ã€ŠSnapdragons &amp; Chrysanthemumsã€‹


 Chapter 1

    In the outer region of Polskin.

    The smell of sewage refuse filled the air as one walked the dark and gloomy winter streets full of vices. A region where people flocked to indulge in their carnal desires; a place where alcohol and drugs never ran

    out.

    Delor Bar is one of the few places who dealt with anything one could possibly imagine. Looking for a place to stay? Want to experience fine dining? Or when you¡¯re feeling a little brave, you¡¯re even offered... questionable services.

    It¡¯s business bordered the line of violating laws. But thanks to the owner behind the establishment, it hadn¡¯t faced any lawsuits. One had to wonder how such a genius had been willing to stoop down in the

    backward region of Polskin, where it was humid all year long with but two weathers, rain or shine. An old man dressed in a luxurious outfit of satin and brocade walked inside the building, the jewelries on his body attracted the attention of several customers, but he paid no heed to them as he spoke with one of the staff in an arrogant manner.

    That glaring potbelly of his bounced with every step as he made his way up the stairs following the modestly dressed staff. His eyes would travel to every floor with a devilish smirk on his face. Business was booming as ever. He had to applaud himself in the back for making the right decision then.

    This blatant action of smirking and an arrogant look of greed in his eyes earned an eye roll from the man who was leading him to the attic of the building. Delor Bar worked as a hierarchy. The first floor held all the normal business one would expect from a bar that doubles as a restaurant. However, as you worked your way up every floor, the dealings done would start to become illegal. Brothels, gambling, and drugs ¨C you name it and Delor Bar has it.

    At the last floor before the attic, the sound of cards shuffling and chips clicking against each other bounced off the walls as men and women dressed in masks gambled their fortune. The room decorated in a deep maroon accompanied by black and gold accents. It was clear to see how luxurious the atmosphere of the room is. Even the fat man dressed in satin and brocade looked quite tacky next to the truly rich.

    As he admired the bedazzled men dressed in the finest fabrics and women decorated with the most dazzling jewels, the attendant in front of him stood in front of a thick curtain in an obscure corner of the room. After activating what looked like a hidden compartment, the attendant then turned to the man.

    ¡°This is as far as I go, sire.¡±

    The fat, old man trembled in excitement as he nodded and dismissed the attendant, who sneakily let out another eye roll before leaving him and resuming his duties. Making his way up the stairs, he could hear the faint tinkling of what sounded like money and hurried up.

    Contrary to the previous room filled with priceless and expensive things, the large attic filled only the most basic of furniture. In the far right were weapon racks and a dummy made of metal, a contrast from the ones usually made from straw.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    Behind the man stood a girl no older than fourteen, with the finest shade of snow white hair he had ever seen and blue, black eyes that resembled gems.

    ¡°You know very well why I am here.¡±

    The girl let out a ¡®tsk¡¯ before pulling out five bags filled to the brim with gold and silver. Greed flashed through the man¡¯s eyes as he hurriedly snatched the bags that were set down on the table.

    ¡®Greedy bastard,¡¯ the girl thought as she pretended to smile through gritted teeth. Her calloused fingers dug into the palm of her hands as she contained her anger.

    ¡°That is the last of my debt. With this, I am free to go, am I not?¡±

    However, the smile on the old man¡¯s face said otherwise. She knew that smile well. There hadn¡¯t been a single soul who managed to make a decent deal with the man before him. He may be a snake but she knew what she was getting into. The prey will soon become the predator.

    ¡°Is that what I said?¡±

    ¡®Yes, but we all know how much of a huge liar you are,¡¯ she badly wished to retort but held back. ¡°It is stated in the contract I had signed four years ago.¡±

    ¡°What contract?¡±

    Oh how she so badly wanted to rip off that arrogant smile on his fat face. But when she thought of how she would turn the tables made her want to smirk to anger him. Anger turned to amusement as she saw how he kept feigning ignorance at the situation.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡®How could I possibly afford to lose this moneymaker? If I let her leave, then there is no guarantee that my business will be able to survive the regional conference this year.¡¯ he thought.

    Thinking about keeping her locked up inside this dingy attic, the smile on his face grew wider and his eyes crinkled until they resembled crescents.

    ¡°Will that be all?¡± the old man questioned as he threw all the bags of gold into a rucksack and tucked it away in his robe, turning to leave the shabby place. However, just as he breathed a sigh of relief for nearly being able to get rid of the smell of musk, the girl spoke.

    Her voice had a hint of amusement as she said, ¡°Remember the promise you made with Hyrel. Wouldn¡¯t it be a pity if you were unable to fulfill his dreams?¡±

    The old man stopped in his tracks. The hand that held the handle of the door trembled that he could not hide it. The girl had seen it clearly.

    ¡°Mr. Vankef, is it? You do not know how hard it has been for me to gather information from this dingy little place in the past four years. If it wasn¡¯t because I was in charge in finances, I would¡¯ve never been able to know who the most influential count in Polskin was,¡± she spoke in a languid voice with delight in her eyes as she saw his shocked expression.

    She stood up and patted away the dust from her shabby dress that she had never fail to wear every single day for the past four years. Her hand fiddled with the small butter knife she managed to smuggle inside with the help of an attendant.

    In actuality, every single staff inside the building already belonged to her. While she may not be able to leave the premises, it did not mean she couldn¡¯t leave her room. So whenever she had free time, it was spent building relationships with the staff, businessmen if she were a little lucky.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have a proposal, Mr. Vankef,¡± she cut off before he could get a word in.

    Count Vankef wanted to curse out loud but refrained from doing so as he turned to face her with an expression akin to a tomato. He had thought he hid it so well by dressing tackily and acting with fake class and elegance. But to think she could also see through his actions...

    He had no family and had to work hard and involve himself in several questionable dealings for the past 20 years. To think he would be found out by a mere child made him baffled. Now, as he stood in front of the girl with a cursed appearance, he had no choice but to sit back down and hear her out.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked rather irritably.

    ¡°Now now, there is no need to get all annoyed. What I ask is simple.¡±

    However the look in her eyes made Count Vankef think it was anything but simple. His instinct proven right as he looked dumbfounded at her next words.

    ¡°In return for setting me free, let me fulfill the wishes of your deceased grandson.¡±

    ¡°... How do you know about my grandson?¡±

    The girl did not answer, only a small smile decorated her face.

    ¡°So do we have a deal or not?¡±

    If it was possible, Count Vankef did not want to let such a talented girl go. She was his gold mine. Anyone who would willingly let go of a gold mine would be considered insane by him, someone who prioritized profit above all else. But remembering the sole grandson of his who had died of the plague five years ago made his heart ache.

    Out of all his relatives, Hyrel was the sole person who managed to earn the adoration of his grandfather. His greatest wish was to become a great warrior of the Werdolf Empire in the middle of Karin Continent.

    Unfortunately his death meant that his wish would never come true in this life. Also being unable to save him despite possessing vast wealth had become Count Vankef¡¯s greatest regret that continued to haunt him.

    Maybe ¨C Just maybe ¨C Passing on the dreams of his 9 year old grandson might help him attain a peace of mind. After a couple of minutes contemplating, Count Vankef ultimately exchanged gazes with the girl, who stared back in the same intensity, letting out a sigh of what seemed to be a mix of helplessness and irritation.

    ¡°Deal,¡± he replied as he shook hands with the girl whose smile could rival the empire¡¯s sun.

    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll pack my things and immediately make my way to Agora Institute.¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡±

    Count Vankef grabbed her by the arm before she could run off to pack her things.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How do you expect to go outside with your appearance?¡±

    Even in the era where vitalis was abundant and numerous talented people with unique appearances showed up, her looks could still garner unwanted attention. It was practically unheard of for a person to possess both white hair and heterochromatic eyes. She could even be branded as a Cursed One if she is not careful.

    ¡°Then what do you suppose I do?¡±

    ¡°First things first, what is your name? I can¡¯t very well just let you leave like that, can I? I have to prepare the necessary procedures for my grandson¡¯s proxy.¡±

    At that moment he could¡¯ve sworn that her eyes flashed with shock but it was so quick that when he blinked, it returned to their usual apathetic look.

    ¡°Ethel. My name is Ethel.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Vassal State of Ernon. Agora Institute.

    The freezing wind continued to rage on as three people carefully made their way down the steep mountain. Their thick clothing prevented them from freezing to death. As one loomed over the view from up high, one could see the dark castle from the distance that could stretch on for miles. Snow continued to pile up until it was about waist high, making it hard to navigate with the biting frost nipping at their skin.

    ¡°Are we there yet?¡± A yell came from behind.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Sierra Mountain had several ranges one could climb up. Whether it be to hunt the native animals or forage for winter herbs, any one of the mountain ranges were not easy to traverse. Even after living here for the past six years and daily trekking up the mountain, the harsh weather made it impossible to traverse without sufficient skills.

    ¡°Where are we now?¡±

    The person leading them caressed the head of her companion. ¡°Dispan Forest. Careful, there are boars here. They don¡¯t like us students that much.¡±

    Boars of the forest of Dispan were known to be terrible aggressive against the students of Agora Institute. As they walked through the dark forest, the sound of teeth chattering never ceased that their other companion had to shut him up halfway through their journey back. A sack of game hung on their belt as they strode towards the massive gates of the castle. When they arrived at the common hall, they each piled up their catch on a table and settled by one of the fireplaces.

    ¡°How many did you catch today?¡±

    ¡°A deer and a bear. Though I only cut out the bear¡¯s hide. I gave the meat to Porte, he only managed to catch three rabbits.¡±

    ¡°As for me, I caught a deer!¡± a young man with shaggy hair and large body puffed out his chest with pride as he slung an arm over the skinny Porte. ¡°Did fawn have a hard time catching game?¡±

    Porte, who remained flushed in his entire face, gave him a fierce glare before slipping away and snuggling closer to the crackling fire.

    ¡°Did he cause trouble again? Too bad I didn¡¯t see you two while hunting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad we managed to catch anything before the harsh winter stormed." Ethel rubbed her hands together and threw a warning look at the man. "And please Albright, stop teasing Porte. It¡¯s your fault his teeth kept chattering. I told you not to run off while we hunt. It makes him anxious.¡±

    The glow of the fire warmed her up as she stared at her breathe from the cold. Albright threw Porte a smirk before he settled down between them. ¡°Well it¡¯s not my fault it was Porte¡¯s first time hunting in the mountains."

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind this brute, Porte. You know how he is. If you don¡¯t believe me you can ask the others how he performed during the third year assessment.¡± Ethel winked at him as she elbowed Albright¡¯s side, to which the latter responded with a red face and a groan.

    ¡°Telling my secrets to the fawn again. You just love embarrassing me, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ethel smiled, showcasing her grin with a crooked tooth.

    ¡°Stop calling me a fawn! I don¡¯t resemble one at all!¡± Porte protested.

    Unfortunately no matter how you looked at it he did look like a fawn. His brown shaggy hair and doe eyes closely resembled how big and adorable a fawn¡¯s features were. Not to mention how he acts in an innocent manner. Ethel and Albright shared a look before looking at Porte¡¯s furious expression, bursting out with laughter as they wiped the tears from their eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a damn good joke, fawn!¡±

    ¡°What about your name? Albright doesn¡¯t suit you at all. Ethel is right!¡±

    That was also true. Albright, who stood at a towering height and rugged facial features that made him look several times older, Ethel would sometimes call him Old Man Al. A redhead like him, who did not suit his name, would earn a bundle of laughter every time Ethel scolded him.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Why you little¨C!¡±

    She ignored them after that. Several rounds of fights and a hearty dinner later, Ethel left the common hall and through a passageway to the girl¡¯s dormitory, a small building in the east wing of the large castle.

    In the institute, the ratio of men to women was 50:1. She greeted several other young women who stared at her with looks of admiration and walked to her room. The size of the room was in no way small as it was comparable to luxury suites in hotels. One side of the room was decorated quite extravagantly, as compared to the other side which sported the most basic of furniture.

    Ethel tucked away her weapon underneath the bed as she changed her clothes. She hadn¡¯t sweat at all in this weather and was too lazy to take a shower with the other girls. Her eyes traveled to the other side

    of the room. He roommate, an outstanding young woman who specialized in the art of the spear, a trait she had never failed to boast about. Too tired to wait up for her, Ethel succumbed to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, not at all bothered by the fact that she did not shower.

    When the sun rose the next morning, Ethel was up and had changed into her training clothes while trained in the vicinity of the east wing before the sun had rose. Several female students had volunteered to train with her, but she rejected the idea as she preferred being alone. It was only when she made her way to the baths did she come across Fleur, dressed in her uniform with a towel slung over her shoulder.

    ¡°Where were you last night? I asked the other girls and they said they didn¡¯t see you come back. Did you¨C?¡±

    ¡°Curious now, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well yes, because if you did then I have to go to the west wing again to send my condolences.¡±

    Fleur winked and Ethel had to hold back a groan before slumping her shoulders.

    ¡°What? I had a splendid night! He was extremely skillful and ¨C¡±

    ¡°Please stop talking. You¡¯re going to taint the junior¡¯s innocence.¡±

    Ethel took a glance at Fleur¡¯s body.Her out of this world beauty had the impression she was loved by gods. A sensual woman who knew her own charm- it was a vice that men continuously fell for. And quite literally too. She let out a sigh as Fleur¡¯s melodious laughter rang through her ears.

    ¡°And what will it be this time?¡±

    ¡°A yellow rose, if you please?¡± Fleur smiled seductively as they bathed. The language of flowers is truly beautiful.

    ¡°Name, branch, and year?¡± Ethel asked as she wiped the sweat off her body.

    Fleur bit her lip as she enjoyed the bath of rose petals. Where she got the flowers, Ethel didn¡¯t know. And she dared not ask.

    ¡°Rudolf. A second year from the Verutum Branch.¡±

    Ethel let out a ¡®tsk.¡¯ ¡°I had no idea you favored younger men.¡±

    ¡°And neither did I! Whoever knew how innocent and curious they were...¡±

    ¡°Please stop with the explicitness. Marie can hear you.¡±

    They turned around to look at Marie, a first year student who specialized with the bow. Her face had turned beet red as she overheard their conversation. ¡°Oh please! They should ought to learn all about it. I mean, sooner or later they will have to be skillful in the art of seduction if they plan on getting married.¡±

    ¡°This is a school for warriors, not those nobles who attend Anfer Academy.¡±

    ¡°But even so¨C¡±

    ¡°Just please stop talking.¡±

    Ethel wrung the cloth in her hands so tightly it looked about ready to tear by the seams. After that, Fleur clamped her mouth shut and enjoyed her rose bath. Ethel had to apologize to Marie, who had run

    out after hearing the word seduction from Fleur¡¯s mouth. When they got out of the baths, it was then Ethel spoke in a soft voice. ¡°You have to act carefully, you know?¡±

    Fleur looked at her with a deep gaze as she patted her back to assure her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Whatever you¡¯re thinking of won¡¯t happen again. I trust you. Do you trust me?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do! It¡¯s just that¨C¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly the best time?¡±

    ¡°Well yes and¨C¡±

    ¡°Father had already assured me that no other associates of that man will ever come to this school. You¡¯ll at least believe in him, right? Who better to trust than a Duke?¡± Ethel hshut her mouth. She was right. There was absolutely no point in wasting time worrying about something that might not even happen.

    ¡°If you say so...¡±

    ¡°Yes now don¡¯t you have somewhere to be? I¡¯m sure I overheard you talking in the common hall about holding a sparring match with Jespir?¡±

    She let out a snort as they reached the room and replied, ¡°He¡¯s not all that good. If it wasn¡¯t because he was friends with Albright, I wouldn¡¯t be wasting my time sparring.¡±

    ¡°Ouch, way to hurt that innocent man¡¯s feelings.¡± Fleur jokingly said as she laughed.

 Chapter 3

    Agora Institute.

    The moon shone brightly underneath the castle. Cicadas lurked in the forest just outside the gates where two people stood guard, their postures ramrod straight as they stared ahead the dark forest. In the cover of the night, a figure could be seen passing through the narrow path of dirt and mud, attracting the attention of the guards. Almost immediately they held out their weapons and got into a fighting stance, prepared to fight whatever lurked in the shadows.

    Just as they were about to pounce on the fast approaching figure, there was a loud neigh as two horses appeared from the forest, their hooves clopping heavily against the stone pavement as it stood to a standstill in front of the northern gate of the castle. The horses continued to neigh until its driver calmed them down and got off the wagon. An old man in

    his 60s shakily wiped the sweat from his forehead and bowed in respect to the guards, not daring to look up until he was told to.

    ¡°State your business,¡± the guard on the left commanded.

    Not daring to look up, the old man then replied, ¡°I am here to deliver someone to the headmaster of the Black Castle.¡± He pulled out a piece of rolled parchment from the inside of his vest.

    The guard narrowed his eyes. What kind of business would an old man like him have with the headmaster? He did not look like a warrior, nor someone of importance. And to deliver a person? Alive or dead? An innocent or convict? These questions ran through the guard¡¯s mind as he accepted the piece of parchment and read the contents. A flash of agitation passed through his eyes as he shared a look with his comrade. He threw the parchment to his partner, to which the latter caught. After reading the contents, the other guard had also shared a look of agitation as they nodded at each other.

    In one swift move, the second guard had approached the almost dilapidated wagon, its cover had been torn into pieces as if a storm had passed through and the moldy wood looked about ready to collapse. Lifting the cover of the wagon, what he saw certainly made him widen his eyes. He threw a glance at the old man, who quaked in fear when he realized the malicious gaze that landed on him. For fear of being killed he got down on his knees and pleaded with mercy. ¡°Please, sir! Have mercy and spare him!¡±

    Misunderstanding his intentions, the guard let out a growl and said, ¡°Who said I would kill him?¡±

    The teary old man looked sniffed and looked up. ¡°You-you won¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°I do not have the authority to do that.¡± He threw the old man a look that said ¡®are you stupid?¡¯ before completely tearing away the cover.

    A boy.

    No younger than fourteen, he suspected. He looked thin and fragile that it was obvious he had been subjected to starvation. Pallid skin and sunken eyes, it was like his soul had been sucked out of his body. But he was... an oddity among oddities. The guard had traveled all over the world but never had he seen such a unique person with striking features.

    As soon as the boy had sensed his gaze, he shrank his tiny body and sank farther into the corner of the wagon, grasping onto the hem of his shabby shirt. One thing the guard noticed was that he did not let out a single whimper or cry for help, knowing that it would make no difference at all. He didn¡¯t know if he was brave or had given up. Either way, he understood why the child had been sent here. If one had to consider where the safest place to hide, the Sierra Mountains would take the top spot, but no ordinary human could last a week there, much less years.

    And so they settled for the next best thing, the Black Castle.

    ¡°Do you have any belongings?¡± the guard asked.

    The boy shook his head, lips quivering. There was nothing that belonged to him ever since he had been born. Not even a name.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    His thin clothes did not provide much warmth against the cold of autumn. The guard signaled his companion and urged the child out of the wagon with a few tries. He gave him a cloak that would protect him from the cold and approached the driver who stared at the boy with teary eyes.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Please take care of him, sire.¡±

    The guard nodded.

    Then the old man approached the child. Lowering his head, he whispered something to the boy before patting him reassuringly on his shoulder. The boy had nodded in response and glanced at the imposing guard that stood a ways from him. He gave him a nod and bowed as thanks, making the old man tear up again. Feared he might be tracked, the old man reluctantly said his goodbyes and hurriedly got on the wagon before urging the horses to leave the premises.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    The guard did not stop to wait for the child and strode towards the gates, which had been opened by his companion. After departing, they continued to walk further inside, the area looked bleak with no light except from the moon. They arrived in front of the headmaster¡¯s office. Coincidentally, the doors creaked open and revealed a middle-aged woman dressed in light armor before bowing politely.

    ¡°Good evening, sentinel. The headmaster had been expecting you.¡±

    The guard bowed respectfully and strode inside the room that smelled of aged books and rust. Headmaster Wyles sat in an armchair, admiring the view of the moon by the fireplace.

    ¡°Sir.¡±

    He turned his head and glanced at his two visitors. He smiled, revealing the deep wrinkles on his face, and gestured for them to sit down. Signaling his subordinate, he then opened his mouth to say, ¡°I presume you¡¯re here because of this child?¡±

    The sentinel was surprised, but did not let it show on his face as he continued to stand next to the sofa with the demeanor of a guard. ¡°Yes, head.¡±

    The headmaster did not look shocked and gazed warmly at him, a stare that startled the boy. Not used to being gazed at with such warm eyes, the boy wanted to keep his attention away from anywhere but the headmaster. His eyes then caught the weapons that hung on the walls of the office. Weapons of various sizes and style. While some were as big as he was, there were also thin and tiny ones that could be hidden.

    Some shone, while some had been left to collect dust and rust as it sat there like an ornament. The boy¡¯s eyes glimmered with curiosity as a sense of wanting to try them out filled him.This gaze did not go unnoticed as the headmaster then asked, ¡°Have those weapons on the wall caught your interest, child? Overcome with a desire to try them out?¡±

    The boy, who had been caught red-handed, dropped his gaze and fiddled with his fingers.

    ¡°Ah, a shy one.¡± The headmaster presumed it would be wise not to pursue the topic and turned towards the guard. ¡°What was it that we were talking about again, Soj?¡±

    Soj, the sentinel, handed over the letter. ¡°It was this, head. It contains the seal of the Imperial Head Knight of Solasta.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡± The headmaster picked up the parchment and thoughtfully nodded. ¡°I remember he had sent me a similar letter a week prior.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to admit this child, head?¡±

    He did not miss the hint of desperation in the sentinel¡¯s voice as he turned his gaze at the child who was all skin and bones. Recalling a similar situation that happened two months ago, a smile drifted to his lips as he urged Soj to calm down. ¡°I will certainly not abandon this child, if that is what you¡¯re thinking, Soj. I have a child similar to this

    boy ¨C¡±

    ¡°Then this child can be their companion ¨C¡±

    The headmaster shook his head. ¡°I have made a promise not to disclose their identity. And I have decided to keep it that way for as long as they wanted to.¡± He did not miss the way Soj¡¯s head slightly drooped as he stood up and made his way to the large bookshelf that occupied the entire left wall of the office.

    Behind several books hid a safe that no one would notice unless they removed every single book. Soj, who until now hadn¡¯t noticed that the headmaster had a safe, tilted his head and wondered what could possibly be of interest in the tiny, little safe. The hidden safe, on the other hand, managed to pique the boy¡¯s interest as he tried to crane his neck to

    get a better view. However his small height did not give him much leverage.

