《Tethia (Reincarnated Nobility)》


 Prologue: The War and the Eye

    Alois tossed a silver coin between his hands as he observed the man before him. Madoc Bell was a traveling merchant as well as the only one Alois considered his rival. He was the only merchant to start a business younger than Alois, and his business was always more famous and more popular than anything Alois did when he was around. Now, that very Madoc Bell had invited Alois here to make a deal with him.


    ¡°You wanted to make a deal with me?¡± Alois asked, finally breaking the silence.


    ¡°I did,¡± Madoc replied with a smile, ¡°Simply put, I would like to recruit you. It would be a waste for talent like you to disappear.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Alois demanded, instantly on edge. Was that a threat? No, Madoc wasn¡¯t the kind of man to threaten his rivals. That meant he knew something that Alois didn¡¯t. ¡°I see. How much do I have to pay for you to tell me what that means?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but I pride myself in keeping my clients¡¯ confidentiality,¡± Madoc answered, ¡°I cannot answer your questions, but I can help you in another way.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alois demanded. Something about this situation had his senses screaming that something was seriously wrong but Alois was never someone to simply back away.


    Madoc opened his bag and pulled out an eyepatch before holding it out to him. Alois stared at it blankly. Was this some kind of joke? He had to admit that the eyepatch looked surprisingly comfortable and the textured image of the soaring dragon that was only revealed when the light shone on it fit his taste perfectly. However, Alois had no need for an eyepatch.


    ¡°This is a rare magical item I was able to create. I am willing to give it to you for an incredible discount,¡± Madoc explained with a smile, ¡°I made two, but my client only needed one.¡±


    ¡°So this is leftovers,¡± Alois guessed, ¡°What kind of magical item is it?¡±


    ¡°This eyepatch has the power to conceal and control even the most powerful and dangerous magic. I also added a few other features. Interested?¡±


    Alois glanced at the eyepatch again with suspicion. ¡°Nice try. I am not going to fall for your tricks. I won¡¯t join you either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Madoc chuckled, ¡°This item is the only one of its kind I have for sale. If you walk away now, you won¡¯t get another chance.¡±


    The next thing Alois knew he was in his room with the eyepatch in his hand. It was the simplest trick in the book, but he had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. He was frustrated with himself, and even more frustrated that he couldn¡¯t even blame Madoc for being a crook.


    There was a knock on his door, and Alois quickly stuffed the eyepatch in his pocket before answering it. ¡°What is it?¡± he demanded.


    The messenger on the other side of the door flinched. ¡°I have an urgent message for you,¡± they reported and stuffed and envelope in Alois¡¯s free hand before darting off.


    Alois scowled and opened the message on the spot. ¡°Ha! That old geezer wants me to come home now? How is this urgent?¡± he scoffed. After everything he had gone through to start a business in the capital to get away from that place, the last thing he wanted was to return. Then again, there was a chance it was actually something important.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    It took Alois two weeks to arrive at the seaport that was his hometown. One the way he heard some surprising news. The Empire of Gaia had formed a coalition with several other nations and declared war on Tethia. What was even more surprising was how little everyone seemed to care about it.


    Sure, Tethia had more magic as a whole, but when sorcerers showed up in other nations they were generally ridiculously powerful. Not only that, Beraud was growing famous for their innovative technology that could counter Tethia¡¯s magic. That was likely what sparked the war.


    On the other hand, Alois was as indifferent as everyone else. As a merchant the war was bound to affect him, but it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to change sides in a pinch. Alois valued his own life over things like loyalty. When he had been starved for disobeying his father he had learned how to steal, and when he had been hit, he learned how to disappear.


    That very same father who treated his son like a tool had urgently summoned him home when a war broke out. Alois could only feel bitter. Whatever that man wanted, Alois would pretend to listen and then flatly turn him down.


    Alois pondered over several methods of refusal as he made his way inside his childhood manor. He ignored the servants and knocked on the door of his father¡¯s office. ¡°I came directly here, just like you told me to,¡± he called out, unable to keep the sarcasm from his tone.


    ¡°Finally,¡± a cold voice replied, ¡°Wait there a moment. I have something I need to show you.¡±


    He was about to refuse, but it was likely better to see whatever this was. There was always a chance it could be interesting. When his father came out he immediately followed.


    Alois was led into the cellar where the food and wine for the manor was stored. So it wasn¡¯t merchandise? Alois grew even more curious as he watched his father move through the boxes. The man took out a key and carefully inserted in between two bricks and turned. Alois heard a distinct click and a moment later the wall began to open.


    A secret passage? Alois was surprised he hadn¡¯t found it before, but it was locked with a key. The passage beyond the opening was dark and ominous but Alois could no longer hold back his curiosity and pushed his father aside.


    He should have realized something was wrong when his father quietly allowed him to pass. If not then he should have realized when his father did not follow him into the passageway.


    Alois summoned a magic light so that he could see where he was going and pressed on. At the end of the passageway was a large circular room, and in the center of that room was pitch black marble on a pedestal.


    As he approached the marble Alois felt a shiver run down his spine. The marble began to softly glow with a deep purple light, and as it did Alois¡¯ own magic light disappeared. Did it just suck up his magic?


    That made Alois come to his senses and he took a step back. ¡°What is that thing?¡±


    ¡°That is our greatest treasure,¡± his father replied with an obsessed smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredible? The records say it is an artifact from ancient times with incredible power. It is called the Raven¡¯s Eye.¡±


    ¡°Why did you want to show me this?¡± Alois asked with suspicion.


    ¡°Because you have been chosen. Only by offering a sacrifice can one gain the power to use the Eye,¡± his father explained patiently.


    Alois felt the chill again and quickly took another step back before his wrist was caught.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± his father demanded, ¡°Do you realize what an honor this is? You will become a part of the weapon that will single handedly save Tethia.¡±


    ¡°I refuse!¡± Alois spat back and yanked his wrist out his father¡¯s grasp.


    He stumbled back and bumped into something. The chills grew stronger. That purple light was far too close. As Alois tried to push himself away from the pedestal, his elbow brushed against the marble. The Eye flashed brighter, and Alois felt an intense pain. As everything faded he heard his father¡¯s maddened laughter. Was this really how his life was going to end?


    ==========


    Alois awakened with a start, about five years in the past. It was impossible to say if what he had just seen was a dream, a vision of the future, or if he had been given a second chance. No matter the answer, he needed to act. No matter what, he needed to prevent becoming a sacrifice for his father to gain power. To do that, he would have to leave the seaport he called home. But where should he go?


    The first thing Alois thought of was Madoc Bell, but he quickly dismissed the thought. The merchant had only welcomed him because he had proved his talents. He had yet to prove anything. Besides, he had no idea where he was five years ago. What could a sixteen year old do to safely travel long distances?


    Hold on, sixteen? Alois checked the date again and smiled. There was a clear answer for his path forward. Sixteen was the age that Nobility, the school that produced the talents that led the country of Tethia, started accepting new students. He would pass the entrance exam, and use the endless stores of knowledge offered to find a way to destroy the Raven¡¯s Eye.


    And what role should he pursue? Alois didn¡¯t have to think twice about that. If it was knowledge he sought, only the Headmaster would have access to everything. He wasn¡¯t concerned about being chosen as the next Headmaster. With how many students Nobility accepted every year, it was obvious that most would never succeed.


    With a plan and a purpose, Alois set things in motion to change his bleak future, and perhaps change the future of Tethia as well.

 1: Following Dreams

    For as long as she could remember, Cassandra had seen dreams of another world. A strange, bland world that constantly sought the wonder of magic through entertainment. Much of this entertainment reminded her of the legends of her homeland, Tethia.


    However, there was one thing Cassandra never understood about the stories from the world in her dreams. Why did the princesses always have to marry princes to become queens and kings? The king and queen of Tethia were both happily married to other people. Everyone here thought it was perfectly normal for things to be that way.


    Not only that, the queen of Tethia was a woman who held the future of magic in her hands. Perhaps she was influenced by her dreams, for all Cassandra wanted was to be in such a position. That was how she found herself at sixteen years of age, going out to meet the carriage that would take her to the entrance exam for Nobility.


    Nobility was the only school that raised the talents that would lead the future of Tethia and later become one of the four pillars. There was, of course, the king and queen. The king led the nation in times of political turmoil and war. The queen led with diplomacy with other nations which was why she had just as much say in the future of magic as the archmage.


    The archmage was the father of all magic. At least, the first archmage was. After that, each one was charged with the duty to keep that magic alive throughout Tethia. That left one last and final pillar of Tethia. This was none other than the headmaster of Nobility himself. His duty was to nurture the talents of the future to bring glory to the kingdom.


    That very headmaster had arranged a system that sent carriages to all of the regions so no talent would be left untested. Now all Cassandra had to figure out was exactly where that carriage was.


    It had never occurred to her before that there would be multiple carriage lines at the location she had been directed to. Perhaps the test had already begun? That was an exciting thought. There were two options that came to her mind right away. All of these carriages took them to the test or none of them did. If it was the latter, where was the real carriage?


    Rather than just standing around and wondering, Cassandra approached a carriage and asked the driver.


    ¡°I am here for the Nobility entrance exam,¡± she told him, ¡°Which carriage will take me there?¡±


    ¡°We all can,¡± he replied, ¡°For a fee.¡±


    So that was the catch. ¡°Are there any that have already been paid?¡± Cassandra checked.


    ¡°Looking for a free ride, miss? The ones who paid may resent you for that.¡±


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    ¡°Even if the one who paid was the headmaster?¡±


    There was a moment of silence as they stared each other down. Cassandra was confident she had found the answer to the first test. Then the driver suddenly grinned.


    ¡°Get in,¡± he told her, ¡°I can take your bag for you and put it with the luggage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto it, if that¡¯s alright. I need some refreshments and entertainment for the journey.¡± Besides, she had already sent her actual luggage ahead to save the hassle. It had been a gift from her parents who wholeheartedly believed she would pass the test.


    ¡°Refreshments?¡± he asked with interest.


    He probably wouldn¡¯t let it pass without some form of inspection considering how odd it was to take up precious luggage space with snacks. Cassandra dug through her bag and pulled out the stash of her mother¡¯s homemade perfectly crispy butter cookies and gave him one. The driver didn¡¯t hesitate to bite into the golden brown delicacy.


    ¡°Cookies indeed,¡± he hummed with approval, ¡°Now I¡¯ve got myself a Ms. Cookie and a Mr. Book.¡±


    Cookie and book? Did he name his passengers based on what they brought with them? Hopefully hers wouldn¡¯t change once he found out she had also brought a book and notepad of her own.


    Inside the carriage was a boy with his nose deep in a hefty volume. She could only assume this must be Mr. Book. He did not even look up to acknowledge her presence. Also in the carriage was another boy who seemed to be trying to take a nap and a girl with a flower in her hair. Was Cassandra the last to arrive?


    As soon as she stepped into the carriage, the girl¡¯s eyes locked on her. ¡°Finally! I thought the fourth seat would never get filled!¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, the carriage did seem built to comfortably seat four. Cassandra took the remaining seat right next to Mr. Book. Before she could even ask when they would depart, the carriage started moving. That answered that question.


    ¡°Are we the only ones who passed the first test here?¡± she asked instead.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the girl replied, ¡°There was a carriage that left before ours.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Cassandra said, relieved. She didn¡¯t like the idea that if she had been just a little late, her spot in the test would have been lost.


    ¡°Can the two of you be quiet!¡± Mr. Book suddenly snapped, lowering his book enough to glower at both of them.


    Cassandra sighed and pulled the notepad from her bag to continue the conversation in written form. There was no need for an awkward silence on what was sure to be such a long carriage ride. She pulled out her pen and scribbled a quick introduction before passing it to the girl across from her.


    ¡®My name is Cassandra. What is yours?¡¯


    The girl was confused until she read it, and she had to hold back a little laugh. She borrowed Cassandra¡¯s pen to write her reply right below it.


    ¡®I am Lily. I am going to Nobility to learn magic. Why are you going?¡¯


    Cassandra pondered for a moment how to answer her question. In the end, honesty was always the best policy.


    ¡®I want to become the next queen. I want to learn magic too, but I want more than that.¡¯


    Lily read Cassandra¡¯s note with a bit of surprise. ¡°Really?¡± she asked out loud, earning herself another glare from Mr. Book.


    The sleeping boy stirred and looked around before spotting the notepad. He clumsily reached over and took the pen from Lily¡¯s hand before scribbling his own message. Lily seemed even more shocked, either by what he wrote or the whole interaction. The boy urged Lily to pass the notepad over with an audible yawn.


    As she took the paper, Cassandra saw why Lily was so shocked. Had he read their notes that quickly or was that what he was planning to lead with all along.


    ¡®Hi, I¡¯m Marcus. I¡¯m gonna be the king.¡¯


    Mr. Book looked none too happy that Marcus had awoken and finally gave up on reading his book. He snatched the notepad from Cassandra and scoffed as he read it. ¡°So that is what you were writing so noisily. Since you lot seem to find introductions so important, I am Caleb. I want to research magic.¡± His tone and expression both said that now he had stated his name and purpose, they had better leave him alone.


    Cassandra stole her notepad back and put it away. ¡°Does anyone want some cookies?¡± she offered. Only Mr. Caleb Book refused.

 2: The Capital

    The entrance exam for Nobility would take place in the capital of Tethia. That was why Cassandra was not surprised when the carriage pulled to a stop to camp for the night. Her body was stiff from travel, and Mr. Book was desperate to get some distance. After all, there was no way the others had ridden in silence all day.


    Cassandra had learned a lot about her travel companions during the journey. Lily was incredible. She was joining Nobility not to become an archmage, but a healer. There was a lesser known fifth course in Nobility for healers, but they mostly ended up being lumped in the magicians. The flower in her hair was actually there for practice. Her goal was to keep it alive until the test was over with her magic.


    Marcus was far less pompous than he had seemed at first. In fact, he had quickly become embarrassed by his half-conscious arrogance. Just like Cassandra he had a big dream. He wanted to be the hero who protected Tethia, and the best position to do that was as the king. He was a bit clumsy, and Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but worry about his chances of passing.


    Caleb would volunteer information only when he thought it might get them to leave him alone. He had quickly given up on demanding silence. It turned out, he was actually nervous and was doing some last minute studying on advanced magic theory. Cassandra doubted that he would need that for the entrance exam, but it certainly couldn¡¯t hurt. More than anything, he just wanted to study magic.


    There was one thing that bothered her, though. For some reason, he was even colder to her than the others. Had she done something to particularly offend him? As the driver, who they learned was named Ryder, prepared a meal for them over the campfire Cassandra decided to find out. As his nickname suggested, Mr. Book had found a tree to prop himself against and was deep within a new volume from the advanced magic series.


    ¡°Mr. Book,¡± she called out to him, using the nickname on purpose. She would use his name if he would use hers. ¡°Why do you dislike me?¡± There was no point beating around the bush.


    Caleb sighed. ¡°Ms. Cookie,¡± he greeted, his tone full of frustration and sarcasm, ¡°I thought it would be obvious why we wouldn¡¯t get along. I love magic, and I dislike those who place restrictions on it. You want to become the queen, the one who who makes the annoying laws on magic.¡±


    So that was what this was about. Still, Cassandra didn¡¯t quite see the problem. ¡°I love magic too. That is exactly why I need to become queen.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Caleb asked, visibly confused.


    ¡°Think of it. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have the one in the seat who makes the laws and restrictions on magic be one who loves it?¡± she told him, ¡°If someone who hates magic takes that seat, magic will smothered. I want magic to thrive and flourish for everyone.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Caleb¡¯s demeanor changed. ¡°You would sacrifice your chance to study magic up close to protect it for everyone else?¡±


    Cassandra frowned. ¡°Sacrifice? Of course not. I intend to be a queen very involved in magic. What kind of silly queen makes the rules on magic without experiencing it for herself?¡±


    Lily approached the two of them with a bowl of food in her hands. ¡°Dinner is done!¡± she announced with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m glad you made up, but don¡¯t let it get cold.¡±


    The journey was a lot easier after that. At the very least, the atmosphere inside the carriage was a lot more pleasant. Before they knew it, the carriage had passed through the gates of Arte, the capital of Tethia. Through the windows, Cassandra could see the clean stone wall towering high above, protecting the great city. Hundreds of travelers were packed along the roads in carriages and on foot. There were even those riding devices that looked suspiciously like bicycles, if bicycles were made with magic.


    The slow pace of the carriage inside the city gave all of them the opportunity to take in the sights. Colorful banners and vendors were everywhere as if this were the middle of some kind of festival. Other prospective students stopped to visit the stalls for good luck charms and other souvenirs of their journey. It was likely a good thing they remained safely inside the carriage. Good for their wallets, if nothing else.


    After a while they approached another, shorter wall. Behind that wall was the impressive expanse of the castle. The castle that housed the leadership of Tethia was made of polished white stone that all but sparkled in the sunlight. It was hard to believe the exam would truly be taking place in such a majestic location. Would there be any time to tour before leaving for Nobility?


    Once inside the castle¡¯s gate, Cassandra was able to see a long line of carriages waiting to drop off testees like them. There were so many of them! How many students did Nobility accept each year? How many of those students actually made it into the system of the country? Surely a drop compared to the endless crowd of teenagers milling about in the courtyard.


    For the first time, Cassandra was nervous. Could she really compete with all of them to be recognized by the queen in such a short time frame? If she fell short here, there would be no second chances. The official exam had not yet even begun, but Cassandra could not help but feel like every choice was important.


    Once it was finally their turn to dismount, Cassandra could see adults in servant uniforms skillfully guiding everyone where they needed to go. Rather than the chaotic gathering of teenagers she had imagined, everyone was orderly and on their best behavior. Then again, no one could afford to make a mistake before the test had even begun. Those who were foolish enough to make a scene were swiftly removed to make way for the others.


    Such perfect elegance and order. This was the kind of leadership Cassandra admired and strived for. She dreamed of the day she could command a crowd with such effortless ease. Each person was given their own room in the castle, in a wing designed for this exact purpose. The rooms were all small, but had the essentials a bedroom needed.


    Luckily, Cassandra¡¯s luggage had arrived safe and sound. Now all she had to do was not lose the key, and not get lost. The rooms were numbered, which helped. Hers was 3054. If that number was accurate, considering her room was only in the middle of her corridor, that meant she had thousands of competitors. She knew for a fact that those who were accepted were only in the hundreds.


    According to the schedule she had been given, the first test would be the simplest, and what everyone had prepared for. It was an exam to test if their base knowledge was high enough to cope with the courses of Nobility. After all, the school had no time to waste with basic subjects like math and language. It was expected to have already mastered them before attending.


    ¡°I should brush up on my history again,¡± Cassandra muttered, pulling out her own study materials from her bags. Perhaps she should have studied on the way like Caleb had, but it was far too late to think of that now.

 3: Written Exam

    Before she knew it, the night had passed and it was the morning of the written exam. Cassandra took extra care to eat breakfast to make sure that an empty stomach would not be the reason she failed. Not that she had any intention to fail. The castle provided a luxurious list of choices in the three banquet halls dedicated to the Scholar Wing.


    Cassandra thought that the name didn¡¯t quite fit the purpose of the wing. Perhaps it had been named before it housed the prospective students of Nobility. Sure, Nobility was a school, but the strict selection system meant that the majority of them were doomed to fail. It was unlikely many scholars would even stay there. Herself, of course, included. She wished to be a queen, not a scholar.


    The banquet hall she chose was full of hundreds of unfamiliar faces in a similar situation to herself. Many were nervous seeing the endless sea of competition. Some stress ate, while others picked at their breakfast.


    The diversity in this hall alone was also amazing. Cassandra saw the long pointed ears of elves, the glimmering wings of fae, and all variety of fur and feathers of the beastkin. There were likely dwarves as well, but they were harder to tell apart when they were young. Come to think of it, the king himself was a lion beastkin.


    Before she could continue down that line of thoughts, Cassandra was bumped from behind by a fae she could only describe as a particularly sparkly boy. The shimmering wings only enhanced that image. He appeared to have been trying to avoid a beastkin about to run into those very wings.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he told her, ¡°These wings are not made for crowded places.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± she assured him, ¡°Perhaps it would be easier if you used magic to hover above our heads?¡± If she remembered correctly, fae had inherent anti-gravity magic that allowed them to float without actually flying.


    The boy clearly hadn¡¯t thought of that. ¡°Thanks,¡± he told her with a glittering smile, ¡°Let¡¯s do our best in the test and meet on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cassandra agreed. There was no reason to refuse well wishes, but she had an odd feeling of unease as she replied.


    After her hearty meal, Cassandra grabbed herself some comfort cookies. She had once heard that sugar helped people think. Even if it was a myth, a few cookies before the test wouldn¡¯t hurt. The chocolate chip cookies were still warm, and the gooey chips left chocolate smudges on her hand. Nothing a handkerchief couldn¡¯t fix, and well worth it. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Then she got the details for the written exam. Since there was only one room for testing, no matter how large, the test was taken in shifts by room number. Cassandra had to wait until after lunchtime. It was a bit anticlimactic and she felt that her early morning rush for breakfast had been for nothing. It did give her a few more hours to study, though.


    When her turn to take the test came, she made sure to come early. Cassandra couldn¡¯t risk coming late, and clearly the majority of the others felt the same with varying levels of earliness. They were each sat at a desk with dividers and soundproofing magic to prevent cheating and distractions. The test itself was many pages, but they were luckily not double sided.


    Before they began, the rules were explained. ¡°The first four pages of the test are required. If you fail any of these questions you will be disqualified. However, every five bonus questions answered correctly will count towards one of the required questions. Good luck.¡±


    Cassandra looked over her first sheet of questions. Math. She had never liked math, but this test was not as bad as she expected. There were no letters in the equations, nor several layers of complex symbols. There weren¡¯t even decimals or fractions. Large number multiplication wasn¡¯t that bad in comparison. Perhaps her memories from her past life gave her an unfair advantage in situations like these.


    The second page of the test was history. There went her advantage. Still, she had been studying all morning so she was still confident. Cassandra did decide to tackle those bonus questions just in case. Even if she answered them wrong, it couldn¡¯t hurt. Luckily, most of the history questions were centered around Tethia¡¯s origins and magic which were her favorite things in this new world.


    The third page was language. This was probably the hardest page as it involved both written and spoken language for various situations. Vocabulary, level of required etiquette, and the proper ways to write letters were all covered. Luckily, Cassandra had practiced for these things extensively from the moment she had decided she would become the queen.


    The fourth page was science. These questions covered gravity, weather, the stages of water, and other simple facts. Cassandra found this to be the easiest of the tests since most of these had been common sense in her past life. There were also a couple of questions about how forces of nature changed by the effects of magic, but magic was her favorite subject.


    Now it was finally time to take a look at those bonus questions. Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but stare as she took in the new questions. The level of difficulty had doubled, if not tripled for these. It almost seemed unreasonable that five of these were only worth one of the required. She quickly gave up on the idea of finishing all of them and chose to answer those from subjects she was confident it. Economics wasn¡¯t too bad. She was able to answer some in politics. She finished the full three page section on magic as well.


    To make grading simpler, they were requested to only turn in the bonus questions they had actually answered, so she set the blank pages aside before walking up to one of the many grading podiums. Apparently the mages there used a convenient magic to grade the tests almost instantaneously so she wouldn¡¯t have to wait for her result.


    The few seconds it took for the magic to work were torture, but the mage smiled. ¡°You passed, congratulations,¡± he told her, ¡°And with points to spare. This might be the highest score this year.¡±


    She passed! And the bonus points had paid off! Hopefully she hadn¡¯t actually needed any of them. Cassandra relaxed, flooded with relief. That is when she started to notice there were a lot of people with luggage heading out of the castle. Anyone who failed the test was packing up to go home already. There were so many of them who had already failed the first test. Maybe it had been harder than she thought.


    Hopefully that wasn¡¯t an omen for the tests to come.

 4: The Second Test

    The second test did not take place until the next day, and it would be split into groups by room number just like the first. However, this time the groups were bound to be a lot smaller, as only those who passed the first would be able to move on to the second. The second test was all about physical abilities. Since physical abilities weren¡¯t everything, the end of this test would give each contestant an opportunity to present a talent that made up for any lacking physical conditions.


    Cassandra finally saw people she recognized now that the crowds had thinned. Caleb was practically living in the library, only giving his nickname more credit. Lily had already made several friends but was happy to see Cassandra when they crossed paths. However, when she spotted Marcus, he was locked in some kind of confrontation with the sparkly fae from earlier and another boy who looked unusually tall. A descendant of giants, perhaps?


    ¡°Maximus,¡± the tall boy warned, ¡°We haven¡¯t even finished the entrance exam.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to pass the test,¡± Marcus argued, ¡°He can¡¯t go around telling everyone he is the future king.¡±


    That was a bit hypocritical considering their first meeting, but Cassandra decided to step in. She had a feeling that the fae, Maximus¡¯s, appearance had something to do with this as well. He certainly attracted a lot of eyes.


    ¡°Gentlemen, Marcus, may I ask what is going on here?¡± Cassandra inquired.


    Marcus was visibly relieved to see her. ¡°Ms. Cookie,¡± he greeted, ¡°I mean, Cassandra. I was just warning him about telling everyone he is the future king. He is bound to get in trouble like that.¡±


    ¡°You mean, like you did?¡± Cassandra asked, recalling his embarrassment and repeated apologies.


    ¡°He did?¡± Maximus asked, looking between them with an oddly dark expression on his face, ¡°Just how did he say it for an angel like you to punish him?¡±


    Angel? The uneasy feeling from earlier was back. This guy was going to be a problem. Rather than resolving whatever misunderstanding was going on with punishment, she decided to correct his words.


    ¡°I intend to become the queen,¡± she told him, ¡°But I would never jinx it by claiming something that isn¡¯t mine. You need to watch what you say in this place. There are eyes and ears everywhere here, testing and judging our every move.¡±


    Maximus nodded. ¡°I see. So you are looking out for your potential future partner,¡± he concluded, ¡°but rather than him, aren¡¯t I better?¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Better as a king? I have no way of knowing that,¡± Cassandra told him. How had he even passed the first test? Hopefully this sort of interaction wasn¡¯t going to become commonplace.


    ¡°Not as a king. As a husband,¡± Maximus corrected.


    The giant boy behind him jolted. ¡°Maximus!¡± he shouted, ¡°Did you not just hear her warning?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Wayde. I am not talking about being king. I am inviting a girl on a date.¡±


    ¡°No thank you,¡± Cassandra refused immediately, ¡°I have no interest in dating or romance.¡± She grabbed onto Marcus and dragged him away from the situation before the damage got any worse. She would have to be sure to avoid that ridiculous fae in the future.


    Marcus pulled away once they were out of the area. ¡°Thanks. I shouldn¡¯t have stuck my nose into that situation.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Your dream is to protect people. You were just trying to fulfill that dream by protecting him from himself,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°However, at this point it might be best you leave him to his own devices from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Marcus agreed, ¡°Good luck on the test tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You as well.¡±


    This well wish didn¡¯t have any ominous attachments so Cassandra was more than happy to reply. She needed cookies to process the situation.


    Luckily her group for the next exam did not include Maximus as the groups were split by gender for this particular exam. Even then, each testee was given a private space with an examiner to avoid any potential embarrassment. No magic was allowed during the physical examination, but it was during the talent presentation.


    The examination consisted of performing a series of exercises as directed. It started easy and became more difficult to near impossible towards the end. Cassandra had thought she wasn¡¯t in that bad of shape, but she didn¡¯t even make it halfway through the exercises. Unfortunately it was impossible to say where the passing point was.


    This was exactly why she had prepared a talent for today. Cassandra had always known she was not strong enough to defend herself. At least not without magic. For times when magic needed to be subtle, she had trained in physical enhancement magic. Physical enhancement magic improved strength, speed, and durability of the body. How much of each depended on the skill and intent of the caster.


    Cassandra¡¯s focused on speed and durability rather than strength. It also helped soothe her already sore muscles from the earlier exercises.


    ¡°An interesting technique,¡± the examiner said. It was impossible to say whether that was a good or bad thing.


    Did she pass? Would she be told right away like last time or had things already switched over to the rules of the psychological portion of the entrance exam? As if to confirm her fears, Cassandra was directed to leave before hearing her results. Her results were not delivered until that night, and they were in letter form.


    ¡°Why a letter?¡± she wondered as she opened it.


    The first part said that she was physically healthy, but not enough to qualify to be a Heart. What was a Heart? Could it be a reference to the Heart of Tethia, the king¡¯s artifact? That was fine. She had no intention of being king or helping with his role. The second part graded her talent. It recommended she become a Tear or a Soul based on the talent shown. The Tear most likely referred to the queen¡¯s artifact, the Tears of Tethia. That would leave the Soul to be the artifact of the Archmage.


    That did explain why her results were in letter form, as well as why they took so long. They had to consider what sort of recommendations to give her. Still, it made her wonder why she needed those recommendations already. Would the rest of the test be carried out only after she chose which role she wanted to play?


    That was a fun thought. From now on the test was sure to be interesting. Until then, she needed to relax and take her mind off the test so she could be in perfect shape. Perhaps she would take the chance to tour the castle? Maybe she could meet some new allies. Hopefully ones who didn¡¯t bring up potential marriage on the second meeting.

 5: The Otome Game

    Cassandra left for her tour of the castle the next morning after checking to make sure Maximus was nowhere around. The next test would not be ready for her for another day. There was a group today but, as always, room 3054 was far from first. That meant she could spend the entire day relaxing and recuperating from the previous tests.


    The castle¡¯s garden was beautiful, and she was only in the section decorating the Scholar Wing. There was a lovely stream and waterfall that cut through the garden, separating the area into two main sections. The first was a lovely path through flowering trees and the second was a well maintained garden full of flowerbeds and climbing flower archways. The path continued from the first section over a small bridge, and through the various flowered arches.


    It was as the path curved past the flower garden and into one full of valuable herbs used for their scent that Cassandra ran into another person. There was an absolutely adorable cat girl leaning down to smell the chamomile slightly off the path. Her hair, or fur, was so light in color it was almost white, and despite her clearly having to be sixteen to attend the test she was small enough to be mistaken for a child.


    Beastkin were said to come in all shapes and sizes, so why judge one so adorable? She did wonder if the stronger herbs like lavender and mint would bother a cat¡¯s sensitive nose, but she wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much of the catlike traits catkins inherited. Just as Cassandra realized she was staring, the girl looked up and saw her.


    ¡°Cassandra?¡± she asked with a strange recognition.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cassandra asked. Had they met before? Was she already famous enough to be recognized by strangers? Certainly the name Ms. Cookie had gotten around thanks to that whole scene the day before, but would anyone know her by name?


    ¡°Oh! Sorry,¡± she quickly said, scrambling up and giving a quick bow. Why was she bowing? ¡°It¡¯s just, you are the coolest character even if you are a rival. No, I mean¡­ Um¡­ Do you believe in reincarnation?¡±


    Oh dear. This had escalated quickly. A character, a rival, and reincarnation all in one breath. Cassandra glanced around. ¡°This isn¡¯t the sort of place to talk about those things,¡± she warned, ¡°You never know who might be listening.¡±


    The girl seemed troubled for a moment. Even her troubled face was adorable. ¡°I know! The gardener has been letting me practice magic in the old greenhouse. We could talk there.¡±


    An old greenhouse used for practicing magic? This felt a lot like a trap, but Cassandra couldn¡¯t help her curiosity. Besides, how could she deny such an adorable fellow magic lover? She followed her to the old greenhouse which was incredibly underwhelming after the spectacular garden she had toured earlier. It was small, dingy, and the door was completely missing. Still, the dirt stained windows and green grime wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to watch them from a distance.


    ¡°Is this alright?¡± the girl asked, a bit nervous.


    ¡°It will have to do,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°Can you tell me more about what you meant? Reincarnation?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°I have memories from a different world,¡± she began, then backpedaled, ¡°Reincarnation is kind of like summoning, I guess? Except you it just sorta happened and you are born as a new person in that world.¡±


    That solved that question. She hadn¡¯t expected to meet anyone else who had those strange dreams or memories, but now that she was in the situation it seemed even more odd that she had thought she was the only one in the first place. There were more important things to discuss, though.


    ¡°What did you mean by rival character?¡± Cassandra demanded.


    ¡°That is¡­ This world is a story I know that you could play like a game. Kinda like a visual novel,¡± she explained, her tail twitching with unease, ¡°The goal of the game is to romance the capture targets and defeat the rival.¡±


    ¡°What happens if you fail?¡± Cassandra asked with interest, trying her best to ignore the familiar phrases from her own dreams.


    ¡°If you fail, you watch the capture target you were aiming for confess to the rival,¡± she explained, ¡°and then you leave Tethia and become a magic weapon for the Gaia Empire.¡±


    ¡°That is unfortunate. Do you know who this person is who I am the rival of?¡± Cassandra asked.


    The girl¡¯s tail moved side to side even more frantically as she looked distraught. She spoke in a voice so small Cassandra barely heard her. ¡°It¡¯s me¡­¡±


    ¡°If I am your rival, why would you give me all this information and put yourself in danger?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your life is doomed if you fail?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it from the start,¡± she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want to romance or be romanced by any of the capture targets.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask why?¡± Were they terrible people or something?


    ¡°Well, you see, they are all men,¡± she explained, and sighed when she realized Cassandra wasn¡¯t understanding the problem. ¡°You mistook me too, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Oh no, now she looked like she was going to cry. Cassandra quickly searched for her handkerchief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I misunderstood something,¡± she quickly apologized, ¡°Could you let me know what it is?¡±


    ¡°I am a boy!¡± the catkin exclaimed with a shocking amount of force.


    ¡°You are?!¡± Cassandra exclaimed back in surprise, before quickly correcting herself, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I see the problem now. But why are you telling me all of this? Wouldn¡¯t things be worse for you if I am confessed to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that,¡± he told her. How was his voice so high? Was it a catkin trait? No, she needed to stop thinking about it. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already been confessed to by the Prince?¡±


    Confessed to? There was only one person who had ever confessed to her publicly or otherwise. ¡°Maximus,¡± Cassandra realized, ¡°But you are still here. There is no reason for you to go to Gaia.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but I¡¯m scared. I thought that if anyone could help me, you could,¡± he told her, letting out a sniffle from the tears he didn¡¯t quite hold back and clutching her offered handkerchief close, ¡°But even you mistook me for a girl.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Cassandra apologized again. She needed to focus. This was an actual problem and the catkin in front of her had a very real fear whether that fear was logical or not. There had to be some sort of solution for this.


    ¡°Is there a capture target you don¡¯t need to romance to gain their protection?¡± she asked. The loss of protection was the only reason Cassandra could think of for him to suddenly be carried off to Gaia as a magic weapon, ¡°Perhaps one that won¡¯t mistake you for a girl?¡±


    He thought about it. ¡°There is, but I might be too late to meet him. In his route I have to meet him before the third exam and agree to be his pair.¡±


    ¡°His pair?¡± Cassandra asked. A pair was an uncommon practice in magic where someone borrowed the magic of another with magic to spare to use as their own. Considering he had been practicing magic in this greenhouse, he must intend to be on the lending side.


    ¡°Yes. He is a genius, but he comes from the border where magic is scarce and doesn¡¯t have any of his own,¡± he explained, ¡°If no one offers to be his pair, he won¡¯t make it into Nobility.¡±


    ¡°I see. Maybe I can help you find him. What is his name?¡±


    ¡°His name is Keane,¡± he told her, and seemed to realize something, ¡°Oh, and mine is Autumn. I forgot to introduce myself since I already know you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Autumn,¡± Cassandra replied with a smile and held out her hand for him to take, ¡°Let¡¯s go track down the genius.¡±

 6: Keane Connections

    The first magic genius Cassandra could think of was Caleb. He wasn¡¯t the one they were looking for, but he might have some kind of hint on where to find him. Caleb was continuing to live up to his own nickname in the library. The table in front of him had a stack of large volumes covering all of the subjects mentioned in the written exams. He must have missed some questions, but Cassandra found it hard to imagine he might have failed.


    He looked up on their approach and heaved an annoyed sigh. ¡°Miss Cookie,¡± he greeted, ¡°Even if we traveled together, I won¡¯t help you and your new friend study.¡±


    It seemed Caleb was dealing with his own unique problems. However, she wasn¡¯t going to leave just because of that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here about studying,¡± Cassandra corrected, ¡°I am looking for someone and I was hoping you might know who he is. Have you met anyone named Keane?¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking for Keane?¡± Caleb asked with suspicion. He definitely knew him, then.


    I heard he was looking for a pair,¡± Autumn interjected.


    Caleb was still apprehensive. ¡°That¡¯s odd, considering he just went to turn in his pair application.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s at administration!¡± Autumn exclaimed with a bright smile, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry!¡±


    Before Cassandra had a chance to respond, Autumn had bolted off in the direction of administration. She gave Caleb a quick apology and swiftly followed the catkin, making sure to walk with long strides rather than run. The administration office was right at the entrance of the Scholar Wing, and there was a young man with dark brown hair standing right outside it. Judging by Autumn¡¯s relieved expression, this was who they were looking for.


    ¡°Are you looking for a pair?¡± Autumn asked immediately, without even attempting some kind of small talk.


    Cassandra hadn¡¯t known him long, but she could already tell that Autumn had no filter. ¡°Caleb told us you were submitting your application,¡± she added for context. They had known about it before Caleb said anything but it was technically true.


    The young man who was likely Keane looked between the two of them with a frown. ¡°Do either of you know what it means to be a pair? It isn¡¯t some temporary volunteer work, if that is what you are after.¡±


    Cassandra looked to Autumn. It was not her question to answer since she never had any intention of being a pair. Autumn was a bit taken aback by the question as if it had never occurred to him.


    ¡°There are people who think being a pair is something light and temporary?¡± he asked, ¡°I need a pair because I need help with controlling my magic power.¡±


    ¡°So you know about the magic contract,¡± Keane acknowledged, looking Autumn up and down, ¡°Does a little boy like you really have that much magic?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Perhaps Keane had intended that to be an insult, but Autumn was immediately touched by his words. Or rather, one word. ¡°You know I am a boy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± Keane answered, suddenly flustered by Autumn¡¯s emotional reaction, ¡°I would never even consider pairing with a girl. That can lead to awkward relationships.¡±


    Cassandra could immediately see where he was coming from. That kind of partnership built on mutual reliance could easily lead to misunderstanding both from themselves and from the public eye. However, Keane might still have to deal with misunderstandings from the public eye if he paired with Autumn.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why it was always so hard,¡± Autumn muttered, before snapping back to reality, ¡°Are you willing to test the magic compatibility?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s test that,¡± Keane agreed, ¡°There is no point in pairing if I can¡¯t use your magic.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Cassandra told Autumn. It seemed like things were going well for him now.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Autumn called back with an overly broad wave, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know how it goes!¡±


    That had certainly been an interesting interaction, and it left Cassandra with a lot to think about as she headed back to the garden. She had now met the reincarnated heroine of what sounded suspiciously like an otome game where she was a rival or villainess. At least she didn¡¯t have to worry about being pushed into the classic bullying scenes since Autumn hadn¡¯t mentioned any. It seemed that this heroine had more bad endings than she did.


    Autumn pairing with Keane was certainly a start to ensure his safety, but Cassandra couldn¡¯t be satisfied with just that. She needed to know how and why Autumn was being targeted to be a magic weapon for Gaia in the first place. If they just needed powerful mages, there were plenty of other options. She would have to ask Autumn about it later.


    ¡°Cassandra!¡± a voice called out to her as she passed under an arch of roses. Oh no. That voice sounded just like-


    She turned just as Maximus grabbed her hand and placed a carefully dethorned rose on her palm. He hadn¡¯t just carelessly plucked this from the castle garden, had he? Where was that giant friend of his to reign him in?


    ¡°Maximus, you can¡¯t just pluck roses from a royal garden,¡± she scolded, since there was no one else around to do so. She tried to hand the rose back, but he forced her fingers closed around the stem.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he told her. How was it alright? ¡°Since you seem uncomfortable with words, I have decided to confess my love for you in other ways.¡±


    Love? What love? They had just met. ¡°My answer remains the same as it did before,¡± she told him and shook his hands off her own before placing the rose in the hand of a cupid decorating a birdbath, ¡°You should take more time to consider the position of those around you.¡±


    ¡°You wish to become queen, and I wish to become king,¡± Maximus told her. For a moment, Cassandra thought she had finally convinced him, but then he continued to say something positively ridiculous. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be romantic to be the first king and queen of Tethia to wed?¡±


    He was a hopeless case. ¡°Find some other potential queen to pester,¡± she told him, ¡°Besides, I am sure you already know that princes have married princesses before and that disqualified them from succession.¡±


    Princes were the direct subordinates and heirs of the king, and princesses were the same for the queen. They had ten each, and all were of equal standing. Most of the time, the king or queen¡¯s apprentice was chosen rather than one of the prince or princesses so it was more like a royal supporting role. Cassandra was confident that even if she failed to become queen she could surely become a princess.


    ¡°That is because they let their love get in the way of their work and partnership,¡± Maximus said, ¡°I am sure both of us know better than that.¡±


    That was possibly the first solid point he had made this whole time, but Cassandra still saw no reason why she should purposely go down such a difficult path. ¡°My answer remains the same,¡± she pressed, and brushed past him, moving away from the rose garden as quickly as she could. She might have to avoid roses for the time being.


    Cassandra took a page from Caleb¡¯s book and decided to spend the rest of her day relaxing in the library. Mr. Book himself was still there, but she took care to choose herself a table far from his to not disturb him. He didn¡¯t hate her anymore, but he didn¡¯t like her either. She found herself some of her favorite legends of queens, magic, and Tethia¡¯s founding, and indulged in her fantasies of the future.


    Once she headed back to her room for the night, Cassandra saw a letter from Autumn had been slid under her door. The palace servants had likely delivered it for him. Hopefully the letter held good news.


    ¡°It worked! Thanks so much for helping! Keane is a bit scary but he is actually a really nice guy. Let¡¯s meet up after the test is over. You aren¡¯t heading home before the first semester starts, are you?¡±


    The letter was written with just as much chaos as Autumn spoke, but Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was nice to have someone so confident she would pass the last test, even if that confidence did come from a game.

 7: Suspicious Sweets

    Neither Autumn or Keane were in Cassandra¡¯s group for the final test, but due to the downsizing Caleb was. When she looked around a bit more, she saw Lily too. Unlike the first two tests, they had been given no details about this one, so Cassandra wasn¡¯t sure what to expect.


