《Shadow Ascendant (Progression Fantasy)》 Chapter 1 Social Disparity As Arnos stepped onto the grounds of Celera Magic Institute, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the grandeur surrounding him. Known as one of the kingdom¡¯s top academies, Celera ranked just below the unmatched Arens Institute in prestige. For Arnos, a young man of modest origins, being here was already a victory. With over half the academy¡¯s spots reserved for nobles, it was nearly impossible for someone like him to get in. Earning admission as a commoner was an achievement he could truly be proud of. He let out a quiet sigh, taking his first steps on the sprawling campus. Everything around him seemed designed to show off the academy¡¯s wealth and status. Celera Magic Institute stretched across over 1000 acres of well-kept grounds, featuring vast training fields, clear fountains, and herb gardens filled with rare magical plants, each carefully maintained. Ahead stood the main building, a symbol of the kingdom¡¯s history and power. Made of dark volcanic stone, it had a wide terrace and two tall spiral pillars which seem to be invading the heavens. These ancient, enchanted pillars were said to repel intruders with powerful protective magic. The entrance to the schools ground was covered by four meter high black and grey coloured stone walls which lead fo an imposing gate. The main building had two main entry points, one on the east and another on the west side. As one of the kingdom¡¯s most respected magic schools, Celera enjoyed the favor of the royal family and noble houses. These wealthy patrons heavily funded the academy, ensuring their children had access to the best education, resources, and security. They spared no expense to create an environment that gave their heirs every possible advantage. Looking around, Arnos noticed groups of students heading toward the main building, chatting and laughing with ease. It was clear that many of these nobles had known each other long before arriving, attending banquets and private events together. Even on the first day, they naturally grouped with others of similar status. Scanning the crowd, Arnos saw that most of his peers came from powerful families, their uniforms tailored perfectly and decorated with subtle signs of their wealth. For commoners like him, getting accepted into Celera was a rare feat only one or two non-nobles were admitted each year. They not only had to compete with other commoners but also with nobles trying to claim the same spots. Those few who managed to enter were often treated with disdain or at best ignored. But Arnos wasn¡¯t bothered. He already knew about the academy¡¯s social hierarchy. The elite rarely associated with those they deemed beneath them, and he planned to focus on his studies and avoid drawing attention. If they ignored him, that was fine by him. Entering the main building, Arnos stepped into a grand hall. The polished marble floors and ornate chandeliers gave the space a warm glow. He looked up to see intricate carvings on the walls, each telling a story from the academy¡¯s past. He paused for a moment, appreciating the beauty around him.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp voice filled with arrogance. ¡°Oh, really? Another commoner amazed by the decor? Step aside if all you¡¯re going to do is gawk.¡± Arnos turned to see a young woman approaching. Her finely embroidered outfit spoke of wealth and sophistication. Her long, perfectly styled blonde hair flowed over her shoulders, and just behind her stood a butler, his every movement showing the precision of someone trained to serve nobility. Realizing he was in her way, Arnos moved aside, wondering, Are butlers even allowed here? But his curiosity was cut short when another voice called out, ¡°Princess Emily!¡± A young man with jet-black hair and sharp eyes approached, his confident stride drawing attention. His charming smile was aimed at the blonde-haired girl Princess Emily. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you, Princess Emily,¡± he said warmly. ¡°I trust your journey was pleasant?¡± Emily¡¯s eyes flicked to Arnos with clear disdain. ¡°It was,¡± she replied with a dismissive smile, ¡°though I did have to deal with a small insect.¡± Her gaze lingered on Arnos, making it clear she was referring to him. Arnos met her gaze without flinching, keeping his face neutral while thinking, If she¡¯s going to rule the kingdom someday, we¡¯re in trouble. But that¡¯s not my concern. Better to stay away from her. He started to slip away quietly, hoping to avoid further attention, but a voice stopped him. ¡°And where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Turning, he found Emily¡¯s cyan eyes locked on him, her expression mocking. ¡°I was just excusing myself, Your Highness,¡± Arnos said evenly, keeping his tone polite. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of imposing on someone of your status.¡± He thought to himself, Nobles love their egos, a little flattery might keep her satisfied. A smirk appeared on her face. ¡°At least you know your place,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe you should drop out now and apply for a more suitable job like tending my dogs.That seems fitting for someone like you.¡± Arnos felt a twinge of irritation but kept his face calm. Is she serious? he wondered. Then, with a polite bow, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m not skilled in animal care, Your Highness. I¡¯d hate to cause trouble for your pets. Perhaps fighting goblins as a lowly adventurer would suit me better.¡± A small crowd had gathered by now, whispering and chuckling at the exchange. One girl muttered, ¡°He does look like a dog caretaker.¡± Another chimed in, ¡°Perhaps he should be my butler instead. He seems to know how to behave, wouldn''t you agree? Maybe, if he grovels, I might even consider letting him.¡± They laughed mockingly. A boy in the crowd commented, "Though his appearance doesn¡¯t quite suit a butler perhaps a maid instead," he added with a chuckle. The comments only seemed to amuse Emily more. She laughed softly, fanning herself. ¡°A lowly adventurer? How fitting! Even goblins might reject someone like you.¡± Arnos forced a polite smile, though his patience was wearing thin. Oh, I¡¯d prefer their company over hers any day, he thought. Out loud, he said calmly, ¡°That may be true, Your Highness. Still, I plan to make the most of my time here, even if I¡¯m at the bottom of the class. Being last at Celera is better than leading anywhere else.¡± Emily raised an eyebrow, her smirk growing. ¡°You have accepted your place here with surprising grace. Perhaps there¡¯s some hope for you, though I wouldn¡¯t count on it.¡± With that, she turned away, clearly bored with the conversation. The crowd began to disperse, some laughing, others giving Arnos pitying glances. As the hall emptied, Arnos exhaled, his expression steady. He thought to himself If she ever becomes queen, this kingdom is doomed. Chapter 2 The Inaugration Ceremony With that, she turned away, clearly bored with the conversation. The crowd began to disperse, some laughing, others giving Arnos pitying glances. As the hall emptied, Arnos exhaled, his expression steady. He thought to himself If she ever becomes queen, this kingdom is doomed. Arnos stumbled slightly, his curiosity piqued he thought, wait If she really is the princess, like everyone says, why isn¡¯t she attending Arens Institute instead of Celera? Before he could dwell too much on the question, a girl with shoulder-length blue hair and matching blue eyes approached him. She was about his height, though that put her slightly on the shorter side. (Considering Arnos lack of height) Arnos instinctively glanced at her attire, quickly noting the absence of any noble insignia. A commoner, like me, he thought. ¡°You alright there? That was some commotion back there,¡± the girl said, her gaze settling on Arnos. She took in his appearance, his short stature, slender build, and wavy hair that gave him a distinct look, complemented by his deep black eyes and matching hair. Arnos flashed her a grin. ¡°You bet it was. Turns out, avoiding problems is way harder than it looks.¡± The girl smirked slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing her face. ¡°Yeah, but from where I was standing, that whole entrance was pretty entertaining.¡± Arnos chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Honestly? If I¡¯d been watching instead of starring in it, I¡¯d probably have laughed too.¡± After a moment, he tilted his head, his curiosity getting the better of him. ¡°So, uh¡­ if you don¡¯t mind me asking, are you well, you know a commoner too?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± she replied with a playful whisper, shielding her mouth with her hand as if it were some big secret. ¡°It¡¯s kind of awkward being here, don¡¯t you think? Some of these students are really¡­ weird.¡± Arnos nodded in agreement. ¡°You can say that again.¡± His thoughts wandered back to his earlier encounter with the so-called princess. Especially her. The girl offered a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯m Mabel Webbles, by the way.¡± ¡°Just Arnos,¡± he replied with a slight shrug. ¡°No family name or anything just Arnos.¡± Her playful demeanor softened as she gave him a thoughtful look. ¡°Are you¡­?¡± Arnos gave a small nod. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m an orphan. Lost my parents in a fire. I don¡¯t really remember much about them I was still a baby. Never even had a name until the orphanage head gave me one.¡± Mabel¡¯s smile faded, replaced by quiet sympathy. ¡°That must¡¯ve been hard.¡± Arnos shrugged, his expression distant. ¡°It was, but honestly, I think it was tougher on the kids who had memories of their families. I didn¡¯t have anything to miss, you know?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Before the conversation could go any deeper, Arnos noticed the flow of students heading toward the auditorium. His eyes widened in sudden realization. ¡°Wait a second¡­ has the inauguration ceremony already started?¡± Mabel¡¯s face paled, and she practically jumped in place. ¡°What? And you didn¡¯t tell me earlier, you dummy!¡± Arnos sighed dramatically. ¡°In my experience, telling girls things is tricky. They either say, ¡®I already knew,¡¯ or ¡®Don¡¯t interrupt.¡¯ So, I figured I¡¯d let you figure it out on your own.¡± Mabel shot him an exasperated glare, grabbed his arm, and started dragging him down the hallway. ¡°No time for your jokes come on, we¡¯re late!¡± Before Arnos could even protest, Mabel pulled him along like a sack of potatoes. They reached the auditorium doors in record time, only to find the headmaster¡¯s speech already in progress. Arnos glanced at Mabel with a calm expression. ¡°As I was saying, Miss Webbles, I believe in being a gentleman. Ladies first.¡± Mabel rolled her eyes, giving him a deadpan look. ¡°This isn¡¯t the era for gentlemen anymore. Girls are just as capable as guys so you¡¯re coming in with me.¡± Before Arnos could argue, a hand landed firmly on both their shoulders. The unexpected force made them stumble forward, and with a loud bang, they burst through the doors, drawing the attention of everyone inside. The room fell silent, save for a few stifled laughs and whispered comments. At the podium, the headmaster a stern man with sharp eyes, gray hair, and a white coat draped over a black uniform paused his speech. His piercing gaze settled on the two of them, and it was clear a scolding was coming. Before he could say a word, a calm voice cut through the tension. ¡°Apologies, Headmaster. I borrowed these two to assist with some last-minute preparations,¡± said a female teacher, stepping forward with an air of quiet authority. ¡°They were hesitant to enter and got startled when I patted them on the shoulder. Please allow me to take responsibility for the delay.¡± The headmaster gave her a long, scrutinizing look before nodding. ¡°Very well, Miss Margrave. You may return to your seat. As for you two find yours quickly and quietly.¡± Not needing to be told twice, Arnos and Mabel scrambled toward the back of the room, ignoring the snickers and whispers that followed their less than graceful entrance. Once seated, Mabel shot Arnos a glare. ¡°If you¡¯d just gone in earlier, we wouldn¡¯t have been in this mess.¡± Arnos grinned back. ¡°I could say the same to you. But hey, Miss Margrave did save us in the end.¡± Mabel huffed. ¡°Yeah, but she kind of got us into this situation in the first place.¡± ¡°Fair trade,¡± Arnos said with a shrug, his grin unrelenting. They turned their attention back to the stage as the headmaster wrapped up his speech. ¡°Here at Celera, we value potential above all else,¡± he declared. ¡°Your lineage, your background none of it matters. Whether you are royalty¡­¡± He glanced briefly toward Princess Emily, seated among the nobles. ¡°¡­or a commoner, what counts is your ability and your determination to grow.¡± With a final nod, he concluded, ¡°Make the most of your time here. You are dismissed.¡± As the students began to rise from their seats, a male teacher with short blonde hair, square glasses, and a tailored coat took the stage. ¡°Students, please proceed to Training Field 3,¡± he announced. ¡°We¡¯ll begin with the mana output assessment.¡± As they filed out, Arnos turned to Mabel. ¡°Have you ever had your mana levels tested?¡± Mabel tilted her head thoughtfully. ¡°Once, but it was a few years ago. Mana grows with practice, so it¡¯s probably different now.¡± Arnos nodded. ¡°Yeah, I read that exhausting your mana repeatedly pushes your body to adapt and expand its capacity. It makes sense, but the whole process still feels kind of complicated.¡± Mabel smirked, giving him a teasing look. ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated. Train hard, drain your mana, recover, and boom your capacity grows.¡± Arnos gave her a deadpan look. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ I knew that already. You know what? Forget it. Let¡¯s just get to the training field before the teachers start labeling us as troublemakers.¡± Mabel looked away, guilt flickering on her face. ¡°Honestly, I think they¡¯ve already done that.¡± Chapter 3 Mana Level Test Mabel looked away, guilt flickering on her face. ¡°Honestly, I think they¡¯ve already done that.¡± Arnos sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just hope for the best.¡± He then started walking toward the group of students heading to the training ground, with Mabel walking beside him. After a moment of silence, Arnos glanced over at her. ¡°By the way, why are we even checking our mana capacity? Does it actually matter?¡± Mabel gave him a tired look. ¡°What kind of school do you think this is?¡± ¡°A school for mages?¡± Arnos replied, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°I get that mana levels are important,¡± Arnos continued, ¡°but are they seriously going to split us into ranks or give special treatment based on the results? Like, Class A, Class B, and so on?¡± Mabel blinked, looking like she hadn¡¯t thought about it that way. Before she could answer, a tall boy with brown hair and green eyes casually joined their conversation. He also had a green gemstone as insignia in his uniform. ¡°They do it to separate talents,¡± the boy said with a friendly tone. ¡°Prodigies, the average ones, and... well, the less gifted. Each group gets treated differently. The top students Class A and B get better teachers, equipment, and dorms.¡± Mabel tilted her head, curious. ¡°Makes sense, I guess. But who might you be sir?¡± Arnos eyed the boy¡¯s insignia, quickly pegging him as a noble. Definitely a noble, he thought. But why is he acting so polite? Aren¡¯t nobles supposed to be all stuck-up, like the princess? The boy smiled warmly. ¡°I¡¯m Marcus Leville, from House Leville. But just ¡®Marcus¡¯ is fine.¡± Arnos nodded. ¡°Marcus, huh? Well, I¡¯m Arnos. No family name, so it¡¯s just Arnos for you.¡± Mabel leaned closer to Arnos and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s from a Duke¡¯s family.¡± Arnos blinked, his stomach sinking. ¡°Wait... what?¡± His voice was louder than he intended. ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m so sorry... I didn¡¯t mean to address you so casually by your name.¡± He quickly bowed his head in apology. ¡°Please forgive me, Mr Leville.¡± Marcus grinned. ¡°Relax most Nobles don¡¯t go around executing people for stuff like that.¡± Arnos reflected on the weight of the word "most" in that sentence and mentally vowed never to address a noble by their first name. Mabel raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, Leville, what are you doing hanging out with commoners like us? Don¡¯t you have fancy noble friends to talk to?¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Marcus smirked. ¡°Your entrance earlier caught my attention. It was... hard to miss.¡± Arnos and Mabel exchanged awkward looks, clearly embarrassed. ¡°Yeah, great entrance...¡± Arnos muttered under his breath. Marcus''s tone shifted, becoming more serious. "Not everyone here is a bully or stuck-up. Give it some time, and people will start to figure out who you really are. But," he said with a casual shrug, "from what I¡¯ve seen, maybe 20%... no, actually closer to 40% will hate you no matter what you do." Arnos let out a small chuckle, thinking to himself that Marcus¡¯s uncertainty somehow made the whole thing even more unsettling. ¡°I guess that¡¯s not too bad,¡± he said aloud. Mabel sighed. ¡°I was already preparing to be a loner.¡± She imagined herself eating lunch alone in a corner, sitting far away from other students, and avoiding group activities. The mental image made her groan softly. ¡°Being a loner sounds so depressing...¡± Their conversation trailed off as they arrived at the entrance to Celera Magic Institute¡¯s training grounds. The place was massive a large circular field surrounded by rows of seats that rose up like an arena. It felt like the kind of place meant for epic magical battles. Arnos glanced around, then turned to Marcus. ¡°Wait... this is the training arena?¡± Marcus laughed. ¡°Yeah, it is. I get why you¡¯re confused, though.¡± He gestured at the arena. ¡°This is one of the indoor training grounds. They use it for student battles, group contests, mage duels, and stuff like that. There are also three outdoor training areas for bigger spells. Makes sense now?¡± Arnos nodded. ¡°Actually, yeah, it does.¡± He looked over at Mabel and noticed students were being split by gender for testing. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re testing boys and girls separately. I¡¯ll catch up with you later?¡± Mabel waved. ¡°sure bye¡± As Marcus and Arnos moved closer to the testing area, they saw a few students left in line. One of the instructors was explaining how the crystal worked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to channel mana into it. The crystal automatically draws it out and changes color based on your strength.¡± A board next to the crystal displayed the rankings: - White - E rank - Blue - D rank - Green - C rank - Yellow - B rank - Orange - A rank - Red - S rank - Black - SS rank Marcus turned to Arnos with a confident smile. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s our turn now. I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Be my guest,¡± Arnos replied, stepping aside. Marcus approached the crystal and placed his hand on it. Almost instantly, it glowed a vibrant orange. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as students stopped to watch. ¡°I knew Sir Leville would get something high!¡± a girl exclaimed. "A rank! That¡¯s no surprise for someone like him,¡± another added, sounding impressed. Arnos couldn¡¯t help but admire the result. A rank mana level... That¡¯s insane. Even among adventurers, that¡¯s rare. But considering his noble background, it makes sense. Marcus felt satisfied with the result. Getting an A rank was definitely something to be proud of a solid starting point. With enough training, he was confident he could push even higher. Stepping away from the crystal, Marcus turned to Arnos with a small smile. "Your turn now," he said. Arnos nodded and stepped toward the crystal. There were still a few students lingering nearby, so he paused, waiting to see if anyone else would go ahead. However, no one stepped forward. ¡°Hey, you!¡± the instructors standing next to the crystal called out to Arnos. He was a tall man in plain black clothes, His sharp black eyes gave him a rather commanding presence. Arnos took note of the instructor¡¯s plain attire and quickly concluded that there wasn¡¯t a strict uniform code for them unless, of course, they suddenly decided to implement one tomorrow. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Arnos said, stepping forward. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on the crystal. It felt oddly sticky against his palm, and he closed his eyes, letting his mana flow naturally. He felt the crystal pulling it in, an unfamiliar sensation that made his heart race. Chapter 4 Anomaly In The Magic School ¡°Hey, you!¡± the instructor standing next to the crystal called out to Arnos. He was a tall man in plain black clothes, His sharp eyes gave him a rather commanding presence. Arnos took note of the instructor¡¯s plain attire and quickly concluded that there wasn¡¯t a strict uniform code for them unless, of course, they suddenly decided to implement one tomorrow. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Arnos said, stepping forward. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on the crystal. It felt oddly sticky against his palm, and he closed his eyes, letting his mana flow naturally. He felt the crystal pulling it in, an unfamiliar sensation that made his heart race. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unusual,¡± the instructor murmured, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t he that commoner kid?¡± A boy with semi-long black hair and brown eyes whispered, staring at him with a skeptical expression. Another girl, dressed in an elaborate purple gown with long black hair, added, ¡°The one who bumped into the princess earlier? Maybe he¡¯s cheating.