    ¡°Here, take this child,¡± the headmaster gestured for the boy to come forward, with Soj pushing him forward. Taking small steps, he carefully inched forward to the headmaster, who greeted him with a smile as he held out his hand.

    Holding out his tiny hands, the headmaster then placed a kind of bracelet on his palms. Although plain looking, it was warm in his hands. There was no luster to be seen and looked as ordinary as any bracelet.

    ¡°Well, go on. Wear it.¡±

    Carefully slipping the bracelet on his right wrist, it tightened around his wrist, scaring the wits out of the boy as he jumped in fright. The headmaster chuckled and said, ¡°This is a special bracelet, capable of altering the user¡¯s appearance. Go on, try imagining your appearance changing.¡±

    The boy looked up at the headmaster and back at Soj, who continued to gaze at him with those blank eyes. Gulping, he tightly closed his eyes and imagined himself as one of the children he once saw in the streets of Solasta.

    ¡°You can open your eyes now.¡±

    Brown hair and eyes. As ordinary as one could be, the boy caressed his own face, afraid that it wasn¡¯t real and that the mirror had been cast with vitalis.

    He felt... normal.

 Chapter 4

    Swords continued to clash, growing fiercer and fiercer by the minute. Underneath the glaring sun, both men moved agilely, one with smooth elegance while the other in persistent desperation.

    Why he opted for that sword baffled her more than anything else. It wasn¡¯t like he was weak. Vyron, that is. Had he picked a lighter weapon, like a rapier, he would¡¯ve seen that his speed would have a significant increase. Granted, the force of his blows would greatly diminish. But in exchange for power, speed would take precedence.

    ¡°He¡¯s losing,¡± she murmured.

    Despite the large crowd, a hushed silence overtook them as they watched the match intensely. Albright and Porte heard her. They believed her.

    However they could see it, Vyron was no match for the other¡¯s expert use of the sword. His movements had begun to slow him down and became sluggish. The reason why the match hasn¡¯t ended is because neither one did not want the match to end yet. An outcome set in stone is no better than a match that had been thrown.

    From a perspective, everyone knew how stubborn of a mule Vyron is. And from the looks of it, the so-called new trainer also knows this. Did he not want to end the match hoping for an unaccounted variable?

    Everyone shook their heads. The sorry sight of Vyron became hard to watch.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a fight he can hope to win.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t he just surrender? Has his stubbornness gotten the better of him again?¡±

    ¡°Where is that guy, Carys? I heard he¡¯s the only one who can keep him on a tight leash.¡±

    ¡°I heard he was isolating himself again in the Black Tower.¡±

    Ethel¡¯s ears perked up when she happened to overhead their conversation. Interesting.

    The Black Tower had been the student¡¯s training spot ever since the current head had been appointed. Located in the south wing, a magic circle had been embedded around the vicinity that allows the temperature to increase as much as one could handle.

    Having heard a rumor about Carys during her third year in Agora, that young man had never failed to spend his time there and train every single day for the past six years. From his first year to last, how admirable it was in the eyes of the other warriors.

    "The fight has ended."

    Ethel looked up and saw Vyron had slumped to the floor, his sword lay a few meters away from him. He was panting for air as his chest heavily rose up and down. His once neat and tidy uniform had been crumpled and dirtied with grime and sweat, the hair he proudly boasts about had turned messy and lost its shine.

    Despite having an outcome set in stone, he did not think of giving up and persisted. Quite horrible and useless, but nevertheless still something to praise for. She also had to give credits to the new trainer for skillfully handling the match.

    Her eyes shone with excitement when she realized that the new trainer might give her a harder challenge than that old demon. The ultimate question boiled down to whether he was willing to teach a girl like her. The discrimination against women, although weren¡¯t obvious, had been an issue she faced that hindered her training for the past six years. It also became the reason she taught herself, cross implementing techniques and movements.

    ¡°A marvelous fight!¡± Porte exclaimed rather blandly as he clapped.

    Thought it sounded sincere, he actually meant to insult him in a roundabout way, essentially saying that it was a futile match. Porte may look innocent, but he had a way of expertly insulting a person. Instead of a thanks, Porte received an intense glare from Vyron, who stared at him with gritted teeth as he walked down the stage sword in hand.

    When Ethel saw him glaring, she had debated on whether or not to be his sparring partner later in training to teach him a lesson, everyone knew how he always managed to lose to her. On second thought, Ethel didn¡¯t feel like paying attention to him today. More importantly, she was itching to spar with the new trainer. She hadn¡¯t had a match with a sword since last week.

    ¡°Thank you for taking the time to spar with me, young man. A good match, if I do say so myself.¡±

    The old man spoke in a booming voice, using amplifying magic as mages do. You could practically feel the vitalis being sucked into him like a tornado. To be able to sustain that kind of voice, he has to have a vessel large enough to fit a whale. After the fight had ended, the arena only consisted of sixth-years. Oddly enough, Ethel hadn¡¯t manage to catch a glimpse of Fleur. Had she skipped classes again?If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°A pleasant morning to all of you.¡± The man spoke as he stood on the platform. ¡°I am Baron Kapfem, a retired imperial knight from the capital of Solasta. As all of you may have heard, I will be the new sparring teacher in place of Sir Desmon, who has decided to retire from his post.¡± The crowd of seniors broke into murmurs as they heatedly whispered among themselves of what was to come. Ethel ignored them and listened attentively, anxious of what to expect. And like ducklings, Albright and Porte mimicked her. A strange sight to behold.

    A large man, a tall woman, and a petite boy made them resemble the barrels of beer sold in bars, different sizes with one bigger than the next.

    The new sparring teacher swept his gaze from left to right at the crowd of students. Others, he found brimming with potential, the others... not so much. Although if he had to pick one person that had caught his eye, it would be that tall, dark haired woman with a strange weapon on her sword belt.

    ¡®A panabas, perhaps?¡¯

    His lips curved up in an unusual smile that caused several students goosebumps. Had he gone mad? Nothing good ever comes out of a smile like that.

    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ve already been informed by the headmaster and Sir Desmon of the schedule. But I will tweak it a little bit.¡± His words again caused several students to groan. ¡°Now now, it won¡¯t be so bad. Starting on simboca and dumireca, every single one of you will pick a partner, exchanging teachings.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡±

    A student had grabbed his hair out of stress when he realized that the sixth year¡¯s schedules were once again packed. It had only been two months since classes begun. And just when they thought that it couldn¡¯t be any worse, Baron Kapfem continued, ¡°Oh, and no repeat. Which means that if you have already partnered with one person, you are not allowed to partner with them again.¡±

    The sparring class was the only class that students from different branches were allowed to hold classes together. While some were used to sparring with familiar faces, now they would be forced to spar with someone unfamiliar and whose weapon they had no knowledge of. The headmaster had allready forbade them from holding back.

    This time though, Ethel wanted to laugh loudly.

    Who would be insane enough to spar with each and every student whose weapon was unfamiliar to them as magic?

    An excited grin made its way to Ethel¡¯s face subconsciously. From those who saw it, they wanted to curse her luck.

    ¡°You¡¯re smiling again,¡± Albright whispered as he lowered his head.

    The grin quickly slipped from her face as she covered her mouth.

    Porte chuckled as he realized how Ethel acted sometimes.

    As the students began to ponder about how they were going to fit everything in their schedules, one student raised their hand.

    ¡°Sir, do we have to attend during the weekends too?¡±

    A ridiculous question, Ethel thought. It was so obviously stated in his words that they had to. Or did he not know when simboca and dumireca are?

    ¡°...¡±

    Baron Kapfem sunk deep in thought.

    If he wants these students to have the capability to participate in the tournament next year, he had to rigorously train them until they were half-dead. He knew the standards of each and every mage in Yllion. And now, there were still a lot of technical moves he needed to teach them before they can be called true swordsmen. But, according to the headmaster, there were a few sixth years that could rival the Old Demon. He found it hard to believe, but somehow sensing the vast amount of vitalis in the air made him think otherwise.

    Formally, there were two main branches of Agora Institute. Vitae, where scholars, mages, and other liberal arts persons went to; and Agora, where warriors, blacksmiths, and other weapons related people went to. The Institute of Vitae was located in the far south of the Karin Continent in the State of Yllion, almost at the opposite end of the world. Approximately six months from now, people from all over the continent would be participating in the annual Mars, a competition held in honor of the unification of the Karin Continent by the Werdolf Empire.

    Of course, the headmaster wanted the students to be the formal representatives of the competition, as strict rules required participants under the age of 25. It had become common knowledge that the headmaster¡¯s greatest wish for someone to prove that the art of weaponry was not any weaker that vitalis. Baron Kapfem wanted to use someone as a catalyst.

    The headmaster did mention several strong candidates. Ethel. A sixth-year student who had no specialized weapon. At first he thought she had gone mad trying to master different weapons, but it did hold a certain logic to it. If one were perhaps a genius, then perhaps it was possible. He dared to think there was nothing impossible in this world.

    ¡°Sir?¡± one student snapped him out of his reverie.

    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Baron Kapfem looked up and cleared his throat. ¡°Then I will be upfront about it.¡±

    ¡°As all of you may be aware of, the annual Mars will soon be held in the capital city of Solasta in the Werdolf Empire. And as tradition, the Institute had always sent ten students every year. Unfortunately, it has been seven years since a master of weapons had won the competition.¡±

    Baron Kapfem threw a glane at Ethel, a gaze that made unsettled her. ¡°And as the headmaster and I have talked about, I will be supervising your training until the end of Xunu, where I will pick students who will come with me.¡± Baron Kapfem made sure that everyone could hear him clearly.

    ¡°Remember, I do not discriminate, so everyone will have a fair chance.¡±

    There it was again. That uncomfortable expression thrown at her.

    If there was anything that Ethel disliked the most in the world, it was that people always had a certain expectation at her. She disliked expectation.If this new trainer was planning to appoint her a spot then she''s going to make sure that wouldn''t happen.

 Chapter 5

    Ethel didn¡¯t wait for the teacher to finish his speech and immediately turned around to leave. His stare made her uncomfortable and besides, he wouldn¡¯t mind her skipping right? After all, classes had ended almost an hour ago. There were also history and weapon maintenance to attend, but she hadn¡¯t attended a proper class since she was in third year. Fortunately for her, classes weren¡¯t mandatory to attend if you had a good grade.

    Albright and Porte decided to come with when they realized she was once again skipping. They had always followed her wherever she went, like ducklings. The three of them, or rather the two young men, heatedly discussed about Vyron¡¯s loss.

    As the three of them rounded the corner to the Black Tower, there was a yell behind them. She turned around and was surprised to see Vyron, whose brows furrowed while he ran to catch up with them.

    ¡°What seems to be the matter?¡± Ethel questioned as her hand rested on the hilt on her belt. She was not close with Vyron, a noble whose arrogance and stubbornness rivaled a god. And neither did she plan on changing that anytime soon. In her head, she could not see the two of them getting along as friends.

    Vyron, despite being a sixth year like her, was still a 5th class swordsman. And she hated how he keeps clinging on the zweihander for dear life like he can¡¯t live without it.

    ¡°Have you got any time?¡±

    Albright narrowed his eyes at Vyron¡¯s words. Since when had this arrogant jerk ever cared about Ethel¡¯s schedule? From what he knew in the six years they¡¯ve been together, Vyron had only ever glared at Ethel¡¯s direction. Never had he seen even a smidge of kindness exude from this proud guy.

    Granted, if he was given the opportunity, he would''ve wanted to pummel him in a duel. However, rules allowed the opponent to refuse the duel, and no matter how many times Albright had taunted him into giving in and nearly getting him to agree, Ethel had always been there to keep him in line.

    Porte would¡¯ve laughed loudly if he found out that his prideful senior, who always boast about being brave and wielding that large broadaxe, tightly kept on a leash by Ethel. It was the reason why hardly anyone wanted to hunt with him in the forest.

    He reckoned that the reason Ethel puts up with him is because she gets the added benefit of hunting alone without having to persuade the guards every time, as it had been mandatory for students to have at least a companion when venturing to the forest.

    Almost in sync, the two young men had shared a look and surprisingly slung their arms over each other¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t Ugly Vyron! And what did this proud figure need of our friend¡¯s humble origin? Surely not inviting her to be your partner in Baron Kapfem¡¯s class? Or has your face thickened in the time we haven¡¯t seen each other?¡± Albright¡¯s voice dripped in sarcasm.

    Porte, although pretended to elbow him in the side, had a sardonic smile threatening to bloom on his face, which he tried to cover up with a light cough.

    Vyron now stood inches away from the two, who had forcefully invaded his personal space. They knew how to get on Vyron¡¯s nerves quite excellently, Ethel found herself thinking. It was also a good thing that she had made no enemies inside the institute, or so she liked to think. She never managed to figure out what she did to make Vyron glare at her like she had done him an injustice. It wasn¡¯t like she constantly pestered him to spar, on the contrary, she tended to veer away from anyone she deemed least to like her.

    ¡°It is none of you two¡¯s business. Now if you will excuse me, I was talking to Ethel.¡± Much to the shock of them, Vyron ignored the underlying insult and maneuvered to the right of Porte, skillfully evading Albright¡¯s hand that had reached out to grab the collar of his tunic.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°How did you¨C?¡±

    The both of them wanted to protest but Ethel beat them to it by declaring, ¡°Excellent flexibility.¡±

    The words the two young men wanted to yell had died in their throat as they stared quite disapprovingly at the back of Vyron¡¯s head. They had no comments about Ethel¡¯s obvious passive stance at Vyron¡¯s incredulous question.

    Had she forgotten the way he treated her since they were third years? Had it not been for her sharp instinct, she would¡¯ve long been left to die in the forest of Dispan. It still managed to infuriate Albright when he remembers the incident.

    And of course because his father is a noble, he got off a light punishment of being given a measly detention for a week. He had gotten off even lighter for a major offense than students who were forced to clean the horse stable¡¯s because of a measly incident of accidentally spilling water all over a particularly grumpy teacher.

    Ethel hadn¡¯t managed to miss the slight redness of his ears. Was he embarrassed? Or had it been a trick of the light? A trick of the light? But she had excellent eyes, there was no way she would mistake it. But the question is why didn¡¯t he hate her? Even if he didn¡¯t, then that doesn¡¯t explain why he tried to kill her in their third year at the forest.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Why did you even come to Ethel? Are you going to target her because Baron Kapfem took an interest to her?¡± For such a petty reason, Porte struggled not to take a swing at the back of Vyron''s head.

    ¡°Have you come to kill her again?¡± Albright questioned quite aggressively.

    ¡°Al!¡± Ethel''s face darkened as she yelled, scaring the wits out of the three men. Vyron, who had already turned around, felt an abrupt pressure on his chest. Albright and Porte, on the other hand, were in a much worse state than him as he saw them turn several shades whiter, their lips quivering as they clutched their chests and sank to the floor.

    In a few seconds, he could see them cough up blood that made Vyron¡¯s hairs stand up on its ends. Goosebumps traveled all over his arms as he felt a shadow looming over him.

    For the first time in his life, he wanted to grovel on the floor and beg for mercy. Contrary to the terrible incident that he had so-called inflicted on poor Ethel, it had been a subordinate of his who had wanted to play a harmless prank on her. Unfortunately, in order to keep friendly relations with his subordinate¡¯s family, he had to take the blame rather ungracefully.

    It was the perfect situation for that subordinate. Out of rage, after several plans with his father, he had plotted the downfall of his subordinate and made sure he would never be able to show his face in Ernon.

    ¡°Stand up,¡± she commanded. And immediately as she spoke, the pressure released and Vyron no longer felt like he had been crushed by an anvil. He turned around, albeit quite slowly, and saw Ethel¡¯s face had turned to normal, not sporting her toothy grin but nevertheless a normal poker face.

    ¡°Ethel, we¡¯re sorry we didn¡¯t mean to ¨C¡±

    ¡°That was a slip of the tongue please ¨C¡±

    ¡°Just leave,¡± she murmured, barely a whisper, but enough for the two of them to hear.

    Realizing it was futile to keep apologizing, their shoulders drooped as they turned around to leave. Before disappearing out of sight, Albright made sure to cast a grudged look towards Vyron, who still couldn¡¯t quite get over what happened.

    His gaze dropped down on her worn-out sword belt. Her hand had been clutching the hilt of the strange weapon that loosely hung. Ethel ignored his gaze and straightened her posture again. As the both of them stood in front of the Black Tower, the clouds loomed over the dull, grey sky. There was a foreboding sense of danger that continued to pester Vyron in the pits of his stomach, but he blamed it on the strain of his lost match earlier.

    ¡°What brings you to approach me?¡±

    His head snapped up. For a moment, he had forgotten what to say. What did he want to say? Sorry for what happened three years ago? Would she believe him if he had said that he took care of it? Or would she be willing to help him, practically the only person who openly expressed animosity towards her for the last five years?

    In the end, he only managed to croak out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He closed his eyes shut, afraid of the words that would come out of her mouth. Would she hit him? No, she didn¡¯t. But what she did caused him the biggest shock of his life.

    Ethel patted him on the head, not at all minding the built up sweat and grime. Not even minding that his shiny hair had lost its original luster. It resembled a sword that had been left to rust in an abandoned shed.

    It was precisely this reason that Vyron had been extremely sensitive about his hair. The hair that he inherited from the Slojak Family resembled the shine of a sword, a trait that they had been extremely proud of. And so it had stuck on him that his hair had to be in perfect shape. He didn¡¯t want to be resembled to an old sword, he wanted to be the sharpest sword that shone the brightest.

    ''A severe complex,'' Ethel thought.

    Vyron, who had braced himself for what was to come, least expected the kind of treatment Ethel was graciously showing him.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. I know.¡±

    For the first time in his life, Vyron didn¡¯t know what to say. The main reason he felt hostile towards Ethel was her love for sparring. She was undignified, so unlike the women he had come across with. And most of all, she was better than her. However hostile he may seem to be, he isn¡¯t bold enough to wish for her death.

    Granted, he also had to curse his looks. He was handsome, but his brows were sharpened in a way that made him look meaner, add that to the fact that he also had arrogance embedded in his bones. Althought that didn¡¯t mean his actions are excused.

    ¡°Then how did you know?¡±

    Ethel tilted her head. ¡°The headmaster had told me the night I was brought to the hospital wing.¡±

    ¡°Then, you also know that ¨C¡±

    ¡°That you don¡¯t really hate me? And that was all for show because that bastard Silf held the upper hand against you at the time. Then the act stuck on you, added to the fact that you have a naturally mean look, it just so happened you got used to acting that way that you never thought to change. And I presume you also feel guilty about this?¡±

    Vyron was dumbstruck. Was she a mind reader?

    ¡°What about why I approached you?¡±

    ¡°Let me see.¡± Ethel thoughtfully said as she stroked her chin. ¡°You were probably working up the courage to apologize and just so happened that Baron Kapfem required partners at simboca, so now you planned to kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    Vyron suddenly felt embarrassed.

    ¡°Oh but don¡¯t feel bad. I don¡¯t mind. I was actually pretty annoyed with you too.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯ve been swinging a zweihander since we were second years. It¡¯s obviously not meant for you, I don¡¯t know why you keep clinging to an incompatible sword.¡±

    ¡°Then... are you willing to help me?¡±

    Ethel put a hand on her hip as she bluntly replied, ¡°In normal circumstances, no. Besides, this sudden shift of attitude gives me the goosebumps. Imagine the person who despised you suddenly changed and ask you of all people to help.¡±

    ¡°I never despised you,¡± Vyron protested, his brows furrowing as his lips curled in a frown.

 Chapter 6

    Right before Vyron and Ethel had agreed to meet up at the arena first thing in the morning, the doors of the tower opened, revealing a young man with shaggy brown hair and deep brown eyes. The tunic of his uniform had turned damp from the steam that was coming out of the tower.

    The most eye-catching thing you would see about him is the light sword that hung on his belt. As men often preferred to wield swords that were at least about as heavy as three kilos, his looked to weigh no more than a one.

    He coughed, the heat pricking his eyes as he went to fetch his uniform by the small shed near the tower. When he walked past the gate of the tower, his nose tingled as he smelled the scent of mint in the air. Strange. He would usually smell the scent of the kitchens just a walk away from the tower, or the flowers that bloomed in early spring.

    But it was not spring, it was late autumn. Had a young woman passed by here just a while ago? But it was an unusual scent for a woman. Usually when he came across these female students as sparring partners, it was the sickening scent of rose or lavender. If he was lucky, the subtle scent of jasmine. Otherwise, it was never mint.

    It was refreshing and calmed his nerves. Weird. After changing out of his damp uniform and switching to the usual robes, he quietly walked to the west wing, where the male¡¯s dormitory was located. He had to pass the central plaza, where the women flocked.

    This time, instead of walking past the plaza, he did not feel like being surrounded with the sickening smell of those young women¡¯s perfume. The training this time had drained him and he opted against feeling woozy in the head.

    Maneuvering behind the tall trees and hedges, Carys was about to pass the central plaza when he caught a head of ink black hair in his peripheral vision. It was strange why he stopped in his tracks to look again.

    The nagging feeling in his gut told him something weird, but he ignored it as he resumed his walk and headed straight for the dormitories. This time, without pit stops. As he was a student with excellent grades, he did not have any classes except sparring.

    There are generally three ways to get admitted into Agora Institute. One, was through the normal means of enrolling and paying a quarterly tuition; Second, be specially admitted as a special student who showed superb talent and therefore does not need to pay tuition; And third, be personally invited by the headmaster.

    He, of course, enrolled with the help of the headmaster, but with his circumstances it did not help to stand out. And so, he was given the option of self-studying. While he trained during most of the day, he also loved to read in the library whenever he didn¡¯t feel like studying at all. If he was feeling up to it, occasionally attend theoretical classes.

    When he arrived, he could see Vyron swinging that huge sword of his with a lot more seriousness than usual. An aura of focus surrounded him as his muscles tensed trying to swing it as fast as he could.

    He walked up to him and said, ¡°Since when have you decided to take your training seriously?¡± The sword in Vyron¡¯s hand slipped and had embedded itself into one of the wooden columns. Vyron turned around and glared at him. Could this man get any quieter? He hadn¡¯t noticed him arriving at all prior to the sudden voice behind his back. He put a hand on his chest as he reeled from the shock.

    ¡°Carys! Haven¡¯t I told you not to sneak up on me?¡± Vyron grumbled as he went to pull out the heavy sword from the column. ¡°Sir Owin is going to kill me again. He just got these wooden columns polished and sanded.¡±

    Carys, on the other hand, ignored what he said and proceeded to pick up a spare sword on the weapon rack. There was a dummy in the small training hall that provided for a little warm ups in case the arena had been closed off. He began to lightly swing the sword and attacking the dummy¡¯s vitals.