    The group was led out of the Scholar Wing to a more central area called the Social Wing. Once there, they were directed to a repurposed ballroom. The vast space was broken up by magic walls similar to the privacy walls in the first test. However, these walls were tall and wide enough to create a series of small rooms. As they approached and naturally formed a line, the front of the line was systematically split between those rooms.


    That was how the already small group of twenty or so became even smaller groups of three or four. Cassandra was directed to a room in the far left corner where she was told to wait for further instructions with the two others already inside. Unfortunately, Cassandra did not know either of them.


    The first was a haughty looking ginger with long curly hair. Cassandra guessed she was a girl, but Autumn¡¯s case made her hesitant. The second was most likely a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He seemed a bit skittish but had somehow managed to fold the paper he was holding into a near replica of the castle.


    A minute or two passed with each of them sizing each other up when the make-shift door was opened and a palace maid came in with a cart laden with a varied selection of refreshments. There was, of course, lemon water and other classic beverages, but there was also a wide range of desserts to munch on. There was a smooth cheesecake drizzled in chocolate, muffins topped with orange zest, cake slices with pineapple embedded in a light green frosting, and most importantly, cookies.


    ¡°Would you like something to eat or drink while you wait?¡± the maid asked, turning to the blonde boy first.


    ¡°No thank you,¡± he answered quickly.


    ¡°Are you sure? The test is taking a while to prepare and if you have to leave while you are waiting you might miss it,¡± she warned.


    The boy hesitated at this, but still shook his head. Instead, the girl chimed in demanding the finest tea and the most luxurious looking chocolate pastry.


    ¡°And you?¡± the maid asked Cassandra.


    Cassandra hesitated. Something didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°May I ask what flavors of cookies there are?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the maid assured, ¡°There are celery cookies with lemon zest, beet thumbprint cookies topped with cherry jam, and peanut butter cookies with candied pumpkin.¡±


    The ginger froze, about to take a bite of her pastry. ¡°And this?¡± she asked, her voice far more hesitant than before.


    ¡°That would be a jalapeno chocolate eclair, miss,¡± the maid replied.


    The girl dropped the eclair as if it had burned her, and jerked back. ¡°Are you trying to poison us?! What is with these awful options!¡±


    ¡°You do not have to partake,¡± she told them.


    ¡°Can you tell me what flavors the other things are?¡± Cassandra asked with interest. Curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she wanted to try those odd cookies. The beet ones almost looked like red velvet with cherry jam instead of beet.


    The maid explained the cart to Cassandra from the zucchini cranberry donuts, to the maple bacon tarte, then the orange and carrot muffins. The cake was pineapple with verde frosting, and the chocolate was actually cinnamon carob. The taffies were buttered biscuit flavor, and the sugar flowers were coconut lavender. At the end of the list, she finally made it to the cheesecake. It was clearly the star of the collection, placed in a spot of honor higher than the rest. After all of those weird flavors, Cassandra was waiting for it to be the most bizarre of the bunch. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°...and this is chocolate swirl cheesecake,¡± the maid finished.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Cassandra asked. That was far too suspicious. Not only was it given a spot of prominence, it was a seemingly normal flavor.


    ¡°It is,¡± the maid confirmed.


    ¡°Thank goodness, something normal! Give me that,¡± the ginger demanded.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Cassandra interjected, surprised she had yet to notice, ¡°Don¡¯t you find this a bit too suspicious? We aren¡¯t here waiting for the test. It has already begun.¡±


    This caused both of the others to freeze in what they were doing. The boy frantically looked around while trying to stash his paper project somewhere out of sight. The girl, on the other hand, looked at Cassandra with eyes full of doubt. It seemed she would have to explain further.


    ¡°Think about it. Every single dessert on this cart has an odd flavor except for that cheesecake,¡± Cassandra explained, ¡°Right now, we are in the castle, in the capital of Tethia. This isn¡¯t the kind of place where things like that would be served to guests on accident. The cheesecake is clearly a trap. Whoever eats it might fail, or it could be laced with a mild poison.¡±


    ¡°Poison?! You mean they really are trying to poison us?!¡± the girl demanded, shooting to her feet, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Nobility bad enough to die for it.¡±


    Was she always this dramatic. At first she had disliked the boy¡¯s skittishness, but his nervous silence was far easier to deal with than this. ¡°Calm down,¡± she told her, ¡°It is only the cheesecake that has been poisoned, if anything. Besides, we don¡¯t have to partake of any of it.¡±


    The ginger slowly sat back down, but eyed both cart and made with distaste. ¡°Fine. Then I won¡¯t have anything either.¡±


    ¡°I would like to try those cookies, please,¡± Cassandra said, ¡°The lemon celery sounds interesting, and I am also curious about the beet thumbprint.¡±


    The maid began to put Cassandra together a plate of odd flavored delicacies that began with cookies, with a few other desserts added on at the end. Even if nothing turned out to be delicious, Cassandra was certain this would be an experience she would never forget. She started with the cookie she was the most curious about, the beet thumbprint.


    The shimmering dark red jelly filling the indentation oozed into her mouth as she took the first bite. The beet flavor was rather light, and the cookie had a nice hint of vanilla. The cherry jelly was tart and strong, but it paired well with the vanilla and overpowered the remaining beet flavor. It was better than she expected, but the cookie was soft, in a consistency more like cake. It could hardly be called a cookie at all.


    The second treat she tried was the maple bacon tart. This one had a smooth maple cream filling, though the inner crust was lined with bacon, and candied bacon pieces decorated the whipped cream. This was also both better than she expected and oddly disappointing. It was an odd sense of not being able to tell if she liked it or hated it.


    Cassandra was only two desserts in and she was already regretting her decision to try all of the wild flavors. Still, she couldn¡¯t falter now. Who knows who might be watching?


    ==========


    In a special hidden room near the center of the ballroom, the headmaster and his apprentice had the special privilege of being able to watch everything that was going on in the six surrounding test rooms. This final psychological phase of the entrance exam was the headmaster¡¯s playground and a personal favorite. He started off with a waiting game to test their patience and determination.


    During the waiting game he would send an assistant disguised as a maid or butler to each room with a cart full of special refreshments of his choosing. He eagerly watched everyone¡¯s reactions to his gift, and made a special note of those who caught on and those who lost to anger and impatience.


    ¡°Cassandra?¡± his apprentice muttered, looking to the room in the far left corner.


    There a girl with amber hair was taste testing most of his special menu, with the major exception of the one item that was actually dangerous. It was certainly an impressive sight, but his apprentice had very little interest in others and had been complaining about being dragged into helping with the entrance exam mere moments before.


    ¡°Do you know her, Alois?¡± the headmaster asked.


    Alois flinched, and quickly spun up a lie. ¡°Of course. She is a promising future Tear.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? But she has yet to choose her course of Nobility. Why are you so certain she will be a Tear?¡± the headmaster questioned.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she already declare her interest in the role of queen?¡± Alois asked.


    There was surely more to it than that, but the headmaster let it drop. Everyone had their secrets, and most were best left that way. Instead, he changed to a different thought to see if his apprentice was still properly paying attention.


    ¡°Has anyone else caught your eye?¡± he asked.


    His apprentice looked between the rooms and looked at another girl with a flower still blooming in her ivory hair. ¡°She is interesting. She used magic to purify your little trick so she could enjoy the cheesecake anyway,¡± he noted, then looked to another room on the right with a boy actively ignoring everything to read a book. ¡°That one brought a book to the exam. He can¡¯t have expected to be left waiting, unless he was confident he would finish early.¡±


    Those two certainly are interesting, the headmaster agreed. All three of the testees Alois had mentioned had already caught the headmaster¡¯s eye, ¡°I suppose it is time to proceed to the next step.¡±

 8: Tear of Success

    Cassandra was in the midst of enjoying the odd combination of peanut butter and candied pumpkin when the door to the room opened for the second time. As soon as the man and the younger man who followed him entered, the maid gave a reverent bow. Since the cookie was already partially in her mouth, the best course of action was to finish it off.


    The man who entered was elegant and professional, though his gaze was a bit unsettling like a craftsman looking at tools. The younger man looked to be just older than Cassandra. Then again, he was an elf so it was hard to say for sure. She found herself momentarily distracted, wondering if it was elvish culture to wear their hair long. His straight crimson locks were neatly tied back with a ribbon that matched his jacket.


    It was not that hard to guess who their new visitors were. It seemed the final exam was about to begin in earnest. As the silence elongated, Cassandra reached for her final cookie, lemon celery.


    The elegant man smiled. ¡°I am glad to see you are enjoying the refreshments I provided, but should you really be eating in front of unknown guests?¡±


    ¡°These refreshments were brought here to be eaten. Why should I waste the Headmaster¡¯s generosity when he is present?¡± Cassandra asked back. After his words she was now certain exactly who he was.


    ¡°That is an interesting take on the situation,¡± he mused, ¡°but you were right. I am the Headmaster of Nobility, Osmond. This is my apprentice, Alois. Before we begin the final phase of the entrance exam we will give you the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.¡±


    Surprisingly it was the timid boy who spoke up first. ¡°My second test results said I am best suited to be a shadow Tear. What does that mean?¡±


    Osmond gave his apprentice a nudge, and Alois quickly jumped into an explanation. ¡°Nobility has six main courses. Heart, Tear, Soul, Dusk, Quill, and Sage. Some of these courses train for multiple positions. Tear trains both future princesses and shadow agents.¡±


    Six? Cassandra felt like she had fallen behind somehow. ¡°I can guess what the first four are, but what are Quill and Sage?¡± she asked.


    Alois answered again. ¡°Like you guessed, the first four refer to the famous artifacts. The King¡¯s Heart, the Queen¡¯s Tears, the Archmage¡¯s Soul, and the Headmaster¡¯s Pavilion of Eternal Dusk,¡± he explained, ¡°The Quill is a symbol for those who serve both as normal servants and more specialized ones. Sage refers to the herb known for its healing properties. That is why Sages are the medical future of Tethia.¡±


    It made such perfect sense that Cassandra felt ashamed for not thinking of it before. The country could not run on four pillars alone, and Nobility had hundreds of students. Not all of them could become royalty. That must mean the headmaster¡¯s apprentice was in the Dusk course.


    As if sensing her thoughts, Alois continued. ¡°I am a Dusk,¡± he told them and gestured to a small silver pin on his lapel. At the center of the pin was a purple gem shaped like a star, ¡°Every Dusk wears a pin similar to this. You will get pins with the symbol of your course if you pass.¡±


    Osmond nodded in approval of his apprentice¡¯s words. ¡°If you pass,¡± he stressed, looking between them, ¡°and I can already say that one of you won¡¯t be.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The ginger flinched as his eyes locked onto her. ¡°Me? But the test hasn¡¯t even started yet,¡± she argued.


    ¡°I believe Ms. Cookie here has already told you otherwise,¡± Osmond replied calmly, not shaken at all by her resistance.


    Ms. Cookie again? Was this because she was eating his bizarre cookies or was it because he had heard the rumors going around school? Cassandra had already suspected that everything going on was being observed and reported to the headmaster but this was embarrassing.


    ¡°Then at least tell me one thing,¡± the girl demanded, ¡°Did you really poison the cheesecake?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Osmond replied with a smirk, ¡°Did you want a piece?¡±


    She turned red, whether from embarrassment or anger, and bolted out of the room. Osmond appeared neither guilty nor concerned about her reaction, and Alois seemed indifferent. It was as if the both of them were already used to this kind of situation. Cassandra found herself pitying Alois. She could never handle all of the work that came with being the headmaster¡¯s apprentice.


    ¡°Now that the nuisance has left us, shall I guide you to the finale?¡± Osmond asked.


    Cassandra quickly got up, giving her plate to the maid. She didn¡¯t want to see how much patience the headmaster had before she also became a nuisance. The blonde boy was still somehow faster, practically hiding in Alois¡¯ shadow. Both of them were guided past the magically made rooms to the second level of the ballroom. Waiting for them was a handful of others and a man who had a strong magical aura.


    Could it be? After the queen, Cassandra¡¯s favorite person in Tethia was the archmage. No one would fit that role better than the man before her. However, now that she was on the second level of the ballroom she could also see the large audience that had not been visible before. Both royals sat on their thrones, surrounded by their princes and princesses. There were also other important looking people Cassandra had no way of identifying. Some of them wore silver pins similar to Alois. Did that make them students or apprentices?


    ¡°This last phase of the exam is very simple. You don¡¯t need to do anything at all,¡± Osmond told them, ¡°Our fine archmage¡¯s magic will do everything for you.¡±


    He must have worded it in that way to make it seem uncomfortable, right? Regardless, once it began, all the archmage did was make uncomfortably long eye contact. Another one was eliminated with no explanation right before Cassandra. She wished she could at least know why, but perhaps that was a privilege one only got if they passed.


    Finally it was her turn, but instead of being put off, Cassandra found herself drawn in by the flow of magic and the archmage¡¯s cool blue eyes. They were a deeper blue than the boy from earlier, and they appeared to be focused on something only he could see. Was this what if felt like to experience top tier magic in person? It would be a dream to work with someone like this every day. It was as if the world was reminding her in this moment how much she adored magic.


    Then he moved on, and it was over. All of the strange feelings that had begun to surface slowly faded away. What was that? How did he perform that kind of magical manipulation without the slightest change in expression? No matter how long he stared, he remained stoic and cool. If she was going to lose this much composure meeting the archmage, how bad would it be when she met her idol, the queen?


    ¡°Congratulations! You have passed,¡± Osmond told those that remained.


    Cassandra did a quick count. Five. There were only five. Lily and Caleb were there, of course, and then there was that blonde boy who was now nervously folding a new paper into an impressive rendition of the ballroom¡¯s chandelier. The last was a girl whose thick hair resembled porcupine spines with a prickly scowl to match.


    ¡°Now it is time for you to choose. All of you should now know what each symbol represents,¡± the headmaster announced, ¡°Choose carefully. Whatever you choose today will be your life once you enter Nobility.¡±


    ¡°I will be a Tear,¡± Cassandra replied with great confidence. She heard a cheer from the crowd of princesses on the second level across the ballroom. Alois took a silver pin like his own from one of the servants who had been waiting in the shadows. This one was set with a deep blue sapphire shaped into a teardrop. She accepted it with care, closely examining her new trophy.


    The porcupine beastkin was next. ¡°I will also be a Tear.¡±


    This process was repeated for all five of them. Caleb became a Soul. His pin had a green gem shaped like a flame. Lily became a Sage. Her pin had a carefully crafted gemstone depiction of a flowering stalk of sage. The blonde boy was last, choosing to follow his recommendation and also become a Tear.


    ¡°Now that you have chosen, I will tell you what to expect in the future,¡± Osmond began, ¡°Once spring comes to an end, your first semester will begin and you will attend the prestigious Nobility. However, you cannot expect the school to do everything for you. Your goal should not just be your studies, either. The only way for any of you to graduate Nobility is as an apprentice. To whom, is all up to your own efforts.¡±


    Cassandra looked again to Alois, who could not hide his own little smug smirk. How could one become the apprentice of the queen? That might be impossible, but there had to be some way to be the apprentice of a princess.

 9: Minefield of Mind Games

    It was finally Autumn¡¯s turn to take the final test the next morning. Passing and entering Nobility was his only way to escape from the role that had been chosen for him. Unfortunately, before he could worry about passing a test, a different kind of trial lay before him in the form of a magic bomb smuggled into the castle. His keepers had grown impatient and wanted results.


    How was he meant to get out of this one? Autumn didn¡¯t know how powerful the bomb would be, and things would only become worse for him if he was caught with it. Ever since he had become Keane¡¯s pair, the magic genius had been obsessed with seeking him out for experiments he had been unable to perform before. At least Cassandra¡¯s idea was working.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Keane asked, almost making Autumn drop the bomb in question. How did he always sneak up like that?!


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ uh¡­ Something I need to disable?¡± he asked more than told.


    ¡°I can help with that,¡± Keane offered, ¡°I¡¯ve dragged you along on enough of my experiments I should help with something of yours.¡±


    ¡°You might get in trouble if you get involved with this,¡± Autumn warned. Plentiful experiments or not, it had really only been a day since they had met. He was sure Keane wouldn¡¯t want to get involved in this big of a mess for him. Not yet.


    Rather than backing off, like Autumn expected, Keane gave a knowing smile. ¡°I understand. We must be subtle, right? Or do you need to make a show of it malfunctioning in a place where neither of us are?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I guess the latter one? I can¡¯t let either side find out yet.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Keane said and took the bomb from Autumn¡¯s hands, ¡°Just lend me a bit more magic and I will take care of it.¡±


    Keane had already gone well over the usual magical allowance of a pair, but now wasn¡¯t the time to be worrying about such minor details. Autumn had been offered a way out of his situation, and he was going to take it. It didn¡¯t matter if it put him in Keane¡¯s debt because they were already connected with a magic sharing bond.


    ¡°What exactly are you planning on doing?¡± Autumn asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ==========


    After the test ended, Cassandra was given the option to be escorted back home or stay in the castle until the start of Nobility. If she did decide to stay, she was introduced to various messengers set aside for the new students so she could send news of her success to her family. Since she hadn¡¯t really planned on returning from the start, Cassandra chose the second option.


    It was now the final day of testing, and she would be able to meet all of her new classmates who had successfully passed. Marcus had already passed the day before her, and so had Wayde. Maximus, Keane, and Autumn were all testing that day. Based on Autumn¡¯s suggestion that Maximus was one of the romance targets in the game she had a terrible feeling he was destined to pass.


    Keane was a genius in many ways, so Cassandra wasn¡¯t really worried about him. She was mostly concerned about Autumn, and what to do to prevent him from becoming a weapon for Gaia in the event he failed. Then again, as Keane¡¯s pair, he might get a free pass on Keane¡¯s passing mark.


    As she was fretting about the fate of the catkin, Cassandra started to smell something that definitely did not belong in the Scholar Wing of the palace. Smoke. Evacuating the area would likely be the smart thing to do, as well as warning the others, but Cassandra had magic on her side now. It would be far more efficient to remove the smoke from its source. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The smoke only grew thicker as she followed it to its source, and she had to use magic to keep it out of her eyes and lungs. Cassandra had no intentions of going out as a careless hero who died from carbon monoxide poisoning. As the smoke continued to thicken it became nearly impossible to see. Did she dare to use wind magic to clear it out? If the source was a fire, the wind might feed it to become even worse. She couldn¡¯t suck all the air outside because she still needed to breathe.


    Suddenly she spotted a familiar pair of sparkling wings through the thick gray fumes. Maximus? What was he doing here? Cassandra felt a breeze begin to pick up around her ankles.


    ¡°Wait!¡± she called out, ¡°The fire-¡±


    The force of the wind coming from the area ahead blew the rest of her words right out of her as well as clearing the smoke. The good news was that she could see and breathe clearly now. The even better news was that the wind had not fueled some raging fire. Instead, the smoke appeared to have come from a magical experiment in one of the spare study rooms that had been improperly disposed of.


    Cassandra quickly tugged the last remnants of life out of the broken experiment and breathed a sigh of relief before turning on Maximus. ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± she demanded, ¡°You could have made things much worse if there had been a fire!¡±


    Maximus shook his head, seeming oddly confident. ¡°Magical smoke smells much different,¡± he told her, ¡°The fumes are thicker and heavier. Smoke from a fire usually smells a bit like whatever it is burning.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Cassandra said, not sure how to respond now. As she had not thought to sniff the smoke and see what it smelled like, she could not tell whether he was telling the truth or not. Still, it was a relief to know he wasn¡¯t just some heroic idiot.


    A stampede of footsteps approached the corridor as the guards and servants prepared to face an emergency situation. They had likely been alerted by the smoke as it spread away from the area. Once again, Maximus surprised her by stepping up and explaining the situation as he had encountered it. Cassandra concurred with his story when asked, but neither of them knew who the experiment that caused this mess belonged to.


    By the time the both of them returned to the dining hall of the Scholar Wing, the others had finished their test. Autumn was feasting on a wide spread of desserts while complaining about an awful taste in his mouth as Keane laughed at him. Had they both passed, then? Hold on¡­ Had Maximus left the test early? Did that mean he failed?


    Cassandra whipped around to face him. ¡°Maximus-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he told her, ¡°I passed early due to special circumstances.¡±


    What a vague answer to his question. ¡°Then where is your pin?¡± she demanded instead. She wouldn¡¯t believe he had passed without some kind of proof.


    Maximus obediently presented his pin. The silver metal tightly grasped a ruby heart. ¡°You may not believe me, but I actually took the test last night. The Headmaster gave me special permission.¡±


    Cassandra wanted to ask why, but she had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t answer. She also had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t have even told her this much if he weren¡¯t currently trying to get closer to her. Instead of prodding those potentially dangerous topics, she decided to change the subject.


    ¡°Is there any way to find out how that half-disposed experiment got there?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We could check to see who used the room last,¡± Maximus suggested, taking full advantage of the fact that Cassandra was not pushing him away for once.


    ¡°Which room?¡± Keane asked, catching onto their conversation.


    Since Keane was a master of experiments, he might even know who had done it, so Cassandra explained the situation to him. As she did, an odd look came over his face. Towards the end he even began to grimace.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he told the both of them, ¡°It seems you both cleaned up after my mess. I will go turn myself in before things get blown out of proportion.¡±


    Cassandra stared at him for a few moments. ¡°Keane, you mean to tell me you forgot to properly take care of one of your experiments? But you have been so meticulous so far.¡±


    Keane replied with a sheepish smile. ¡°I was running late to the test so I was a bit rushed,¡± he admitted, ¡°I should have known better than to start something so close to time.¡±


    Something still felt off, but Keane had already admitted to everything. Perhaps it was best just to let things go for now. If it came to it, she could get answers from him later. Hopefully it was just an honest mistake like he claimed.


    ==========


    As the smoke rose from the castle, a certain group hiding in the capital of Tethia were filled with triumph. It seemed their little rat, or cat in this case, had paid off! Which pillar had he used it on? Better yet, had he used their special gift to take out all of them at once? They waited with bated breath for news from their informants.


    Unfortunately, what they got was not news of victory. It seemed their bomb had been mistaken as a magic experiment gone wrong, and the most damage it did was smoke up the whole Scholar Wing. The plan had failed, but they still had their cat on the inside. Since things had become like this, they would have to give him new instructions.


    ¡°That rotten merchant must have given us a dud,¡± one of them spat, still furious that such a perfect plan would fail so ridiculously.


    ¡°It is also possible it could have been damaged in transit,¡± suggested another, ¡°Those magic devices are said to be quite fragile.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous! If it wasn¡¯t for that brat¡¯s grandfather demanding his safety we could have gone with something more volatile and sacrificed him for the cause.¡±


    The group did a careful look around to make sure the person in question wasn¡¯t nearby after they spoke. It wouldn¡¯t do for a figure with such powerful connections to hear them badmouthing his family, even if he was related to a pathetic beastkin.

 10: A Special Invitation

    After the smoke incident calmed down, things finally became peaceful in the castle. Since the majority of the guests had left, Cassandra was given the opportunity to upgrade to a nicer room, closer to the gardens and dining halls. She accepted, of course, as she would be living there for about a month.


    Keane got off with a light punishment, but he was banned from doing any more experiments without supervision. This hardly seemed like a punishment, as Keane quickly became close to Koko, the Chief Royal Medic, due to the medical nature of the majority of his experiments.


    As for Autumn, the catkin had been actively avoiding her. This only made Cassandra more determined to get her answers. She wasn¡¯t afraid to use her new connections to hunt him down, either. Maximus was more than willing to help her, and Cassandra decided that if he was going to offer his services so insistently, she should just let him. However, it was Wayde that actually caught Autumn in the end.


    ¡°Why were trying to hide from me?¡± Cassandra asked Autumn once they finally met face to face.


    Autumn flinched. ¡°I think you already know,¡± he replied, ¡°You want to know more about the game and Gaia, but I can¡¯t tell you without putting you in danger. Knowledge is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me about your situation,¡± Cassandra assured, seeing how tense he was, ¡°I would like more information on that game of yours, though. I don¡¯t like doing things halfway, and there must be more important information besides just your story.¡±


    The catkin bit his lip as he struggled to decide, but caved in the end. ¡°I will tell you the most important thing,¡± he decided, ¡°I can¡¯t even be sure you believe me so this should be enough. Gaia has a plan to wipe Tethia off the map. By the start of the game they have already secretly gained control of most of the eastern border, slowly inching closer. They also have connections in the major port cities to the south.¡±


    The entire eastern border of Tethia lay right up against the Empire of Gaia so it was no surprise that was where they would start. However, the south borders faced the ocean. Since ports were such an important means of trade, they were far more strictly managed. For Gaia to have gained control of major ports, there had to be corruption deep within Tethia itself.


    ¡°The story of this game has already started, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°You mentioned needing to meet Keane before the end of the entrance exam.¡±


    ¡°It has,¡± Autumn confirmed.


    Cassandra searched her mind for something else she could ask without pressuring Autumn too much. More importantly she wanted to assure him she was not a threat so he wouldn¡¯t feel the need to run or hide from her in the future. Perhaps the best thing for that was some sort of promise or deal.


    ¡°Now that we have become connected, we should help each other,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°I won¡¯t press you for answers, and I will help you when you need it. In return, please let me know if there is anything important coming up.¡±


    As she had hoped, Autumn relaxed a bit at her words. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t really know what I am doing yet, but I promise I won¡¯t leave you hanging. I can give you one more piece of advice. You should check your mail.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°My mail?¡± Cassandra repeated and stood from her seat, ¡°Alright. I will do that. Next time we meet, let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    Autumn finally smiled. ¡°Yeah! Good luck!¡±


    Good luck with her mail, huh? Cassandra was eager to see what sort of exciting message was waiting for her. Mail was delivered to each of their rooms, and luckily that remained the same even though her room had changed. Another bonus of having a bigger room was the addition of a box set aside in the entrance to receive letters and documents.


    When she checked the box, there were two letters. The first was a letter from home, congratulating her for her success. Magic truly was amazing. Mail was sent faster here than it had been in the world of her dreams with all of its technology. Cassandra stashed the first letter in a safe place so she could hold onto it.


    The second letter seemed far more official. It bore a seal with a teardrop that greatly resembled the one on her pin. Cassandra carefully released the seal without breaking it. She wanted to examine the intricate background design further later. For now, she needed to read that letter.


    It began by addressing her as a new Tear and congratulating her on officially becoming a part of Nobility.


    ¡°We the queen¡¯s maidens would like to invite the new Tears to a special event before the start of term. We expect every Tear to be presentable and punctual using their own means.¡±


    So that was what Autumn had meant when he wished her luck. The invitation continued with the important information including date, time, and location. She still had a week or so to prepare, so maybe it would be a good idea to meet with her fellow Tears. Cassandra¡¯s parents could help her out with any attire problems as professionals in the apparel business so she wasn¡¯t too concerned about that.


    Who were the other Tears? Cassandra knew about the two who had been in her final test, but she had no way of knowing if that was all of them or not. Would they have the same idea of planning together as she did, or would they see her as a rival they needed to defeat? There was only one way to find out.


    The moment Cassandra left her room to go hunting for the other Tears she came face to face with the porcupine beast girl from earlier. She was holding the very same invitation in her own hands and froze in place upon catching sight of Cassandra. It seemed she hadn¡¯t decided her own plan of action yet.


    ¡°This is perfect timing,¡± Cassandra told her with a smile, ¡°I was hoping to meet all of the other Tears and discuss the invitation. Would you like to help me find them?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she demanded with suspicion.


    ¡°Both in Nobility and in the future, us Tears will be working together,¡± Cassandra pointed out, ¡°I may dream of being queen, but there are ten princesses of Tethia and many other important roles needed to support her.¡±


    The porcupine girl frowned but couldn¡¯t argue with her words. ¡°Alright, I will help you,¡± she agreed, ¡°My name is Rena.¡±


    ¡°I am Cassandra,¡± she introduced in return, ¡°Do you know where the others are?¡±


    ¡°No but they shouldn¡¯t be hard to find,¡± Rena said with confidence. Her spiky hair looked a little bit softer today, but Cassandra didn¡¯t mention it.


    Rena¡¯s confidence pulled through perfectly. As if it was destined, they ran into the other Tears one after another, and they were able to find a room to gather in to discuss the mysterious upcoming event.


    ¡°Do any of you know what it is?¡± a blue haired elf they had learned was Iris asked, ¡°I am honestly a bit nervous about making it to the event since I get lost easily in new places.¡±


    ¡°Before that, shouldn¡¯t we worry about being presentable? What kind of clothing should we wear to an event for all the Tears? Should we dress like princesses or shadows?¡± Rena pointed out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t dress like a princess,¡± the blonde haired boy brought up. He was folding the invitation into a rose absentmindedly. He had introduced himself as Elliot.


    Clothing had become an issue after all. ¡°Perhaps I can help with that,¡± Cassandra suggested, ¡°My parents run an apparel business. I was planning to take their advice.¡±


    ¡°What business is it?¡± Iris asked with interest.


    ¡°I believe it is just named Aron and Bethany after them,¡± Cassandra answered. Her parents were creative when it came to clothing, but they found it a waste of effort on most everything else.


    ¡°Aron and Bethany?!¡± Rena shouted in shock, ¡°Are they really your parents? Their clothing is famous, especially since they refused an offer from the capital.¡±


    It was famous? Oddly enough, it was the first Cassandra had heard of this. She knew they were busy, but a clothing store didn¡¯t have to be famous to be busy. ¡°They are,¡± she confirmed, ¡°I am sure they would be willing to help all of us.¡±

 11: Feast of Maidens

    Just like she had promised, Cassandra was easily able to convince her parents to help them prepare for the event. There was still no clue as to what kind of event it was going to be, but based on the timing it was likely to involve a meal at some point. With that in mind, their outfits had been decided to be elegant dinner sets that would be appropriate for such an occasion regardless of their position.


    Surprisingly, Elliot was the one who covered transport for all of them. His family ran a carriage business and they were happy to help, so long as they still got paid for the job. That was perfectly reasonable, and the travel was much nicer than they could have found at the last minute on their own. Elliot had an excellent memory as well, and was able to tell them exactly where the location was and about how long it would take to get there.


    The other students had been incredibly busy as well as it seemed they had all been invited to their own similar events. Autumn was the only one who seemed to be confident he knew what he was doing, but he had joined Sage with Keane. Whether or not Keane was privileged with his inside information was difficult to say. It had been nice to get a break from Maximus¡¯s constant attempts to win her over, since Wayde always dragged him back to their own preparations.


    Before they knew it, the day of the event was upon them. Each of the new Tears prepared on their own before gathering in a predetermined meeting place. Rena had to guide Iris over as she was as bad with directions as she had warned. Elliot had arranged a couple carriages for all of them, giving them plenty of space for comfortable travel.


    Their destination was a manor in the capital, and it seemed they weren¡¯t the only guests. A variety of carriages had all gathered at the manor, dropping off students in various levels of formal wear. Some of the students were clearly a year or more ahead of them, but all of them were definitely students of Nobility and Tears.


    Once they stepped off the carriage they were greeted by a tall girl with strawberry blonde hair. ¡°Welcome! Is this your first Feast of Maidens?¡± she asked, but continued talking before they had a chance to answer, ¡°I am May, currently in my third year at Nobility. I will show you where to go.¡±


    ¡°Feast of Maidens?¡± Elliot asked, ¡°but I¡¯m not a maiden at all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see soon,¡± May promised him, ¡°Maidens doesn¡¯t refer to us, but them.¡±


    Cassandra was the first to follow May through the grand entrance of the manor where they were greeted by a row of servants already serving or ready to serve. They took any coats or hats that had been brought and personally guided each individual to their seat at the table in the grand dining hall.


    The gathering of Tears only fit at the one table because it was so massive in size. Seated around the head of the table were twenty-one people Cassandra could not help but recognize. Ten princesses, ten shadow maidens, and the queen of Tethia awaited them. That was why this was called the Feast of Maidens.


    Once every last Tear had entered and taken a seat, the queen herself stood up to speak. ¡°Welcome, all of you, to the annual Feast of Maidens,¡± she began, ¡°I am Levina, the queen of Tethia and your host tonight. I am sure you all already know that the goal of Nobility is not only to learn, but also to gain an apprenticeship for your future position. This feast is my way of giving you the opportunity to meet each other. You may each stay as long as you would like after the meal.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    After her words, the queen sat once more, and the first princess stood. ¡°Some of us, like myself, already have an apprentice. Don¡¯t let that dissuade you from approaching us. While we are only allowed one apprentice each, we can always help you find someone suitable,¡± she assured, ¡°I am Ophelia, so feel free to look to me when you need help or advice.¡±


    The other princesses began to introduce themselves in order after Ophelia took her seat. It was a lot to take in all at once, but Cassandra made sure to take special note of who did and did not have an apprentice yet. It turned out that the majority of the princesses had yet to take an apprentice. The queen herself did not have one, but the pillars themselves rarely took an apprentice. That meant Alois was all the more special for being chosen by the headmaster himself.


    There was one particular princess that completely captivated Cassandra. ¡°I am the seventh princess, Rosalind,¡± she introduced, ¡°Many of you may know my husband, Reginald, better than myself.¡±


    Reginald? Wasn¡¯t that the archmage? Given Caleb¡¯s reaction she had assumed most mages would dislike the queen and her princesses. Then again, Reginald did not seem like the kind of man to hold those kinds of grudges. If he had charmed a beauty like Rosalind he must be even more amazing than Cassandra had imagined.


    After the princesses, the shadow maidens introduced themselves. The shadow maidens led the shadow guard and shadow operatives in protecting Tethia from... Well, the shadows. They were still dressed with a formal elegance, but each had a presence that did not stand out, especially compared to the princesses. Well, except for the first shadow maiden, Nova. She was a ravenkin with feathered black hair, and the aura she gave off was fierce and dangerous. Even her introduction was short and curt, and she did not mention whether she had an apprentice or not.


    Then, all eyes turned to the new Tears. So it was their turn. Each new group of Tears likely had to go through this very ritual, so Cassandra decided to step forward and lead the charge.


    ¡°My name is Cassandra,¡± she told the crowd, ¡°I love magic, and I have always wanted to be in the position to help guide its future.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t very well declare her desire to become queen in front of this crowd, but she couldn¡¯t hide it either. Not if she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity the queen had prepared for her. For a moment, Cassandra¡¯s eyes met with Levina¡¯s and she thought she spotted the smallest of smiles.


    Rena jumped to introduce herself next. Her hair had become spiky again. Perhaps that was a side effect of nervousness? ¡°I am Rena and I have always wanted to support the queen of Tethia since she is my hero,¡± she announced. Afterwards she flushed a bit and slammed back into her chair from embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯m Iris,¡± the blue haired elf announced, trying to draw attention from the flustered beastkin, ¡°I have always been interested in the workings of the shadow guard.¡±


    Seeing that it was his turn, Elliot managed to mumble out his introduction. ¡°I¡¯m Elliot. I¡¯ve always been told I would be good at shadow work.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± the queen said without leaving her seat this time, ¡°Let the Feast of Maidens begin.¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, servants appeared from the left and right entrances laden with trays of luxurious dishes to be spread about the table. A second set of servants came in with beverages of all kinds from hot teas to cool lemonades. Cassandra gratefully accepted the blueberry pomegranate punch that made it to their end of the table.


    Unlike the headmaster¡¯s refreshments, all of the delicacies here were exactly what they appeared to be. After finishing off her main course, Cassandra immediately zoomed in on the cookies being brought with all of the other variety of desserts. As expected of cookies provided by royalty, each bite was exquisite, delicately melting in her mouth.


    Before she knew it the meal had ended, and many of the princesses and Tears had gone to another room to mingle. Queen Levina was still there, as was Nova. It seemed the duty of the first shadow maiden was to ensure the queen¡¯s safety. It was certainly a respectable role, but Cassandra couldn¡¯t waste time here watching them.


    The whole point of this event was to mingle, and if Cassandra missed her chance today she may not get another one for the next year. More than anyone else, there was one princess Cassandra wanted to meet. The seventh princess Rosalind, who was not only beautiful but surely loved magic enough to marry the archmage himself.

 12: Apprenticeship Acquired

    As Cassandra had feared, Rosalind was very popular with the other Tears. It was a wonder she had yet to choose an apprentice. Then again, she didn¡¯t seem to be enjoying her conversations with the others. Should she wait to greet her? No, a future princess could not hesitate due to shyness and uncertainty. However, before she could make a move, someone called out to her.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± Ophelia called out, ¡°I have been looking forward to talking to you ever since I heard your introduction. Would you care to chat?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cassandra replied. She had the whole night, and it would definitely hurt her more now to ignore the first princess just because she already had an apprentice. Instead, she should take this opportunity to get some of the offered advice.


    Ophelia guided her to a sitting area away from the crowd and had her take a seat. ¡°I love seeing promising talents like you,¡± she began, ¡°so I thought I should give you some advice before you charge blindly forward and lose your glow.¡±


    Lose her glow? It was nice that she thought she was glowing, but Cassandra was concerned about why she seemed so confident she would lose it. ¡°Has it happened before?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It has,¡± the first princess confirmed, ¡°Many new Tears are full of passion, but they are desperation as well. They take the first apprenticeship that comes their way without considering what it means.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t apprenticeship an opportunity to learn to take on the position of the one you are apprenticed to?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°Do they not care what position they train for?¡±


    Ophelia nodded in approval. ¡°At least you have some sense. That is certainly part of it, but even after the apprenticeship is over, climbing higher is possible. However, there is something else that is even more dangerous. It is the reason the pillars rarely take apprentices and the reason you must be even more careful.¡±


    Cassandra felt a chill as Ophelia¡¯s voice grew even more serious. What was it? Had she missed something important again? ¡°What is that reason?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Their agendas,¡± Ophelia replied, and sighed when Cassandra frowned, ¡°We cannot pretend to live in a perfect world where they don¡¯t exist. Every princess has their own agenda, whether they show it or not. Every queen, king, and headmaster does as well. When they take an apprentice, they will choose someone they believe they can mold to suit their agendas. This includes myself, of course.¡±


    ¡°I understand why that is important, but why would you tell me this?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°It is not as if they will just tell me their agendas if I ask them to.¡±


    ¡°True, but you can tell them yours,¡± Ophelia advised, ¡°You can wait, watch, and slowly decide who best suits your agenda. It is not just the princesses and shadows who choose the Tears. The Tears choose who they are apprenticed to as well. That being said, I can see you already have your eyes on someone.¡±


    Cassandra could not stop herself from glancing in Rosalind¡¯s direction, drawing a warm smile from Ophelia. ¡°So you are saying, if I tell her my agenda and she rejects me, I am better off giving up?¡± she clarified.


    ¡°That depends on her reason for rejecting you,¡± Ophelia corrected, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone deny your dream. That dream got you this far, and it is what needs to carry you forward from here.¡±


    It made sense once Cassandra had a moment to think about it. There was a reason that Tethia¡¯s system worked the way it did. It was to prevent corruption caused by ideals being passed down through bloodlines. It would be for naught if those same ideals were passed down through apprenticeships instead.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cassandra told Ophelia with a smile of her own.


    ¡°Good luck. Rosalind will be a tough one to win over, but your love of magic might be just the thing that can charm her,¡± the first princess wished as Cassandra got up to leave.


    Cassandra thanked her again before stepping back into motion. If apprenticeships really took so long to confirm, the sooner she began, the better. Before Cassandra was able to get to Rosalie, she met the fifth princess who was already openly trying to convince her of the dangers of magic running free amongst the populace. Her agenda was plenty clear, and it was not one Cassandra had any interest in. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    The second princess also came to speak with Cassandra. She thought magic was far too constrained. Magic was what gave Tethia its strength despite being such a small kingdom. Banning dangerous magic could endanger someone in a critical moment when they had to choose between breaking the law or death. That was a fair point, but dangerous magic was considered dangerous for a reason. There were other magics that could be used in such situations.


    As Cassandra was also not interested in such extremism she finally made her way to Rosalind. By this point, the others had given up. Rather than her agenda or whatever she intended to say first, Cassandra ended up blurting out her true feelings instead.


    ¡°Your husband is so cool,¡± she told Rosalind with a sparkle in her eyes, ¡°I met him at the final stage of the entrance exam, and stoic appearance was perfect! I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking at all¡­ Sorry.¡±


    Rather than being offended by her sudden ramble about the archmage, Rosalind let out a smile and small chuckle. ¡°Reginald told me about you,¡± she replied, ¡°He said you had the oddest reaction to his magic during the test and it really threw him off.¡±


    ¡°It did?¡± Cassandra asked, recalling the test, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him flustered like that before,¡± Rosalind confirmed, ¡°I would like to invite you over to surprise him sometime.¡±


    She would like to meet again? Cassandra felt a thrill of excitement go through her. ¡°I would love to!¡± she agreed, ¡°I want to know more about you as well. How did you meet? Did he charm you with his magic skills or was it his cool personality?¡±


    There was no reason to kill the mood of such an exciting conversation by bringing up apprenticeships. Instead, Cassandra had another goal. She did not need to be Rosalind¡¯s apprentice if she could befriend her instead. After all, she could always aim straight for the queen instead.


    However, it seemed Rosalind had other ideas. ¡°You know, it might be easier to visit my home if you were my apprentice,¡± she offered.


    Cassandra froze. ¡°But you know so little about me and my ideals,¡± she replied.


    ¡°I think I know what is most important,¡± Rosalind replied, ¡°I saw you interact with the others. You gave Ophelia your time even though she already has an apprentice. You avoided the fifth and second princesses who were purposely fishing for extremists. You also love magic to the point that it threw my husband¡¯s own magic in a direction he did not expect. Even when you approached me, you didn¡¯t push your own agendas.¡±


    ¡°Can I have some time to think about it?¡± Cassandra asked, unable to argue with Rosalind¡¯s words, ¡°I want to take Ophelia¡¯s advice and take my time to decide carefully.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rosalind replied, ¡°I doubt I will find someone who I like as much as you, so take all the time you need. I will be waiting.¡±


    ==========


    Maximus was already exhausted even though it was his second time attending his first Feast of Guardians. This time he needed to be sure not to repeat the mistakes of his past. He had once been the apprentice of the First Commander of the Royal Guard, and he had been good at it. However, he had been blinded to the truth and become a pawn rather than a person before Wayde had saved him.


    Wayde sat beside him with a calm sort of confidence of someone more used to these kinds of situations. At times it was hard to believe that Wayde had once been the king of Tethia and Tethia had fallen. But that was the past, or perhaps another future. Maximus might have even mistaken it for a dream if Wayde had not recalled the same things he did.