¡± As Arnos opened his eyes, he noticed the crystal glowing bright orange A rank. He stepped back, almost in disbelief. ¡°Wait¡­ that''s not possible?¡± he murmured. ¡°Is the crystal broken?¡± "The crystal can¡¯t be broken, it''s not possible. The headmaster inspected it just today.¡± The instructor, looking at him with a serious expression, asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name, boy?¡± ¡°Arnos, sir,¡± he replied, keeping his voice steady. The instructor nodded, jotting something down before speaking quietly to a female teacher recording the results. Meanwhile, Marcus approached Arnos, placing a hand on his shoulder with a wide grin. ¡°That was incredible,¡± Marcus said as he reached Arnos. Seems like he is going to be an anomaly. Things are getting interesting, Marcus thought in his mind. Arnos gave a slight, uncertain smile. ¡°Thanks, but honestly, I wasn¡¯t expecting it. I thought I¡¯d be more like a C or D rank at most.¡± Marcus nudged him playfully. ¡°Hey, what you expected doesn¡¯t change the fact you¡¯ve got A rank in mana level. Just be proud of it!¡± A spark of curiosity lit up Marcus¡¯s eyes. ¡°By the way, did you train in magic as a kid?¡± Arnos shook his head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I focused on my special ability, but I never practiced magic.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and he let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Wait a second¡­ you have a special ability?¡± Hearing this, several nearby students began murmuring among themselves. ¡°He¡¯s definitely lying,¡± said the boy with black hair. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s some noble¡¯s secret love child.¡± ¡°Yeah, right,¡± another voice replied jokingly. Realizing he¡¯d raised his voice, Marcus shot a stern look toward the murmuring students, silencing them. He then looked back turning to Arnos.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Arnos gave a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Maybe we should find somewhere quieter and wait for Mabel to finish. You¡¯re welcome to join me.¡± Marcus nodded, and the two walked to a secluded seating area in the training grounds. After finding an empty row, they settled down. Arnos took a deep breath, still processing everything. ¡°You know, I thought my ability was normal. I got it when I was ten, and I read that special abilities usually appear between ages ten and eighteen, so I didn¡¯t think much of it.¡± Marcus shook his head, giving Arnos a serious look. ¡°Special abilities are actually incredibly rare.¡± Arnos nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± Marcus smirked, crossing his arms. ¡°Then you must know just how rare.¡± Arnos glanced away, looking sheepish. ¡°I read the odds were, what, 3%?¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°Exactly. An A-rank mana level is rare, and having a special ability is rare. Having both? That¡¯s almost unheard of.¡± He sighed, a bit exasperated. ¡°I¡¯m terrible at explaining, aren¡¯t I?¡± Arnos chuckled. ¡°If we¡¯re going by textbook standards, yeah, you are.¡± Marcus sighed again but then laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not even trying to hide it, huh?¡± They shared a laugh, but their conversation was interrupted as the girl in the purple dress approached. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Marcus,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I saw your test from afar, and I was genuinely impressed. I¡¯m here to congratulate you.¡± Her expression grew serious as her eyes fell on Arnos. ¡°Thanks Seraphina,¡± Marcus said, scratching the back of his head reflexively. Arnos realized she was the same girl who had mocked him earlier in the crowd with Emily. ¡°And you¡¯re Arnos, the commoner boy who surprised everyone, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked, her smile not faltering. ¡°Yes, I suppose I am it was just luck Miss,¡± Arnos replied, avoiding her gaze, feeling slightly uncomfortable in her presence. ¡°Aren¡¯t you remarkable,¡± she said with a light chuckle. ¡°You¡¯d make an excellent servant.¡± Arnos thought, Here comes the mocking part. He sighed inwardly before replying with a forced smile, ¡°I¡¯d rather avoid that, Miss. I aim to live as a true mage or more specifically, an adventurer.¡± Seraphina¡¯s eyes widened, her expression a mix of disbelief. She thought to herself, How could he say that to me? He should feel flattered by my proposal. ¡°What are you saying? Won¡¯t you be wasting your talent that way, Arnos?¡± Marcus, maintaining a casual tone, interjected, ¡°Oh no, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be wasting anything. An A ranker like him serving an incompetent master would be a real shame, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± He smiled, directing the comment at Seraphina. Seraphina glared at him, her anger visible. ¡°And who exactly are you calling an incompetent master, Marcus?¡± Marcus shrugged with a smirk. ¡°I didn¡¯t name anyone, Seraphina. I just think the adventurer¡¯s path suits Arnos better.¡± Before Seraphina could respond, a familiar voice called out to them. ¡°What were you guys thinking, coming all the way out here?¡± Mabel said, panting. ¡°You know I can¡¯t run for long.¡± Catching her breath, she looked at Arnos and smiled. ¡°B rank phew, pretty good, isn¡¯t it? What¡¯s yours?¡± Arnos, with a smug look, replied, ¡°I think you could say I outrank you.¡± Mabel raised her eyebrows in shock. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me you got an A rank!¡± Arnos nodded. ¡°I did. Ask Marcus if you need confirmation,¡± he said, pointing to him. Marcus nodded. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth. I got an A rank too, surprisingly enough. But B rank is still pretty good, Mabel.¡± Mabel was stunned by the news. Marcus earning a rank made sense given his lineage, but Arnos? That was completely unexpected. "You did, huh?" she murmured, though a smile quickly spread across her face. "That¡¯s nice. Good for you, Arnos. I¡¯ll catch up soon enough with my training routine." Arnos was now entirely distracted from Seraphina because of Mabel chuckled at her comment. ¡°Eat, train, sleep, repeat, and boom mana increase. That routine?¡± he replied with a grin. Mabel gave him a neutral look. ¡°That¡¯s the plan, alright¡± she replied simply. Her attention shifted as she noticed an unfamiliar face among their group. She¡¯s definitely a noble, Mabel thought, her gaze landing on the insignia the girl wore. ¡°And who might you be, miss?¡± Mabel asked politely, carefully maintaining her composure. Seraphina smiled warmly. ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t properly introduced myself, have I? I¡¯m Seraphina Victoria, of the Victoria household. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you both.¡± Mabel bowed politely. ¡°The pleasure is mine, Miss Seraphina.¡± However, her mind was busy noting details. A noble? She seems to be hiding something. Seraphina gave them a parting smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to take my leave. I wouldn¡¯t want to intrude any longer. Arnos, I hope we meet again soon.¡± Arnos gave a forced smile and nodded. ¡°Yes, I hope so too.¡± He mentally noted that she was just as intimidating as Emily. Chapter 5 Siblings Mabel bowed politely. ¡°The pleasure is mine, Miss Seraphina.¡± However, her mind was busy noting details. A noble? She seems to be hiding something. Seraphina gave them a parting smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to take my leave. I wouldn¡¯t want to intrude any longer. Arnos, I hope we meet again soon.¡± Arnos gave a forced smile and nodded. ¡°Yes, I hope so too.¡± He mentally noted that she was just as intimidating as Emily. Seraphina walked away from the seating area, her expression blank and neutral as she made her way toward the main building. A cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts. A slim-built female student with black hair that fell just below her neck and black eyes, radiating a comforting demeanor, approached her with a warm and polite smile. ¡°Ah, Miss Seraphina, it¡¯s such a pleasure to see you,¡± the girl said warmly. Seraphina turned her head toward the speaker, her gaze assessing the young woman. She seemed familiar, though Seraphina couldn¡¯t recall her name immediately. The girl noticed Seraphina¡¯s hesitation and quickly added, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Noelle. Don¡¯t you remember? We met at the last royal banquet hosted by His Majesty, King Alexander Levile.¡± Recognition flickered in Seraphina¡¯s eyes. Ah, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s the daughter of that royal knight, the one who slayed the Red Dragon. The memory brought a flicker of irritation. Father made me sit with her back then for the sake of appearances. Surely she doesn¡¯t think we¡¯re friends now. Masking her thoughts with a polite smile, Seraphina replied, ¡°Oh, of course! I didn¡¯t forget you, Noelle. I¡¯m just terrible with names, my apologies.¡± Noelle¡¯s smile widened as she clasped Seraphina¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°Oh, no need to apologize, Miss Seraphina. It¡¯s an honor just to see you again. By the way, congratulations on achieving a B-rank mana level. That¡¯s an incredible accomplishment!¡± Seraphina maintained her polite demeanor. ¡°Thank you, Noelle. That¡¯s very kind of you to say.¡± She gently withdrew her hands from Noelle¡¯s grasp. ¡°I¡¯d love to chat more, but I have some urgent matters to attend to.¡± Noelle nodded gracefully, her smile unwavering. ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t want to keep you. I hope we meet again soon. Goodbye, Miss Seraphina.¡± With that, Noelle turned and walked away, leaving Seraphina to continue her path. As Seraphina entered an empty classroom, her carefully maintained smile dissolved into a scowl. She clenched her fists tightly, brimming with frustration. How dare that nobody reject my proposal as if it were nothing? she fumed silently. It was practically the best thing that could happen in their insignificant little life.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Her thoughts drifted to a conversation from earlier. Marcus dared to call me an incompetent master, didn¡¯t he? Her hands tightened further. If only he weren¡¯t the son of a duke, I¡¯d show him what incompetence really means. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Seraphina pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping her hands, as if cleansing herself of the encounter with Noelle. Meanwhile, Mabel took a seat beside Arnos and Marcus in the seating area. She turned to Arnos with a curious expression. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that one of the girl from morning?¡± she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. Arnos nodded in confirmation. ¡°Yeah, she was. This morning, she said something ridiculous about making me her servant if I ¡® groveled nicely¡¯ in front of her.¡± He let out a tired sigh. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not a fan of most people here.¡± Marcus, seated on the other side, looked intrigued. ¡°What happened this morning?¡± he asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the main hall at that time, so I probably missed it.¡± Arnos sighed again before responding. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal, really, but I¡¯ll give you the gist of it.¡± Marcus leaned in attentively. ¡°Well,¡± Arnos began, ¡°I¡¯d just arrived at the school and was admiring the architecture. It¡¯s all so new to me, you know? Anyway, I was standing near the doorway not blocking it entirely, but probably in the way a bit. Princess Emily came by and asked me to move, which I did. But then, she decided to call me an ¡®insect.¡¯ I tried to move away to avoid more attention, but Emily stopped me. She said I didn¡¯t belong here and went on about how I wasn¡¯t worthy. Seraphina was part of the crowd that joined in, badmouthing me. Well that was it.¡± As Arnos finished recounting the day''s events, he let out a weary sigh, finding the mere act of remembering them exhausting. Marcus¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Emily said all that?¡± he asked, his voice louder than usual. Arnos nodded. ¡°She was the instigator, and the worst one out of everyone for sure.¡± Without hesitation, Marcus stood up and gave a small bow toward Arnos. ¡°I sincerely apologize for my cousin¡¯s behavior,¡± he said earnestly. Startled, Arnos quickly stood as well. ¡°Hey, Marcus, cut it out,¡± he said, waving his hands. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. It¡¯s not your fault, and I don¡¯t want you to feel responsible.¡± Reluctantly, Marcus straightened up and returned to his seat. ¡°She¡¯s my cousin, though,¡± he said. ¡°It must¡¯ve been tough for you to deal with her.¡± Arnos gave a small, humorless laugh. ¡°It must be tough for you, having her as a relative.¡± Marcus shook his head. ¡°Not really. She wasn¡¯t always like this. She used to be kind to everyone, even commoners. She¡¯s changed a lot recently. I hope you won¡¯t hold her words against her forever.¡± Mabel, who had been listening quietly, smiled slightly. Marcus really is a good brother, she thought. She glanced at Arnos, expecting him to say he¡¯d forgive Emily. Instead, he crossed his arms and said firmly, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that big of a deal. And you don¡¯t need to apologize on her behalf. As for forgiving her if she apologizes, i would forgive her for sure. But if she doesn¡¯t, or if she doesn¡¯t care, I¡¯ll just avoid her. No point forcing something that isn¡¯t there.¡± Before he could continue, Mabel gave him a playful knock on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should just say you forgive her, you dummy?¡± she scolds him. Arnos gave her a skeptical look. ¡°That¡¯d be a lie, wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m not about to forgive someone who doesn¡¯t even want it. Don¡¯t think of me as some kind of saint, okay? Mabel shook her head with a small sigh and stood up. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s drop the subject. It looks like everyone¡¯s heading out now. Maybe some announcement will start soon.¡± She gestured toward the crowd moving toward the exit of the arena. Arnos and Marcus exchanged glances before following her into the flow of students. The three of them walked together, their conversation shifting to lighter topics as they headed toward the building. Chapter 6 Ranked By Mana Mabel shook her head with a small sigh and stood up. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s drop the subject. It looks like everyone¡¯s heading out now. Maybe some announcement will start soon.¡± She gestured toward the crowd moving toward the exit of the arena. Arnos and Marcus exchanged glances before following her into the flow of students. The three of them walked together, their conversation shifting to lighter topics as they headed toward the building. Eventually, Marcus, Arnos, and Mabel caught up with the crowd, which was heading back into the main building toward the auditorium they had come from earlier. "What do you think they¡¯re going to announce or do next?" Mabel asked curiously. "They¡¯ll probably divide us into different classes I think," Arnos replied. Marcus nodded. "That sounds like the most logical explanation." The crowd of students finally arrived at the auditorium where the inauguration ceremony had been held earlier. They began moving inside and taking their seats. A few instructors were already on the stage, including Miss Margrave from earlier. However, the headmaster was not among them. Marcus spoke up. "Should we sit there?" he asked, pointing to the middle rows of chairs. "I think I¡¯ll prefer being a backbencher this time," Arnos sighed. Mabel looked at him curiously. "Why¡¯s that?" she asked. Arnos, imitating a girl¡¯s voice, said, "Oh, look at that blue-haired girl. Isn¡¯t she the one who got a B rank? Look, she¡¯s sitting with the Duke¡¯s son. So full of herself! Shameless, isn¡¯t she?" Switching back to his normal voice, he added, "These are the kinds of comments you''ll probably get. You know what, I might get something similar myself, and you know what, back seats are much more peaceful." Mabel looked disappointed. "You know what? I love sitting in the back!" "Back seats are great, no one even notices if you¡¯re there or not," she added with a rather depressed enthusiasm. Arnos frowned slightly, confused. From what I remember, they weren¡¯t that bad, he thought. Noticing Mabel¡¯s expression, Marcus grew a little concerned. "Do you think she¡¯s going to be okay?" he asked Arnos in a low voice.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "I think she¡¯ll be fine. Well then, see you later, Marcus," Arnos said as he and Mabel began walking toward the back. Marcus moved forward and stopped them. "Hey, what¡¯s with the goodbye? I¡¯ll sit with you both too," he said loudly. Arnos and Mabel exchanged glances for five seconds before looking back at Marcus. Mabel gave him a concerned look. "Don¡¯t you think it might cause problems?" she asked. "It will, for sure," Arnos added, nodding. "What problems?" Marcus asked, looking slightly annoyed. "Imagine this," Arnos said in a low voice. He began imitating an instructor. "Why is the Duke¡¯s son sitting so far from the front? This must be reported to the headmaster immediately!" Mabel joined in with an old man¡¯s voice. "Huh? What did you say? The Duke¡¯s son acting like a rebel in our school? That won¡¯t work! Inform the Duke right away!" Arnos, imitating an adult man¡¯s voice, said, "I didn¡¯t expect this from you, son. You¡¯ve really ruined our family¡¯s reputation at the school." Switching to his normal tone, Arnos looked at Marcus with curiousity. "Do you have any siblings?" Marcus nodded. "I have an older brother." Arnos cleared his throat. "Now that I know you don¡¯t care about the family¡¯s image, I¡¯ve decided your brother will inherit everything." Mabel, using a high-pitched voice, added, "Daddddd, nooo! You can¡¯t do this!" Arnos, raising his hand dramatically as if giving an order, said, "It¡¯s too late. Guards, take him away!" "That¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen." Both Arnos and Mabel added in a unison. Marcus looked at them, with a dumbfounded look. "Has all the teasing finally messed with their heads? They¡¯ve completely lost their common sense!¡± He added. Mabel, looking annoyed, said, Hey! What do you mean by ¡®lost our common sense,¡¯ huh?" Arnos, in a calm tone, said, "Let¡¯s just go. It¡¯s for the best." Mabel glared at him. "What do you mean by that? This kid needs some sense knocked into him!" Before she could continue, Arnos gently turned her head toward Miss Margrave, who was watching them with a serious expression. Mabel quickly quieted down and began walking. Arnos and Marcus followed her to the back seats, where they sat down. Marcus sighed. "You weren¡¯t serious just now, were you? If you didn¡¯t want me to sit with you, you could¡¯ve just said so." Arnos looked at him with a neutral expression. "I was serious, though." I am quite sure it''s an possibility. Mabel nodded. "Same here." Hearing this, Marcus couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter. He turned his head away, trying to suppress it. Mabel, annoyed, said, "Hey! What¡¯s so funny, huh?" Before she could say more, Miss Margrave¡¯s voice came from the stage. "Students, please be quiet," she said in a stern, irritated tone. The three of them didn¡¯t say another word. They quietly kept sitting on their respective seats with their focus on the stage. Taking the stage, Miss Margrave began to speak. "We, the instructors of Celera, are pleased to announce that we have an exceptional group of promising students this year." As her words echoed through the hall, her gaze briefly rested on Emily, Marcus, and Arnos. "This year''s mana test has also yielded some unexpected results," she continued, her eyes shifting toward Mabel, Arnos at the back, and Emily in the front. "Now that we¡¯ve assessed your mana levels, it¡¯s time to classify you accordingly." She gestured toward a large screen behind her, and as her hand moved, the screen came to life, displaying a glowing chart. Chapter 7 Ares Dorm Taking the stage, Miss Margrave began to speak. "We, the instructors of Celera, are pleased to announce that we have an exceptional group of promising students this year." As her words echoed through the hall, her gaze briefly rested on Emily, Marcus, and Arnos. "This year''s mana test has also yielded some unexpected results," she continued, her eyes shifting toward Mabel, Arnos at the back, and Emily in the front. "Now that we¡¯ve assessed your mana levels, it¡¯s time to classify you accordingly." She gestured toward a large screen behind her, and as her hand moved, the screen came to life, displaying a glowing chart. "There will be four classes," she said, holding up four fingers. - Class A will be designated for S-Rankers and A-Rankers, under the supervision of Margrave Eldridge. "That''s me, by the way," she added with a slight smirk. - Class B will cater to B-Rankers, supervised by Miss Chloe Valmont. Miss Margrave gestured toward a shorter woman standing beside her. Miss Chloe, though smaller in stature, had a lean figure similar to Margrave¡¯s. She wore a bright yellow dress that fell just below her knees, perfectly complementing her long yellow hair and striking yellow eyes. Her hairstyle featured a neat left-side part with a delicate braid running down her left side. - Class C will accommodate C-Rankers and be overseen by Sir Matsumoto Akihiro. She motioned to a tall male instructor nearby. Sir Akihiro wore a crisp white shirt paired with brown trousers, exuding simplicity and professionalism. His well-built physique hinted at years of rigorous training. He had jet-black hair and matching eyes, with a noticeable scar running across his right eye, adding to his aura of experience. - Class D will include D-Rankers and E-Rankers, under the care of Serena Blackwell. Finally, she pointed to a woman dressed in an elegant black gown, her demeanor starkly contrasting with the others. Miss Blackwell¡¯s blank expression revealed little interest, and her deep black eyes carried a heavy, drowsy quality. Her short black hair was styled in a striking wolf cut, further enhancing her appearance. "This will be a temporary arrangement, as mana level isn''t always equal to potential. There are several other factors, such as efficiency, knowledge, and even physical prowess. We will hold a battle tournament to decide who stays in which class by the middle of the first term, or in three months. Until then, you will report to your assigned classes." "I will be in Class B. Tsk, I wanted Class A," a male student in the front muttered. "Class C it is for me. Not bad, I would say," a girl added. "Class D, huh? I need to work hard now," another boy sighed.