    ¡°How is it my fault that you aren¡¯t able to sense my vitalis?¡± Carys retorted.

    Vyron felt embarrassed. The only reason he hasn¡¯t been able to sense a person¡¯s vitalis is because he had been too prideful to have anyone teach him. He had also been stubborn about having his family teach him because he didn¡¯t want to be made fun of by his older brothers and sister.

    Recalling the deal he had made earlier, Vyron had half a mind to smile smugly, but held back and successfully managed to leave an ugly mark on the column where the sword had been.

    ¡°That might be the case now, but not tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Having expected a bland answer from him, Vyron stuck his tongue out and resumed his training. Silence ensued between the two of them. Only the sound of the dummy being mercilessly beaten and the swings of the sword remained.

    ¡°Have you heard about what happened earlier?¡± Vyron asked, stealing a glance at the almost stoic expression of Carys.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°I had a lost a match. Again.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m planning to win next time.¡±

    Carys stopped. He glanced at Vyron, who wholeheartedly looked prepared for the next battle. Somehow the scene did not settle well with him as he noticed something odd.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    A grin spread on Vyron¡¯s face as he finally caught his attention. ¡°The match I had lost earlier. It¡¯s against our new sparring teacher, Baron Kapfem. You should know him, right?¡±

    Of course Carys knew him. Baron Kapfem was a retired swordsman hailing from that wretched region of Polskin, steadily rising up the ranks of mercenaries and eventually qualifying for a position in Solasta¡¯s Imperial Knights. After 20 years of service, he had always been remembered as the last swordsman who won Mars.

    Carys, who now had an incredulous look on his face, had wanted to ridicule this ignorant noble. Wasn¡¯t he a noble? Why did it sound like he hadn¡¯t been taught anything at all? And why was he, the one who wasn¡¯t even a part of the formal classes held daily, knew more about the recent history of Karin thanvVyron, a noble whose lineage would be enough to provide a lifespan¡¯s worth of knowledge? What he needed wasn¡¯t training, no, he needed a big smack to the head.

    He suspected that he might¡¯ve been dropped as a baby, resulting in a screw loose in his head. Not only is he incredibly stubborn, but somehow also crazy?

    Who was that student again, the one who he had sparred with once... Ah yes, Ethel. That girl was an absolute maniac. He had always seen her around campus everyday with a different weapon each time. And not only that, she looked like she knew how to wield them. It was bizarre, that girl.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Vyron scolded, a visible frown on his face.

    Vyron didn¡¯t like it one bit whenever Carys had looked at him like he was stupid. It wasn¡¯t his fault he didn¡¯t like reading books. There were too many words to process and there were no pictures. He liked to refer to himself as a visual learner, the kind who had to be demonstrated about how things worked, rather than using complicated words.

    And just as soon as it had come, the look on Carys¡¯ face had been wiped off as if it had never been there.

    ¡°As I was saying, he was a very strong man. Stronger than you, probably, since he knocked my zweihander almost effortlessly. And stronger than that brut ¨C Ethel. I meant Ethel.¡± It was a good thing Vyron managed to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. He shuddered to think her two subordinates were in the same dormitory as he was. Just imagining those two extremities waiting around some corner waiting to pounce on him, Vyron didn¡¯t want to continue that thought.

    ¡°I see,¡± Carys replied, not bothered at all that Vyron was visibly looking uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m going back to rest. See you.¡± He returned the sword from the rack.

    And then he was gone. Vyron had been left standing there with his thoughts as he stomped on the floor. Of course he wasn¡¯t going to continue any longer. Besides, his palm had bled trying to get the sword out of the column.

    The next morning, Vyron had woken two hours earlier than usual. At this time, the only people awake were his roommate, the kitchen staff, and the cleaners.

    Unfortunately by the time Vyron had finished warming up and stretching his body, Carys had long left, bringing his sword with him. With frazzled nerves and several thoughts occupying his mind, Vyron had ran off to the arena.

    Carys, who hadn¡¯t actually left the dormitory yet, had just returned from the training hall carrying his newly polished sword. Realizing that Vyron had gone, Carys sat on his bed and looked out the window of their room. The sun was nowhere to be found as the sky was back to its usual dull gray. His hands fiddled with the bracelet he had kept on himself for nearly six years. Even after the constant wear and tear, the bracelet remained practically untouched. The thought of not having seen his original appearance comforted him, as it meant that his secret was safe, but it also meant that he was not truly himself.

    Similar to being forced to wear a mask to hide from the world, the bracelet acted like a leash that kept the true him locked away. Carys wondered when was the last time he had able to truly act like himself. Now though, it seemed as though his perfect disguise had been converted to be the truth, not being able to distinguish between this normal young man and the bastard child of high nobles.

    The previous pale white skin had turned a healthy shade of alabaster. Those deep sunken eyes no longer sported exhaustion. His scrawny and almost stick figure who was all skin and bones had turned lean and fit. Having experienced a healthy lifestyle, one would find it hard to believe he was cursed. After dwelling on thoughts he insisted as unnecessary, Carys hurriedly put on his uniform and set off for his early run. Running along the paths that were now empty and desolate, he enjoyed the cold wind on his face. Breathing in steady intervals, he eventually found himself running along the walls of the arena.

    Just as there was a fork in the path, he caught two figures together in the arena. The familiar ink black hair made him yet again stop in his tracks as he tilted his head. The faint scent of mint once again lingered in the air.

    Vyron, who was currently holding a broadsword, had a confused expression on his face as one other person was patiently teaching him in exaggerated hand movements, holding a similar weapon. Strangely enough, a person most often held a sword in their right hand, but this person held it in their left hand.

    Observing from a distance away, the two people in training looked focus, not at all noticing a new figure arrive at the scene. It looked interesting, he thought. Carys vaguely had the sense that what she was teaching was different from the teachers, with a lot of hand motions he were familiar with. Cross implementing techniques...?

    His gaze traveled to the young woman. A tall and slender woman, who looked every bit clean and refreshing, had her hair up in a ponytail as she taught with a serious look on her face. He found himself quite dazed as he continued to stare. And when he realized it, he had scolded himself.

    Deciding it was not good for him to stay, Carys resumed his run and ran off to continue his morning run.

 Chapter 7

    When Ethel had woken up to the slight creak of her old wooden bed, she decided it was best to wake up rather than force herself to go back to sleep. Being a light sleeper, it allowed her to wake up in even the slightest disturbance, which was a huge disadvantage in and of itself. She sometimes found herself wide awake during the majority of the night.

    But for her, it had been a daily routine she had faced since she was young. Training had been more important than having a good night¡¯s rest. Fleur had annoyed her on numerous occasions to sleep, but she disliked medication as it developed a sense of dependency, and neither did she want to go to sleep with those horrid scented candles.

    It was like the scent was assaulting her nose. It was horrible.

    As she dressed herself for a run, Ethel had the persisting thought that there was a possibility Vyron may have ditched her. It wasn¡¯t the first time that something like this has happened. As not a lot of people wanted to keep up with her consistent morning exercises in addition to afternoon trainings, her routine had been spent alone and at the crack of dawn swinging weapons, throwing daggers, and nocking arrows.

    Her initial plan had been to wait a little while before dawn, eventually resuming her exercise, as she like to call it before running off to class when the sky turns the usual boring grey.

    To her surprise, Vyron had showed up donned in well-dressed clothes, making Ethel look quite shabby next to him, his silver hair tied in a low ponytail. There was a hint of expectancy in his eyes that she didn¡¯t miss, and that made her smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that your stubbornness has not failed you. I was beginning to think that you won¡¯t show up,¡± Ethel confessed as she held out a broadsword for him.

    Vyron tilted his head. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I show up?¡± Then he took the weapon from her, curiosity laced in his voice.

    ¡°You nobles don¡¯t mingle with us commoners. It¡¯s been a common divide in the institute. Surely you know that fact?¡±

    Honestly, he had forgotten. Having long gotten used to being with Carys had his sense of superiority completely diminished under his sword skills. But of course, Vyron got the sense that his ignorance might trigger an unwanted reaction and so he nodded.

    ¡°Anyways, we¡¯re going to be training with broadswords today. Lighter than what you¡¯re used to, but heavy enough that the transition won¡¯t affect you too much.¡±

    Ethel wanted to spar with a different person, one who held a weapon that is unfamiliar to her. She hadn¡¯t sparred with Vyron before and this friendly spar might spur her to improve. Maybe. Provided that he could keep up with her.

    ¡°Are we already going to spar?¡±

    Ethel, who had already climbed up the platform, turned around and nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m already up here, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    Vyron held the broadsword in his right hand. The hilt was perfect for his hand and it was heavy enough to avoid large swings when he used his strengths. For a second he thought, ¡®my uniform is going to get messy again,¡¯ and eventually climbed up the platform to join her.

    ¡°Well then, shall we?¡±

    Ethel held up the broadsword with some difficulty, it was obvious that the sudden shift of weight was not something she had gotten used to. Vyron then wondered why on earth she would choose to wield the same weapon as he did.

    As if guessing his thoughts, Ethel then proceeded to speak, ¡°It¡¯s for a fair match. I¡¯m as unfamiliar at the broadsword as you are. But knowing the very basics and having a stable foundation is vital. Every weapon has the same essence. It¡¯s just up to you to be able to harness that. Which brings us to the first lesson.¡±

    Already in a fighting stance, Ethel had charged forward, her demeanor changing entirely. Her aura turned fierce as she carried the sword a little beat slower than she was used to. Of course, Vyron did not hesitate to raise his sword to block, the force behind the blow neutralizing. In return, he retaliated by attacking her right side, a blind spot that had been left wide open from the previous blow as Ethel got knocked back.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    It was certainly true that a man¡¯s strength cannot be compared to a woman¡¯s, but whoever said that men were stronger than women has not always reigned true. Just like now.

    With her fleixble body, Ethel dodged the blow and used the interval of his swing to throw another swing at him. Stunned in place, Vyron was a beat too slow when Ethel suddenly swing a kick aimed towards his head, using the sword as support. Vyron blocked her kick with his right hand and tried to widen the space between them. Caught off guard, Ethel quickly grabbed and twisted his wrist that held the sword. Now swordless, she quickly kicked his legs and held him in an armlock on the ground, rendering him unable to move.

    Everything happened so fast that Vyron hadn''t processed what had happened.

    ¡°Wait ¨C What ¨C I ¨C?¡±

    Ethel responded by twisting his arm, which was so painful it felt like his shoulder was about to pop off its socket. ¡°I ¨C surrender!¡±

    She let go and got up on her feet, dusting away the dirt on her clothes.

    ¡°A good warm-up,¡± Ethel panted as she picked up the sword she had let go of during the match.

    Vyron stood up, rolling his shoulders to try and ease the pain. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°What was what?¡±

    ¡°That!¡±

    Vyron had seen Ethel move agilely like an assassin and twist her body in weird angles that it didn¡¯t look like the swordsmanship he had come to know of. He was also disinclined to believe that he had been bested by a woman. A madwomen, to be precise.

    He had a certain pride and dignity that he would like to keep, thank you.

    ¡°Care to have another go?¡±

    ¡°We have to do that again?¡± he asked dubiously.

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re training together starting today. The earlier you get a feel for your opponent, the better.¡±

    ¡°Lord, have mercy on me,¡± Vyron murmured as he collapsed on the bench. He downed the flask of water he had in hand, trying to keep a steady mind.

    ¡°Which reminds me of the lesson I said earlier.¡± Ethel stroked her chin as she continued, ¡°The trick to being good with a sword is a good foundation and mastering the basic skills. You have mastered that already so we move on to the essence.¡±

    ¡°What essence?¡±

    ¡°All weapons have one purpose. To protect. Doesn¡¯t matter who. Yourself, a family member, perhaps your master, or anyone. It¡¯s designed to protect.¡± Ethel had a serious look on her face as she trailed the blade of the sword with a finger.

    Then she looked at him. ¡°Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that everyone thinks the same. Look at the annals of history, plenty of weapons are used as a means of destruction. And surely you don¡¯t believe in that men are better than women?¡±

    Vyron had half a mind to argue, however the lingering sensation of his shoulder threatening to dislocate made him shut his mouth. He would be insane.

    ¡°What, not answering?¡±

    Vyron shook his head.

    ¡°If you say so.¡± Ethel shrugged and sat down on the ground. ¡°In any case, our training will consist on modifying your muscles.¡±

    ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t I already fit?¡± Vyron asked incredulously. Not only was he denied the use of his zweihander, now she was asking him to change his muscles? She must have gone crazy, Surely she has.

    ¡°Stop looking at me like I am insane. I¡¯m perfectly sane, mind you.¡±

    ¡°Then ¨C¡±

    ¡°One thing I noticed during the match is those abdominal muscles yours.¡±

    Vyron spat out his drink.

    ¡°My ¨C What ¨C My abs? What does that have to do with training?¡±

    Ethel wanted to roll her eyes. She was inclined to think that the money his parents spent on his tuition have been wasted.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever taught you the anatomy of the body?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Vyron grunted. ¡°I found it unimportant to learn. Besides, there are much better things to do. Like, train and spar.¡±

    Ethel clicked her tongue. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk! That¡¯s where you¡¯re mistaken, rich boy.¡±

    ¡°I am not a rich boy!¡±

    She ignored this and continued, ¡°As if it wasn¡¯t obvious enough, building muscles are different for every person. What works for one doesn¡¯t necessarily mean it¡¯ll work for you. That¡¯s why we develop our own training regime and build up from there. There are certain muscles we pay attention to depending on your specialty."

    Vyron tilted his head. Having been taught the same training as the other knights of their household, it hadn¡¯t occurred to him that each person is fundamentally different.

    ¡°Do you get it? I¡¯m hoping you do because the last time I tried to train others it was a disaster. Remember Albright and Porte?¡±

    They''re already plenty strong themselves and their training failed?

    A shiver ran along his spine remembering that huge brute and gremlin.

 Chapter 8

    "It''s the kind of mucles you''d see at those pageants for men. You know, the uncomfortable kind which uses drugs to enhance their appearance. A bit aesthetically pleasing if you ask me."

    "Aesthetically pleasing?"

    Usually he would hold his head up with pride at the compliment, maybe even a little arrogant because of it. But now he found himself embarrassed. His face turned crimson red as he stood at an equal height with Ethel, who stared at him peculiarly.

    It didn''t intimidate Ethel in the least. She looked him in the eye with a condescending look. She could care less if her words made him angry. Was it her fault that his muscles were completely just for show?

    Her job was to correct and train Vyron''s body and mind, not a maid who would flatter him if it pleases him. Whether he be a high noble or an emperor, her only responsibility was to train him. If he didn''t like that then he''s free to leave.

    "Yes."

    Vyron did at least have some restraint, calming himself down the way Carys taught him and sat back down on the bench.

    With a heavy voice he then continued, "Then how would you suppose I change?"

    Words are easy to say but hard to commit. For all Ethel knew, it was possible that Vyron may be putting on a show of humbleness to downplay his faults. If by any chance she could not offer Vyron any improvements, then he could just claim that she''s a fraud.

    She crossed her arms and said, "Then change your diet and training regime."

    "That''s not possible." Vyron shook his head. His diet had been handled by his family''s nutritionist ever since he was young. If he were to change it, then it would be akin to slapping the hand that fed him. It would''ve been fine if it was just changing his training regime, after all who didn''t want to improve, but what had diet have to do with this?

    Ethel sighed. This man needed to calm down. It wasn''t like she asked him to die for her. Instead, she took a dagger from her belt and began to throw it in the air skillfully. Seeing this, Vyron couldn''t help but flinch every time the blade would narrowly avoid the skin. A woman would usually pay attention to their appearnace, even Fleur always made sure to take care of her body, but this madwomen didn''t seem to care at all even if she was full of scars.

    "If you aren''t going to heed my advice then I suggest you leave. Besides, you''re not the only person I want to spar with."

    Many people usually disliked Ethel''s obsession with sparring. Though people do approach her for guidance. Unlike the teachers, sparring with Ethel gave them insight on their flaws and not have to worry about being publicly shamed for not being good enough. All in all, there were plenty of people who looked at Ethel with a favorably good impression.

    Vyron bit his lip. Unwillingness flashed in his eyes as he debated whether or not to go along with her plans. He did, after all, want to improve. Being made aware that he was lagging behind the others by a tiny bit, he would be stupid not to seek help from her.

    He tried to remember what Carys would do in this situation. But then again he would probably accept with no hesitation. Unlike him, Carys would strive towards his goal of getting stronger even if it meant sparring with a woman.

    And there were only a few months left since the competition. If he does not manage to get into the top ten, he could never hope to inherit the title of Grand Duke and most importantly, his pride and dignity would be forever lost. For him, this is a battle with himself. Before he would''ve vehemently refused and stomped out in anger before exacting revenge using his lackeys but after meeting with Carys...Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "... Fine," a small mutter escaped his lips.

    "What was that?"

    Vyron turned red and yelled, "I said okay!"

    Her lips curved up in an amused smile. Patting his back she then said, "A pleasure."

    "With that out of the way¡ª" Ethel maneuvered behind his back, deftly cutting his precious hair.

    Vyron turned pale when he heard the slash of her dagger and swerved around to catch her holding his silver locks in her hand.

    "You¡ª!"

    "Your long hair gets in the way of fighting. It would be fine if one were skilled, but in your case you''re not," Ethel bluntly replied as she threw away the locks without a care.

    "My hair..." Vyron wanted nothing more than to wring her neck for cutting his thick, beautiful locks. But he held back and instead let out a ''tsk,'' the vein on his forehead threatened to burst.

    "Don''t believe me? Let¡¯s spar," Ethel said, grabbing a different sword, one much lighter and thinner than the zweihander and jumped on the platform with a kick of her heel.

    The provoked young man thought it the perfect way to vent out his anger and frustrations, even if he perfectly knew what the outcome would be.

    After a great spar with a much faster pace of swords clashing. Vyron panted for air, holding himself up with the zweihander, sweat dripped down his forehead. But unlike earlier, he felt the weight of his head lighter and he could see much clearer than before.

    In addition to Ethel''s continuous words of advice during the match, he could feel himself swinging the heavy two handed sword more efficiently, making use of his strength.

    "Have you noticed the difference?" Ethel asked as she got down the platform and threw the sword back into the rack, the other weapons clanging from the force of her throw.

    Vyron nodded, bewildered by the subtle difference his hair had made.

    "Your hair is thick and luscious. When wet it weighs you down more than you think. And that fringe looks hideous on you, has no one told you that? You have a nice forehead, you''ll find it refreshing to see clearly for once." While hair is considered a certain look that nobles prided in, added to the fact that most nobles don''t make it out of their way to become warriors, they often fail to realize the subtle but enormous difference.

    Ethel also knew that his clothes were unnecessarily expensive. You would never see a warrior wearing such high quality leather; most would opt for a cheaper version because leather had the tendency to become susceptible to wear and tear.

    But of course she wouldn''t mention it. It was his money that was being wasted, not hers. Vyron turned red yet again, as he let out a ¡®hmp,¡¯ jumping down on the platform.

    ¡°By the way, you may want to think about going to a salon.¡±

    ¡°Huh, why?¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t exactly cut your hair with scissors did I? To be honest, I haven¡¯t said anything but you honestly resemble an apple with that hair...¡±

    She was not a hairdresser, of course cutting hair was not within her area of expertise. Vyron touched his hair and felt it weird that his neck had been exposed in the back. When he noticed that some parts were longer and some were extremely short, he had half a mind to give Ethel a good smack in the head but he¡¯d rather live than end up in the hospital.

    ¡°Damn you...¡± Vyron muttered angrily as he stomped out of the arena, his sword in hand.

    Ethel shrugged her shoulders and packed up her things. If the janitor ever found out that she had once again rearranged the placement of weapons on the racks, she¡¯d be subjected to cleaning the bathrooms, which wasn¡¯t exactly the most pleasant sight to behold. She quickly left the scene of the crime.

 Chapter 9

    In the south wing of the castle where the vast library of the Black Castle stood, Carys found himself in a dark corner with a pile of history books on the table. The book he was currently reading titled Great History of Eos, had been worn out so much that the letters had begun to fade and its paper had turned yellow with age.

    Before the continent came to be, the world was united into one whole continent called Eos. According to the book, which was written by the Serz State¡¯s aristocrat from several generations ago, the continent had broken off the large land, dividing its people and going through numerous great conflicts that caused about the first continental war.

    Although from another book he had read, the continent was not due to natural disasters, but through man¡¯s sins of going against the gods by building a tower through the heavens. No matter which one was correct, these different cases of the world¡¯s history held some sliver of truth.

    But history was not a subject Carys was particularly fond of. As of now, the thousand year Karin Festival would be held at the same week graduation would be and to curb his anxiety of having to leave the institute he had grown up in, he had turned to books to get lost in the annals of history.

    Carys held a special existence among the students of Agora. He was a normal student, but in exception to certain classes that had to be held public. In short, even in this closed off place, he was in restrictions of what he can and cannot do.

    As part of the warriors branch, Carys spends lur to virer attending classes and training in the black tower. Because he could not attend joint and public classes, he hadn¡¯t attended a single sparring class from the first year to now. While others speculated the reason, people generally left him alone after witnessing his sword skills.

    Useless as he might be, his skills can at least be counted as a 3rd class swordsman. His hands continued to trail over the ancient language of Karin. The bracelet that hung on his wrist once again reminded him of his place. Letting out a sigh, he closed the book and picked up another one.

    Cultures Of A Thousand Languages.The book contained records of tribes and countries that believed themselves to be eternal and unfaltering. Forever lost in the history of time, Carys skimmed over a few extinct tribes that bore unique appearances and peculiar traditions. The tribe of Ojdan, whose people were born with hair as white as snow and glittering pink eyes.

    It was suffocating, hiding himself.

    But in turn it also provided a sense of comfort. As long as the bracelet clung tightly to his wrist, there was no way anyone would ever find out his identity. His continuous worries would continue to be unfounded and no one would hunt him down.

    He was safe.

    Poring over the thick book with a worn cover, a flow of laughter drifted to his ears. He looked up from the dark corner to the stained glass window a little to his right.

    The windows were wide open, allowing breeze in and sound to travel freely. Carys wondered who on earth could be noisy in the early morning and in such a quiet place too. Compared to the institute in the state of Yllion, the only people who would ever find themselves lost in the huge library were the blacksmiths, tamers, and metallurgists. Rarely would you ever find warriors in such a place.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Judging from such a carefree and quite ridiculous laughter, he could only guess it had to come from a woman. He already had someone in mind but Carys wasn''t entirely sure about it. That person had only been a distant companion and a brief sparring partner, she had never bothered to grace him with her presence after that.