    The feast itself ended quickly, with Maximus barely able to stomach anything at all. The connections he made today would decide everything. This time, rather than aiming to be a guard, Maximus had announced his intentions to protect the kingdom and those he loved from a more royal position. Perhaps he had spoken his intention a bit too boldly as he caught many of the princes murmuring at his words.


    Dalton, the king of Tethia and a handsome lion beastkin, put a stop to the murmurs and merely watched Maximus for his next move. Perhaps that was why all of the princes avoided Maximus in the room set aside for mingling. Wayde, on the other hand, was very popular. He knew how to draw them in and he had his choice of the best of them.


    ¡°Feeling lonely?¡± Nero, the ninth prince asked him.


    ¡°Prince Nero,¡± Maximus greeted quickly, ¡°I think I have messed everything up already. Everyone is avoiding me now.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone,¡± Nero corrected, ¡°I am right here.¡±


    For the first time, Maximus took the time to really look at Prince Nero. Perhaps he had been too hasty to dismiss him as the ninth and youngest prince. The tenth prince had long been an apprentice and had plenty of experience, but Nero came out of nowhere. Maximus couldn¡¯t even remember for sure if he had been a prince in the other future.


    Prince Nero had black hair and dark eyes that had a hint of blue. He stood with a sort of relaxed regality that reminded Maximus of the king Wayde had become, but there was a sharpness to it that Wayde had lacked. That prince was the one who was making him an offer now.


    ¡°Why would you approach me even after I made such a big mistake?¡± Maximus asked.


    ¡°Mistakes are expected from a student,¡± Nero pointed out, ¡°Besides, I like your guts, and your honesty. Honesty is harder to find around here than you might think. Besides, you have the perfect appearance to be royalty and stand before a crowd.¡±


    Maximus couldn¡¯t tell if that last bit was a jab or a compliment. Or perhaps it was an insult for those who put value on appearances in the first place. ¡°You are handsome too,¡± Maximus told him. No, that wasn¡¯t what he meant.


    ¡°If you become my apprentice, the first thing we will need to work on is how to think before you speak. While I appreciate your honesty, there are some times when the truth is best hidden,¡± Nero told him, ¡°Think about my offer.¡±


    Was there even a point in thinking about it? He doubted a chance like this would come again. ¡°Wait,¡± he told Prince Nero, who was about to leave, ¡°I accept. I will become your apprentice.¡±


    Nero stared him down for a few moments before a smile slowly formed on his lips. ¡°Wonderful. I will contact you later with the official contract of apprenticeship,¡± he told him, ¡°I could use some help on some of my projects as soon as possible. You are still free for the rest of the month before school, right?¡±


    A strange pressure came off of Nero now, and Maximus found himself already regretting his decision. Had he made the wrong choice yet again?

 13: Path of Dusk

    The remainder of the month flew by in a flash for everyone, including Cassandra. After multiple visits to Rosalind¡¯s house, she had finally accepted the apprenticeship. Just as Maximus had gravely warned her, apprenticeships came with a lot of work. Work they would have to figure out how to keep up with on top of their school courses once the semester officially began.


    Luckily, Cassandra¡¯s work was all surprisingly enjoyable. Rosalind had tasked her with sorting magic tools and artifacts based on their similarities and differences. This was both a task that princesses needed to do periodically, as well as an opportunity to access otherwise restricted records to learn more about the subjects in question.


    As the deadline to leave got closer, Cassandra had to take more frequent breaks to pack and organize any other unfinished business in the capital. It was already strange to remember how free she had been during the entrance exam itself.


    Early in the morning on the day of departure, servants came to collect everyone¡¯s luggage. After that, everyone was gathered in the central courtyard. The courtyard was full of far more than the new students from the most recent exam. Cassandra recognized Tears from older years that she had seen at the Feast of Maidens. It was likely everyone else from all of the various courses was here as well.


    Once everyone had gathered, a crowd noticeably smaller than those who had arrived for the first test, all six pillars made their appearance. King Dalton, Queen Levina, and the archmage Reginald stood to Osmond¡¯s left. Koko, the chief royal medic and the royal steward whose name Cassandra had yet to learn stood to his right. Alois stepped forward to the right as well, placing the headmaster in the exact center of seven.


    ¡°Welcome dear students of Nobility. It is time for us to walk the Path of Dusk and begin another year in Tethia¡¯s hidden jewel,¡± Osmond announced.


    His announcement was followed by loud cheering from some of the older students. Cassandra, along with many others, had settled for polite clapping instead. Princess Rosalind had often reminded her that students of Nobility were always being watched.


    Both cheering and clapping were drowned out by a rumbling deep beneath the earth. Osmond took a step back and the other pillars and his apprentice parted to either side as something began to break through the cobbled path. An impressive stone archway now stood before them, vines and roots still clinging to the pillars.


    Then the cracks along the arch itself began to glow a bluish white, highlighting the word that they formed. Tethia. As the word glowed stronger, the archway emitted a soft hum. A purplish mist slowly crept in, blocking their view of what lay beyond it. Instead, a breathtaking view snapped into being in its place.


    An endless sky shone with stars glistening in the purple hues of twilight. Below the sky a reflective surface rippled outward until it was smooth as glass. There was more than just the view to take in. A wave of powerful magic poured out from the opening. It was both impressive and overwhelming. Even the students who had seen this sight before were taken in.


    ¡°Follow my lead and step through the arch,¡± Osmond ordered before following his own words. When he stepped on the sleek surface, ripples flowed silently. There was no sound like one would expect from such a wet looking surface. In fact, there was no sound at all.


    Even once the other students began to funnel through, the collective sounds their footsteps made vanished on the other side of the arch. It was some of the most incredible magic Cassandra had ever seen. She continued to take it in and enjoy the experience even as she crossed the endless skies. This could only be the Pavilion of Eternal Dusk. Why had the headmaster referred to it as the Path of Dusk? Was it because it seemed silly to travel through a pavilion?


    Once every student had entered, the archway sunk into nothingness behind them with a sudden woosh. Almost immediately after, a second arch broke through ahead of them accompanied by the gasps of students. Cassandra was one of them. Would that gate take them to Nobility? So quickly? She recalled the journey she had taken to get to the capital and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit cheated.


    As she had guessed, on the other side of this arch was Nobility, a school that may as well have been its own little city. The main building reminded her of a towering manor, surrounded by smaller manors. The style of each building prevented Cassandra from calling it a castle. Lining the path to these buildings were servants waiting with their luggage.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Today is a rest day. A day to catch your bearings and settle in. Tomorrow orientation and class selections begin,¡± Osmond told everyone, ¡°These fine servants will guide each of you to the dormitories you will be staying in. These living arrangements can change over time and circumstance. Good luck.¡±


    His speech finished, Osmond immediately turned heel and marched with purpose towards the main building. He likely had a great deal to prepare. So did Cassandra, actually. She had promised to contact both Rosalind and her parents once she had safely arrived and settled.


    First things first, she found the servant waiting with her things. The maid gave her a small curtsy and guided her down the path. At first she appeared to be following the other Tears when the maid took a sudden turn towards the main manor. Barely any of the other students seemed to be heading in this direction, though she did spot Maximus and May.


    ¡°Why are we going somewhere different from the others?¡± Cassandra asked.


    ¡°Apprentices have special privileges in Nobility, including better living arrangements,¡± the maid answered, ¡°All apprentices had the opportunity to stay on the upper floors of the main manor with the headmaster.¡±


    Were these all living spaces? Cassandra had assumed the main manor was for classes? Then again, perhaps the lower floors were. The maid had only mentioned the upper floors. She had plenty of time to explore all of that once she had everything put away and her messages delivered.


    Cassandra¡¯s room was on the third floor of the manor, and it was even larger than her room back in the Scholar Wing of the palace. It was like a full apartment complete with living space, bedroom, and bath. There was no kitchen, but Nobility likely handled the food for all of its students. She maid sure to thank the maid and asked her about how messages were sent from Nobility.


    A couple letters sent later, Cassandra took the time to explore. Like Osmond had suggested, she should use this chance to get her bearings. She was able to learn a few things. The second floor held the headmaster¡¯s office and a few classrooms, but the majority of the classrooms were on the first floor. There were also classrooms outside the manor for things that required a specific space for learning.


    With a little more digging she was able to obtain a list of available courses ahead of time, though she would not receive any recommendations until the next day. The list was both longer and shorter than she expected as there was a lot of overlapping between the six courses. It was finally starting to feel real. Right now, she was standing on the grounds of Nobility.


    ==========


    Keane looked around his room one more time to make sure everything was in its place. Perhaps it was because of his notoriety with experiments that he had been given a room on the fifth floor of the sole tower of the main manor. The only room on the fifth floor of that tower. In other words, he had been isolated.


    It was even more obnoxious because Autumn was not considered an apprentice and had to live in the regular dorms. He could only guess it was an extra precaution to prevent him from getting involved in any experiments unattended. The situation was rather annoying, but he couldn¡¯t lose his pair because of a planted bomb. Autumn lacked the bloodlust and determination required to have actually planned to use it. Things like that didn¡¯t change, even in a different world.


    ¡°Show yourself,¡± he told the seemingly empty room. He couldn¡¯t see or hear anyone, but he could feel a strong intent focused on him.


    Alois, the headmaster¡¯s apprentice, released the stealth magic he had been using to conceal himself. ¡°You noticed me this time,¡± he congratulated, ¡°That actually works well for me. I was hoping you could help me with something.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Keane replied instantly. Alois seemed like exactly the kind of person who attracted trouble. Keane had no intention of getting involved in someone like that. He already had to protect his pair in order to use magic.


    The headmaster¡¯s apprentice was taken aback by his immediate refusal. ¡°You aren¡¯t even going to hear me out?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Keane repeated. It seemed he was the relentless type too.


    ¡°Even if I know about the bomb you disguised as a failed experiment?¡± Alois pressed with a wicked smile.


    Keane scowled. ¡°What do you want?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It should be something you find enjoyable too,¡± Alois told him, ¡°I have a magic tool that I need examined. I need to know exactly what it is.¡±


    ¡°Why not ask for professional help with that? Surely you have connections as the headmaster¡¯s apprentice,¡± Keane pointed out.


    ¡°I have reasons that I can¡¯t let a professional know,¡± Alois replied, ¡°My proposition is simple. You help me just this once and I will keep your secret. Just make sure to keep mine as well.¡±


    This back and forth would likely go on forever, so Keane decided to relent. ¡°Show it to me.¡±


    Alois dug into his pocket and produced a small scrap of cloth. As he held it out, Keane was able to recognize its identity. It was an eyepatch. It seemed rather high end, but there was nothing about it that gave the impression of a magic tool. ¡°I need to know what this is and what it does. It may not look like much, but I am confident it is a magic tool. Maybe even an artifact.¡±


    Keane carefully took the eyepatch and his impression changed almost instantly. For one thing, the eyepatch itself was molded from a dragon scale. The soft cloth that covered it was spidersilk of some kind of magical variety Keane was not familiar with. Not only that, the magic that was imperceptible while Alois had been holding it could be clearly felt in his own hands.


    ¡°It might take me some time to figure it out,¡± Keane told him, ¡°May I hold onto this for now?¡±


    ¡°Do what you need to,¡± Alois said, ¡°But if you involve anyone else, you must swear them to secrecy.¡±

 14: Orientation

    A bell tolled about an hour before Cassandra would usually wake up, sounding through the entire grounds of Nobility and waking her. The sun had just barely peaked over the rooftops, causing a particularly sharp glare on her windows. She had forgotten to close the curtains the night before. Just in case, Cassandra checked to see if anyone else was out and about, but there were no signs of life outside.


    Should she try to get some more sleep? No, it was too late for that. Besides, she was wide awake now. Instead Cassandra decided to take this opportunity to explore the grounds as most of the previous day had been spent indoors. She made sure to bring a cloak as the early morning still held the crisp cool of night, but the breeze was more refreshing than chilly.


    There were many training grounds, as expected, but Nobility was also host to gardens that rivaled the palace. Beyond those, what caught Cassandra¡¯s eye was a narrow entrance with dark stone walls guarding either side. Once she approached to get a closer look, its identity became clear. It was a labyrinth.


    Curiosity took hold and Cassandra found herself stepping foot inside. What purpose could a labyrinth serve here at Nobility? Was it some form of test she would come across later? It could also be a secret test. Osmond seemed to love playing with their heads. She only became more curious as the blackstone walls fell into further disrepair the deeper she got into the maze.


    The labyrinth itself wasn¡¯t that large, so Cassandra quickly reached the center.  It opened up to reveal a scene that was far from what Cassandra had expected.


    Inside the center of the labyrinth was a tranquil space, much like the gardens beyond the walls. An ancient weeping willow hung its branches over a small spring, thick roots partially breaking through the surface of the earth. At the very center of this space was a replica of the stone archway that had led them into the Pavilion of Eternal Dusk. Even the cracks forming ¡®Tethia¡¯ were carved into the crown of the arch.


    Cassandra approached the archway and touched the stone pillars. They were warm despite the crisp morning temperatures, and none of the vines winding around them had caused a single crack or chip. Could it be this was actually the original and not a replica? Still, that explained what this place was. It was meant for Dusks, not Tears.


    Before she left she decided to take another glance around, and she spotted something small and white nestled in the nook of one of the risen roots.


    ¡°A fox?¡± Cassandra whispered.


    Could it be the headmaster¡¯s pet? If not, perhaps it was a magical creature that had taken refuge there. Whatever its origins, the fox appeared to be sleeping peacefully under the hanging foliage of the weeping willow.


    The fox¡¯s ears twitched slightly as she watched, but if it had noticed her presence it paid her no mind. Rather than an outsider seeking refuse, the fox seemed perfectly at home. Cassandra had to agree that the tranquil scenery suited it perfectly as if this space was made for it.


    Cassandra¡¯s train of thoughts was broken by the deep toll of a second bell. She needed to get back and prepare for orientation. Perhaps once everything was over she could return to check on the fox. Did foxes of the magical kind enjoy cookies? She would need to learn more about was it was before rashly feeding it things, though.


    Finding her way back out of the maze was easier than expected. People had begun to move about the grounds, but it seemed Cassandra still had some time to prepare before the orientation officially started. First was breakfast, during which she checked her list of classes for anything related to magical creatures.


    There! ¡®Magical Beings of Tethia¡¯ sounded like just the class she was looking for. Cassandra made a mental note to sign up for that along with the recommended classes for her course. Perhaps she could also ask about the rules on pets in Nobility.


    Orientation was held separately by course, but each began on the first floor of the main manor. Cassandra joined a gathering of Tears in what would later be the etiquette classroom. Standing on the far side of the room was someone Cassandra recognized but had not expected to see there. Ophelia, the first princess of Nobility. For a moment it seemed their eyes had met and Ophelie smiled, but the next she addressed the whole group.


    ¡°Welcome to Tear Orientation,¡± she told everyone, ¡°I am sure many of you are surprised to see me here. One of the duties of the princesses is to take turns throughout the year serving as a guide and representative for the Tears here at Nobility. That is why I will be taking you through the orientation materials.¡±


    Princesses served as representatives and guides at Nobility? If they took turns, did that mean that Rosalind would be coming later in the year? That was something she could look forward to. Ophelia turned as Cassandra thought and pulled out a royal blue fabric before unfurling it to reveal a banner with silver words embroidered on it. At the very tip was the familiar symbol of a teardrop gem.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°You may not know, but each course carries a motto from the founding,¡± Ophelia continued, gesturing to the words on the banner, ¡°This is ours. ¡®The Tears shall guide Tethia¡¯s future¡¯. Do any of you new Tears know why this is ours and what it means?¡±


    ¡°The Tears mentioned in it must be the artifact of the queen,¡± Rena answered with confidence, ¡°The Tears of Tethia show visions of the future.¡±


    Ophelia had a secretive smile as she corrected her. ¡°That is part of it, but our motto has a deeper meaning than just that.¡± Rather than giving the answer she waited for another volunteer to try to answer.


    ¡°We are also Tears,¡± Cassandra guessed, ¡°We must guide not only magic but diplomacy which ensure Tethia¡¯s future.¡± It was the only answer that made sense beyond what Rena had said.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ophelia confirmed, ¡°This motto must become part of you from this day forward. Live each moment as if your every action will affect Tethia¡¯s future. That is what it means to be a Tear.¡±


    A hushed silence fell upon them for a few moments. Cassandra heard May whisper to her friend, ¡°I get chills every time I hear it.¡± Most of the older students seemed to share her sentiment. However, Ophelia had a second roll of cloth, this one in a royal red fabric set with gold. When she unfurled it, Cassandra saw the royal sigil of Tethia itself. A wreath of feathers surrounding a many pointed star.


    ¡°This is a motto all of you should know. All Tethians were bound to follow its words by the founding pillars who brought the kingdom into being for this very purpose. ¡®May Tethia stand a haven for the lost.¡¯ As students of Nobility who will represent our kingdom, you must follow this more perfectly than any ordinary citizen will ever be expected to.¡±


    Cassandra had always loved the phrase ¡®haven for the lost¡¯. It had also been the title of one of her favorite retellings of Tethia¡¯s founding legend. In that legend the lost had referred to those who had been cast out due to war, discrimination, and poverty. However, perhaps Ophelia would reveal a meaning she had missed.


    ¡°Tethia may be a haven, but the lost still need guiding,¡± Ophelia continued, ¡°Strive to guide and serve the citizens of Tethia with your unique talents no matter who or what they are.¡± After she finished speaking, she rolled up the banners once more and set them to the side.


    ¡°Everyone, take a seat,¡± May called from within the crowd, ¡°It is class selection time! The first princess and myself can help advise you if you aren¡¯t sure what to choose.¡±


    As she spoke, chairs and tables materialized in the room, carefully placed to not land where any of the students were standing. Once the furniture was settled, papers flew from a stack on the teacher¡¯s podium and distributed themselves at each place, shortly followed by a flurry of pens. Cassandra took a seat and looked hers over.


    The recommended courses were marked in blue with a few required classes highlighted. The required classes included ¡®The Art of Politics¡¯, ¡®Advanced Magic Control¡¯, and ¡®Hidden Weapons for Self Defense¡¯. It seemed whether you followed the path of a shadow or not, being a tear meant that you needed to have the basics down.


    Cassandra also made sure to select ¡®Magical Beings of Tethia¡¯, and added on ¡®Culinary Therapeutics¡¯ for fun. Alongside the class selection paperwork was a rulebook she would be able to keep. A quick skim told her that pets were allowed so long as they were approved by any room mates and dorm heads. Apprentices were excluded from needing those approvals as they had their own rooms, but pets over a certain danger level still had to be approved by the headmaster himself.


    It would be nice if she could befriend the white fox someday, even if it would never be her pet. It reminded her of the tales of the founding archmage. He was said to have a pet white fox named Yuki. Did that make this fox Yuki Jr.?


    ==========


    ¡°Magic is the Soul of Tethia.¡±


    Caleb had long finished his class selection and orientation, but he could not forget the motto of the Souls. For some reason, something about it seemed off, and the first magician had gone on some spiel about how Tethia was special because of magic, and the Archmage himself represented magic making him the most important being in Tethia. It was honestly annoying. He felt his time would have been better spent reading a book on the subject.


    What did ¡®soul¡¯ refer to anyway? Was it just some fancy word, or did the names of those artifacts have some kind of deeper meaning? Caleb missed telepathy. So much meaning was lost in spoken and written words, but that was just how this world worked.


    ¡°Caleb?¡± Keane¡¯s voice called from outside his door, following a light knock. Keane certainly wouldn¡¯t intrude without reason, so Caleb invited him in. ¡°I have something to show you,¡± Keane told him.


    Something to show him? Based on Keane¡¯s reaction it was something secret and potentially dangerous. Luckily his roommate was out at the moment, but he closed and locked the door just in case. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Take a look at this,¡± Keane replied, holding out an ordinary seeming eyepatch.


    No, on closer inspection, this eyepatch was made with high class materials no sane person would waste on such a small scrap of cloth. What were they trying to do? Turn it into an artifact? Caleb picked the eyepatch up to examine it even closer and felt the magic react to his touch. It seemed his wild guess was far closer than he had expected.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Keane told him, ¡°I was tasked with finding out what it is and what it does, but I can¡¯t test much without being able to use magic.¡±


    ¡°Why not ask your pair for help?¡± Caleb questioned.


    ¡°I want to keep this as much of a secret as possible,¡± Keane admitted, ¡°You seemed like the best person to turn to in this situation. We won¡¯t have much free time left after today.¡±


    Caleb nodded as he continued to examine the magical eyepatch before him. ¡°I can test it now. I already know some of what it can do. Did you want me to write out my report or just tell you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not leave a paper trail,¡± Keane decided, ¡°The less we risk the better.¡±


    It was unlike Keane to be this uptight about something even if he was naturally secretive. Whatever this thing was, it must have connections to something important. Caleb began to examine its magic right away.


    The answer was, it did a lot. However, everything it did had a particular theme. ¡°What kind of monster are you planning to use this thing to bind?¡± Caleb demanded, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something so complex like this before. Concealment, containment, control. It even feeds on the magic of whoever wears it to make sure it never runs out. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you told me this was made to seal a demon.¡±


    Keane frowned as he heard the report. ¡°You might have to meet him in person to discuss this,¡± he muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know the right questions to ask you or what he wants to use it for.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Caleb asked with some trepidation.


    ¡°Alois, the headmaster¡¯s apprentice.¡±

 15: Secret of the Eyepatch

    Orientation was shorter than Cassandra had expected. After finishing off signing up for classes they had the option to join a tour or simply enjoy the rest of their day. Cassandra had already spent the day before exploring, and the rulebook came with a map. Besides, the tour involved all courses and she had already heard a sparkly fae Heart was going to be joining. She had enough to think about without Maximus at the moment.


    What she really wanted to do was visit that fox again, but it seemed wrong to bother it without some sort of offering. That was how Cassandra ended up in the special library on the fourth floor for apprentices. The immaculate and extensive library reminded her in full force of the special treatment apprentices received. Then again, once someone gained an apprenticeship they were practically royalty so it made sense.


    Just to be sure she had a wide range of material to work from, Cassandra made sure to choose books on regular foxes, magical foxes, and records of the first archmage and his own fox. The records on Yuki were scarce, but Cassandra found herself taken in by the tales of the founding archmage instead. She took her collection of books to a cozy looking nook complete with a fireplace and let herself sink fully into the first book of her collection, ¡®Rumors and Particulars of the Founding Archmage¡¯.


    It was certainly an enjoyable read, but rumors had definitely been an apt title. Most of the stories explored in the book were ridiculous. The few that mentioned his fox, Yuki, were even more so. The most believable being that Yuki was secretly the archmage, and the least involved the fox being a world destroying, man-eating monster. However, there was one common thread in all of these mentions of both the first archmage and the fox. They loved cozy things and sleeping.


    Perhaps she could find a nice cozy pillow to turn into a fox bed? She would have to have it enchanted against dirt or weather, though, and that would take quite some time. For the time being, she should look for a more realistic gift. Next Cassandra looked through the fox portion of the almanac of magical creatures.


    This proved to be more informative as there was a whole page on Yuki, though the almanac listed him as if he were his own species of fox. Nothing else like him had ever been seen. Cassandra had to agree that none of the other magical foxes in the book looked anything like the fox she had found in the center of that maze. They were either too large, too colorful, or even too aggressive in traits. Not a single one could be found peacefully sleeping under a weeping willow tree.


    Could it be that it was an ordinary fox after all? Cassandra found it hard to believe that it could be the same species as the mysterious Yuki. Surely another one would have been discovered by now if they just slept out in the open. This was somewhat disappointing, but Cassandra turned to the book on normal foxes to see what she could learn about a fox¡¯s diet.


    The door to the library suddenly burst open and Cassandra heard a few people enter. She couldn¡¯t see them because of the bookshelves blocking the view of the reading nook she had found. However, this meant that whoever they were could not see her either. She was about to reveal her presence when a voice she recognized spoke.


    ¡°Alois, is this really a secure place to talk?¡± Keane questioned, ¡°Who knows what might be hiding in these bookshelves.¡±


    ¡°No apprentice is going to spend their precious time in the library this early in the year,¡± Alois assured, ¡°The library here is special. The whole room is completely soundproof so no one will be able to follow us and eavesdrop from outside.¡±


    What about someone who was peacefully reading inside before they barged in? Cassandra felt less and less like revealing her presence as they spoke. It might be for the best to just wait for them to finish and leave and pretend she never heard anything in the first place. With that in mind, Cassandra turned back to her book and tried her best to ignore them. However, that instantly became impossible when she heard the third voice speak.


    ¡°Can you explain what is going on now?¡± Caleb demanded, ¡°What was that eyepatch? Why does it have such powerful restraint magic in it? Are you trying to seal a demon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Alois scoffed, ¡°Demons don¡¯t exist in Tethia, and no one would be stupid enough to summon one. The thing I am trying to seal might be worse than a demon.¡±


    ¡°Did the headmaster set you on this mission?¡± Keane asked. He tried to play it off as simply curiosity, but Cassandra could hear the sharpness in his tone.


    Alois sighed. ¡°No. He doesn¡¯t know about it, and it would be better if it stayed that way,¡± he refuted, ¡°This is a personal problem.¡±


    ¡°If you want our help you are going to have to explain what is going on,¡± Caleb told him, his own voice threatening and grave.


    Should she reveal herself after all? Cassandra couldn¡¯t shake the feeling she was about to hear an extremely personal and private story. Better yet, was there a way to leave the library, or at least earshot without them noticing? She looked down at the mess of books around her. There was no way they would miss the sound of fluttering pages in this charged silence and she had no confidence in being able to silently set them aside.


    Using magic also wouldn¡¯t work because she was sure that between Keane and Caleb they would be able to sense it in an instant. Keane especially gave off the impression of magic sensitivity. Cassandra didn¡¯t really know much about Alois, but it certainly seemed like she was about to.


    Alois gave up on his silence just as Cassandra gave up on escaping the situation. ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t know why that is in the form of an eyepatch,¡± he admitted, ¡°But it is the best shot I have of sealing an illegal and dangerous artifact my family has been hiding for generations. I have to take care of this before I graduate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only your second year,¡± Keane pointed out, ¡°Why the rush?¡±


    ¡°You know Nobility has never been a set number of years,¡± Alois replied, ¡°You graduate when whoever you are apprenticed to says you are ready. I am the apprentice of the headmaster and he has the opportunity to observe my progress up close and personal. I need to take whatever chance I can get.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Just like Maximus, it seemed that Alois regretted his apprenticeship. Cassandra was glad she had taken Ophelia¡¯s advice to wait and think things through. Rosalind had been excellent to be apprenticed to so far. She represented the balance and partnership between queen and archmage that Cassandra had always looked up to. She was trying her best to pretend she didn¡¯t hear anything about ancient illegal artifacts being deliberately hidden. Alois already seemed to have a plan to take care of things as well.


    The problem was, Cassandra had been writing Princess Rosalind reports on various artifacts and magic tools ever since she became her apprentice. She had also been researching the laws about reporting and hiding artifacts. Could she really just stand by after she heard Alois actively admit to his family breaking those laws to hide a potential danger? If things took a turn for the worst it could be taken as treason against Tethia.


    ¡°How exactly are you going to use an eyepatch to seal it?¡± Caleb questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alois admitted.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the person you got it from?¡± Keane suggested.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Alois said with a sigh, ¡°I was given this by someone I have never met, and they don¡¯t know they gave it to me yet.¡±


    ¡°So you stole it,¡± Caleb surmised.


    Cassandra barely held back a surprised laugh from the deadpan statement and the flustered noises Alois made as he tried to explain something he could not really explain. If he had gotten it from someone he hadn¡¯t met and who didn¡¯t know him could it be a summon?


    The nature of summoning magic had always been an unusual concept to understand. There were local summons which brought powerful beings or monsters that already existed in the world to the summoner. This was the most common and easier type of summoning magic. However, powerful summoners could summon beings from other worlds. When a being came from another world things became a bit strange.


    The main reason for this oddness was the way it messed with the concept of time. Time in the same world was constant and linear, but time was not connected in the same way to another. In fact, time was not connected at all. A summon that you summoned for the first time could be older than the next time you summoned them and remember nothing. This gave summoners the unique experience of being able to know snippets of their own futures if they were able to communicate with those summons.


    Then again, if it was just a gift from a summon, Alois would have been able to explain that rather than feel any need to become uncomfortably flustered. Would stealing an odd eyepatch artifact be considered a greater or lesser offense to hiding a dangerous artifact for generations? Did the nature of both crimes change if one was perpetrated to prevent the other? There was also the matter of provability.


    ¡°Forget about where it came from,¡± Alois finally huffed, ¡°I just need to know if this eyepatch could seal an artifact that can absorb anything.¡±


    ¡°It depends on which one is stronger,¡± Caleb replied after some time to consider, ¡°If the eyepatch is absorbed before it can seal it, everything will be for nothing. Is there any way to delay or control this artifact?¡±


    ¡°There might be, but it will be dangerous,¡± Alois replied.


    By this point, Cassandra¡¯s legs were starting to fall asleep under the heavy tomes. Did it really matter if they found out she was there? At this point it was impossible for her to not get involved with whatever this was anyway. She slammed the book on her lap shut and set it to the side as the three boys scrambled to find where the noise came from. In a few moments they had joined her in the reading nook.


    ¡°Hello, gentlemen,¡± she told them, ¡°Shall we talk about your use of the apprentice¡¯s exclusive library as a secret meeting place?¡±


    ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Alois asked. Perhaps he was trying to sound threatening but his confusion and surprise won out.


    ¡°Since I finished orientation,¡± Cassandra replied.


    Caleb looked over the books she had collected and nodded in understanding. ¡°Are you looking for a fox?¡±


    ¡°I was, before I was interrupted,¡± she answered, taking the opportunity to stretch, ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say anything, but the contents of your discussion were hard to ignore.¡±


    Alois ran a hand through his long crimson hair in frustration. ¡°What can I do to convince you to keep this from Princess Rosalind?¡± he asked, ¡°If I succeed, Tethia will be better off, and if I fail you can tell whoever you want and destroy what is left of my family as you please.¡±


    In other words, he wasn¡¯t in on whatever his family was planning with that illegal artifact. ¡°How about you finish what you were going to say earlier,¡± Cassandra decided, ¡°How can the artifact be controlled and why would it be dangerous?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t pleasant,¡± Alois warned, ¡°My family¡¯s records state that the artifact can be controlled for a time after it is given a sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°What kind of sacrifice?¡± Cassandra questioned.


    For some reason, Alois seemed taken aback. ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered trying other kinds of sacrifices,¡± he admitted, ¡°but it will still be dangerous.¡±


    Cassandra scowled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were planning to sacrifice yourself to that thing for no reason!¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± he denied, but his guilty expression gave away his intentions. If not himself, he must have been planning to use one of his enemies as a sacrifice instead.


    ¡°That is murder,¡± Cassandra reminded him, ¡°And the artifact should be reported before anyone resorts to that.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Alois surrendered, even holding up his hands, ¡°Actually, I have another idea. What if I only need to sacrifice part of myself? After all, this thing is called the Raven¡¯s Eye and I happen to have a pretty nifty eyepatch.¡±


    ==========


    The years went by so quickly, it was hard to believe it was already orientation day again. Osmond closed his eyes for a moment to reminisce about his own first experience with orientation. That was the first time he had summoned her. She had been beautiful from the moment Osmond had first met her, and she remained beautiful no matter how many times he summoned her.


    Every year on orientation day, he always made sure to summon her in the safest and most special place to ask her if she had any news he needed to prepare himself for that year. These conversations were what was expected of a headmaster with a sentient summon from another world. Hopefully this year as well she would have nothing of consequence to tell him. He did not want their rare conversations to turn into work.


    It only took a few moments for Osmond to find his way through the blackstone maze to the arch the founding headmaster had left them. It was far less showy than the arch he could summon which made it more convenient for secret meetings. Osmond paused as he saw something white move from the corner of his eye, but when he turned to look, there was nothing there. Not even a single bird or squirrel had ever dared to enter this space.


    He pushed the nonexistent white animal out of his mind and stepped into the Pavilion of Eternal Dusk. The endless purple skies greeted him as Osmond relaxed. Perhaps it was only natural that the headmaster should consider this place a second home. Maybe she considered it hers as well?


    ¡°Michelle,¡± he called, his voice echoing softly in eternally empty space.


    As he spoke her name, the summoning magic triggered and a second person appeared in the pavilion. She was wearing the same odd clothing as usual, but it seemed she was slightly older than last time. Her mousy brown hair was frizzy with bedhead and she looked around with deep confusion.


    ¡°Oh! Ozzie!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s been ages! I missed you. Are you here to tell me stories again today?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he confirmed and made a bench rise from the floor of the pavilion for them to sit on. It was for the best that she never knew the stories he told were real. He didn¡¯t want to put the pressure on her of relying on her for snippets of the future.


    As he talked about the latest promising stars among the students he eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Cassandra is here now?¡± she asked, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet her! Has she met all of her friends yet? Does your apprentice have his eyepatch now?¡±


    There went the idea of everything being a story. ¡°You are going to meet Cassandra and my apprentice?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± she said, ¡°Cassandra, Alois, Keane, Maximus, and even that grumpy Caleb are the heroes of Tethia. There was also the adorable Autumn and the studious Wayde. I know you aren¡¯t supposed to choose favorites among heroes but Cassandra always gives me cookies and Autumn always lets me pet his cute little head.¡±


    Osmond was bewildered. Why was his summon so familiar with a group of new students? His apprentice was one thing, but he knew very well that the boy¡¯s secrets and weaknesses made him no hero. Unless this all had everything to do with the eyepatch she mentioned. He would have to keep a closer eye on the boy.

 16: Classes Begin

    Somehow the three of them managed to convince Alois to wait before doing anything as rash as sacrificing his eyes. Just to be sure, Keane confiscated the eyepatch. He wouldn¡¯t be doing anything until they had a proper plan. With that crisis over, Cassandra was able to return her focus to foxes and school.


    She returned to her room with the final book she hadn¡¯t had a chance to read and double checked to make sure everything was ready for classes to start the next day. Luckily it seemed the schedule and map had been delivered while she was out. Her self defense class was first, starting at the third morning bell. Next she would go right into politics and etiquette before getting to relax with the cooking class she had chosen. There was a two hour rest for lunch, leaving her afternoon packed with magic.


    It seemed the hardest thing about her new schedule would be adjusting to the bell system. Hopefully she wouldn¡¯t sleep through the first bell and set off her count. She also needed to set aside some time to deal with eyepatches and check on the white fox in the maze. Cassandra had always known the path she chose for her future would mean getting involved in dangerous things. She just hadn¡¯t expected it to start so soon.


    Despite her concerns, Cassandra was woken by the first bell just like the day before. She dressed and ate an early breakfast, saving some leftovers to offer to the white fox. Her research had shown her that foxes were omnivorous and could eat most things. Still, it was probably best not to give them cookies so she had saved sausage and fruit instead.


    Cassandra hurried to the maze before the second bell tolled. She had no way of knowing when next she would have a chance to slip away. The fox was sleeping peacefully under the weeping willow, just like the morning before. This time, Cassandra cautiously approached and set a small dish with the sausage and fruit at the edge of the branches. For the first time, the fox opened its eyes and looked at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Cassandra promised, ¡°I just thought you might enjoy a snack.¡±


    The fox continued to watch her in silence as she slowly backed away. Was this not a wild fox after all? It seemed so calm and tame. However, it also seemed to have no interest in the food she offered.


    ¡°You really do look just like Yuki,¡± she told it, ¡°Perhaps he was named for his beautiful white fur. Are you his family?¡±


    The fox tilted its head at her question, keeping its eyes locked on her. Was she really expecting an answer from a fox? Still, she continued to talk to it.


    ¡°Do you mind if I call you Yuki, then?¡± Cassandra asked.


    Another few seconds of watchful silence passed, then the fox let out a wide yawn showing off all of its very pointy teeth. Should she take that as permission? Perhaps it was wrong to name a random white fox after the founding archmage¡¯s beloved pet, but the name suited it so perfectly.


    The second morning bell tolled and Cassandra quickly turned to leave. ¡°You can eat that food whenever you want, Yuki,¡± she called back to the fox.


    Cassandra showed up to her first class a bit early, with only a couple others arriving before her. The first was a familiar face, Rena. The second was also familiar, but a bit of a surprise. Wayde? What was a Heart doing in a self defense class that prioritized hidden weapons? Wayde must have selected this as one of his additional classes. The giant was already busy examining the worn practice weapons displayed on the rack.


    The range of weapons was greater than Cassandra had expected. There were the hidden knives and daggers that she naturally thought of when hidden weapons came to mind, but there were also a wide variety of easily disguised things. There were darts, tiny spiked balls, and thin chains that looked like those used in jewelry. What Wayde was looking at were the rings. Cassandra was both excited and nervous to learn how those things could be used for self defense.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The rest of the students arrived and the teacher came in shortly after. Even though their training hall was indoors, the space was plenty wide for all of them to spread out. The teacher was a male rabbitkin who looked far more exhausted than any of the students even though this was his first class of the day.


    ¡°If you have come here looking for exercises to help you grow stronger you are in the wrong place,¡± he warned them, ¡°This class is all about teaching you the techniques to save your life in a pinch. Remember, survive. Survival and safety are different things. Every last one of the techniques you will learn in this class are last resorts, the majority of which are designed to take lives. Let me know now if you would like to transfer to swordsmanship or martial arts.¡±


    There was a shocked silence at his words, but Cassandra was actually relieved. Things like this were important to know, but she didn¡¯t think she was cut out for actual combat. The rest of the class was spent explaining the basis of self defense and what situations it was appropriate to use the techniques taught in this class to defend yourself.


    Etiquette was easier than Cassandra expected, but politics was full of complexities. It was like history and international affairs hid behind etiquette like a knife behind one¡¯s back. With that strange analogy, Cassandra was convinced she had become too influenced by the hidden weapons class.


    Culinary Therapeutics was as relaxing as its name implied. The teacher there mostly went over the basics of the course as well, but she demonstrated over the fire and cutting board as she did so. From scents to foods that affect the body and mind, this class was meant to teach the students how to relax and heal themselves and others. Autumn had joined this one, as had Keane. Keane seemed most interested in the medical potential of the class.


    After a busy two hour break where Cassandra met up with many of her new classmates and discussed the morning classes, it was finally time to delve into magic. The very first class broached a subject that Cassandra had been anticipating with both excitement and concern. Summoning magic. Rather than the basic overview that most of the others had opted for, this teacher got right into it.


    ¡°I know all of you are eager to give summoning a try so I have prepared a stage for you to do it where I can watch you,¡± she said. She was a blue haired elf who looked remarkably similar to the scatterbrained Iris, but the aura with which she carried herself couldn¡¯t have been more different. She directed that each of the students would take turns attempting to summon something with her help.


    Cassandra watched as the students summoned various magical creatures, mostly in the form of small animals. Autumn summoned a large cream colored feline whose fur almost exactly matched his own. With those large paws and tufted ears, it reminded Cassandra of a lynx. Caleb supponed a hawk with mysteriously glowing white tipped feathers. Rena summoned what appeared to be a hedgehog. Not quite a porcupine, at least.


    Then it was Cassandra¡¯s turn. The teacher directed her to the stage and carefully guided her magic to help with her first summoning. ¡°Just think of summoning the being that best represents you,¡± she instructed. Is that what she had instructed everyone else?


    The being that best represented her? Was she supposed to imagine something specific or just keep hold of the vague idea? Something magical would be cool, since she loved magic so much. Maybe it would glow like Caleb¡¯s, or maybe it would defy gravity and float. As she thought, she began to sense that something felt wrong. Despite the expert direction, the magic wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    The teacher frowned. ¡°Cassandra, have you made a contract with a summon before now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No. I am pretty sure I would remember that,¡± Cassandra replied, now even more concerned.


    ¡°That is unfortunate. It might be best for you to drop this class. Summoning magic is beyond you,¡± she advised.


    Those words stung far more than she should. Summoning magic was just a small aspect of magic, one that Cassandra had previously been skeptical of. Was there any chance at all she had made a contract with any summon? ¡°How is a contract with a summon made?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A contract with a summon is made when a summon agrees to give you their name, or agrees with a name that you give it,¡± she explained, ¡°But you must be careful when making that contract. Once you contract a summon it will be difficult for you to summon anything else.¡±


    Cassandra got an odd feeling. ¡°Is it possible to contract something you didn¡¯t summon?¡± she asked, ¡°I actually named a fox this morning.¡±


    ¡°A fox?¡± the teacher asked with a frown and considered, ¡°There is only one way to find out. Try to summon it by calling its name.¡±


    Just like that? Cassandra felt far more nervous now than she had during the entrance exam. What if Yuki started to hate her after she dragged him into this crowd out of nowhere? What if he was sleeping? Still, she had to try.


    ¡°Yuki,¡± she whispered, unable to make her voice work properly from the nerves.


    This time she felt the magic that had stagnated earlier pull through and the white fox appeared at her feet. Yuki was standing. It was probably the first time Cassandra had ever seen him standing. The fox silently locked eyes with her and tapped its paw on the ground. She felt another light pull of magic and the dish she had left in the maze earlier appeared where it tapped, empty.


    Had he eaten the snacks she had offered. ¡°Yuki, did you-?¡± Before Cassandra could even finish her question the fox disappeared again.


    ¡°It looks like your contract is unstable,¡± the teacher told her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This class is all about improving things like that. Antisocial summons like that are best summoned in private.¡±


    Antisocial was definitely a word that fit Yuki well. Why else would he sleep in a maze no one else seemed to enter?

 17: A Night Adventure

    Almost the moment classes ended, Alois ambushed Cassandra and dragged her to the fourth floor library. He seemed far more desperate than he had been the night before, but at least this time he did a quick check inside the room before he spoke.


    ¡°You have to convince Keane to give me the eyepatch back,¡± he pleaded, ¡°That stupid family of mine has gotten themselves involved in something truly dangerous this time and we can¡¯t sit around waiting for proof.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°Are they trying to use the illegal artifact?¡±


    ¡°Worse,¡± Alois refuted, ¡°I caught wind of an attempt to sell it. Not only that, the headmaster said something strange to me last night.¡±


    Cassandra got the feeling that Alois was far more concerned about the second. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He wanted to know if I had any plans to acquire an eyepatch in the near future,¡± he answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to answer him at the time.¡±


    ¡°So he knows,¡± Cassandra surmised, ¡°and he isn¡¯t stopping you. Alright. I will convince Keane.¡±


    ¡°That easily?¡± Alois asked with uncertainty.


