Chapter 69: Nepotism
"Damn! I like this guy already?"
"Bro, that's creepy."
"Hey, what do you think is his rank?"
For average people, sensing the ranks of individuals stronger than them was an impossible thing to do.
Sensing one's rank meant bypassing the mana membrane that covered the cores of every living creature.
And if your rank was lower, it was not possible to outclass mana that was stronger than yours.
There were exceptions to this...
The elites could easily sense the ranks of others even while having a lower-ranked core, as their mana essence was generally more condensed than the average population.
Still, their abilities had limitations, as against other stronger individuals their mana sense was highly restricted.
At the end of the day, it all came down to making predictions and guesses, without having direct confirmation.
As the anchor stayed silent, the discussions among the students intensified.
"You think the topper would be among the commoners too?"
"Nah! Not a chance... I think."
The students had now grown doubtful of the social hierarchy they were used to.
"But that guy Noah—he's a human."
"Damn! That's crazy."
"Yeah, hope the ranker is from some other race."
"Yeah."
Many of the students from other races were now serious about the possible outcome of there being two human rankers.
It wasn't about ranking at the academy itself, but the greater stakes that it held in the world.
Humans already had the advantage of having huge populations, and now adding to that...
Noah's existence itself now had the chance to make things better for humans in general.
The 'what if' question still lingered in their minds.
As more and more theories about world politics were being raised, the headmaster stood from his chair, moving towards the podium.
Seeing that, the entire auditorium went silent.
Noah too had a questioning look on his face.
He was enjoying his talk with the headmaster when the latter abruptly stood up.
'Let me make the announcement,' was what he said.
Noah was confused.
The headmaster always gave the impression of treating students equally, no matter their race or status in society.
But at the moment, Noah could clearly feel the favouritism that the headmaster was displaying towards a particular student.
Noah would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of the individual who had ranked first.
But he hadn't expected the headmaster to act in such a way.
Leaving aside the actions of the headmaster, it was the fact that he wasn't even being subtle about it—
That was what made Noah jealous.
Was the ranker really someone who had to be treated in such a way? Heck, even the royals weren't spared from the equal grounds of the academy.
Then why?
Noah's expression turned darker as he saw the headmaster standing at the podium, adjusting the mic to his height.
"With immense pleasure, I must once again welcome you all to the academy."
Nemur greeted the students to gather their attention.
Seeing that the students were now focused, he continued.
"Seeing the growth of youngsters as years turn into decades gives me the joy of being the headmaster of this academy."
Nemur's voice was as sweet as honey.
It was like witnessing a calm stream of water. His soothing voice was pleasing to the ears of every person present in the hall.
It had that magical feeling of being warm while at the same time having a commanding presence.
"This year seems to be no different, with new talents emerging from across our planet. I must once again congratulate Noah for securing second place."
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Another round of applause followed.
Noah gave a polite smile as some students among the crowd cheered for him.
"Without wasting any time, I shall now announce the top recruit of this year, who will also be the de facto student representative of the first years.
And he is also someone who is close to me."
"What?"
"Don't tell me he's the headmaster's grandkid."
"That explains the monstrous talent."
"Isn't this nepotism?"
"You think the headmaster would indulge in such petty things?"
"Well, he might."
"..."
"..."
"Dude! You seriously don't know about that day?"
"This guy's still a kid. Don't you read the news?"
"Just tell me?"
"Leave it."
"Hey!"
"Fuck off."
Anyone who had even a bit of knowledge about the world's history would have known what these students were talking about.
On one unfortunate day, an incident had occurred—
Something which had cemented Nemur Daithra's image as the protector of Equality and Justice.
On the day that a father killed his son...
A father killed his daughter...
And on that very day, a husband ended the life of the very woman he loved.
Nemur let his words sink in.
At first, he had the thought of keeping the thing about Kael being close to him a secret, as he didn't want to make the students think that he had unfairly graded the youngster.
But on second thought, Nemur didn't want to take chances with the unpredictable monster.
Kael could use the same knowledge to his advantage in a twisted way.
Of course, as Kael's guardian, Nemur didn't have any issue with it... but he knew better than to leave any possible risks unaddressed.
"Cough..."
Clearing his throat, he brought the auditorium to complete silence again.