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Miss Margrave cleared her throat, regaining the crowd¡¯s attention. "As for the dormitories, S-Rankers and A-Rankers will stay in the Ares dorm. B and C-Rankers are assigned to the Cryz dorm, while D and E-Rankers will stay in the Wiz dorm and you will be informed of the room allocated to you by the dorm''s attendant." Her voice shifted to a stern tone as she continued, "Remember, you are all forbidden to use magic inside the campus unless explicitly instructed to do so or with a reasonable explanation." Finally, Miss Margrave''s tone lightened. "Now that this is over, you are all dismissed. You can explore the campus buildings to familiarize yourselves with the training grounds and other facilities. If that doesn¡¯t interest you, feel free to head to your respective dorms to relax." She descended from the stage, and the students began filing out of the hall. ¨C ¨C ¨C Just a row ahead of Arnos and his group, another group of boys were engaged in a discussion. "Hey, I actually want to check out the dorms," said a boy with light brown hair. "Hmm, maybe we could check out the Cryz dorm for today. Need to find some motivation for exams, don¡¯t we?" the blonde-haired boy next to him added. "I want to check the training arena," the third one chimed in. "Hey Mabel, what was Emily''s rank? Do you have any idea about it?" Marcus asked, turning to Mabel. "S rank. Pretty neat, isn''t it?" Mabel spoke in a shocked voice. "Really? Guess I expected that. She was always better than me in the stamina department," Marcus chuckled. "Did you guys train in magic from childhood?" Arnos asked curiously. "We did, actually. It''s kind of a normal practice in noble households, and I was actually trained with her." "You did, huh?" Arnos added. "Well, so she would be in Ares dorm too. Sighs." Mabel, speaking in a mock-sad voice, said, "So, I think I¡¯ll be all alone, huh?" Arnos smiled. "Yeah, but it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t climb up or more likely, there¡¯s a chance I might fall from the Ares dorm." Marcus gave Arnos a skeptical look. "Why do I feel like you want to fall a rank?" Arnos stuttered, "N-No, obviously not! That¡¯s not my plan." Mabel smirked and lightly punched his shoulder. "It sure seems that way." Arnos sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Fine, that might be true. I don¡¯t actually want to stay in the Ares dorm. If I¡¯m not wrong..." His expression turned slightly scared. "Look, princess is in the same dorm. That would be tough for me. And considering most of the nobles will be pissed at me..." He smiled faintly. "I think it would be better for me to stay in the background. Understand?" Marcus stood up from his seat, irritated. "You¡¯re saying you¡¯d like to stay in the background? How could anyone want that? You are.." Before Marcus could continue, Arnos interjected. "What¡¯s your dream, Marcus?" Marcus hesitated. "Wait, that¡¯s irrelevant here, and I am not too sure about what I want." Arnos continued in a neutral voice as he stood up. "Do you think dreams are important?" Marcus looked serious. "I think they¡¯re important for everyone. A person without a dream... I can¡¯t even imagine it." Arnos walked toward Marcus. "And what if your dream is, let¡¯s say, weird compared to what others want? Maybe what you want isn¡¯t conventional. Should you live by others¡¯ opinions?" Marcus responded, "I don¡¯t think so." Arnos smiled. "Well, living a normal life has always been kind of my dream. And hey, getting to live a normal life in a nice house after living in an orphanage is a huge jump, you know." Marcus raised his eyebrows, his expression shifting to surprise. ¡°Wait, you grew up in an orphanage?¡± Arnos nodded calmly. ¡°I did. I never knew my parents, so it wasn¡¯t as hard as it might have been otherwise. Sure, seeing happy families could be tough at times, but overall, it wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± Marcus met Arnos¡¯s gaze, his tone sincere. ¡°You know, Arnos, for someone who grew up in an orphanage with limited opportunities, you¡¯ve done incredibly well. I¡¯m sure your parents would have been proud of you.¡± Mabel chimed in with a warm smile. ¡°I second that. But hey, don¡¯t start slacking off just because we¡¯re praising you, alright?¡± Arnos returned their smiles, his eyes shimmering slightly. ¡°I suppose I won¡¯t, not yet, at least.¡± As he spoke these words, Arnos couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Would they have been proud? He didn¡¯t know who his parents were, but Marcus¡¯s words struck a chord deep within him. Chapter 8 Sightseeing Marcus raised his eyebrows, his expression shifting to surprise. ¡°Wait, you grew up in an orphanage?¡± Arnos nodded calmly. ¡°I did. I never knew my parents, so it wasn¡¯t as hard as it might have been otherwise. Sure, seeing happy families could be tough at times, but overall, it wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± Marcus met Arnos¡¯s gaze, his tone sincere. ¡°You know, Arnos, for someone who grew up in an orphanage with limited opportunities, you¡¯ve done incredibly well. I¡¯m sure your parents would have been proud of you.¡± Mabel chimed in with a warm smile. ¡°I second that. But hey, don¡¯t start slacking off just because we¡¯re praising you, alright?¡± Arnos returned their smiles, his eyes shimmering slightly. ¡°I suppose I won¡¯t, not yet, at least.¡± As he spoke these words, Arnos couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Would they have been proud? He didn¡¯t know who his parents were, but Marcus¡¯s words struck a chord deep within him. -- -- -- As Arnos, Mabel, and Marcus quietly walked down the hallway, Marcus noticed a familiar figure standing alone Emily was standing alone, accompanied by her butler. Marcus thought to himself, Did she not find any friends? ¡°Huh, Emily, what can I do for you?¡± he thought to himself with a tinge of frustration. Turning to Arnos and Mabel, Marcus spoke again, ¡°Do you two mind if I bring an extra person along for sightseeing?¡± Arnos said nothing but quickened his pace. Mabel, however, grabbed him by the collar and asked, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, mister?¡± The three stopped walking and moved to the side of the hallway, about fifty steps away from Emily. Looking awkward, Arnos said, ¡°I think I would mind. Hey, Marcus, you can hang out with her. That¡¯s fine by me, Just don¡¯t drag me into it if possible.¡± Marcus, confused, asked, ¡°Wait, you can read minds? Is that the special ability you were talking about?¡± Arnos shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t read minds, no. I just knew that¡¯s what you wanted to do. You were all, ¡®She isn¡¯t bad¡¯ or ¡®Wasn¡¯t bad previously¡¯ to others. You obviously care about her. But I, man, I want to stay away atleast for now. Bye bye, see you soon he added.¡± With that, Arnos waved and started walking towards the opposite direction. Mabel watched him leave and then looked at Marcus with a disappointed expression. Sighing, she said, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll look after him. Sorry, Marcus, I really didn¡¯t want to leave you alone, you know, but...¡± Marcus smiled and waved his right hand dismissively. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t sweat it. It¡¯s not a big deal. Emily was kind of bad with him, it''s obvious. Well then, let¡¯s be on our way Bye.¡± Marcus moved toward Emily, while Mabel quickened her pace to catch up to Arnos. When Mabel reached Arnos, she slowed down. Arnos turned to her and asked curiously, ¡°You didn¡¯t go with Marcus?¡± Mabel gave him a scared look and said, ¡°You know, Princess Emily might have gone all out on me like she did to you in the morning. It was scary and all.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Arnos smiled knowingly. ¡°You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡± Mabel¡¯s expression shifted to mild shock. ¡°Wait a second, how do you know I was lying?¡± ¡°From experience, I think,¡± Arnos replied simply. "Wait a second, is reading minds really your secret ability, Arnos?" "It¡¯s not," Arnos replied in a slightly louder tone. The two left the Celera Institute¡¯s main building through the western exit. "Where do you want to go for sightseeing?" Arnos asked, looking at Mabel. "Hmm, how about we go check out the Ares dorm? You know, to get some motivation," she replied, chuckling slightly. "You totally stole that idea from those students sitting in front of us, didn¡¯t you?" "I did not! I don¡¯t know why you¡¯d even think I¡¯d steal something," Mabel said with a sheepish look, turning her gaze aside. "Whatever, Let me get the directions then. But we¡¯re not going inside, okay?" Arnos said firmly. "Huh? Why not?" Mabel asked, looking disappointed. "Because we shouldn¡¯t intrude on our senior¡¯s day off, that¡¯s why. Understood?" "Whatever," Mabel muttered. It¡¯s not like I need his permission to decide whether or not we go in, she thought, laughing maniacally in her head. Arnos approached a male instructor, who was standing there likely to help students with directions, and asked where the Ares dorm was. After receiving the directions, Arnos and Mabel walked with a few small talks along a pathway lined with expansive gardens of magical herbs on either side. After about ten minutes, they arrived in front of the Ares dorm. The building was an immense two-story C-shaped structure with a curved exterior. It was made up of white marble, making it appear more costly than the Celera Institute¡¯s main building. Mabel stared at it in awe. ¡°That¡¯s freaking awesome. You guys are lucky.¡± Arnos nodded. ¡°It is awesome, I¡¯ll agree with that. But I bet it¡¯ll go against my whole idea of living a simple life.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°Gotta rank down, you know.¡± Hearing this, Mabel lightly hit the back of his head. ¡°If you¡¯ve got an opportunity, it would be idiotic to waste it. Don¡¯t you dare try to lose on purpose.¡± Arnos glanced at her, noticing the serious look on her face. He nodded. ¡°Sorry. I won¡¯t lose on purpose. I think it¡¯d be worse if you end up ranking up and I rank down. Then I¡¯ll be the target of all the nobles.¡± He sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll try my best.¡± "Yeah, that you should," Mabel added, still slightly pissed. "Scary," Arnos muttered under his breath. "What did you say?" Mabel asked, narrowing her eyes. "Nothing," Arnos quickly replied. Mabel pointed to the gate of the Ares dorm, which was made of black metal. ¡°Do you really think we shouldn''t go inside?¡± Arnos crossed his arms and tilted his head in thought. ¡°I am not too sure, But I¡¯d say we probably shouldn¡¯t intrude. I mean, our seniors might be pissed at us for disturbing them.¡± Turning to look at Mabel, he realized she was nowhere to be found. ¡°Let¡¯s go in. We¡¯ll see what happens,¡± Mabel called out. She had already walked through the gate. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do that!¡± Arnos shouted, hurrying after her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen. I mean, our teachers did say we can check out institute buildings and areas, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I guess they did,¡± Arnos mumbled quietly. ¡°Well, whatever. It is the dorm assigned to me. We can always make something up.¡± "Now you¡¯re talking like a perfect rebellious kid," Mabel chuckled. "Hey, what are you, my mom? Enough with the weird dialogues," Arnos shot back. As they talked, they walked further inside, taking in the building¡¯s close-up details. A garden stretched from the main entrance of the dorm to the gate, filling the area between the C-shaped dorm and the outer boundary. A giant fountain, created using water magic, stood in the center, radiating a surprisingly bright glow. Mabel approached the fountain, examining the light¡¯s source. ¡°This fountain is made with the help of light and water magic,¡± she said, looking at Arnos with excitement. ¡°Too bright,¡± Arnos muttered to himself, glancing at her. He then moved toward the main building¡¯s entrance at the center of the structure. Inside, he found the Ares dorm¡¯s main hall, which was spacious and lavishly decorated. A red carpet covered the floor, while golden-white paint adorned the walls. Numerous golden chandeliers lit up the hall with their glow. ¡°That¡¯s really nice,¡± Arnos remarked, staring at the chandeliers on the ceiling. ¡°Taken aback by the decor, huh? Step aside if all you¡¯re gonna do is gawk,¡± Mabel teased, mimicking Emily¡¯s tone from earlier. ¡°Wow, that was a surprisingly good impression," Arnos said, his voice laced with sarcasm. ¡°Shut up, idiot,¡± Mabel retorted. Just as they were doing this a voice called out, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Chapter 9 Upperclassmen ¡°That¡¯s really nice,¡± Arnos remarked, staring at the chandeliers on the ceiling. ¡°Taken aback by the decor, huh? Step aside if all you¡¯re gonna do is gawk,¡± Mabel teased, mimicking Emily¡¯s tone from earlier. ¡°Wow, that was a surprisingly good impression," Arnos said, his voice laced with sarcasm. ¡°Shut up, idiot,¡± Mabel retorted. Just as they were doing this a voice called out, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The voice came from the stairway, a young girl, presumably their senior, with really long waist length pink hair, walked down with a neutral look. She had yellow eyes and was slightly taller than Mabel and Arnos. She wore a yellow coloured hair band and it was in a ponytail. She had a lean hourglass figure and was wearing a long, yellow, half-sleeve, knee length dress. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t tell me you guys are newbies who came to see our dorm.¡± ¡°No, miss, we forgot our way and ended up here,¡± Mabel said without missing a beat. ¡°We did!¡± Arnos responded unconsciously to Mabel¡¯s lie. ¡°Ah, yes, we did, ma¡¯am. Can you please tell us where the main building is, miss?¡± There was a disappointed look on the girl¡¯s face. ¡°You lost your way, huh? That¡¯s sad. I thought we were finally getting some newbies who came to visit us.¡± Sighs. ¡°Well, whatever. Lemme show you the exit,¡± she said as she walked towards Mabel and Arnos. Mabel glanced at Arnos, and they both nodded, looking at each other. ¡°Actually, we wanted to see Ares dorm,¡± Mabel said, looking slightly scared since she had revealed that she had just lied to her senior. ¡°Wait, you do?¡± the girl replied with a loud voice. ¡°Why did you hide it then?¡± she added with a curious look. ¡°We thought we might be intruding, and you would be angry,¡± Arnos added. She rested her hand on her chin, adopting a thoughtful posture. ¡°Hmm, I see. That makes sense. I mean, I know where your doubts arise from.¡± (Disgusted look) ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure other dorms do not allow students to check out their premises until their so-called introduction ceremony or teasing, to be precise.¡± ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t know about that!¡± Arnos added with a shocked expression. ¡°Teachers don¡¯t usually tell about this stuff,¡± she added with a serious expression. ¡°They ignore it?¡± Mabel asked curiously. (Nods) ¡°Since most of the time, kids here have a lot of influence, most of the time surpassing the teachers they are rather reluctant. Not all teachers, of course. Like, the headmaster would probably burn any student who tells him what to do. And senior teachers, too, have such influence since they can¡¯t be removed without any serious reason. But the rest? Well, they are kinda, you know... scared.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. But we don''t get many visitors, and as you all might have heard in your life, "choosers can''t be beggars," she said, chuckling and elegantly hiding her laughter with her hand. "Ah, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s begg¡ª" Arnos tried to speak but was cut off by the senior. "So hey, I am Seras Victoria from the Victoria household. I am actually from a branch of the main family, and I surely am not a big shot, so yeah, that¡¯s that." She smiled. "What about you two?" she asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "I am Mabel Webbles. I am from a commoner lineage, and my father works as a farmer. We have our own small farmland, so that¡¯s a plus." Reflexively, her hand went to the back of her head as she gave a chuckle. "I see, that¡¯s cool. What about you?" Seras asked, still in a good mood. "I am Arnos. I am not from any noble lineage as well. I was raised as an orphan in the Alcia City orphanage, which was run adjacent to a church." "An orphan, huh?" Her expression shifted to a sorry one. "Well, it¡¯s a nice achievement that you¡¯ve made it this far, you know." "Thanks, I guess," Arnos added in response, offering a small smile. "So what do you guys think?" she asked excitedly. "Should we go and check out Ares dorm? I could give you all a trip if you don¡¯t mind." "Yes!" they both practically shouted at Seras in unison. Seras was startled but laughed at their enthusiasm. "Sorry," they both added for shouting. Seras then gestured for them to follow her, and they did. She led them outside from the opposite side of where they had first entered. There were two entrances to the Ares dorm, just like Celera Institute, an east entrance and a west entrance. Previously, Arnos and Mabel had walked in through the east doorway, but this time Seras took them out through the west doorway. Seras, Mabel, and Arnos were now standing in front of the building, the ground in front was divided into two equal parts. With the help of a pavement that ran throughout the ground to the boundary of the premise. Seras gestured to the expanse of land. "As you can see, we have our own personal herb garden for potions and research, and we have our own training arena. It¡¯s training arena number two of Celera Institute, if you¡¯re interested in that name, by the way." "So you guys have your own training arena?" Arnos spoke in a really excited tone. "We do, sure," Seras replied with a proud grin. "You could make your own magic potions?" Mabel asked in an equally excited tone. "We sure can." Another proud grin appeared on Seras¡¯s face. "You could train anytime on the training ground, and there aren¡¯t any restrictions," Arnos said, shooting another question with a curious look. "We could. Isn¡¯t that cool?" Seras replied with her third proud grin. "That¡¯s awesome!" they both said in unison. Arnos looked at Mabel. "You know what, Mabel? I don¡¯t think I want to rank down anymore," Arnos added with a smile. "Wait, what do you mean by you don¡¯t want to rank down anymore?" Seras asked with a puzzled look. Arnos looked at her. "Ah¡­ you see, I was kinda reluctant about being in Ares dorm since it¡¯s at the top and all. It¡¯ll give me a lot of unwanted attention. So, I was thinking about not trying my absolute hardest in the tournament." "Wait a second, have you been allotted Ares dorm?" Seras asked, her tone filled with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. "Yes, I got Are¡ª" Before he could complete his words, Seras stepped forward and hugged him. "That¡¯s really good! I was thinking we weren¡¯t going to get any juniors this year." She turned to look at Mabel, still hugging Arnos. "Are you allotted Ares too?" "No, ma¡¯am, I¡¯m not, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re choking him to death?" Seras looked down at the boy she was hugging. Realizing her grip, she broke the hug, and Arnos fell to the ground on his back. Coughing, he said, "I saw heaven¡¯s door just now." Mabel kicked him in the back with her leg. His balance shifted, and he fell forward onto his face. Quickly, Arnos jumped up and moved five steps away from both Mabel and Seras. "And what was that for, Mabel?" he asked, shooting her a pissed glance. Chapter 10 Misunderstanding "No, ma¡¯am, I¡¯m not, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re choking him to death?" Seras looked down at the boy she was hugging. Realizing her grip, she broke the hug, and Arnos fell to the ground on his back.Coughing, he said, "I saw heaven¡¯s door just now." Mabel kicked him in the back with her leg. His balance shifted, and he fell forward onto his face. Quickly, Arnos jumped up and moved five steps away from both Mabel and Seras. "And what was that for, Mabel?" he asked, shooting her a pissed glance. "You shouldn''t say stuff like ''heaven''s door'' to a lady, you know," she said in a stern voice, shooting Arnos an angry look. "What do you mean?" Arnos replied with a frustrated expression. He paused, suddenly embarrassed. "Wait a second! I wasn''t referring to her c¨C" He stopped mid-sentence, flustered. "You idiot! I mean, obviously not. I was literally seeing the heavens in the clouds!" Arnos raised his voice slightly in exasperation. Seras glanced at their ongoing argument, mildly amused. They sure do get along, she thought to herself, though the scene in front of her was anything but harmonious. "You weren¡¯t? Oh¡­," she muttered. Mabel, remembering the way Seras was choking Arnos earlier, thought to herself, It¡¯s totally possible he saw heaven. "Miss Seras, that garden looks really nice. Should we go check it out?" Mabel said with a smile, attempting to divert attention from Arnos. "Oh, we definitely could! Let¡¯s go," Seras replied with a giggle. "You¡¯re trying to change the topic!" Arnos shouted after them. But Seras and Mabel continued walking away, cheerfully chatting and completely ignoring him. "Huh, Trying to avoid me after falsely accusing me of making a weird comment," Arnos grumbled to himself. Wait a second! That wasn¡¯t even a weird comment, he spoke to himself in a louder voice. Still, debating the matter wasn¡¯t worth the trouble for Arnos. His attention quickly shifted as he took in the appearance of Training Ground 2. It¡¯s definitely bigger than the inner training ground of Celera, probably twice the size. His right hand rested on his chin as he considered, Could I ever perform that inferno spell here...? He shook his head. "No, that probably wouldn¡¯t work, it might affect the building too. I mean, if I can even pull it off perfectly, that is." His thoughts quickly wandered elsewhere. I could train here when it¡¯s raining, couldn¡¯t I? That would be awesome. A wide grin spread across his face, unable to contain his excitement. ¨C ¨C ¨C ¨C As Mabel and Seras strolled through the magical herb garden, Mabel broke the silence. ¡°So, Miss Seras, I have a question. May I ask?¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Seras replied casually, showing no concern for what the question might be.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Why were you so excited when you found out you were getting a junior?¡± Mabel asked curiously, glancing over at her. ¡°I was? Oh, I obviously wasn¡¯t,¡± Seras said with a playful smile, waving her hand dismissively. ¡°What might you be talking about, Mabel?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t mind,¡± Mabel added neutrally, her gaze shifting toward the vibrant flowers and herbs around them. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Seras sighed. ¡°Hah. See, it¡¯s simple getting juniors in Ares is kind of rare for us. Only a select few are allowed to attend this dorm due to the criteria set by the man who built it.¡± Built this dorm? Mabel thought to herself. Isn¡¯t this dorm under the Celera Institute? She asked ¡°It is under Celera,¡± Seras said, ¡°But one of our seniors actually spent a fortune to have this building and a new Ares dorm constructed.¡± She paused and looked at Mabel. ¡°So, in short, this dorm was entirely funded by his money, which is why it¡¯s so extravagant.¡± (Seras spoke again as she walked slowly alongside Mabel.) ¡°For simplicity¡¯s sake, let¡¯s just say the man who built this dorm was one of the first exceptionally gifted individuals, someone who stood above his peers. He had a peculiar philosophy, providing greater opportunities and benefits to those at the top to inspire them to strive even harder while also motivating those at the bottom to push themselves to improve.¡± She came to a stop and looked at Mabel. ¡°Do you know about the tournament you¡¯ll all be participating in?¡± Mabel nodded quickly. ¡°I do Miss. It''s supposed to happen in three months and will determine which dorm everyone will be assigned to.¡± ¡°Good, that makes this easier,¡± Seras said with a small nod. ¡°The tournament will either involve tag-team matches or solo matches.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s tag-team, the semi-final victory must be one-sided, or the duo won¡¯t be accepted into Ares dorm. If it¡¯s a solo match, only those who secure an overwhelming victory in the quarter-finals are accepted.¡± ¡°For example, let¡¯s say there¡¯s a match between Team 1 and Team 2. If Team 1 overwhelmingly defeats Team 2, Team 1 will be welcomed into Ares dorm. But if the match is close Team 1 wins, but it¡¯s evenly matched there are two possibilities. Either both teams will be accepted into Ares, or neither will. That decision is left to Miss Margrave, who was also Ryuk¡¯s instructor when he was a student. He trusts her judgment, so he entrusted her with this responsibility.¡± ¡°But why is there such a focus on overwhelming victories? I mean, if someone reaches the quarter-finals or semi-finals, aren¡¯t they already capable?¡± Mabel asked, her confusion evident. ¡°That¡¯s the rule set by Ryuk Kozuki. It¡¯s part of his philosophy that mages should be proficient enough to deal with their enemies effortlessly,¡± Seras explained. Waving her hand with a smile, she added, ¡°Now, that¡¯s definitely a strange philosophy, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± ¡°Why not? Couldn¡¯t Celera have a say in this?¡± Mabel asked curiously. ¡°They could, but¨C¡± Seras sighed in mild disappointment¡° his philosophy benefited Celera, so they didn''t mind.¡± ¡°It did?¡± Mabel exclaimed, her voice tinged with surprise. ¡°Yup,¡± Seras nodded. ¡°A decade ago, students from Celera performed quite poorly in comparison to those from Arens Institute. But with each passing year, we¡¯ve been improving. The headmaster believes this is due to the increased competition brought about by the presence of Ares dorm in our school, so he approved of Ryuk¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°So, in short, the headmaster is working with him on this?¡± Mabel asked, tilting her head in curiosity. ¡°Precisely,¡± Seras replied, smiling as she acknowledged Mabel¡¯s deduction. ¡°I see,¡± Mabel murmured, processing the information. Seras gestured for Mabel to follow and led the way to a wooden bench in the garden. She took a seat and motioned for Mabel to sit beside her. ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way,¡± Seras continued. ¡°In the last ten years, Ares dorm has only had students six times. The rest of the time, it was empty.¡± Her tone grew enthusiastic. ¡°Now you understand why I was so excited, don¡¯t you?¡± Mabel nodded. ¡°I do.¡± Then, with a curious look, she asked, ¡°Do you have any fellow dorm mates?¡± Seras nodded. ¡°Yes, there are four second-years in Ares dorm,¡± she replied in a neutral tone. ¡°But we don¡¯t have any third-years.¡± Her expression grew slightly somber. ¡°I see. Are they¡­ the scary type of seniors uh, no, what I meant was¡­¡± Mabel looked away awkwardly. Seras chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about them. They¡¯re pretty norm¨C¡± she stopped mid-sentence, her expression shifting. ¡°Actually, come to think of it, they are weird. Heck, even I might fall into that category sometimes,¡± she added with a soft laugh. ¡°But no, they¡¯re not the scary type.¡± Chapter 11 Seras gestured for Mabel to follow and led the way to a wooden bench in the garden. She took a seat and motioned for Mabel to sit beside her. ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way,¡± Seras continued. ¡°In the last ten years, Ares dorm has only had students six times. The rest of the time, it was empty.¡± Her tone grew enthusiastic. ¡°Now you understand why I was so excited, don¡¯t you?¡± Mabel nodded. ¡°I do.¡± Then, with a curious look, she asked, ¡°Do you have any fellow dorm mates?¡± Seras nodded. ¡°Yes, there are four second-years in Ares dorm,¡± she replied in a neutral tone. ¡°But we don¡¯t have any third-years.¡± Her expression grew slightly somber. ¡°I see. Are they¡­ the scary type of seniors uh, no, what I meant was¡­¡± Mabel looked away awkwardly. Seras chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about them. They¡¯re pretty norm¨C¡± she stopped mid-sentence, her expression shifting. ¡°Actually, come to think of it, they are weird. Heck, even I might fall into that category sometimes,¡± she added with a soft laugh. ¡°But no, they¡¯re not the scary type.¡± Mabel nodded and stood up from the desk. "Well, that''s good for Arnos and Marcus, I think. Let''s go to Arnos, I bet he is pissed at me for kicking him." "Wait! we are getting getting more newbies?" Seras spoke, her face practically glowing with excitement as she stood up. "You are, I guess. One of them is the princess, and the other is the Duke''s son," Mabel added as she started to slowly walk towards the exit. "Ah, I see. Then Arnos is more remarkable than them, considering he came from nowhere," Seras added while smiling. Mabel''s facial expression changed to a rather serious one as she heard Seras. "You shouldn''t say that. They are¡ª" Mabel tried to speak but was interrupted. Seras looked at her, gesturing for her to be quiet by putting a finger on her lips. She spoke in a stern voice, "Here they are my juniors. I think I reserve the right to tease or comment on them a bit." (She gave a smug look and continued.) "Wouldn''t you agree?" "I think I would," Mabel added in a low voice. She can be really scary when she wants to be, Mabel thought to herself. They continued to move towards the exit. As they were about to leave the garden, Seras came near Mabel and looked towards her. "Come to think of it, why did you do that to Arnos?" (She gave a puzzled, smiling look.) Looking away, slightly flustered, "Ah, umm, forget about it. It''s nothing big, I think. It was, you know, fun or something. Ha ha ha." (She gave a sheepish laugh)This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "I mean, I gotta knock some sense into him. That''s obviously the correct thing to do," she thought to herself. "But I guess I was wrong. Gotta apologize," she mentally noted. They continued their walk, finally leaving the premises of the garden. Mabel looked at Seras as they walked out of the garden. "By the way, Miss Seras, how should I address you? Miss, ma''am, or something else?" "You can call me Seras," (rests her hand on her chin thoughtfully) "I think that should be fine. Yeah, but make sure to address the other dorm seniors with ma''am or sir. They suck." (Seras added with a disgusted look.) Mabel nodded. "Roger that," she said with a mock salute, causing Seras to chuckle. As they reached the training ground, they saw Arnos walking aimlessly. Noticing Mabel and Seras approaching, he started walking towards them. Arnos looked towards Mabel. "Well, is your sightseeing done?" he asked in his usual tone. Mabel nodded. "I think it is. So, what were you doing here alone?" she asked curiously. "Ah, walking aimlessly or, ya know, bird stalking," he chuckled slightly. "Ah, bird stalking, you say," Seras spoke with a friendly grin. "Pervert," Seras added, still having the same expression. "It''s not! See, you just watch the sky while walking, that''s it. And, you know, when a bird comes into your view, you keep watching it without blinking," he added with excitement. "And what happens if you blink? You die?" Mabel asked sarcastically, looking at Arnos. "That''s not it! I mean, I used to think that when I was younger, but that was just, you know, childish superstition." Mabel laughed at this maniacally. "You seriously used to think that? Man, what an idiot." "I was a kid!" (He shouted, slightly pissed.) "You know what? Get lost," Arnos added before walking away. "Where might you be going now?" Mabel asked. "I don''t want to tell," Arnos spoke in a pissed tone as he continued to walk away. "Guess I''ll be taking my leave now, mi¡ª no, Seras. Bye-bye," Mabel spoke as she started jogging towards Arnos. As Mabel caught up to Arnos, they were already outside the dorm¡¯s campus area. Arnos and Mabel were now walking in the direction of Celera Institute main building. Mabel was somewhat reluctant to talk right now since she thought Arnos was angry at her. "So... ahm, where are we going?" she spoke in a rather reluctant voice. "Main campus, I think. If I¡¯m not wrong, there will be a banquet for first-year students there." (He turns to Mabel and looks at her with a neutral expression.) "And I think I heard it from some kids while we were walking in the hallway. Since it¡¯s already nearing evening, I thought we should head out." "Oh, you thought so? Well, that was the perfect thing to do, you know." (Mabel spoke, walking rather strangely in a march-like manner.) She¡¯s talking strangely¡­ Arnos made an obvious deduction. "Hey, Arnos," (Mabel spoke in a slow voice) with a tinge of guilt in her tone. "Yes, Arnos here. What¡¯s on your mind?" (He raised his eyebrows with curiosity.) "I can tell something¡¯s bothering you." "Ah, it¡¯s just, you know, sorry for kicking you then." (She spoke in a low voice, looking down.) She¡¯s really going to apologize for that! I thought we were going to act like it never happened or something. But¡­ Arnos thought to himself. "I appreciate the gesture, but hey, seriously, Heaven¡¯s Gate, man, your deduction sucks." (Arnos stopped, trying to control his laughter but ended up laughing loudly.) "Hey i apologised now just forget it (shouts), or I¡¯m kicking you again," Mabel spoke with a pissed look and a stern voice. "Hey, I believe in gender equality. Don¡¯t try my patience, okay?" (Sheepish laugh.) "Ah, you do? Then why did you say you want to be a gentleman and said ¡®ladies first¡¯ when we were late to the headmaster''s speech?" "I, uh, you know¡­" (Whistles, looking away.) "Chivalry or something." Mabel looked at Arnos, smiling, and thought to herself, He¡¯s completely trying to change the topic. "Dummy," she spoke. Arnos didn¡¯t respond. "Oi, idiot, dummy, can you not hear me?" Mabel spoke. I¡¯m not replying, nope, not happening. Life is good, I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s a wonderful life, Arnos mentally hummed, trying to block out Mabel¡¯s comments. Chapter 12 Customs Ah, I think I forgot to tell Arnos about Ares dorm¡¯s customs. (Sighs) Man, I¡¯m such a klutz. Well, it¡¯s not that big of a deal, is it? Seras thought to herself as she walked toward the dorm. (Nods) Yeah, it¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m sure of it. She mumbled. "What was all that fuss about, Seras?" a voice called out. Seras turned toward the direction of the voice. A half-opened door revealed a girl peeking outside, with half her body covered by the door. She looked at Seras with tired deep black eyes. Her neck-length black hair, held neatly in place by a simple black hairband, framed her face. She was noticeably shorter than Seras, her height barely reaching Seras¡¯s shoulders. "Oh, nothing much," Seras said, radiating excitement. "We¡¯ve got some newbies this year," she added with a smile. "So, did I break your sweet dream? Sorry about that, Alisa." "You sure did! But never mind. Waking up early is always a good thing, ya know," Alisa replied, running a hand through her hair. "Ahh¡­ it¡¯s evening," Seras said, smiling. (Stare) (Stare) (Stare) "Kill yourself, dumb, idiot, stupid Seras," Alisa said as she walked out of her room, closing the door behind her. "Heyyy, what was that for?" Seras shouted. Her voice made it clear she wasn¡¯t angry. "I told you to wake me up in the morning, and this is the time you wake me up?" Alisa said as she headed toward the dorm''s kitchen. The kitchen was located just to the right of the east entrance of the dorm. "You did?" Seras leaned on the kitchen counter, thoughtfully piecing together the events of the previous night. Alisa creeping into my room, late-night chatter with her¡­ "Wake me up by 8 o¡¯clock, okay, Seras? Goodnight," Alisa had said in her usual depressed tone before leaving the room. "Shit! Sorry about that. I think I messed up," Seras admitted in a guilty tone, looking down at the floor and still trying to avoid Alisa¡¯s gaze. Alisa, who was filling her plate with food that was supposed to be her evening breakfast, turned to look at Seras. "Never mind that. It¡¯s not that big of a deal," she said with a small smile as she walked toward Seras. "I mean, at least I got 8 hours of sleep." "It¡¯s 18 hours, to be precise," Seras replied with a teasing smile. "You know what?" Alisa said, still smiling. "What?" Seras asked curiously, radiating innocence. "You should do the thing I first told you," Alisa said, giving a dark, scary smile. Seras stood in her place for a few seconds. The thing she first told me to do, huh¡­ "Oi! That¡¯s rude, Alisa," Seras called out as she walked after her, following her back into her room. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¨C ¨C ¨C ¨C Inside the room, Alisa and Seras walked toward Alisa''s bed. "So, who''s this newbie then?" Alisa asked with a curious look as she took her place on the bed. "You shouldn''t eat on your bed," Seras said with a slightly frustrated look as she sat in front of Alisa on the bed. "Ah, I shouldn''t?" Alisa replied with a smile. "Well, I don''t care about it." (Smirks) She took the first bite of the sandwich, which was supposed to be her morning breakfast. "Oh my, it''s so yummy¡ªthe cold cheese, the cold, dry bread crumbs, oh my¡­" Alisa said, her voice dripping with sarcasm directed at Seras. "You know, Alisa, you¡¯re just like a child," Seras added, narrowing her eyes. Alisa gave Seras a pissed-off look. "What did you say?" "Oh, I meant you behave like a child, not literally. You have such a lustrous¡ª" (No, no, that''s not something to say, idiot Seras, she thought to herself.) Clearing her throat, she added, "A beautiful adult body." (Giving her a sideways glance) "Whatever you say. Now tell me what happened with the newbie," Alisa said, a little excitement creeping into her voice. "Oh, we got two visitors to check out Ares dorm. One was a girl, Mabel, and the other was Arnos. Mabel wanted to jump to join Ares dorm after the tournament, and Arnos was allotted to Ares dorm from the start." "Ah, that''s nice," Alisa said while taking another bite of the sandwich. "We also have two more newbies¡ªa princess and the Duke''s second son, if I¡¯m not wrong," Seras added. "I should¡¯ve heated it," Alisa mumbled. "By the way, Seras, you, as a kingdom¡¯s subject, should at least know the princess¡¯s name, don¡¯t you think?" Alisa said with a smirk, clearly picking on Seras. "I, uh¡­" Seras turned her head to look at the door, avoiding Alisa''s gaze yet again. Alisa stood up, grabbed a glass of water from the table, and returned to the bed. "I bet you were excited when you found out the news, weren¡¯t you?" Alisa asked Seras, smiling pleasantly. "I was. I hu¡ª" Seras stopped mid-sentence, her thoughts drifting to what Mabel had said to her. "I choked him out of happiness," she added with a smile. Alisa, who was drinking water, spat it out uncontrollably to the side and began coughing. "You did what!?" she shouted at Seras, her face a mix of shock and disbelief. Seras moved closer and gently patted Alisa¡¯s back to help her recover. "Oh, it was a misunderstanding. I stopped as soon as I realized I was hurting him. Are you okay, Alisa?" Seras asked in a caring tone. (Laughs slightly) "Was he tapping out?" Seras remembered the situation again. "By the time I noticed, he was unable to move his hand." "You traumatized him, I¡¯m pretty sure of it now," Alisa said, her tone stern and her expression angry. "I don¡¯t know. I think I apologized, and they left in a good mood," Seras mumbled in a whisper, her guilt clearly showing. More like they were scared of what you would do if they objected, Alisa said, finishing her sandwich. She stood up from her bed yet again with the plate. "I didn¡¯t mean to do that," Seras said, exuding a literal dark, depressed energy. Alisa moved toward her study table and placed the plate on it. "Well, whatever. So, how were they? Tell me a thing or two about them, keep it short." Seras looked at Alisa with a curious expression as she asked, "Both Mabel and Arnos, or just Arnos?" Alisa, who had now set her plate aside, jumped back on her bed and tucked herself in to relax. (Giving a sideways glance) "You¡¯re not using me as a lullaby now, are you?" "I could never do that," Alisa said, hiding her grin with her right hand, her long black nails glinting. "Let¡¯s go with both." "So, firstly, they¡¯re both commoners, so there¡¯s that," Seras said. "Man, that¡¯s good. They might be able to match their frequency with Erik then, you know, due to common struggles and stuff," Alisa replied. "Arnos is also an orphan from the city of Alcia, and Mabel¡¯s family has a small farmland." "An orphan¡­" Alisa said thoughtfully. How did he manage to buy the books? she wondered to herself. Maybe he got them second-hand or something. "Mabel seems to be the more outspoken type between the two of them. She was still respectful, though, so that¡¯s a plus. About Arnos¡­" Seras gave a thoughtful look for a few moments before continuing. "He¡¯s probably more of, you know, the calm type, I think. I mean, he didn¡¯t speak much in front of me. And when I choked him and Mabel kicked him, he didn¡¯t argue much." Alisa¡¯s eyes widened as she tried to process everything Seras had said. She choked him, Mabel kicked him, and he didn¡¯t say anything? she thought, giving Seras a serious, pissed-off look. "Wait, wait, time out a second. You bullied a junior with another junior and also assaulted him? And you think it¡¯s his calm nature that kept him from arguing? Man, you scared the poor kid," Alisa said, giving Seras a disgusted look. "Tsk, I didn¡¯t expect this from you, Seras." "That¡¯s not it, Alisa! We didn¡¯t do anything like that," Seras tried to defend herself. "Nope, not interested anymore. Get out!" Alisa added in a scary tone. Seras stood up and moved out of Alisa¡¯s room, sulking. "I didn¡¯t do anything bad," she mumbled under her breath as she walked out. Alisa lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "I need to get Seras to apologize to that Arnos," she thought to herself. Her thoughts drifted. What could his affinity be? If he has dark affinity, I could teach him a thing or two. "I could be a proud, responsible senior for him," she thought with a proud grin on her face. Chapter 13 Dual Affinity Arnos and Mabel continued their walk to Celera Institute''s main building. The sun had now already started to set and the atmosphere made it clear night was approaching. "Hey, do you think one of our seniors built that light fountain?" Arnos asked curiously as he walked beside Mabel. "I mean, it had a light magic spell, and someone has to manage it, I think." "Hmm, I think it''s very likely," Mabel nodded thoughtfully. "I mean, light affinity is one of the stronger affinities. It''s very likely that one in the group of the strongest students in Celera possesses light affinity," she thought to herself. "And what makes you so sure about it?" Arnos asked, looking at Mabel with a curious expression. "Hmm, light affinity strong - seniors strong, so highly likely. Understood," Mabel replied. "I do understand what you''re trying to say, but what''s with that lousy explanation?" Arnos said. Mabel raised her eyebrows at Arnos. "It''s not lousy. I just thought of the explanation in my mind, and it was," she gave a tired look, "tiring to repeat it, so I decided to ditch the explanation and give you the main keywords. Understood, Mister?" "She really does give a lot of expressions while speaking," Arnos mentally noted, looking at Mabel. "Understood, Mabel. Hey, can I ask something else?" Arnos said in a curious tone yet again. "Hmm, go on. You have my attention," Mabel spoke as she continued to match his pace while walking. "What''s your affinity?" "Guess!" Mabel replied with excitement and a smile. "Ice or water?" Arnos shot his answer. "How did you guess that?" Mabel asked with a shocked expression. Arnos smiled. "Should I tell her that I just guessed it from her hair color? Wait, no, she would be pissed¡ªor will she? Well, whatever," he thought to himself. "Your hair color''s blue, so I just thought it might be water or ice since they''re associated with blue." "Hmm, that''s weird but accurate. I actually have a dual affinity for water and ice." "That''s rare. Dual affinity, huh? I''m impressed. How about now you guess the affinity I have¡± Arnos said. "I don''t think there is any connection between hair color and magic affinity. Like, wouldn''t that mean you have dark affinity?" Mabel gave a small chuckle at her own comment.