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    Alois flashed an instant smile, although completely fake. ¡°Of course not. Please follow me. I will take you to him.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been bothering him this whole time, have you?¡± Cassandra questioned with suspicion.


    ¡°I left him alone during classes,¡± Alois assured her.


    That wasn¡¯t very reassuring. Hopefully this wouldn¡¯t make her job of convincing Keane too much more difficult. Her previous interactions with him had been somewhat awkward as it was. Why was Alois so confident Keane would listen to her in the first place? The answer became apparent once they arrived at their destination.


    Keane saw Cassandra and fixed Alois with a judgemental stare. ¡°I know I told you I would give it back if you convinced Cassandra, but did you really have to drag her here right after class?¡±


    ¡°I hate to admit it, but his reasoning is sound. This is a risk we need to take,¡± Cassandra told Keane, ¡°We don¡¯t have time to get proof. Not only that, the headmaster seems to know everything, but he is turning a blind eye.¡±


    ¡°He knows? I suppose that isn¡¯t too unexpected,¡± Keane noted.


    Alois hadn¡¯t told him? Had he saved all of his information for her, or had his conversation with Keane taken place before the one with Osmond? There were still some small problems with this plan, though. She didn¡¯t know where the artifact was or how they would get there and back without anyone noticing.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Can you hand it over now?¡± Alois butted in impatiently.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go alone, so I will hold onto it,¡± Keane told Alois stubbornly, ¡°We need a plan before we move out.¡±


    ¡°Where is this artifact, anyway?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°How do you plan on getting there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Alois assured them, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember how we got here? I am the headmaster¡¯s apprentice.¡±


    Was he referring to the Pavilion? Was that why they had called it the Path of Dusk? Using the headmaster¡¯s artifact for instant travel was actually quite clever. ¡°Does that mean you can summon the arch?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, but there is one already in the center of the labyrinth campass,¡± Alois explained, ¡°It is a lot more subtle that way too.¡±


    Cassandra recalled the loud rumbling from her first introduction to the arch and had to agree. That would draw far too much attention. However, she couldn¡¯t help but be nervous for another reason. What would Alois do when he saw Yuki? What if Yuki wasn¡¯t supposed to be there? If Yuki was there all the time, it was also possible Alois already knew about him. Maybe it was best she didn¡¯t mention it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get Caleb,¡± Keane said, ¡°We need his input as well for this.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Alois agreed begrudgingly, ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the maze.¡±


    ¡°After dinner,¡± Cassandra pressed, ¡°There is no point doing this on an empty stomach and the area will be too busy if we go earlier.¡±


    Again, Alois had no choice but to agree and their impromptu meeting came to an end. With some time to herself, Cassandra¡¯s mind cleared a bit and the whole situation started to seem a lot less urgent. She had to consider the possibility that Alois was lying and this was a trap. The headmaster loved testing people when they least expected it.


    After thinking it through a bit more, Cassandra decided the best move she could make was to stay behind and keep watch of the arch. It didn¡¯t make sense for all of them to try to sneak into the place where a forbidden artifact was kept. In situations like that, the less people doing the sneaking, the better.


    Cassandra made sure she finished everything else she needed to do for the day before dinner, and she ended up eating less than usual due to nerves. Was Osmond the kind of man who would test students in this way when Nobility just began? Probably. Was there a possibility this was not a test at all but an actual threat? There was, and she couldn¡¯t afford to ignore that either.


    When she arrived at the maze for their meeting, she had prepared herself fully for both possibilities. Alois was already there, waiting impatiently, and Keane arrived with Caleb a little bit later. As soon as everyone had arrived, Alois took them all deeper into the maze.


    ¡°The arch is in the center,¡± he told them, ¡°We need to move quickly.¡±


    ¡°What is the plan?¡± Caleb pressed, ¡°We can¡¯t just go marching in, even if we can instant travel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing stealth magic for moments like this,¡± Alois replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can cover anyone else, though.¡±


    ¡°I will be staying behind to watch the arch,¡± Cassandra spoke up, ¡°If we all go through it¡¯s like asking to get caught or compromised.¡±


    ¡°I will do the same on the other side,¡± Keane agreed, ¡°The escape route is important.¡±


    ¡°I need to see the artifact,¡± Caleb said, ¡°That is the only way I will be able to know how to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Since it is my family and my problem, I will be the one to seal it,¡± Alois confirmed, ¡°That is why you should hand over the eyepatch now.¡±


    This time Keane willingly handed over the small enchanted cloth. As everyone agreed on their roles they reached the center of the maze. Cassandra did a quick look around but saw no sign of her white fox friend under the willow or anywhere else. He might be hiding in the shadows cast by the setting sun. Night had begun to fall.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± Alois said and approached the empty archway to activate it, ¡°I promise I will repay all of you for your help tonight if I survive this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better survive,¡± Keane threatened, ¡°You have promises to keep.¡±


    The pavilion rippled into existence through the deep purple mist of the archway and the three boys stepped through. Now all she needed to do was hope, wait, and stop anyone from closing the way from this side. Alois couldn¡¯t summon the Pavilion yet so if this path was closed, they would be stranded wherever they were.


    Watching an arch in an empty garden during the silence of night quickly became boring no matter how mesmerizing the scene was to watch. How long would it take to pull this off? They couldn¡¯t rush, though. Their lives, or at least Alois¡¯s life, was at stake. Was there anything else she could do while she waited? At the very least, she could sit down.


    Cassandra settled against the trunk of Yuki¡¯s favorite willow tree facing the arch. Maybe sitting down had been a bad idea. She quickly began to feel drowsy. Suddenly something warm touched her hand, startling her wide awake. She quickly looked to her hand to see that Yuki had returned and decided to use her hand that was resting on the ground as a pillow.


    ¡°Yuki?¡± she whispered, staring at the unresponsive, sleeping fox. At least he still seemed to like her despite being dragged in front of a crowd. Some company might actually be nice for her night watch duty. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    His only response was a little ear twitch.

 18: The Ravens Eye

    Alois had been anticipating and dreading this day ever since he had returned to the past. He could still remember every painstaking detail about that day. The cold brick walls of that cellar. The secret key his father had used to open the hidden passage. Most of all, he could remember the Raven¡¯s Eye. It was as if it had been watching him always from the moment he left.


    He had stolen the key long ago and made his own copy, returning the original so his father wouldn¡¯t notice. Alois had also carefully memorized the path to the cellar so he could slip in at any time he wanted without being noticed. His family¡¯s defenses had never been his concern. What he was most concerned about was the Eye itself.


    Perhaps it was because he remembered that cellar so well, the archway opened the way into that very cellar for them. It was almost disappointing that all of the preparations he had made to sneak inside had been for nothing, but it was far easier this way.


    ¡°We are right outside the secret passage,¡± Alois informed Keane and Caleb, ¡°Keane, would you be able to disguise the arch if anyone comes down here to search for merchandise?¡±


    ¡°I can think of something,¡± Keane assured, ¡°but it would be better if the cellar door jammed so no one can come down while we are here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. They protected the entire estate from magical jamming or unlocking, for that matter,¡± Alois told him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t use magic, so that won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Keane reminded, ¡°Autumn is too far away right now.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Alois backtracked with a slight wince, ¡°You are so good with magic and magical theory it¡¯s easy to forget¡­¡±


    Keane shrugged, seeming completely unbothered by his words. ¡°Get going. We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡±


    Alois quickly dug the key out of his pocket and felt the bricks on the far wall until he found it. This was it. The moment he had been fighting for. The fight he needed to finish no matter what. He could not afford to turn back now no matter how much he wanted to. The key slipped into the hidden lock with a soft click, and the way slid open.


    ¡°It¡¯s through here,¡± he told Caleb, ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t touch it. That¡¯s how I- How people were sacrificed to it before.¡±


    Caleb nodded gravely and carefully stepped into the passage. Alois followed closely behind, ready to pull him back at the first sign of anything going wrong. Before he even saw it, Alois could feel the greedy pull pulsing through the atmosphere. It felt familiar and deadly.


    The Eye itself was smaller than he remembered, though it still rested on the very same pedestal. The eerie glow disgustingly similar to the aura of the Pavilion was also the same, as if the Pavilion¡¯s endless skies of dusk had been captured in a perfectly smooth miniature globe.


    For a moment, Caleb seemed entranced by the sight causing Alois to tightly grasp his arm. They shared a glance before Caleb nodded and stepped back into the passage. It was safer there than in the room itself.


    ¡°It seems to have a mind, and a will of its own,¡± Caleb told Alois, ¡°It can think, it can plan, and it can remember. I don¡¯t know how smart it is, but our best option may be negotiation. Like you said, touching the Raven¡¯s Eye is certain death.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Negotiate? How do we communicate with something we have no way of understanding?¡± Alois asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand it,¡± Caleb agreed, ¡°but I get the feeling you can. From the moment we entered the passage you have been reacting to the most subtle of magical waves sent out by this thing. It¡¯s like you are bonded with it. Perhaps it is a trait passed down through your family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Alois denied, and nervously ran a hand through his hair. He would have to tell him the truth. Keeping the secret wasn¡¯t worth risking both of their lives here, and Caleb might be able to use the knowledge to come up with a solution. ¡°Earlier, you wanted to know where I got the eyepatch, and how I know so much about the Eye.¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± Caleb confirmed, ¡°Did you want to go back and meet with Keane?¡±


    ¡°No. The less people who know the truth the better,¡± Alois denied, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even tell you if it weren¡¯t for the situation.¡±


    Caleb glanced back but nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°It may be hard for you to believe, but I have already died once and returned to the past,¡± Alois explained, watching for any signs that Caleb doubted him, ¡°Right after I received that eyepatch as a gift, my father sacrificed me to the Raven¡¯s Eye. The eyepatch is the only thing that returned to the past with me.¡±


    ¡°That explains a lot,¡± Caleb considered, ¡°In that case, is it possible that the Eye returned with you?¡±


    Alois hadn¡¯t considered that possibility. In that case, Caleb¡¯s theory about him being linked or bonded to that thing wasn''t too far-fetched. If he succeeded at sealing it tonight, it might become even more of a reality. Still, it was surprising that Caleb accepted his story so readily. Was he gullible or did he have some method to be confident of the truth?


    ¡°It might be possible,¡± Alois finally answered, ¡°Does it change things if it did?¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Caleb confirmed, ¡°If your story is true, I know just how to negotiate. After all, you already sacrificed yourself to it once. It is time for the Eye to hold its end of the bargain.¡±


    A strong pulse flew from the Eye that Alois could only translate as anger. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Alois demanded, ¡°Or is it because you know about this?¡± He held out the eyepatch.


    He felt as if the eye was cringing back away from the eyepatch. It felt threatened. This was good. Now that he felt he was in control of the situation, Alois was able to return to thinking like a merchant. Right now, the thing he was dealing with was the personification of greed. The thing greedy people liked most was being showered with gifts, but this thing had been locked in a secret cellar for ages.


    ¡°How about this,¡± Alois offered with a smile, ¡°Become part of me and let me partially seal you. In return, I will give you one of my eyes. An eye for an eye, after all.¡± He felt a sense of dissatisfaction from it and held up his hand. ¡°Did you think I would stop there? Of course not. I am the future Headmaster of Tethia. If you become one with me, we will be showered with gifts suiting our position. Not to mention those I happen to obtain.¡±


    For the first time the Eye shone with pure greed as Alois held out two things to it. The key that opened this passage, and one of the treasures he had snagged from the cellar on the way. Just as he had suspected, the greed was boundless and unrefined. This thing would take anything offered to it.


    ¡°Why did you offer it your eye?¡± Caleb hissed.


    ¡°Convenience?¡± Alois replied, ¡°How else am I meant to use this eyepatch?¡±


    Before Caleb could argue any further, the intense glow of the marble changed to match the color of Alois¡¯ own eyes as it launched itself from the pedestal. Alois only had enough time to see the thing flying straight for his face before he felt a searing pain in his left eye and lost consciousness.


    ==========


    Cassandra leapt to her feet when the boys returned through the archway. Keane and Caleb were both supporting an unconscious Alois with the eyepatch haphazardly strapped onto his left eye. His face was pale, and the eye that was not covered by the eyepatch was leaking tears.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, doing her best to help them.


    ¡°We succeeded,¡± Caleb said, ¡°but this idiot sacrificed his eye for convenience. At least that is the reason he gave me.¡±


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Keane muttered.


    They succeeded, but Alois still sacrificed his eye. Caleb seemed to think there was no reason for it. Should she have gone with them after all? She glanced down to check on Yuki only to find he had vanished again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get him to bed at least,¡± Cassandra decided, ¡°Do either of you know where his room is?¡±


    ¡°I can take him there with Caleb,¡± Keane assured, ¡°You should go back to your room so you don¡¯t get any further involved.¡±


    Right, she was never meant to be involved from the beginning. She was just an unwelcome eavesdropper. Now that the crisis was over, it was time to keep her distance. Cassandra should be the one frustrated that this took away from her bonding time with Yuki. Her own thoughts seemed empty in her head.

 19: The Headmasters Summon

    After everything that had happened the night before, Cassandra was happy to finally be able to focus on normal things like her classes. Now that it was the second day, classes began in earnest leaving Cassandra little time to think about anything else. Her first class in particular left her feeling exhausted. She even found herself relieved to delve into the complexities of etiquette and politics.


    Cassandra now understood perfectly why the midday break was two hours rather than one. At least there wasn¡¯t homework to worry about. Perhaps that was just a concept from her previous life. Hopefully no one would be foolish enough to introduce it here. One rejuvenating lunch later, with a side of cookies, Cassandra was ready to tackle her magic classes. Would she be asked to summon Yuki again?


    Luckily this class went over the theory and consequences of contracting summons. Summons would still be their own beings at the end of the day, so they would only listen to their summoner if they wanted to. That was why it was recommended to be particularly close to one summon rather than taking the risk to summon something new in a pinch.


    The teacher warned against telling the name of your summon to others. There was always the chance they might be able to summon it as well. There were the rare magical beings that only answered to someone they acknowledged as their partner. This was why she also warned against attempting to summon someone else¡¯s summon. There were plenty of cases where the summon had become angry and volatile.


    Cassandra had actually begun to wonder if Yuki was not the first archmage¡¯s pet, but his summon. Perhaps that was why she was able to summon him by name but he seemed to have no particular attachment to her. Time was different for summons from other worlds, but that didn¡¯t explain how Cassandra had met him in the maze.


    The remainder of her magic classes contained a lot more practice and a lot less mind boggling mysteries. Cassandra was able to relax a little, but she still wanted a nap once they were done. At long last, her day of classes ended and she headed straight to her room stretching her arms along the way.


    When she got to the third floor hallway she saw someone waiting right where her door was. It was one of the personal servants of the headmaster. Was this about the night before? Once she got closer, the servant locked eyes with her.


    ¡°Cassandra Tear, Headmaster Osmond has called for you,¡± she announced, ¡°If you would allow me, I will guide you there.¡±


    Cassandra got the feeling that refusing was not an option, but did at least drop her things off inside her room first. ¡°Lead the way,¡± she replied. Was that the correct response for a student addressing the headmaster¡¯s close servant?


    As they walked, the path began to feel suspiciously familiar. Were they heading to the labyrinth? Did he intend to interrogate her at the scene of the crime? She did note that the servant took her down a different path then she usually followed, but they still made it to the center. That must mean there were multiple paths. At least she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting lost.


    There was more than just the headmaster waiting by the archway. Cassandra recognized all of the students, each brought by their own servant. There was Alois. He looked much better than the night before and was wearing his new eyepatch properly. Caleb and Keane were also there. However, that was not all. Maximus, Wayde, and Autumn were present as well. Was this not about their night adventure?


    Osmond waved his hand and all of the servants quickly left the maze, leaving them alone with the headmaster. There was an awkward silence as they wanted to find out why he had called them there. Out of all of them, Alois seemed particularly tense.


    ¡°I have gathered you here due to a rather unique situation,¡± Osmond began, ¡°My summon has requested to meet all of you.¡±


    His summon? It wasn¡¯t surprising that the headmaster had a summon, but why would that summon want to meet them? Especially all of them so specifically. It was good that he wasn¡¯t there to reprimand them for last night, but this was nerve wracking for other reasons. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Osmond ran his hand down the pillar of the arch, summoning the entrance to the Pavilion. Before she stepped through, Cassandra did a quick glance around for Yuki. As expected, he never showed up when other people were around. Cassandra had no time to think about why that might be as she had another summon to worry about.


    Once they had all stepped through and were trapped under the endless skies at dusk, Osmond turned to face them. ¡°Before I summon her, I want you all to swear to secrecy. You will not divulge her name or appearance to anyone outside this place. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cassandra promised, hearing everyone else give similar promises. Alois did not, but Cassandra got the feeling he had met the headmaster¡¯s summon before.


    Osmond¡¯s gaze swept over them one last time before he turned to the center of the Pavilion and whispered a name. Cassandra could almost make it out. Shell something? It was probably better if she did not think too deeply about the name, especially if he wanted so badly to keep it hidden.


    Magic gathered and converged right in front of the headmaster, and it turned into a woman wearing clothes that were all too familiar to Cassandra. At least, Cassandra had never seen jeans and hoodies anywhere near Tethia before. Not to mention tennis shoes with a familiar brand logo. Her had was pulled back with one of those toothy looking hair clips, and she pulled an earbud out of her ear once she realized where she was.


    ¡°Ozzie?¡± she asked, then spotted the rest, ¡°Cassandra! It¡¯s so nice to see you! Those cookies you recommended last time were amazing¡­ You don¡¯t know me yet, do you?¡±


    Cassandra slowly shook her head. ¡°Not yet, but it seems we will become quite close in the future.¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± she replied with a bright smile, ¡°All of you lovely heroes are here. I don¡¯t suppose you would let me hug you, Autumn?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Autumn told her, drawing back, ¡°Maybe another time.¡±


    ¡°What did you mean by heroes?¡± Keane broke in, immediately locking in on the important information.


    Osmond was the one to reply this time. ¡°Last time I summoned her, she mentioned you by referring to all of you as The Heroes of Tethia,¡± he explained, ¡°Today I was hoping we could all get some answers on why that is. She even specifically mentioned Alois¡¯ eyepatch.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what that was all about,¡± Alois mumbled with a sigh, ¡°So why are we heroes, exactly?¡±


    Everyone looked to the woman who tilted her head in thought. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure,¡± she admitted, ¡°A lot of things happen and all of you are involved, but a lot of other people are also involved and they aren¡¯t called heroes.¡±


    ¡°Is there something else we all have in common?¡± Cassandra suggested.


    ¡°There was one thing,¡± she said as if realizing something, ¡°All of you have memories of another life.¡±


    ¡°Michelle?¡± Osmond asked, a bit stunned, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It means they were reborn or returned or reincarnated,¡± she explained happily, ¡°Then at some point they started to remember things about a world that doesn¡¯t exist, or one that hasn¡¯t come to pass yet. It¡¯s a popular genre I read all the time.¡±


    ¡°All of us?¡± Maximus spoke up, ¡°Does that mean everyone remembers the war with Gaia?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Alois volunteered, ¡°But I wasn¡¯t really involved.¡±


    Caleb frowned at this new information. ¡°I don¡¯t know about any wars or things that have to do with this world. The world in my memories is quite a bit different. It is something difficult to convey without the telepathy we used to communicate.¡±


    ¡°Telepathy,¡± Keane mused, ¡°A convenient and dangerous ability. You would have been sought after in the world I saw. Tethia, and even Gaia, are paradise compared to that place. There are no such things as allies when everyone is your enemy.¡±


    That left Wayde, Autumn, and herself. Cassandra already knew about Autumn but wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to share in front of the headmaster. Then an idea suddenly struck her. She turned to Michelle. ¡°Did you happen to have anything to do with a romance game about Tethia?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I did!¡± Michelle admitted proudly, ¡°It was my masterpiece! The Heroes of Tethia were the perfect leads for a fantasy school romance game.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Alois asked, seeming somewhat affronted, but not as much as Autumn.


    ¡°You mean you made me the heroine on purpose?¡± he demanded, ¡°Even though I am a boy?¡±


    ¡°The character in the game is a girl, so it¡¯s fine,¡± she assured, ¡°The game is just based on you, it isn¡¯t actually you. Besides, heroines are supposed to be cute and I can¡¯t think of anyone cuter.¡±


    Keane nodded. ¡°This is true.¡±


    Autumn melted with embarrassment as Osmond observed them. ¡°So the both of you came from the same world as Michelle,¡± he surmised.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Cassandra confirmed.


    Wayde sighed as all attention turned to him instead. ¡°I remember the war with Gaia. Maximus and I were partners in the future from my memories.¡±


    It was a bit shocking that they all remembered a future or a world that they had never seen, but how did that make them heroes? Unless it was because of their efforts to change that future. Like the fact that Alois knew far too much about that suspicious artifact or how he had received the eyepatch from someone who he had never met.


    After everyone finished explaining their past, Michelle suddenly vanished. As she did, Cassandra remembered that every word had been heard by none other than the Headmaster of Nobility. There was no way he would be keeping such vital information to himself.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Osmond said as he took in the new information, ¡°Thank you all for humoring my summon. I am sure all of you are destined to go far.¡±


    The archway reappeared, showing them the scene of the tranquil willow tree and the spring. There would be no way to avoid the change this would bring for them.

 20: Comrades in Classmates

    Even after they left the Pavilion and the maze, the group of them stayed together and found themselves gathering in the fourth floor library. There was a long pause of silence as none of them were quite sure what to say. They had just found out each other¡¯s deepest secrets and had their own revealed in front of the Headmaster of Nobility and his summon.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Maximus finally asked, looking not to the eldest, Alois, or the genius Keane, but to Cassandra.


    ¡°First, can I ask why you seem to have so much faith in me?¡± Cassandra questioned, ¡°You¡¯ve always behaved oddly from the moment we met. What kind of person was I to you in the world from your memories?¡±


    ¡°You were incredible and fearless,¡± Maximus replied, ¡°Had Tethia not fallen, I am sure you would have made a fine queen. You continued to defend your people and the artifacts even after we had lost. You defied ultimate power, and even took pity on the coward I was after Wayde fell.¡±


    What kind of crazy superhuman was he describing here? Was she supposed to live up to that kind of prophecy? It was enough pressure to be some kind of love rival in Autumn¡¯s game, but to Maximus she was some kind of hero and martyr? Cassandra already regretted asking. At least his earlier behavior made a lot more sense. He hadn¡¯t fallen for a stranger, but the one who he believed would be his future savior.


    ¡°I only remember thinking you were an excellent princess,¡± Alois comforted, or at least he tried to.


    ¡°Can we even be sure the future you all remember is the same one?¡± Keane asked, ¡°It is likely that Maximus and Wayde come from the same future, but it is always possible that there are many possible futures of Tethia that you could have been pulled from.¡±


    ¡°I never thought to check,¡± Wayde admitted.


    Cassandra hadn¡¯t either. ¡°If there are multiple instances of worlds, Autumn and I might also just be from extremely similar places.¡±


    ¡°I wish I had known you were from Earth from the beginning,¡± Autumn complained, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything when I told you about the game?¡±


    ¡°It was a rather sudden situation,¡± Cassandra reminded him.


    Caleb heaved a sigh. ¡°This is getting us absolutely nowhere,¡± he broke in, ¡°We need some time to think, and it will be easier to plan once we see what comes of this new knowledge. Let¡¯s meet up later once we know more about what is going on.¡±


    ¡°It should be easier to meet soon,¡± Alois mused, ¡°After all, I would imagine all of you will quickly find your apprenticeships now.¡±


    Autumn suddenly seemed to realize he was also included in this. ¡°How would that work with me being Keane¡¯s pair?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to be together all of the time,¡± Keane reminded, ¡°So long as we work in similar professions where we can partner often it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°How should we arrange our next meeting?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°There is no point in checking in if nothing happened yet.¡±


    ¡°We could just have some meals together,¡± Wayde suggested, ¡°It would be less odd for us to meet often if everyone believes we are friends.¡±


    With some sort of plan of action over, the group parted. Cassandra wasn¡¯t even hungry for dinner or her beloved cookies. She barely convinced herself to change her clothes before falling into bed. Hopefully, that would be the end of excitement for a while.


    It was, or at least the things that were happening were going into motion slowly enough that she couldn¡¯t feel it. In the meantime, classes continued to pick up in pace and before Cassandra knew it, half of the semester had passed. During that time, Caleb had gotten an offer of apprenticeship from Archmage Reginald himself and accepted it. Autumn had yet to accept any apprenticeships but he had grown rather close with the librarian of Nobility.


    Wayde¡¯s apprenticeship was a rather odd case. Normally a Heart would be the apprentice of a prince or a guard, but Wayde became the apprentice of the Steward of Heart. The Steward of Heart was the steward that directly served the king and his purpose. There was also a Steward of Tear, Soul, Dusk, and Sage. The Steward of Quill was just called the Royal Steward as they served as the leader of all servants.


    There had also been some progress with Yuki. Cassandra had been able to find small moments to visit him in the maze, but it became harder as classes grew in difficulty and she spent more time discussing things with her new friends. That is when Yuki began appearing in her room at bedtime and sleeping nearby. He continued to warm up to her until the fox eventually cuddled with her at night.


    Yuki still disliked crowded places and would immediately disappear as soon as anyone approached. Even when she was alone, she almost always saw Yuki sleeping. She put aside thoughts of whether or not it was normal for foxes to sleep so much since Yuki was everything but normal.


    It was right after the middle mark of the semester when all of the classes were starting to sink into a groove and become comfortable that the headmaster called all of the students to an assembly. The older students all seemed familiar with this, but they were all careful not to divulge what it was.


    As they waited for the assembly to begin, Cassandra noticed Alois being cornered by some of those older students, at least one other being a Dusk. His new eyepatch look had settled in now, and no one really asked about it anymore. He had convinced the student body it was a fashion choice with a level of practicality, weaving some tales about night vision. That very eyepatch made him look more menacing with his frown than the group of students surrounding him.


    Cassandra carefully made her way over to eavesdrop, this time on purpose. She needed to help if her comrade was in danger, after all.


    ¡°-broke the rules even if you won¡¯t admit it. Why else would you be hanging out with a perfectly set up group like that?¡±


    ¡°How will the headmaster react when he finds out his own apprentice is a cheater?¡±


    Alois scoffed. ¡°Osmond knows about everything I do. I learned the hard way that I can''t do anything without him noticing.¡±


    One of the students moved to shove him but Alois just brushed them off. ¡°Are you saying your cheating is sanctioned by the headmaster himself?!¡±


    ¡°I am saying there was no cheating. My friends know nothing about the announcement or the faction system,¡± Alois argued, ¡°However, the rules say nothing against making friends and inviting them once the recruitment begins. Haven¡¯t you been doing the same? You¡¯re just jealous because I am better at it than you.¡±


    The oldest student, the one Cassandra had recognized as a Dusk, was furious. ¡°How did someone like you become his apprentice when he wouldn¡¯t look at me no matter how hard I tried?¡±


    ¡°Beats me,¡± Alois said with a shrug, ¡°I never planned to make it this far. If you are so confident, get Osmond to replace me. Apprentices can be demoted.¡±


    Luckily the scene did not devolve any further as the group left Alois without any violence. He waited until they were out of earshot before staring right at where Cassandra had halfheartedly hidden. She immediately stepped into view before he had to call her out.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to learn any secrets. I was just concerned.¡±


    ¡°I never thought you were,¡± Alois told her, ¡°And I was careful with my words. You¡¯ll have to understand I can¡¯t tell you anything else until after the announcement.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cassandra assured. She wasn¡¯t that desperate to get insider information. She figured he would be more than willing to spill all of the important details once he was able.


    There was a commotion but the entrance as the headmaster himself entered the hall. Cassandra quickly returned to her place among the Tears to prepare for the announcement to begin. After all, there had to be a reason they had all been sorted by course like this.

 21: Factions of Nobility

    Osmond stepped to the highest and most central point of the stage and looked around at all the students surrounding him until a hush fell upon the crowd. His careful dramatic flair reminded Cassandra of game show hosts rather than a headmaster. These past few months had really put into perspective how odd her situation really was.


    ¡°Congratulations all of you, for making it through your first quarter of this year,¡± he told them, ¡°However, things will only get harder from here. Starting today the faction system will begin in preparation for your second semester. For now all you need to focus on is forming your faction. Each faction can have students from any year, but they must have at least one student from each course. Feel free to use club rooms and bulletin boards to promote and recruit for your faction.¡±


    As a murmuring started to rise from the crowd, Osmond tapped his foot on the ground sending off a powerful gust to silence them.


    ¡°I am sure you are all curious about one thing. What is a faction?¡± he continued, ¡°A faction will be your team that will stand by your side and help you rule your mini kingdom here at Nobility. That is why you must be careful who you recruit into your faction. You will all need to work together for the rest of the year.¡±


    He paused, glancing towards the group of students who had bothered Alois earlier. Had he also witnessed their foolishness? If so, this would not end well for them.


    ¡°For you older students that have gone through the faction system before, I ask that you keep the details of the second semester to yourselves,¡± he instructed, ¡°You are, of course, free to create a completely new faction or attempt to reform the one from last year. Just keep in mind, all factions must choose a first year representative for the negotiations at the end of this semester.¡±


    First years weren¡¯t allowed to know anything about the upcoming semester, but they needed to be the ones to negotiate for their team. In that case, it might be awful to team up with a faction of older students. If negotiations went south, there was only one who would take the blame. Hopefully they would be given at least a few minutes to plan things out with their team before the actual negotiation itself.


    It was no surprise that after that announcement, the first years who already secured themselves apprenticeships suddenly became very popular. This included Cassandra herself. The polite ones who accepted her refusal were easy enough to deal with, but there were also persistent ones. She needed to find Alois and settle things with her friends right away. Hopefully the relentless recruitment attacks would stop once they had formed their own faction.


    Unfortunately, before she found her friends, she found a familiar group of older students instead. The Dusk stepped forward with a confident smile while his friends watched his back. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Cassandra, it is a pleasure to meet you. We have heard amazing things about the most promising Tear among the first years,¡± he began, ¡°We would like to invite you to join our faction.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your offer,¡± Cassandra replied, ¡°However, I intend to take my time to choose my faction. As Headmaster Osmond said, we will have to work together for the rest of the year.¡±


    ¡°At the very least keep us in mind,¡± he argued, ¡°I am Nathan, and as you can see I am a Dusk. I know you are friends with Alois, but can you really call him your friend if he didn¡¯t tell you anything about what is coming? I can help you prepare.¡±


    The very person who had accused Alois of cheating by telling them secrets was now accusing him of being a terrible friend for keeping those secrets. Not only that, it was clear Cassandra was being scouted as the first year representative. The last faction she wanted to represent was one of two faced liars who were bound to dislike whatever negotiations she managed to make.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite alright,¡± she told Nathan, ¡°I think I know everything I need to know about you and your faction.¡±


    Nathan tried to stop her as she turned to leave, but Alois stepped in just in time. ¡°You should know that forcibly scouting first years is against the rules,¡± he warned, ¡°The representatives are the most important members of the faction, and they have every right to choose for themselves.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. I am sure you intend to recruit her for the same thing right now,¡± Nathan scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Alois confirmed, ¡°But unlike you, I was smart enough to make friends before it was all about factions and responsibilities. Why don¡¯t you do yourself a favor and figure out if you intend to follow the rules or break them?¡±


    Nathan backed off with a bitter scowl. ¡°Don¡¯t accept his offer just because he is your friend,¡± he warned Cassandra, ¡°You won¡¯t want anything to do with him once you find out what happened last year.¡±


    Cassandra found it hard to believe that Alois could have done anything more shocking than the forbidden artifact hunt he had desperately dragged them into at the beginning of the year. Despite about half of their friend group knowing about it, no one mentioned the Eye after that night. It was likely whatever incident happened the year before would be the same.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask?¡± Alois questioned once Nathan and his friends were well and truly gone.


    ¡°Would you answer me honestly if I did?¡± Cassandra asked in return.


    Alois hesitated. ¡°I might. I don¡¯t think it is that big of a deal, though,¡± he admitted, ¡°It has to do with how I became Osmond¡¯s apprentice in the first place.¡±


    Now that piqued Cassandra¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell that story after we gather everyone to discuss our faction,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Great, so now I need to tell it before a crowd,¡± Alois said, shaking his head. Despite his verbal annoyance at the prospect, Cassandra caught a momentary smile as he turned away from her, ¡°Let¡¯s go fetch everyone. The library might actually be busy today, so let¡¯s meet at Keane¡¯s.¡±


    Much to Keane¡¯s annoyance, they had taken to meeting at his room in the tower whenever the fourth floor library was in use. It was because of his private and isolated position in the main building, as well as the fact that his living area was larger since he technically had two floors of the tower all to himself.


    ¡°Keane¡¯s not going to be happy about it,¡± Cassandra told him with a smile of her own, ¡°But I think he might get over it if he gets to hear your secret little story about why the other Dusks seem to hate you.¡±


    Alois sighed. ¡°This is what I get for trying to blackmail him at the start of this year,¡± he muttered, ¡°Keane won¡¯t ever let this go.¡±


    No wonder no one ever talked about what happened with the Eye. Alois had really met Keane and gone straight for blackmail? That did make Cassandra a little curious what Alois could possibly have on Keane to blackmail him for.

 22: Apprentice of Osmond

    Once everyone had gathered in Keane¡¯s living room, they all agreed quickly enough to form a faction together. The next order of business was to decide which one of the first years would represent their faction for negotiations. Before that, Cassandra wanted to hear the story of how Alois became the headmaster¡¯s apprentice.


    ¡°Making sure you don¡¯t have any reason to run away before you commit?¡± Alois asked, ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of story you are expecting, but it isn¡¯t that big of a deal.¡±


    ¡°I still want to hear it,¡± Cassandra insisted stubbornly, ¡°It will give us more insight into what the headmaster values as well.¡±


    Alois sighed as he saw everyone¡¯s curious and eager faces. Even Keane and Caleb seemed invested. ¡°Fine,¡± he gave in, ¡°Last year I was a first year here at Nobility. Back then, I had no intention of graduating. All I wanted was access to the information at the Headmaster¡¯s disposal. Just enough to get my bearings on how Tethia compared to the future I saw¡­¡±


    As the runaway son of a merchant, Alois did not have much in the way of influence, so he had to get his information the hard way. Sneaking, stealing, eavesdropping. He already sounded more like a spy than a student, especially when he mentioned his penchant for stealth magic.


    The incident in question began when Alois, in a particular moment of curiosity, pocketed an odd looking pen in the headmaster¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Cassandra interrupted, ¡°You stole the headmaster¡¯s pen?¡±


    ¡°I just picked up something interesting that was lying about,¡± Alois replied with a shrug, ¡°Do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?¡±


    Cassandra still wanted to object but she fought it down. He wasn¡¯t going to tell any stories if they were too busy arguing about a minor detail. ¡°Continue.¡±


    Alois watched her for a few moments before he began again. ¡°I used to pick up little things here and there but it was never a problem,¡± he continued, ¡°but one of my classmates who was always angry about my carefree attitude recognized this pen¡­¡±


    It was easy to see how this would go downhill. Alois was called to the headmaster¡¯s office where a group of his classmates were waiting with smug faces. Osmond calmly asked Alois to empty his pockets. At this point in the story Alois paused for a few moments.


    ¡°Remember how I said I wasn¡¯t really interested in graduating?¡± he asked, ¡°I figured that those guys had just handed me the perfect opportunity to get expelled before things got too complicated. I had all the information I needed, and I could tell I wouldn¡¯t be able to turn back if I got too much more involved. I knew why I had been called there, and I knew I had that pen on me too. It was perfect.¡±


    Before revealing anything else, Alois pulled the pen out of his pockets first, placing it on the desk before the headmaster. He waited and watched for a reaction before beginning to pull out other items when he received none. Rather than the headmaster, this drew a reaction from the ringleader of the students. It was not a reaction to the pen, or any of the shiny things Alois had happened to pick up along the way.


    It was a scrap of metal that looked to be the missing piece of something. What that something was could be anything, but that student seemed to know. Osmond also noticed this. Alois hesitated before setting that item down, drawing an even stronger reaction. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°That¡¯s mine! You really are a dirty thief! Hand it over!¡±


    ¡°These are all just things I found lying around,¡± Alois had replied.


    Cassandra hadn¡¯t been going to comment. She really had been trying to just listen to the story, but she had to say something to this. ¡°Did you really just give us the exact same excuse you used a year ago?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°It worked pretty well back then,¡± Alois told her.


    ¡°Are you certain this is a story about how you became an apprentice?¡± Maximus asked in disbelief, ¡°It sounds more like you are about to get your wish to be expelled.¡±


    Alois sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, I am right here, not freely living as a merchant after being expelled from Nobility.¡±


    That was certainly true. Alois continued on with his story. Things derailed from there. The focus which had originally been on the stolen pen had switched entirely to the scrap of metal. Osmond seemed particularly interested in it and confiscated it immediately.


    ¡°I am afraid this requires further investigation,¡± he said, ¡°Alois, do you have anything to say against your accusers?¡±


    Mistaking this as part of the ceremony of expulsion, Alois let it all out. Though he had barely interacted with his peers he knew far too much about them. This one was cheating. That one was helping him. The other one was selling fake potions. And the ringleader? He was an annoying guy so Alois had plenty to say about him. He had been sneaking off campus to meet his girlfriend who had failed to get into Nobility, and he had even beaten up a first year Heart who had happened upon his little escape route.


    ¡°You have a unique skill for gathering information,¡± Osmond noted, ¡°I have been watching you for some time, actually. I keep a special close eye on all of my Dusks. This little meeting is the perfect opportunity to make an example of those who disobey the rules right in front of me.¡±


    Most of the students standing in front of Alois were suspended. Suspension in Nobility was a big deal when every moment was important and precious. Not only that, who would take on an apprentice who had been suspended? As for the ringleader, he had been expelled.


    ¡°Why?¡± he demanded.


    Osmond held up the scrap of metal he had confiscated. ¡°Do you think I would not recognize a fragment of magic bomb?¡± he demanded, ¡°I am afraid your expulsion is only the beginning. You will be arrested with suspicion of colluding with the enemy.¡±


    After all of the other students were sorted, Alois tried to leave the room. He could tell by now that things had gone far away from the direction of his own expulsion and wanted out before he caught any more attention. Unfortunately, it was too late for that.


    ¡°This is a nice pen, isn¡¯t it?¡± Osmond asked him, ¡°It is a unique color, but otherwise nothing too special. You can keep it if you would like.¡±


    Somehow permission had always sounded like a trap so Alois refused immediately. While he was at it, he figured he could just take matters into his own hands.


    ¡°I would like to take responsibility for the incident I caused and quit Nobility.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t allow that,¡± Osmond told him, ¡°How can my precious new apprentice leave school during his first year?¡±


    And it was settled before Alois even had a chance to refuse. Hadn¡¯t the apprentice system been created with more protections for the apprentice? Where was his right of rejection? How did everyone suddenly already know about it?


    ¡°Like I said, not a very exciting story,¡± Alois concluded, ¡°It is more annoying than anything. That idiot Nathan who was bothering you earlier was one of those students. Obviously the headmaster would never recommend someone who was helping others cheat no matter how good their intentions.¡±


    For the first time since she had met him, Cassandra truly felt pity for Alois. It was one thing to choose and intend to take on the role of the headmaster¡¯s apprentice and another to have it forced upon you. Despite that, he seemed to be thriving in his position even if he was very busy.


    ¡°So Nathan may continue to be a nuisance,¡± Caleb concluded, ¡°He bothered me as well.¡± Nathan must have been cornering first year apprentices all day about the representative business.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even make a good representative,¡± Keane observed, ¡°Negotiations aren¡¯t your strong suit.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get your head out of your research long enough to care,¡± Caleb pointed out, as if he wasn¡¯t the same.


    ¡°Then who should our representative be?¡± Autumn asked, ¡°Alois can¡¯t do it. He¡¯s in his second year.¡±


    ¡°I think it should be either Maximus or Cassandra as Hearts and Tears are both positions which involve a lot of future negotiations,¡± Alois suggested.


    Cassandra could feel before she could see Maximus¡¯s sparkling eyes. He still had unwavering faith in her because of whatever incredible martyr she had been in the future he saw. It was already obvious how this discussion was going to end.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Cassandra told them before they all could start trying to convince her. Alois had been right. It would be good practice for later anyway. ¡°We have more important things to worry about, though. We still need a Quill to be acknowledged as a faction.¡±

 23: Quill Hunting

    Now that Cassandra thought about it, she hadn¡¯t really had much interaction with the students of Quill. Unfortunately, Wayde didn¡¯t count despite his unique apprenticeship. They did, however, have one second year there who had been through this before.


    ¡°Alois? How did your faction recruit a Quill last year?¡± Cassandra asked.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t,¡± Alois corrected, ¡°We were recruited by one. I actually ended up on the team with the majority of Quills. Quills are all incredibly talented and not to be looked down on.¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Wayde agreed, thinking of his mentor, ¡°Should I ask Madam Danielle about the situation? Maybe she will have some ideas.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°I will ask Princess Rosalind for some advice on negotiating.¡±


    ¡°Could Wayde possibly switch courses?¡± Autumn suggested.


    ¡°With this timing I doubt that Osmond would allow it,¡± Alois disagreed.


    Maximus nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is a good idea.¡±


    Autumn deflated a little with all of the instant opposition to his idea, but Keane ended up comforting him with some head pats. Rather than pairs or partners, the two looked like owner and pet. Cassandra decided not to think too hard about that.


    With nothing else to discuss and plenty of other things to do, they broke off their meeting. Cassandra was left with a lot to think about between the issue with Nathan and the dilemma of recruiting at least one Quill. First things first, she headed back to her room to pen a letter to Rosalind.


    Yuki was resting on one of the armchairs her room had provided and Cassandra found herself talking the situation through  with him. Well, he was sleeping so it was more like talking at him. She talked about Nathan and his grudge against Alois, and how she couldn¡¯t afford to waste time with him since she needed to find a Quill to join their faction.


    As she spoke, her path of action became obvious. She needed to ignore the situation with Nathan for now and focus on what was important.


    Decision made, Cassandra wrote her letter to the seventh princess stating her desire to learn more about negotiating. Once that was sorted she left her room to explore. After all, it was impossible to meet anyone cooped up in her room. Perhaps that was why the halls of Nobility were far busier than usual, full of students on similar missions to her own.


    Cassandra even spotted Nathan cornering Iris, her fellow Tear. So much for ignoring him. She was sure he was using the same underhanded tactics to ¡®convince¡¯ her as he had everyone else. Cassandra intended to put a stop to that.