    ¡®How unusual,¡¯  he thought as he ignored the bout of laughter and resumed reading the thickly worn book on his lap.

    However another flow of laughter drifted to his ears, which had now piqued his curiosity. What could ever be the reason she laughs so freely? Granted, he had only ever seen her with a manic face while sparring with the others, and that gentle face she showed to her juniors. Even then with such a personality, Carys could roughly point out that she always had her guard up, even with a smiling face.

    A bit like him, he supposed. With a mask ingrained so deeply into his self that he could no longer differentiate if he was acting or not, it was the sort of kindred sense that he thought Ethel might also be the same.

    Closing the book at hand, he stood up and walked closer to the window, where a peculiar sight had greeted him. Ethel, who always tied her hair in a low ponytail, had her hair down while caressing one of the pigs in the nearby pen.

    ''What is she doing?''

    Carys had assumed that she would be interacting with an animal with how she was almost cooing. A bird, a rabbit, a horse, even a cat would be expected but a ¨C pig? How on earth had she managed to befriend one of the pigs? Surely she was not a farmer in her previous life, could she?

    Carys wanted to return to reading his books but somehow found himself stuck next to the window watching their interaction for the next few minutes. Of course, people who had walked by also became curious, but hadn¡¯t lingered long enough and returned to their tasks.

    Ethel had been good friends with one of the pigs here since she was in her 1st year. Back then, this fat pig that she was caressing was so small that the owner wondered if she could ever survive till adulthood.

    Seeing the sickly pig¡¯s small figure struck a chord in her that she had bargained with the owner to sell the pig to her. After careful nursing and asking one of the farmers she was good friends with, Ethel managed to nurse this fat pig back to health. Curiously enough, the previous pale pink color of the pig turned to white, which first bothered her but after not seeing anything unusual ignored it.

    Now... She hadn¡¯t managed to miss Carys staring at her from the third floor of the library window for the past ten minutes. How could she ¨C a warrior of the 3rd class, not detect such an intense stare? And from a person she believed to be stoic and a bit of a loner.

    Did her caressing a pig come across as unusual? It might come as a shock to him too. A grown woman of 22 years was petting a 6 year old fat pig was not normal ¨C under any circumstances. Her back had been turned away from him so he couldn¡¯t see her expressions.

    Quite ugly expressions too. His stare was beginning to feel uncomfortable and her face squinted into that of someone who had severe constipation. The farmer, who was inside the small shack had caught her expression and laughed. Finally when she was about to give up spending her rare time alone with the pig, she felt Carys¡¯ stare recede and disappear, much to her relief. But that begs the question, why was he staring in the first place?

    Ethel might have to search up the library whether or not white pigs were rare. She had seen black pigs, but never white. Of course, in this vast world where even magic was possible, it wasn¡¯t far from abnormal if there ever were white pigs.

    After the pesky eagles started cawing, which signaled the start of classes, Ethel had to bid her pig goodbye and change into her uniform before secretly running off to skip class.

 Chapter 10

    Over the course of the entire winter season, Ethel had been busy training with Vyron over the recent changes in their schedule. Because training had took up the rest of her time with her friends, Vyron had had to deal with the constant verbal banters of both Albright and Porte, who reluctantly turned over a new leaf after being scolded by her.

    Of course, the knowledge of being harassed by her friends was something that Vyron chose not to divulge, probably for fear of making the problem bigger than what it ought to be. Carys, who would spend his leisure time in the library, got along well with Porte who held a minor course in history as part of his noble duties.

    Fleur had even taken it upon herself to write letters to Vyron in consideration to his rather handsome face and healthy body. After being tempered by Ethel in regards to that horrible pride of his, Vyron managed to pique her interest after chancing upon their usual training.

    When spring had come and it was finally the month of Mayu, Ethel decided to stop their training and had allowed him free reign over his schedule. Vyron had initially wanted to celebrate being freed from the hellish training, however a few days after he found himself feeling a little lost and empty.

    And so after several persuasions from Albright and Porte, the four of them decided to train with Ethel.

    The time had finally come for their teacher, Baron Kapfem to assess them for the following weeks until the second week of Xunu, which he¡¯ll then pick 10 students to come with him to the Empire.

    ¡°If you guys get picked, what are you going to do?¡± Porte asked as they ate their lunch in one of the guardtowers. The canteen and Great Hall were too rowdy, as opposed to the towers where the eagles were stationed at. Except for giving out signals, eagles would rarely ever bother you.

    Albright was muching on a piece of turkey leg and muttered, ¡°Obviously go with our teacher, duh...¡± to which he earned a smack to the head, almost choking on the piece of meat.

    ¡°WHAT THE FUC ¨C¡±

    ¡°Language,¡± Ethel interjected.

    ¡°¨C hell is wrong with you? Who smacks people in the head while eating?¡±

    Porte rolled his eyes in response.

    ¡°Why you ¨C!¡±

    As both men tussled on the ground, Ethel engaged in conversation with the two other present, Vyron and Fleur, who no longer tried to seduce him to sleeping with her. After driving a hard bargain, Ethel managed to convince Fleur to find a better target in exchange for a coupon in one of the spas just outside the castle. Since seniors were the only one allowed to go outside, Ethel could use some relaxation and use her coupon when the others left for Mars. After all, they¡¯d technically already be graduated before the competition would start.

    ¡°How about the both of you?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What would be your response if you had qualified for Mars?¡±

    Vyron pondered on it and almost immediately said, ¡°Bring honor to my family.¡±

    ¡®What a typical answer.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯d go,¡± Fleur nonchalantly replied.

    Ethel raised a brow. ¡°Really?¡±

    Warriors had the option of refusing the spot if they didn''t want to. Of course, a warrior must have a valid reason to refuse such an opportunity.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    ¡°Well, I do but you¡¯d probably want something else than fame or fortune, do you not?¡±

    Her family is already famous. As her grandfather is a retired general from the Werdolf Empire and her father is the prime minister, her status could be comparable to the royal princess. Though she was quite different. After all, unlike her older sister and other ladies in the capital, she chose to study here in the cold north and become a warrior. Such actions were supported by her grandfather, so even when bad rumors shrouded her reputation, Fleur acted as if she wasn''t concerned.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Prepared to be skewered if you ever get on her bad side, as Ethel would always empathize when visiting her previous admirers. Not that it would work, that woman was a seductress capable of causing the downfall of a country, you see?

    Fleur¡¯s laughter could be heard. ¡°My my, you really know me so well, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah right,¡± Vyron snorted as he chewed on his sandwich.

    Irked, Fleur inched closer to him with a smile, to which Vyron scooted closer to Ethel to shield himself from the seductress. Others might find her beautiful but he found her annoying and haughty. Albright and Porte had settled down and had scratches on their faces with messed up hair.

    You wouldn''t usually find nobles like them. Despite being an institute for warriors, there was still a noticeable divide between the two classes. The school forbade servants in Agora, which forced those blue bloods to take care of themselves. Still, nobles rarely interacted with commoners unless needed. Suprisingly with not much malice.

    ¡°But who do you reckon would get picked?¡± Porte mumbled with a bruised lip.

    Ethel wondered. Since only a handful had reached 7th class, she supposed all of them would be picked, excluding herself.

    ¡°Baron Kapfem would probably pick me,¡± Albright shrugged, a cut from his forehead continued to drip down the side of his face, though frankly no one seemed to care.

    ¡°And why would he?¡± Vyron scoffed. He disliked it when someone boasted. Ethel had to remind him that he was like that just a few months ago.

    ¡°Because wouldn¡¯t it make sense if he went for a balanced team?¡±

    ¡°Balanced?¡± Fleur tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°Strength and power should take priority,¡± Vyron interjected as he stabbed a piece of meat from his lunch.

    Albright, who is not good at explaining things, turned to Ethel for help. All of them got the message as Ethel sighed. If she kept talking, then when will she be able to finish her hearty meal? Alas, she could only concede.

    With a cough she then spoke, ¡°We all know how good of a swordsman Baron Kapfem is, am I right?¡± The rest nodded.

    ¡°And since warriors have not managed to win for the past seven years, then it would only make sense that a man of his wits and strength would lean towards a strategic approach as to how Mars would be conducted.¡±

    Vyron looked as if he wanted to speak, but is quickly elbowed in the ribs by Fleur, shushing him. He had an indignant look on his face but chose to remain quiet.

    ¡°There¡¯s a limit to strength and power. Like most warriors who go on expeditions to subjugate the northern wolves and ice bears, blindly attacking with pure strength and power alone is not enough. To put in an analogy, bears have thick hides and wolves are fast. If you keep using strength alone, then you might not be able to effectively kill the beasts, much less land a hit. You have to bear in mind the most optimal fighting style that allows you to fight while preserving most of your strength with minimal effort.

    The same applies to Mars. Magic users have classes that uses different mediums in casting magic. All of them have different strengths and different weaknesses. Of course, the same applies to us. So for warriors, it would only make sense that Baron Kapfem would pick people who is able to cooperate and have different strengths that suit different situations. Ergo, it would be preferable to have both long-ranged and short-ranged fighters.¡±

    Albright gave a thumbs up and said, ¡°So I was right, Ethel is a much better teacher than those old blokes in theoretical classes.¡±

    Vyron nodded, Porte enthusiastically agreed, and Fleur hummed in response. Ethel ignored it.

    ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t seen Carys around as much.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s cooped up inside our room, only goes out to train and bathe at night, and sleeps the whole day with the blanket covering his entire body.¡± Vyron harbored no intention of finding out why because he was so busy with training and he was too much of an idiot to suspect anything suspicious going on.

    Ethel begged to differ. She already harbored doubts about his identity, what with a certain accessory he wore on his wrist. Thinking of this, she looked down at her ankle that hid the same bracelet under her shoes. Though she hadn''t managed to find anything seeing as they were not close and rarely held a conversation.

    Their interactions revolved around polite greetings and occasional spars with evenly matched skills and curt and concise flaw corrections. As such, she hadn¡¯t so much of a thought about how weird he acted at the moment.

    ¡°Should we pay him a visit then?¡± Ethel said, attracting the attention of the others, who stared with a mixture of shock.

    Fleur giggled. ¡°Oh my, has our dear Ethel developed an interest in Carys?¡±

    She had no intention of denying it in the first place, and her curiosity merely stemmed from the fact that she has her own guesses as to why he was acting out of order.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Vyron dropped his fork, Fleur widened her eyes, Porte¡¯s jaw slacked, and Albright¡¯s mouth had opened so wide that the meat he was chewing fell to the ground. Ethel paid no heed and quickly finished her lunch before standing up and wiping the dirt off her pants.

    ¡°Well then, shall we?¡±

 Chapter 11

    It hadn''t occured to them that there would come a day that Ethel would finally act like a lady they had hoped. And no, it wasn''t because of her personality and manner of dressing, but rather when it came to the matters of the opposite sex. She was too invested in the way of the warrior that they hardly saw her take an interest in people other than for sparring.

    They had reason to believe, or more like yearned to believe, that Ethel harbored other intentions that were unusual for the warrior. Fate led them to believe that it was something more. After all, they established a bond of friendship unlike any other. Of course they would love to see their strongest warrior blossom in her prime.

    ¡°Should we really be following her?¡± Porte whispered.

    ¡°Shh! She might hear you. And of course we should. Women aren¡¯t allowed in the male dormitories without reason,¡± Albright replied.

    Fleur rolled her eyes. ¡°Why are you guys whispering? You do know that I can hear it, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The two of them stiffened and smiled apologetically. While the three of them trailed a few steps behind Ethel and Vyron, who was leading the way, they whispered amongst themselves.

    ¡°Do you think that Carys might be the one?¡± Fleur muttered.

    Her presence alone attracte a lot of stares from the crowd. Not to mention that they were in the male''s dormitory that was brimming with testosterone, she was like a rose in a field of grass. The two men groaned as they picked up the pace to leave that seductress behind.

    ¡°Fine! Don¡¯t answer me.¡±

    As the five of them reached the very end of the corridor, Vyron opened the door to the right. ¡°He¡¯s in there. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s awake yet but I haven¡¯t opened our partition ever since he closed it two days ago.¡±

    Ethel nodded and had no qualms about entering a man¡¯s room. They shouldn¡¯t be here at this time of day because of their theoretical classes, but Ethel managed to persuade them into skipping by letting them  copy off of her notes (a lie because she did not take notes).

    With a yank, she opened the partitions and saw a huge bulge in the bed that was curled up in a ball. There was no movement and sound, if it was not because there was a glass of ice on the bedside table, Ethel would believe he was dead.

    She hadn¡¯t mentioned the fact that the both of them wore similar accessories, nor did she mention that fact to Carys himself, whom she assumed had no idea seeing as he hadn¡¯t seek her out yet. She had a reason to believe that they may be one and the same.

    ¡°Can you guys get out, for a moment?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± the three men yelled out simultaneously. Fleur had an even bigger smile on her face.

    Ethel felt an incoming headache and threw a pleading look at Fleur.

    ¡°What would you do without me?¡± she shook her head and proceeded to push the three men out. ¡°Out we go, come on then. Unless you want me to spill your secrets?¡±

    They momentarily forgot about Ethel¡¯s insistence on being left alone and scrambled out of the room with begrudged expressions. Vyron threw a last glance over his shoulder before Fleur slammed the door shut with a loud thud.

    Ethel sighed. She sat down on the cold, stone floor and stared at the blanket. There was subtle movement as it moved up and down, accompanying the steady breathes of the figure underneath. With her senses, she could vaguely sense the vtialis in his body.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Vitalis in the body signified that it was still alive.

    ¡°Carys.¡±

    There was no sign of movement.

    ¡°Wake up.¡±

    She forcefully removed the blanket and threw it on Vyron¡¯s bed. To his surprise, Carys threw a punch, hoping to make a diversion and make a grab for the blanket. Unfortunately it failed, not only didEthel manage to block his fist, she threw a punch at his gut. It didn¡¯t connect but now she had a good look at Carys.

    Gone were his brown hair and eyes. Ethel smiled as she managed to confirm her suspicions.

    ¡°I would have never guessed that the favored student of the Headmaster was an zabiya.¡±

    Carys jerked back and glared at Ethel. He had already made a grab for the sword underneath his bed and did not hesitate to point it at her neck. The blade had been directed precisely above the artery in her neck.

    ¡°Someone is a bit jumpy.¡± She raised her brows as an act of defiance, but it couldn¡¯t hide the fact that her heart lurched and her palms sweated that she broke out in a cold sweat.

    ¡°When someone discovers your secret wouldn¡¯t you have done the same?¡± Carys asked calmly, not missing her sweaty palms.

    ¡°Of course I would¡¯ve. But I advise you to sheath your sword.¡±

    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Why should I?¡±

    Ethel then breathed deeply and tried to calm down. ¡°Simple, because of the Headmaster."

    Carys applied more pressure on the blade to her neck.

    ''This crazy bastard.'' Ethel felt another incoming headache.

    "If you care for him at all, you wouldn''t kill me. It would reflect badly on him if his prized student killed someone."

    The atmosphere was tense as she waited in bated breaths for his decision.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Carys sheathed his sword and put back the sword under his bed. He sat down on his worn bed, his head hung low. He wouldn¡¯t initially let Ethel go so easily, seeing as she found out his greatest secret. But a lingering thought in his head had convinced it that it was better she was the one who found out about it, rather than someone else.

    He couldn''t have kept it a secret forever. There was bound to be someone who found out and if he thought about it positively, it was helpful to have a worthy accomplice to help him. Carys rather thought it was a miracle that no one had picked up his disguise. He did find it quite suspicious that Ethel had found about it and why she handled his cursed appearnce quite calmly.

    ''Was she like him?'' he thought. But shook his head. There was no way that another one of his kind would crop up in a such a place. Zabiyas would usually keep to themselves in the far east, where there was hardly any large countries and where deserts spanned for miles and miles. The sinking feeling in his chest did not reside and a burning curiosity flashed in his eyes.

    In any case, only people who had something to hide would wear a similar accessory. It was just that different people had different secrets. He wanted to know hers.

    Ethel sat down on the opposite bed and smiled. "I''m sure you''re curious how I found out and if i''m the same as you?"

    He nodded. Ethel''s deep eyes that showed a hint of amusement did not fail to pass his gaze. If there was one thing that Ethel was good at, it was hiding secrets. She took pride in teasing people despite her usual casual demeanor.

    Carys'' white hair seemed to shimmer in the rays of the sun and his pink eyes glittered like gems. Ethel had to blink again to make sure she wasn''t disillusioned. ''Weird,'' she thought. They were both zabiyas but he seemed to be even more beautiful than her. Unlike her, she more or less resembled the cursed ones. She looked down on her ankle again.

    Without missing a beat she then said, "What you''re thinking isn''t too far from it. Yes, I have seen a zabiya before. It was a fateful encounter iin the slums." Carys was stunned, he didn''t peg her as the type that lived in the slums. Ethel laughed. "Yes, you wouldn''t guess that I came from the slums, specifically the red light district. The zabiya that I saw before was also a boy. He was with his parents escaping to the far east. As for how I found out, well I have a similar one like yours. Except mine is hidden and well, yours could be seen in plain view."

    Carys looked a bit ¨C disoriented.  ¡°Then why would you ¨C¡±

    ¡°Wear one?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°The same reason as you.¡±

 Chapter 12

    After that day, Ethel said no more and left the dormitory. She knew that it wasn''t exactly right to leave him, but it was kind of amusing to see him deep in thought with his emotions like an open book. In any case, after a few days, she had not seen him nor heard from him, even with Vyron often by her side.

    More importantly, the day had come for Baron Kapfemto choose the ten people participating at the heart of the empire, the capital city of Solasta. While the others continuously fretted over the prospective candidates, she use the spare time to venture outside the castle and goof around with the townspeople. Unfortunately, there wasn''t a lot of rumors around and nothing expect for Mars interestingly happened in the empire. Though she supposed that the Crown Prince signing up for Mars did somewhat pique her interest.

    Fate might play a cruel joke on her so there was that to worry about. She hadn''t managed to miss the baron''s weird insistence on changing her partners every single class. It was similar to how a mother fretted over her children. It wasn''t a good sign and out of annoyance, she intentionally kept holding back and making mistakes.

    At the arena, Ethel stood at the back and saw some noticeable famous faces, with the majority being sons and daughters of nobility. Wain, who was easily the best swordsmen in their year, Fein, a talented archer; and some others whose name she had long forgotten.

    Ethel was deep in her thoughts until the voice of Baron Kapfem resounded in the field. She set her sights on him, dressed in robes worthy of hi titles, the cravat wrapped around his neck looked tight enough to choke him. She even thought it was a bit ridiculous to dress up for such a small occasion.

    How she wished the ceremony was over. The sun overlooking them glared so brightly it was annoying. If it was not because of their vitalis to protect them, then she would''ve already escaped from the sea of people and their sweaty figures. It was already summer and all she wanted to do was get this over with and eat outside the castle.

    If this was in the past, then she wouldn''t mind even if she took forever under the sun, but Fleur had pointed out that her pale skin had turned to a healthy shade of tan, much to the dismay of Fleur. It was only skin, what was there to be worked up about? Alas, she would never understand Fleur''s distress over her figure. That girl liked to fuss over her appearance much more than her own, which Ethel found annoying.

    "Greetings warriors. Today marks the day I will choose whom I will bring to the heart of the empire, Solasta." Baron Kapfem stood tall and proud, speaking in a loud voice that could hardly be ignored. "I want you all to know that regardless of who gets chosen, that does not make any of you any less worthy."

    Ethel begged to differ. Nobody wanted that. It was complete bullshit because if they were worthy, then they would''ve been chosen. An easy path to the highest point was hard to come by, who on Earth would be stupid enough to refuse that? Even she herself was tempted to be picked. Unfortunately getting picked meant being the center of attention. Attention that could very well spell the end of her life.

    Scrutinized by the public, she wouldn''t be surprised if someone found out she was in disguise. After all, whose to say there wasn''t magic that uncovers illusions?

    ¡°Let us begin.¡±

    Barely scraping by the assessments, acting lethargic during practices, and purposely making mistakes on sparring matches, Ethel did everything she could to place in the middle ranks of the batch. She was confident that she would not be chosen. No matter how much the baron cared for her skills, there was no way he was going to pick her out of other more talented warriors than her.

    Albright and Fleur had already made their way to her while the others compressed at the front. He looked at Ethel with a knowing smirk and said, "You''re going to get picked."

    "Oh?" Ethel raised a brow. "Want to bet on it?"

    "Sure, what are the stakes?"

    He was also confident that Ethel would get picked. After all, based on flexibility, if Ethel claimed to be second, then no one would dare claim first.

    "If I get chosen, then I will cover your all of your meals at the capital for three days straight."

    Not to mention Albright''s huge appetite, there was a huge disparity in the quality of food in the cold north and the central region. If anything, the prices were way above the spending capacity of a normal student like them.

    "And if you don''t?"

    "Then give me the polearm you bought from that traveling merchant."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Recently during the academy¡¯s week off, the two of them went to town to buy weapons and supplies. By chance, a wandering merchant stopped by and sold a lot of exotic goods. One of them was a polearm that had a beautiful black metal sheen with Uverf wood as the handle, a type of  wood that can only be harvested at the eastern edge of the continent. The merchant didn¡¯t know it¡¯s true value and ended up selling it to Albright at a cheap cost, beating Ethel to the punch while she bought bandages.

    Albright frowned. He was already very lucky that he bought it and planned to sell it at the capital for big bucks. If she took it, then he won''t have enough money to spend.

    "Why the polearm?"

    Not wanting to divulge, Ethel smiled. ¡°No reason.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So? Is it a deal or not?¡±

    With gritted teeth Albright shook hands. ¡°Fine!¡±

    ¡°You guys are acting like children.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, spear freak,¡± Albright muttered. His confidence had dwindled down by the time it got to the 2nd candidate. Fleur kicked his shin and walked away, earning an ouch.

    ¡°Stupid.¡±

    Ethel rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Baron Kapfem.

    ¡°Carys.¡±

    ¡°Albright.¡±

    ¡°Fleur.¡±

    ¡°Phisle.¡±

    ¡°Deon.¡±

    ¡°Quince.¡±

    ¡°Glade.¡±

    ¡°And finally.¡±

    She could feel the subtle glances at her in the corner of her eyes. Everyone would expect her to pass. Or so to speak, a lot of them believed she would pass. It would bring nothing but benefits if someone like her could participate in the competition and bring honor to them.

    ¡°Kelsh.¡±

    An outbreak of murmur spread to the crowd. They couldn''t believe it. Baron Kapfem met eyes with Ethel with a look of understanding. Without minding the crowd, Ethel turned around and left the arena in an uproar.

