of the wind rendered impossible for the authorities to arrest him whenever he set sail. It didn''t take long for Vladimir to become a notorious and unstoppable pirate."


    "Vladimir is amazing!"


    "However, he had become cruel and merciless. He never spared the life of a single captive. He even tortured them until their very end. Surprisingly, Vladimir managed to succeed in his revenge, as his actions provoked severe repercussions to the country''s economy. Like it had happened to his island, a foreign force took advantage of their conflict and invaded. "


    "He did it then!" the boy shouted with excitement as he clenched his fist triumphantly.


    "You are wrong! What Vladimir had lost was something he couldn''t gain again. He created a vicious cycle instead since a victim similar to him that had lost his family because of him, murdered him. Many innocent people suffered the consequences of his rage. Violence causes more violence, never forget that my son." he answered as he looked at him lovingly. He was about to open his mouth again when a voice filled with anger suddenly sounded.


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    "Leonheart! What kind of stories are you saying to my baby!" a woman with silver straight hair charged in the room and hugged the little boy. She was unimaginably beautiful to the point she didn''t seem real. Even her ethereal voice was bewitching.


    "Come on, my angel. You are always the one who is narrating stories, so I thought I could..." her glare forced him to swallow his words. In their Household, his wife was the one who ruled the roost.


    "If you want to narrate stories about a pirate, choose someone like Morgan and not a villain like Vladimir! Have you any idea how old is Rohan?"


    "Don''t you beautify Morgan too much? I have never heard of a kindhearted pirate!"


    "Don''t dare to insult my childhood hero!"


    The scene of two adults arguing for something so ridiculous made the boy to roar with laughter. The two parents also chuckled, creating a harmonious atmosphere that was unfortunately disrupted by the sound of the knock on the door.


    Upon receiving permission, a man wearing a dazzling armor entered. He approached the father of the child and whispered something that made his face momentarily change.


    "Are you sure?" he asked with a quiet voice, hoping that the information was wrong.


    "Yes, sir."


    "Wait for me outside."


    "Yes, sir."


    "What''s the matter, dear?" the woman asked with worry upon hearing their conversation. Leonheart shook his head and approached his wife, muttering something. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. She looked at the little boy and hugged him again, but tightly this time.


    "M-mom! It hurts!"


    "Listen to me, Rohan. Do you know what a hero is?" she asked with a sweet voice that made Rohan to relax.


    "The strongest person?"


    "No, my baby. It''s the person that can leave his past behind and move forward. Never forget these words, and you''ll be alright. Me and your father love you so much. Goodbye, my precious child." she answered as she kissed his forehead. The boy felt his eyes becoming heavier before everything turned into darkness. When he opened them again, he found himself riding a horse with a knight.


    "Where am I?" Rohan asked with difficulty. His body was still numb from his sleep.


    "Please be patient, sir. We have almost escaped."


    His green eyes wandered around, scrutinizing the unfamiliar environment. The headache prevented him from thinking clearly. He could only discern a distant light that was following them with blistering speed. It was approaching closer and closer until it passed from above him. The boy didn''t have time to understand what happened when he suddenly found himself, together with the knight, falling from the horse. The large body of the man protected him from the plunge. He could feel, though, the sensation of the hot blood that had soaked his face. Rohan instinctively understood that it belonged to his companion, but the realization didn''t prevent him from breaking down. Alas, the figure that was approaching him didn''t seem to care about his sobbing.


    "I finally found you, little boy. My luck is good."


    Rohan was too scared to understand what the opposite party meant. He was, after all, only five years old.


    "Killing a small kid will leave me a bad taste, but I don''t have another choice. Blame your parents for giving birth to you." the figure said and pointed his hand at the boy. A bright light appeared again, forcing Rohan to look at last at him. His appearance wasn''t much different from humans except for the two horns that existed on his head. That was the only thing he could think as the light blinded him.


    "Are you alright, boy?" the manly voice resembled his father''s, making Rohan to open his eyes hurriedly, but the spectacle almost scared him to death. A devil with fiery red hair was standing in front of him, holding an ax made of fire. The demon had mysteriously disappeared, and only a strange black dust was in his position.