    ¡°Nathan,¡± Cassandra called out, ¡°Alois told me the story you mentioned.¡±


    That immediately caught Nathan¡¯s attention and he turned away from Iris. Her impromptu plan had worked, but now she had to deal with him herself.


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked, ¡°What did you think? Or did he paint himself as some kind of hero?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not,¡± Cassandra denied, ¡°Unless you consider it heroic to purposely try to get expelled.¡±


    That caused Nathan to stop in whatever mental tracks he was forming. ¡°He told you he was trying to get expelled? Why not just withdraw?¡±


    While he had tried quitting later, it was true Alois had taken the extreme method first. Cassandra had to agree it was a rather odd choice.


    ¡°Dramatic flair?¡± she guessed.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t going to form a faction with someone who doesn¡¯t even want to be here,¡± Nathan judged, looking hopeful.


    ¡°Those were his thoughts a year ago,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°I won¡¯t pretend he is a saint, but he is the headmaster¡¯s apprentice. Unless that changes Alois is the one I will be working with in the future. The faction system exists to test those dynamics, does it not?¡±


    Nathan scowled. ¡°So you called out to me to brag?¡± he demanded, ¡°You first years are so full of yourselves. Even that dumb elf who can¡¯t tell left from right rejected me without a second glance.¡±


    ¡°You could try to be a little patient,¡± Cassandra argued back, ¡°There is still plenty of time until the deadline.¡±


    Nathan shook his head with a sigh, calming down a bit. ¡°You only say that because you don¡¯t know,¡± he told her, ¡°Any faction that fails to meet the requirements fails the entire second semester and is either expelled or stuck doing odd jobs for the headmaster.¡±


    It was Cassandra¡¯s turn to freeze as she processed the new information. ¡°Alois didn¡¯t say anything about that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because first years aren¡¯t supposed to know,¡± Nathan replied with a smirk, ¡°See how it feels to be left out because of some rules?¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t meant to know there was no way to tell if he was lying or not. Cassandra felt a sudden thrill of panic as she whipped around to see if Iris had heard too only to see that the elf in question was long gone. She had likely fled the scene the moment she saw the chance. Hopefully Iris didn¡¯t get too lost along the way.


    Before Cassandra had even turned back, Nathan had started aggressively trying to recruit a Quill that happened to pass by. She was short and petite, making the average height Nathan seem to be towering over her. Despite the clear difference in height and Nathan¡¯s obvious attempt at intimidation, she did not seem fazed in the least.


    ¡°A Dusk this time? Disgusting,¡± she shot out, fixing him with an incredibly unimpressed stare, ¡°I know I am small and cute, but as I am a dwarf I am far from weak. Quills don¡¯t exist to serve the every whim of the so-called four pillars. Honestly, if I was to choose I would boot the headmaster out of those and replace you stupid Dusks with the Sages.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even-¡± Nathan began to protest.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to,¡± she told him, ¡°You are going to pretend to offer me good working conditions with some nonsense about salary and pay as if I am your actual servant. Has anyone ever told you there is a huge difference between professional butlers and maids and hired help that just do common chores? We do better in guiding and supporting the next generation than any Dusk ever has.¡±


    Nathan began to grow frustrated at her endless beration. ¡°Quills are servants, so what is the problem of seeing you like one?¡± he argued back, ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what you signed up for, pipsqueak?¡±


    The dwarf rolled her eyes. ¡°Now you are resorting to insulting my height. I must have stung your poor pathetic pride. The answer is no, never. No Quill in their right mind would work for a Dusk, much less an idiot Dusk like you.¡±


    Cassandra stood there in stunned silence, possibly even more shocked than Nathan who had been ruthlessly hammered by her words. Was this what Quills were like? How was she meant to recruit one of them like this? Perhaps some of the others were a little more tame. Hopefully.


    Suddenly, she looked over and spotted Cassandra, her face breaking into a smile. ¡°Cassandra! I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you!¡± she called and trotted over, ignoring the unfortunate Nathan whose pride was fading into ashes, ¡°I am Juliane, apprentice of the Steward of Tear. Would you let me join your faction?¡±


    That was certainly a complete change in attitude. ¡°I am sure my faction will be happy with your application,¡± she told her, ¡°but this isn¡¯t a decision I can make on my own. You should also meet the others before you decide.¡±


    ¡°I already know about them too,¡± she replied with a shrug, ¡°Alois has a good reputation among the Quills for a Dusk. The rest of you are first years with no prejudices. With the little kitty around, at least I shouldn¡¯t be judged too much for my height.¡±


    So she had done her research. That was a relief, at least. It was hard to say how the others would react to this sudden application, but Juliane wasn¡¯t a first year so she likely had been doing her research before the faction system was announced. All of the older students seemed to be in such a hurry. Maybe Nathan had been telling the truth after all.


    ==========


    Wayde was surprised how quickly he received Madam Danielle¡¯s response after he sent his letter. The Steward of Heart was a very busy woman and she always dealt with things in the order of importance. The speedy reply meant that she considered whatever she had to say to be very high on that list.


    The letter itself was short and to the point. It wasn¡¯t like her to waste time on wordplay, so this was expected. Wayde preferred things this way too. His past future as the King of Tethia had been a horrible experience, but so far his apprenticeship to Madam Danielle had been quite nice. Their personalities had meshed well from the beginning.


    ¡°Be cautious when recruiting Quills. No one can destroy you faster than those who run the inside.¡±


    Just like Alois, she warned of the danger involved with Quills. Wayde remembered his first attempt at forming a faction. It had been humiliating, to say the least. That was actually how he had first met Maximus. Had Maximus not already been aiming to be a knight and a general, Wayde might have convinced him his leadership skills were suitable for a king.


    There was one more sentence in the message that made Wayde a bit wary.


    ¡°Be more cautious of your other peers who do not understand the Quill¡¯s purpose.¡±


    It seemed that some research was in order. The answer to his questions was discovered far easier than he expected, but not in a good way. It seemed that at some point ranks had been formed by the students of the courses of Nobility.


    The so-called four pillars were obviously the best. This included the Hearts, Tears, Souls, and Dusks. Sages were considered something like sidekicks. Important but nothing like the pillars. Then there were the Quills. The lesser leftovers that were seen as extras to fill in whatever cracks remained.


    Even among those of the higher courses, a Sage with an apprenticeship was worth more than a pillar without. However, this ideal did not extend to the Quills. A servant apprenticed to a servant was still a servant. It was as if the school had bred its students into the snobbish brats of their namesake. Wayde had met the nobles of other countries and they were entitled and proud.


    Was it not the headmaster¡¯s job to prevent the students of Tethia¡¯s Nobility from becoming the same?

 24: The Recruits

    Cassandra told the others about her encounters and Juliane during their lunch the next day. She skipped all of the forbidden information as this was a public setting. However, she did mention her thoughts on the older students seeming rushed. The others listened intently and agreed to meet Juliane. As for the latter, Alois didn¡¯t seem too concerned about it.


    ¡°We still have plenty of time. Rushing will do more harm than good,¡± he assured.


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing,¡± Cassandra agreed, relieved he did not feel the same sense of urgency as the others.


    ¡°Marcus?¡± Caleb suddenly muttered, derailing them from their discussion.


    Cassandra followed his gaze to see Marcus approaching their table with Lily, Iris, and a couple others she didn¡¯t know. Iris and Lily seemed particularly close. Marcus walked right up to Cassandra with a somewhat awkward smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°It has,¡± Cassandra agreed. They hadn¡¯t really crossed paths much since arriving at Nobility. She got the feeling Maximus might have something to do with that.


    There was another pause as Marcus formed the words he wanted to say. ¡°I wanted to thank you for helping Iris last night. My faction has been having some trouble being taken seriously by the other students.¡±


    ¡°Is it because you are all first years?¡± Cassandra asked, wondering if Alois solved as many problems as he caused just by existing.


    ¡°That is part of it,¡± Marcus confirmed, ¡°but we don¡¯t all have apprenticeships like your faction does. Your reputation is hard to live up to and compete against.¡± A reputation? How had they gained a reputation already?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have an apprenticeship,¡± Autumn broke in, ¡°Most of them don¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Marcus said, ¡°Lily does, but it doesn¡¯t matter. It is all about how people see us.¡±


    ¡°Just like the world outside,¡± Wayde muttered with a dark expression, ¡°Have you recruited all six courses?¡±


    ¡°We are just missing a Dusk,¡± Lily spoke up, ¡°All the Dusks we have come across have been rude or already in a faction.¡± It was obvious to all of them who the rude Dusk had been.


    ¡°I already have a faction but I might know some people,¡± Alois, the only Dusk present, offered.


    ¡°You¡¯d be willing to help us?¡± Marcus asked in surprise, ¡°Once you are part of a faction, aren¡¯t we rivals?¡±


    ¡°We were told to consider ourselves as miniature kingdoms,¡± Caleb pointed out, ¡°If a kingdom considered every other kingdom a rival and enemy, there would be constant war.¡±


    ¡°Feuds are pointless if we don¡¯t even know what we are fighting over,¡± Keane agreed.


    Marcus began to smile as he took in their words. ¡°In that case, why not start the faction test as allies?¡± he suggested.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± Maximus agreed.


    Cassandra was surprised he was the first to agree to the alliance as he had his own personal rivalry with Marcus. Then again, it was always a ruler¡¯s duty to set aside personal feelings for the good of their nation.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    After that, Iris personally thanked Cassandra and gave her a hug before leaving with her faction. Then Cassandra worked out a message to send to Juliane with the others. They all agreed on a good time and place to meet her before the midday break ended. It was during magic classes that Cassandra was approached again. This time by Rena.


    ¡°Have you joined a faction yet?¡± the porcupine beastkin asked her.


    ¡°I have,¡± Cassandra confirmed.


    Rena frowned a little. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to find one yet and I heard they are filling up fast.¡±


    ¡°Some of them are already full?¡± Cassandra asked in surprise. The official faction applications limited each faction to thirty students. With a faction being viable with only six, Cassandra had assumed it was a number that would not be reached.


    ¡°I have already been rejected by three factions because they were full,¡± Rena confirmed, ¡°I even asked that one Dusk who was recruiting everyone.¡±


    Could that be Nathan? His faction must have truly been full for him to reject a promising first year.


    ¡°My faction still has plenty of room,¡± Cassandra offered, ¡°We are actually gathering to meet a potential new member later. Did you want to come?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll let me join your faction?¡±


    ¡°This is a bit more like an interview,¡± Cassandra corrected, ¡°My teammates need to approve of you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m in! When is it?¡±


    ==========


    Rena was bristling with nerves even though Cassandra had brought her to the meeting place a little early. Early or not, she noticed a few people were already waiting there. There were two dark haired boys, one casually reading a large volume and the other discussing some kind of medical technique with a cute catkin with cream colored fur.


    Shortly after she took a seat with Cassandra the headmaster¡¯s apprentice walked in, already in some kind of argument with an incredibly sparkly fairy wearing a Heart pin. Behind them was another Heart sorting through some papers that looked a lot like the faction registration application.


    As Rena watched each of them enter, she suddenly got a bad feeling. This wasn¡¯t that faction was it? The one chock full of geniuses and talents with crazy good apprenticeships? That meant that Cassandra, who she had casually approached during class, was the apprentice of the seventh princess.


    She suddenly felt extremely out of place. Her bristling nerves grew twice as strong and she felt her hair go stiff and sharp. Could she really convince them to let her in? What about that other potential new member? Were they just as intimidating as the rest? Rena waited with some trepidation for the last member of the meeting to arrive.


    What she was not expecting was a short and petite Quill looking slightly disheveled and running late. ¡°Sorry,¡± she panted, ¡°My duties ran a little late. Did I still make it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Alois assured her, ¡°I know Quills have duties on top of schoolwork. Juliane, right? Cassandra said you would like to join us?¡±


    It looked like the small girl, Juliane, would be going through the wringer first. Rena couldn¡¯t tell if she felt better or worse sitting right at Cassandra¡¯s side for this. At least she would have some idea of what to expect after witnessing the first one.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start easy,¡± Alois said, taking the lead as the only second year and the headmaster¡¯s apprentice, ¡°Why do you want to join us?¡±


    ¡°I am the apprentice of the Steward of Tear,¡± Juliane introduced, ¡°My mentor is always talking about the promising Tear candidates and Cassandra is one of her favorites. Not only that, but you have a good reputation among the Quills. I am sure many other Quills will be eager to join this faction.¡±


    Alois, had an odd expression when she mentioned his reputation among the Quills, but he passed the baton off to the sparkly fairy instead. He was even more impressive than Rena had thought. Even this new potential recruit had a crazy apprenticeship.


    ¡°I am Mazimus, apprentice of the Ninth Prince,¡± the fairy introduced, ¡°If you join us, you have to promise to align with our goals. Cassandra has agreed to be our negotiator, and we will support her no matter what happens.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Juliane promised, ¡°The negotiations don¡¯t mean much to me, anyway. My role isn¡¯t affected much by them.¡±


    Hold on, she knew what the negotiations were? Did that mean this girl was a second year? Surely she couldn¡¯t be a third year or older. Unless¡­ Rena was embarrassed she didn¡¯t think of this earlier, was she a dwarf? Rena had never actually met a dwarf before but some beastkin were naturally small in stature.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine with me,¡± the boy with the book approved.


    ¡°We do need a Quill,¡± another agreed.


    With the first recruit settled all attention turned to Rena. Right. She still had to convince them she was worth being part of their faction. She braced herself for the same question Juliane had gotten, but hers was far worse. It came from the boy holding the papers.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked.


    Rena had to admit that it stung a bit, but the best thing she could do now was introduce herself. ¡°I am Rena, a first year Tear,¡± she told them. She had no apprenticeship to her name, and no achievements or special talents to bring to the table.


    ¡°I invited her here,¡± Cassandra told them, ¡°We know each other from the entrance exam.¡±


    That one sentence from her turned everyone to her side in a moment. There were no more questions or doubts and Rena was suddenly part of the very intimidating faction before her. Had this been a good idea? It was too late to turn back now. The Heart who had introduced himself as Wayde had already written her name down on the form.


    Rena went from factionless to part of one of the most powerful factions in a single night. She wasn¡¯t even sure the other factions had officially registered yet.


    ¡°We often meet at mealtimes but you don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Maximus told them, ¡°We don¡¯t have much information to plan with yet.¡±


    In other words, once they did, Rena would be expected to join them for their mealtime planning sessions. She secretly hoped that by then, the faction would be much larger so she didn¡¯t stand out quite so much.

 25: Last Minute Rush

    After Rena and Juliane joined, their faction was suddenly flooded with applications and it took a while to sort through them all. Just as predicted, many of the applicants were Quills. There were also many others who weren¡¯t overly special and had been rejected by everyone else. Cassandra was more than willing to take those in who were full of passion and drive. Unfortunately, that thirty student limit came up faster than she ever expected.


    Alois had explained that the reason for the limit was to prevent any faction from becoming a majority. She might not have believed this was even a possibility until she saw the reaction to their own. Other factions formed and filled out with amazing speed, leaving only a few stragglers who didn¡¯t fit in anywhere by the time the deadline was approaching.


    Exactly a week before the deadline, right after the final tests of the semester, information was released to all of the students about what was going to happen. The first and most important announcement was about the negotiation. The object of the negotiation would be ten territories that each faction would populate and run for the duration of the second semester. Any faction who failed to gain a territory would fail that semester.


    Anyone who failed to find a faction before the deadline would be formed into the Spare Faction commanded by the headmaster himself. Their territory would automatically be assigned as Nobility and would have to spend their semester helping Osmond with any tasks he happened to require. In other words, they would not only be losing out on valuable experience they would have to follow the headmaster¡¯s every whim or fail.


    Following these two announcements was recruitment chaos. Any factions that had failed to qualify disbanded immediately in favor of joining a faction that met the requirements. Stragglers who had been putting off doing anything towards the faction system rushed to join anyone that would take them. That was how Marcus¡¯s faction that had made it til then with only seven members was suddenly flooded with constant applications. His wasn¡¯t the only faction in that situation. Before the week was up, the factions became only eight with some unfortunate stragglers who couldn¡¯t fit in any of them or meet the requirements.


    The next announcement was the day before negotiation. It went over the time and protocol for sending the representative of each faction, as well as details of the ten territories up for grabs. This would give each of them a chance to research and discuss with their factions which territory to go for and how to negotiate.


    ¡°Should we go for a trade territory like Teber or Omaris?¡± Cassandra asked, looking to their local merchant¡¯s son, Alois.


    Their faction had gathered in one of the now unused classrooms as thirty students was far too large to try and stuff into the fourth floor library. They thought it only fair that the whole group had the chance to input their opinion as they would all be in this together. A semester was a long time, and if they made the wrong choice they would be stuck to suffer with it.


    ¡°You can, but I won¡¯t have much time to help manage it,¡± Alois warned, ¡°I will still have to keep up all my apprentice duties during all this.¡±


    Cassandra nodded in understanding once she took a moment to think about it. Princess Rosalind had let her know that her tasks would be a bit easier during the second semester to give her plenty of time to settle in her temporary role, but that didn¡¯t seem like Osmond¡¯s style. She once again felt pity for Alois¡¯s unfortunate forced apprenticeship, but he seemed to have gained the drive for it since that time.


    ¡°How about Dyment?¡± Maximus suggested, ¡°I¡¯m no good with farming, but as long as we let them keep to their secret dye production methods the territory should keep itself running.¡±


    ¡°Running, yes, but we need more than just a surviving territory to pass this semester,¡± Wayde pointed out, ¡°Territories with secret productions will be cautious about new leadership, especially temporary students.¡±


    ¡°Which territory did you choose last year?¡± Caleb asked Alois.


    ¡°We went for Kol for stability,¡± Alois said, ¡°The coal mine there is safer than the dying silver mine in Silvin and it was a rich and stable territory.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too safe,¡± Cassandra noted, ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence to negotiate for it since everyone else will be eyeing it as well.¡±


    ¡°We have some experience with combat,¡± Keane brought up, ¡°Should we go for Merk? Their strong fighters could benefit from my medical expertise as well.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°The idea of selling people¡¯s strength makes me uncomfortable,¡± Autumn rejected, ¡°Even if they did consent to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m terrible with farm animals,¡± Rena spoke up, a lot more confident than she had been when she first joined, ¡°I would like to avoid Herdin, if possible.¡±


    It seemed they were doing a better job of deciding what they didn¡¯t want, but at this rate all of the territories would be on that list. In order to get anywhere useful, it might be easier to generalize things a bit. Based on majority vote, everyone would prefer a trade territory with crop farming as a backup. No one really liked the idea of Herdin or Merk so she would have to do her best to avoid those.


    Omaris was finally chosen as their first pick. With its central location their premade alliance with Marcus¡¯s faction would be an immediate benefit. There was also the extra pressure of border trade possibly affecting bigger things like their relations with Beraud. Cassandra knew that in the future her friends had seen Beraud had turned into their enemy, but there was no need to accelerate things.


    If neither of those could be obtained the faction didn¡¯t really have a preference between Flaxen, Rutin, and Fisher. Kol would always be a good thing if she had an opportunity to claim it, but none of them expected that to happen. As for Dyment, it was at least better than Merk and Herdin, but everyone agreed it would be a challenge.


    With their personal territory rankings decided, it was time to address another concern. This was their last day until the deadline and it was likely too late to make major changes. However, there were ten territories and only eight factions. It might make negotiations easier, but it also might give that sneaky headmaster a chance to give them all a little extra test.


    ¡°Has this happened before?¡± Cassandra asked the older students, ¡°Do any of you have an idea of what happens when there are less factions than territories?¡±


    ¡°He did something different both times this happened,¡± the oldest student in their faction told them, ¡°The first time he sent the Spare Faction there and the second time he forced every faction to share the spare territory. This is the first time I have seen two spares, though.¡±


    ¡°So we should definitely be concerned,¡± Cassandra muttered. Whatever his plan was this time, she would have to deal with it firsthand as their chosen negotiator. Luckily Princess Rosalind had drilled her on the basics of negotiation to prepare her for this.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t handle this we still have enough time to switch to someone else,¡± Juliane offered, seeing Cassandra¡¯s concern.


    Cassandra looked at the rest of the first years gathered in the room. ¡°No one else has had time to prepare,¡± she said, ¡°Unless someone else really wants to do it.¡±


    To no one¡¯s surprise, there were no volunteers. Just in case, they did another run through of what everyone wanted, with Omaris as their top goal. Unfortunately, it was hard to tell for sure what the other teams would be going for. They did have one faction they were allied with that she could potentially ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit Marcus and see what his team is planning,¡± Cassandra told them, ¡°If we can go into negotiations with a plan together it will make negotiations easier for both of us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Caleb approved, pulling out his book, ¡°I am going to study some farming magic just in case.¡±


    Cassandra left their classroom and did a quick look around for Marcus. She found him quickly enough in the banquet hall, sitting with just a few of his own faction mates. Iris spotted her first and gave her a smile and a big wave.


    ¡°Hi! How is your faction doing?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We have things mostly figured out,¡± Cassandra told her, ¡°I was actually hoping to get some more information from you. Do you know what the others are aiming for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already had someone try to pay me off to make sure they get Kol,¡± Marcus told her, ¡°I get the feeling that it is the big one everyone will be fighting over, unless they pay off everyone.¡±


    ¡°Was it Nathan again?¡± Cassandra asked, perpetually disappointed by his behavior. Was it alright to let him into a leadership role, especially one that influenced future leaders of Tethia?


    Marcus let out an awkward chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s right. I feel bad for the first year who he roped into things. If they somehow fail to get Kol it won¡¯t end well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in Kol,¡± Cassandra assured, ¡°What kind of territory are your faction going for?¡±


    ¡°We were planning on Herdin since we have a few members with ranching experience,¡± Marcus replied easily.


    That was a big relief. She probably wouldn¡¯t have to worry about that one, then. ¡°That sounds like a good plan. Do you think there will be much competition for that one?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Everyone seems focused on the mines and Omaris,¡± Marcus told her.


    Cassandra winced. Of course Omaris was one of the big ones. It was hard to say for sure until the day of, but perhaps she should focus her efforts on Teber instead. ¡°I was also hoping to secure Omaris,¡± she admitted, ¡°I was hoping to take advantage of our alliance since it is a territory that requires teamwork.¡±


    ¡°That would be good,¡± Marcus approved, ¡°I will try my best to support you in the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°I will as well,¡± Cassandra promised.

 26: Territory Negotiations

    The negotiation was held in a special meeting room with a large map of the territories in question filling the entire back wall. A U shaped table faced this wall, the outer edge lined with eight chairs. Even though Cassandra had arrived early, six of the seats had already been filled. She took a seat on the end just in time for Marcus to arrive to represent his own faction.


    ¡°Welcome to negotiations,¡± Osmond greeted them from the middle of the U. ¡°All decisions made here are final. There will be no trading after the fact and no sharing either. Who gets what territory is all up to you to decide. I am only here to observe.¡±


    After his short introduction, Headmaster Osmond sat at a desk prepared in the corner of the room behind them. If his intent was to make them uncomfortable he had succeeded, but thewy couldn¡¯t forget this was all part of a longer test.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start by marking out the territory we are most interested in and see how things go from there?¡± Cassandra suggested. She needed to see who she was up against and which territories were obviously favored.


    They each took a pin and stuck it in their favored territory on the map. There were three pins in Kol, two in Omaris, one in Silvin, one in Herdin, and the last in Rutin. Cassandra had tried for Omaris, but had immediately gained a rival for it.


    ¡°Should we confirm the territories with only one pin first?¡± the one who had marked Silvin asked, ¡°Then the rest of you can work yours out.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Cassandra agreed. A mad scramble for territories that originally had no competition would do no one any good. ¡°Shall we start with Omaris?¡±


    ¡°You can have Teber if all you want is a trade territory,¡± the other who had marked Omaris immediately argued, ¡°We need the central location of Omaris or we will be too far separated from our faction alliances.¡±


    ¡°I also have an alliance with Marcus and now Herdin,¡± Cassandra replied, ¡°Cattle and other livestock cannot cross the border because of Beraud¡¯s parasite protection policy.¡±


    ¡°Since you know so much about Beraud¡¯s policies, your faction will do fine in Teber,¡± they pointed out.


    It seemed they would not be willing to budge on this one and they did make a fair point. Besides, no one in her faction actually wanted to deal in the livestock trade.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°My faction will take Teber.¡±


    With that settled, the three way battle for Kol began with Silvin already off the table. Whether it was out of pity or the sheer desperation of the representative, Nathan¡¯s faction successfully acquired Kol. The other two quickly agreed to Flaxen and Fisher for their territories, leaving behind both Merk and Dyment.


    It was at this point the Headmaster reminded them of his presence. ¡°We can¡¯t have leftovers,¡± he asserted, ¡°Check under your seats. The two who find the ¡®winner¡¯ card will start negotiations for their faction¡¯s second territory.¡±


    Cassandra had a sinking feeling as she watched the relief on some of their faces before anyone even moved. She hadn¡¯t thought to check her chair. It looked like Marcus hadn¡¯t either. Sure enough, both had chosen seats with ¡®winner¡¯ cards. The last two seats that had been available at the table, in fact. That seemed too convenient to be a coincidence.


    ¡°Can I have Dyment?¡± Cassandra asked without missing a beat. Dyment wasn¡¯t the best, but she absolutely could not accept Merk. That was the only one her faction had unanimously agreed they must not get.


    Marcus was a bit surprised by her instant decision, but readily agreed. ¡°Dyment and Merk have a lot of dealings together, so I guess we will be working together after all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cassandra told him.


    Headmaster Osmond stood and gave them each the management stamp for their faction¡¯s territory, or territories. Cassandra stared at her two ornate stamp boxes full of mixed feelings. She had been sent to get once territory and she ended up with two, neither of which were their first pick.


    ¡°Congratulations on obtaining your first territory,¡± Osmond told them, ¡°Now I suggest you start packing. You will be living there for the duration of the next semester.¡±


    ¡°How will that work for those of us with two territories?¡± Marcus asked.Stolen story; please report.


    Osmond smiled at him as if he had been waiting for this very question. ¡°Well, I suppose you will have to split up.¡±


    They would have to split up? This must be why he had specifically brought up the rule about not sharing. It would be far easier to split if they could get another faction involved. She would need to talk to her faction about this. It was a good thing they had already decided to gather everyone to reveal and discuss the territory she would win. She just got a bonus they would need to discuss as well.


    Marcus caught her before she left. ¡°Can I discuss things with you after your team meeting?¡± he asked, ¡°I think it would be best for us to keep working together however we can from now on.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°I will let you know what we manage to figure out.¡±


    Now it was time to get into the real discussion. No one had been sure how long the negotiations would last, so they planned the meeting after lunch. Everyone arrived in the same empty classroom as last time well fed and ready for a lengthy discussion. However, none of them were prepared for the surprise Cassandra had for them.


    Alois was the first to notice. ¡°Two?¡± he asked, looking at the boxes in her hands, ¡°Cassandra, please explain.¡±


    She gave them a quick overview of how things had gone and the Headmaster¡¯s sneaky plot for the extra territories. Cassandra also explained her reasons for taking Teber over Omaris and the unfortunate leftover choices of Dyment and Merk.


    ¡°We just barely dodged Merk,¡± Autumn realized with a groan, ¡°Thank goodness it was Marcus.¡±


    ¡°It would have been a difficult battle,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°The most concerning part of this is that Osmond said we would need to split up between these two territories.¡±


    ¡°So we will need to choose a leader for each,¡± Caleb realized with a grimace, ¡°I¡¯ll work on making a charm so we can communicate easier. We will still have important things to discuss, especially if we are split. The whole faction will probably take the fall with either one of the territories.¡±


    That was an unfortunate possibility. ¡°I can lead one,¡± Cassandra offered, ¡°I have been preparing to work with Teber since Marcus mentioned how popular Omaris would be last night.¡±


    ¡°I can lead Dyment,¡± Maximus proposed, ¡°I have actually been curious about their dye secrets since I heard of it.¡±


    ¡°I will follow Maximus,¡± Wayde decided.


    Then began the decision of how everyone would be split. Everyone made their choice, though they did have to even things out just a little bit so neither territory had too many. They also had to consider skillsets and where each person would be most needed. Alois had actually brought up the point that his merchant expertise would be more useful in Dyment than in a territory full of other merchants.


    That was how it was decided that Alois would join Maximus along with Wayde and Caleb. Keane, Autumn, Rena, and Juliane all decided to follow Cassandra to Teber. It was difficult creating the balanced split, but they eventually sorted things out. After that, Cassandra hunted down Marcus to have her promised discussion with him.


    Once they met, he explained his faction¡¯s split and how they worked things out. Marcus would be leading Merk and Lily would be leading Herdin as the one who wanted it in the first place. As expected, she would have Iris with her. Cassandra was a bit surprised to learn that Elliot was not only in Marcus¡¯s faction but had chosen to join him in Merk.


    Hopefully there wouldn¡¯t be any issues with Marcus and Maximus working together.


    ==========


    The ten territories of Nobility used for the training of the valuable talents that would guide the future of Tethia were each supervised by a specially appointed steward. This steward was appointed by the king of Tethia to help the students as well as run the territory during the off times. Every year, after the students finished their negotiations, these stewards would be given the official list of which faction had chosen their territory.


    During this time, the stewards would meet in Omaris to share and compare so they could prepare for the hectic semester to come. After all, it was their duty to protect the citizens of their territory should a problem student attempt to cause any trouble. On the look out for problem students, the steward of Kol grumbled.


    ¡°It seems I got him this year.¡±


    ¡°Our fields haven¡¯t recovered yet from last year,¡± the steward of Flaxen sighed, pitying her poor comrade, ¡°If he messes with the mine, your people could lose their lives. We will have to make sure to prevent this.¡±


    ¡°What was that headmaster¡¯s apprentice like last year?¡± the steward of Teber asked, ¡°It looks like I got him this year.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± the steward of Dyment broke in, ¡°My papers also show his faction. Could there be some sort of mix up?¡±


    The steward of Omaris laughed. ¡°It¡¯s no mix up. Have you forgotten what that sneaky headmaster is like? He always makes his favorite students suffer.¡±


    ¡°It looks like we have a double as well,¡± the steward of Merk told the steward of Herdin with a grin, ¡°They must be truly unrefined kids to choose us. I look forward to it.¡±


    Just like the able bodied mercenaries in the territory of Merk, its steward was a muscled mass of a man. He also shared far too many of their mannerisms after spending too long there. The steward of Herdin did not appreciate his joke and pushed him aside.


    ¡°I am sure they had perfectly valid reasons for choosing us.¡±


    ¡°Or we were the last pick in the pool,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°It will certainly be interesting to see how this year turns out,¡± the steward of Omaris mused, ¡°So far, none of them has realized Teber¡¯s full potential. With two territories on their plate, I doubt even the headmaster¡¯s apprentice will be able to either.¡±

 27: Manors and Management

    Packing was simple enough, but the actual travel to the territories was a long ordeal. Osmond had them split into ten groups, one for each territory, and led each one through the pavilion. With this he took them not to the manors they would be living, but to carriages waiting at the edges of each territory to bring the students to their new, albeit temporary, home.


    Maximus¡¯s group left first, with Caleb having just enough time to do one last quick test of their communication charms before leaving with him. Cassandra went last as Teber was at the border and the farthest away. At the very least, it gave her some time to say her goodbyes to Yuki. The fox seemed perplexed by her hugs and whispers, but let her do as she pleased.


    The manor of Teber was closer to the border of Tethia and Beraud than Cassandra had expected, making her wonder if the territory had a hidden diplomatic purpose. The steward of Teber was waiting at the manor gates to greet them, but Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but notice he seemed to be looking for someone.


    ¡°Was Alois not in your faction?¡± he asked.


    ¡°He is,¡± Cassandra confirmed, ¡°Alois is in Dyment. Headmaster Osmond had our faction split up to govern both territories.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± the steward said, unable to hide the disappointment in his tone, ¡°Are you the faction¡¯s elected leader, then?¡±


    Elected? Well, no one had been against it. Cassandra hadn¡¯t been aware that faction leaders were chosen by an election system. Then again, she might be thinking too deeply.


    ¡°She is,¡± the third year Heart confirmed. He had accompanied Cassandra to help organize the guards and other security in Teber since he had experience.With all of the danger involved in a border territory, Cassandra was glad to have him.


    The steward looked between the both of them before quickly reclaiming his role and duty. ¡°I am Tobias, the steward of Teber. I will serve you during your stay here and assist you with your management needs.¡±


    ¡°I am Cassandra, temporary lord of Teber,¡± she replied in turn, ¡°I look forward to working with you on Teber¡¯s betterment.¡±


    Once they finished their greetings, Tobias guided them to rooms they could stay for the night and had servants set up their things. After that, he showed Cassandra the main office and where the management materials were kept. After the tour, they were all brought to the dining room to have a meal. They had barely arrived and it seemed their schedule would be packed. So much for downtime to adjust.


    During the meal, Tobias started a chat with Cassandra. ¡°Teber is known as one of the hardest of the ten territories,¡± he said, ¡°Why did your faction decide to choose it?¡±


    ¡°I chose Teber because I am confident I will be able to learn from it,¡± Cassandra answered, ¡°As a Tear, a territory with interactions with another country would be the most beneficial for me. Trade will help me learn to negotiate on a higher level as well.¡±


    Tobias seemed surprised she actually had deeper reasons for choosing Teber. ¡°I am glad that Teber wasn¡¯t just an unfortunate extra for your faction.¡±


    ¡°That was Dyment,¡± Cassandra admitted, ¡°But we have made the most of it and I believe it will be a benefit to us in the end.¡±


    ¡°You have quite the good outlook,¡± Tobias told her, ¡°I wish you luck in your efforts.¡±


    After the meal she needed to look into the territory¡¯s management and assign everyone who had followed her a role and a job. She decided to keep Rena close as an assistance, set Keane and Autumn in charge of surveying the territory and working on any improvements. Juliane was given the choice and decided to work directly with the steward of Teber. The rest of the roles were sorted out before the night was done, and Cassandra was more than ready to collapse into her new bed. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Cassandra stepped into her room and immediately froze at the sight of an unexpected guest. ¡°Yuki? How did you get here?¡±


    The fox yawned and stretched before turning slightly to expose its ears for her usual scritches. He seemed to find nothing wrong with his mysterious presence there and Cassandra decided to just accept it. Instead, she should just be happy that the clearly magical fox enjoyed her company.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you are here,¡± she told him, ¡°I already missed you and a full day hasn¡¯t even passed.¡±


    As usual, the fox made no movement or response, but the fact he was here in the first place gave his reply for him. Tomorrow she would work on the distinct lack of cookies she had seen in Teber.


    ==========


    From the moment Maximus had arrived in Dyment things had been odd. He was used to people staring at his wings or being surprised by his appearance, but something about the way the citizens of Dyment looked at him made Maximus incredibly uncomfortable. The strange feeling only became worse once they arrived at the manor and met the steward of Dyment. This man also froze for a moment to stare at Maximus¡¯s fae wings before turning to speak to Alois.


    ¡°I am Carson, steward of the territory of Dyment,¡± he introduced, ¡°It is my pleasure to welcome the apprentice of the Headmaster of Nobility.¡±


    Maximus immediately didn¡¯t like the man, and it seemed Alois felt the same from the clear scowl on his face to his curt reply.


    ¡°The one you should be welcoming is not me,¡± he corrected, ¡°Maximus is the one who will be the temporary lord of Dyment.¡±


    As Alois gestured in Maximus¡¯s direction, Carson flinched and quickly bit back a scowl of his own. What was going on here? Was it because he was a first year? He was apprenticed to the ninth prince so surely he wasn¡¯t lacking in that regard. Or was it possible that this man disliked fae? Maximus found it hard to believe someone with such obvious discrimination would be left in a position to care for one of the ten territories of Nobility.


    ¡°I will take you to your rooms,¡± Carson told them, skipping the common courtesy Maximus had been practicing to return. He also noticed that the Lord¡¯s Chambers were given to Alois despite the correction, and Maximus was given a much smaller room far away from any of the administration offices.


    ¡°Steward, you¡¯ve made a mistake,¡± Caleb told him, ¡°Maximus is now the lord of this territory, not you. You must serve him whether you like him or not.¡±


    His words upgraded Maximus¡¯s room to one more appropriate, but Caleb ended up with the shabby room instead. Caleb didn¡¯t seem to mind, but he passed a message through the communication device that they should not blindly trust Carson. Something about him was off.


    The strange treatment continued throughout the day. Carson failed to invite Maximus to dinner, happened to lose an important document about the management of the Dyment territory and gave it to Alois instead, and when Alois would not respond, he turned to Wayde. It was the first time in his life that Maximus had been so obviously ignored like this, and it stung more than he would like to admit.


    Once he finished what he had to guess were the day¡¯s duties, Maximus immediately wrote a letter to Prince Nero, asking Caleb to send it just in case Carson¡¯s strange grudge made the piece of mail mysteriously disappear. In it he described the oddness of the situation and asked for advice on how to deal with it.


    Prince Nero usually had quick responses, but this one took a bit longer than usual. When it did come, Maximus found out it was because of the sheer length of the response Nero had written. The letter began with the usual greetings that were expected of a prince before getting into the meat of the issue.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to become the temporary lord of Dyment of all places,¡± it began, ¡°Unfortunately, the suspicions you told me are all correct. Dyment is a place full of discrimination against the fae kind. It will be a difficult place for you to lead, but should you follow in my footsteps as a prince, that is something you would eventually have to face.¡±


    Nero knew about it? And that steward was allowed to keep his position? Maximus was starting to get the feeling that there was something deeper going on here.


    ¡°Now for my advice. Your only path forward is simple. Ignore them and succeed anyway. Lead just as you would have without their judging stares. Once they have dropped their guard against you, take the chance to gather evidence. Corruption never stops at surface level. That is the best thing you can do for Dyment and how you will pass the test.¡±


    What had once been a field experience trip for students had quickly become a plot to uncover corruption in the political webs of Tethia. As always, Prince Nero was one to take advantage of opportunities that landed before him, even if that opportunity was his apprentice¡¯s dangerous situation. As the apprentice in this scenario, Maximus could only feel resigned. Nero had always been like this, after all.

 28: Cross Country Communication

    When Cassandra woke up the next morning she found a letter from Caleb in her letter box telling her to contact him when she was in a secure location without any listening ears. Keane and Autumn were welcome to join, but she was warned against bringing anyone else. It was HOT business. Who had taught Caleb about acronyms? It wasn¡¯t something commonly used in Tethia, so perhaps it was strange that she immediately decoded HOT to mean Heroes of Tethia.


    During breakfast, Autumn mentioned something about needing to relay some HOT information of his own. Tobias immediately misunderstood on multiple accounts, as he asked Autumn what kind of guys he found attractive.


    ¡°I am a guy!¡± Autumn exclaimed. He had gotten better at correcting people without freaking out, but it seemed he was a little extra on edge today.


    Cassandra quickly swooped in to rescue the situation. ¡°He has been having issues because all of his crushes mistook him for a girl and things became awkward once they found out,¡± she explained. It would be a little embarrassing, but it was better than Tobias catching on that HOT meant something else entirely.


    Autumn immediately flushed but did not deny her words. Oh dear, had that actually happened? Cassandra made a mental note not to bring that up again. Luckily, Tobias bought the excuse and let the subject drop. After breakfast, Cassandra found some time to herself and contacted Autumn and Keane.


    ¡°If both of you have some time, we should contact Caleb,¡± she told them.


    The communication charms Caleb and Keane had worked so hard to create were worn as earrings for convenience. They had various modes of function, allowing you to both contact specific people privately or speak to multiple people at once. Of course, everyone involved must have a paired communication charm or the magic wouldn¡¯t work. It was especially convenient that they didn¡¯t have to gather in one place to use it, yet all of the Heroes of Tethia, as Michelle had dubbed them, could have a conversation.


    ¡°I have some interesting news,¡± Maximus told them once everyone had linked into the call, ¡°Something strange is going on in Dyment. The longer I stay here the stranger it gets. Last night I was sure they just hated fae kind, but there seems to be a dark secret to the secret dye production method as well.¡±


    ¡°Did you need help looking into things?¡± Cassandra asked.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to keep you updated. If any of us remember anything important about current events we should keep the others updated,¡± Maximus replied.


    ¡°Actually, I have something that I need to share,¡± Autumn broke in, ¡°I received a letter from my grandfather today¡­ My grandfather is a vassal of the Empire of Gaia and should have no access to Teber. He shouldn¡¯t even know where I am.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather is a vassal of Gaia?¡± Alois asked, joining the conversation, ¡°Is that why you ran away from home?¡±


    Cassandra had expected a background like this when Autumn made repeated mentions of the game heroine¡¯s fate of being exploited as a weapon by Gaia. She hadn¡¯t expected Autumn¡¯s to be so closely related, or for him to suddenly open up about it with the whole group.¡±


    ¡°Just wait until you hear the contents,¡± Keane told them with displeasure, ¡°It was sickening to read.¡±


    ¡°Is Autumn being threatened?¡± Wayde asked warily.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Autumn replied, ¡°When I passed the test to enter Nobility, they gave me an order to use the opportunity to convert others to our cause. My grandfather believes I am faithfully following those orders and you are the ones I have chosen to turn to Gaia. However, he said that some of you aren¡¯t worthy to enter Gaia after Tethia is conquered.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what this is about,¡± Alois sighed, ¡°The Empire of Gaia is full of endless discrimination. I am amazed they would even work with a beastkin like yourself. They must be truly desperate and think we would never expect it.¡±


    ¡°If Gaia has reached Teber, is there a possibility they have reached Dyment as well? That would explain why everyone has an adverse reaction to my wings,¡± Maximus guessed.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Keane confirmed, ¡°Keep an eye out. The war with Gaia has already begun from the inside, and we need to do what we can to stamp it out before it is too late.¡±


    ¡°Headmaster Osmond knows about the war from our discussion with his summon,¡± Wayde recalled, ¡°If he hasn¡¯t betrayed us, then the other pillars of Tethia might be preparing already for the incoming threat.¡±


    As the discussion grew more heated, a small part of Cassandra missed the hectic but safe days attending school at Nobility. It seemed this second semester would be hectic as well, but in a completely different way.