    In the Great Hall, Albright stumped on the stool as he murmured, "What the hell..."

    Fleur also couldn''t hide the confused look on her face. She knew very well that Ethel could come off as a humble warrior despite her great talents but why was she not chosen? Had she missed something? Something that could make the baron skip her entirely?

    Ethel sat down. ¡°You¡¯re biting your nails again.¡±

    "That''s not important right now. Tell me, did you know that the baron wouldn''t choose you?"

    Silence. Ethel didn''t think that it was anything important and shrugged her shoulders.

    "So you did."

    Then, the doors slammed open and in came Porte with a look of urgency. He approached the table and slammed his hands down. "Is it true?"

    "is what true?"

    "Yes, it is," Fleur interjected.

    This tiime it was Porte''s turn to slump on the stool. As for Albright, he was too busy dwelling on his lost polearm that he hadn''t noticed his arrival.

    "How could this happen? You''re the best warrior i''ve ever seen!"

    Porte couldn''t believe it. Or rather, he didn''t want to believe. All this time she was the person who looked after him and helped him train. As for the others, he could care less about them. Ethel sighed and patted him on the head.

    "It''s not a big deal. And there are a lot more stronger warriors than me." She shook her head. "Wielding different weapons doesn''t make me the strongest. I''m not an aberrant being. I''m just a poor girl from the slums who got lucky."

    "My polearm..." Albright murmured, to which the rest promptly ignored. The original price of the polearm should''ve easily been around 50,000 gold, but he got it for a measly 2,000. There was no way Ethel was going to pass up the opportunity for such a high quality weapon.

    ¡°What do you mean? There are a lot of stronger warriors than me. I had about a 1:6 chance of winning, and that¡¯s being optimistic!¡±

    Grumbling under his breath, Albright stood up and walked away with heavy footsteps.

    ¡°Be careful! That weapon is now my property!¡± Ethel yelled until he disappeared from view. ¡°See, I told you guys I wouldn¡¯t get picked.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but why exactly?"

    "Are you sick?"

    Porte checked her temperature, cool to the touch. "Don''t tell me... you faked your own ranking, didn''t you?"

    Ethel nodded. She didn''t tell anyone about her plan, knowing that the rest would take it upon themselves to prevent such an outcome. No one knew except her and the baron.

    "You purposely didn''t do well on the final assessment, which means you have to have placed somewhere in the middle, making it impossible for the baron to choose you." Fleur replied. She had to admit, her friend was really stubborn, for better or worse.

 Chapter 13

    After the announcements were finished, Baron Kapfem and the other instructors. Staff then wheeled in a large board with the student''s rankings, prompting the others to hastily check their placements.

    Despite the rather inelligible writing, others were barely able to understand it. One name in particular, stood out in the middle of the board.

    "She placed so low..."

    "Wasn''t she acting kind of suspicious before?"

    "Was it all a fake, then? She''s not that strong after all?"

    "I''m sure there''s something wrong with the results!"

    Sparks flew as the crowd got caught up in heated discussions. As for the other chosen participants, none were interested to look at the rankings and immediately left the vicinity. Back at the Great Hall, Ethel was being bombarded with rapid fire questions from Porte, who had turned red from the neck up after babbling for so long.

    "How could you throw it all away? You''re talented and easily better than the others¡ª"

    Ethel shook her head. "I''m not throwing it away and I am not easily better than others. You have to stop this idea about me being some aberrant being."

    "But isn''t it true? You''re choosing to abandon such a once in a lifetime opportunity and for what? Because you don''t believe you''re good enough?" Porte sported a frustrated look and refused to see reason.

    "I can''t seem to understand why you''re so upset about this. I already said it''s fine and yet you keep insisting it''s not. And i''m not throwing it away because I dont feel good enough. I value my safety and rather not stand out in such a high profile way." Ethel sighed. "You know what? I don''t even want to argue with you right now. I''m tired."

    She stood up and turned to leave.

    "Wait! You can''t just leave and¡ª"

    Fleur held him by the arm and said, "That''s enough." She shook her head and sighed.

    If it was Ethel, she would''ve already glared at him and gave him a good beating. It was already nice of her to leave without making a fuss.

    "What? You think she was right?" Porte sometimes disliked how carefree Ethel was even though she was talented. Everyone could always feel that Ethel wasn''t completely serious even when sparring. His face flushed red from frustration.

    "I''m saying you''re being unreasonable. How would you like it if other people forced their ideals onto you?"

    Porte breathed heavily, his head dropped. "I wouldn''t like it."

    "Then stop being an idiot." Fleur let go of his arm and walked away, leaving Porte standing her like a lost puppy.

    Walking to the ramparts to the Headmaster''s office, Carys wondered why he had been summoned as soon as he got out of the Black Tower. He didn''t bother to attend the announcement and if it wasn''t because other people congratulated him on the way, then he would''ve never have guessed he was picked.

    Standing in front of the familiar wooden doors, Carys breathed calmly and knocked. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Headmaster."

    "Yes, come in." A raspy voice replied.

    Opening the doors, the headmaster was not alone. Sitting on the sofa, Baron Kapfem nodded at him, acknowledging his presence. Carys had his guard up immediately and he had a feeling the news wasn''t good. He bowed.

    "I had been talking to the baron concerning your participation in the competition and your situation."

    He stiffened. The headmaster sensed this and said, "Do not worry. I trust the baron with my life. That I can swear on."

    "Well, I''m quite touched." The baron smiled.

    Despite this assurance, Carys'' bad feeling didn''t fade at all and he was visibly tensed around the baron. He had kept his distance from people like that for who knows how long and with another finding out about his secret, everything about this situation didn''t feel good at all.

    ¡°As you might already know, you have been picked by Baron Kapfem to participate in Mars.¡±

    ¡°But sir, that is¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know your worries. You can be at ease. Kapfem will keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for being blunt sir, but I don¡¯t exactly understand why I was chosen in the first place.¡±

    "That is fine. Kapfem will explain the rest. As you know, old age has affected me toom much and I have just taken this drowsy medicine of mine. So if you''ll excuse me," the headmaster stood up and went inside the side door by the left of his office.

    He and the baron were left in a small stare off, eyeing each other.

    "You don''t have to look at me with such eyes. Much to your dismay, your secret will rest safe in my hands."

    "How do I know you''re not going to take advantage of me?" Carys narrowed his eyes.

    Kapfem sighed. "You know, for such a large vessel like yours, getting easily agitated makes it hard to control your vitalis."

    "What do you know about me?"

    The baron looked up. Dear heavens, this boy was usually so emotionless, how was he so agitated now? If he knew that this would be his reaction then it would''ve been better if the headmaster had not told him.

    "You are a zabiya, that''s for sure."

    "And what are you going to do? Expose me and surrender me to the Empire?" Carys didn''t want that. He''d already been pushed to the edge of his life, one more and he would really rather die.

    Kapfem frowned. "That''s a bit cliche. Not only is it against my principles but this is not a storybook, after the headmaster told me this, rest assured I won''t do you any harm."

    "Then why do I have to participate in the competition? The instructor is fully aware that my life will be completely in your hands if I do decide to participate?"

    "I''ll explain." Kapfem clasped his hands. "As you know, zabiyas have faced discrimination far worse than any other race in the continent, right? "

    Carys nodded.

    "It couldn''t be that you plan to expose me in this competition? I get that I am strong but you''re making me risk my life at the expense of what?"

    "This is a huge gamble but we''re going to make it work. By hook or by crook. Even the Emperor is aware."

    "And?"

    "While zabiyas still face discrimination, it''s honestly not as bad as it used to be. In fact, the royal advisor of the Emperor is a zabiya."

    A look of surprise flashed in Carys'' face. "Then sir why is it not¡ª"

    "¡ªA big deal? Well... You do know that the Emperor is hailed as an angel by the common people, right? As a trusted advisor with the backing of the Emperor, who would dare to doubt the decision of the highest ruler?"

    Carys couldn''t fathom the situation. Since he had never taken classes involving politics and religion, it was a huge gray area for him. Not only had he not developed an interest in the affairs of the mundane world, but if he did, then perhaps he''d be more aware of his position. Is that why Ethel did not have a huge reaction to his secret?

    "Rest your worries. Even if people find out about your identity, you will not be killed. Not with the headmaster and me backing you up. And perhaps the daughter of the Cyprus family? I heard you are quite close?"

    In the end, Carys didn''t have any doubts. He had given in to the baron''s words. He nodded.

    "Excellent then. We leave first thing tomorrow."

    The baron did not waste any time and quickly left the office. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

 Chapter 14

    As the baron left, Carys turned to the window right behind the study. He felt a little awkward staying in the office, but he couldn''t leave the headmaster without anyone looking after him. There was no way that the headmaster would allow any guards by his side, with the exception of Soj, who sadly wasn''t in the office right now.

    He stood up and walked towards the window. The headmaster''s office faced the large plaza and provided a clear view of the central place. Disinterested in looking at the loitering students by the grounds, Carys looked further past the plaza. by the stables. His eyes scanned for an unusual white pig using vitalis.

    When the Baron had left, Carys turned to look at the Headmaster, who was already snoring in his sleep. He felt awkward staying there, but he had no choice as he didn¡¯t want to be the irresponsible one for leaving him vulnerable. After all, there was no way the Headmaster would ever allow anyone to secretly guard him. At most, he had someone monitor him, but for sure the person would only possess normal physical strengths.

    Carys stood up and walked towards the window. It faced the large plaza and provided a clear view of the entirety of the grounds. As of the moment, the place was bustling with activity. There were a lot of students loitering around and several professors in a hurry. Disinterested with the view, he then turned to look further, past the plaza. Further was the stables.

    Just as he spotted the creature, his lips curled up into a small smile.

    "I never knew this child could smile."

    The smile faded from his lips. He turned around and crossed his arms.

    "And I never knew the headmaster was nosy."

    "My old age has made me quite lonely." He chuckled and sat down on the sofa.

    "I didn''t notice the headmaster from behind. Since when were you awake?"

    Unlike earlier, the headmaster''s face wasn''t pallid and he stood taller brimming with vitality. "Since you walked towards the window. I was quite hesitant to disturb you since you seemed so deep in thought."

    Carys frowned while gazing at the headmaster''s figure. There was no fluctuation in his vitalis at all. One could usually tell a person''s presence by the fluctuation of their vitalis, as often the conscious state of mind fluctuated with emotions. WIth no fluctuation, it was akin to a suspended state of mind, like sleeping. It was this case for the headmaster.

    "I wasn''t deep in thought."

    The headmaster smiled. "You were, child. Or else I wouldn''t have witnessed such a rare smile on your face."

    Carys shook his head. There was no point dissuading the old man, he could be quite stubborn about his conjectures.

    "What were you looking at? I assume the white pig at the stables? Or perhaps the owner?" The old man curiously gazed at him akin to a girl asking for gossip.

    Carys'' ears turned a faint shade of red. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." How could the headmaster talk about his friend like that? It was very awkward.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Of course, whatever you say." The headmaster chuckled.

    Such a harmonious scene was quite good. Carys sighed.

    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The Headmaster raised a brow. Rarely were there anything that stumped him. Whatever could have caused such a restless sigh?

    ¡°If you are uncomfortable talking about it then you can-¡±

    ¡°They know.¡±

    The Headmaster blinked. ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Carys stood up. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it though. If they knew, then why did they have to point it out? Why would they reveal something that I could hold against them?¡±

    ¡°What is it, child?¡±

    He approached the Headmaster and looked thoroughly confused. He had never seen this child get worked up about something.

    ¡°Headmaster, if someone found out about your deepest secret, what would you do?¡±

    The Headmaster fell deep in thought as he looked down at his old worn desk. He then looked up at Carys who gazed at him with anticipation that somehow he would be able to give him an answer he was willing to accept.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing?¡±

    ¡°Yes, nothing.¡±

    Carys¡¯ face contorted to an expression of frustration that the Headmaster found amusing. This was a rare moment where the child wore his emotions on his sleeves, like an open book.

    ¡°You should understand, Carys.¡± The Headmaster spoke in a low voice. ¡°That everyone has motives. People are fickle beings. They are quick to turn against each other and use other¡¯s weaknesses as leverages.¡±

    ¡°Then all the more I should be anxious. If ever word got out, where would I go? Headmaster, if my secret got out, I know that from that moment on you shouldn¡¯t shield me. I am thankful for your guidance all these years but this would destroy your reputation. Hiding a cursed one is akin to a death sentence. And I- I can¡¯t handle that.¡±

    The Headmaster sighed. ¡°Your worries are unfounded. It seems to me that this person, the one who confronted you about your identity, doesn''t seem to have any intention of revealing it.¡±

    ¡°Of course she wouldn¡¯t. If she did-¡±

    ¡°So this person is a she?¡±

    Carys widened his eyes. ¡°No I misspoke I-¡±

    ¡°No need to worry. I understand.¡± The Headmaster waved his hands dismissively.

    ¡°In any case, Carys. Do be understanding, Even if the person had ulterior motives, why had she not been using it as leverage? As far as I can see, there is nothing to worry about."

    ¡°But sir what if she-¡±

    ¡°No more buts. If you would like, then you can summon that person here so that we can reach a consensus. For now, you should hurry along. As I recall you have sparring classes today with Baron Kapfem, do you not?¡±

    Carys breathed deeply. ¡°Yes. Yes I have.¡±

    ¡°You hurry along now. We wouldn¡¯t want you to be tardy on your first public training.¡±

    He stood up and walked to the door. ¡°Then¡­ Thank you, Headmaster. If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±

    When the Headmaster no longer heard of his footsteps, only then did he let out a sigh. He knew very well who the person in question was. After all, the incident today was in line with how they worked. But he still couldn¡¯t be sure. That was why he proposed to Carys to bring the cause of his worries.

    Only now, he couldn¡¯t be sure if that person was willing to concede so easily.

    Carys left the office of the Headmaster with a heavy heart. It had only been a few days, yet the thought of someone exposing his secret did not help him sleep at night. Had it not been for that, there was also the fact that he was now a participant in the annual Mars.

 Chapter 15

    When the last day of training came and the baron had prepared their long journey, Ethel was called in the Headmaster¡¯s office shortly after her spar with Fleur.  She knocked at the door, not at all minding the person standing guard next to her.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Headmaster Wyles, a man known to be one of the strongest warriors in the history of the empire, had been reduced to an old man with a wrinkled face and a pale complexion. Time had left him feeling weary and there was hardly a trace of the iron blooded general in him.

    ¡°You called for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sit down.¡± Wyles looked up from his desk and took a good look at Ethel.

    From the first time they met 8 years ago, it was hard to believe that the skinny and pale child would grow up to become a strong, independent warrior. He smiled.

    ¡°So, what does the headmaster want from this humble self?¡±

    Wyles chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ve already heard from the baron that you will be going with the others to Solasta?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± Ethel sighed.

    A few days ago, the baron had approached her with an offer. Since there weren¡¯t enough sentinels to guard their carriage on the journey, she would come with them under the pretense of protection. It wouldn¡¯t do good to show to the empire that the institute was lacking in personnel, especially after that disastrous incident regarding the Cyprus family.

    ¡°Then would you grant this old man a favor?¡±

    Ethel furrowed her brows. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Would you look after that boy, Carys?¡±

    A look of enlightenment flashed through her eyes. She laughed and said, ¡°You want me? Someone who is definitely weaker than that prodigy, to guard him?¡±

    Wyles didn''t find it a laughing matter at all. A thing he most regretted was not being able to personally guide Ethel in her training. A part of the reason why she was so obsessed trying to train and improve was to find her family. She didn''t believe that someone out there was her living relative, or relatives if they somehow turn out to be many. If it wasn''t because of her debt to the Count of Vankef, then she would''ve longed to journey to the far east.

    "Ethel Nadir. I am serious about this matter."

    Hearing that name, Ethel clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. Inwardly, she flinched at the name, but otherwise maintained the smile on her face. "Headmaster, can you not speak that name in my presence?"

    She disliked the name. Whoever gave her that name deserved a slap to the face. Wyles looked at her unchanging face ang sighed.

    "Pardon this old man. It has been years since you shed that name. It was unfair of me to mention it." After enrolling in the institute, the headmaster agreed not to disclose her last name in any and all classes, regardless of their reason. Not even her friends knew of her surname.

    Ethel nodded and let it go. "Besides that headmaster, are you serious about me becoming a stand-in for a sentinel?"

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Sentinels were beings that guarded the castle. Most of them liked to keep a low profile, so a lot of the students were not familiar with a lot of them. Students had no idea how many they were nor their base, just that they''ve been guards for almost a decade since the castle''s founding.

    "I have already arranged for the baron to hide your identity. The participants wouldn''t know you were there, neither would the other sentinels bother you. In any case, sentinels are aloof guards so being alone wouldn''t restrict your movements in any way. Just stay within the group and you''ll be fine."

    "What about my disguise then? Even a hooded cape cannot conceal my appearance, not to mention they would recognize my vitalis."

    This time, the headmaster smiled. "The bracelet I gave doesn''t just hide your appearance. It also hides your vitalis."

    "Really? Isn''t that too heaven-defying?" Ethel looked unconvinced.

    "It does, trust me."

    "Okay..." Ethel nodded and turned to the door. "I''ll take my leave then."

    "Before you go..." She gazed at the headmaster and raised a brow. "The capital is brewing with trouble, I hope you can proceed with caution."

    She paused. It seems that the headmaster holds a bit of concern for her well-being after all.

    "I will."

    At the dawn of the next day, Ethel had slipped out of the dormitory under the pretense of training and changed her appearance. Her appearance had completely changed and now she looked similar to the southern people with their fiery red hair and green eyes. With this kind of disguise, she looked almost 30% like her old self, before leaving to meet with the baron at the southern gate.

    ¡°This will be the horse you¡¯re riding. It is a week¡¯s journey to the empire and we will take the fastest route. There will be no breaks except for mealtimes, likewise is the same for bathroom breaks.¡±

    Listening to him list all the rules she needed to follow, Ethel nodded attentively. After all, this was a favor from the headmaster and she was getting quite bored in the castle. The incident with Porte left her with no one to talk to for the time being. The headmaster had already made up an excuse for her. For the time being, she went back to her hometown to visit her non-existent family and friends.

    When the sun was high in the sky, the ride to the capital began. She did not speak, nor did she dawdle in the presence of the other participants, but her eyes did not fail to observe the movements and tacit understanding between the young warriors.

    It looked like their brief joint training did not go to waste after all. This conclusion calmed her heart.

    Over the course of the week, everyone was tired. They had met with a few annoying obstacles along the way, which were dealt with by the sentinels and addition to the rush, everyone was fatigued by the time they came upon the great empire of Solasta.

    The competition would start in two weeks from now, which gave them time to familiarize the city and investigate a bit into their opponents. After all, Agora Institute was not the only place for training warriors.  To get to the top finalists, warriors were pitted against warriors; and mages were pitted against mages. It is only in the finals would there be warriors against mages.

    After being led to the gates by the knights, the baron allowed them to disperse and plan their own schedule, agreeing to meet at a set time and destination.

    When they were led in the gates by the knights, the baron allowed them free rein on their activities, seeing as some were nobles and it was the first time the others stepped foot in the flourishing capital.

    As the others left, it was only she and the baron who remained.

    ¡°What do you plan to do now?¡±

    Ethel shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Of course, explore the city as a tourist. I¡¯m not here as a participant, so I have loads of free time. And since we¡¯re already in the city, then there¡¯s no need for me to guard Carys.¡±

    ¡°And what of your identity?¡±

    ¡°In this entire empire, the only ones who know my true identity is you. The headmaster trusts you, therefore I also trust you. So if you¡¯ll excuse me-¡±

    Her arm was held back by the baron. ¡°You should be aware how dangerous it is now to travel.¡±

    Ethel looked down at her seized arm and shrugged his hand off. She smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯m thankful for the baron¡¯s concern but that¡¯s none of your business. I will rendezvous with the institute in two weeks time at the agreed point. Good day, sire.¡±

    When her figure disappeared in the crowd of people, the baron couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.

    ¡°Such a troublemaker,¡± he muttered.

 Chapter 16

    The Imperial Palace.

    ¡°Has everything been arranged?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your majesty. All that¡¯s left is for the Crown Prince to arrange the banquet.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    The one standing at the highest point of the continent. Emperor Arrasene Langston. Just like his name, he was a ruler with a gentle temperament. Unlike his counterpart, the Emperor is more known as the mage who united the people. Their angel.

    The servant beside him had bowed so low it was hardly a bow anymore and resembled groveling. This action was deemed common in the palace of Trevino. All servants were required to deeply bow to signify their respect to the monarch.

    If an action similar to meeting their eyes were caught, they would immediately be punished to beatings.

    Contrary to popular belief, although the Emperor was known for his gentle temperament by the common people, it wasn¡¯t the same inside the palace. It was all a facade to stabilize his position as the Emperor.

    Overlooking the grounds of the palace, there was a serene smile on his face as he dismissed the servant.

    As of now, he still hadn''t forgotten his end of the deal. There was a war brewing in the palace and yet, all of the people were celebrating the annual Mars.

    ¡°Ha¡­ How amusing.¡±

    After inquiring some people for information in the outer edges of the city, Ethel chanced upon a bar that sold information for a certain price. Luckily for her, she lacked anything but money.

    Walking inside the bar, it wasn¡¯t as luxurious as her Delor Bar, but it would do. There were private rooms everywhere and at the front desk, it was barred off to prevent intruders from stealing.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to inquire about the Imperial Palace.¡±

    The clerk, whose entire figure was shrouded in darkness, put a key in the tray in front of her. ¡°100 gold for the fee. You will still be charged by our informants depending on the type of information you need.¡±

    She nodded and walked up the stairs. The hallways were long and winding that it took a while to find the room where the key matched. Inside the room, there was nothing but a small screen partition and the faint scent of incense.

    ¡°What information do you seek?¡± A woman¡¯s voice spoke through the other side of the screen.

    Ethel sat down.

    ¡°Do you know who is the sister of the Empress?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    No matter how much she dug around for information, there was hardly any information about the sister of the Empress. If anything, it was like she never existed. The Empress was already old. Any evidence leading to her sister¡¯s existence would¡¯ve long been erased. Nothing could escape the ravages of time.

    The other side went silent. She had already been an informant for 3 decades. As for knowledge regarding the early reign of the current ruler, there were things she knew that would never reach the eyes and ears of the people. Wretched things nobody would be willing to believe.

    ¡°Ellis Vandenberg.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I find any information about her in the entire empire?¡±

    There was something sinister going on. How could someone who was closely related to the Empress die and be forgotten so easily? To cover up the death of one of the highest noble families, it was hard to shed their suspicions.