    "I am sorry. My metamorphosis is a little intimidating. From your silver hair, you must be Leonheart''s son. What are you doing so far away from your home?"


    "I..."


    "Did your parents sent you to me on purpose? I met with them only five days ago. Forget it. I can guess that something is wrong. Although I am hesitant about taking you with me, I can''t leave you alone here. Let''s go, kid."


    *****


    The debris around him made him doubt if they had come to the right place. The surroundings were too horrifying for any sane person, much less a child. Countless corpses of humans and demons that had made the ground reddish. The man was holding the boy in his hands to prevent him from seeing anything, but Rohan''s eyes managed to detect them momentarily. It might have been the connection of the blood, but he saw their severed heads impaled on pikes.


    ''Do you know the story of Vladimir, the pirate?''


    ''I''ll leave the decision to you after you have heard the whole story.''


    ''Listen to me, Rohan. Do you know what a hero is?''


    ''No, my baby. It''s the person that can leave his past behind and move forward. Never forget these words, and you''ll be alright. Me and your father love you so much. Goodbye, my precious child.''


    "No..."


    Vomiting, crying, and again vomiting.


    ******


    "You are awake, boy."


    "..."


    "From now on, you''ll be my son. I owe it to your father."


    "..."


    "I swear I''ll take care of you. It''s an oath of a lifetime, the oath of an S-ranked adventurer."


    "..."


    "Will you tell me at least your name?"


    Rohan raised his head and stared at him with his dead eyes.


    "Vladimir. My name is Vladimir."

 54 An exhange

    "What happened to you?" Vladimir asked upon seeing the miserable appearance of Henry and John. As always, they had met outside of the guild to search for new requests, so that they could raise their rank quickly. A mischievous smile formed on Maria''s face as she looked at the exhausted faces of the two youths.


    "I heard from a little bird that your class today was about the agricultural economy of the Empire. "


    "Isn''t this kind of research an object of study of the Department of Economics?" Helena, who hadn''t learned yet about the incident that happened in the morning, asked. Unfortunately, her unmalicious words, coupled with the innocent expression on her face, were far more painful than the ridicule of Maria. Maria couldn''t contain her laughter upon understanding the mixed feelings of the two boys.


    "Is that what the teachers were talking about?" Angelica, who was indifferent about the whole conversation, suddenly commented.


    "Fuck you, John! Even the teachers are gossiping us now!" Henry cursed with irritation.


    "You have to handle this much embarrassment if you want to become a successful man," John said shamelessly, but inwardly he was complaining about Matias. That bastard teacher didn''t have to make him a scapegoat to bully the students. The others in the dorm were already looking at him unfavorably; he didn''t want to provoke more hostility.


    "Although I am quite curious about what you are talking about, we don''t have much time if we want to finish with a request today. Next time, though, I would appreciate it if you took a bath first before coming here." Vladimir also added as he made a gesture indicating that he couldn''t handle the stench. If John hadn''t noticed the small smile in his brother''s lips, he would swear that the spoiled brats in his class had started to influence him. Alas, Vladimir would regret mocking John when the youth was searching for a target to release his stress. John, with a bright smile, approached Vladimir with his hands outstretched, who was staring at him alarmed.


    "Come, brother. I have to show you my love and admiration occasionally. Don''t be afraid, why are you running. Let''s make our bond stronger."


    The party finally entered the guild, which was surprisingly almost devoid of people. Except for Bianca, who was hammering several requests down on the wall, there wasn''t a single person inside. They looked at each other discerning the puzzlement on the faces of the others before approaching the elf who was too occupied to perceive their presence.


    "How come is so quiet today?" Maria, who was the one that had the closest relationship with Bianca, took on asking representing the others.


    "I am not sure. It seems there is a demand for adventurers in the other guild in the Capital, and people went to check out what is the reason for this." The elf that recognized her friend''s voice answered without turning around.


    "I thought that students are forbidden to take on requests of any other guild other than this."


    "It is..." Bianca murmured and finally turned her head towards Vladimir, who had just commented.