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "I do. That''s one down, one more to go." He gave Mabel a thumbs-up and a smile. "Wait, you have dual affinity too?" Mabel gave a surprised expression. "I do," Arnos chuckled, his voice tinged with excitement. "And you know what? If I didn''t have the combo I have, I would have never tried this mage route in my life," Arnos spoke. Mabel thought for a few seconds and said, "Is it Earth?" She had a dumbfounded look. "It''s not. It''s actually fire, one of the most common ones." "You have dark affinity! It surely isn''t common. Be happy with what you have," Mabel spoke, giving a sideways glance to Arnos. "Oh, I am very happy," Arnos replied with a smile. ¡°It''s the best possible combination to have for me, at least,¡± he said in a warm tone. "And why''s that?" Mabel asked curiously. "Hmm, that''s something we could talk about in the near future¡± Arnos said to Mabel with a small smile. And honestly It''s a long childish story, and we have already talked about a lot of stuff today, so we should probably save something for the future too," Arnos said as he looked at the bunch of students standing in front of Celera¡¯s main building. "Okay, should we find Marcus?" Mabel asked, looking at Arnos. Arnos thought for a few moments before answering. "I''m not too sure. I think he would find us instead if he needed to, and he is spending time with his sister, isn''t he? We can''t disturb him now, can we?" Arnos spoke in a neutral tone. "Wait a second, right here," Mabel said to Arnos as she walked forward. She cut through the crowd of students and went inside. Arnos was curious about what she was doing. She came back in a minute and walked towards Arnos, who was standing far from the crowd. "We still have 10 minutes!" Mabel said to Arnos. "For what?" Arnos asked with curiosity. "Ah, the banquet will start after 10 minutes, so we could go stand somewhere else or do something else for the time being." She rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish laugh. "You went in to check this?" Arnos asked with a smile. He turned back and started walking. "Well, standing in a crowd is the last thing I like," she nodded as she went a step ahead of him. "We are surely going to lose a lot of weight today," Arnos added with a warm tone. "Yeah, hourglass figure it is for us. No, me¡ªoh, shit." Mabel couldn''t control her laugh at her own comment, imagining Arnos in that way. Arnos couldn''t help but chuckle at her too. "Hey, I am already on the skinny end of the spectrum, just so you know," Arnos added as he chuckled. "Sure. Hey, Arnos?" (Glances at Mabel) "Hmm? Yes, Arnos here." "Did you ever practice magic spells?" she asked with a curious expression. "Like stealing a spellbook from an elder sibling and then practicing it?" Arnos asked with a little bit of sarcasm. Looking away from Arnos, "Ah, something like that, yes." "I haven''t done it yet, I do know basic spells though" Arnos said. "I see." "What about you?" Arnos asked, looking at Mabel as he matched her pace. Mabel turned to him to give a grin. She gave a victory sign. "I sure did," she added in a warm tone. "You stole your older sibling''s book?" Arnos asked in a puzzled tone. (Waves her finger, gesturing no) "No, not that! I trained a bit in basic spells. My older brother taught me a few spells when I was younger." "I see. So you are kind of like an experienced mage, aren''t you?" Arnos said in a teasing tone. "Yeah, yeah, experienced mage, sure," Mabel said in an exaggerated tone. "I think we should go now. The banquet''s probably about to start." "Sure.¡± Their walk back to the Celera Institute was quick. By the time Mabel and Arnos reached the main building, students had already started moving inside, but there was still a crowd outside, meaning they were on time. Mabel began walking ahead of Arnos, gesturing for him to follow, and that''s exactly what he did. They entered the main campus and headed to a different area this time¡ªnot the main hall where the previous ceremony had taken place, but the cafeteria instead. Chapter 14 Celeras Banquet Mabel and Arnos entered the cafeteria. Plenty of tables were already set with chairs. Names were written on the tables, indicating the seats were pre-assigned by teachers or staff. Arnos, noticing that most of the seats near the cafeteria counter were already occupied, began searching for his assigned seat. He found his name on a table in the corner near the entrance. Two other names were written there, but no chairs were present¡ªonly the names. "They left, huh," Arnos thought. His eyes landed on another name on the table: Mabel Webbles. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve been assigned the same seat,¡± Mabel said warmly. ¡°It seems that way,¡± Arnos replied neutrally. Both Arnos and Mabel made their way to the table and took their seats. Food was already laid out. "At least they didn¡¯t give us bad stuff," Arnos thought, glancing at his plate and quickly comparing it to the others. Mabel, looking around, spotted Marcus sitting at a table with Emily. Emily and Marcus had a table to themselves, much like Mabel and Arnos. The difference was that, while no one was assigned to sit with Marcus and Emily, the students who were assigned to Mabel and Arnos¡¯s table decided to sit elsewhere. Marcus and Emily had arrived early, and the assistant teacher at the entrance had directed them to sit at the front table. ¡°They went with a modest arrangement for the banquet,¡± Emily remarked, scanning the cafeteria. ¡°I expected something better than this,¡± she sighed in disappointment. As Marcus entered with her, he immediately noticed the tables were marked with the names of students. The arrangement seemed deliberate, starting with the royal knight¡¯s daughter, followed by names from the Baron¡¯s family, the Viscount¡¯s family, and the Victoria household, in a clear hierarchical order. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, Marcus quickly realized that the seating reflected the social rankings, even among the elite families present. ¡°Marcus, what are you thinking about?¡± Emily asked as she took her seat on the assigned table. ¡°Nothing in particular,¡± Marcus replied, taking his seat. ¡°I just noticed the pre-assigned seating at this so-called banquet. It¡¯s odd, don¡¯t you think?¡± he said seriously. ¡°Maybe, but I think it¡¯s better this way,¡± Emily replied. ¡°You do? And why is that?¡± Marcus asked, glancing at her. ¡°No particular reason. I¡¯ve got you at my table, so it works for me. Besides, you know I don¡¯t like talking to strangers. Now, about something more important¡­¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We should probably leave early to check out Ares dorm,¡± Emily suggested, looking at Marcus. ¡°I see. That¡¯s necessary. We need to find our dorm room number too,¡± Marcus agreed. He wondered aloud, ¡°Does she know who else has been assigned to Ares?¡± ¡°Hey, Emily¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you know who the other first-year assigned to Ares dorm is?¡± Marcus asked neutrally. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I heard it¡¯s some commoner. Probably a mistake,¡± Emily replied. ¡°Is that so? I think you¡¯ve met him before.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met him?¡± Emily frowned, thoughtful. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ªit¡¯s that guy.¡± She recalled the boy she had bumped into earlier that morning. ¡°Yup, it¡¯s Arnos, our dormmate.¡± Marcus considered confronting her and continued in a stern voice, ¡°Speaking of which, why did you cause that incident this morning?¡± ¡°He was being disruptive. I simply reminded him how lucky he is to be here. Nothing more,¡± Emily said curtly, her tone irritated. Marcus raised an eyebrow. ¡°That was your way of reminding him? From what I heard, it seemed more like you were putting him in his place and pointing out his social standing.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t wrong, though,¡± Emily responded without hesitation. ¡°And you decide people¡¯s worth now? Are you God, Emily?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± she replied, her voice faltering. ¡°You should apologize to him when you get the chance. He¡¯d forgive you¡ªhe told me that himself.¡± ¡°Did he ask you to make me apologize? He¡¯s just leaching off you. That¡¯s what people like him do,¡± Emily shot back loudly. ¡°That¡¯s not language befitting someone of your rank, Emily. You¡¯re a contender to inherit the kingdom. Need I remind you this kingdom is made up of commoners? These people are your subjects. Isn¡¯t it your duty as a noble to care for them, as your father taught us when we were kids?¡± Emily had no retort. She stared at her plate and mumbled, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll apologize to him. I won¡¯t say anything unnecessary again.¡± ¡°That would be the right thing to do,¡± Marcus said. ¡°I guess so,¡± Emily sighed. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to be friendly with him, and you can¡¯t force me to be.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of forcing you,¡± Marcus said, raising his hands in mock surrender. He glanced at the food before him¡ªpasta and steak. It wasn¡¯t extravagant, but it wasn¡¯t bad. Certainly, it wasn¡¯t to Emily¡¯s liking. Marcus could guess it from her facial expressions. Taking a bite of the steak, Marcus thought, "Not bad, but I¡¯ve had better at home." ¡°It¡¯s terrible,¡± Emily muttered, her voice low enough for only Marcus to hear. ¡°Is it? You¡¯d better get used to it. Dorm food won¡¯t be any better,¡± Marcus replied. ¡°I guess I will get used to it eventually.¡± Emily sighed, taking another bite. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. I guess I can manage if this is the daily fare.¡± ¡°This is probably special banquet food. Everyday meals will be simpler,¡± Marcus said matter-of-factly. ¡°We could always ask one of our chefs to make food for us, couldn¡¯t we?" Emily asked with a curious look. ¡°We can¡¯t do that,¡± Marcus replied. ¡°We can¡¯t bring our cook?¡± Emily asked dramatically. ¡°That¡¯s because¡ª¡± Marcus began, but Emily interrupted. ¡°I know the reasons, you don¡¯t have to tell me. It¡¯s probably because not everyone can have a personal cook, and if one person does, others might get jealous. That wouldn¡¯t be good for an educational institute,¡± Emily said, offering a proud grin at her explanation. Marcus slowly clapped his hands. ¡°That was impressive, even I didn¡¯t know all that. Nice one, Emily. Well, Oliver will have to leave tomorrow too, because butlers aren¡¯t allowed. He¡¯s only allowed on the premises today.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Emily said loudly. ¡°Quiet down, others might hear you,¡± Marcus said, glancing around at the curious looks they were getting from the people in the cafeteria. ¡°Huh, whatever,¡± Emily sighed. ¡°I¡¯m making some changes if I ascend to the throne, for sure.¡± ¡°To this school?¡± Marcus asked, smiling. ¡°Yeah, to this school,¡± Emily replied firmly. Chapter 15 Celeras Banquet 2 Marcus chuckled at Emily¡¯s determined look and her bold comment. "Well, I look forward to it, especially the reforms you plan to implement with Celera," he said in a playful tone. "You better look forward to them," she declared, her voice brimming with determination. "I mean, I have a lot of ideas that could benefit the kingdom," she added more neutrally. "You do?" Marcus asked with a smile before continuing, "That¡¯s good, but there¡¯s something you¡¯re lacking. Do you know what it is?" "I do," Emily replied after a moment of thought. "I knew you would," Marcus said with a teasing grin. "You¡¯re kind of smart when you need to be. But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you let go of whatever prejudices you¡¯ve built up in your mind?" "I¡¯m not sure if my prejudices are wrong yet," Emily admitted. "I¡¯ve yet to meet people who are good to me for reasons other than my position and the benefits they can gain from me." "Then you should start meeting more people," Marcus suggested. "Because I know plenty of people who like me¡ªnot because I¡¯m Marcus Levile but because of the person I am." He softened his tone and added, "Just try. That would be enough, I think." Emily nodded slowly. "I would... but it¡¯s tough for me after¡ª" "I understand," Marcus interrupted gently. "You don¡¯t need to tell me. What happened to you was wrong, I completely agree." He sighed. "But we can¡¯t stop trying just because something bad happened to us. Isn¡¯t Oliver and the maids in the royal castle commoners too? I don¡¯t think you hate them. But think about how your words affect them. When you say commoners are just leeches living off nobles, isn¡¯t that generalizing them?" Emily didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, she became lost in her thoughts, reflecting on his words.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "I understand," she said at last, meeting his gaze. "I¡¯ll try." After this conversation, the rest of the dinner went rather uneventful. Marcus and Emily had their dinner and left rather early for Ares dorm. Arnos and Mabel, who really loved the food and described it to be something god would eat, also had to leave the banquet early because Mabel had to find her dorm number in Cryz dorm. "The food was tasty," Arnos said, looking at Mabel as they both walked towards Cryz dorm¡¯s location. They got the direction from the assistant teacher standing outside the gate. Mabel looked towards him and added, "We could have enjoyed it while taking more time if only we had come to Cryz instead of Ares." "You regret it?" Arnos asked Mabel. "No," Mabel replied with a stern voice. "Motivation boost," he added with a teasing tone and chuckled. (Mabel slowed down her walking pace. Cryz dorm''s campus was just a few steps away now.) "Yeah, and you know if I had to choose between going to the banquet or seeing Ares dorm, my choice is obvious," Mabel added with a serious tone. "It is, huh?" Arnos added with a smile. Mabel and Arnos were now standing in front of Cryz dorm campus. It wasn¡¯t something as amazing as Ares, not in the slightest, but it was still good. The main building was somewhat larger than Ares¡¯ main building, though they were still considerable in size. The outer wall of the building was colored with a black/red gradient. The building was simple and large, box-like, with no curves or designs, just the main building spread in a rectangular area. The grounds of Cryz were also considerably shorter. "Well then, Mabel, try not to cause any trouble or stand for injustice and cause trouble or anything like that. Remember, it¡¯s your first day." "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not an idiot," Mabel said with a smirk. "Well then, bye," she added as she moved inside the campus through the dorm''s door. As Mabel made her way inside, Arnos began walking towards the Ares dorm, his mind replaying the events of the day. He had bumped into the princess and been called an insect, then there was the unexpected encounter with Mabel, Miss Margrave, and the Headmaster. He met Marcus, he got A Rank Mana level, and then Seraphina had asked him to become her servant. There was also Seras, and the moment he saw the Ares dorm with Mabel¡ªit was all so surreal. This day has truly been remarkable, he muttered under his breath as his pace quickened. But, despite the excitement, he couldn¡¯t shake the fatigue creeping up on him. I¡¯m really tired, he thought, feeling the weight of the day press down on him. Around five more minutes of brisk walking later, Arnos finally arrived at the Ares dorm. As he approached, he noticed Emily and Marcus were already inside the premises. They arrived earlier than me, he thought, a hint of surprise in his mind. With that, Arnos pushed open the door and entered the dorm''s premise. Chapter 16 First years Arnos walked into the campus and moved toward the main gate of the dorm. It was a simple, large, and sleek black-colored gate. Pushing it open, Arnos walked inside. There was a black marble rectangular table, two large white sofas, and two small white sofas arranged to make a seating area in the hall. And Arnos noticed Seras sitting beside another girl, presumably a senior. The next thing he noticed was Marcus and Emily standing in front of them rather than taking a seat on the empty sofa. Emily shows respect to people?, he wondered, observing the scene. Not paying much mind to it, Arnos walked toward Marcus and stood beside him. Marcus noticed Arnos and looked at him before turning his attention back to the seniors. Seras was the first to speak. "Y''all can take your seat," she said, looking at all the first-years standing in front of her. "And hey, you don''t have to show this level of respect anymore, ''kay?" she added with a smile. Emily, Marcus, and Arnos nodded and took their seats on the sofa in front of them and looked at the second-years. "How about you start by introducing yourselves," Alisa, one of their dorm''s second-year student, said, looking at the group. Alisa glanced at Emily, signaling her to begin her introduction. "I am Emily Leville from the royal family," Emily said casually. "That''s not the type of introduction mages should give to their seniors. You should also describe your affinity and perhaps your mana level too." "Yes, Miss," Emily said with a nod. "I am Emily Leville from the royal family. I have an affinity for light magic, and my mana level is S rank.¡± "You have an S-rank mana level? Considering your background, I take it you might have started low-magnitude training from childhood?" Alisa asked looking at Emily with slight curiosity. "Yes, Miss, I did train as a kid." "That''s really impressive. S rank as a starting point," Seras said, looking at Emily. She then turned to Alisa and added, "I might say it''s the first in Ares.¡± "It is," Alisa confirmed. Emily had a small smile as she heard all of this. Obviously, I would be special. I am the princess, after all, she thought with a sense of pride and confidence. Alisa turned to look at Marcus next. "And what about you?" she asked in a neutral tone. "I am Marcus Leville from the Leville household. I have an affinity for fire, my mana level is A rank, and I also possess a special ability, which I call Life-steal." Alisa and Seras were both intrigued by the mention of a special ability. Seras, asked a question almost immediately. "What does it do?