    ¡°I am not sure if this is important, but I have news as well,¡± Cassandra spoke up, ¡°Yuki followed me to Teber without me summoning him. He was waiting in my room when I went to bed last night.¡±


    ¡°Yuki?¡± Maximus asked, ¡°That fox summon of yours? I¡¯ve never heard of a summon summoning themselves before, but if he exists somewhere in this world normally, he could have just followed you the normal way rather than through summoning magic.¡±


    That was the explanation Cassandra had come up with as well, and it seemed no one had anything in particular to say about Yuki. Perhaps he didn¡¯t appear much in the future after all. Then again, maybe he did and they just didn¡¯t know about it.


    ¡°You had better keep Yuki hidden,¡± Autumn advised, ¡°There was actually a second part to my grandfather¡¯s letter. He is coming to visit to judge my progress. If he thinks I have failed, he intends to drag me to Gaia with him¡­ In the game, the heroine would get the bad ending if she failed to get close to a target by the second semester. I guess this is why.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Cassandra promised, ¡°Maximus, good luck with Dyment¡¯s hidden secrets. It looks like we will have our own set of problems to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Maximus said, ¡°You should be careful as well. If a vassal of Gaia is going to be bold enough to visit one of Nobility¡¯s ten territories during the test, he must have someone backing him. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡±


    Maximus made a fair point. He had to have at least entertained the possibility that Autumn would choose to report him instead of following orders. This meant he either had a spy on the inside to warn him if such a report happened, someone powerful giving him refuge, or both.


    ¡°You should be careful too,¡± Keane told Maximus, ¡°You already know that the people there react to your wings. It is just a matter of time before you are targeted. Don¡¯t go anywhere alone.¡±


    ¡°I am glad our first long distance test of the jabber jewels is successful,¡± Caleb butted in, ¡°but I was really hoping we would be discussing a lighter topic.¡±


    ¡°Like the fact jabber jewels is an awful name?¡± Autumn suggested, a small smile seeming to enter his tone.


    Caleb sighed. ¡°Then you come up with a better one. Wasn¡¯t your idea ¡®ear sings¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That was one of them,¡± Autumn defended, ¡°Not my best one, though.¡±


    As the two continued to argue, Cassandra found herself able to smile and relax as well. She was glad that all of them had truly been able to become friends before the danger that would turn them into the Heroes of Tethia struck. There would be no avoiding the path of the future, so she would do her best to embrace it.


    ¡°I actually do have one more incredibly serious issue to bring up,¡± she interrupted, ¡°Where can I acquire cookies in Teber?¡±


    There was a silence that was shortly filled with plentiful laughter. Alois in particular was wheezing as he struggled to answer her with the same false seriousness she had proposed her question in.


    ¡°I would imagine you could speak to a knowledgeable merchant and obtain some,¡± he replied, ¡°but if you happen to be particular about your recipes you should convince the chef of Teber Manor to make some for you instead.¡±


    ¡°I think I shall pursue both of those options,¡± Cassandra decided, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer as a taste tester!¡± Autumn called out, managing to escape from his own fit of giggles.


    ¡°How about a cookie contest?¡± Caleb suggested, ¡°Whoever brings Cassandra the best cookies decides the name of the communication charms.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Autumn accepted.


    ¡°I will join as well,¡± Keane agreed.


    Alois let out a muffled snort. ¡°Oh I am definitely in, but if I win, I¡¯ll call them something crazy like Communication On Order Kindling Innovation Endlessly.¡±


    It was Cassandra¡¯s turn to let out a laugh as she realized what the acronym would spell. ¡°That would be one HOT COOKIE. I approve.¡±


    The contest ended before the day was up, with Caleb¡¯s overwhelming victory. Everyone had put their all into cookie retrieval to prevent the HOT COOKIE from becoming something they would have to live with. Compared to that, even Autumn had to admit that jabber jewels was just fine.

 29: Grandfather From Gaia

    It was hard to think about preparing for anything when her duties as the territory manager and lord began in earnest. If Rena hadn¡¯t been her direct assistant, Cassandra was certain she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get anything done. Rena was a bit blunt at times, but she was skilled as a Tear and loyal as a friend. She was glad that they had become part of the same faction.


    One week passed with no news, then two, and half of a third. Just when Cassandra was beginning to wonder if Autumn¡¯s grandfather had only bluffed about his visit, Juliane entered the office with news.


    ¡°A visitor just arrived, and he claims to be closely related to Autumn. What should we do?¡± Juliane asked.


    ¡°I will meet him,¡± Cassandra said, ¡°Personal visits aren¡¯t allowed during the territory test, so I will treat it as an official visit instead.¡±


    ¡°I will guide him to the parlor,¡± Juliane reported.


    As soon as Juliane was gone, Cassandra activated her jabber jewel. ¡°He¡¯s here. Autumn, let me know if you want me to send him away. It¡¯s not too late to change the plan.¡±


    Since they had some time to prepare, they had decided on a plan to try and get as much information from their unwelcome guest as possible. The main problem with this plan was that it involved Autumn talking to him alone, with his jabber jewel activated to act more like an eavesdropping charm. None of them wanted to put Autumn in danger.


    ¡°No. I will do it,¡± Autumn replied, ¡°I am ready to face him.¡±


    With Autumn¡¯s assurance, Cassandra proceeded with the original plan and met his grandfather in the parlor. Despite being tall and obviously human, the older man waiting in the parlor resembled Autumn far more than Cassandra had expected. His graying hair had hints of the cream color of Autumn¡¯s own, though the edges had turned truly white.


    ¡°You must be Cassandra, the acting lord of Teber,¡± he greeted once she arrived, ¡°I am Frost, an vassal of Gaia who oversees the border and ensures peace between our nations.¡±


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Frost,¡± Cassandra replied, ¡°However, I can¡¯t help but mention that Teber lies at the border of Beraud, not Gaia.¡±


    ¡°My apologies. I have come here for personal reasons,¡± Frost admitted, ¡°I have not seen my precious grandson in quite a while, but I heard he was staying here.¡±


    ¡°Your grandson?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°I am afraid if he is a student, I cannot allow personal visits. It is against the rules of Nobility.¡±


    Frost looked to the ground and covered his face with a hand. ¡°I had no idea. This must have put you in an awkward position, Lady Cassandra.¡±


    Something about his movements and tone gave Cassandra the impression that he had definitely known this rule beforehand, but pointing it out would ruin the plan. Instead she pretended to feel guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I cannot let you meet him in this manor,¡± she told him, ¡°However, if you tell me who your grandson is, perhaps I could arrange a secret meeting in town.¡±


    ¡°You would do that for me?¡± he asked with the glistening eyes of someone who got their way pretending to be touched, ¡°Thank you. My grandson¡¯s name is Autumn. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you in return.¡±


    ¡°There is no need for that,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°There is a garden here in Teber with special rooms that many merchants use for private meetings. I will have Autumn meet you there.¡±


    Frost thanked her again before going on his way, Juliane taking the duty to escort him out. With that, the first step of the plan was complete. Cassandra had to be sure that the meeting took place somewhere safe, not under Gaia¡¯s control so she had sent Keane to research what the town had to offer. The manor, unfortunately, could not be considered one of those safe places. She may be the acting lord of Teber, but everyone treated Tobias as the true lord.


    ¡°He accepted the meeting place,¡± Cassandra reported through her jabber jewel.


    ¡°I will be accompanying Autumn,¡± Keane replied, ¡°Someone needs to be nearby in case things take a turn for the worst.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Maximus said, ¡°Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be able to help much with the way things are here in Dyment. I haven¡¯t made much progress in uncovering mysteries since I have had to spend all my time forcing them to acknowledge me as the acting lord.¡±


    Cassandra also wanted to go, but she knew that she could not. ¡°I will have to stay here to not arouse suspicion,¡± she told them, ¡°He seemed to know far too much about us and Teber so I suspect there is a spy here in the manor.¡±


    ¡°That would make a lot of sense,¡± Autumn agreed, ¡°Nothing happened until we arrived here.¡±


    ¡°I will see what I can do to set a trap for the spy,¡± Cassandra told them, ¡°Good lukc with your grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Maybe I can get him to spill the spy¡¯s identity too.¡±


    ==========


    Autumn had talked a big game over the jabber jewel, but in reality he was still terrified. His grandfather had raised him after his parents had passed, even though he was the very reason they had died in the first place. His father was once a citizen of Gaia, but had moved to Tethia to marry his mother, a catkin. Such marriages were impossible on the empire¡¯s soil. The details of their deaths weren¡¯t clear since Autumn had been too young at the time, but his grandfather had never hidden that he had been behind them.


    Ever since he was little, Autumn had always been told he was lucky to be alive. If it weren¡¯t for his incredible magical talent that Gaia found useful, he would have been cut down as a traitor with his parents. Had he not remembered the otome game and his past live on Earth, he may have lost his mind and become a slave to these words. He shared the same name as the heroine, and even looked just like her. His only hope was to take her place and attend Nobility, or her bad ending would be his as well.


    Unfortunately, when his grandfather agreed to his plan to attend the prestigious school, it came at a price. He would take his chance at the test where all of the pillars of Tethia gathered and kill them, securing Gaia¡¯s immediate victory. When Keane had helped Autumn to fail that task in a way that wouldn¡¯t make things too suspicious, Autumn had been given orders to recruit others at Nobility, and convince them to surrender to Gaia when the time came.


    That had been the last message Autumn had received from home until arriving in Teber. Since then, he had received several, but he had only been brave enough to tell the others about one. The one from his grandfather. The letter had been lengthy and difficult to conceal from Keane, who was always by his side.


    Those other messages were part of the reason Autumn was afraid. He had never gained the courage to bring them up, but there would be no avoiding it during the conversation with his grandfather. The small slips of paper had carried clear instructions for things to slip into his ¡®work¡¯ in Teber. Most of it involved trying to gain control of the magic Keane was using through him to turn Keane into Gaia¡¯s puppet.


    Keane accompanied Autumn to the secret gardens of Teber as he mentally squirmed under the weight of his worries. Keane stayed at the entrance as Autumn went inside to meet him. He activated the jabber jewel as promised so everyone would be able to hear everything that happened around him. His grandfather kept up the kind and caring act until they were alone in one of the secure private rooms with a lovely view of the gardens through the windows.


    ¡°You did well to meet me, Autumn,¡± he said, ¡°I have always told you that the only way for you to survive is to make a great contribution to Gaia. Tethia will fall, and you must be the one who makes that happen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandfather,¡± Autumn answered obediently, feeling the intense pressure in the old man¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I have been receiving reports about your progress. You did well to split your faction between Teber and Dyment, however I wish you would have traded that beast girl for the magician boy,¡± he continued, ¡°Everyone else in Teber is perfect. Continue to win them over to Gaia¡¯s side. I especially liked the girl who greeted me. She seemed smart, but still went along with our play. You did well with her so far.¡±


    Had Cassandra somehow managed to act so well his grandfather was convinced she was a supporter of Gaia? That was good for the plan and his immediate safety, but it would be bad for Cassandra later if Gaia outed her as one of their own.


    ¡°Why did you wish to meet me, grandfather?¡± Autumn dared to ask. He wanted to quickly get this over with. He wanted the others to save him, but he couldn¡¯t let them do that until he got something useful out of the old man before him.


    ¡°You have done well, Autumn,¡± he said, ¡°but it is time to come home. You will not be able to achieve the glory Gaia needs from you at Nobility. Let others finish the wonderful work you have begun.¡±


    Autumn¡¯s heart clenched as panic set in. Go home? Had he made a mistake somewhere? Was he going to have a bad ending after all? ¡°I can still do it,¡± Autumn pled, ¡°The princes and princesses visit the school often and I can take out the headmaster too.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± his grandfather replied, ¡°Headmaster Osmond is on Gaia¡¯s side. That is why I am certain you would be better served on the battlefield. You can even bring that partner of yours along. He is a useful tool in controlling your magic.¡±


    Osmond was a traitor? He had sided with Gaia? Did that mean his grandfather already knew everything about the reincarnation and their pasts? Autumn¡¯s thoughts had been thrown into complete frenzy with the new information.


    ¡°No!¡± he shouted, backing away, ¡°I can¡¯t go with you.¡±


    All of his instincts screamed at him to run, but before he could, a silver haired man with a mask caught his arm. ¡°Do you like my summon? I have had to use many magic tools to control him, but his usefulness is unmatched. Now, Autumn, let¡¯s go home.¡±

 30: Dyments Last Hope

    Keane rushed to the room and threw the door open just in time to see the masked summon use some sort of needle to put Autumn to sleep. This was bad. It would be much harder to rescue an unconscious person, and he had to be careful not to get caught as well or Autumn would have no hope of rescue. Unfortunately, Autumn¡¯s jabber jewel had stopped working the moment he lost consciousness as well.


    ¡°Ah, the partner? Or was it called pair?¡± Frost greeted from near the window, ¡°You are welcome to join us. Autumn is just being a little rebellious, as teenagers often are.¡±


    ¡°Where are you taking him?¡± Keane demanded.


    ¡°If you join us you will find out,¡± he replied, stepping towards him, ¡°If not, I am sure you at least know not to get in my way.¡±


    Keane took a moment to weigh his options. He could not defeat the summon, but he might be able to release him if the chance arose. That chance would never come if he let them leave without him now.


    ¡°I will come,¡± he agreed, ¡°I should leave a message so that the others don¡¯t get suspicious. Perhaps a business trip?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Frost replied with a smile, but observed every word that Keane wrote. Once he was certain that nothing in it was suspicious, he allowed Keane to send it, watching in interest as he used Autumn¡¯s magic to do so.


    ¡°Now we should be able to travel to our destination without worry,¡± Keane told him. It seemed the old man had failed to notice him activating his own jabber jewel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he assured, ¡°We won¡¯t be going far. All we need to do is cross the border into the Draconis Mountains where no nation has sway over.¡±


    The Draconis Mountains split the continent and formed the borders of most nations on it. This was because they were home to the dragon race who obeyed no one and were impossible for any nation to conquer. However, it wasn¡¯t strange for the nationless borders they formed to become a lawless land of in-between and Teber was right at the foot of them.


    There was a light prick as Keane fell pray to the same needle trick that had been used on Autumn. It seemed this would be all the information he would be able to give them. He might not be much use in a hostage situation, but at the very least he couldn¡¯t let Autumn face this fate alone.


    ==========


    Maximus angrily punched the wall of his office as he helplessly listened to two of his comrades get dragged to the borderlands by a mysterious powerful summon and a vassal of Gaia. Not only that, they all had to face the truth that the headmaster was a potential traitor and their deepest secret might be known not by the elite of Tethia, but of Gaia instead.


    There had to be something he could do from the territory of Dyment. Some way he could use his position as acting lord to help his friends. If only they had taken Merk after all, he could organize a strike force of mercenaries. Or maybe he didn¡¯t need to be the one to do that. Marcus had claimed himself their ally. He just needed some kind of justification to hire them.


    As Maximus wandered the halls of Dyment¡¯s manor trying to scare up some ideas, his path was blocked by an elderly woman in servant¡¯s clothing. Tired of being dismissed by the servants of Dyment and full of pent up stress, Maximus was about to scold her. However, something about the look in the old woman¡¯s eyes stopped him. She tried to disguise it, but she shared the same desperation he felt now.


    ¡°Lord Maximus,¡± she greeted, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Without even waiting for his response, the old woman began to walk away. Maximus couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this was an important moment. An opportunity that could not be missed.


    He quickly caught up to her as she led him out of the manor towards the dye production warehouse. The constant gazes that followed him felt different as he passed through. Rather than contempt there was only hopelessness and despair. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The warehouse was completely empty once they stepped inside. It wasn¡¯t just devoid of people. There was nothing inside at all. No vats or barrels of dye. No crates or chests for materials. Not even equipment for the dye making itself. The only light came from cracks in the boarded up windows well out of reach of the ordinary person. The place seemed both abandoned and haunted.


    ¡°Why have you brought me here?¡± Maximus asked.


    ¡°It is the only place Steward Carson cannot go,¡± she told him, ¡°You are the first fae to become an acting lord of Dyment and our only hope.¡±


    ¡°What do you me- Wait! What are you doing?!¡± Maximus¡¯s question changed abruptly in alarm as the old woman pulled off her overcoat to reveal her bare and wrinkled back.


    ¡°Showing what must be shown,¡± she replied, ¡°Look closely. Don¡¯t you see something strange?¡±


    Maximus swallowed nervously and stepped closer. What he saw filled him with horror and dread. The wrinkles he had seen from afar weren¡¯t wrinkles at all, but the jagged remnants of wings. The stubs had lost all color and sheen leaving them grayed and cracked.


    ¡°How could something like this happen?!¡± Maximus demanded.


    ¡°I cannot tell you,¡± she said, quickly replacing her coat, ¡°There is something else you must do for us. Please, save the children.¡±


    ¡°The children?¡± Maximus asked, successfully sidetracked. Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t seen a single child since his arrival. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°All I know is that they were taken to a secret base in the Draconis mountains.¡±


    Everything began to click into place. Autumn and Keane were not the only victims that had been abducted, and would likely not be the last.


    ¡°Is there a way to quickly contact Merk from here? I have an alliance with the acting lord there,¡± Maximus pressed. He needed to hurry. He had more than enough reason to act, but now the clock was ticking and lives were in danger.


    ¡°There is a private conversation crystal with Merk hidden in the lord¡¯s office,¡± she told him, ¡°Your magician friend may need to help you activate it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hidden in my office?¡± Maximus asked.


    The old woman shook her head. ¡°The lord¡¯s office is nowhere in that tacky manor. I will guide you.¡±


    Maximus quickly followed her to yet another mysterious location. As he did, he filled Caleb in on the situation, finding enough hope and humor to make a jab about how a communication crystal made far more sense than a jabber jewel. Caleb¡¯s response was halfhearted, but it had helped to lighten the mood somewhat.


    Their destination this time appeared to be a system of caves buried beneath the territory. Each cavern was so wide and vast  it was a wonder he had not noticed their existence before. The caves also had a strong magical pull of their own. Perhaps it was the effect of the multicolored glow coming from the cavern¡¯s ceiling.


    ¡°This is dyment¡¯s secret,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Why have you shown me this so willingly?¡± Maximus questioned, a hint of suspicion working its way in.


    ¡°What secret is worth keeping if it costs the lives of our children?¡± she asked back.


    Maximus could not find an answer for her, so they walked through the caverns in silence until they came upon a room that seemed entirely out of place. In simple terms, it was an office. On the desk of this oddly ordinary office was a far less ordinary clear crystal the size of his fist, resting on a stand that resembled a golden spiral.


    The old woman plucked the crystal from its stand and handed it to him. ¡°Use it to save the children,¡± she told him gravely.


    ¡°I will,¡± Maximus promised, feeling the pressure and urgency more than ever. There was still one major concern plaguing his mind. Would Marcus be able to answer his call?


    He hurried out of the caves to meet Caleb at the warehouse. If one thing had become clear it was that they could not trust Carson or Dyment manor as it was under his thumb. It took a painstakingly long couple of minutes for Caleb to examine and understand how the crystal functioned.


    ¡°I am going to need your help to activate this one,¡± Caleb reported, ¡°It looks like it has some sort of key that requires fae magic to unlock.¡±


    ¡°How do I unlock it?¡± Maximus asked, placing his hand on the crystal once more.


    ¡°Just channel some magic into it with the intention to allow me to use it,¡± Caleb suggested, though he didn¡¯t sound completely certain.


    Maximus did just as Caleb instructed and he felt like something happened, but he couldn¡¯t tell exactly what. Before he could ask anymore questions, Caleb activated it and they waited with bated breath as it glowed and began to spin as it hovered over their hands. They heard their heartbeats in the silence until a voice came through from the other side.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    It worked! Now they just needed to negotiate.

 31: The Rogue Summon

    Alois felt like he was the only one left not doing something. Cassandra was working hard to take this opportunity to catch the spy so Autumn would have a safe place to return to. Caleb and Maximus were negotiating with Marcus and Merk to form a rescue squad. Wayde was keeping Carson busy so he didn¡¯t notice what they were up to.


    He needed to do something, but the problem was the main thing he was tempted to do was confront Osmond. Just as he was about to give in and interrogate his mentor, Alois felt his jabber jewel activate.


    ¡°Alois, I need you to do something while I am gone,¡± Maximus told him.


    Finally, a task. ¡°What do you need?¡± Alois asked.


    ¡°This incident is far deeper than it appears. Dyment is in danger and if we do nothing it will continue to suffer,¡± Maximus explained, ¡°The only way we can stop this is to find proof. You are the only one among us who can get it. Not only are you the apprentice of the man they believe to be on their side, but you can always use that stealth magic if it comes to it.¡±


    ¡°Proof of what?¡± Alois asked. If he was going to do it, he needed to know what he was looking for.


    ¡°Of Carson¡¯s misdeeds,¡± he answered, ¡°Anything serious enough to remove him from his position as steward.¡±


    ¡°Anything, huh. I¡¯ll see what I can dig up,¡± Alois promised.


    He didn¡¯t waste a moment, using his stealth magic to break into Carson¡¯s office while Wayde had him distracted. The office was neatly organized, a perfect example of what an office should be.


    Alois leafed through any documents that looked even the slightest bit important, but they all had to do with the base management of Dyment. He supposed that made sense. Only a fool would leave evidence of treason in a place anyone could go. Just in case he was missing some sort of secret message, Alois looked through everything again.


    ¡°Get out of there,¡± Wayde suddenly warned, ¡°Carson is heading to his office now.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Alois replied as he quickly returned everything to the state he had found it.


    His next target was Carson¡¯s bedroom. It would be like that weasel of a man to keep important secrets close. The room was just as pristine as the office, and if there had not been a bed Alois might have mistaken it for one. The room had a desk against one wall, with the others lined with bookshelves. The books that lined those shelves were all blank bound leather, each appearing to be handwritten.


    They were all journals, at least a hundred of them. Most of them were sealed with privacy magic to prevent others from reading the contents. All of those looked important, but Alois cound;t chance trying to break the enchantment and getting caught. Instead he skimmed through those he could read.


    Rather than Carson¡¯s personal journals, they seemed to be records of every conversation he had ever had. As Alois thought this, the pen on the desk moved on its own and began to scribble down the gist of his latest conversation with Wayde. Was this some sort of recording enchantment? It wasn¡¯t sealed yet, so if Alois could take this and get Carson to confess, that just might work. Perhaps he should bring up this Simon that he seemed to be in constant contact with.


    Alois left the bedroom with the book and pen and stashed them somewhere safe. At the very least it was worth a try. Now all he needed to do was figure out how to convince a traitor he was on their side and definitely not fishing for information. Perhaps he should pretend he already knew what the plan was? No. That was a bad idea. Pretending to know something you didn¡¯t was like asking to get caught.


    He thought of a new plan as he approached Carson¡¯s office. The only problem with this plan was that he would have to betray, or pretend to, Maximus to gain Carson¡¯s trust. Luckily the steward was alone when Alois arrived.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you,¡± Alois greeted.


    ¡°Did you need something?¡± Carson replied with a smile. He had always shown favoritism to Alois, and now that he knew why he felt even more disgusted than before.


    Alois carefully looked around and shut the door before casting a privacy barrier. He needed to choose his words carefully to avoid arousing suspicion without actually admitting to anything himself.


    ¡°I heard you are a key part of the operation,¡± he began.


    Carson¡¯s demeanor immediately sharpened and his eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you have to do with the operation?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Nothing. That¡¯s the problem,¡± Alois told him, ¡°Osmond never lets me in on anything but I am tired of being stuck on the sidelines. If you let me join in this, I am sure I can be useful. Maximus and the rest trust me and tell me all their plans.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Such as?¡± he prodded, not budging an inch.


    ¡°Maximus has been negotiating with Merk,¡± Alois revealed, ¡°I won¡¯t say anything else until you prove to me whose side you are on.¡±


    ¡°Just as slippery as your mentor,¡± he commented, ¡°Very well. I am one of the originals. The forerunners of Gaia¡¯s invasion from the inside. This is a very important moment for the future of the continent and we cannot afford to let anything go wrong.¡±


    ¡°I had no idea this operation was so important,¡± Alois said with genuine surprise.


    ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t. This is a top secret mission only the best of Gaia¡¯s operatives can participate in.¡± he scolded, ¡°I can¡¯t give you the details but I do know a way you can help.¡±


    Alois decided now was a good time to take a risk. ¡°You won¡¯t tell Simon I intervened, will you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Carson assured, ¡°If you do your part and throw that little fae and his friends off the trail, I will see to it that his report to the empire only mentions you in a good light. I know what it is like to be filled with the eager impatience of youth.¡±


    That was an overwhelming success of a plan. Just in case the book and its records fell through he had relayed everything over the jabber jewels. With any luck, Caleb would be able to do something with that.


    ==========


    As Keane slowly came to consciousness he felt a sharp sting where he had been stabbed with the needle. The dust in the air settled like ash, drying his mouth and nose. It felt familiar in the most unpleasant of ways. His eyes snapped open to reveal a dim, celler-like room that wasn¡¯t much of an improvement to having them closed.


    There was just enough light for Keane to make out the form of Autumn sleeping beside him and the looming masked summon guarding the door. They appeared to have been placed on some sort of make-shift sleeping mat on the floor, with the only light seeping through the crack beneath the door.


    Keane reached over to check Autumn¡¯s condition and immediately noticed something felt wrong. Autumn¡¯s temperature was far too high and his skin was damp with sweat. The room wasn¡¯t chilly but it certainly wasn¡¯t hot. Was it a reaction to the sleeping drug? Had he been poisoned? If things had progressed this far, time was of the essence. But what could he do? That summon was standing in the way.


    ¡°Hey, Autumn is sick,¡± Keane tried, but got no response. Right, there would be no negotiating with a puppet. He would need to take care of that, then.


    He pushed himself to his feet and wobbled a bit as the nausea hit. Whatever drug had been used was absolutely awful. No wonder Autumn was having an adverse reaction. Keane needed to act fast before Frost or anyone else noticed he had awoken. It didn¡¯t help that Autumn¡¯s magic was unstable due to his condition.


    Since the magic tools controlling the summon did not need to be preserved for any reason, Keane just obliterated their enchantments and hoped for the best. If the summon turned on them instead he would do his best to protect Autumn.


    The mask cracked and fell off, glowing slightly and adding more light to the room. The light revealed that the summon was a man, perhaps in his late twenties, with metallic silver hair and grayish blue eyes. The man stood there in silence for a moment, staring at the mask that had controlled his actions until that point before he crushed it underfoot with a vengeance.


    ¡°I am assuming you didn¡¯t release me for free. Let¡¯s hear what you want,¡± he spoke.


    ¡°Please help Autumn,¡± Keane told him, ¡°Whatever you injected him with has made him sick and he may be entering critical condition.¡±


    The man frowned and stooped over Autumn, checking his condition. ¡°What a rotten mess. That brute who controlled me should never had used me to administer poison without knowing what he was getting into,¡± he muttered darkly, ¡°I can cure him, but what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    Keane tried to quickly formulate what a man with such a dangerous aura to him would desire. It wasn¡¯t freedom. Keane had already given him that. Telling him it was the price for releasing him was also bound to end badly. Everything was best if he stayed on their side so they didn¡¯t have another enemy to worry about.


    ¡°Once we get out of here, I know some friends who can help send you back home,¡± Keane offered. A summon who had been unjustly trapped like this would naturally long to return. Or at least Keane hoped that was the case.


    ¡°A guarantee based on people I don¡¯t know who aren¡¯t here,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°If Autumn wasn¡¯t sick I could do it myself,¡± Keane snapped, ¡°His magic power and my control combined would be enough, but even if you cure him it will take a while for his magic to properly stabilize.¡±


    The man paused to consider his options then pulled out a vial and another needle, shoving Keane back when he tried to intervene. ¡°Do you want me to cure him or not?¡±


    With no choice but to watch as the questionable summon injected Autumn with the mysterious liquid, Keane clenched his fist. If only he had been more prepared for a situation like this. He should have been, but he had become too complacent in Tethia¡¯s peaceful atmosphere despite the rumor and threat of war. The good news was, whatever the summon did seemed to work almost instantaneously. Autumn seemed to be breathing easier, at least.


    ¡°How long until he recovers?¡± Keane asked.


    ¡°It depends on his will,¡± the summon answered, ¡°All I did was give him the antidote and a little boost. The rest is up to him.¡±


    Keane was relieved as he bent down to check Autumn¡¯s condition again. His temperature was already slowly dropping to a more normal heat, though his skin was still damp from the sweat before.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he told the summon.


    ¡°Just hold up your end of the bargain,¡± he warned, ¡°Now if you will excuse me, I have some business to see to. I suggest you don¡¯t leave this room.¡±

 32: A Mercenary Rescue

    At first, when the mercenaries met up with Maximus they had started to mock and underestimate the frail looking fae, however one glare from Marcus silenced them immediately. He had truly gained proper control of his territory in such a short time. Maximus couldn¡¯t help but feel envious, but this was exactly what they needed right now if they were going to rescue Autumn, Keane, and the fae children trapped in the Draconis Mountains.


    With no clear destination, they travelled in the direction of Teber and the border with Caleb tried to figure out some method to use the jabber jewels to track Autumn or Keane¡¯s location. Unfortunately, it seemed whatever plan he had would not work while they were unconscious. Right as they passed by Teber and approached the border, Caleb suddenly exclaimed in excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it! Keane¡¯s awake now,¡± he told them, ¡°I only have a direction for now, so let¡¯s follow the mountains to the left. I believe there is a pass in that direction as well.¡±


    Between Tethia and Beraud there were two major mountain passes and a third that was so unwieldy and dangerous it was rarely used. That third one was exactly where Caleb had directed.


    ¡°That figures,¡± Maximus muttered with a sigh, ¡°They are likely making use of a little known path to hide their base.¡±


    As they approached the path, they slowed their approach, trying their best to be careful so they were neither heard nor seen. The sight that greeted them on their arrival was far from what they had expected. The fortress the enemy had been hiding had already fallen, or at least any and all guards outside had.


    ¡°Keane?¡± Maximus called through the jabber jewel, ¡°Are you and Autumn alright.¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡± Keane replied, ¡°I had to release that summon from the tools controlling him and he hasn¡¯t taken any of his anger out on us¡­ yet.¡±


    Maximus did not like the fact that it sounded like things might not stay that way. ¡°I have come with a rescue squad from Merk. Any chance you could convince him not to kill us?¡±


    There was silence for a while before Keane replied. ¡°I had to track him down,¡± Keane reported, ¡°And I think it is best you all stay out there. We will come out to meet you instead.¡±


    ¡°Stay out here? Why?¡± Caleb demanded, breaking into their conversation.


    ¡°Just trust me,¡± Keane pressed.


    ¡°Wait! Are the fae children alright?!¡± Maximus demanded.


    ¡°I may be an assassin, but I would not stoop so low as to murder innocent children,¡± a silver haired man said as he appeared before them.


    The mercenaries of Merk all readied for a fight, but Marcus was able to convince them to stand down.


    ¡°Did you do this, Sir Assassin?¡± Marcus asked him, gesturing to the fallen guards and broken doors of the fortress.


    ¡°Perhaps, but don¡¯t call me that,¡± the man snapped, ¡°I¡¯m retired.¡±


    One of the mercenaries scoffed. ¡°You can¡¯t just retire from being an assassin.¡±


    The man smiled a toothy and very dangerous looking grin. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°We need to rescue the prisoners,¡± Maximus reminded everyone, ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, will it?¡± He turned to the man, unable to stop himself from glaring in suspicion.


    ¡°Not so long as that kid keeps his end of the bargain,¡± the man replied, eyeing Caleb for some reason, ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have any food on hand I can eat in the meantime, do you? All this place has is disgusting garbage.¡±


    Great, so not only did they have an assassin with some sort of deal with Keane, they had a hungry one. Maximus rifled through his pack and pulled out the only food he had left, the cookies he had been saving from Cassandra. It was a shame to waste them on a stranger, but a rogue summon was the last person you wanted to offend. Especially one who proclaimed they were a retired assassin.


    The mercenaries moved in while Maximus appeased their guest with cookies, but some of them came back out shortly after they entered, looking traumatized. Just what was going on in there? Maximus was incredibly curious but he got the compelling feeling he was better off not knowing, especially with the man¡¯s incredibly smug grin.


    ¡°Where did you get these cookies?¡± he asked, ¡°They are quite tasty.¡±


    ¡°I got them from my friend,¡± Maximus told him defensively, ¡°You might meet her if you come back with us.¡±


    ¡°I suppose a small delay before my return home won¡¯t hurt,¡± he mused.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°It likely wouldn¡¯t be a delay,¡± Caleb informed him, ¡°We might need her help to send you back. Cassandra excels at sending things back to where they belong, even if that fox stops her from summoning anything else.¡±


    ¡°Summoning magic is very annoying,¡± the man noted, ¡°Is there any way I can prevent being summoned again?¡±


    ¡°Unless they know your name it is extremely unlikely,¡± Caleb assured, ¡°Do they?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I would never let such greedy fools abuse my precious gift.¡±


    Again, Maximus got the very strong feeling that he should not ask. The sooner they sent this guy back where he came from the better. Keane emerged from the keep, supporting a somewhat unsteady looking Autumn followed by the mercenaries carefully escorting the rescued prisoners. Since Carson was still very much in charge of Dyment they could not return there. Not yet. That was why they had planned to take a stop in Teber while things calmed down.


    The preparations to depart were chaotic, but eventually everyone was settled in with some form of transportation. The pass was a bit uneven but the magic on the carts should make it a smooth ride since they were meant for transporting precious cargo. As for the rogue summon, he decided to travel by foot claiming he could outrun any of the horses anyway.


    ==========


    Cassandra was filled with relief once she heard the report that everyone had been rescued and they were on their way to Teber. It was time to spring the trap she had been preparing for the spy that had likely caused this whole mess, though she was concerned about the news of a rogue summon.


    A summon going rogue usually meant that their summoner had died, but the summoner could also just refuse to let them return home or be terrible at summoning magic and lose control. Whatever the case, that summon would be trapped unless they found someone able to cast reverse summoning.


    Reverse summoning was usually far harder than summoning because it was so much more precise and mistakes could land that summon in a completely different world or dimension entirely. Cassandra had actually found it easier to comprehend than the vague art of summoning. If it wasn¡¯t for Yuki she doubted she would be able to summon anything at all.


    The fox had become even more clingy than before since Autumn¡¯s kidnapping, and now rode around her shoulders like a living white fluffy scarf. Cassandra was now completely confident of his magical nature as she didn¡¯t feel any weight at all. She could barely even tell he was there.


    ¡°Are you ready, Yuki?¡± Cassandra asked, just so she felt like she wasn¡¯t alone in this. Unfortunately the trap she was setting was not something she could confide in anyone. Not even Rena, just in case.


    There was no response from the fox, but that was just normal. Alois¡¯s information had been a big help as well. She now knew some key words she could use to test any potential spies. Her first target for her trap would be Tobias himself, and then the servants of the manor. For Tobias, she would speak to him personally, but for the servants she had left a cryptic message in her room, calling out a fellow ally of Gaia in terms that only an ally of Gaia should recognize.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tobias asked once she entered his office.


    Cassandra decided to tick two tasks at once by bringing up business first and foremost. ¡°There has been an incident spanning the territories of my faction and the Draconis Mountains,¡± she told him, ¡°Maximus will be bringing refugees from Dyment here for a short time.¡±


    Tobias blinked, both confused and alarmed. ¡°From Dyment? You said both of your territories. What happened here?¡±


    ¡°My teammate, Autumn, was kidnapped by traitors,¡± Cassandra told him, watching his reaction very closely.


    ¡°He was kidnapped?! And you are only telling me this now!¡± Tobias demanded as he shot to his feet, ¡°We need to get together a rescue squad and-¡±


    ¡°Autumn has already been rescued,¡± Cassandra interrupted before he could work himself up too much. For what it was worth he seemed genuinely surprised about what had happened, but she couldn¡¯t trust that alone. ¡°I am very disappointed, you know? Carson and Simon promised no one would get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Carson? The steward of Dyment?¡± Tobias asked, ¡°I think you are going to need to explain things to me in more detail. Especially since the only Simon I know is the right hand of the king.¡±


    What? Simon was the king¡¯s right hand? It seemed unlikely he would out the exact position of a fellow spy if he was one. ¡°You know Simon¡¯s position?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course I do. He appointed both me and Carson to our positions as stewards,¡± Tobias told her, ¡°Now don¡¯t dodge the question. What is going on?¡±


    This was all important information but Cassandra grew steadily more convinced that Tobias was not the spy. In that case, she would give him one final chance. ¡°I have no time to explain the situation now,¡± she told him truthfully, ¡°I have set a trap for the spy in Teber that leaked the information that caused this whole incident.¡±


    Tobias held a hand to his head. ¡°You thought I was the spy,¡± he realized, ¡°That means Carson and Simon must be the traitors you speak of. You had best have proof to back up such a bold claim.¡±


    ¡°We do,¡± Cassandra assured. At least for Carson, but he didn¡¯t need to know that. If Simon made a bold escape she would know that Tobias was just an incredible actor, but she would like to trust him for now.


    ¡°Is there anything left I can help with?¡± he asked in a defeated tone.


    ¡°Prepare for our refugee guests,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°And don¡¯t let on that anything is strange.¡±


    ¡°So do something strange without letting my own servants know I am doing something strange?¡± Tobias checked with the slightest chuckle of disbelief, ¡°I will see what I can do, Lady Cassandra.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cassandra told him and got to work.


    The message she had left was simple. ¡°C is compromised.¡± Since it was in her room, she was certain that the spy would seek her out themselves, especially since Frost had seemed entirely convinced she was on their side. That meant she had unknowingly fooled that spy this whole time.


    Cassandra decided to visit a secluded part of the manor¡¯s garden to be sure she was both alone and easy to ¡®coincidentally¡¯ approach. She did not have to wait long, but the one who had approached her was not who she had expected.


    ¡°Juliane, did you need something?¡± she asked, readjusting her position on the garden bench.

 33: Slippery Spy

    Juliane smiled, looking as small and innocent as she always did, but the timing was too convenient to be a coincidence. Cassandra had been so focused on the residents of Teber that she hadn¡¯t suspected that the real spy might have been by their side all along. Unfortunately, it made perfect sense. The very day Cassandra had formed a faction, Juliane had been desperate to join it.


    ¡°Actually, I found something I think you lost,¡± she said, pressing a slip of paper into Cassandra¡¯s hand, ¡°You should be more careful. Misplacing things is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cassandra told her, carefully stashing the mysterious paper. She waited a few moments for Juliane to say something else, but she merely turned and left.


    Once she was out of sight, Cassandra cast a quick privacy spell and examined the paper Juliane had given her. It was not the message Cassandra had written, but a response. Cassandra had no idea what she had done to convince Juliane so perfectly that she was on their side, but the spy had personally handed her the proof she needed to entrap her.


    ¡°We have no need for useless pawns. Destroy all evidence and silence the screams.¡±


    It seemed Juliane thought Carson was going to rat them out. Another strangely helpful misunderstanding. The main issue now would be keeping both Carson and the evidence intact until they could be handed over to someone who could do something about it. First things first, she needed to update her friends.


    ¡°My trap has been sprung,¡± she told them, ¡°Juliane firmly believes I am on their side and has given me orders to silence Carson and destroy all evidence.¡±


    ¡°What is with us being mistaken for allies of Gaia?¡± Alois replied with a bit of frustration, ¡°It is convenient right now, but those kinds of accusations can get us killed. Do I just give off traitor energy or something?¡±


    ¡°I think it''s just our connections and our circumstances,¡± Cassandra guessed, ¡°Do you want the paper she gave me for evidence? I can manage a message spell but she knows about the jabber jewels so it might tip her off.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait,¡± Alois decided, ¡°But find some way to hold onto it. Once Caleb returns we can send all of this to Prince Nero.¡±


    ¡°Why Prince Nero?¡± Caleb asked, ¡°My mentor could just as easily handle things.¡±


    ¡°Simon is the king¡¯s right hand,¡± Alois said, ¡°We can¡¯t risk this information going through him before it reaches the king.¡±


    So Alois had already figured out who Simon was before she could tell them. ¡°I need to tell Tobias about Juliane. She will know something is wrong right away once we take in the refugees so we need to capture her beforehand.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Caleb told her, ¡°We still have some time before we arrive. The carts we used for transport are painstakingly slow once they are loaded.¡±


    Only once they were loaded? That sounded convenient in some ways, but Cassandra had no time to allow herself to be distracted. She lowered her privacy spell and sought out Tobias. One thing she had learned since Yuki had become a glorified fur scarf was that he was very good at finding people. He would use his tail to subtly point her in the right direction. It had taken her a bit to figure out what his movements meant, but since the fox barely moved at all she felt they had to have some kind of meaning.


    Tobias had decided to disguise his own preparations as a surprise inspection of the guest rooms and storage, so when Cassandra found him he was scolding some servants for their lack of discipline. It was a good strategy but it did make Tobias the target of the servant¡¯s ire.


    ¡°We must always be prepared to welcome guests at a moment¡¯s notice,¡± Tobias was saying as Cassandra approached, ¡°Especially when the students of Nobility are here. You all should know well that these tests often take an unexpected turn.¡±


    So she might need to worry about Osmond using his extra special surprise to hinder them later. As Cassandra was considering this possibility, Tobias spotted her.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± he greeted, ¡°Do you see the state things have gotten to? This is why surprise inspections are important.¡±


    At first everything seemed fine when Cassandra took a look around, but she suddenly realized what the problem was. Only some of the rooms were fully stocked with necessities, and the backups in storage, while in fine condition, did not match the current theme of the manor. When welcoming a guest of any importance this was unacceptable. However, Tobias knew the guests were just refugees. Unless this was to show a proper welcome to Maximus, acting lord of Dyment. Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts,¡± she told him, ¡°You are truly worthy to be the steward of Teber.¡±


    Tobias seemed oddly flustered by her praise and quickly pulled her aside. ¡°Have you sprung the trap?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I have,¡± Cassandra confirmed, ¡°There is some good news for you. The spy was not one of your people, but one of mine.¡±


    After checking again to make sure no one was in earshot Tobias inquired further. ¡°Who was it?¡±


    ¡°Juliane,¡± Cassandra reported, ¡°We need to capture her before she catches on.¡±


    Tobias grimaced. ¡°It might be too late for that. She just left.¡±


    ¡°Already?! How?¡± Cassandra demanded.


    ¡°She figured out I was preparing for guests and offered to get some supplies. Seeing as she likely won¡¯t return, we will have to do that ourselves.¡±


    Cassandra bit back her bitter feelings. The refugees were more important than wasting time chasing a spy.