    "But not many abide by this rule. It is impossible, after all, to check if a student is an adventurer when he isn''t wearing his uniform. The only identification that we ask in a guild is the cards that I delivered you in which we have written on only your full name, as well as your ranking."


    "I don''t understand, why would the students take unnecessary risks when they could safely raise their rank through this guild?" Helena wondered aloud as she couldn''t understand their actions.


    "It''s because they want to raise their ranks!" Vladimir exclaimed.


    "He means that the students to raise their ranks to become D-ranked adventures they have to take requests from other Guilds," John explained upon seeing that his brother''s words hadn''t cleared Hellena''s puzzlement.


    "Why?"


    "You can find the answer to the wall," Angelica replied as she pointed her finger towards the wall.


    Helena looked at the requests and finally understood. All of them were miscellaneous, but not a single one required them to fight. Becoming a D-ranked adventurer without proving your capability in battle was impossible.


    "Naturally, there are requests of slaying monsters or exterminating bandits, but the students require the permission of their teacher. The Academy usually assign these kinds of missions a few times in the year, so that the students acquire experience in battle, but it''s not nearly enough for someone who wants to raise his rank as an adventurer." Bianca also added.


    "Although we didn''t enroll here to become adventurers," Maria remarked with a wry smile.


    "That''s what I would expect from a noble to say..."


    "What do you mean?" She glared at John, who was shaking his head, showing his disappointment.


    "Think about it. You are a third-year, you should know better than me the living conditions of the commoners in the Academy. Although the Academy provides them with the necessary goods to live comfortably here, that''s what it all gives them in reality. It''s impossible to live in this kind of community without any money. Making connections with the nobility or improving your equipment''s quality are things that require funds. Rising in the rankings isn''t only an excellent method of creating capable soldiers, but also provides the opportunity to the commoners to finance their education. Or else why would the Academy allow us to become adventurers?"


    "It''s the reason that although the restrictions exist, the students are independent to do anything they want, as long as they don''t get caught or shame the Empire. It''s a different story for you who are first-years, though. Forget about enforcing the rules on you; they'' ll even try to set anyone who isn''t careful as an example. Don''t be fooled that this is an academy. It''s also military at the same time. " Bianca remarked. What she couldn''t understand was why everyone suddenly started to stare at Henry and John with strange smiles.


    "Alright, alright, that''s enough nonsense. Let''s choose a request to take. " John pretended that no one was looking at him and proposed.


    They didn''t hesitate to take on a request for gathering herbs again. As always, they headed towards the woods in a relaxed manner. These kinds of demands not only allowed them to familiarize themselves with the forest but also with the Academy. John was staring at Angelica, who was conversing happily with Helena. He wondered if she knew anything about the recent murders in the Capital. No, he was sure that she knew. How are the Demons connected to Erebus, why would they start killing random people, John had many unanswered questions. The contract was restricting him from confronting the girl in front of him. That didn''t mean that he didn''t have ways to meddle with her business, though, as Angelica didn''t know that John had a clue about Erebus before arriving at the Imperial Capital. Luckily, she made her presence known before he could act, or else he wouldn''t know how he died.


    "Where are your thoughts traveling?" Maria, who was walking beside him, followed his gaze and continued.


    "Are you interested in her? Since yesterday you seem strangely preoccupied with her."


    "Don''t tell me you are jealous."


    "If I told you that I am a little what you would say?"


    John turned his head to look at the girl with the short black hair and shiny eyes. She was staring at him, carrying a small charming smile. Despite his efforts, he couldn''t understand if she was speaking seriously or was playing with him as usual.


    "Don''t say scary things like that; my heart can''t handle it."


    "You are surprisingly slow-witted, aren''t you? Why do you rule out the possibility of me liking you so easily?" Maria said with some dissatisfaction.


    "I know myself. I don''t have any notable features to stand out. More so, we don''t know each other well. The daughter of the Duke wouldn''t start liking me, a commoner, for no apparent reason, would she?" John explained indifferently.


    "You forgot the most important reason for wanting to know someone better."


    "And what would that be?"