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Arnos was also curious about it and looked at Marcus attentively. "I am able to absorb half of any monster''s mana if they are incapacitated or killed by me while my special ability is active," Marcud responded. "I see. So, is there any time limit for the ability?" Alisa asked, processing the information she received. "Yes, I can only activate it for 10 minutes right now. Sometimes the time varies a bit depending on my mental condition, so I think I could still try and increase it a bit." Alisa nodded in agreement. "That should be possible. Special abilities can always be developed and strengthened over time. The condition is that you must train hard with it." Alisa turned her attention to Arnos. "And you, Arnos, aren''t you? Give us your introduction," she said. "I am Arnos from the city of Alcia. I have dual affinity for fire and dark magic. My mana level is A rank. I also have a special ability. I haven''t named it anything yet, though, Ma''am," Arnos said, looking at Alisa. "Dark affinity, huh," Alisa spoke with a bit of excitement in her voice. "Well, that''s good, Arnos. And your special ability¡ªwhat does it do?" "My special ability, It basically enhances my physical prowess with fire. I can potentially cover my body or part of it with fire, and it drastically boosts my physical capabilities," Arnos explained. "Does that fire hurt you?" Seras asked, looking at Arnos with a serious expression. Emily, Marcus, and Alisa''s looked at Arnos. "It does. The pain decreases after the first few minutes, though, and it heals automatically when the ability is off," Arnos replied. "So it''s like real fire¡ªthe pain is worse when you start to burn, but after some time, it''s less because your pain receptors are destroyed?" Seras asked. "Yes, Miss. That¡¯s supposed to be the case. I still try to limit it to short bursts instead of continuous use, though," Arnos responded. "And you possess both dark and fire affinities. Have you trained in either of them?" Alisa asked, her expression curious and slightly excited. "No, Ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve just learned a few basic textbook spells from some adventurers in my town," Arnos admitted. Seras looked at Alisa''s excited expression. She wants to teach him, doesn''t she? she thought, as a small smile crept onto her face. Marcus whispered softly to Arnos. "Well, that dual affinity makes you rarer, you know. He teased him and especially the dark affinity¡ªit''s as rare as light." "Your special ability is definitely cooler than anything I have," Arnos said with a serious look. "It is, doubt that" Marcus replied with a small chuckle. It is trust me, Arnos responded with a serious tone. How does this commoner possess such qualities? It''s strange. Were his parents adventurers? Emily thought to herself. No, if he were the son of high-ranking adventurers, they would probably have been given a barony. And he can¡¯t be the son of ordinary adventurers¡ªhe¡¯s far too gifted for that. Is it not inherited? Unlikely. Just what¡¯s with him? she wondered, narrowing her eyes and assessing Arnos. A-rank mana was already surprising enough for her to process. There was another thing, though, that stirred Emily''s curiosity. Why isn¡¯t he telling his full name? Emily slowly whispered in Marcus''s ear. "He is an orphan," Marcus responded in a low whisper. Emily was shocked by this revelation. She had an idea that Arnos was a commoner, yes, but an orphan? She had no idea. Marcus¡¯s earlier words about how she shouldn¡¯t be the one teaching others etiquette stung her. I was extremely rude to him, she thought, for the first time that day finally accepting her mistake. Seras cleared her throat. "Well, now that you all have introduced yourselves, it''s my turn to give you some basic info about myself and others." "Wait, who appoint¡ª" Alisa was about to interrupt but stopped, knowing her comment might be harmful to Seras in front of the first-years. "Go on, then; I don¡¯t like intros anyway," she said, waving her hand dismissively. Seras turned to look at the first-years. "I am Seras Victoria," she said. "I am proficient with dark affinity spells, though I possess the ability to use light affinity too. My hobbies are basically eating¡ª" Alisa leaned toward Seras and whispered in her ear, "That¡¯s not necessary for them to know," she said in a low voice. Seras, slightly embarrassed, cleared her throat again and looked at Arnos and the others. "This is Alisa Valteri, and hey! A friendly warning, don¡¯t disturb her sleep." Alisa gave Seras a sideways glance, narrowing her black eyes like a hunter eyeing its prey. She''s so dead, she thought to herself, glaring at Seras. Emily sighed. "Well, disturbing someone¡¯s sleep is always a bad thing to do, I would say," she commented in a low voice. Chapter 17 Dorm Room Alisa slammed her hand on the table, the sound echoing. "Exactly! That¡¯s the most horrendous crime humanity could ever commit." She said with utter seriousness. "Obviously, it is," Seras replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she shot Alisa a sideways glance. Marcus glanced at Emily and mumbled with a smug look, "I¡¯m still waking up, give me some time to wake up completely." "Hey! I was a kid!" Emily retorted with a pissed tone almost instantly. "Well let¡¯s continue the intro," Seras said. "Alisa is proficient with dark affinity, and she also likes to learn a lot of spells. She''s quite the opposite of me when it comes to learning," Seras explained with a neutral tone. "And about your other idiot seniors, since they decided that exploring dungeons and forging weapons is cooler, let''s just skip them," Alisa said with a pissed look. "Oh, I love it when you''re like this," Seras said playfully, punching Alisa. "Nah, they deserve it. Maybe not Erik, since exploring dungeons is a necessity for him, but Braun definitely does. I bet he''s thinking he''ll just meet the first years tomorrow like it''s nothing..." Alisa paused, then turned to Seras with a raised eyebrow. "Wait, have you even told him?" "The night is rather nice tonight, isn¡¯t it?" Seras added, running a hand through her pink hair, trying to calm herself as a look of anxiety crossed her face. "Idiot Seras. Well, whatever, you¡¯re not responsible for them, so it''s not entirely your fault I guess," Alisa said with an exaggerated tone. Seras nodded, "Yes exactly, I knew you would understand." She then turned her attention to the first years and noticed Emily trying to stifle a yawn. "Are you all tired?" Seras asked, looking at Arnos, Emily, and Marcus. "Today must have been a long day. You could all move into your rooms and rest," she suggested, looking at them. "That would be nice," Emily said. "It was really tiring, the whole first-day thing." "Agreed. It was like that for me too," Alisa added with a tired look. "It¡¯s bad, like really bad, well about the rooms though, you all could take any of the 3 rooms from the four rooms on the right side of the stairs," Alisa said. "But wouldn¡¯t we have to ask the dorm instructor about room allotment?" Marcus asked, looking slightly confused. "Hmm, that would be the right way, but Miss Margrave, who is our dorm instructor by the way, is kind of lenient about these things," Alisa said, giving a nonchalant look.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Seras nodded at Alisa''s comment. "And, see, we have sixteen rooms for seven students right now. In other dorms, it¡¯s essential for the dorm instructor to allot rooms to keep, you know, people with similar background together and all," Seras added. "She sure is lenient," Arnos mumbled, thinking about the events from the headmaster¡¯s speech. "What was that?" Seras asked, looking at Arnos. "Oh, it was nothing, Miss¡­" "First of all," Seras interrupted, pointing at Arnos and the others, "just drop the ''Miss'' part already. I prefer just Seras. ''Miss Seras'' makes me sound like an old hag or something, you know," she said with a stern voice. "And what were you saying? Now I¡¯m curious¡ªtell me," Seras persuaded Arnos. "I second that. It seems like something interesting," Alisa said as she leaned back on the sofa. Marcus and Emily looked at Arnos as well, both curious about what he meant. "You won¡¯t tell anyone else about this, right?" Arnos asked, slightly cautious. "No, I obviously won¡¯t, idiot," Seras replied. Arnos nodded and began to speak. "So basically, Mabel and I were late for the inauguration ceremony and were waiting outside the door because, well... we were terrified and all. And Miss Margrave kind of startled us by putting her hand on our shoulders, possibly to ask or scold us." But she didn¡¯t expose us. Instead, she told a small lie that we were helping her to save us from the headmaster¡¯s scolding. "You should have enough civic sense to not be late for the inauguration ceremony at the very least," Emily said in a slightly irritated tone. "Yeah, that¡¯s completely on me," Arnos admitted in an apologetic tone. "Well, I told you all she¡¯s good, didn¡¯t I? So, Emily, Arnos, and Marcus, you can just take any of those four rooms¡ªthey¡¯re practically identical. I think I¡¯ll be awake late tonight, so I¡¯ll make sure to inform Miss Margrave about the rooms you¡¯re staying in for today, okay? As for me and Alisa, we¡¯ll be in the rooms on the left side¡ªthe first two rooms on the left as you turn. So, if you have any problems, you can come and ask us," Seras explained. Alisa looked at Arnos and the others. "About your outfits and other essentials, I take it you¡¯ll all bring them tomorrow?" Alisa questioned. Emily and Marcus nodded. "I¡¯ve already told my butler to bring my stuff and Marcus¡¯s by tomorrow, so that¡¯ll probably be the case," Emily replied. "I¡¯ll have to buy some nice clothes for myself," Arnos thought to himself. He hadn¡¯t brought any of his older clothes with him and had no intention of doing so. He had saved up some money from odd jobs to buy a few pairs of modest outfits. "You¡¯ll all probably get your uniforms fitted by tomorrow," Seras added. She glanced at Emily and noticed her sleepy eyes yet again. "And I think we could give you all a basic tour of the dorm tomorrow. Get some rest, kay?" she said with a smile. With a small nod, Emily, Marcus, and Arnos stood from their seats. Emily and Marcus moved towards the right side of the hall, heading to the rooms assigned to them. Arnos was the last to move. As he stood, he glanced at Seras and Alisa. "Good night," he said with a small bow before moving away. Emily and Marcus were standing outside the rooms, talking. "I should let them choose which room they want to take," Arnos thought and stopped a few steps away from them. "Emily," Marcus whispered in her ear, glancing at Arnos. "If you want to apologize to him, you¡¯d better do it now. He¡¯s quite awkward around us, unable to talk, thinking you hate him or something." Emily looked at the ground, not saying anything. "Understood," she finally said as she moved towards Arnos. Arnos noticed Emily approaching him and became slightly alert. "Did I do something new to piss her off?" he thought to himself. Chapter 18 Apology ¡°Arnos¡± Emily said in a calm, low voice as she looked at Arnos. Arnos stumbled over his words. ¡°Y-Yes, princess. Do you need something from me?¡± he asked, he made sure to keep his tone polite. ¡°I just wanted to¡­ ahem, say that I¡¯m sorry for this morning. I overreacted¡ªno, I think I was outright rude. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± Arnos looked surprised at the sudden apology. She is sorry for the morning? Is she the same girl who said I¡¯m an insect, that I should take care of dogs, and that I should drop out from Celera this morning? he thought to himself. Arnos glanced at Marcus. Just what kind of talk did you give her? he wondered silently. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Princess Emily,¡± Arnos said. Just don¡¯t do it again¡ªshould I say that? No, it would be too familiar. Think Arnos, think, he muttered internally. Noticing the awkwardness, Marcus jumped into the conversation. ¡°So, as I was saying, I¡¯ll take the furthest room to the right,¡± Marcus said in a loud voice. ¡°What about you, Emily?¡± he asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m doing something right now?¡± Emily shot a pissed glance at Marcus. ¡°Go sleep in whatever room you want if that¡¯s what you want,¡± she said sternly, redirecting her attention to Arnos. Marcus sighed. ¡°I was just trying to help, huh, well Arnos and Emily you are on your own" he mumbled to himself as he walked into his room. ¡°Arnos, you can tell me if you¡¯re still angry with me or anything. I¡¯m just bad at dealing with people due to¡­ some stuffs and i surely don''t think just an apology is enough. Emily added in an apologetic tone. Arnos looked at Emily. ¡°I think it is. Like if you don¡¯t say the stuff you did in the morning again, it would be fine with me. And I met a nice person because of all that, so it wasn¡¯t all that bad,¡± Arnos said with a small smile. ¡°Understood,¡± Emily said with a small nod. She looked back at Arnos. ¡°By the way, who is this nice person? Is it that girl you were with when you were late in front of the whole school on the first day during the inauguration ceremony and the headmaster¡¯s speech?¡± Emily asked quickly, with a slight sarcasm in her voice. Arnos was slightly taken aback by the question. ¡°Yes, I think¡­ Well, I didn¡¯t mean to be late. I¡¯ll try to be a responsible student of Celera next time,¡± Arnos said, his tone apologetic as he looked at the floor.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Emily gave a small, quiet chuckle at Arnos¡¯s response. That¡¯s when she noticed something¡ªArnos¡¯s wrists were rather thin, almost as if they were just bone and skin. Her curiosity was piqued. Are all orphans like this, or does he have some medical condition? she wondered. ¡°Can I ask you something else, Arnos?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, you can,¡± Arnos replied nonchalantly, looking at her. ¡°I noticed you¡¯re rather thin and¡­ hmm, you know¡­¡± Emily hesitated to complete her sentence. ¡°Short for my age?¡± Arnos said with a chuckle. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s due to a bit of malnutrition, or it could be my unknown heritage. But hey! I¡¯m just a bit smaller in height. I¡¯ll grow too, you know. I¡¯m still in that stage of life,¡± Arnos added, his tone slightly defensive yet joking. ¡°I mean, we¡¯re still young, so probably you will,¡± Emily said, turning towards the four rooms. ¡°Which one do you want?¡± she asked Arnos. ¡°You can choose. I¡¯ll take any of the other two.¡± Arnos replied nonchalantly. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Just choose.¡± Emily added in a pissed tone. ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am. The one on the left, if I could.¡± Arnos added in a terrified tone. ¡°Fine by me,¡± Emily said as she walked towards the room to the right, closer to the hallway. Arnos sighed. Well, the day ended on a good note, She''s skill scary though I think, he thought to himself as he walked to his room. Entering the room, Arnos was quite shocked by its size. The room was huge by his standards. He looked around, noticing a wooden table with a well-cushioned chair placed in the corner diagonally opposite the door. A wooden cupboard stood opposite the door, and a large single bed with a white blanket was neatly arranged in the other corner. Is this heaven? he thought to himself with a small smile as he jumped onto the bed, lying over the blanket. Arnos turned to look at the ceiling, where a chandelier acted as the light source. Isn¡¯t that too fancy? Aren¡¯t those things costly? he wondered, though he admitted, They look nice. The blanket was soft and smooth. Arnos raised it as he shifted to the left to pull it out from under him. He draped the blanket over himself, deciding to sleep. Wait a second¡ªhow do I turn these off? he thought, glaring at the light. Arnos looked around and quickly noticed switches next to the door. Good thing it¡¯s not done with light magic, or I wouldn¡¯t know how to turn it off. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to sleep, he thought as he closed his eyes.
¡°Ah, this room doesn¡¯t look that good,¡± Emily spoke with slight disappointment as she entered her room. The room was identical to Arnos¡¯s, with the same arrangement. Emily moved towards her bed and plopped down on it. The bed¡¯s good, you¡¯d have to be an idiot craftsman to mess a bed up, she thought to herself. She looked around, taking in everything in the room¡ªthe switch, lights, curtains, window¡ªuntil her attention fell on the cupboard. Emily walked towards the wooden cupboard and opened it. It was empty inside, with three minor compartments. Would they allow me to get one more cupboard? I don¡¯t think my stuff would fit in a single one, she thought to herself. I¡¯ll ask Seras or Alisa about it. They might know, she decided. With that, Emily turned off the lights before heading to the bed. With a yawn, she stretched her hands and moved the blanket aside, sitting on the bed for a moment. This dress will get spoiled if I sleep wearing it, she thought to herself. I should¡¯ve brought a spare, she mumbled, slightly irritated. With that, Emily lay down over the blanket, trying to sleep. Chapter 19 Dungeon of Death Warning - (this chapter might seem a bit confusing but I beleive it would be linked to the story by the next chapter) [17th Floor of the Dungeon of Death] In a dark, expansive cave, there was an unexpected encounter between a monster and a group of adventurers. The dungeon they were in was also called the Dungeon of Death for a reason. Monster spawns could occasionally be erratic. A minotaur could be summoned on the first level. Or a five-headed serpent, a massive, 15-meter-long snake with five heads, vibrant red eyes, and black, glowing scales, could be summoned. It was known for its poisonous central head that could melt a person¡¯s body and its other four heads that could turn a person to stone. This serpent might appear on the 17th level, despite being a monster that typically dwelled on level 25 or lower floor of the dungeon. The monster''s large figure caused all the adventurers in the group to be scared and cautious. However, one thing was clear none of them had lost hope yet. The male adventurer Aron standing in front wore a white shirt and brown pants. His thighs, chest, and torso were covered with silver-colored metal armor, but his hands and legs were vulnerable to attack. His build supported both agility and protection of vital organs. Aron looked at the monster. His hand was shaking, but he took hold of his sword, which was in a sheath, steadying his hand in a moment. He spoke up. "It''s a five-headed snake. Be cautious!" He raised his sword and shouted, "Amelie!" "On it," the girl with short blonde hair replied. She wore a white long dress and carried a wooden, tree-branch-like wand. Raising her wand, she created an enormous spherical region surrounding a large portion of the cave, covering all of them and the monster. "If you stay in this region, you won¡¯t become stone. I can¡¯t keep it up for long¡ªfive minutes is the best I can manage," she said loudly as she walked back. "Rick, try to keep Amelie saf¡ª" Aron the leader of the group began to say but was interrupted. "I¡¯m capable of doing that myself! Now go, and all of you focus on the fight ahead!" Amelie shouted with a serious look. There wasn¡¯t a second thought among the adventurers. Rick, a tall man with black hair and sparse facial hair, wearing a simple gray shirt and black pants, began sprinting towards the serpent in haste. Covering the distance in a mere moment.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He raised his axe and jumped high, aiming his attack at the serpent''s centermost head. As he did this, all of the snake¡¯s other heads, turned to look at Rick and their eyes began to glow a dark shade of red. Rick was momentarily scared. Had he been alone, this would have been his end. Rick smirked. "That¡¯s not gonna work!" A slash from Rick''s axe split the serpent¡¯s center head in half. He instantly moved back, using the serpent''s torso as a stepping stone to jump away. The blood from the serpent caused the ground just below to melt. Had it been any adventurer or human, only bones would have remained. "That¡¯s some nasty blood," the female adventurer Noelle, who wore red knight¡¯s armor, said as she looked at Aron, their leader. Aron looked at her with a serious expression. "Can you one-shot this snake with your sword?" he asked, looking at Noelle raising his brown eyes in curiousity. Noelle narrowed her red eyes, looking at the serpent thoughtfully. "I can¡¯t," she replied quickly, fully aware of her strength. As she spoke these words, the snake¡¯s attention focused on Aron and her. It looked at them with its four remaining heads in anger and quickly dashed toward the two of them, attempting to crush them to death. Its body caused rocks and rubble to fly in all directions. Aron and Noelle quickly jumped to opposite sides, avoiding the snake¡¯s attack. Aron looked toward Noelle and nodded. This was enough for Noelle to know what the plan was. With that, Aron spoke the words, "Fire Elemental Veil." A thin layer of heat spread across the area surrounding the entire cave. The temperature increased, and a popping sound echoed in everyone¡¯s ears. The increase in temperature was considerable. Aron glanced at the serpent, noticing the change in its demeanor. The superiority it felt was gone, something else had taken its place. Perhaps it was survival instinct, Aron thought to himself. "It''s going to run!" Aron shouted. "It''s a reptile¡ªthey can''t handle extreme temperatures," he quickly added, looking at Noelle. With that, Noelle was on guard yet again. She stood straight, her eyes closing as a layer of fire started to cover her blade. It was erratic at first but steadied into a thin, compressed layer. As she opened her eyes, she was ready to strike. The serpent had already started to move away from the adventurers. It was losing its ground due to the extreme heat, crawling towards the exit to the lower floor. "Dragon''s Breath!" Noelle shouted as a huge fire attack, something like a slash¡ªleft her sword. This attack was larger than the serpent itself, causing massive destruction to the dungeon as it moved towards the creature. The attack incinerated the serpent, its body shattering into pieces. Its dead body was unrecognizable, leaving behind only its bones, a puddle of blood and flesh, and a huge purple crystal¡ªits core. The serpent''s remains would eventually give rise to different monsters once the dungeon absorbed them. However, the crystal was an invaluable treasure for adventurers due to its high market value. A smile ran across all the adventurers¡¯ faces as the monster was defeated, each of them looking excited and pleased. The Fire Elemental Veil dissipated into thin air, and the bright region Amelie¡¯s spell created also disappeared. Visible exhaustion was evident on Amelie''s face. "That was..." she started, but was unable to complete her words and began to fall on the floor. Aron was the first to react, reaching her in a moment. "Are you fine?" he mumbled, looking at her face. "Can we go back to the surface?" she mumbled. "Yes, sure, that works with me. We got a good reward too today," Aron said. Turning to Rick and Noelle, he added, "Let''s get going," with a smile. Chapter 20 Erik, a second-year student from Ares dorm, walked in the hallway of dorm with his disheveled brown hair. He made his way toward Seras¡¯s room, located on the ground floor directly across from Alisa''s room. Reaching the door, Erik knocked twice. "It''s me," he called out to announce his presence. "Come in," came the immediate response from inside. Erik stepped into the room, taking in the sight of Seras lounging on her bed. The bed was adorned with a light pink bed sheet and a white comfy puffy-looking blanket draped over her. Seras¡¯s room had a large table filled with books, many of which looked as