    Preparations began in earnest and everything became hectic. Cassandra was constantly having to check details such as the number of refugees and if there was anyone in need of medical attention. She also had to see to it that more cookies and snacks were prepared to appease the rogue summon.


    Before they knew it, Maximus reported their Carravan¡¯s arrival in Teber. By this point the servants were well aware of what was going on and quickly gathered to their stations. Not long after the report, the first cart of the caravan came into view. Maximus had complained about them being slow, but they seemed plenty fast to Cassandra. If this was slow, how fast had they been without passengers?


    Walking alongside the first cart was a man with metallic silver hair despite the fact he did not look old in the slightest. That must be the summon. Cassandra had mixed feelings towards his presence. Controlled or not, he had been the one to kidnap Autumn and Keane in the first place. However, he was also the one who had helped them and defeated the entire enemy fortress.


    Riding a horse just like a prince from a fairy tail at the front of the caravan was Maximus himself. Well, he would look like a prince if he didn¡¯t look so worn out. That was something fairy tales tended to leave out. Adventures were stressful and there were things that needed to be dealt with even after they were over.


    The rest of the caravan followed and all of the refugees were swiftly taken care of. Autumn looked a bit sick, but Keane insisted on personally taking care of him since the situation was a bit unique.


    ¡°Can you handle returning the summon with Caleb?¡± he asked Cassandra.


    ¡°I can,¡± Cassandra assured him, ¡°Help Autumn, but make sure you get some rest too. You don¡¯t look so good either.¡±


    ¡°Before you send me back, I want a proper meal,¡± the summon demanded, shamelessly interjecting himself into their conversation. He seemed fearless, but then again, he had the powers to back it up.


    ¡°I made sure one was prepared for you upon your arrival,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°Would you like your meal to be brought here or would you like to go to a private dining room?¡±


    He considered for a moment. ¡°The dining room so I can sit and enjoy my last treats in this world in leisure,¡± he decided.


    At least he was clear about his intention to never return. She felt pity for any fool who might somehow manage to summon him again. She led him to the private dining room she had made sure to set aside for this exact reason and helped the servants set up his meal. She didn¡¯t miss the way his eyes intently watched her as she did so.


    ¡°That is quite the interesting scarf you have there,¡± he commented, ¡°It practically radiates magic.¡±


    Yuki, the scarf in question growled, shocking Cassandra. He was usually silent and motionless regardless of what happened around her. It seemed Yuki was also uneasy around this summon. That or he was offended by being referred to as a magical scarf.


    ¡°This is my friend and summon, Yuki,¡± she introduced, ¡°Unlike you, his summoning was by his own will, and I have never forced him to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Then what is the point of a summon?¡± he asked, ¡°Do they not exist to do your bidding?¡±


    Cassandra shook her head. ¡°Of course not. It is a rare and special partnership. Successful partnerships are extremely rare, especially the closer that summon is to being human, elf, or anything humanoid.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he mused, seeming somewhat intrigued, but not enough to stick around as he finished off his last morsel, ¡°Let¡¯s get on with this. I am sure you want me gone as much as I want to return.¡±


    It seemed Cassandra had been wholly unsuccessful in hiding how uncomfortable she was around the summon. Yuki¡¯s constant low growl certainly didn¡¯t help things, but again, the summon seemed unphased. Caleb had been waiting in the next room over setting everything up so Cassandra was able to guide the impatient summon over without delay.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Caleb asked when they entered.


    ¡°I have eaten my fill,¡± he replied with a yawn, ¡°Just make sure not to make any mistakes or I will find my way back to get my revenge.¡±


    ¡°No pressure,¡± Cassandra muttered under her breath as Yuki¡¯s growl rose to a new tone, ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    Caleb began to form the magic and Cassandra joined in. Almost as soon as she did, she felt a new, foreign magic flow into her, taking control of their formation. By the time she pulled back to try to regain control, the summon was already gone.


    ¡°Did you feel that?¡± she asked Caleb.


    Caleb nodded with a frown. ¡°It felt just like the archmage¡¯s artifact, but that is impossible.¡±

 34: Traitorous Heart

    Nero gathered all of the evidence Maximus had sent him with a sense of amazement. He had liked the fae boy from the beginning, but he had never anticipated this level of skill. The very evidence and proof he had been searching for had just been handed to him on a silver platter, and he had no intention of letting this opportunity go to waste. After all this time, Simon would face justice.


    Sir Gerald Drake of the Pond, Nero¡¯s pet duck and summon, let out a hearty cackle as he sensed Nero¡¯s excitement. He smiled at his duck¡¯s antics and gave him a light pat on the head.


    ¡°I need to meet the king,¡± he told him, ¡°Behave while I am gone. No cackling, and no barking either.¡±


    Gerald considered for a few moments before replying in quack. Well, at least it was a sound one would actually expect from a duck. Nero gave his summon one more careful pet before gathering all the evidence together and leaving the room. It was time to put everything he had worked so hard for on the line. His only hope was that King Dalton was not as traitorous as his right hand.


    ¡°Nero,¡± Dalton greeted familiarly with a smile, ¡°You said you had a matter you needed to speak to me privately about.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Nero confirmed, ¡°I truly wish this was merely a personal consultation.¡±


    King Dalton frowned and his lion ears visibly drooped. ¡°How unfortunate. This must be an important matter. Shall I call Simon?¡±


    Nero quickly denied him. ¡°No. Simon is the very reason I needed to speak to you privately. I have recently discovered irrefutable proof that Simon is a spy, a traitor, and an agent of Gaia.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dalton demanded coldly. It seemed he wasn¡¯t going to believe him right away. That was fine. Nero had prepared for this.


    ¡°There was an incident in Dyment, the territory my apprentice is currently overseeing,¡± Nero began, ¡°He uncovered an anti-fae plot against the people there and even got a confession from Carson, the steward of Dyment. It was this confession that led me to look into Simon.¡±


    ¡°Do you have this confession with you?¡± Dalton asked, looking to Nero¡¯s loaded arms.


    Nero presented him with both written and audible forms of Carson¡¯s confession and waited. If the king dismissed him now, everything would be over. He watched the king¡¯s face gradually grow darker as he listened and read.


    ¡°This confession is quite serious. Why have you failed to mention Osmond and his apprentice?¡± he asked once he finished.


    ¡°Alois was only acting to help Maximus,¡± Nero assured, ¡°As for Osmond I was unable to find any proof against him. I think we are better off taking care of Simon while we can.¡±


    Dalton grimaced. ¡°Show me the rest of this evidence you have on my close friend.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Nero was relieved he seemed receptive now, if reluctantly so. He quickly presented the evidence he had spent his entire career as a prince of Tethia collecting. For the time and effort he put in, it felt meagre but it was enough.


    The king carefully looked over the new evidence. About halfway through, he set it aside and fixed Nero with a powerful stare. ¡°Nero, be honest with me. You didn¡¯t gather this just recently. Since when have you suspected Simon?¡±


    He had realized immediately after all. Not that Nero had expected to be able to hide the truth for long. If the truth was what Dalton wanted, he would give him all of it.


    ¡°It was never suspicion. I knew who he was from the very beginning,¡± Nero admitted, ¡°But the voice of one child with no proof or power is worthless.¡±


    ¡°Were you not his apprentice?¡± Dalton questioned in confusion, ¡°Why would you chose him as your mentor despite knowing everything?¡±


    Nero struggled to find the right words to explain his reasoning without gaining anymore of the king¡¯s ire. ¡°I had no choice. It was the only way I could get close enough to find the proof I needed. He didn¡¯t even recognize me, despite all he did.¡±


    ¡°And exactly what is it that he did? I imagine it goes beyond the proof you presented here,¡± King Dalton pressed.


    Again he cut straight to the chase. That made things easier for Nero as well. This was his first and last chance to make his goal reality. His final stand.


    ¡°Do you remember about twelve years ago, the rebellion of Dyment?¡± Nero asked, ¡°This was when it had first been added as one of the territories of Nobility for the learning and betterment of students.¡±


    ¡°I do. It was during the time when the students were there so Simon personally launched a rescue mission to quell the rebellion,¡± Dalton replied, ¡°But if both Carson and Simon are traitors, something entirely different must have been going on.¡±


    ¡°There was a rebellion that day, just not against Tethia. Carson had been feeding and supporting the student¡¯s hatred of fae, and at that time every single resident of Dyment was one.¡±


    ¡°The misreports go that far? I had been told that the rebels were all human elitists,¡± Dalton replied, looking quite a bit shaken by the news, ¡°May I ask how you came to find out the truth.¡±


    ¡°Because I was one of them,¡± Nero replied, ¡°Every man, woman, and child ruthlessly had their wings chopped off, and suffered constant humiliation and suffering. That was why they rebelled, and that was why the report claimed they were humans. Who ever heard of wingless fae? Much less a whole town of them.¡±


    ¡°Then your wings¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nero confirmed, ¡°I can show you if you would like. I was young then, so I was able to grow a new pair but the broken stubs still remain.¡±


    ¡°I will need to verify this story later,¡± Dalton warned, ¡°Right now, you should return. I will handle the rest.¡±


    Nero obediently left the office to wait for the aftermath. All he could do now was hope for the best. He later heard news of Simon¡¯s capture, along with Carson¡¯s arrest and discussion for the open position of the steward of Gaia. Just as Dalton had told him, things were out of his hands now but justice had finally been served.


    Just as he was certain everything had finally been settled, Nero received a summons to a meeting of the pillars of Tethia and all ten princes. Such an ominous invitation could only mean things had escalated far more than he imagined. Unfortunately, Osmond, a suspected traitor, would also be present at this incredibly important sounding meeting.


    The only way he would get any answers was to go, so Nero prepared himself and entered the private hall as all eyes turned to his entrance. Even if he lost his position as prince, he would have no regrets.

 35: Records of Tethia

    Things were chaotic in both Dyment and Teber following the incident. After Prince Nero had delivered the evidence to the king, inspectors came from the castle to gather reports on everything that had happened. It was odd how quickly Cassandra became used to their presence. She would even say they were on friendly terms.


    However, there was something strange about their reaction to Yuki. Cassandra noticed when she first introduced her magical shoulder fox to them as he lived his best life as a glorified fur scarf. Linette, the lead inspector, immediately began stammering questions about how she came by him. Cassandra knew her now to be calm and confident, so the reaction was decidedly odd. Linette had refused to explain further no matter how many times she asked after.


    ¡°Just what secrets are you hiding, Yuki?¡± Cassandra asked the fox as she lightly touched his tail.


    As always, Yuki provided no answers. Cassandra decided to try asking Linette once again. At the very least she should be able to convince her to guide her to someone who she could ask about the issue. She approached the corridor where the inspectors had gathered during their stay with those confident thoughts in mind.


    The hall was silent, which was unusual for such busy people. Every one of the doors were locked as if they had never been there in the first place. Just as Cassandra was about to give up and return, Yuki pointed the way with his tail as he had before.


    Rather than their personal hall, it seemed the inspectors had borrowed one of the private dining rooms to hold a meeting of some sort. Naturally, a privacy spell was in place to prevent eavesdroppers. It looked like she had best return later. Yuki¡¯s secrets could wait. As she turned to leave, she spotted Keane walking past.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted, ¡°Is Autumn doing better?¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± Keane confirmed, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected him to feel so guilty about everything. So what are you doing on this side of Teber manor?¡±


    ¡°I was going to ask Linette about what she is hiding from me, but it seems she is busy,¡± Cassandra answered honestly.


    Keane glanced at the locked door and then beckoned for Cassandra to follow him. Rather than speaking out loud he took advantage of the jabber jewel¡¯s telepathic feature to explain.


    ¡°Before I left that fortress in the Draconis Mountains I took a look around for anything valuable. There was a book there with the complex magic of an artifact bearing the name of Tethia. It responded to me and showed me some things. I believe it may have the answers you seek.¡±


    ¡°It responded to you, or to Autumn¡¯s magic?¡± Cassandra checked, making sure she used the same telepathic feature for privacy.


    ¡°I thought it was Autumn¡¯s magic at first too,¡± Keane admitted, ¡°However, the book would not respond to him at all.¡±


    ¡°Then you must have been acknowledged by the artifact somehow,¡± Cassandra mused, ¡°What kinds of things has it shown you?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Anything I want,¡± Keane answered, ¡°As far as I can tell, it will write or show me a record of anything past or present.¡±


    Cassandra narrowed her eyes as she realized the implications of the current situation. ¡°You aren¡¯t planning to use it to spy on them, are you?¡±


    ¡°I thought you liked eavesdropping,¡± Keane replied with a smirk.


    It seemed she was never going to live that down. ¡°I recall minding my own business and you discussing your secrets on your own,¡± Cassandra sighed.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Keane told her, ¡°You will just be minding your own business and reading a book. Just like last time. If you want to know what they are hiding from us, this might be your only chance.¡±


    It sounded like Keane was going to proceed regardless of her participation,  so perhaps it was better if she joined him and stopped him from going too far. ¡°Fine, but if you start to abuse the power of this artifact I will have to confiscate it,¡± she warned.


    Decision made just in time, they arrived at Keane¡¯s quarters. Keane led her to the convoluted looking lock box at the foot of his bed and unlocked it with a series of simultaneous spells Cassandra wasn¡¯t able to keep track of. From this box, he withdrew a thick hard leatherbound book titled ¡®Records of Tethia¡¯ in gold leaf letters.


    The appearance of the book gave an oddly clashing impression of both ancient and brand new. The magic that it released was much the same. There was no mistaking that it was an artifact.


    ¡°How do you use it?¡± Cassandra asked, amazed despite herself. This was the first fully functional artifact she had come into contact with since Alois had sealed his.


    ¡°I only need to ask what I wish to see,¡± Keane replied, ¡°So, Cassandra, what is it you wish to know?¡±


    The question, and the serious tone which Keane had asked it, made Cassandra hesitate for a moment. ¡°Will it be able to show us only the things would should know?¡±


    Keane considered the question. ¡°I can see,¡± he finally answered, ¡°I haven¡¯t tried filtering the information before. Could you clarify what you mean by things we should know?¡±


    ¡°Information that we need to know or that someone has been trying to tell us,¡± Cassandra decided.


    He nodded and turned to the book. ¡°Show me what the inspectors have discussed that is important and valuable to us,¡± Keane ordered.


    The book flipped open on its own with a resounding thud and the pages began to turn wildly as a single line began to write itself on a page in the perfect center. Every single page other than that one was currently blank.


    Cassandra stepped closer to read what small record this artifact had for them. It was only one sentence in quotes from Linette herself.


    ¡°How are we going to tell them, after all they have done, that Gaia has just been quietly conquered by Beraud?¡±


    ¡°I think we might need to get rid of the filter,¡± Cassandra said as she fought down the shock of that single sentence with an unsteady breath.


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee we will get any more explanation,¡± Keane warned, though he also seemed shaken.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Since they intend to tell us anyway, we can ask them then,¡± she decided.


    All thoughts of Yuki¡¯s secrets had been forgotten in the face of this news. After all that Gaia had put them through, especially Autumn, they were silently defeated by such a small nation? Naturally, Beraud did have a technological advantage, but nothing about that was quiet. Something else must have happened behind the scenes. Someone was meddling with the fate of the continent.

 36: The New King

    Just as Cassandra had expected, Linette called them to a meeting later that day to discuss the shocking news. However, the news was not what they had been anticipating, so they did not have to fake their surprise.


    ¡°We have received a response to our reports that involves all of you,¡± Linette told them, ¡°First of all, a new steward has been appointed to Dyment. During the adjustment period, your entire faction will be working out of Teber.¡±


    Maximus had yet to return to Dyment because of the situation, but they would need to bring Wayde and Alois over with the rest of their split of the faction. Whoever the new manager was would have a lot to clean up.


    ¡°When do we need to bring them here?¡± Cassandra asked.


    ¡°As soon as possible,¡± Linette replied, ¡°This has to do with my other bit of important news. The king will be visiting Teber to hold negotiations with Beraud. He will be accompanied by his retainers as well as the seventh princess. I am sure you understand that this means we need your whole faction working on preparation for their care.¡±


    ¡°Why is the king negotiating with Beraud?¡± Autumn asked, visibly confused, ¡°Are they not on bad terms with Tethia?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say bad, but Beraud is not an ally,¡± Linette explained, ¡°In light of recent events, the king has decided to change that.¡±


    ¡°The potential invasion of both Kalorvia and Gaia?¡± Maximus guessed.


    Linette hesitated. ¡°There is certainly that,¡± she confirmed, ¡°However, there is something else you must know. Lann, the first prince of Beraud has conquered and become the new regent of the Gaia Empire.¡±


    There were several moments of silence as the others took in the shock. Cassandra had felt bad about keeping it from them, but Keane had advised her to wait. She had no choice but to agree with him. It would have been far too suspicious if Linette noticed they already knew. The Records of Tethia was not something they could carelessly reveal after facing the possibility of being surrounded by traitors and spies.


    ¡°How was it conquered?¡± Autumn finally asked, being the most shaken and connected to the news.


    ¡°Prince Lann must have gotten a hold of a master strategist,¡± she explained, ¡°It happened in one night. Infiltration, sabotage, and complete capture of the imperial palace. Something like that would not have been possible without perfect timing and excellent information.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean someone from Beraud will also be staying here?¡± Cassandra asked, hoping her feeling was wrong. The continuous mentions of Beraud and its first prince seemed far too coincidental. Teber¡¯s manor may have been the larger of the two, but it hardly seemed worthy to host two royals. Not only that, it seemed careless to entrust such an important task to students.


    Unfortunately, Linette confirmed all of her concerns. ¡°Yes. Prince Lann himself will arrive once the king sends word he has prepared.¡±


    At least they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about two surprise guests at once. That still left plenty to prepare. Not only would the king be arriving, but Princess Rosalind as well. Cassandra found it hard to believe that was a coincidence either. She would be able to look forward to the opportunity to personally meet the king of Tethia, but the whole situation was both sudden and suspicious.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°We need to get moving,¡± Caleb announced. He was also a bit frazzled. Cassandra imagined he was recalling the fact that Rosalind was Reginald¡¯s wife. ¡°Has Teber ever received guests of this magnitude before?¡±


    Tobias chimed in this time. ¡°It has been a while, but Teber Manor was originally designed for this purpose.¡± He turned to Cassandra. ¡°I am sure you recall the Northern and Southern wings that are usually sealed from any visitors.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Cassandra confirmed. She especially recalled how she had been considered one of those visitors. That was part of why she hadn¡¯t taken those wings into account when planning to host royal guests as she had assumed they were dangerous. Both wings were not only restricted from her faction, but from the majority of the local servants as well. However, perhaps there was a different reason for this. ¡°Are those wings special suites for royalty and their retainers?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It is why we limit their access so fiercely. Since the archmage placed preservation magic on them we do not have to worry about dust or decay,¡± Tobias explained.


    That would certainly help with keeping maintenance down despite the limited staff allowed to enter. The security worthy of a royal, especially a foreign royal guest, was worth at least this much trouble.


    ¡°Will I be able to enter these sealed wings to prepare for our guests?¡± Cassandra asked him.


    ¡°I will allow you to personally prepare for Princess Rosalind¡¯s accommodations as you are her apprentice,¡± Tobias told her and turned to Maximus, ¡°And I will allow you to prepare for the king.¡±


    Maximus was a bit taken aback. ¡°I will do my best,¡± he managed.


    Things spiralled into motion after that. Everyone was constantly busy with something, and Cassandra had no time to revel in her newfound permission to enter the sealed Southern Wing. The most secure room was reserved for the king, leaving the suite overlooking the garden¡¯s for Princess Roslaind.


    Alois and Wayde arrived, already just as tired as everyone who was neck deep in preparations for their royal guests. Despite their best efforts, no evidence or even the slightest suspicion had been turned towards Headmaster Osmond. Was there still someone left in a position of power over this investigation that was stopping anything from progressing?


    With no time to follow that train of thought, Cassandra found herself waiting to greet the procession bearing the king of Tethia as well as her personal mentor. It was hard to tell who she was more anxious to meet. Maximus was beside her, as was Tobias and Linette. The procession of carriages felt oddly similar to Maximus¡¯s arrival to Teber, except that these were carriages, not carts. High quality carriages worthy of the royalty that rode them.


    The first carriage pulled up right before them and the door slammed open destroying the ceremonial feel of the occasion. Was King Dalton in a bad mood? No, the man who stepped out wearing the king¡¯s crown was not Dalton at all. If was a tall man with black hair that Cassandra vaguely recognized. He gave them a halfhearted nod as he plucked his pet duck from the carriage and brushed past her straight to Maximus.


    Maximus was unable to hide his shock. ¡°Prince Nero?¡± he asked.


    ¡°King Nero,¡± he corrected, ¡°Due to various circumstances, Dalton has retired from the throne and the princes and all six pillars decided I was the man to appoint in his stead. This means, my pupil, that you are now that apprentice of the king.¡±


    That was why he had seemed so familiar! Cassandra had only seen Nero from a distance while he had been a prince, but she could already tell that his sudden ascension to king had done little for his mental or physical health. The changes and alliance talks with Beraud made sense now as well. A change in king was bound to bring changes to the nation. Cassandra only hoped that everyone had made the right choice in Nero.

 37: The Traitor Hunter

    Cassandra watched Maximus lead King Nero into the manor as his maid silently followed behind like a ghost. The servants took care of the carriage and the second pulled up. She couldn¡¯t help but be nervous that an unexpected princess might pop out instead of Rosalind. Could the order of princesses have changed as well?


    Luckily, a very familiar face greeted her with more poise and decorum than Nero had pretended to have. Princess Rosalind also paused momentarily when she noticed the fox laying across Cassandra¡¯s shoulders. She felt Yuki tense as he met Rosalind¡¯s gaze. They stared at each other for a few moments before Rosalind stepped forward.


    ¡°We have a lot to catch up on,¡± she told her, ¡°but for now, guide me to my quarters. I need some time to rest after such a long journey with that man.¡±


    Was she referring to King Nero? Cassandra couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was missing something important. From the sudden changes in the royal line of Tethia to the strange reactions she had seen to Yuki, there were plenty of ways she was out of the loop. However, she couldn¡¯t let her personal feelings or confusion stand in the way of her current duties.


    ¡°I hope you enjoy what I prepared,¡± Cassandra told her, ¡°The best room was already reserved for the king.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rosalind agreed, ¡°That is how things should be. I came here for business, not leisure, so the impressiveness of my room is unimportant. Functionality is what matters.¡±


    As she glanced towards the white fox again, Cassandra could no longer hold back her curiosity. ¡°Princess, is there something about my summon that is bothering you?¡± she asked.


    Rosalind met her gaze with the most uncertain expression Cassandra had ever seen her show. ¡°Cassandra, there are some things I cannot tell you,¡± she replied, ¡°You may be better off in ignorance, but if you really need answers, you will have to find them on your own.¡±


    ¡°I will do that, then,¡± Cassandra replied. She would have to look into Yuki¡¯s secret eventually, but right now there were far more pressing matters. The negotiations with Beraud were fast approaching, and Tethia was in the transition period with a new ruler at its helm. Once Rosalind was settled she would have to speak to Autumn to see if Nero¡¯s crowning was mentioned in that game of his.


    ¡°It seems you have plenty of secrets of your own,¡± Rosalind told her with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t let them consume you. I hear you have some trustworthy friends that you can share them with.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Cassandra confirmed as they reached Rosalind¡¯s quarters in the southern wing, ¡°I am always thankful for your advice as well.¡±


    ¡°What is the point of giving advice if you don¡¯t find it useful,¡± Rosalind told her, ¡°I will take some time to rest now. I shall see you at dinner.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Cassandra replied before stepping back to give the princess her privacy.


    Autumn was in the research lab with Keane, avoiding the hectic hustle and bustle as the remainder of the guests settled in. Neither of them were surprised at Cassandra¡¯s sudden visit. She was glad to see that Autumn looked energetic again, despite being so withdrawn ever since the kidnapping.


    ¡°Is this about King Nero?¡± Autumn asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to recall more of the storyline from the game since we heard about Gaia¡¯s defeat, but I didn¡¯t remember much more than before. In the game, Nero only became king if you chose Maximus¡¯s route.¡±


    ¡°So there was a chance. Was the situation similar to this?¡± Cassandra asked.


    ¡°It was, but I didn¡¯t realize until I heard the news,¡± Autumn confirmed, ¡°King Nero is known in the game as the Traitor Hunter. It is supposed to be a more dramatic storyline since you have to hide your past with Gaia.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cassandra questioned, ¡°You never assisted Gaia in any of their plots.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    When Keane and Autumn shared an awkward glance, Cassandra knew she was missing something important. This time, it was Keane who spoke up. ¡°Do you remember the experiment that caused all the smoke during the entrance exam?¡± he began.


    Cassandra frowned. ¡°I do. Are you telling me that it was a failed attempt of Autumn¡¯s for Gaia?¡±


    ¡°Failed on purpose, but yes,¡± Keane confirmed, ¡°I took credit for the incident to prevent things from escalating any further. It wasn¡¯t a lie since I did repurpose the bomb to cause such a showy malfunction.¡±


    ¡°Surely it won¡¯t be a problem now then,¡± Cassandra concluded, ¡°Nero knows Autumn is a victim in this, and the one most affected by recent events.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Autumn agreed, ¡°but this didn¡¯t happen in the game. It¡¯s kinda like we are taking the best bits of all the routes.¡±


    ¡°Michelle did say she made the game based on real events,¡± Cassandra pointed out.


    ¡°Actually there was something else about that game we found out,¡± Keane broke in, ¡°The Records of Tethia are in it. The only way they can be is if Michelle knows about them, but she is the headmaster¡¯s summon.¡±


    ¡°And the headmaster is a suspected traitor,¡± Cassandra finished.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Autumn added, ¡°In the game, the Records were deeply connected to the most difficult route. I can¡¯t remember how he is introduced, but I think this means we will meet him soon.¡±


    Cassandra could not deny Autumn¡¯s logic. ¡°Is there anything we should know to prepare?¡±


    ¡°His name is Alvis,¡± Autumn supplied, ¡°He is the founding headmaster and he enjoys messing with people¡¯s heads.¡±


    ¡°Were headmasters selected for that trait?¡± Cassandra wondered, thinking of Osmond¡¯s own tendency to play mind games. Perhaps it was a testament to how strange things had been that she didn¡¯t even question for a moment that the founding headmaster was not only still alive, but connected to the Records of Tethia.


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Keane said, ¡°but we should keep our eyes peeled just in case we meet anyone suspicious. Just because he is the founding headmaster does not mean he is loyal to Tethia.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°It has been hundreds of years since Tethia¡¯s founding. Have you told any of the others?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. We probably won¡¯t be able to catch them until after dinner,¡± Autumn replied, ¡°I know Nero has been keeping bother Maximus and Alois occupied.¡±


    ¡°Alois as well?¡± Cassandra asked in surprise, ¡°I suppose there is no time for the new king to rest.¡±


    ==========


    Nero looked at the two students before him, one being his own apprentice and the other the Osmond¡¯s. Both had been a huge help to catching the traitors deep within Tethia so he decided it was time to both reward them and keep them in the loop. Unfortunately, he had very little free time so he had to sacrifice his rest for this. Not that a new king had time to rest anyway.


    ¡°I called the two of you here to thank you for everything you have done for the recent case,¡± he told them, ¡°I suppose you could even say it is thanks to you that I now hold the position of king.¡±


    Alois seemed the far more uncomfortable of the two as he responded. ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned about the fact that I am the apprentice of a potential traitor?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Osmond,¡± Nero sighed, ¡°After becoming king, I have learned many things. One of those things is the secrets of the other pillars. I cannot tell you what those secrets are, but I can at least assure you that Osmond is not a traitor. He was working with Gaia in order to gain something important for Reginald, and did not involve himself with them once he received it. While I do not agree with or condone such actions, there is nothing I can do about it.¡±


    ¡°How can we be certain that was not just an excuse now that Gaia has fallen?¡± Maximus asked warily.


    ¡°We can¡¯t. It is exactly as you have guessed,¡± Nero confirmed, ¡°With Gaia¡¯s fall it is now impossible to prove either direction. It is also considered a far lower priority. That is why I am focusing on gaining more allies where I can while I can.¡±


    ¡°Is negotiating with Prince Lann really the best choice?¡± Alois asked, unable to hide his distaste, ¡°During my year as Osmond¡¯s apprentice I have made a trip or two to the royal castle of Beraud. Unless something major has changed in these past few months, Prince Lann is an entitled brat.¡±


    ¡°My sources agree with that information,¡± Nero replied, ¡°but I was personally asked by the king of Beraud to give his firstborn one final test. These negotiations have less to do with arranging an alliance and more to do with solidifying it with a personal favor. Tonight at dinner, I will inform everyone about the true nature of this test. The King of Beraud will be sending a trusted aide to guide and observe the prince¡¯s actions during his stay.¡±


    ¡°Why have you told us sooner, then?¡± Alois asked.


    Nero smiled. ¡°You can call it a whim,¡± he answered, ¡°It¡¯ll give you an edge on your friends who seem to have their own secret methods of getting information ahead of time.¡±

 38: Dinner Plans

    Dinner was held an hour earlier at the request of their royal guests. A private dining hall was arranged where Cassandra could not help but notice that only the royalty and the Heroes of Tethia would be in attendance. Both Maximus and Alois were already there when she arrived and were conversing in hushed whispers. Why not use the jabber jewels for a private conversation? They looked up as Cassandra entered and whatever conversation they had been having came to an immediate halt.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± Alois greeted, ¡°Are the others almost here? We have something we need to say and the jabber jewels might not be safe.¡±


    ¡°They should be on their way, but I can¡¯t guarantee they will arrive before the royals who summoned us here,¡± Cassandra replied, immediately concerned, ¡°Why are the jewels not safe?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we need to talk about,¡± Maximus answered, looking a bit frustrated, ¡°but mostly it is because I told Nero about them.¡±


    ¡°Why would the new king knowing be a problem?¡± Keane asked as he entered the room, ¡°More importantly, why are you discussing this in a place anyone can listen?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Cassandra agreed, ¡°Even if the jabber jewels are compromised, they are still more secure than nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°I was planning to cast a privacy barrier once everyone arrived,¡± Alois clarified, ¡°But it may have to wait until after dinner.¡±


    As Cassandra was trying to figure out what could possibly be so important for them to try to warn everyone so urgently, she noticed an odd ripple in the air towards the head of the table.


    ¡°Someone is here,¡± she warned.


    The ripple became more obvious as it expanded outward to reveal Nero himself sitting there. ¡°It took you long enough to notice my presence,¡± he scoffed, ¡°No wonder one of the traitors was able to get away. Since you seem busy discussing how suspicious I am, by all means, continue.¡±


    Cassandra winced, but noticed that neither Maximus nor Alois seemed surprised by this revelation.


    ¡°This is a bit harsh for a test,¡± Keane noted, ¡°The headmaster must not be involved.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Nero confirmed, ¡°I did not need Osmond to tell me that I cannot treat the future Heroes of Tethia as ordinary students. You should hold yourselves to a higher standard as well. At least things aren¡¯t completely hopeless since I was noticed before anything of actual importance was said.¡±


    ¡°Since you find us valuable enough to test us, is there a special reason you have called us here?¡± Cassandra demanded, a bit frustrated despite herself. If this was what working with King Nero would be like on a daily basis, she had a hard road ahead of her. Then again, he might not still be king by the time she was crowned.


    ¡°There is,¡± Nero answered, glancing between Cassandra¡¯s face and the agitated flicking of Yuki¡¯s tail on her shoulders, ¡°but those reasons must wait until the rest of your companions arrive.¡±


    Cassandra snapped her thoughts back into the present. This was no time to be trying to start a fight with the new king of Tethia. They had just met, and he had invited them to dinner. For now, she needed to be patient and hear him out. She uttered a quick apology for her hastiness and took a seat.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The others arrived shortly after, with Rosalind being the last right behind Caleb. Cassandra did not miss the way Caleb now eyed Yuki with the same eyes the others had and glanced back at the seventh princess. She felt a sharp pang of betrayal. Why was Caleb allowed to know the truth, but not her? Was she not Rosalind¡¯s apprentice?


    ¡°Now that everyone is here I will explain what this is all about,¡± Nero announced, ignoring the various nonverbal interactions as he erected one of the most impressive privacy barriers Cassandra had ever seen. Everyone found their seat and turned their focus to the king who suddenly seemed a lot more kingly.


    ¡°King Ryne of Beraud has asked me to help him test his heir and firstborn to prove Tethia¡¯s alliance with them,¡± Nero explained, ¡°He had some rather specific requests as well. The favor shown to your faction, and most especially to your close knit group of friends, has not gone unnoticed. Beraud believes you to be the future leaders of Tethia, which is why you will be greatly involved with this test.¡±


    ¡°Will I have to be involved too?¡± Autumn asked nervously, ¡°Prince Lann isn¡¯t particularly fond of my kind.¡±


    ¡°Prince Lann believes he will be here as an official negotiator of Beraud,¡± Nero pointed out, ¡°If he cannot curb his personal feelings for something so important, I will personally inform King Ryne his son has no business sitting on the throne.¡±


    ¡°So I will be part of it,¡± Autumn concluded bitterly.


    ¡°Beraud will not just be taking our word for any events that may occur,¡± Rosalind warned, ¡°The king will be sending his trusted aide along with the prince. We can only hope this aide shares his king¡¯s views.¡±


    ¡°Do we have any clues as to the identity of this aide?¡± Alois asked, ¡°Any information we can find ahead of time would be beneficial.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°Only that he has plentiful experience in dealing with Prince Lann.¡±


    ==========


    Prince Lann El Beraud, the firstborn son of King Ryne of Beraud reclined smugly in his room at the borderland villa. Everything had finally turned around once he conquered Gaia. Even that stubborn father of his had acknowledged him and given him an important task. At least, Lann assumed it was meant to be important.


    With the vast lands belonging to the Empire of Gaia, why was he wasting time allying with a puny nation like Tethia. Sure, Beraud was technically smaller in landmass, but their population far surpassed the self proclaimed kingdom of magic. Not only that, the kingdom practiced some kind of obnoxious equality of all races. Even beastkin.


    No matter. He needed to enjoy his newfound freedom from his devil of a tutor. That was the one reward he had asked for after he conquered Gaia. That horrible man had first shown up on his twelfth birthday as some twisted form of present and had tormented him every day since. No matter what Lann had done, or tantrums he had thrown, there was no getting rid of him. No one in Beraud could see what hid under his perfect mask.


    A knock sounded and Lann lazily called them in. To his horror the one who stepped in was the very man he had just been thinking about. Rather than his usual scholarly robes he wore a suit that would be far more fitting on a butler.


    ¡°Lann,¡± the man spoke, his tone already showing the usual notes of disapproval, ¡°It has only been a few weeks yet you have already become a slob in my absence. Perhaps I should speak with your father.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here, Alvis,¡± Lann spat.


    ¡°I have been assigned to be your butler and assist you during your mission,¡± Alvis replied with his perfect smile, brushing back his straight black hair that had slipped over his shoulder despite being tied back, ¡°I assure you that I can fulfill my role as a butler perfectly as well.¡±


    ¡°You can even follow my orders?¡± Lann asked in disbelief. As the man nodded, an evil idea entered his mind. Who cared about some nonsense alliance? This would be the perfect, and perhaps the only, opportunity he would get to humiliate the man before him. ¡°Then prepare for departure immediately. I can¡¯t wait at the beck and call for some newbie king to invite me over. I am a prince, and a hero of war.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Alvis answered.


    Despite being obedient, that knowing smile still gave Lann chills. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to get discouraged, though. He had won a war against the largest empire on the continent. One man, especially a butler, would not shake him.

 39: The Impatient Prince

    Dinner was served as Nero explained the rest of what would be happening. There were three main things they had been requested to test. First, if Lann understood the value, or at least the purpose, of this alliance. Second, if Lann could work with those he disliked for the benefit of his nation. Third, if Lann could handle being corrected by royalty of another nation. It was overall a tall order, especially if Lann went on a rampage while they tested any of these things. They could only hope this aide could reign him in.


    After he finished this, Nero admitted that he had been spying on them to be sure they were trustworthy. ¡°I cannot leave the fate of Tethia in the hands of potential traitors,¡± he told them.


    While Cassandra understood the sentiment, Nero was not one for putting things delicately. That being said, they all managed to leave this dinner in one piece. It seemed it would be another busy period, since they had to prepare for tests on top of a foreign royal. Things got even more hectic when King Nero received word that Beraud¡¯s prince had departed early and was already on his way.


    It was frustrating, but there was likely very little the butler who had sent the message could have done to stop him. With that in mind, they had no idea when Prince Lann would actually arrive and spent the next couple of days on high alert. The prince arrived late at night the day after they received the message. Instead of a greeting the first words he uttered were complaints about his travels.


    ¡°Why is this supposed border town so far from the actual border?¡± he demanded, not even opening the door, despite the fact that the carriage had long since come to a stop, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I of all people had to spend the night in a carriage like some common person.¡±


    ¡°Between our borders lies the Draconis Mountains,¡± his butler told him, stepping down from his seat next to the driver to open the door for his stubborn master, ¡°Shall I tell your father you were not paying attention in classes after all?¡±


    Prince Lann threw the carriage door open, his butler gracefully stepping out of the way just in time. ¡°You will do no such thing! Draw me a bath and tell them to prepare a feast.¡±


    Cassandra could already feel her irritation rising. Not only had he wasted time arguing with his servant, he still had yet to acknowledge their existence forcing them to wait to welcome him. The next words out of his mouth when he finally glanced over convinced her that he truly had no respect for this alliance or Tethia.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty cute,¡± he told Cassandra, instantly drawing way too close for comfort, ¡°I was told everyone gathered here are the future leaders of Tethia. Do you have a fiance yet?¡±


    On second thought, perhaps it would have been better if this guy had continued to ignore them. ¡°I am Cassandra, acting Lord of Teber,¡± she told him with a curtsy rather than answer his question.


    She could see the interest he had die off in an instant. ¡°Just a lord? A pity.¡±


    It was hard to say which part was more annoying. His blatant disregard for lower nobility or his clear lack of understanding of Tethia¡¯s system of power. The latter was more forgivable since the workings of Nobility were far from common knowledge. Lann brushed past her and greeted King Nero who had donned his crown for this. If he hadn¡¯t, Cassandra doubted Beraud¡¯s prince would have been able to figure out who the king was.


    ¡°It may not be the feast you were imagining, but we have prepared a dinner to welcome you,¡± Nero told him, ¡°Perhaps a proper feast can be arranged with some more time. Would you like to bathe first?¡±Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Preparing a bath takes nearly an hour,¡± Lann scoffed.


    ¡°Perhaps in Beraud,¡± his butler butted in, ¡°but this is Tethia. They use magic to fill, heat, and drain the water.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Alvis!¡± Lann snapped, ¡°How dare a mere butler interrupt a conversation between royals! Have you forgotten you no longer hold the esteemed position as my tutor?¡±


    As Prince Lann continued to ramble, Cassandra was focused on the revelation of the butler¡¯s identity. Could that be the same Alvis who helped found Tethia? He seemed normal enough, with a distinguished butler¡¯s suit and long black hair tied back in a neat but loose fashion. The only thing that really seemed odd about him was his spectacles. With healing magic so prevalent glasses were more of a fashion statement than a tool of sight. Was that the difference between Tethia and Beraud?


    It was a testament to the skill of the servants that they were able to continue their duties during such a commotion. Somehow Lann was guided to his room to take his longed for bath. As the butler Alvis followed his charge, Cassandra swore their eyes met for a moment, and she could feel Yuki shift on her shoulders. No one else seemed to notice anything, though.


    Luckily the bath bought them some time to finish the stalled dinner preparations and serve a meal that was worthy of a diplomatic envoy. Based on his earlier behavior, Cassandra highly doubted Lann would pass any of the tests, but they could not just skip them. Then again, if things continued like this, they might not have to go out of their way to do anything.


    The first and second tests were already teetering on the brink of failure. Lann showed no respect for the alliance and he had so quickly dismissed Cassandra¡¯s existence once he deemed her unworthy of his time. That wasn¡¯t quite dislike, but it didn¡¯t bode well. The third he might squeeze past as he had at least treated Nero as an equal.


    What Cassandra found even more concerning was the presence of Alvis as Prince Lann¡¯s butler. Not only that, she was certain he was the aide the king of Beraud had sent to watch his son. Why else would a prestigious royal tutor suddenly take on the role of a butler? Even Autumn had been unsure of the man¡¯s trustworthiness and intentions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him,¡± Alois said, taking a seat next to Cassandra at the massively long banquet table they had seldom used since they arrived. They were currently waiting for the freshly bathed Prince Lann to emerge from his chambers and join them.


    ¡°You should not speak ill of royalty at their welcoming banquet,¡± Cassandra scolded, though she had to admit that Lann was a difficult person to like.


    ¡°Not him, the butler,¡± Alois corrected, ¡°It¡¯s not even worth bringing up the prince.¡±


    That took Cassandra by surprise. They had yet to have a chance to warn the others about Alvis and who he really was. ¡°What is wrong with the butler?¡± she asked instead. She couldn¡¯t bring any of that up here.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he seem to happy about everything?¡± Alois explained, ¡°Even if he was sent as some kind of watcher he got demoted and has to follow nonsense orders and take verbal beatings from the prince. Yet every time I see him he has the smile of some kind of schemer witnessing his plan play out perfectly before his eyes.¡±


    ¡°If he really is the king¡¯s aide and the prince¡¯s old tutor, is it possible he suggested this plan?¡± Cassandra questioned. It would fit the information she did have about Alvis as well.


    Before Alois had a chance to respond, the dining room doors burst open and Prince Lann stepped through. Now that he was clean and put together he truly had the aura of a prince. If he hadn¡¯t immediately marched up to Cassandra with a smug expression, it might have even been impressive.


    ¡°My butler tells me you are a future princess,¡± Lann began, ¡°If you had introduced yourself properly I would not have been so cold.¡±


    He proceeded to ignore the seating arrangements and stole the chair at Cassandra¡¯s other side. She could already tell this dinner would be long and painful. However, since Lann had chosen this himself, it would be the perfect opportunity to run him through those tests so they could send him on his way.

 40: Berauds Watchful Aide

    Dinner began once Lann had settled into his seat. A few minutes of the prince chattering endlessly at her side had convinced Cassandra that Maximus was a perfect gentleman. She resolved to treat him better after this was over. He had done so much to help during Autumn¡¯s kidnapping, and after, so he deserved proper respect. Lann, on the other hand, had done nothing but act like Teber and everyone in it was beneath him.


