Chapter 35: Crane
"Don't worry, I will think for you. And haven't I said this already? He must have someone that thinks he's worth enough to be there, and besides, he's about to become a member of House Chain. Do you want a clash with a House?"
They're not stupid, not entirely. They sneered and threw out more threats, warning him that the House of Chains was nothing, just a toothless dog.
But even then, they knew he had Ethan wrapped around his hand, and as one of the weakest in Class Two, they didn't want any problems with Ethan Aldrich. Bad reputation or not.
And what Severin said had sunk into their minds.
Indeed, why is Julius Crane in their class?
Severin watched them back away with the promise of coming back. They said they would return to teach his newbie some lessons.
He watched them leave until they disappeared into their own rooms. He frowned. "There won't be a next time."
Then Severin turned to Julius Crane, who had been studying him since he stood in front of him. The boy flinched when their eyes met. "What do you think?"
Julius blinked. "What?"
"Two things. What do you think about me? You like to observe people to know what they are."
Julius adjusted his glasses. "You are a very dangerous person. You give off the aura of being strong."
"Am I not?"
Julius smiled timidly and shook his head. "The problem is, I can't say."
Severin nodded. "Invite me into the room."
Julius did.
His room was filled with books, old kinds with leather bindings, piled high on his desk and bed. Julius smiled weakly. "I like reading."
"Me too," Severin said. He didn't have to say it was mostly magazines, right?
But the books that Julius read were historical books, especially those that deal with war.
They sat in silence after that. Severin was comfortable with that level of silence, but Julius wasn't. He shifted in his place. "Thank you for sending them away, but it'll only make things worse."
"I know," Severin said.
Silence again. Then Julius asked, taking a deep breath as if summoning courage, "You said two things. What's the other one?"
"Did I get it right? You have something strong enough to keep you in this class. Because even with your Talent Ability, if your power doesn't match, then the Academy will send you down anyway."
Julius's eyes darkened at that. "No. There's nothing keeping me here. I'm here because I'm worth it."
"Are you now?" Severin asked softly.
In the book, Julius Crane later became a big figure, but not the type to take center stage. He even ended up working with the main protagonist and his cast. And that was because of his unique Talent Ability.
Julius's eyes flashed. "Yes. I'm here because I'm strong enough to be."
"Then why don't you fight back against them? They've been taking your credits since you came to the Academy. They bully you because you are weak. If you are strong enough to be here, then you'd be strong enough to defend yourself."
Julius sat there in more silence before he spoke again. "But I am still in Class Two though, unlike you."
Severin smiled at that. "And I'm a House Leader and Founder."
They both knew such words were cheap. They knew their positions didn't give them raw power.
But then again, out of the two of them, only one of them was rising fast. And it wasn't Julius Crane.
"You've been watching me. Do you really want me to be part of your House? Do you really know what power kept me in Class Two, or is all that just nonsense to make yourself look cool?" Julius summoned what's left of his courage to say, adjusting his glasses with nervousness.
"The Crane family is one of the most popular families in the Empire. In fact, they could trace their line to that of their founder that supported the first Emperor," Severin began. "But unlike the other families, they are unknown, with no apparent influence. In fact, they don't hold any positions in the running of the Empire."
Julius smiled bitterly and shook his head. "You've done your research."
But he wasn't done.
"That was what your family wants the world to think. But in truth, the Crane family are one of the most influential and very much powerful. They work and pull strings in the shadows. The head of the family always works with the Emperor to help navigate the politics and schemes of the Empire. Very loyal bunch, you lots."
From the very beginning to the end, Julius's face turned pale and ashen. By the time he was done, it was as if Severin was a ghost.
He acted as if he didn't notice. "Your family has a Talent Ability that always appears in the main family. The Talent Ability is known as Strategist. But unfortunately, some of you are also afflicted with a curse that appears now and then in the family line. The Cursed Strategist.
"You, Julius Crane, your Talent Ability is the Cursed Strategist. Meaning that anytime you want to use your talent, you will always be distracted by failures that would appear in your mind. In short, you can't strategize properly. You are cursed, and your family deemed you useless.
"But even then, you are still a Crane, and you still have an A-ranked ability. So here you are in Class Two."
Julius Crane didn't say anything, but he'd adjusted his glasses eight times in two minutes. His left hand was gripping the edge of the bed tightly. "So, are you here to kill me? Are you an enemy of my family? That would explain how you know everything about me."
Severin smiled.
"...No... I know so much about you and many other things because I had to learn it so that I could win a giveaway from the author on Discord... That crafty author will ask questions that people don't expect... Guess it pays off..."
"If I'm here to kill you, I wouldn't be here, and you know it. You are a Crane, and even without your Talent Ability, you still have a sharp mind. So what's your answer?"