    "Curiosity!" Maria replied with a triumphed smile.


    That''s a fair argument, John thought. This kind of reason may sound ridiculous, but, in reality, it''s usually the primary motivation of not only creating relationships between people but on doing many things in life. John couldn''t deny this kind of argument, so he tried to change the subject of the conversation.


    "By the way, I need your help with something."


    "That''s surprising. What for?" Although Maria wasn''t happy about this abrupt change, his request picked her interest.


    "Some annoying people are continually picking me on. The problem is that they are third years..."


    "Third years interfering with first years? Are they stupid?" Maria interjected, shouting with anger. If discrimination alone was enough for the Academy to expel a student, one could imagine the consequences of a third-year bullying a first-year. Third years were about ready to graduate and become genuine soldiers of the Empire. Not to mention daring to exercise violence upon a first-year who can''t theoretically protect himself, the punishment for this kind of action alone is a disciplinary offense with the sentence of imprisonment.


    "Leave it to me. However, I want something too in exchange." Maria said with a laugh as she winked her eye at him.


    She is so troublesome, John thought, but he tried not to show it on his face.


    "Let''s go on a date."

 55 Permission granted

    "A date? With me?" John looked at Maria, dumbfounded.


    "Yes, that''s my condition."


    "Are you trying to kill me? Have you any idea what kind of status you have inside the Academy?" John complained without thinking of holding back. He believed when he invited her to the party that he had already been pushing his luck. Maria wasn''t just a random individual; she was the second daughter of the Sword Duke. What kind of impression would the students have if they saw her hanging out with a commoner? Jealousy, anger, hatred, John was confident he would become the receiver of all these negative feelings.


    "Forget it. I don''t want to inconvenience you..." Maria murmured as she started walking faster. John could even discern that tears were threatening to appear in her eyes. He didn''t expect that his words would hurt so much the girl.


    "Wait!" He shouted instinctively. He was even surprised by his reaction.


    "Do you need anything else?" Maria asked, emphasizing the last part of her sentence.


    "At least, be disguised when we go out or else they will lynch me..."


    "Of course! Do you think I am insensible? Don''t worry! It''s not my first time; no one will recognize me, hehe." Her gloomy appearance disappeared like it was an illusion leaving the boy dazed.


    She tricked me, he thought. His guilty conscience clouded his judgment forcing him to agree rashly. John honestly believed that Maria''s mentality was in bad condition after the incident in the Forest of Lost Memories. He was the one who was responsible for this, although the girl didn''t know it. Maria had lost all of her subordinates and comrades in one day. It wasn''t the dragon that killed them; he was the murderer, her enemy. That''s why John didn''t want to play the role of the friend she desperately needed; the youth didn''t want to break her more. He knew, however, that her status was an obstacle for her to open up to others. What was the reason that John was unique? Because of his memories, the shackles of authority didn''t apply to him. He didn''t see the people of higher status as gods, but simple humans. John suspected that Maria felt that from him instinctively.


    "This is so troublesome..." he murmured as he looked up high. At times like these, he didn''t want anything else than lie down on a green meadow and gaze across the vast blue sky. Alas, his position belonged to the starless night.


    The party gathered the herbs quickly this time. It was evident that Helena had become accustomed to the procedure, but the biggest gain for her was the lessons taught by the two brothers for surviving in the wildlife. John had finally found how to finance the organization that was planning to form. He only needed to meet with Irene, but the problem was how to be granted permission to leave the Academy. As a first-year, John didn''t have, unfortunately, the freedom to move around freely. In the beginning, he didn''t consider it a problem; his teacher would probably allow him to leave for a few days. However, the conversation in the guild today changed his mind. He didn''t have an option but use the name of the princess to persuade Matias. After all, John''s primary reason for wanting to go out was to visit the other guild in the Capital. Naturally, he wouldn''t mention that to Matias, just that she needed him to run an errand. Angelica''s contract wouldn''t let him investigate personally, but he would assign that mission to Irene. That kind of job needed time, in the end, that he didn''t have, or else the Counter-Espionage would have found the demon a long time ago.


