Not long after, Lucia joined him, leaning against the wall.
"You look angry, Adonis," she commented without showing much emotion. "By any chance, do you want to get revenge on our father?"
Adonis did not turn back.
His dark hair fluttered in the wind as he replied,
"Saying I'm not angry would be a lie. But not to the point that I would want to take revenge on my own father."
Whether Lucia believed him, no one could tell.
"I see. What do you intend to do after we leave for the Royal Academy? Do you have any plans in mind?"
Finally, he turned to her, revealing a playful smile on his lips.
"What else? I'll be joining you there soon, big sister."
Lucia's eyes narrowed. By now, she understood that he was not the type to joke casually.
"You don't seem to be joking. But gaining a seat with your officially recognized lowest-grade talent is impossible. So what exactly are you planning?" she asked, adjusting her square glasses.
Adonis coolly draped his black robe tighter around his body and said,
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. But I promise, I'll be there. And I'll trample every elite breed beneath my magnificence."
---
Naturally, according to the schedule, Logan, Lexi, and Lucia, the youngest batch of the Kingsbane family, departed for the prestigious Aristocratic Royal Academy of the Fernis Kingdom.
Adonis personally watched them leave without a word. Yet the shadow of confidence never left his figure.
Since Claudia had promised him enrollment into the Royal Academy, he was not overly concerned.
Even if he did not receive an invitation, his path would not end here.
He was prepared to venture into the wild, discover hidden dungeons, and forge bonds with extraordinary companions.
Either path was acceptable to him.
He left it to fate to decide which road he would ultimately take.
For now, he continued to sneak into the Slime Dunk Dungeon under multiple fabricated identities, harvesting Ether Cores relentlessly.
Sometimes he was Mateo. Sometimes he was Blaze.
Other times, he disguised himself as a dungeon guard, terrifying newcomers and driving them away from the floors he claimed as his hunting grounds.
The officials eventually detected anomalies. Entire floors were being wiped clean at an abnormal rate. Lower levels were suffering mass exterminations.
But no matter how hard they tried, they could never catch the culprit.
And within the Kingsbane household, only his mother was aware of his frequent absences. The rest of the family showed no interest in how he spent his days.
To them, he was insignificant.
Like this, a week passed.
The progress was staggering.
[ Status ]
[ Name: Adonis Kingsbane ]
[ Constitution: Chaotic Harem Body (SSS+ / Taboo) ]
[ Level: 5 | Exp: 650 / 2,500 ]
[ Health: 93 (↑14) ]
[ Strength: 44 (↑16) ]
[ Agility: 43 (↑15) ]
[ Intelligence: 40 (↑10) ]
[ Defense: 44 (↑20) ]
[ Charm: 45 (↑15) ]
[ Luck: 48 (↑10) ]
[ Ether: 470 (↑320) ]
[ Special Traits: Universal Language, Boundless Stamina, Touch of Lust, Valkyrion ]
[ Sword Soul: Chaotic Harem Sword (Taboo) ]
[ Sword Arts: Relentless Thrust (E), Backdoor Severance Style (E) ]
He had leveled up twice within a single week.
If the truth were revealed, he would become the fastest Level 5 Swordmaster in the entire recorded history of Avalon.
Not because of his Sword Arts alone. Credits also goes to his C-tier sword when he was just a level 5. Also, his own evolved. physical strength.
In the afternoon.
In the soft glow of the fading sun, the open lounge of the Kingsbane estate was a picture of aristocratic leisure.
Leonel Kingsbane sat enthroned amidst a flutter of silk and the sweet scent of expensive perfumes, surrounded by his six concubines. The atmosphere was one of idle gossip and triumph, centered mostly on the prestigious futures of their children who had recently departed.
The rhythmic clinking of tea sets was abruptly shattered by the heavy boots of a royal messenger.
Dressed in the crisp, navy-and-gold uniform of the Fernis Kingdom's elite courier service, the man knelt, presenting a scroll sealed with the unmistakable wax crest of the Royal Academy.
"You have a letter from the Capital, My Lord," the messenger announced calmly.
Duke Leonel looked confused. "An official missive? Logan and the others have only just arrived. Surely they haven't got into trouble this quickly?"
The concubines were also curious. They leaned in, fans pausing mid-flutter, their eyes gleaming with the hope of new bragging rights.
Leonel broke the seal and began to read aloud,
"By Royal Decree and the recommendation of the High Council, the Aristocratic Royal Academy hereby extends a Full Merit Scholarship to Adonis Kingsbane. His presence is requested immediately to join the S-Rank 'Nova' Class. All tuition, board, and resource expenses shall be waived by the Crown."
The silence that followed was pin drop suffocation.
The faces of the concubines, once painted with smug satisfaction, twisted into masks of disbelief and dawning rage. To them, it wasn't just a letter, it was a slap to their lineage.
"A scholarship?" one muttered, disbelieved.
"We paid a literal king's ransom in gold to secure seats for our children! We bled the treasury to ensure they had the best tutors! And that... that dreg gets in for free?"
"The 'Nova' Class?" Concubine Mariana, Lucia's mother gasped. "That is reserved for the kingdom's prodigies. My Lucia was relegated to the standard tier! This must be a mistake. A clerical error!"
"Yes. It must be. How can a white frog get a personal invitation to the Royal Academy?"
They turned their venomous glares toward the corner of the lounge where Adelaide sat, service teas.
For years, she had been the silent shadow of the household, serving teas and whatnot.
But now, unexpectedly, her son managed to do the impossible.
Adelaide, however, heard nothing of their nonsense.
She stood trembling, her hands pressed against her chest as if to keep her heart from leaping out.
From the corner of her eyes, tears flowed.
"Thank the Heavens. "She mumbled. "Thank the gods... they finally see him."
Duke Kingbane looked contemplative. First the unusual incidence at the awakening ceremony, then Knight Claudia's surprising pardon, and now this mysterious recruitment letter, that too with full scholarship.
This was unprecedented.
Something is wrong.
"Could they have sensed something that I have failed to?"
The Royal Seal did not lie.
His son, Adonis Kingsbane, wasn't normal at all.