    As Lann continued his crude attempts of wooing Cassandra she noticed Alois suffering from secondhand embarrassment to her other side. Well, she wasn¡¯t sure what to think of being referred to as the most beautiful doorknob in Tethia either. It was worse when Lann explained the compliment being about opening the door to opportunity. Alois¡¯s suffering did help ease her own horror at the situation and allowed Cassandra to think clearly.


    ¡°I am pleased that you are willing to consider this alliance with Tethia,¡± she told Lann, trying not to flinch at the cocky smile of a prince who was certain he had gotten his way, ¡°Unfortunately, I am no princess yet so I am unworthy to be by your side.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to worry about that,¡± Lann assured her with perpetual smugness, ¡°If you choose me, not only will the alliance of our kingdoms be secured, but you will become a princess without any of that hard work.¡±


    Disgusting, but Cassandra couldn¡¯t say that. ¡°Would you let me bring my friends with me as well? I hear Beraud is not fond of beastkin.¡±


    Lann¡¯s smug expression fell for a moment. ¡°You are friends with beastkin? Why?¡±


    The insult was almost worse because it was clear Lann had not intended it as one. He was genuinely confused. It seemed beastkin was the right angle to approach this test after all. Testing his understanding of the alliance would be difficult while he was trying to flirt with her. With any luck this should shake his interest as well as fail the test. Cassandra glanced at Alvis standing across the room before she spoke again. Good. He was watching.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t they be my friends? They are both smart and talented,¡± Cassandra replied, pushing the values of Tethia and ignoring anything to do with bloodline or prestige.


    ¡°No matter how smart it is, it is still a beast,¡± Lann told her, in a tone as if he was teaching an unfortunate and naive child, ¡°You never know when it might turn on you and bite the hand that feeds it.¡±


    Cassandra narrowly dodged Lann¡¯s attempt to grab her own hand by using it to take a bite from her plate. She was sure the food was delicious but she had to choke it down through her disgust. She was glad she had not mentioned Rena or Autumn¡¯s names. This idiot had no right to know them.


    ¡°If that is what you think, then I am afraid we will not be able to get along,¡± she told him, letting coldness seep into her tone. There was no need to pretend. In fact, pretending and humoring the prince would hinder the whole point of the tests. ¡°As I stated before, the beastkin are my friends. I will not go to a place that treats them like animals.¡±


    Prince Lann recoiled in shock. ¡°You would reject the future king of Beraud for a handful of unruly beasts?¡±


    ¡°I would,¡± Cassandra confirmed, pulling away from him.


    Nero appeared to rescue her before Lann could explode at the offense of being rejected by someone who wasn¡¯t yet a princess of a small kingdom. He pulled out the chair across from the prince and drew his attention.


    ¡°Since you are so eager to discuss business during your welcoming dinner, shall we discuss the details of our alliance?¡± Nero prompted, ¡°I would be more than happy to hear out the terms that Beraud has for us.¡±


    Lann turned his attention to Nero, still reeling from the shock of her conversation with Cassandra. For a moment, Cassandra was certain that Prince Lann would demand her hand in marriage as part of Beraud¡¯s terms. What he did say was just as petty, in a different direction.


    ¡°Terms, you say?¡± Lann pondered, ¡°You see that butler I brought? I can¡¯t bear to see his face any longer. It would be a personal favor to me if you could take him off my hands and be sure he suffers a most horrible life here in Tethia. If you do this for me I can ensure we enter this alliance on equal terms.¡±


    Whatever Nero had expected him to say, it wasn¡¯t this. ¡°You wish to give us a talented royal butler? That is a generous offer, but I am afraid I cannot accept anyone against their will,¡± Nero told him, ¡°Shall we bring him into this discussion?¡±


    ¡°Useless,¡± Lann muttered with a grimace, ¡°Forget it. If you can¡¯t even do that, then I have no choice but to handle things myself. Just don¡¯t get in my way.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Not even bothering to finish his meal, Lann shot to his feet and stormed out of the dining hall. Thus alliance negotiations ended before they could even begin, but at least everyone was able to eat in peace. Alvis remained for a moment before following after the prince. The rest of the meal finished, and Cassandra used the jabber jewel to summon everyone for a private chat. It was about time they were brought up to speed on everything that was happening, as well as the real identity of Alvis.


    For space and convenience they gathered in the meeting room right next to Cassandra¡¯s office. She had instructed Keane to bring the Records so he arrived later than the rest. All of them knew about each other¡¯s past lives, so it only made sense to share the existence of the artifact with them as well. It would be much easier to show them now that everyone was staying in Teber, though it did make Cassandra a bit uneasy how the fate of Dyment might affect their grade.


    ¡°So what did you gather us here to tell us?¡± Alois prompted, in no mood for wasting any more time after the whole debacle with Prince Lann¡¯s premature arrival.


    ¡°We have discovered a lot that we have not been able to share,¡± Cassandra replied, ¡°but there are two things that are important, if not urgent, information. Autumn, would you like to start?¡±


    Autumn frowned. ¡°I can, but I am even more confused than when we last spoke,¡± he began, ¡°Alvis is so much scarier than I remember from the game. It¡¯s like he can see right through you.¡±


    ¡°Alvis was in that game?¡± Caleb asked, leaning forward, ¡°Then he must be someone important.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Keane muttered with a sigh, ¡°From what Autumn told us earlier, Alvis is that very same Alvis who founded Tethia as the first headmaster.¡±


    ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Alois questioned, though he seemed somewhat convinced, ¡°Alvis isn¡¯t an uncommon name. I was even named partially after him. The name is more or less associated with wisdom.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him. He looks exactly the same,¡± Autumn said with no hint of doubt in his tone, ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t, his personality is a perfect match as well. Besides, the timing is too perfect.¡±


    ¡°Too perfect?¡± Maximus asked with a frown, ¡°What else have you not found the chance to tell us about?¡±


    ¡°This,¡± Keane replied simply and placed the thick tome of an artifact on the table before them with a thud, ¡°I found this in the border fortress where we were being held by Gaia¡¯s goons. I only recently discovered how to use it and what significance it held. According to Autumn this artifact is deeply connected to the founding headmaster.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡± Caleb asked, not bothering to hide his intense interest. Artifacts were something of a passion of his, but it was rare to see a real one in person. Most were just imitations of legends.


    ¡°This is the Records of Tethia,¡± Keane explained, ¡°As far as I have tested it can access and replicate any existing records on its pages, no matter how old that record may be. It can even make its own record of past and present events that have not been recorded. We discovered this right after King Nero and Princess Rosalind arrived.¡±


    ¡°No wonder you weren¡¯t able to talk until now,¡± Alois muttered.


    Caleb was immersed in the Records, flipping through the pristine blank pages. ¡°How do you activate it?¡±


    ¡°I ask it for the knowledge I seek,¡± Keane answered, ¡°I tested with Autumn and Cassandra but it only seems to work for me.¡±


    They filled everyone in on the rest of the details they had gathered, and Alois and Maximus revealed a story of their own from their private talk with King Nero.


    ¡°Nero somehow knows that we have a special way of getting information,¡± Maximus informed them, ¡°I don¡¯t know if he was talking about those records or about the various memories we have about the future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid most of our memories aren¡¯t worth much,¡± Wayde admitted, ¡°The future has already veered far away from what I know. Prince Lann never came to Teber, Gaia was never conquered, and Alvis never made an appearance. I am certain I would remember a presence like his.¡±


    ¡°The clues we do have from your memories have helped immensely,¡± Cassandra assured, subconsciously checking to see if the privacy barrier was still intact. It was a nervous habit she had gained since the incident with the spies.


    Alois stood. ¡°We should split up before anyone gets suspicious,¡± he told them.


    ¡°Yes, we all have things to do,¡± Cassandra agreed, dissolving the barrier and moving to open the door.


    Waiting on the other side of the door was the very topic of conversation, Alvis, playing his role as a butler perfectly. ¡°Lady Cassandra, I was hoping I would find you here. I would like to apologize on behalf of my master for his actions today. It seems my attempts to reform him have fallen rather short.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your consideration,¡± Cassandra managed, trying her best to calm her racing heartbeat. Talk about a jumpscare! If not for the privacy barrier she would be terrified he had heard every word. ¡°Unfortunately i find it hard to believe that your master feels any remorse for his actions.¡±


    Alvis smiled his usual unreadable smile. ¡°You would be correct,¡± he confirmed, ¡°However, it is my duty to ensure that no matter what happens during this little trial, it does not put a damper on Beraud¡¯s new relations with Tethia. If he bothers you again, do not be afraid to call for me. I have a knack for making the prince obedient.¡±


    ¡°I will consider it. Thank you for your offer,¡± Cassandra told him. It was easy to understand why a prideful man like Prince Lann loathed Alvis and considered his torment a favor.


    ¡°I hope you had a constructive chat with your friends,¡± Alvis said, glancing behind her at the room, ¡°Do let me know if you need to send any messages to Beraud.¡± With a bow, Alvis turned and left, ending their sudden encounter.

 41: The Grand Duke

    The night ended without any more incident, but the next morning, Prince Lann was freshly rested and full of energy. Energy he spent divided between avoiding Nero, tormenting Alvis, and bothering Cassandra. Rather than flirting, he spent the entire time trying to convince her of the repulsive nature of beastkin and the danger they posed. Of course, escaping to the far safer Beraud by his side was always posed as an option.


    Whenever he did this, Cassandra had taken to calling Maximus with her jabber jewel to take her away for some urgent business for the territory. Perhaps it was his sparkling appearance or the dazzling smile Cassandra always gave him when he arrived, but Lann quickly got the wrong idea.


    ¡°Why do you like that fae boy more than me?¡± Lann demanded, ¡°Do you have some kind of preference for demihumans?¡±


    Demihumans, the name most countries used to refer to humanoid magical beings. It came as no surprise that those beings in question found the term insulting as it insinuated they were somehow lesser than humans.


    Deep down Cassandra knew she needed to keep her cool. No matter how much of an idiot their prince was, she couldn¡¯t give Beraud a reason to reconsider their alliance. However, that question was the final straw.


    ¡°If humans were all like you, I would,¡± she snapped, ¡°Thankfully you happen to be one of the most rude, obnoxious, and clueless humans I have ever met. You spent plenty of time lecturing me on Beraud¡¯s superiority as a nation, yet none of your words carried any substance.¡±


    Lann had become a frozen statue as she berated him. It was refreshing to finally let all of her feelings out, but Cassandra was far from done.


    ¡°Had you been born in Tethia you never would have entered Nobility, much less become a prince,¡± she continued, ¡°Now, unless you want a firsthand experience of exactly how impressive Tethia¡¯s magic really is, I suggest you not bother me again!¡±


    Cassandra turned to leave, and Lann could only watch, still stunned and speechless. As the first prince of a classic monarchy it was possible no one had ever spoken to him like that before, but it was too late for her to take back her words. Whatever damage they had done was done.


    To her relief, Lann really did leave her alone. Instead he seemed to focus all of his frustrations against Alvis. Perhaps it was a bit cruel, but Cassandra felt if he pushed Alvis too far he deserved whatever retribution the founder would deal to him. That retribution came swiftly and rather publicly after Lann had attempted to banish a beastkin servant who had dared to bump into him.


    ¡°After all this time it seems you have not changed,¡± Alvis announced with disappointment as he stepped between the prince and his prey, ¡°I convinced King Ryne that there was still hope for you and set about trying to reform you. I worked hard to turn you into a worthy prince, but even I am not willing to wait forever.¡±


    ¡°Alvis?¡± Lann asked, a tremor of fear seeping into his tone.


    ¡°Your time is up young prince,¡± Alvis told him, ¡°I can no longer condone your misbehavior.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Prince Lann demanded, ¡°You are nothing but a butler now!¡±


    ¡°I will offer you a choice,¡± Alvis continued, undeterred, ¡°Will you choose Beraud, your homeland, or will you choose Gaia and become Tethia¡¯s enemy?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t choose anything if you won¡¯t explain what is going on!¡± Lann argued, ¡°What do you mean, choose between Beraud and Gaia?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°I cannot tell you that,¡± Alvis replied, ¡°But I will say that this choice will change the course of your future. So, what will it be?¡±


    Lann looked around at the crowd that had begun to form and furrowed his eyebrows in agitation. Cassandra felt a particularly heated glare sent in her direction. She had a hunch based on what Autumn had mentioned before which side he would choose.


    ¡°I will choose the land I conquered with my own hand,¡± he replied with conviction, or perhaps a fair share of baseless bravado, ¡°I will prove my capabilities as a leader of a nation and see firsthand the magic Tethia is so proud of.¡±


    Cassandra recognized the use of her own words as he stared her down. It turned out that Lann had taken them very personally after all. Unfortunately for him, the person he was talking to was Alvis, not Cassandra. Alvis seemed to find the moment entirely unimpressive.


    ¡°Very well, prince,¡± he said, ¡°Ah but, I suppose I should not call you that anymore. Lann El Beraud, as you have made your choice you are now exiled to Gaia and will take on the name Lann El Gaia as the reigning Grand Duke of Gaia.¡±


    Cassandra expected Lann to lash out following Alvis¡¯s announcement. To her surprise he grinned. Alvis also appeared to be taken aback by his smug behavior.


    ¡°You think I didn¡¯t know what you and father have been planning?¡± he scoffed, ¡°I still despise you, but in this case I must thank you. Gaia is the best gift you could have given me. See you never, old man!¡±


    Just when Cassandra was about to wonder if Lann wasn¡¯t as bad as he seemed, he blew a kiss in her direction on his way out. He was still a nuisance, perhaps even more so now that he had cut himself loose from the reigns of his father and Alvis.


    As one might expect, Prince, no, Grand Duke Lann demanded an immediate departure from Teber so he could properly see to his new role. Before he left he told King Nero that Gaia would only ally with a puny nation like Tethia if he got something valuable in return. Whatever he asked for, Nero refused to give.


    Lann also took the time to call for Cassandra to see him off. ¡°Despite everything that has happened, I still like you,¡± he told her, but at least kept a proper distance, ¡°You are welcome in Gaia anytime, though I can¡¯t promise I will let you leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your offer,¡± Cassandra replied, though she doubted she would have any reason to ever visit Gaia. She also couldn¡¯t fathom what Lann had seen during their brief encounters that made him like her so much.


    ¡°Until then, farewell,¡± Lann said with as much willful bravado as he had come with. Luckily he did have another servant that could drive his carriage. They still had plenty of things to discuss with Alvis about what had just happened.


    Alvis himself appeared to have no intention of leaving and had already taken over Lann¡¯s old room. Even though he had been there less than an hour, the atmosphere of the Nothern Wing had changed completely.


    With any shot of an alliance with Gaia out the window, King Nero redoubled his efforts to ensure their pact with Beraud remained solid. Cassandra was left with a different sort of dilemma. Should they warn Nero and the other about who Alvis really was?


    Cassandra decided to meet with Princess Rosalind and see how things went. First things first, she needed to apologize. Lann¡¯s choice and hasty departure had definitely happened because she lost her cool.


    ¡°Did you need something?¡± an exhausted looking Rosalind asked when she answered her door.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± Cassandra asked, and waited until she was invited inside before she spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Rosalind frowned and activated a privacy spell. ¡°For?¡±


    ¡°It was my fault,¡± Cassandra began and explained everything that had happened between her and Lann. Especially the moment when she had lost her reason and snapped at him.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Rosalind told her, taking her by surprise, ¡°Cassandra, keeping silent is not always the correct answer. There are times things need to be said. Had you chosen to keep silent, Lann may still be here in Teber and still be a prince. I find it unlikely that he would have ever chosen an outcome that was favorable for Tethia with or without your interference.¡±


    That was a relief. Now there was one more thing she needed to get off her chest to release the remaining guilt. ¡°About Alvis-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Rosalind cut her off, ¡°We know. You and your faction have done enough. Don¡¯t forget that you are still just students. Take some time to rest.¡±

 42: Yukis Secret

    It turned out that Rosalind was quite serious about making their entire faction rest, as was Nero. After resting to their satisfaction it was back to business as usual. She saw no signs of Alvis¡¯s presence in the manor, but she knew he had yet to leave. Alois, on the other hand, had been called away by the Headmaster the moment their rest order was lifted.


    When Cassandra did finally try to return to work she found that very little had been left for her to do. It seemed Tobias had taken back over the majority of the duties, and Cassandra had to admit he did an excellent job. Far better than she had managed. She had to remind herself of Rosalind¡¯s words that she was still just a student. She had to complete even her first year at Nobility. It was hard to believe when she considered everything that had happened.


    With even more free time than she expected, Cassandra decided to take a stroll through the mansion¡¯s gardens. While it was not as impressive as the gardens she had seen at the palace, it came close. The atmosphere was so relaxing it almost put her on edge, as if any sign of peace was just the calm before the storm.


    As Cassandra approached the fountain near the outer gates that depicted some form of magical beast frollicking with a mermaid. It was an odd fountain as neither creature had been mentioned in Cassandra¡¯s book of magical beasts that she had read to find out more about Yuki. As she watched the water twirl and gurgle, the fox in question suddenly became agitated.


    ¡°Yuki?¡± Cassandra asked in surprise, looking over at her shoulder to see his eyes wide open. Even though he had chosen to remain by her side, their entire time together the fox had spent still or sleeping. She could feel his muscles tense as he clung close around his shoulders. What was he looking at? She followed his gaze and caught sight of Alvis stepping up to the other side of the fountain.


    As she watched him, their eyes met and he smiled. ¡°Cassandra, I was hoping to speak with you,¡± Alvis greeted, approaching her side of the fountain, ¡°I fear that some of Lann¡¯s fixation on you may have been my fault. When he insulted your lineage I felt it was my duty to correct him. In doing so, I believe I may have accidentally made you seem desirable as a political partner.¡±


    While it was relieving to think that Lann only liked her as a political marriage candidate, Alvis¡¯s words weren¡¯t exactly comforting. It didn¡¯t help that Yuki was behaving strangely all of the sudden. All of Cassandra¡¯s instincts were screaming of danger, so she quickly plotted an acceptable way to escape the situation.


    ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but Duke Lann made his own choices,¡± she told Alvis, ¡°You should focus on more important matters rather than worrying about me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Alvis agreed. For a moment Cassandra believed her escape plan had worked. Then Alvis¡¯s smile became something far more sinister. ¡°Yuki, how long do you intend to keep playing pet fox?¡±


    As all of Alvis¡¯s attention turned to him, Yuki suddenly jerked up and dove off of Cassandra¡¯s shoulders. Cassandra stepped between the founding headmaster before she could think about what she was doing.


    ¡°What do you want with my summon?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Summon? So that is what he is playing at,¡± Alvis mused, ¡°I can obtain a far more useful summon for you. I doubt that lazy fox has been very helpful.¡±


    ¡°Yuki has been helpful enough,¡± Cassandra defended. She didn¡¯t like how Alvis¡¯s sarcastic tone reminded her of Lann. ¡°I will state again that he is my summon. You have no right to interfere.¡±


    Alvis suddenly stepped very close. ¡°No right?¡± he asked, his voice low and dangerous, ¡°Do you have any idea what Yuki is, little girl?¡±


    Cassandra jerked back. ¡°I have my theories but no one will confirm them,¡± she admitted, ¡°Even if he is the summon of the founding archmage you have no reason to scare him like that.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Ah yes, that is how history recorded it,¡± Alvis sighed, his threatening demeanor gone, ¡°You are wrong, though. Yuki has never been a summon. He is the founding archmage of Tethia. The very same who helped me create the six artifacts, though two were lost almost immediately.¡±


    There had been one wild story that mentioned Yuki and the archmage were one and the same. At the time Cassandra had dismissed it as nonsense, but she was currently living in a world with elves, beastkin, and fae. No wonder everyone¡¯s reactions had been so strange. Rosalind and Nero likely knew exactly who he was.


    ¡°Why would the found archmage run from you?¡± Cassandra asked instead.


    ¡°He is but a child running from scolding,¡± Alvis replied, ¡°Had he taken any time to mature instead of living in dreams I would have no need to do so.¡±


    ¡°Whatever his history, I can take care of my summon,¡± Cassandra decided. It didn¡¯t matter if he was a sleepy fox or an all powerful archmage. Yuki had chosen her.


    ¡°I will warn you again, you have no idea what you are getting into,¡± Alvis warned, ¡°Yuki is more dangerous to this world than you can fathom. He-¡±


    A white fur ball charged into Alvis¡¯s legs, causing him to cut off his words. Yuki stood his ground with a growl and fur standing up on end. Then Cassandra suddenly heard a new voice come from the fox.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Yuki demanded, ¡°Don¡¯t say another word!¡± His voice was younger than Cassandra had imagined, and she immediately understood why Alvis had referred to him as a child.


    ¡°Or what?¡± Alvis prodded, ¡°Will you throw another childish tantrum and destroy this world as you did ours?¡±


    Cassandra wasn¡¯t sure why but she was confident Alvis was at least partially wrong. ¡°Yuki wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± she spoke up, ¡°Not for some childish reason like you claim.¡±


    ¡°I could tell you why if you truly intend to keep him by your side,¡± Alvis offered, ¡°I have no intention of letting someone handle a ticking time bomb with no knowledge of what it is.¡±


    Still confident, Cassandra scooped up the angry fox and held him close. ¡°Your words won¡¯t change my mind.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Alvis said, ¡°I will begin with a simple fact. Yuki becomes more attached to those he likes than ordinary people. Being chosen by him may be an honor, but it also means that the fate of your world is now directly tied to your life. Should you die, this world will perish with you.¡±


    Though Yuki had calmed in her arms, Cassandra felt a chill. She could do her best to avoid dangerous situations, but she would eventually die of old age and Yuki was immortal. The fox nudged her in a comforting way. Was this warning reserved for murder, then?


    ¡°Difficult for you to comprehend?¡± Alvis guessed. She wasn¡¯t sure when, but Cassandra became aware they were trapped together in some kind of barrier, ¡°The full story would be long, so I will summarize. Yuki here lived his life from birth alone, following orders as a war slave. That¡¯s right. My world had its own share of filth.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with him becoming overly attached?¡± Cassandra questioned.


    ¡°Patience,¡± Alvis told her, ¡°There was another slave in that place. A woman who took him in and offered to become his mother. Though the two remained perfect soldiers, their keepers did not like the fact that monstrous war slaves could have any solace. Especially the terrifying magic weapon, Yuki. They killed her, and that is when the world ended. It was over in a moment. A moment of one child losing control of his magic.¡±


    The chills Cassandra had felt become stronger, like a rush of tingles on her arms and spine. It was scary to think about, but she felt assured that she had been right about one thing. First, Yuki had never intended to destroy everything. Not only that, he had every reason to lose control. It wasn¡¯t his fault he had more magic than most. She could not fathom fearing the very magic she loved so much just because it was stronger than she had expected.


    ¡°Convincing me to reject him won¡¯t fix the problem,¡± she told Alvis resolutely, ¡°So you are saying I have to be careful? Fine. But Yuki is my summon, and I won¡¯t abandon him.¡±


    ¡°Yuki, what do you say? Will you give up your life as the layabout hidden archmage to live as her summon?¡± Alvis asked him, ¡°If you choose this path, you must act as a real summon would. Help her as you have me in the past. Become a true partner.¡±


    ¡°I can do it,¡± Yuki promised.


    It truly did sound like a child being scolded by his parent. Despite his antagonistic approach, perhaps Alvis had meant well.

 43: Hall of Headmasters

    After the rollercoaster of traitorous accusations and confirmations of trust, Alois was not sure what he should think of his current mentor and headmaster, Osmond. The cryptic message he had sent only made Alois more suspicious.


    Rather than meeting him at the vacant school or his office in the palace, Osmond directed him to the old maze on the school grounds. He even promised answers, something he had made clear to Alois he did not give easily. As always Alois was to tell no one where he was going or what he was doing.


    The labyrinth was exactly the same as always, but the man standing in front of it couldn¡¯t have looked more different. Osmond was pale and visibly shake as if taken by a terror beyond Alois¡¯s understanding. He did not even speak a word, beckoning for him to follow. While his mentor was always a little odd, this put Alois on edge.


    Osmond led him through the tall stone pathways far away from the center of the maze. Had something been hidden in one of the dead ends? That would explain why the center had always been so easy to reach. Not this one, or the next one.


    Just when Alois was beginning to doubt his theory Osmond stopped in front of a rough section of wall eaten away by vines. Rather than the dead end he had been expecting it was the inner wall of a loop. On closer inspection, Alois could feel some kind of magical enchantment on it.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Alois asked, bothered by the continuous silence.


    ¡°The Hall of Headmasters,¡± Osmond answered finally as he tugged one of the vines aside to reveal a keyhole, ¡°Today you will learn our secret.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve barely been your apprentice for a year,¡± Alois protested in shock. Something about the words ¡®our secret¡¯ gave him an intense feeling of danger. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to be-¡±


    ¡°Time is running out,¡± Osmond interrupted, ¡°I chose you because I believe you have what it takes to put an end to the curse.¡±


    He didn¡¯t give Alois a chance to answer as he inserted and turned a key with a soft click. The wall vanished and the key clattered to the ground. The other three walls remained, surrounding the ominous entrance to a dark tunnel. It seemed wherever they were going was underground.


    Alois felt his eyepatch absentmindedly as an uncanny sense of familiarity came over him. Was he to be sacrificed by the headmaster this time? Would he at least get the promised answer first? Oddly enough, Alois¡¯s curiosity outweighed his fear of death even when the wall reappeared behind him trapping him inside.


    ¡°Can we talk now?¡± Alois pressed, ¡°Or were your promises of answers all a lie?¡±


    ¡°Follow me and I will tell you what I can,¡± Osmond promised as he entered the tunnel, ¡°I am sure you are familiar with the founding legend of Tethia. How the six pillars banded together to create a nation of unity and magic after being abandoned by the land. While this is true, there is a shameful side the succession of pillars has kept hidden from the public.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t waiting at all, forcing Alois to rush to catch up as his voice began to echo and fade. The tunnel, which should have been dark, had the same sort of glow that Maximus had mentioned in the mines of Dyment. The natural earthen walls morphed into smooth bricks and opened into a wide hall resembling a museum. Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°In reality there were only two founding pillars,¡± Osmond continued, ¡°The rest were their loyal followers along for the ride. I am sure you can guess which two I am referring to.¡±


    ¡°The archmage,¡± Alois guessed without hesitation, ¡°Tethia wouldn¡¯t exist without his magic. The other must be Alvis. The first headmaster.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Osmond confirmed, ¡°Alvis is the reason behind everything I am about to tell you. It all began on the day he vanished with no warning.¡±


    Osmond had stopped in front of a portrait of the second headmaster. Alois remained silent and waited for him to continue but his thoughts were running wild. Alvis had always made him uncomfortable, but what did his disappearance have to do with a curse? In the brief silence, the second headmaster stared down at them with cold eyes.


    ¡°With his mentor gone, no one could warn him of the danger of dreams,¡± Osmond said, placing his hand on the frame, ¡°That is when he appeared, an evil being drawn to fear and weakness. He appeared in a dream and offered a deal. Information at a price.¡±


    ¡°What kind of information?¡± Alois asked, trying not to imagine what kind of price an evil being from a dream would ask for.


    ¡°The truth about the two true founders,¡± Osmond answered, ¡°That truth is not something I can tell you. Learning it will only expose you to the curse. However, I can tell you about the cost.¡±


    Just hearing the knowledge was enough to spread the curse? No wonder Osmond was so shaken. But why now? He must have had this curse since he became headmaster.


    ¡°Once the knowledge is used in any way, your body will become a vessel he can freely possess,¡± Osmond explained, ¡°The more who know of him, the stronger he becomes, but I am reaching my limit. I can no longer hold him back.¡±


    That sounded just like possession. Possession was a forbidden form of summoning magic. While it would reliably summon more powerful forces, it was deemed too dangerous. After making use of your body once, what was to stop them from doing so again?


    ¡°What does that have to do with Alvis?¡± Alois asked, fearing the answer. He wasn¡¯t a user, or worse a creator, of forbidden magic was he?


    ¡°His interest in us headmasters was beginning to fade,¡± Osmond replied, ¡°My predecessor managed to avoid being possessed at all. However, a few days ago, when that man entered Tethia, I felt him stirring. I don¡¯t know why, but Alvis¡¯s return has awoken the sleeping nightmare.¡±


    Alois tried to ignore the chills running through his veins. Everything had begun with Alvis leaving and was growing worse because he returned. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Alois demanded, ¡°Now that I know about this nightmare his power has grown, and I can¡¯t do anything about Alvis either.¡±


    ¡°Someone has to know,¡± Osmond told him and moved the frame to the side to reveal a safe behind it, ¡°Someone who can kill me when he takes control. Alois, if you kill me with this dagger, he and I will die together. You can put an end to this curse forever.¡±


    Osmond turned and presented Alois with a dagger that not only bore a mystical appearance but had the strong magical presence of an artifact. Once again, that sense of familiarity struck Alois. Not just because of the situation. For some reason, he was certain he had seen this dagger before.


    ¡°Gaia,¡± he whispered as realization hit him, ¡°You took this from Gaia.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Osmond replied, ¡°Alois, you are a smart young man. You have heard of my dealings with Gaia. Loyalty to Tethia means little when the world is at stake. This dagger is our only hope, and I have done everything to prepare for this day. Take it.¡±


    Alois jerked back. ¡°No,¡± he refused, ¡°I can¡¯t carry around such a dangerous thing.¡±


    ¡°I cannot have access to it when he takes control,¡± Osmond insisted, ¡°If you refuse to kill me with your own hands then at least keep it safe.¡±


    With great reluctance, Alois touched the hilt of the ominous dagger and felt an immediate reaction from the Eye. Hunger. Greed. That¡¯s right. Where else would be safer to store such a dangerous object than in the embodiment of greed itself? Alois carefully removed his eyepatch, temporarily unsealing the artifact embedded in his eye.


    Judging by his lack of surprise, Osmond had known after all.

 44: Voices Within

    Becoming Yuki¡¯s true partner came with its own load of heavy secrets, the first of which was his ability to hear the thoughts of those around him. This not only meant that he had been listening in on hers all along, but that he could speak directly in her mind. Yuki could answer her every worry before she even voiced it. This did make all of the effort they had put into hunting traitors feel like a waste.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a waste,¡± Yuki assured her, ¡°Alvis says that hearing thoughts isn¡¯t enough proof on its own.¡±


    Then there was that. Cassandra was already beginning to despise the phrase ¡®Alvis says¡¯. Yuki seemed to live by Alvis¡¯s every word, and Cassandra couldn¡¯t even argue since the things Yuki repeated were always right. She had to be careful what she even thought about now since Yuki was always eager to give her answers.


    ¡°Unless someone is a traitor or planning to harm us, don¡¯t tell me their thoughts,¡± Cassandra told the fox, ¡°If I need to know more, wait until I ask.¡±


    ¡°I will try,¡± Yuki promised, but his eagerness to help would probably still become a problem later. Cassandra didn¡¯t mind it too much since he was trying his best, but the sudden flow of secrets he dumped on her was a bit overwhelming.


    ¡°Is Alois back?¡± she asked one of the servants.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± he replied, ¡°We were told he might be late tonight.¡±


    ¡°He is in a secret hall,¡± Yuki supplies, ¡°Is tracking location bad too?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Cassandra answered to both, ¡°I need to speak with Keane anyway.¡±


    Keane was far easier to locate as he rarely went anywhere. Cassandra wanted to consult the Records to see if what Alvis had told her was the truth. She couldn¡¯t trust his every word just because he was some kind of immortal founder. If the records really could reveal the past, she could learn the truth about the founding. There was always the chance that Alvis could influence the artifact since he had all but claimed he had created it, but Cassandra figured Yuki would know if he did.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t today supposed to be a rest day for you?¡± Keane accused as she entered his lab.


    ¡°You as well,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°This is how I relax,¡± Keane replied, ¡°Doing nothing makes me anxious.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Cassandra agreed.


    There was a long pause of silence as she stared him down. ¡°Fine,¡± Keane relented, ¡°This is about the Records, right? What did you need me to find out?¡±


    ¡°I just need you to look into the founding of Tethia,¡± Cassandra answered, ¡°I met with Alvis today and I need some answers.¡±


    ¡°You met Alvis?¡± Keane repeated, ¡°Was he just as slippery as he seems?¡±


    ¡°He told me some things, and I just want to know if he was telling the truth,¡± Cassandra explained, ¡°If he was, I will share that information with you.¡±


    Keane frowned. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve locked it up somewhere safe, so I¡¯ll have to go get it.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Just as he moved to get up, Alois slipped into the room. ¡°Keane, I need you to look into the founding of Tethia. Something about it has been kept secret from us,¡± he demanded, then spotted Cassandra, ¡°Hi, Cassandra. What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°The same thing, apparently,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Got it, the founding of Tethia,¡± Keane said, looking between the two of them, ¡°Once of you just met the first headmaster and the other our current. This definitely seems suspicious.¡±


    After sharing that thought, Keane led them to his room where he undid a complex set of enchantments to retrieve the Records of Tethia. It was such an impressive sight that for a moment Cassandra forgot why they were there. Alois, on the other hand, grimaced slightly at the display. He seemed unusually tense.


    ¡°The eye is hungry,¡± Yuki supplies, carefully avoiding sharing any actual thoughts.


    Cassandra frowned at that idea. She hadn¡¯t even considered that the artifact could think. Then again, Alois had supposedly negotiated with it and it had to be able to feel to be the representation of greed. She was glad when Yuki assured her it had a lower intelligence and lived on instinct.


    ¡°What?¡± Keane muttered, returning her focus to the task at hand, ¡°This is bad.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Alois asked and moved to peek over his shoulder.


    Cassandra did the same and the problem was made instantly evident. Rather than the information Keane had requested, the open pages of the Records bore a message from Alivs.


    ¡°Dearest Inheritor,


    Have you forgotten who I am? I am the founder of the precious knowledge and secrets of Tethia. However, I have no intention of allowing you to use the records of that knowledge for such a frivolous purpose. If your comrades deny my words, they must find the information they seek from another source.


    Regards,


    Alvis.¡±


    The flowing script suited the Alvis perfectly, as did the demeaning manner of speech that left the reader feeling foolish. Cassandra truly did feel foolish. Alvis had given her every answer she asked for, yet here she was trying to use the artifact he created to try and confirm them. Alois, who knew none of this, was bewildered by the message.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t denied anything,¡± he protested, ¡°I just came back from Osmond giving some insane apocalypse prediction as his excuse for betraying us to Gaia. All I wanted was to see if he just lost his mind or if there really is a dangerous curse on the line of headmasters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Cassandra told him, ¡°This is my fault. That message was definitely left for me.¡±


    ¡°Alvis always has a reason for denying knowledge,¡± Yuki supplied, making both Keane and Alois jump. Had he spoken so everyone could hear him this time? Cassandra couldn¡¯t tell at all. ¡°If he mentions finding another source that means you have another way to find what you need.¡±


    ¡°Do you know now?¡± Alois asked Cassandra a bit warily.


    ¡°That is why Alvis sought me out, I think,¡± she explained, ¡°He wanted to warn me since it seemed no one else would. He also told me some other things to try to scare me off. He claimed that Tethia was founded almost completely by himself and everyone else just followed along.¡±


    ¡°Another source, huh,¡± Alois muttered, ¡°Since Yuki seems so attached to you we should believe his words, but where else would we find accurate information about the founding? The history books only have those vague legends. Can you tell us, Yuki?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Yuki replied, seeming truly ashamed, ¡°I slept through most of it. Sometimes Alvis would have me help with things, but that¡¯s all I know.¡±


    That took out the option of the other immortal founder. Alvis had told her that he slept all the time. Who else could possibly have information that no one in Tethia knew? It suddenly hit her. A summon! One summon in particular came to mind.


    ¡°Alois, can you summon Michelle?¡± Cassandra asked, ¡°I know she is Osmond¡¯s summon, but she might be able to tell us what is really going on. Even if she can¡¯t tell us the past she might be able to tell us about the future.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Alois realized, ¡°I think I might be able to, but we would have to do it in the Pavilion.¡±

 45: Answers From the Outside

    Cassandra and Alois immediately began planning for their trip to the Pavilion. Normally it would have been difficult to reach, but Osmond had recently given Alois full access to summoning the gateway. Keane seemed torn about whether or not to join them, but came to the conclusion it was best he stay behind in case something went wrong.


    Considering they were doing this behind the headmaster¡¯s back,there was a high chance of something going wrong. There was no avoiding Yuki knowing what was going on since he was there the whole time, but they unanimously agreed that the less who knew the better. That meant that they would not even tell the others about their plan. At least not until it was over.


    Autumn definitely noticed since Keane rarely kept secrets from him. It seemed like Maximus caught on too, but neither of them said anything. Nero and Alvis, who they were most concerned about, seemed to be keeping each other busy. With this in mind, Alois decided that there was no better time to act.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Cassandra checked, ¡°They are sure to notice if we suddenly disappear during the day like this.¡±


    ¡°Time works differently in the Pavilion,¡± Alois assured, ¡°With any luck, we will have the answers we need by the time we leave. We can explain everything then.¡±


    Alois used his new permissions to open the gate to the Pavilion of Eternal Dusk. It was silent and smooth, unlike the show Osmon had put on for their entrance ceremony. Inside was peaceful and still, filling Cassandra with relief. She had half expected Osmond to be waiting for them there, though Alois didn¡¯t relax until the gate was closed behind them.


    ¡°Michelle,¡± he called, using the magic of the Pavilion to enhance his summoning power.


    The magic seemed slow and reluctant, almost like a stutter, but it was working. This must be the drawback of trying to summon someone else¡¯s summon. Michelle finally appeared to them after a few tense minutes, but she looked far different from before. For starters, the Michelle they knew was a young woman, but the one who stood before them had graying hair and wrinkles. Her clothes were still more cozy than fashionable, and though she held a cane she stood tall.


    ¡°Michelle?¡± Cassandra asked with uncertainty. Had they messed up after all?


    ¡°Cassandra, dear? It¡¯s been so long,¡± she greeted with a smile, ¡°Call me Mickey like you always do. You always tell me such wonderful stories.¡±


    Did that mean everything Michelle, no Mickey, knew was something Cassandra would one day tell her? Not only was that a lot of pressure, she was terrible at summoning magic. EvenYuki probably came to her on his own rather than actually being summoned.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to see you, Mickey,¡± she said instead.


    ¡°Have we told you any stories about Alvis?¡± Alois pressed, eager to fulfill their goal.


    ¡°Oh, dear, I know you miss him,¡± Mickey said as if consoling, ¡°Even though you would constantly complain, he was a dear mentor and friend. However, even the immortal don¡¯t live forever.¡±


    That was far from what Cassandra had expected to hear. Alvis was going to die? No, they couldn¡¯t focus on that. Dwelling on the future was dangerous. They needed to focus on the past. ¡°Actually we were wondering about the founding of Tethia,¡± she told her.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Mickey looked between them and took a deep breath. ¡°So it¡¯s today,¡± she muttered, ¡°Very well, I will tell you what I can. Our time is limited so try not to interrupt.¡±


    Cassandra bit back any questions about what her comment of ¡®today¡¯ meant and nodded. Alois did the same with a grim frown. It seemed neither of them liked the implications of today being memorable enough for her to instantly recall.


    ¡°The founding of Tethia isn¡¯t too different from the legends,¡± Mickey began, ¡°The founding pillars were each being oppressed in their respective nations and situations and banded together to create a new country where they could all live together in peace. The one who brought all of those talented people together was Alvis. He taught them knowledge and gave them each artifacts to enhance their power. Then once everything was stable, he disappeared.¡±


    That sounded exactly like what Alvis had said, but these were all things Cassandra told her at some point. How would she find these things out in the future? Or was this some sort of bizarre time loop caused by the disconnected times of both summoning and the Pavilion?


    ¡°After Alvis left, a dark being targeted Tethia, seeking to destroy it,¡± Mickey continued. Cassandra noticed Alois lean forward. This must be the part he had been waiting for. ¡°This being fixated on the headmaster, Alvis¡¯s heir, with whispered lies and promises in order to make a deal. I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know much more about this being as knowing would give him power, but I do know the curse of the headmasters is real and very dangerous. He won¡¯t stop at just destroying Tethia.¡±


    ¡°It was all the truth,¡± Alois whispered with a grimace, ¡°Thank you, Mickey. Do you know how to defeat him? Do I really have to kill Osmond while he is possessed?¡±


    Mickey opened her mouth to answer the question, but stopped when an ominous feeling swept over the Pavilion. Yuki immediately began to growl and jumped off of Cassandra¡¯s shoulders as the cause of the feeling approached. It was Osmond, but something felt distinctly wrong. The predatory way he walked and the cruel smile that he wore were things Cassandra would never be able to imagine Osmond doing.


    Not only that, there was something off putting about his face. As he came closer, Cassandra was able to pinpoint what it was. His eyes had changed colors. She couldn¡¯t remember what color they had been before, but there was no mistaking that smooth black iris with a glowing red pupil. Even amongst fantasy beings in stories she recalled and magical races here pupils changed shape but never color. If anything it reminded her of tacky Halloween decor, but it was actually frightening in a living person¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why not answer him, Mickey?¡± he prompted in a chilling voice that also bore a distinct difference from Osmond¡¯s own, ¡°Are you going to tell my own apprentice to kill me? After everything we have been through together? Don¡¯t you remember our promise?¡±


    Cassandra stepped protectively in front of Mickey before she could think about what she was doing. Whatever this thing was, it wasn¡¯t Osmond and it was trying to threaten their precious guest. ¡°Stand back!¡± she ordered.


    ¡°Who is this? Oh, Yuki¡¯s new pet. He is my favorite Nightmare, you know. Even after he escaped from my realm he brings horrors to the dreams of every world he touches. Isn¡¯t he remarkable?¡± the imposter gushed. It was even more disgusting because he meant every word without a hint of mockery.


    ¡°You must not engage him,¡± Mickey warned from behind, ¡°Remember, you cannot learn more about who and what he is-¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± the imposter growled, effortlessly throwing Cassandra aside as he reached for Mickey¡¯s throat.


    ¡°No!¡± Cassandra screamed, but she was almost immediately blinded by a flash of white that seemed to fill the entire Pavilion.


    Once her eyes cleared enough to see in the usual dim lighting, Mickey was gone, as was the possessed Osmond. Standing where they had once stood was a young boy with white hair, fox ears, and a very familiar bushy tail. He tugged on the hem of his oversized pajamas and looked at Cassandra nervously.


    ¡°Did I do good?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cassandra began, but she wasn¡¯t sure what to say, ¡°What did you do?¡±