    The next day John headed a little sooner in the auditorium, hoping to find Matias before the beginning of the lecture. After the test of their teacher, the lessons were conducted in the morning in order not to create suspicions. Matias didn''t teach them anything either, only talking about the Academy. His purpose was to allow them to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. When John opened the door, he found his teacher sitting on the chair behind the desk and sleeping. The sound of the squeak awoke Matias, who wasn''t very happy with this interruption.


    "Did yesterday''s punishment create you any psychological problems regarding the time? " His statement made John glare at him for a moment, but the youth didn''t dare to contradict him.


    "I wanted to talk to you in private."


    "Oh? Did anything happen?" Matias asked, interested.


    "I need to leave the Academy for..."


    "No!"


    "But I didn''t finish..."


    "No is no. Do you think you can come and go wherever you want? You are a soldier; if you wanted personal freedom, you should have never enrolled here." Matias said and gestured him to leave, indicating he wasn''t willing to listen to anything else.


    "Even if it''s an order of princess Adrianna?"


    Upon hearing John''s remark, Matia''s gaze sharpened, the atmosphere seemed to frozen.


    "If you ask for forgiveness now in case you are lying, I might pretend not to hear what you just said."


    "You know better than me that I wouldn''t dare to say such an easily exposed lie." the youth replied, indifferent to his teacher''s hostility.


    "I will grant you your request, but I don''t like it. When you return, I''ll make sure you receive all my dissatisfaction." Matias said and threw him a golden medallion.


    "You can go out with this, but if you lose it, not even the princess will be able to save you. You have two days to return; if you don''t, I will personally propose to the Academy to expel you. Am I clear?"


    "Yes, sir!" John saluted and proceeded to leave. He made sure first to inform his brother that he would be absent for a while, as well as the princess.


    John didn''t dare to take out his uniform before arriving at the outside area. The medallion might be enough to allow him to exit the Academy, but the outfit he was wearing was his identification proof for passing towards outside. It had been only a few days since his enrollment; nothing changed in the world in this short period. If John found something different compared to before was that some people were paying attention to him. The youth had stopped being the usual plain-looking individual anymore. He was a soldier of the Empire now. However, John didn''t like being the center of attention; he only wished to change clothes as soon as he could. Unfortunately, he didn''t know that he was already the topic of a conversation somewhere else.


    "Are you sure you saw him leaving?" A young man asked, surprised. If John were here, he would recognize him as the leader of the group that attacked him that night in the Academy.


    "Hahaha, I thought I would have to give up when the second daughter of the Duke interfered with our revenge, but that guy is like he is begging us to go after him!"


    "But why did the Academy permit him to leave?" another individual of the group wondered aloud.


    "It doesn''t matter. That bastard seems to have some connections, but I don''t plan to deal with personally this time." He said as his gaze wandered around the people of the group before landing on someone.


    "You! You''ll go to my family and tell my servant that I want revenge on that guy. Warn him to do it secretly. If Lady Maria learns about this, I don''t even want to imagine the consequences. I know! There is a murderer in the Capital; we can frame him for the crime."


    "Do-do we have to go that far for a commoner? The risk is too big..." Someone stuttered.


    "Shut up!" The young man shouted enraged.


    "That bastard not only dared to touch my brother, the son of a Baron, as a commoner, he even made the daughter of a Duke despise us. Since that guy was generous enough to give me a chance to deal with him once and for all, I would be mad if I didn''t do it."


    "But Lady Maria..."


    "Lady Maria will never learn anything. Even if she did, why would she care for trash? She was probably defending the prestige of the Academy, that''s why she involved herself in something insignificant as this incident. That ant took advantage of the goddess''s kindness; it''s our duty to render justice."


    Although his words were selfish, they were also justified. Not many knew that Vladimir and John journeyed together with the Order of the Red Rose on their way to the Capital; much less, they were witnesses of the incident that happened in the Forest of Lost Memories. Even if the young man knew, he might have proposed the same plan again. Because for him, John wasn''t anything else than a commoner in his eyes. The Academy might have reduced the cases of discrimination with its strict rules; it was impossible to extinguish the sense of superiority from the nobles, though. Commoners also didn''t dare to defend themselves against the bullying they underwent because there would be one day that the Academy wouldn''t be able to protect them anymore. Neither their family...