new as if they had just been purchased. The walls were painted in two tones, the one with the door and the wall opposite to it, featuring a window and curtain, were light pink, while the other two walls and the ceiling were painted white. The large window across the table allowed sunlight to come inside the room. A white curtain hung over it, softening the light. Above, a large chandelier made of white crystal illuminated the room, adding a touch of elegance. Erik walked toward Seras¡¯s bed. "Do you want to go to the dungeon?" he asked eagerly, his eyes fixed on Seras as she lay sprawled on the bed. Seras sat up on the bed, placing a pillow on her lap for support. She rested her left elbow on the pillow and placed her palm on her chin, adopting a thoughtful expression before responding. "No, no, no," she said hurriedly. "We¡¯re getting newbies this time. I mean, maybe¡ªit¡¯s a maybe-maybe situation, but hey, no way am I missing it." She crossed her arms firmly as she spoke. "We could come back early! I mean, we could make it in time to meet any first-year if they¡¯re assigned to Ares dorm," Erik exclaimed, his voice filled with determination and a hint of pleading. "No." Seras shook her head and waved her hands dramatically to emphasize her refusal. "What¡¯s with that weird thing you just did?" Erik asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow. Seras smirked at his question. "Oh, it¡¯s for extra emphasis Erik. Now go away, hush-hush. I¡¯m going to sleep until lunch. You could go ask Braun to go with you or something," she suggested with a dismissive tone. Erik looked slightly disappointed as he stepped out of Seras''s room, closing the door behind him. He paused, glancing at the stairs, deep in thoughts.Stolen story; please report. "Braun, huh? The moment we hit the 15th floor, he''d be off mining for ore. There''s no way I''m bringing him along," he thought. "Could I go and ask Alisa?" he wondered, but quickly dismissed the idea, knowing exactly what her response would be. "Why don¡¯t you go and sink in a drop of water? Or better yet, get lost in the woods or something before waking me up,¡± that¡¯s the most likely thing she¡¯d say if I woke her up, he thought bitterly. "That depressed-tone idiot," he mumbled, slightly annoyed. Erik headed toward the stairs. The staircase matched the main hall¡¯s color scheme, with steps made up of white marble and golden railings. He grasped the railing and slowly began climbing, hearing the echo of his footsteps with each step. As he reached the upper floor and turned right, he saw four rooms. On his right were two adjacent ones, Braun''s room at the corner and his own, situated closer to the stairs. On the left side were two identical rooms, the corner one, directly opposite Braun''s main room, was used by him as a smithy, while the other remained unused. Erik glanced at his room. The door was made with wood, the wall on the left was adorned with a golden nameplate engraved with his name, "Erik Walher." Erik began walking toward it, stopping briefly to take out the key. Unlocking the door, Erik stepped inside his room. It was nearly identical to Seras''s room, except for the placement of the furniture and the color scheme. Erik''s room followed a similar pattern to Seras''s, but instead of pink and white, the colors were light yellow on the door and window wall, with white on the other two walls and ceiling. His bed was situated near the window, while the cupboard and table occupied diagonally opposite corners. A similar chandelier illuminated the room, and the white curtain on the window didn¡¯t fully cover it, allowing sunlight to stream through. Walking to his cupboard adjacent to the window, Erik opened it. The upper right segment neatly held a few pairs of t-shirts, pants, and shirts. The upper left segment housed his magic wand, while the lower segment contained his armor¡ªhand guards, knee guards, and other protective gear. Erik stood thoughtfully in front of the cupboard. "Let¡¯s go with a speed build today," he mumbled. He pulled out his armor, a set crafted from mithril, the finest material available to adventurers. It was expertly forged by Braun, his dormmate, a skilled yet eccentric craftsman who sometimes ventured deep into the dungeon to mine materials without fear. Erik took off his blue-green t-shirt, revealing a lean, muscular frame. He slipped on a white sleeveless t-shirt before donning the black mithril armor, which was accented with gold trim outlining the arm openings. Next, he grabbed a simple pair of brown pants and secured black metal knee protectors to shield his knee joints. Standing in front of a mirror, Erik began checking himself over. "Armor, check. Knee protection, check. Wand¡ªah," Erik muttered, realizing he¡¯d forgotten it. He went to his cupboard, opened it, and retrieved a silver wand with a gold loop. The wand was a bit longer than a metre, it was narrower at the base and thicker at the top ending in a simple golden loop. With the wand in hand, Erik closed the cupboard, locked his room, and walked out. Erik headed toward the stairs and was about to begin his descent when a loud metallic clicking sound caught his attention. He turned to glance at Braun''s smithy, the source of the noise. "Is Braun making something?" He didn¡¯t dwell on it for long and continued downstairs, focused on the dungeon ahead. Chapter 21 Adventurers Guild Erik covered the distance of 5 miles between Celera and the city of Duxelle in roughly 50 minutes. He could have used his light affinity or light magic spells to boost his speed but choosed not to, as walking was a hobby he always enjoyed. The boundary of the city of Duxelle was covered with tall 10-meter-high walls for protection. It was a two-layered wall, the outer layer was 10 meters tall and made of heavy, thick black rocks, while the inner layer, standing 8.5 meters tall, was constructed from simple yellowish stone bricks. Between these two layers, at a height of approximately 8 meters, there was a patrol area for soldiers and city knights as part of the city¡¯s defense. Every 4 meters, there was an arrow slit in the outer wall, and at all times, knights guarded the city, ready to alert everyone in case of an attack. Erik¡¯s walk came to a halt as he saw a long line of people standing in front of the city¡¯s main entrance. Two guards stood by the entrance in knight armor, each armed with a sword, ensuring no one entered the city without permission. Though long, the line proceeded smoothly. Merchants and common folk simply had to show their identification provided by the Kingdom to gain entry, while adventurers only needed to present their Adventurer Guild cards. After a few minutes, it was Erik¡¯s turn to provide his details. ¡°Can I get your identification?¡± a knight in silver armor with 2 blue feather like stripes on his left shoulder, denoting his position, spoke in a stern voice. He did not look at Erik, remaining focused on writing something in a register. ¡°Here, sir,¡± Erik replied in a low voice. The knight looked up, and upon seeing Erik¡¯s face, he returned the card without inspecting it. ¡°Erik, huh? Well, you are free to go,¡± the knight stated, looking at Erik. ¡°Thanks,¡± Erik replied briefly, glancing at the knight. I¡¯ve seen him a lot of times, I should maybe try to find out his name, Erik thought as he walked into the city. The city of Duxelle housed about 50,000 people and had roughly 9,000 houses, making it one of the larger cities in the Kingdom of Levilenia. Erik began walking toward the Adventurer¡¯s Guild as he entered the city, occasionally glancing around at the shops, houses, people, and everything else in between. After about 10 minutes of walking, Erik reached the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He noticed it was as lively as ever, with several adventurers entering and exiting in groups. Some were alone, some were with there party, and laughter and chatter filled the air¡ªit was the usual scene, one he loved about this place.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was a large building with a medieval-style appearance and a grand, symmetrical design. Its steep, red-tiled roof complemented its stone walls, painted a soft shade of brownish-yellow. A simple yet sturdy wooden double door served as the main entrance, welcoming adventurers. Above the entrance, the wall was adorned with the official grey-colored guild emblem over a blue cloth, proudly displayed as a symbol of its authority. The emblem depicted a man holding a majestic-looking trident atop a broken castle. Erik walked toward the entrance and stepped inside. A large cafeteria greeted him immediately. Alcohol, food, sweets¡ªyou name it, and it could be found here. The guild had its own cook, and the food was budget-friendly and tasty, catering to adventurer''s preferences. You could also order an extravagant meal if you were willing to pay the price. The cook, Sir Cyrus, as everyone called him, was an old man with white hair and a white mustache. His height barely reached 5 feet, but his well-toned body showed his obvious dedication to regular training despite his age. Above all, he was an expert chef. He was always approached by restaurants and eateries in the city to work for them, but he would always refuse. His past was something secret from the adventurers, but rumors had it he was once a strong adventurer. ¡°Sir Cyrus sure does make good stuff,¡± Erik mumbled as the smell of food wafted into his nose, his mouth watering slightly at the sight of the delicious meat on an adventurer''s plate. Erik refocused himself. That¡¯s not what I came for, he thought to himself as he glanced at the receptionist counter. Most of the guild consisted of a seating area. Several square tables with four wooden chairs were arranged for adventurers and their parties to sit and enjoy their time in the guild. There was also a large quest board at the center of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Beside it, on the left side, was the receptionist counters, and on the right side, there was another wooden door. This door led to the storage area, which was used by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to store monster bodies. Monsters such as one-horned boars, minotaurs, orcs and others since they fetched a relatively good price in the market. If an adventurer managed to obtain a wyvern or a dragon, they could probably earn enough money to live comfortably for two to three years without working. Erik walked toward the receptionist counter. There were four different counters with separate female receptionist. He approached the rightmost counter and looked at the lady, who was busy with a bundle of paperwork. ¡°Hey Alya, how¡¯s your day been treating you?¡± he asked with a small smile, looking at the girl. Alya was wearing the guild¡¯s signature outfit. She wore a white shirt under an orange, V-neck designed top. She wore a long orange skirt that extended below her knees, complemented by blue stockings and black low-heeled sandals. Her white hair was tied up in a bun, adorned with a large green clover-leaf-shaped hairpin. Alya, who had been focused on the paperwork, turned her attention toward Erik. She glanced at Erik with her light blue eyes as she ran her hand through her long white hair and gave him a tired smile. ¡°Just like the usual, I would say, Erik,¡± she said in a low voice. ¡°Already tired, now are we?¡± Erik chuckled, looking at Alya. ¡°Do you have any escort quests?¡± he asked with a curious expression. Chapter 22 Receptionist ¡°Already tired, now are we?¡± Erik chuckled, looking at Alya. ¡°Do you have any escort quests?¡± he asked with a curious expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have any of those. The only escort quest we have right now is to the forest, and earlier level of the dungeon, you won''t take them now, would you?¡± she asked, her tone neutral as she returned her focus to the paperwork. ¡°You sure do know me,¡± Erik said as he rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. ¡°I¡¯ll probably not. Guess I¡¯ll go down and find some monsters to slay,¡± he said, clenching his fist and bringing it in front of him. ¡°You are just like a kid sometimes, Erik¡± Alya said, looking at him with a smile. ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Erik replied with a smile. His expression changed to mock anger as he continued, ¡°Hey, hey, wait, no! I don¡¯t want to hear such a bad remark again from someone who is just four years older than me.¡± ¡°As you say, mister,¡± Alya said in a teasing tone. She quickly glanced around the guild and noticed the absence of Seras. "Your friend isn''t with you today?" Alya asked in a serious tone, giving a slightly concerned look. "Actually, she didn¡¯t come with me today. We¡¯re getting new first-years at my school, and she didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to meet the newbies on their first day¡ªor so she said to me," Erik added with a neutral look. "You should have stayed at the institute too," Alya said, raising her eyebrows. "Don¡¯t you like those kinds of things?" she asked in a curious tone. "Hmm, I could like them. But hey, who¡¯s going to send money to my family?" Erik replied with a smile. "Didn¡¯t you already earn well from your last trip to the dungeon last week?" Alya asked with, a noticeably confused look on her face. "Hmm, my sister will be joining a school soon, and I¡¯ve decided she should have the best. I mean, I know I shouldn¡¯t try to spoon-feed her everything, but you know what?" "What?" Alya questioned. "I think working hard for my sister and mom kind of helps me with my life as an adventurer too. I mean, I get stronger from exploring dungeons, you know. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing them a favor," Erik said in a serious tone.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. He quickly changed his tone to a happy one. "And you know what? Once she¡¯s an adult, she¡¯s on her own. I¡¯ll just send some money to Mom and spend my earnings like a maniac!" Erik laughed maniacally. "You would, huh? Highly doubt it. You know what? You should still try to enjoy those kinds of things at your school. Those days never return," Alya said. Erik waved his hand, dismissing her comment. "Well, don¡¯t you know? School is just a side gig for me. My main life¡¯s going to be as an adventurer," Erik added with a determined look. Alya stood up from the counter, grabbed the collar of Erik¡¯s armor, and pulled him toward her. "You shouldn¡¯t say stuff like that. It could get you in trouble," she whispered with a serious, pissed tone. Erik looked at Alya with a small smile. "Oh, but it depends on who I¡¯m talking to. And you? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve got to keep a lid on myself if it¡¯s just you." Alya blushed slightly at the unexpected comment. "Is that so?" she murmured softly before quickly regaining her composure. "But there are also plenty of adventurers around," she pointed out. "Don''t worry even if the headmaster finds out about this. They won¡¯t kick me out of Celera. I¡¯m one of the best they¡¯ve got, and the headmaster doesn¡¯t care about comments. He cares more about strength¡ªwhich I have plenty of," Erik added with a confident look. "Is that so? Well, whatever happens, don¡¯t go into the deep dungeon without Seras, at the very least. Am I clear, Erik?" Alya said sternly, with a serious expression. "I could probably survive in the deep dungeon even on my own," Erik replied casually. "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself!" Alya shouted, her voice louder and more forceful. Erik stumbled slightly at her reaction, but as he looked at Alya, he realized this was her way of showing she cared for him. "Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make you worry. I was just teasing you a bit," Erik said in an apologetic tone. "I¡¯ll only go as far as the 16th floor since I¡¯m alone. I think I can handle the 16th floor as long as I¡¯m not careless," Erik added with a small smile, as he turned back to move away from the counter toward the exit. Alya sighed, placing her right hand on her forehead. "You¡¯re talking as if 16th floor is child¡¯s play," she muttered. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll run away if things get too scary," Erik replied, turning back to look at her. "Be safe!" Alya shouted after him. As she said this, she refocused on her work, her concern still evident. With that, Erik set off toward the dungeon. According to legend, the dungeon had 100 floors in total, with the difficulty increasing drastically every five floors. The change was so significant that a team capable of exploring the 10th to 15th floors might barely survive between the 16th and 20th floors. The floors beyond the 20th were referred to as the deeper dungeon, inhabited by far stronger monsters. Only high-ranking adventurer¡¯s parties dared to explore that part of the dungeon. The dungeon also had powerful creatures known as dungeon bosses every ten floors. These monsters were formed from the accumulation of mana particles from creatures killed inside the dungeon. Their creation was entirely random and depended on the dungeon''s current ecosystem and environmental factors. These dungeon bosses were far beyond what normal adventurers could handle. Fighting one was essentially a death sentence for most low-ranking adventurers. To defeat these creatures, top guilds like Wolf Fang and White Tiger Guild were offered substantial rewards. These guilds would send their best adventurer¡¯s party to take on the dungeon boss. Chapter 23 Exploration The dungeon was located two miles away from the city of Duxelle and was surrounded by dense forest. Occasionally, weaker monsters from the upper floors would escape into the forest and pose a threat. Since Duxelle was a city of adventurers, such monsters were dealt with quickly. Due to these monsters that could escape in the forest, residents of the city were not allowed to leave without an escort, but retired adventurers, knights, or those skilled in combat were exempt from this rule. As a result of these restrictions, there were frequent minor escort quests for adventurers. Residents who needed to gather supplies from the forest often relied on these services. Since such quests were not as dangerous as dungeon exploration, the payment was low. Erik rarely accepted these jobs, as him only being able to work once a week made him choose higher-paying tasks. Erik left the town, passing the knight he had seen earlier that day. After walking towards the east direction for a few minutes, he reached the main path to the dungeon, which had been carefully constructed. The path was made of yellowish heavy rocks, likely created by skilled mages using earth magic. This road was crucial for transporting goods between the dungeon and the city. Walking slowly, Erik reached the dungeon''s entrance in about 15 minutes. He stopped to observe the structure. The dungeon''s entrance was a massive cave with a striking design. Its upper section formed a perfect circular arch, curving smoothly, while the sides were straight and vertical, giving it a commanding look. Large rocks surrounded the entrance, and the stairs inside sloped downward into the darkness, hinting at the seemingly endless depths below. No party has managed to explore beyond the 34th floor of the dungeon so far. To reach this floor, both the White Tiger Guild and the Wolf Fang Guild had to collaborate, even hiring additional high-ranking adventurers to aid in the expedition. The 34th floor, currently referred to as the ¡®Abyssal Threshold¡¯ signifies the deepest level adventurers have explored to date. However, legends claim that this dungeon has 100 floors, and something is sealed within the 100th floor, something that should never be unleashed. Yet, these claims are unreliable since there are no reliable records, only rumors. Erik approached the dungeon¡¯s entrance and stepped inside. As he entered, the light around him dimmed noticeably. This wasn¡¯t just due to the absence of natural light but was also caused by the dense miasma that filled the dungeon. Beyond the entrance, a series of stairs spiraled downward, leading adventurers to the first floor. Just like the connection between the mainland and the first floor of the dungeon, other floors also feature similar stairways or, at times, perilous routes for traversal between two floors. These paths could include steep slopes, cascading waterfalls, treacherous cliffs, and other hazardous terrains.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Well, the 17th floor it is then,¡± Erik muttered to himself as he briskly descended the stairs to reach the first floor. Erik had reached the first floor, where small monsters like slimes and a few medium-sized creatures such as goblins were easily found. These were the monsters most likely to escape into the forest, given the proximity to the mainland. ¡°Take a clean hit, idiot!¡± a young girl in a blue dress, holding a small knife, shouted at the boy. Her black eyes were fixed on him with a glare that could pierce through steel. ¡°I tried, but that slime is slippery,¡± the boy mumbled in a apologetic tone, his brown eyes cast downwards. His brown, curly hair framed his face, and he wore a simple white shirt paired with brown knee-length shorts. He held a knife similar to the girl¡¯s, but his hands trembled, possibly from the nerves of his first time in the dungeon. Erik observed the interaction between the children, who barely looked 7 or 8 years old. He noticed that the slime the boy had tried to hit had already moved ten steps away from them. ¡°Never mind, I''ll handle those for you. Just push them toward me,¡± the girl said confidently. Their instructor, standing beside them with a smile, seemed amused by the children¡¯s interaction. Erik smiled at the scenario himself but quickly snapped out of it. Wait, why am I wasting time smiling? he thought, mentally scolding himself. ¡°Light Affinity, Quick Steps,¡± he mumbled almost immediately. The children, who had been bantering, noticed Erik chanting and turned their attention toward him. Erik stepped forward with his left foot in a walking motion, and when his right foot was about to lend, he vanished from their sight. ¡°What was that?