    The informant sighed. ¡°3,000 gold.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Add 3,000 more and I will tell you the rest. That is the cheapest I can go.¡±

    Ethel dug into her satchel and placed three large pouches of gold at the side of the partition. ¡°There, is that enough?¡±

    A hand reached out to take it and just as quickly did the informant continue her story. ¡°The death of Duchess Ellis started a small ripple that prompted the Werdolf Empire to start a war with a neighbouring country. She was the flower of high society and was adored by the common people. Her would-be husband was the brother of the Emperor.¡±

    ¡°Would-be?¡±

    ¡°The elder brother of the Emperor was assassinated.¡±

    Now this was interesting. Ethel continued to listen thoughtfully.

    ¡°When the Emperor¡¯s brother died, it broke the Duchess¡¯ sanity. Out of anger, she led a group of rebels to storm the palace of Trevino during the night of the Emperor¡¯s coronation. Of course, it failed. Out of consideration as the Empress¡¯ sister, the Emperor sentenced her to death by guillotine.

    No one but the royal family knew of her traitorous acts. When she died, the Empress declared that her sister died of poisoning and made Vandenberg''s youngest son as the heir to the Duke. All information about her was kept under wraps and mentions of her in history books were banned.¡±

    She held her breath.

    Everything about this was completely out of her expectations. Ethel lost the smile on her face as she realized that she hit a dead-end yet again. Though that information was worth noting.

    As for such a low price regarding this series of events, Ethel only had to guess that the reason why the informant offered a low price is because of its word of mouth. It was up to you to believe them and there was no evidence to support that information. A rumor was nothing but a rumor.

    Unfortunately for them, rumors had to start somewhere. And Ethel refused to believe that everything the informant said was a lie. After all, why would you lie about something that happened nearly 3 decades ago?

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome.¡±

    She left the room and thanked the bar again for their services. Walking out of the empty alley, her thoughts were all jumbled that she hadn¡¯t noticed the person she was about to collide with.

    ¡°Oh I¡¯m very sorry I-¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Looking up, Ethel had to reign in her shock.

    What was the empire¡¯s crown prince doing in such a deserted alley? Not expecting to meet any civilians, he shushed the person and smiled.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything, okay?¡±

    Ethel was suspicious but nevertheless nodded. It was none of her business. She should atleast be thankful that he didn''t find her suspicious.

 Chapter 17

    While the other participants dispersed, Fleur went back to her family¡¯s manor near the east passage. The servants were more than happy to accommodate her return and informed the master of her arrival.

    In her grandfather¡¯s study, the old general was poring over documents with a knight on stand-by. His face wrinkled with exhaustion as he let out a sigh, looking up at his granddaughter, he smiled.

    ¡°Is it already that time?¡±

    He could only imagine how hard it had been for his granddaughter. Living away from the capital for 6 years, only going home during the summer. If anything, her flawless skin dimmed a little from training under the sun, and her face was painted with exhaustion.

    There was no trace of that delicate lady, but now seemed more elegant and exuded a grace that could be comparable to the Empress.

    Fleur giggled. ¡°Of course, grandfather. We all know how excited you are for this competition.¡±

    ¡°Well you¡¯ll have to forgive me. I had been busy looking over the security of the palace. With the crown prince participating, the Emperor made sure to tighten security in and out of the palace.¡±

    Somehow, with the crown prince competing, the general could feel that it was suspicious. After all, his highness was already 23 years old. Instead of competing at a competition for a a prize he already has, it was better to handle his majesty¡¯s duties and assume responsibility for his future counterpart.

    The empty position of the future prince consort had been left vacant for far too long.

    ¡°That silly crown prince sure is fussy, isn¡¯t he?¡± Fleur made a mental note to avoid him in the future. She liked men and playing with them but the crown prince¡¯s status was too lofty for her taste.

    ¡°My child¡­¡± The general sighed. Sometimes he had to wonder why on earth did her best friend¡¯s personality rub off of her? ¡°Please do not refer to the crown prince as fussy.¡±

    Fleur shrugged. ¡°He is, though? Besides that grandfather, have you any news of Yllion and their entourage?¡±

    The prime minister had five children. The eldest was a knight in the first squadron tasked with the protection of the king, the second was the lady-in-waiting of the Empress, her being in the middle, the fourth was a talented mage studying at Yllion, and the youngest was currently attending Anfer Academy.

    ¡°Yllion has already arrived in the city two days ago. Your brother is currently training with them.¡±

    ¡°Yikes! Training already? I knew they were hardcore but isn¡¯t that too brutal? As far as I know the distance between the capital and Yllion is much wider than the distance from Agora.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I was told your brother insisted on training. His instructor couldn¡¯t refuse. You know how stubborn he is.¡±

    Fleur laughed. ¡°Like you.¡±

    ¡°Now now, what¡¯s with this commotion?¡± A woman opened the door to the study and had a gentle smile on her face. Dressed in a casual gown with her hair tied up in a bun, she radiated the freshness of spring.

    ¡°Mother! You were here!¡± Fleur jumped from her seat and gave her mother a big hug. She hadn¡¯t managed to see her mother as much since she was busy overlooking the finances of the entire household.

    Her mother smiled. ¡°Of course I had to come. I wouldn¡¯t want to miss my daughter and son, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°You never know. But if you¡¯re here, what about your work?¡±

    ¡°Oh I left it to the butler. He can handle it. I¡¯ve already taught him everything. He can handle being my proxy for a little while.¡± Her mother was sneaky. As soon as she heard the arrival of her daughter, she dashed out of the office and left everything up to the butler without warning.

    In the study of the Duchess, the butler was teary as he looked at the mountain pile of work on her table.

    ¡°By the way, is that child Ethel here? I¡¯m sure she was chosen with you, she¡¯s easily the strongest female warrior i¡¯ve seen.¡±

    Hearing her name, Fleur¡¯s eyes drooped and she sighed heavily. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it Mother. She wasn¡¯t chosen!¡±

    Her mother and grandfather looked confused. The general was well aware of that child¡¯s skills. Although she liked to brush off her talent, it couldn¡¯t be denied that she had potential to be even better than Baron Kapfem.

    But he also couldn¡¯t blame her. The highest and most lofty trees have the most reason to dread the thunder. Not only was she a woman, standing out in a sea of men was bound to attract trouble. He shook his head.

    ¡°Why was she not chosen then?¡± her mother asked curiously.

    Fleur rolled her eyes. ¡°That idiot purposely performed bad in our final assessment. Even the baron was quite disappointed. But rules were rules and those pesky nobles would find it easy to point faults at the instructor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad¡­ I quite like that child. If she was a noble, I would always invite her to a tea party.¡±

    Fleur found that idea a little funny. She couldn¡¯t imagine that girl acting like a delicate noble at all. Sure, she was quite sarcastic and good at comebacks, but manners and etiquette¡­ She would be hopeless.

    ¡°Speaking of parties, the Emperor is planning to hold a welcoming ball for all participants,¡± the general replied. He had received notice about it a week ago but never got the instruction to spread the word around.

    ¡°A ball?¡± Fleur looked baffled. ¡°Why would the Emperor hold a ball for the competition that was two weeks from now?¡±

    Her mother tutted. ¡°Now now. Knowing the Emperor, I¡¯m sure that the ball is for the younger generation to mingle. We hadn¡¯t had a ball like that since your older sister¡¯s debutante.¡±

    It was a small regret in her mother¡¯s heart that she hadn¡¯t managed to hold a debutante for the middle since she was so far away in the North.

    ¡°Is he not aware that most of the younger generation participating are commoners? And the younger generation? Does that mean those nobles from Anfer Academy are also going?¡±

    ¡°Alright, calm down. I¡¯m sure the Emperor has it all planned out. Since the participants have arrived. The Emperor will most likely announce it tomorrow. There¡¯s still plenty of time to work something out,¡± the general consoled his granddaughter.

    Fleur¡¯s mother sighed. If only Ethel were here, she would¡¯ve been able to settle down this daughter¡¯s temperament.

 Chapter 18

    <h4>Unaware of the coming ball, Ethel continued to search for news regarding the Duke of Vandenberg. She was sure that there might be something she could find.</h4>

    Since the Duchess died young and with no husband to call her own, she didn¡¯t have any children. But if that was so, then why did she have a memento with the family crest?

    A distant relative, perhaps? But why would a distant relative possess a memento with a crest used exclusively by the direct line? She needed to see the genealogy of the family, but only those who are part of the family are allowed to look into them. In any case, with her limited network, there wasn¡¯t much she could do at the moment.

    Going back to the informant might prove to be a useless endeavor. She had a lot of money, but it could only supplement her investigation for so long. Not to mention food and lodging, now she had to mind her clothes.

    It was quite a good thing she could disguise herself as a man, dressing up in male clothes made it easier for her to move around.

    Around a quarter after lunch, she received a letter from the Baron, passed on to her by the inn. She wasn¡¯t allowed to hide her location, so she had been stuck investigating at night.

    ¡°Strange¡­¡±

    Opening it, two pieces of paper fell out. One was a handwritten letter of the baron and the other was a promissory note.

    The letter entailed the events that were currently in the midst of being prepared, the participants of the other institutes, and the arrival of the mages from Yllion.

    What perplexed her more was the fact that he mentioned a ball. More specifically, a welcoming ball for the younger generation. She was just a guard, not a participant, what good is there in trying to tell her? And the promissory note. Why did he give her one? A lack of cash, perhaps?

    Ethel sighed. Since her investigation had already hit a dead end then she had nothing else to do. Instead of poring over an investigation while the Empire¡¯s security was tight, it was better to do it after the celebrations.

    The baron lived in a small district in the west? She recalled he had stuffed a note in her hand a few days ago. Rummaging through her satchel, she grabbed a note and read its contents.

    174 Aps Street, Pqen District.

    She didn¡¯t know where that was, just that it was in the west. No matter, asking for directions was easy. The next day, Ethel decided against wearing her usual clothes and continued to dress as a man.

    When she got to the address after asking a few natives, she knocked on the door. The address was right in the street of most nobles, though there were hardly any spaces between each house, each house unit could accommodate up to 10 people.

    ¡°Yes?¡± A young man in his mid 20s opened the door, dressed in the usual servant attire. He didn¡¯t look like a butler, but the impression he gave off was similar to one.

    Ethel smiled. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Baron Kapfem, is he here?¡±

    ¡°One moment.¡± The young man then left the door open and ran to get his master, leaving her standing at the door.

    She blinked. How could a servant leave their guest at the door? What would others think? She sighed and let herself in. In any case, the street was pretty desolate and nobody would notice if she just let herself in.

    To the left of the door was the living room, or was it a lounge of some sort? She couldn¡¯t tell with noble houses. There were often so many room that she hadn¡¯t bothered to keep track of them at all.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Instead, she sat down on the sofa and patiently waited for the baron to come.

    The baron was busy with attending to the schedule given to him by the administrators of Mars. Since the event was nearly a week from now, there was hardly any time to properly investigate their competitors, much less attend the opening ball.

    He sighed and massaged his temples. These kinds of matters should¡¯ve been left to his assistant, but she had been on sick leave the day before they set off for the capital.

    Just then, a servant knocked. ¡°Master, someone is here to see you.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, my lord. Perhaps an acquaintance? She looked young and was dressed in men¡¯s clothes.¡±

    His eyes lit up. The baron opened the door and asked, ¡°Where is she now?¡±

    ¡°Waiting at the front door.¡±

    The baron suddenly looked annoyed and hit him in the back of his head. ¡°Idiot! You don¡¯t leave a guest standing at the front door. How many times have I told you, after inquiring their reason for visiting, lead them to the parlour and then inform me.¡±

    The young man painfully held his head and pouted. ¡°I merely forgot.¡±

    ¡°Well your forgetfulness will be the death of me!¡± The baron sighed. ¡°Call Alexander, he will give you your punishment.¡±

    The young man was aggrieved but nodded and bowed his head before scurrying off to find the head butler.

    Baron Kapfem did not mind his messy appearance and hastily made his way to the front door. He had to pass through the parlor to get to the front door, so he immediately noticed the figure that had settled herself quite comfortable on the sofa.

    He sighed again for the umpteenth time. ¡°I should¡¯ve known you¡¯d let yourself in.¡±

    ¡°Of course! What would other people say if the baron couldn¡¯t even handle his staff from making mistakes?¡±

    ¡°So you do know about noble rules.¡± The baron raised a brow and sat adjacent to her. He rang the bell to his side and a maid soon went in with some tea and refreshments.

    Ethel shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard not to pick up some rules when your best friend is a high noble.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, Miss Fleur from the Cyprus family?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°But anyways, baron. What does the lord want with my presence?¡±

    The baron clasped his hands together. ¡°Well, as you already know by the letter I sent you, there will be a ball at the palace of Trevino.¡±

    ¡°Yes but¡­ what does that have to do with me? I¡¯m not a participant. And I¡¯m pretty sure they don¡¯t need guards in the palace? As I recall, the Crown Prince will be attending.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware but the headmaster had sent me word about it.¡±

    Ethel¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°What? Is the headmaster acting so leisurely that he can keep up with the gossip even in the North?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been exchanging flying carriers since our arrival a week ago. And yes, he does want you to attend the ball.¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me why?¡±

    Ethel crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯d rather not have to converse with a bunch of people if it isn¡¯t needed. And I''d rather not risk getting discovered by the other participants.¡±

    ¡°Then how about this, just come to the ball in your usual appearance.¡± The baron lightly suggested.

    She frowned. ¡°Then that would defeat the purpose of my initial disguise as a sentinel!¡±

    ¡°Sentinels were only needed for our journey to the capital. Now that we¡¯re in the city, I have already implored them to go back on their own.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re not a Sentinel.¡±

    Ethel rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine then! How would you explain why I¡¯m here?¡±

    ¡°You can be a stand-in for a participant!¡±

    She wanted to pull her hair out at this point. The baron was making it extremely hard for her to refuse. Substitutes were never discussed in their plan to participate in the competition.

    Now he wanted her to pop up out of nowhere and say, ¡®surprise! I¡¯m here!¡¯? Then what was the point of doing bad at the assessment? Just kill her now, please.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    The baron smiled. His plan was a success! ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Ethel was peeved but waved her hands dismissively. ¡°Yes, yes, now what do you want me to do?¡± She was very sure that she was going to regret this decision. But looking at the baron looked at her with hopeful eyes made it hard to refuse.

    Damn it! Was this really that demon instructor in the North? He was like a father persuading his daughter.

    ¡°The promissory note I gave you is for your attire. As I recall, the ball recommended a summer gown to wear. But since the ball is to be held in the late afternoon till midnight, I suggest you pair it with a shawl to keep you warm.¡±

    She fiddled with the promissory note in the pocket of her pants and sighed. She was already starting to regret this decision very much. A gown? The last time she wore a dress was before her enrollment in Agora, did that count?

    Much less a gown, she didn¡¯t have any knowledge about dresses! Of course she couldn¡¯t just up and buy a gown from some clothing boutiques. She had to be aware of the trends in the capital. If she showed up dressed in some horrendous colors and styles, it was inevitable she¡¯d be the laughing stock.

    Ethel got up. ¡°Yes, well i¡¯ll keep all of that in mind. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to go now.¡±

    ¡°So soon?¡± The baron was hoping to take a short break while she stayed and chatted. But it hadn¡¯t even been 10 minutes and she already wanted to leave?

    ¡°Yes. I have to go somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    ¡°Of course, lord.¡± Ethel smiled and soon left.

    Soon after her departure, she somehow ended up in the central plaza. There were a lot of bustling people and carriages on the road that it was crowded. Not to mention the banners hanging up and the lively atmosphere.

    Ethel thought about the upcoming ball two days before the actual event. That was roughly five days from now. From her knowledge, it wasn¡¯t easy to make a ballgown so suddenly. Time had to be taken into account unless you had your own dressmaker. Not to mention shoes and jewelry, she didn¡¯t think a single promissory note was enough to cover those expenses.

    The only noble she knew of was Vyron and Fleur, but Vyron was a male and it wouldn¡¯t look good on the both of them if she visited out of the blue. She might even be kicked out because of her mysterious origins.

    As for Fleur¡­ her family was pretty nice and they treated her as their own but they were a bit suffocating. Not to mention how nice the Duchess was, she even wanted to buy her clothes! As for the old Duke, he always made sure that they trained. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    She got teary just thinking about her pitiful self being dragged around the huge estate. But they were the only ones who could help her figure out a way to get her attire for the ball.

    Ethel needed to suck it up and bear with it if she wanted to fulfill the headmaster¡¯s wishes.

    At the Cyprus Estate.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting terribly bored,¡± Fleur replied as she laid down on the grass in the gardens.

    ¡°Cheer up, sis. The ball is only four days away and I heard the Crown Prince will be there!¡±

    ¡°Apien, I know you mean well but I don¡¯t like the Crown Prince. He¡¯s too lofty and¡­ nice. Something about him feels off, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Fleur sighed and rested her head on one of the roots of the old willow tree.

    Apien, her younger brother who was a mage at Yllion, had just returned yesterday after training for a week with the other mages. He was half a head smaller than Fleur and majored in spellcasting.

    His talents were recognized by the institute and he left the estate around the same time Fleur did.

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°You, who love men and flirt with them, dislike the Crown Prince, who¡¯s the very definition of handsome by all the ladies?¡±

    ¡°I never knew you found him attractive, brother. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t touch him if you want him. He¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Apien knocked his staff on his sister¡¯s head. ¡°Your brother also has no interest in the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay. Whatever you say,¡± Fleur rubbed the spot where she was hit. Her brother could get a little violent sometimes that it was no longer funny.

    Before they could continue their conversations, a maid rushed in.

    ¡°Young mistress, young master, someone is causing a ruckus at the front gates!¡± She was panting for air as she collapsed on the ground. It was quite a ways from the gate. She must¡¯ve rushed here since it was so urgent.

    Fleur frowned. ¡°Then let the guards handle it, why are you calling us for?¡±

    ¡°The guards tried to make them leave but¡­ but- they were too strong. Before Jhed could touch the person, they shoulder throwed him!¡±

    ¡°Woah, really?¡± Apien looked surprised. Their head knight was a retired soldier from the Imperial Knight¡¯s first squadron. Not just anyone could attack him.

    ¡°Y-yes!¡±

    Fleur stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. ¡°We¡¯ll go see the situation.¡±

    As for why the maid didn¡¯t call the head of the household, the general was busy in his study, the Duke was away in court, and the Duchess locked herself up in the office. The butler had told them that if anything were to happen, they should inform the second miss and the second master.

    She sighed as she saw them head to the front gate. The household she served was strong. There was no way a troublemaker would beat them.

    ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t mean to shoulder throw you. I was just turning around to get something from my bag and you looked ready to assault me. Is acting in self-defense such a crime now?¡± the person complained.

    Both of the siblings could hear their argument from a few meters away. They saw two knights arguing with someone, but their huge builds covered the person¡¯s figure. Fleur frowned even more, somehow that voice was familiar.

    ¡°And we keep telling you, miss. You shouldn¡¯t be here. As far as I know, our young miss does not have a friend like you.¡± The knight explained. He felt an incoming headache.

    ¡°What is this commotion about?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Jhed, the head guard, turned around and saw the young master and mistress of the household approaching them. Apien stood quite tall with his staff in hand, walking towards them with Fleur behind him.

    ¡°Young master! There is an intruder here that doesn¡¯t want to leave. My companion and I will take care of it so-¡±

    ¡°We rushed here because one of the maids informed us. You mean to tell me, knight, that you can¡¯t get rid of a simple intruder?¡± Apien narrowed his eyes.

    The head guard, or rather, knight, inwardly sighed and wanted to tear up. This young master always liked to butt heads with the knights, not out of dislike but akin to tough love that parents showed their children.

    Jhed knew that his master was strong and so was their children but¡­ more often than not they tended to act domineering.

    ¡°Forgive me, young master.¡±

    ¡°If you understand then step aside. I¡¯d like to see the rumored intruder who¡¯s strong enough to overpower even a retired Imperial Knight.¡±

    Both guards had heavy builds and easily covered even the tall intruder. The intruder hadn¡¯t spoken up since she heard Apien¡¯s voice and had to sigh when she realized the trouble she caused.

    ¡°Understood.¡± They backed away and Apien opened the gate with magic.

    When the two siblings saw the intruder, both of them were dumbfounded. Dressed in a shabby cape and men¡¯s clothes was Ethel, who had returned her disguise back to her usual appearance in the Institute.

    ¡°Wait a minute, so this is the intruder you talked about?¡± Apien rubbed his temples.

    It was no wonder that the guards couldn¡¯t handle the intruder. A distinguished Imperial Knight can¡¯t even touch the hem of her clothes, much less a normal one.

    ¡°Yes, sir. Is there something wrong?¡±

    Jhed and his companion didn¡¯t miss the way their young master and mistress looked at them like they were idiots and were profusely sweating.

    Fleur laughed. ¡°You knights don¡¯t need to be so nervous. We understand why you weren¡¯t able to get rid of this pesky intruder.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a pesky intruder.¡± Ethel frowned.

    ¡°What brings you to the capital? I heard from my sister that you weren¡¯t chosen by the baron to join Mars. And as I recall, it¡¯s a hundred thousand miles from the North. How on earth could you be here?¡±

    Ethel didn¡¯t want to go too into detail and just told them that the baron insisted on making her a substitute participant in secret and so after investigating their competitors, decided to bring her along after they¡¯ve arrived in the capital.

    ¡°You must be tired from the journey then, come in.¡± Apien dismissed the guards and led the three of them to the mansion. In the parlor, Ethel sat down and still found it a little hard to believe she was acquainted with such a noble family. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    She, who couldn¡¯t even be considered a commoner, had ties with a powerful family in the strongest empire of the Karin Continent.

    ¡°You rascal didn¡¯t tell me about it at all,¡± Fleur chastised and smacked her on the head.

    ¡°That¡¯s because the baron said it was a secret.¡±

    Apien excused himself  for random reasons, though Fleur knew it was to alert the other members of the household.

    Fleur smiled as she rang a bell and maids brought in tea and snacks. Each and every one was so exquisite that Ethel took the most delectable piece and bit into it. She hadn¡¯t had a decent meal since the inns were quite bad and she wanted to save as much as she could.

    ¡°What about the others?¡±

    ¡°The headmaster made up a believable excuse for me since I left so suddenly. Besides, everyone is here in the capital, aren¡¯t they? No one¡¯s close enough to me to investigate my whereabouts.¡±

    ¡°What about Porte?¡±

    Porte and her haven¡¯t talked after the recent disaster that is his disappointment in her having failed to join as one of the participants. Ethel could sense that he was avoiding her whenever the both of them took the same paths to classes like they used to.