 56 The Imperial Capitals Guild

    John didn''t want to waste the precious little time he had. Upon arriving at the outer area, the youth didn''t proceed immediately to find an inn, but he instead searched for an isolated place to change his clothes. John felt finally refreshed when he was finally in his regular clothes. He could now blend in his surroundings as always. After renting a room, the youth headed immediately towards the Guild. Adriana had already informed him about the request for the murders, but he was still an F-ranked adventurer, the boy couldn''t investigate personally. John couldn''t care less if there was a Demon that was massacring innocent people. His only concern was to discover what was the connection between that Demon with Erebus. There was also a contract that was restricting him from interfering with Angelica''s business, but John didn''t know yet what was her real goal. In the beginning, he wanted to deal with this case personally, but Angelica''s appearance forced him to change his mind.


    Angelica was that dangerous. John met her many years ago. From the moment he remembered himself, she had already been in his life, she was like his sister. All the "numbers" were a family. A family of puppets without emotions, ghosts without identity. The youth guessed that when the girl had learned that he was still alive, she would have felt neither happy nor annoyed. Angelica probably would have just considered him a threat that could become an obstacle to her mission. That''s why he would be careful. He would find her purpose of coming here without being noticed. And the moment she thought she had accomplished her mission would also be the moment the contract would be complete. John, who planned to lurk in the shadows, would then devour her.


    ...


    ...


    The second Guild of the Empire was, in reality, the official building in the Imperial Capital. Unlike the one in the Academy, it''s interior was much more spacious. John was genuinely surprised upon seeing the number of adventurers inside. There were tables on the west side of the building in which adventures were sitting there, drinking happily despite being still morning. On the east, instead, there was a crowd gathered looking at the posters on the wall. Naturally, they were adventurers searching for requests to pick. Surprisingly, though, there wasn''t anyone waiting in front of the register.


    "Good morning!" the youth that had approached the counter greeted the young woman that was sitting there.


    "Oh, a fresh face! Are you here to register?"


    "I am already an adventurer. I wanted to learn more about that request regarding the recent murders."


    "May I see your information first?" The woman said as she looked at the boy suspiciously.


    The woman received John''s card, checking the youth''s full name and ranking before she returns it quickly. During the whole procedure, her face was carrying an indifferent expression.


    "I am sorry, you have to be at least an E-ranked adventurer to take that request."


    "I only want some information because I am about to rank up. "


    "You can find the details of the request on the wall. "


    "Not this kind of information. What I want is a list of the victims as well as which days their bodies were found."


    "This... Will you wait for a minute? I need to ask the Guild Master for this." As she said that she didn''t wait for an answer, she left the youth alone. John could even detect the irritation on her face, clearly for giving her additional work.


    Shrugging his shoulders, the boy gazed around the place, enjoying the lively atmosphere. The mixture of laughs and shouts reminded him of his father''s stories about the fascinating life of an adventurer. Although his father didn''t like that profession too much, John had always been jealous of the various experiences Antony would share with his two children at the nights they were sitting around the fire. They would gaze at the breathtaking starry sea, and the man would narrate them stories of his countless adventures. A world where you could live only for the present! For John, who was a slave of his destiny, it was an appealing world. The youth wasn''t unhappy, though. He was grateful to the mysterious memories he inherited that day because the boy stopped being a mindless puppet anymore. He finally had a goal, and more importantly, although barely, he was still a human.


    "It''s a nice place, isn''t it?" John, who was absorbed into his thoughts, turned around instinctively, only to realize that the woman had already returned, holding a sheet of paper.


    "It is if you look at it as an outsider," John said as he recalled his father''s words when he had asked him a similar question.


    "That''s a nice statement, young man! Not something a newbie would say!" She exclaimed with a surprised expression while nodding continuously, wanting to show her approval.