¡± the boy exclaimed excitedly, looking at their instructor. The girl also looked at their teacher, her eyes brimming with excitement. ¡°That adventurer probably has Light Affinity. He used an intermediate spell called Quick Steps. It provides bursts of extreme speed, allowing for something akin to a vanishing walk. While he can¡¯t run with it, he can move incredibly fast in short bursts,¡± the instructor explained, using simple terms to make it easier for the children to understand. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± both children shouted enthusiastically. Erik had already reached the sixth floor with his Quick Steps. The atmosphere here was notably more oppressive compared to the first five floors. He noticed groups of novice adventurers scattered throughout the floor. One particular party of four was struggling to fight an orc and a group of goblins. Should I help them? Erik questioned himself, but after analyzing their fight and team synergy, he decided otherwise. He activated another Quick Step and vanished from the scene. Reaching the stairs to the sixth floor, Erik chose to walk instead of using Quick Steps due to the algae-covered, slippery steps. Descending carefully, he reached a transition pathway between the sixth and seventh floors. Erik stepped away from the stairs, glancing around at his new surroundings on the seventh floor. The atmosphere was frigid¡ªtoo cold, in fact. The walls were entirely covered in ice, reflecting light like crystals and illuminating the dungeon. After traversing the narrow pathway of the seventh floor, Erik emerged into an awe-inspiring area. The space opened into a circular cliff-like zone that descended steeply downward. Moving down the pathway would lead to the stairway to the eighth floor. However, if you mistakenly fall from the cliff it would likely result in death. Chapter 24 Waterfall Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we do something?¡± she added hesitantly, only to be cut off by the party''s dwarf, Thrag. ¡°I don¡¯t think he used it as, you know¡­ a suicide spot,¡± he said with a sense of certainty. ¡°And I don¡¯t think he would¡¯ve used a spell if what he wanted was to, you know¡­¡± He left the sentence unfinished, but it was enough for everyone to understand his point. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± she admitted. ¡°The water might act as a cushion. If someone could slow their pace with air magic or use another spell to take the damage, they could survive.¡± Announcement Hey everyone, Kps or Pissed Author, here. I''ve decided to focus on building a backlog for my series Shadow Ascendant. After reviewing my writing pace over the last five days, I think I can manage two chapters a day. So, here''s the plan.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I''ll upload two chapters daily on Patreon and one chapter on Royal Road until the Rising Star Hunt¡ªor until I reach a backlog of 25-30 chapters. I''ve already posted three chapters on Patreon, so if you''d like to support me, you know where to go. Lastly, the most important thing: I love you all! I never expected such an amazing response to my story. ?? Thank you! Chapter 25 Village in Dungeon Erik looked at the surroundings as he continued to free-fall, a nonchalant expression was present on his face. "Eh, the speed isn¡¯t so bad," he mumbled in a casual tone when he passed the 10th floor. The speed of his fall kept increasing, and his initial nonchalance quickly turned into fear, escalating to the extreme spectrum. ¡°Shit, shit, shit, shit! I¡¯m not doing this again¡­¡± Erik screamed, his voice laced with panic as the high speed and acceleration overwhelmed him. ¡°Intermediate Heal,¡± Erik mumbled, noticing the landscape change as he approached the 15th floor. His whole body was enveloped in a radiant white coloured healing aura, designed to treat any injuries he might sustain. After activating the healing spell, Erik crossed the barrier at the 15th floor. The barrier was impenetrable at all points except for the waterfall. Covering the waterfall with the barrier could disrupt the ecosystem of the 15th floor and potentially cause a disastrous overflow of water outside the protected zone, endangering everyone. Erik gripped his wand tightly as he collided with the river formed by the waterfall at high speed. The impact caused a massive splash, accompanied by a loud sound that immediately captured the attention of every nearby adventurer. ¡°Are we under attack?¡± a female adventurer with dark green hair shouted, her hand instinctively reaching for the small sword she carried in its sheath as she stared at the river. ¡°It looked like a light spell attack, I think,¡± a male adventurer with black hair commented, his gaze fixed on the disturbed river. ¡°Look at the bubbles¡ªsome monster is coming out of the river,¡± another female adventurer with black hair and a wand added with a terrified look. At her words, all the adventurers drew their weapons, ready to strike down the presumed monster as soon as it emerged. Erik, who was inside the river, slowly walked out in a hesitant motion. His gaze remained fixed on the ground, avoiding the adventurers out of sheer embarrassment. ¡°I, uh¡­ I¡¯m human,¡± he mumbled awkwardly, standing on the riverbank. The adventurers began chattering among themselves. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a disguise or some kind of illusion magic?¡± the female adventurer with dark green hair asked, pointing at Erik. An older male adventurer observed the scene and chimed in, ¡°You newbies might not know it yet, but this method is used by experts to move between the 7th and 15th floors of the dungeon. It¡¯s something of a shortcut,¡± he added with a smirk, pride evident in his tone. ¡°So, do you know how to do it, sir?¡± the male adventurer with black hair asked, turning to the older man. ¡°That''s not of concern here¡± the old adventurer added with a defensive tone. While this conversation was happening, Erik mumbled, ¡°Quick Step,¡± and vanished from the riverbank, moving a long distance away in the blink of an eye. ¡°That was embarrassing,¡± Erik mumbled, placing his right hand over his face in shame. ¡°I even forgot to use air affinity to slow my pace. I¡¯m an idiot¡ªa big idiot at that,¡± he thought to himself.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Erik then took in the surroundings of the 15th floor, the only floor within the dungeon under human control. It resembled a small village, or rather, a flourishing one. The floor was secured with a high-level barrier to prevent any monsters from entering, an extra layer of security implemented by humans. The 15th floor was unique, when the first group of humans reached it, they discovered there was no dungeon boss or monster spawn in the region. This led humans to establish it as a safe floor within the dungeon. The barrier was further enhanced with high-level illusion magic, making the dungeon ceiling appear as a blue sky with clouds. A massive sphere of light magic acted as the sun. Trees and grass grew abundantly, creating a fertile environment. Some theorized that the river might play a significant role in maintaining the floor¡¯s fertility. The problem of the scarcity of water was also resolved since the water from the waterfall was drinkable and clean. Erik walked towards the human settlement, where vendors and merchants lived to earn extra profits while simultaneously putting their lives in danger. As Erik looked around, he saw a few familiar faces¡ªseveral merchants and adventurers he had seen many times on the 15th floor. "Do I need to stock up?" Erik questioned himself, glancing at a store that sold mana and healing potions. In the end, he decided against it, considering he could already perform healing far superior to that offered by the potions. As for mana potions, though useful, they had their own side effects¡ªthey caused mana sickness in mages. Using mana potions or overusing one¡¯s mana often led adventurers to suffer from a condition known as mana sickness. Its symptoms resembled those of a severe flu, something Erik had no interest in experiencing. Erik finally reached the exit of the 15th floor¡¯s barrier. He looked at the small translucent door within the barrier, guarded by two adventurers standing watch to prevent low-ranking adventurers from passing through. One of the guards was a tall, muscular man over 6 feet in height, with black hair, black eyes, and a mustache. He wore blue-colored armor with gold accents. The other guard, a younger adventurer who barely reached the shoulder of the first, had yellow hair and blue eyes. He held a long wooden wand with a yellow crystal embedded at the top in his right hand. As Erik approached, the younger adventurer with the wand stopped him. ¡°Hey boy, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± the adventurer asked in an irritated voice. ¡°To the 16th floor,¡± Erik replied nonchalantly. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± the adventurer began, but Erik handed him his adventurer card. ¡°A-rank adventurer! Wait, uh¡­ sorry for interrupting,¡± the adventurer said, his voice now tinged with hesitation and guilt. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Erik. He just joined two days ago,¡± the taller man said, stepping forward and placing a hand on the younger adventurer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no problem, Sir Doron,¡± Erik replied with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t mind using this card,¡± he added, showing it. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s got to have some use, you know,¡± he finished with mild irritation. ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re a funny one, you know that?¡± Doron said, looking at Erik with mild amusement. Doron then pointed at the newbie standing next to him. ¡°This here is Arin, just so you know,¡± he said, introducing the younger adventurer to Erik. Erik extended his right hand toward Arin, who accepted it for a handshake. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Erik Walhmer,¡± he said with a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s just Arin for me,¡± the male adventurer replied. After retracting his hand from the handshake, Erik looked at Doron. ¡°Can you open the gate, sir?¡± he asked with a neutral expression. Doron nodded, taking out a small gold pentagonal emblem with a green crystal in its center. He raised it toward the translucent door, opening it in the process. Erik slightly bowed to Doron in respect as he walked through the gate and entered the non-barrier region of the 15th floor. The non-barrier region, though dark like the other dungeon floors, didn¡¯t have a high miasma density for a dungeon floor. No monsters were visible either. The landscape was spherical in shape, with a single exit leading to the 16th floor. Erik walked toward the staircase leading to the 16th floor and began descending carefully, taking slow steps. The steps, like those between the 6th and 7th floors, were covered in algae and quite slippery. Restricting the use of Eriks quick step spell. Chapter 26 Creature of Shadow Erik entered the 16th floor. Beyond the 15th floor, the lower floors lacked unique designs and instead formed an ever-changing labyrinth. Maps were nearly useless, and an adventurer¡¯s party required a mage capable of casting a basic spatial awareness spell, or escaping would depend entirely on chance factor. Erik navigated the maze of the 16th floor, where the pathways were narrow rocky terrain. The howls of monsters caught his attention. ¡°A pack of Night Wolves,¡± Erik thought to himself after hearing the howl. Night Wolves, also known as creatures of shadow, were capable of moving as shadows on the ground. Not only that they had the ability to hide in another person''s or monster''s shadow, while in shadow form, they could not be harmed. This ability gave them both an ultimate defense and a surprise element. Night Wolves were large, roughly 2 meters in length, with red eyeballs and black spindle-shaped pupils. Their black fur surrounded their bodies, and their large fangs and teeth were used to tear apart anything who crossed their path. "Quick step," Erik mumbled, vanishing from his position and darting around three corners of the floor in the blink of an eye. A party of three adventurers had been surrounded by twelve Night Wolves. All the adventurers seemed exhausted. Erik noticed three dead Night Wolves lying on the side, and he deduced they had been struck by fire magic, judging by the wounds on their corpses. The male adventurer of the group was a middle-aged man, clad in silver armor and holding a sword with a blue hilt. His head was also covered by a helmet hiding his black hairs. Next to him stood a female adventurer, an elf with blue eyes and long braided blonde hair. She carried a tree branch-like wand and appeared the least fatigued. Another member of the party was a young human mage, wearing gold-silver armor and holding a short sword wreathed in fire. Her armor covered most of her body, except for her legs and arms, likely designed for mobility. "Do they need my assistance?" Erik wondered as he observed the party, knowing that adventurers typically followed a rule of not stealing another''s prey. One of the wolves took the offensive approach and charged towards the elf at a rapid pace. The female elf, who had been standing with her wand, cast a fireball spell at the wolf attacking her. The wolf dodged the spell be stepping towards left and dashed towards her, aiming to attack her.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Erik mumbled, "Lance," and a light magic spear materialized, which almost instantly pierced the wolf attacking the elf. "Good grief," Erik muttered. "Do you need help?" he shouted, drawing the attention of the adventurers. The female elf he had just saved shouted back, "It would be highly appreciated." Erik noticed three of the Night Wolves sinking into their shadows, likely preparing to attack him. Erik mumbled, "Miniature Sun," and a small orb of light magic emerged from his wand. It hovered above them, illuminating the surroundings and dispersing the shadows of the Night Wolves. The male adventurer seized the opportunity and attacked one of the wolves that had been about to slip into its shadow. Four of the Night Wolves shifted their attention to Erik and charged at him in a quick motion. Erik retreated slightly and mumbled, "Multiple Lance." Instantly, four lances formed, resembling swords, Erik flicked his wrist forward, and swords of light flew toward the Night Wolves, impaling their chests. Two wolves collapsed instantly, while the other two pressed on with their advance. The wolves were about to reach Erik and seeing the wolves closing in, Erik murmured, "Excellus." It was an intermediate spell that created a sword of light for a mage to wield. Both wolves leaped¡ªone from the right, aiming for Erik''s right hand, and the other from the left, targeting his torso. Erik¡¯s wand glowed, transforming into a sword made of light, which he used to decapitate the wolf that was attacking him from the left. Before he could strike the second, its fang scratched his right hand, leaving a deep wound. "Ah, that''s bad," he said, looking at the wound. "Light Heal," he mumbled, a bright light enveloped his right hand, healing the injury. While Erik was fighting the four Night Wolves, the adventurer party managed to defeat the rest of the pack. "You guys alright?" Erik asked as he walked toward the adventurer party. He glanced at the bodies of the Night Wolves scattered around, confirming the pack has been defeated. "Seems that way," the elf replied in a calm voice as she cast a healing spell on the other female adventurer in the party. "It would have been a lot worse if you hadn''t come to our aid," the middle-aged adventurer said as he looked at Erik with his black eyes. He stepped forward and extended his hand to Erik for a handshake. "It''s Aldraz," the adventurer said with a smile as he shook Erik''s hand. He seems really young, perhaps as old as Naomi, Aldraz thought as he looked at Erik. "It''s Erik sir," Erik replied with a small smile. He glanced at the bodies of the Night Wolves where he had been fighting, then turned his attention to Aldraz, who had crouched down and begun dismembering the wolves¡¯ bodies. "Can I share the loot?" Erik asked, watching Aldraz. "You sure could. You can take the five Night Wolves you killed, if that works for you. Aldraz added in a casual tone. Technically, you assisted with one of the wolves I killed, so¡­" Aldraz began, but before he could finish, Erik waved both his hands dismissively. "I don''t think that would be necessary. I already got five¡ªthat''s enough," Erik said in a pleased tone. With a small chuckle, he added, "I thought you might not let me take any, considering I¡¯m not part of your party and with the adventurers'' guild rules and all." "That sure is the rule. But you know what, kiddo? Adventurers gotta stick together. Not sharing loot with someone who helped you? That''s bad and unprofessional in my book," the female elf interjected in a serious tone. Erik unconsciously smiled at her comment. They are good people, Erik thought to himself. Chapter 27 New Party? "By the way, I¡¯m Elyza, a mage with fire affinity," she added, tapping her chest. Then gesturing toward the female adventurer who had been fighting with the short sword and standing next to her, she continued, "And this here is Naomi, our youngest party member.¡± Erik nodded. "Appreciate your hospitality for letting me share the loot," Erik said with a warm tone. He then walked toward the corpses of the wolves he had killed, and removed a small brown pouch from his pocket. The pouch, connected with advanced spatial magic, could store a large number of items. Erik had purchased this expensive item because most of the monsters he hunted were edible, allowing him to earn money not only from their crystals but also from their meat. "Is that a Luminarian pouch?" Naomi asked, her green eyes lighting up as she saw Erik holding the small bag. "It sure is. I had to buy it for a few reasons," Erik replied as he dragged one of the wolf corpses toward the pouch. The pouch absorbed the wolf¡¯s body seamlessly. Naomi, clearly impressed, watched with sparkling eyes. "Can I try it once too?" she asked eagerly. She¡¯s like my little sister when she''s all excited, Erik thought to himself with a smile. "A Luminarian pouch, huh? Are you some kind of rich kid, kiddo?" Elyza asked in a teasing tone. ¡°He sure is¡± Aldraz added in a teasing tone. "Sure, you can try," Erik said, walking toward Naomi and handing her the bag. "You just have to bring the corpse of any monster you killed near the opening of the bag, and it¡¯ll do the trick." He then turned to Elyza and began walking towards her. "I¡¯m anything but a rich kid, ma¡¯am," he said with a chuckle and stood next to her, leaning on the dungeon''s wall. Naomi walked over to one of the bodies of the Night Wolves Erik had killed. A grin spread across her face, her excitement evident as she prepared to use a Luminarian pouch for the first time.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She grabbed the Night Wolf¡¯s paws and brought the corpse near the Luminarian bag¡¯s mouth. As she did, the monster vanished into thin air. ¡°This is really awesome,¡± Naomi said, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. She repeated the process with the rest of the wolf corpses Erik had defeated, handling each one expertly. Erik and Elyza watched her otherworldly enthusiasm with smiles, while Aldraz gathered the useful parts of the dismembered wolves and packed them into a large piece of cloth to carry. Naomi approached Erik and handed him the bag with a satisfied smile. ¡°Thanks for letting me use it, Erik,¡± she said, clearly pleased. ¡°My pleasure,¡± Erik replied with a small smile. ¡°I''ll be taking my leave now,¡± he said with a casual tone. As he turned away and was about to walk off, Elyza called out, ¡°Wait!¡± Erik stopped and turned to look at her. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you have a party?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°You could always join ours if you want. What do you guys think?¡± Elyza looked at Naomi and Aldraz, who both nodded in agreement. ¡°I don''t see any problem with it,¡± Naomi said nonchalantly. ¡°He¡¯s strong,¡± Aldraz added, giving the cloth filled with dismembered wolf parts a final tug. ¡°I don¡¯t have a party, but I do have a teammate,¡± Erik replied with a neutral expression. ¡°I really appreciate the offer, though. It makes me happy.¡± He smiled. ¡°I might take you up on that offer in the future if you all don¡¯t mind,¡± Erik added. ¡°Ah, I was hoping you¡¯d join us,¡± Elyza said with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Well, nevertheless, have a good hunt, Erik.¡± She gave him a thumbs up. Erik turned again and waved his hand. ¡°Quick Step,¡± he mumbled, vanishing from the spot in an instant. ¡°Too bad,¡± Elyza said, her words tinged with slight disappointment. ¡°He would have made a great addition to our party,¡± she added, looking at Aldraz and Naomi. ¡°Well, he¡¯s a young man right now. Young kids don¡¯t understand the importance of a party that much. We were all like that once,¡± Aldraz said. Naomi pointed a finger at herself. ¡°Hey! I want to remind you of something, old man, I¡¯m young too, you know!¡± she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes slightly and giving him a skeptical look. ¡°You need to have the strength to back it up too, ya know,¡± Aldraz mumbled. Hearing this, Naomi mock-punched him in the torso. ¡°Ah, that hurts!¡± Aldraz shouted. Elyza crouched and used a basic wind spell to reduce the weight of their loot. ¡°Should we get going now?¡± Elyza asked narrowing her blue eyes, scanning their surroundings. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to be attacked by another set of monsters, now would we?¡± she added, her expression turning serious.