    Ethel shook her head. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s been avoiding me since I left.¡±

    ¡°Oh? How come?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Puberty?¡±

    Fleur giggled. ¡°It¡¯s so like you to say that.¡±

    Ethel then had a realization. Since she was here then maybe she could acquire information about the Duchess of Vandenberg, right? Recent news in the capital did say that tensions were arising with the Crown Prince joining the competition and the nobles were being divided into factions.

    If all of this started with the death of the Duchess, then that would mean she played a bigger role than she thought.

    She gulped and looked at Fleur. ¡°So... How have you guys been?¡±

    Fleur looked surprised, but nonetheless she answered, ¡°We¡¯re okay. Grandfather¡¯s been busy with tightening security around the palace and father¡¯s been battling in court. I heard there were nobles forming a faction but for what reason I didn¡¯t know. And as for mother¡­ well we were talking about the upcoming ball a few days ago and lamented about how you weren¡¯t able to come. Oh! Speaking of the ball, are you coming?¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Ethel fell into deep thought.

    So the rumors were right about the faction¡­ She might have to go back to that informant if she wanted news about it. Prying for more information from Fleur¡¯s family would just warrant unwanted suspicion. Not to mention she wasn¡¯t even a noble, much less a dame.

    ¡°Hello, Eos to Ethel? Are you okay?¡± Fleur waved a hand in front of her face.

    ¡°Ah yeah, what is it again?¡±

    ¡°The ball! Are you coming or not?¡±

    Ethel frowned. She sighed and said, ¡°Yes I am. The baron convinced me to go.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s surprising! You, of all people, can be convinced to go to an event where you need to dress up and mind your manners?¡± Fleur exclaimed while holding her shoulders.

    ¡°I have my own reasons for going and can you stop shaking me?¡± Ethel complained and Fleur let her go. ¡°You have a strong grip I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re high society¡¯s most noble flower.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all in my beauty, I suppose.¡± Fleur shrugged.

    Just then, Apien arrived with his mother in tow. She looked even more elegant the last time Ethel saw her. She smiled but inwardly she and Apien glared at each other. He knew how bad his mother fussed over Ethel.

    He was taking revenge for causing a ruckus at their gates!

    ¡°Ethel, my darling!¡±

 Chapter 21

    Ethel didn¡¯t want to believe that she had spent more than the entire day being dragged around like a ragdoll by Duchess Irene and Fleur. Apien had fled as soon as he could and took her katar before she had the chance to protest.

    When the sky had darkened considerably, Ethel immediately wanted to go back to her lodging.

    ¡°Thank you for all your help, Your Grace.¡±

    Duchess Matilda waved her hands dismissively. ¡°Nonsense! You are like family to us. And you don¡¯t know how long i¡¯ve waited for this day to come.¡±

    ¡°Wow, mother. Don¡¯t you have 3 daughters? Why are you acting like all of us are sons?¡± Fleur complained.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you all are. Because my daughters inherited the genes of Cyprus, there was never a chance for me to dress all of you up. That is what I am both proud and frustrated with.¡±

    Duchess Matilda sighed. She hadn¡¯t had the chance to pamper and spoil her daughters at all. All of them were hard-headed and didn¡¯t grow up like normal children. Her eldest daughter wanted to become a professor, her second eldest daughter wanted to study the art of the spear and ran away to Ernon, while her dear youngest daughter had plans to become an engineer.

    She is immensely proud of this, but because her children were often away from home, the Duchess was left a little lonely in such a huge estate.

    Ethel didn¡¯t want the mother and daughter to quarrel and interjected, ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad Your Grace feels that way but I really must go. I still have something to do.¡± She bowed and opened the door.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that, dear. Where are you currently staying at?¡±

    ¡°It would be better if you could stay here with us. Your safety would be guaranteed- not that you need to but this is the capital! You never know what dangers might lurk around here,¡± Fleur persuaded as she held onto the arm of her comrade.

    Ethel smiled apologetically. ¡°I appreciate the offer but it wouldn¡¯t be proper. Besides, I have to pay a visit to a nearby store before they close. Maybe next time, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°But-!¡±

    The Duchess shook her head and sighed. ¡°And I assume you¡¯ll also refuse my offer to dinner?¡±

    Ethel nodded apologetically.

    ¡°I promise to make it up to Your Grace next time.¡±

    Fleur crossed her arms. She was sulking again and left even before Ethel could say her goodbyes. The Duchess smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t mind that child. She¡¯s been terribly bored in this house and haven¡¯t had the chance to go out because of her grandfather.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°Stay safe, dear. Although the security has tightened, with the influx of people coming, there are bound to be stowaways. I hope you don¡¯t get caught up with them.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°Them, take care.¡± The Duchess sent her off by the front door and watched as she was escorted to the gate by one of the knights. Ethel waved goodbye until her figure disappeared from sight.

    Walking home, Ethel realized that she had to return to the estate before the upcoming ball in four days. She still lamented over the loss of her dagger to Apien, that horrible little thief. In an alley that intersected between the two districts of high nobility and commoners, she bumped into a hooded figure.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The hood fell off and revealed a boy that looked to be about her height, except that he was terribly pale and sick. She noticed the blood dripping from his shoulder while he struggled to catch his breathing.

    Ethel wanted to ask what happened but heard the shouts of other men from the vicinity. It was likely that he ran away. Prisoner or not, but the bleeding in his shoulder incapacitated him. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to go much further.

    She used her vitalis to sense the men¡¯s footsteps. None of them were aware that she used vitalis so that meant that they were ordinary mercenaries, or perhaps slave traders.

    ¡°Boy, I am going to save you since I¡¯m feeling kind today. Don¡¯t move.¡± Ethel wrapped his figure in the hood and immediately went back in the other direction. Despite the baggage she carried, her moves were quick and light.

    In addition to her strong physique, the vitalis in her body made up for the drain in her stamina. She didn¡¯t stop until she couldn''t sense the men¡¯s footsteps anymore. Ethel stopped and judged their surroundings. They stopped near the lake district where ferries bring in goods to warehouses.

    Ethel sat the boy down and removed the hood. It was a good thing she had some knowledge of first aid and quickly applied pressure to the wound before wrapping it up with cloth from her satchel.

    ¡°This won¡¯t do. I need to get you to the hospital if I want to save you¡­¡±

    Unfortunately the hospital was at the other end of the district. If she wanted to take him there, then her vitalis would be drained by the time they got there. She was kind, but not that kind!

    Ethel looked down at the sweating figure. There was really nothing extraordinary about him. He looked like any random commoner from the street and he was so malnourished it was hard to see any value in him.

    ¡°Are you a thief?¡± she muttered. But she had already saved him. In any case, it would weigh on her conscious if she ever let him die. Even if her vitalis is drained, the only side-effect would be weakness and fatigue for a day.

    She sighed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m here.¡±

    Then, she set off for the hospital.

    The next morning, Ethel felt her body ache all over. It was like all the muscles in her body screamed overexertion. She sighed as she laid on her bed.

    After taking the boy to the hospital and paying for his treatment, she left a note for the boy and returned to the inn. If the boy had any sense, then he would visit her after he had recovered, and if not¡­ she saved quite the ungrateful boy.

    She hadn¡¯t had the leisure to think about the upcoming competition, nor did she ever realize that Fleur had already told the other participants that she was here in the capital. What would await her in the Cyprus estate was not only the Cyprus family, but of her friends that were furious of her arrival.

    But as of now, she slept all day in bed.

    When she awoke the next morning feeling invigorated, she went downstairs and received two letters from the shopkeeper. These letters were from the headmaster, Wyles Finnigan, and her benefactor, Count Vankef.

    She scrunched her nose in disgust when she saw the letter from Count Vankef. He was probably going to tell her to acquaint herself with a bunch of nobles now that she was in the capital. Ethel ignored the letter and read the one from the headmaster.

    Dear Ethel,

    I hope you¡¯re doing well there. I was informed by the Baron that you had decided to join the competition as a substitute and I couldn¡¯t have hoped for a better candidate such as yourself. If I can guess, you¡¯re scowling at me for not telling you of the close relationship between the Baron and I. That is, to tell the truth, Kapfem is my nephew. He had been originally tasked to stand guard over me, but I insisted he teach given his talents in training young people. Oh, look at me, blabbering at my age. Instead, I know you¡¯re especially anxious to find a clue in your little investigation. And so I will give you a clue. There is an informant guild by the name of Snapdragon hidden in the Empire. If you can get them to tell you what they know, then you will have gained an ally.

    Sincerely,

    Wyles Finnigan

    Ethel frowned. She hadn¡¯t heard of Snapdragon before. All she knew of right now was the death of the Duchess and the assassination of the deceased First Princce. She crumpled the letter and burned it by the hearth.

    At least now she gained a clue.

 Chapter 22

    Outside the inn, there was a small commotion. Ethel was curious and walked outside to find a boy and an old man in a scuffle. Both of them were fighting in the middle of the street but somehow no one except for a few passersby cared.

    She was planning on leaving quietly but the fight had escalated when the old man bumped into a passing carriage and startled the horses. The boy¡¯s scrawny figure was panting for breath and the old man looked visibly knocked up.

    Before the others could react, the driver of the carriage went to reprimand the old man but unfortunately he passed out. The boy took this chance to escape through the surprised crowd and bumped into Ethel.

    ¡°What the-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± the boy yelled after escaping through the crowd.

    A realization hit her when she felt the thin figure bump into her. She was sure of it, he was the boy she saved last night, but as for how he got into a fight with an old man was beyond him.

    She traced the vitalis in the air and chased after the boy. There was a good chance that he came to her of his own accord. In order to find out, she had to chase and track him down or less she might never meet him after today.

    With a lot of twists and turns, Ethel came upon the boy huddled over a small stack of crates in a cramped alleyway with the hood tightly covering his frail body.

    ¡°This boy sure runs fast,¡± she muttered before approaching the child.

    ¡°Boy.¡±

    The boy looked up and surprise flashed in his eyes. He wanted to run but before he could Ethel had already grabbed the hood of his cloak. Without it, it only served to further highlight his malnourished body.

    She frowned and reached into her satchel for a piece of bread and handed it to him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you or anything. I saved you last night, if you can recall. As a sign of peace, eat this bread.¡±

    The boy furrowed his brows. He looked at her waringly with a hint of hesitation, but the growl of his stomach betrayed his emotions as he turned red and begrudgingly took the bread and took a bite.

    Seeing how cooperative he was being, Ethel gave a smile and let go of his cloak. ¡°Full?¡±

    The boy nodded and wiped the crumbs off his face. Looking at him more closely, if it wasn¡¯t because he was malnourished, then he would be a promising youth with good looks.

    However, for whatever reason that may be linked to poverty, he was deathly pallid with cracked lips and unkempt hair. He was not in any way dirty, but the clothes he wore looked rough and uncomfortable, like the cloth used to cover tables with. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°My name is Ethel. And you are?¡±

    ¡°... Whyt.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± What an unusual name. There was hardly anything remarkable about this boy. At most, he could be considered a person with above average skills. But then why was she drawn to him? Surely there was something to him that could be of use to her.

    She crouched down to his eye-level and replied, ¡°Then Whyt, could you tell me why you were being chased by those men late last night?¡±

    Whyt looked hesitant. He disliked being pried for information. After living in the capital his entire life, he knew it wasn¡¯t too far-fetched if this woman before him had ulterior motives. There was no reason for her to help him so whole heartedly without asking for anything in return.

    So what did she want? Except for his intelligence, he had nothing to show for. He was smaller than children his age and had always been left out of the groups because of his desire to spend time alone.

    Seeing his hesitant look, Ethel didn¡¯t want to pry for more information and shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. Let me tell you now, I saved you because I find you interesting. You look like the kind of person who likes to keep secrets.¡±

    Whyt looked up and somehow her smile looked dazzling. Not the sort of light that a goddess would emit, but somewhat warm. Similar to the sunlight filtering the trees, she had an aura that could charm others into following her.

    But he still couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of suspicion in his heart.

    ¡°Miss also looks like she¡¯s one to keep secrets,¡± he muttered.

    Ethel raised her brows and laughed. ¡°Do I? Then I will tell you one of my secrets, just for fun. It¡¯s up to you to believe it or not.¡±

    Whyt nodded and gazed at her with expectancy.

    She found this endearing and rubbed his head. ¡°What I am and what I look are completely different things.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem to get this and tilted his head in confusion, which met the laughter of Ethel once again.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t get it now. But if you like, then if you become friends with me you¡¯ll know the truth sooner or later.¡±

    Her secret was attractive. For some reason there was a voice in his head telling him that he won¡¯t come to regret it, but his feelings right now were different with the assault he suffered from last night.

    If he followed her, he was afraid that he¡¯d be leaving the life he was used to. The woman before her looked no less a noble. And living in the capital, he saw no shortage of them. Many were people who knew how to hide their emotions in their sleeves, while rarely were there ever any of them who served the people.

    It was the noble¡¯s duty to work for his vassals, but the role had long been subverted to the current regime, where it was common for peasants and the like to work to the bone for the benefit of the rich and powerful.

    The minimum wage was horrendous that it brought despair to the people, bringing poverty and violence with it.

    ¡°How will I know if I made the right decision?¡± Whyt asked suddenly. He wanted to know her thoughts.

    Ethel looked deep in thought and crossed her arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple really. You don¡¯t.¡±

    Whyt looked taken aback. But before he could utter a reply, Ethel continued her words.

    ¡°It is only in death that we count our regrets. Remember that.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Whyt wanted to ask more questions but refrained from doing so. He had a feeling that even if he did then it would be met with silence.

    ¡°So, going back to my previous question, are you willing to be friends with me?¡±

    Ethel had an expectant look on her face. There was nothing to worry about if she wanted to bring the boy with her. After the competition, there would be graduation. As for the competition¡­

    Remembering the deal she had made with Count Vankef, Ethel could only sigh. Her promise to the deceased Hyrel remained unfulfilled.

    Hyrel was only a boy of 15 years when he died of the plague. There was only one brief encounter between them, but that was enough for her to change the way she looked at life.

    When she had resigned herself to being a slave worked to death by the Count, believing that she could amount to nothing more than a moneymaker for the rich, she had been privileged to meet the young Hyrel dressed in commoner¡¯s clothing in the alleyway next to the bar she used to work at.

    Whyt disregarded the melancholic look in Ethel¡¯s eyes and made up his mind. She was right, he would rather take the unknown path with her than be stuck here slaving away and doing the dirty work for old men.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    His voice was hoarse and quite pitiful, but a wave of relief made its way to Ethel.

    ¡°Great! Then, come with me.¡± Ethel held his hand and made their way to the streets. Along the way, no one paid any heed to them as they navigated avenues and districts.

    Then they stopped in front of a shelter of some sort. The house was neither dilapidated nor was it extravagant. It was a simple three story house with a few plants at the front.

    The street they were in was decent. A lot of commoners roamed about and the atmosphere was solemn. Despite this, there was an eeriness of some sort that Whyt couldn¡¯t shake off.

    Like they were being watched.

    Whyt shook his head and looked up at Ethel.

    ¡°You might be wondering why we¡¯re here.¡± She lightly knocked at the door. ¡°This is an orphanage I am investing my money in.¡±

    Orphanages weren''t prevalent in the continent, much less the Empire. Officially, only the shelters recognized by the Church could receive proper funding, but even then money was insufficient.

    Ethel found out about it in her third year at Agora. A blacksmith she was receiving help from was from one of the shelters in the southwest. That was when she started looking into orphanages.

    In her fourth year, she took aside the money she didn¡¯t need and invested a fixed amount of her allowance and had someone transfer the money to the orphanage. Although she regularly exchanged letters with the Head of the orphanage, this would be the first time they would meet. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    The door opened and a few children were placed in view.

    Whyt found this uncomfortable and stood behind Ethel. The children looked at them with curious eyes, until one found it in themselves to speak up. ¡°Uhm¡­ Who are you?¡±

    Ethel crouched down and smiled. The little girl was adorable and her doe eyes reminded her of Maria. ¡°My name is Ethel, is Valentina around?¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened and nodded.

    ¡°Then, will you call her for me?¡± The little girl nodded again before scampering away.

    The other children looked hesitant but Ethel continued to smile. Ethel could tell that although these kids were apprehensive, it would be best to get acquainted with the head first, to establish a good connection with the kids.

    A moment later, a middle-aged woman dressed in plain clothes ran up to them. Her droopy eyes and overall appearance looked intimidating but it could not hide the look of excitement on her face.

    The moment she laid her eyes on Ethel, she dropped to the floor and said, ¡°My lady, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long! I wanted to give my thanks to you as soon as I received news of your arrival to the capital. I-¡±

    ¡°Besides that, please get up first. What will the kids think of me when you¡¯re being too respectful like this.¡±

    Ethel felt embarrassed when she witnessed the woman kowtowing to her. The kids were confused but seeing their nanny being respectful, a hint of curiosity flashed in their eyes.

    Valentina teared up, she was happy to see the benefactor who saved them from death¡¯s door. Just then, the little girl came back and tugged on Ethel¡¯s pants.

    ¡°Nanny said that you saved us, is that true?¡± the little girl asked.

    Ethel smiled and shook her head. ¡°It is true that I helped you guys, but it was all thanks to your nanny that you could eat good food and live a good life. So be sure to give her your thanks, okay?¡±

    The little girl looked no more than eight and yet she was very intelligent. Ethel hoped that the little girl could grow up living the life she wished. She didn¡¯t regret investing her money in this orphanage. Not one bit.

    ¡°But the miss is-!¡±

    Ethel smiled and interjected, ¡°Valentina, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re scaring the children.¡±

    Valentina was taken aback and looked at the children who gazed at her with a hint of fear. They had never seen their nanny acting like that, so the young children got scared of her freaking out.

    ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry, children.¡± The nanny crouched down and hugged them assuringly. ¡°Nanny was just surprised that our benefactor suddenly arrived. Be sure to thank her, alright?¡±

    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need to-¡±

    But before she could finish her sentence, Whyt stopped her and shook his head. ¡°You should accept their thanks. If I were in their position, I would do the same.¡±

    Seeing Whyt get a little more comfortable with her, Ethel nodded. In any case, it did look rude if she wouldn¡¯t even accept the gratitude of these young children.

    ¡°Well, okay.¡± Ethel coughed and looked a little embarrassed.

    The children looked at each other and bowed at Ethel. ¡°Thank you miss!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    A moment later, Valentina ushered the children to play in the backyard and led the two guests to the dining table. Unlike the house of nobles, there was no official sitting room for guests.

    Valentina prepared a simple pot of tea and a few biscuits before settling down in front of them.

 Chapter 24

    ¡°You might be wondering what I have come here for.¡±

    Valentina looked abashed and nodded. ¡°When I heard my lady was coming to the capital from the north, I wondered the reason for your visit. Surely, the orphanage was not the reason?¡±

    Ethel nodded. She appreciated the nanny¡¯s tact. No wonder the children acted quite maturely.

    ¡°As you might not know, I am a 7th rank warrior from the institute of Agora. My visit here is for the empire¡¯s Mars. I decided to settle other matters while I am here, the orphanage included.¡±

    Whyt stayed silent and listened to their conversation. He had decided to follow Ethel in this life, but he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to trust her fully. But her words from now took him aback.

    If what she said was true, then there was no reason to lie to him. She stood above him by so many levels that whatever her motive was, then it would be as easy as pie to kill him. But she didn¡¯t.

    Unless she knew of his skills¡­?

    A look of shock flashed in Valentina¡¯s eyes. The only thing she knew was that their benefactor lived in the far North. As for why and how she had gone to affiliate herself with such a humble notion like the orphanage, she was as much in the dark as Whyt.

    ¡°Then even more so that there is no reason for my lady to humble herself and personally come here? It is not fit with your status as-¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡± Ethel held her hand up. ¡°I am not a noble. As privileged as I look, it is only because of my own benefactor that I stand here today.¡±

    Valentina bowed her head. ¡°Forgive me, my lady.¡±

    Ethel realized that no matter how hard she tried to link herself with Valentina as a simple commoner, the fact that she could provide for an orphanage simply put her in a different category. She sighed inwardly at that fact.

    ¡°That does not matter. I came here today for a different reason. And I hope you can accept this favor.¡±

    ¡°Whatever my lady¡¯s request is, I will follow it.¡± Valentina swore an oath and bowed her head respectfully.

    Ethel thanked her and said, ¡°I found this boy, Whyt, in an alleyway by the middle district. I hope you can take him in.¡±

    Whyt widened his eyes while Valentina placed her gaze on the young boy. He was a little dirty but except for that, nothing else could be said to be remarkable about his appearance. In addition, he was a lot older than the other children in the orphanage.

    Usually, after the age of 15, children were required to find jobs in other districts and gain experience, provided that they could sustain themselves. The oldest in the orphanage was Cesar, a 13 year old boy. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Hey, wait a minute, don¡¯t tell me you-!¡±

    ¡°I want you to stay here and help Valentina look after the children,¡± Ethel interjected.

    She was fully aware that her request was unusual. Where could you see a 15 year old boy still in an orphanage. By law, he isn¡¯t allowed to stay in an orphanage. It would become suspicious if their neighbors noticed him and reported him to the city guards.

    ¡°Valentina.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t find my request too hard.¡±

    Valentina shook her head. ¡°Not at all! I have already promised my lady to fulfill her wishes. This small matter¡­ I accept.¡±

    Ethel smiled. ¡°That is good. As for you,¡± she turned to Whyt, who had his head bowed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk. Valentina, can you leave us alone for a little bit? I¡¯ll call you when we¡¯re done.¡±

    Valentina nodded and excused herself out of the room. Left in silence, An indignant look was on his face while Ethel gazed at him.

    ¡°You are¡­ an information gatherer, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Whyt looked up, his eyes widened as his face paled. Had she known all along? Did she take him in under the pretense of using him? Because he was good at his job?

    Will he be abused again?

    Ethel frowned. She hadn¡¯t expected his reaction to be so much worse. Although she already had a clue as to what his previous life was, his reaction only served to strengthen her speculation.

    ¡°I won¡¯t harm you,¡± she assured.

    It was out of her character to abuse someone. She also disliked the smell of blood as it was nauseating. He might not believe her, seeing as the trauma he faced was likely greater than she thought, but she would do everything in her power to convince him he could trust her.

    If so, she would gain a powerful ally.

    Whyt¡¯s hands trembled while he held the cup of tea. Just thinking about the scenarios ahead of him made him stricken with anxiety. The previous warm feeling he had towards Ethel vanished and was replaced with fear.

    Ethel realized her words wouldn¡¯t get through him and stood up. She approached him and out of the blue, she hugged him. Similar to the action of a mother hugging her child.