    "Don''t let these imaginary stories and fairy tales to deceive you! Their role is to trick you into becoming cheap personnel for all kinds of weird jobs. It''s not a coincidence that all these people here are thugs that couldn''t find a real job..." Although her voice wasn''t too loud, it was audible enough for everyone inside to hear her. What surprised John, though, was that the adventurers seemed to laugh her comments off. While she continued complaining, they didn''t seem to care about her remarks at all. Undoubtedly, they were used to the woman''s attitude.


    "Do you maybe have something for me?'' The boy hurriedly interrupted when the woman paused for a moment to take a breath. If she could meet with Helena, what a magnificent spectacle would that be, John thought.


    "Having something for you? Oh yes, silly me! Why you didn''t remind me earlier, young man?" She said with a smile as she made a cute gesture of hitting her head with her fist as if to show her clumsiness.


    "The Guild Master was genuinely surprised as he checked the dates of each incident. Although not clear, there seems to be a pattern regarding the time," she commented as she gave him the list.


    "The murders seem to be arranged in periods. The culprit commits several consecutive crimes before taking a break for some time and starting over and over again," John answered instead, as he skimmed the list.


    "That''s right!" She exclaimed, impressed.


    "I don''t understand why this detail is important, but the Guild Master decided that this information deserves a reward. After a brief evaluation, we decided to give you ten silver coins. Be happy, young man! It the first time I am meeting someone being paid without doing anything!"


    "That''s a surprise!" John remarked as he whistled. He also didn''t find this list important enough to be rewarded with so much money. The culprit might have acted that way to throw off his pursuers, but since they were giving him free money, he would be stupid if he didn''t take it. That being said, although this information might not prove useful for the investigation, it had worth for John nevertheless. After bidding the woman goodbye, he proceeded to leave hurriedly. John was confident that the data in his hands contained more details that he needed a piece of paper and a quill to find them. Maybe it was why that as he left, he was quite careless. Or it was because the peaceful time he had since living together with his brother had dulled his senses. The boy didn''t realize he had passed by a person as he exited the Guild he shouldn''t have.


    "My lovely daughter, how are you?" Not only the woman but every single person inside looked at the newcomer man stupefied.


    "Oh my god! It''s Erick!"


    "Hey, stupid Erick! Why haven''t you come to see us for such a long time!"


    "You bastard! Don''t even think of leaving if you don''t treat us all today!"


    "Dad! Didn''t I tell you not to come to the Guild! Every time you come here, you create a ruckus!" The woman complained to the man. His wrinkles, together with his white hair, were betraying his old age, but his handsome face combined with his sturdy body, made these characteristics transfuse maturity to him instead. However, his most notable trait was the calming smile he was carrying, a smile that seemed to have magical properties as anyone felt a strange sense of peace when witnessing it.


    "How could I not come to meet my friends," Erick replied as his head wandered around the crowd.


    "I hope nobody dared to bully my girl! Right, guys?"


    "Fuck you, Erick. She is the one that bullies us every day!


    "Do you think we have a death wish?"


    "You have spoiled her too much. Even the Guild Master speaks to her formally like she is some kind of..."


    The woman''s fiery glare made the adventurers immediately shut up. Her aura was surprisingly intimidating, making everyone gulp.


    She takes after her mother, Erick thought as he stared at her with affection.


    "Speak! Why have you come here?"


    "Don''t be angry. Marvin is the one who called me here. If you want explanations, go ask him!" The man hurriedly replied as he gestured with his hands that it wasn''t his fault.


    "By the way..." Erick immediately tried to change the subject of the conversation upon realizing she had started to calm down.


    "That boy the passed right now, do you know him?"


    The woman was about to mock him as she was still irritated, but upon seeing the serious expression on the man''s face, she felt goosebumps all over her body. Her father wasn''t just a random nobody. He was an elite among elites, an A-ranked adventurer!


    "Why? Do you know him?"


    Erick shook his head upon hearing her question. Was it about five years? Children change a lot in such a time, but the man was confident he would recognize him the moment he met him. Even if he was invisible in the eyes of the others, that boy was a terrifying demon for him.


    "I think I''ll stay a little longer in the capital this time."