    It was warm and comforting, albeit a little uncomfortable considering their positions. Whyt felt the warmness of her arms and snapped out of it.

    He had never been hugged before. As an orphan, he had always been considered a prize by certain lower nobles. They used him for their own sake as he had to bear the brunt of being physically abused if he failed his job or hadn¡¯t perfectly executed it.

    When he had enough, he ran away in the hopes of escaping that forgotten organization. But who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d be chased by warriors? Although they were of a low class, their speed could still overpower a child¡¯s.

    And just when he thought he was going to die, Ethel came to save him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you as a tool to use. I see you as my equal.¡± Ethel declared. ¡°Although my intentions were not as pure as I proclaimed, if you think that I am not worth trusting then you can leave. This, I promise you.¡±

    She broke off their hug and looked at Whyt. And then, she smiled.

    A tear dropped.

    Before he knew it, Whyt was crying.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°There, there.¡±

    When the boy had calmed down, Ethel smiled and poured him another cup of tea.

    The boy was only 15 and had already experienced numerous hardships. Despite this, she knew fully well that there are other children facing the same predicament as him. It was only a pity that she could not save all of them.

    In any case, Whyt was lucky that she had picked him up and taken him off the streets.

    His fear and anxiety were soothed. A promise was something that could be broken by anyone, but an oath was a life binding agreement. By swearing an oath to him, she was indirectly declaring his freedom.

    He wasn¡¯t stupid. Of course he knew that she was going to use him for something but the option of backing out is a luxury he was never able to afford. But judging from Ethel¡¯s words, she wasn¡¯t entirely aware of the matter that was his previous life.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Whyt had only intended to follow her and back out if he ever found a hint of lies in her words. ¡°But there is something I haven¡¯t told you¡­¡±

    He looked down at his palm. Rough, calloused hands that were worn with blisters and marks.

    Ethel crossed her arms. ¡°If this is about the slave seal on your palms, I have already erased it.¡±

    ¡°How-¡±

    ¡°I have studied in Agora. To break a slave spell is easy for me. Though it does take a lot of energy out of me.¡± Ethel clenched her palms and gazed at him.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry anymore. If you are willing, then Valentina will look after you until I come back.¡±

    Whyt didn¡¯t expect such a savior to come to his aid. Something about Ethel was very particular. Although she wasn¡¯t an extraordinary beauty, nor did she have an excellent aura, her words were strangely comforting and exactly the words he wanted to hear.

    ¡°I¡­ I will stay here.¡±

    She smiled. Her plan was a success. Though she did have an inkling that someone clever like him could already sense that her words were somewhat vague. Whyt was given the option to choose, but in reality she was already aware that he was going to accept it.

    A bit manipulative of course, using an oath to bind a person to her. But she had already observed him. His feet full of blisters indicated that he often had to run around town bare footed.

    Another indication is the way he didn¡¯t glance at any streets, as if everything was familiar to him, this was only possible if he often had to lurk in places he shouldn¡¯t be. Then there was his ears. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    She noticed that he was fast. In his previous fight with the old man, he ran so fast that it was almost impossible to catch up to him with the strength of a common person. And there were certain requirements for information gatherers.

    They had to be fast, agile, and sensitive to sounds. In addition, to be able to run so fast despite being injured showed he had an excellent physique. If he took his time and recovered here in the orphanage, then she could start her own intelligence unit.

    A unit that was solely hers.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time I head out now,¡± Ethel exclaimed and stood up. ¡°Tell Valentina and the children that I will make it up to them. The next donation should come in the first week of next month.¡±

    Whyt nodded, unaware that he had been slightly manipulated.

    ¡°You will stay here until you fully recover. By the time I come back, I will take you along with me, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, I should go now.¡± Ethel pulled up the hood of her cloak and set out. She walked on the streets that were scarce with people. The sky was a dim gray and it looked ready to rain.

    For now, she had to investigate Snapdragon. They were previously run by the deceased Duchess and Crown Prince, but now they were scattered and couldn¡¯t even be traced by normal means. Even the second best informant guild could only shake their heads.

    It was getting more complicated the longer she stayed in the capital. There was no news about the Vandenberg¡¯s since they were so secretive, neither could she pry for information about the royal family without catching the attention of the Oleander, the secret knights of the Emperor.

    But she couldn¡¯t start an informant guild with just her and Whyt. Although she had already been collecting some talents since she had found out about her lineage, there wasn¡¯t enough time to gather them all.

    Every talent she recruited were scattered in the continent. If she wanted to gather them, then it would roughly take a month to make them come back.

    The plan would start now.

    Tensions were already rough in the capital. Nobles were forming their own factions and there were often riots in other noble houses, protesting about their wages. The Crown Prince attempted to calm them with almsgiving, but in the long run, it would only damage the state treasury and deplete their funds.

    Not to mention she heard rumors going around that the Church was an ally of the Emperor. It was a relation that couldn¡¯t be confirmed due to the nobles'' distinction of the separation of church and state.

    Though everything was calm on the surface, it would only take one variable to start a war. It didn¡¯t concern Ethel, but thinking about how corrupt the city was gave her a headache.

    She was going to get to the root of it all.

    Starting with the death of the Duchess of Vandenberg. Everything started then. When she has gathered everyone, she will revive the formidable informant guild, Snapdragon.

    Ethel sighed.

    It was exhausting planning ahead. For years and years, her plan had deviated so much that it was hard to remember where it all started. Was it when that woman died and she was left alone in the red-light district? Was it the locket that the woman gave her when she was a child? Or was it when she was picked up from the streets by Count Vankef?

    Everything was very tiring. In addition to having to hide her accursed identity, she had to tread carefully to find out the secret of the empire and the death of her parents.

    Rain poured.

    The ball would begin in three days. She had to head back and reform her plans.

 Chapter 26

    Two days of being holed up in her room, Ethel had finally sent the letters. There was a day remaining before the ball would begin. The weather had turned calm after the heavy downpour that plagued the city for two days.

    A month.

    After poring over her plan, she deemed it was necessary for her to win Mars. To gain a noble title meant having connections to other nobles and establish her place within the faction of the lower nobles.

    If she could gain a connection to the current Duke of Vandenberg, then she could find out the significance of the memento in her hands. Moving as a noble was much easier than being a commoner.

    She could kill two birds with one stone.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡± she sighed. Looking out the window of the little inn, the sky turned clear and iridescent, as it always looked after the rain.

    Then what was the point of lying low in Agora? To proceed with her plans, it meant putting herself in the middle of danger.

    Another sigh left her lips.

    Despite her initial plans going awry, she had to take extra precaution. To rid herself of these chains and find out about her real identity, everything would start here.

    But first, she had to head over to the Cyprus Estate. Ethel had no contact with the family since three days ago and she doubt their guards could find her, considering that she was under a different guise when she entered the city.

    Before setting off, she grabbed the dusty satchel and put on her hood, before alerting the helper of the inn that she would not be back for a while.

    In front of the Cyprus Estate, everything looked vibrant. From the intricate gates to the magnificent display of the landscape, it was appalling that such a family could have control over such a large plot of land.

    The knight that guarded the gate was the same one that stopped her from a few days ago, after reverting back to her appearance, she greeted the guard.

    ¡°Good day, knight.¡±

    The guard stiffened at the sight of her but nevertheless nodded and let her in. His companion tilted his head in confusion, but that was his superior. If his superior was familiar with her, then he wasn¡¯t going to protest.

    Usually when visiting a noble¡¯s house, you had to send a letter in advance so that they could welcome your arrival. But she wasn¡¯t a noble, and she had been here a few times that she had the house memorized.

    As for the servants, she was always careful not to bump into them. It was such a large mansion that it was hardly a chore for her. Except for the old servants like the butler and the head maid, the rest of the lot were unfamiliar with her. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Making her way to the courtyard where the knights trained, Ethel saw the sight of Apien and Fleur fighting. Of course, Fleur was at a disadvantage, what with her exhausted figure and the grip on her spear had weakened.

    ¡°That looks fun. Can I join?¡±

    The siblings were caught off-guard and immediately took a defensive stance. Once they knew it was only Ethel, they relaxed.

    ¡°It was only you, Ethel.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m out,¡± Apien said as he began to walk away.

    Fleur rolled her eyes and approached Ethel, slinging an arm over her shoulder she then asked, ¡°So, are you excited for the ball?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±

    There were hardly any chances that Ethel showed off her femininity. This was a rare chance for Fleur to dress her up and take her outside.

    ¡°Then, you don¡¯t have plans for today, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Ethel nodded. The only thing left to do was to wait for the return letters and win Mars, but the latter was something she didn¡¯t plan on revealing.

    ¡°Come with me, quick. Before an attendant notifies mother and she finds us.¡±

    Fleur pulls her inside the mansion while brushing off the rest of the servants. They went up the stairs and in her room, locking the door behind her.

    ¡°There was no need to haul me over, you know.¡± Ethel frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to be precautious and take measures.¡±

    ¡°In any case, what¡¯s the occasion?¡±

    Ethel settled herself on the sofa. Her manly attire did not suit the elegant style of the room. Everything was decorated with the deep shade of yellow, that it felt a little overbearing to stay in such a luxurious room.

    Fleur walked over to another adjoining door and replied, ¡°I was invited to a tea party today but I put off replying because I did not want to relinquish myself to a bunch of gossiping madwomen.¡±

    Ethel widened her eyes and realized her plan. She ran towards the balcony of the room and prepared to jump but Fleur was quicker and tackled her to the ground.

    A groan escaped her lips.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky the floor is carpeted. And besides, you have no choice.¡± A glint flashed in Fleur¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been putting off my invitations since we were of age but now that we¡¯re alone, you have nowhere to escape.¡±

    Ethel rolled over and pulled herself up. ¡°I can accompany you as your knight, women aren¡¯t that rare in the order anymore, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Fleur berated. ¡°You are a blossoming lady in prime. I, as a fellow woman and eternal best friend, cannot handle such injustice. I mean, look at you. That hair you always liked to keep short and the preference of wearing such manly clothes. My maiden heart cannot take it.¡±

    Ethel rubbed her temples. She knew it was going to come sooner or later. After all, she could only avoid it for so long. And it was seemingly unfair to do that to someone like Fleur.

    ¡°Fine, but nothing gaudy or fancy!¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Fleur clapped her hands and pulled her into her wardrobe. ¡°Now come along, I will make sure that you shine the brightest in that tea party!¡±

 Chapter 27

    Ideally, it was right around this time that Ethel would be training in some godforsaken empty land in the outskirts of the city. Considering how packed it was in the city, it was impossible to train without catching other people¡¯s suspicions.

    Instead she was in the middle of a tea party of some noblewoman. Standing alone by the snack table in a corset that she could barely breathe in and heels that were painful.

    Just then, a lady arrived. There was nothing out of the ordinary but somehow she could feel the atmosphere tense and the mood dampen. Just the arrival of a simple noblewoman was enough to change the tides of the party.

    Ethel frowned and turned away. She had no business in that endeavor.

    "Excuse me¡­"

    She turned around and came face to face with the said lady earlier. Petite and quite a pitiful sight, Ethel felt a little awkward.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I am alone at this party and wondered if you needed company?¡±

    She could subtly tell that the attention of the party was directed at them. Fleur was still inside the greenhouse greeting the host of the party, and seeing how grand and large it was, there were many noble ladies to greet.

    Ethel smiled. She was always one who liked a bit of trouble. ¡°Of course. My name is Ethel, what about my lady?¡±

    The girl stuttered about, wringing the handkerchief in her hands with obvious anxiety. ¡°I am Elvira of the House of Aestreya.¡±

    Aestreya was a marquis family that continuously put out extraordinary talents. In particular, the current Marquis had 8 children from 3 wives. As far as popularity was concerned, Arlen Aestreya was by far their most famous descendant.

    Ethel bowed deeply. She had to at least show deep respect for someone from an old family. ¡°I¡¯m honored to meet a member of the House of Aestreya.¡±

    ¡°Ah-ah¡­ P-please stand up. I am of no importance in the house. You can treat me as you will with any noble lady here.¡±

    This made her frown. House of Aestreya was also known as the House of the Janob, which meant the House of the Blessed. And not just anyone could say they were from this house.

    Even the Emperor had to give them leeway, as their talents continuously contributed to the glory of the Empire.

    ¡°Surely, the lady jests? You are from such a noble house, while I am no different from a maid brought here by a friend.¡±

    ¡°Maid?¡± Elvira widened her eyes. Envy flashed in her eyes. Her head hung low and she whispered, ¡°It would¡¯ve been far better to have been born a commoner.¡±

    This puzzled Ethel. Could it be that she was not a full-blooded relative of the Aestreya? But if that was the case then she would not have arrived in a carriage with their crest. Only official members were given permission.

    She wished that Fleur was here.

    ¡°My lady, are you perhaps¡­ treated badly?¡±

    Elvira shook her head profusely and said, ¡°No, it is not like that. I am¡­ talentless, unlike my brothers and sisters.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t uncommon for noble houses to compare their children with outstanding individuals to spur them to do better, but Ethel felt that in Elvira¡¯s case, it was different. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Then could it be you are anxious?¡±

    Elvira felt ashamed and nodded slowly. ¡°Our house is currently in chaos¡­ My parents¡­ they are protesting about some of my brothers and sisters'' decision to join the faction of the lower nobles. They think of it as treason against the Empire.¡±

    The noble houses were tense as of now. There were many noble houses split into factions when the Emperor ascended the throne. It only became more proliferate when the Duchess died.

    With the masses¡¯ support that the current Emperor could ascend the throne, the same can be said for his abdication, which is what some of the masses and a number of nobles wish to push for.

    ¡°What is right and wrong, who could decide but us? I do not think your siblings are wrong, but neither do I think your parents are right. Everyone has their own path to take, it is just a matter of regretting it or not.¡±

    Ethel looked up at the bright sky. Strangely, it did not feel bright at all, like a foreshadowing to something sinister. She smiled at Elvira.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to think of yourself as talentless. Talent isn¡¯t the only thing that can define a person. Your ability can speak for itself, you just have to find it.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what to say.¡±

    "You don''t have to say anything, my lady. The words of a commoner are merely words."

    Elvira nodded as her head hung low. Ethel felt condemned by the other ladies and felt uncomfortable. Even she was not impervious to them.

    "Should we head somewhere else?" Ethel asked. She noticed that Elvira kept squirming in place.

    Elvira nodded and Ethel lead the way. They arrived at a rather secluded part of the garden. But just as they were about to arrive, they bumped into Fleur and another woman.

    "Ethel!" Fleur exclaimed as she hurried over to them.

    Ethel was quite shocked while Elvira stood behind her. "Fleur, weren''t you in the greenhouse?"

    "Oh yes well it was terribly boring. I decided it wasn''t all worth my time and left." Fleur then spotted the lady behind her. "And who might this be?"

    Ethel felt the young lady''s hesitance and replied, "She is the youngest daughter of the House of Aestreya, Elvira Aestreya."

    "Oh my!"

    Fleur was quite shocked. In the short time she had left her friend, Ethel had already made a friend. And such a prominent one too.

    "Lady Cyprus."

    The woman behind them looked intimidating. Her downturned eyes gave her quite the sleepy look, but her aura said anything but.

    "Ah yes, forgive me I got excited." Fleur smiled and stepped away from Ethel. "Ethel, this is Lady Acantha of the House of Tarian. She''s the host of today''s tea party."

    Without missing a beat, Ethel politely smiled and bowed her head. It lacked the certain grace and elegance from other ladies, but was enough to convey respect.

    Lady Acantha eyed her head to toe, which made Elvira uncomfortable.

    "I see you''ve brought an unusual friend."

    "So you know!"

    "Of course. One glance at her is enough to know that she is not a noble."

    Albeit the prickly words, Ethel took no offence to it.

    "It''s an honor to meet the famed Rose Lady."

    Acantha laughed. "If you were a noble I''d think you''d say otherwise."

    Rose Lady was a title the other noble ladies came up with after Lady Acantha rejected numerous proposals from men.

    Beautiful, but full of thorns.

    Although there were no age limits when it came to marriage, it was still rather frowned upon to marry at an age later than 25.

    "Not at all. It''s truly a pleasure."

    Acantha nodded and swept her gaze on Elvira.

    "Elvira. You came."

    The timid lady nodded. "The house was empty so I came here."

    "I presume your house is still in chaos?"

    She nodded again. "Mother said it''d be good if I went out for a change."

    "Of course. You''ve been rather cooped up in your estate. Mars will be celebrated in two days, have a little fun," Acantha replied as she brushed past them. "Come, there is a secluded gazebo further here."

    The three ladies followed Acantha to a series of twists and turns around hedges barely a head taller than Ethel. At the end was a rather dilapidated gazebo with overgrown vines. Only the benches were intact.

    "Sit."

    The four of them sat on the benches. Then came silence. Ethel hardly found it appropriate to speak, Elvira was too timid and Fleur looked like she had no care.

 Chapter 28

    <h4>"What''s the current situation?"</h4>

    "With the Empire in strict security due to Mars and the Crown Prince, the DM faction of the lower nobles held a speech at the central plaza. The masses are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the government."

    Elvira raised a hand. "T-the mages from the southern part of the continent have been calm for the past few days. However, Oleander has been approaching them, probably under the orders of the Emperor. As for the warriors, we''ve been getting intel on the aristocratic faction smuggling

    in zabiyas."

    Ethel felt her heart race. Zabiyas were not rare, but¡­ You could hardly spot them in such populous areas. Because of their highly resilient body and enormous strength, zabiyas were the pride of the warriors.

    Unfortunately because of the era of a king down in the annals of history, zabiyas began to be associated with curses and such, rumored to be using forbidden rituals to attain their strength.

    Even their white hair and red eyes were associated with the curse. That''s the reason they are very distinguished from other people.

    Fleur for once, looked serious. "My spy gathered intel on the Empress'' moves. The pope had been frequently making visits in and out of Trevino Palace.

    Acantha raised a brow. "We already know the Emperor''s been allied with the Church in the beginning. But this¡­ is he planning on toppling the balance?"

    "I''d assume so. There''s nothing that man cannot do."

    The three of them, all women talking about politics; Ethel thought she had struck gold.

    "What does the Pope have against the Emperor to make him move like this?" Elvira pondered over this.

    Ethel couldn''t hold herself back and said, "Didn''t the Emperor need the help of the Church to ascend the throne? If that''s true, then he must owe the Pope a favor."

    Fleur smiled knowingly. She knew her friend is a clever one. Of course talks like these don''t faze her.

    "And here I thought you were all but brawn. I''m surprised."

    "I told you she''s a clever one. She would be a great addition to our numbers."

    Numbers? Ethel was shocked.

    If what she thinks is true, then these women before her were possibly a part of the DM faction of the lower nobles. Talks like these were uncommon for noblewomen to talk about. The only reason they would talk about it so openly with her should be because they wanted her to join them.

    The very ones despised by the aristocrats. These ladies were essentially rebelling against the principles of their own family.

    Elvira shyly nodded. "Don''t think too badly of us, Lady Ethel."

    "Yes. We haven''t been doing so well the past few years. Taking a chance like this won''t come again."

    Fleur looked at her seriously. They wanted her to join their faction. But how could she? She wasn''t a noble. Yet.

    The only plan she could think of was either to win Mars or have an honorary title given to her by a high ranking noble. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Since she expressed her desire for neither, then of course no one could force her. But if that was their plan¡­ then of course she''d receive huge benefits for a small cost.

    "Hold on. So three ladies from three high ranking families want me, a lowly commoner, to join forces with you? And this faction of yours, is the faction of the democratic monarchy of the people?"

    Acantha closed her fan and replied, "Yes."

    "And what use can I be of to three noble ladies, when I have no title to call my own?"

    "That is no problem at all for us."

    "You cannot be thinking of giving me the title of an honorary noble with no achievements?"

    "Everything depends on your reply." Acantha stood up and approached Ethel. Her intimidating aura directed towards her made Ethel raise her brows. "So, will you join us or not?"

    There were no downsides to it. Of course she would agree.

    "I will."

    Elvira and Fleur released a sigh of relief. Acantha, on the other hand, showed a sincere smile.

    "Welcome to Rhyddid."

    "Good name." Ethel commented. "Then who is your leading figure in the faction?"

    "It''s us of course!" Fleur said matter of factly. Her eyes shone as she puffed her chest full of pride.

    Elvira nodded again. She wasn''t much for words, but everything she said contributed to the conversation.

    "You guys?"

    Women were not leading figures in politics. This was the central world. A society that abhors women having anything to do with the dominant patriarchy.

    In the far north, it was okay; since they were vastly different norms and cultures. But here, women who held outstanding achievements still faced quite a lot of contempt, especially from the opposite sex.

    And now it was revealed that the three ladies before her were the leading figures of the biggest faction of the Empire?

    "Of course, nobody knows our true identities. We at least made sure of that fact. Our proxies stand in for us when holding meetings."

    "Then the speech at the plaza was¡­?"

    "Elvira''s proxy," Acantha curtly replied.

    "And exactly how far does your influence go?"

    "Elvira dabbles in finance while Fleur manages our numbers. We invest in a lot of businesses that essentially function as the center of the capital."

    "And what do you need me for?"

    "We don''t have anybody to do the dirty work for us, you see. Everything we do is in the light, we lack someone to do business underground."

    Ethel caught on. "You want me to gather intel for you in the shadows?"

    "I''m glad you understand."

    Acantha understood the aspects of a good leader. She had to have an iron grip on her pieces and compose herself to the utmost respect, so that others wouldn''t dare to underestimate her.

    Ethel nodded. But there was one thing bothering her.

    "Can I ask something?"

    Acantha nodded. "Go ahead."

    "Why are you doing this? I mean, you are already a high noble with the freedom to live her life in blissfulness. Away from the political scene of the country."

    Acantha turned around. Fleur and Elvira felt it was not right to intrude and kept silent.

    Behind the gazebo was an old pond. Unlike usual ones, the algae had taken over the clean water and the weeds overgrown. Hardly did it look anything like the majestic pond it used to be.

    "I had a brother, you see? But he was much older than me." Her eyes drifted to the dirty pond. "He was supposed to be the heir and inherit the Marquis position.

    But then the war from 15 years ago happened and he volunteered to fight alongside the deceased First Prince. And then just before the tides of the war turned in our favor, he died in an ambush with the prince."

    Ethel could feel the rage and frustration gnawing at her. Acantha clenched her fists.

    "I couldn''t do anything. Nothing to support my brother. I was merely a child back then, but even I knew that his death was not a noble one, but stained with the blood of the Imperial Family.¡±

    The delicate hands that clenched the fan broke into pieces. The broken parts fell to the floor, just like the heart of the noble.