"With a total score of one thousand points, the first place goes to—
Kael Frost."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The entire auditorium held its breath as the headmaster announced the much-awaited result.
A score of one thousand points...
It literally meant the system could no longer judge the potential of the student who had surpassed its expectations.
The royals this time couldn't control the expressions on their faces.
One thousand points?
If the headmaster had been someone else, it would have sparked questions about the legitimacy of the result.
But...
Who could doubt a Sovereign?
And Nemur Daithra, no less.
Whoever this monster was—
It was as clear as day.
The world would no longer be the same.
As the reality sank into the minds of everyone, the next question that appeared was about the identity of the student.
Everyone turned their gazes to the front seats where the royals of the Veltran Empire sat beside—
The Frosts.
Kael Frost...
The name wasn't new to anybody. Anyone with a decent interest in global affairs would know who the mentioned individual was.
The former heir of House Frost.
The fallen, as many called him.
Kael's reputation of being an incompetent heir had been widespread in most places, as the Frosts had always been prime players in global politics.
As more and more students turned their attention to the Frost youngsters at the front, the doors of the auditorium opened with a resounding thud.
Every eye turned to the entrance.
Tap. Tap.
A youth stepped through the door, the sound of his steps echoing through the auditorium.
He walked with an elegance that couldn't be taught.
Every step commanded attention.
The sharp features of his face were enhanced by dark black hair that fell over his forehead.
His black eyes magnified his presence to another height.
He didn't feel intimidating, but...
No one could argue against the quiet yet subtle pressure that oozed from his body.
It wasn't his power that people felt...
No.
It was his elegance that bowed their heads.
Something so refined that it even put royals to shame.
Chapter 70: Equality
I could hear Noah's speech as I stood just outside the doors of the auditorium.
Noah's warm voice sounded really modest for someone who had broken the previous record for the academy entrance tests and had now secured second place in the academy.
He appeared like the perfect kid whom you simply couldn't hate.
But I knew better.
The Noah from the game wasn't a simple hero character.
If analysed from a neutral perspective, his character was one of the most complex in the game.
I didn't have a good opinion of him.
The only word to describe him would be—
A hypocrite.
That was his real self.
Noah's refusal to accept his incompetence had always led to the deaths of many main characters who could have been useful in the later arcs.
But as the hypocrite he was, he didn't take the blame upon himself.
Rather, he would vent his frustration on the villains, shifting the entire narrative to his side.
Of course, he didn't do it intentionally.
That was just how the character named Noah was designed to be.
He hated the nobles the most.
For him, they were the sole reason for his hardships.
Though that didn't stop him from adding the royals and other main characters—most of them being nobles—into his harem.
A true hypocrite.
Still, Noah always portrayed himself as everyone's saviour—helping people no matter what the situation was.
That had led him to become one of the most popular and widely liked individuals in the entire world.
The nobles and the commoners alike had taken a liking to his chivalrous nature.
There had always been a question plaguing my mind since arriving in this world.
I had been unsure about the stance that I needed to take with the game's protagonist.
Should I go by the normal norm and befriend him?
But that came with its own risks.
Being a friend of the protagonist never ends on a positive note.
You would enjoy the privilege of having a strong backer, but that would also increase the chances of being dragged into conflicts that had no relation to you.
Changing the plot of the story for one's survival was something that didn't interest me.
I mean, even with his madness, Kael was one of the strongest villains in the game.
His death had occurred at the very end of the game—or the possible end that many gamers had assumed it to be.
So I didn't have the fear of dying anytime soon due to some predetermined plot.
And even if the plot had dictated an early death—with the current forces under my control—I didn't think there was any powerhouse who could kill me without mutual destruction.
Leaving the facts aside, I myself was now strong enough to fight against any threats that could emerge in the academy.
I had thought of controlling Noah to serve my purpose by being close to him...
But hearing his speech, a new solution had popped into my mind.
There was no need to control Noah.
His actions themselves would direct him to his required place... on my board.
Noah's speech had also answered one of the other issues that was bugging me.
The question about my image in the academy.
What should I be for the students?
Haa...
I was ready.
Noah's speech was met with a huge round of applause from the audience.
I waited for my name to be announced...
After a long pause, I could hear the voice of the...
Headmaster?
Why was he announcing the results? And—
What the hell?!
The bastard just disclosed our relation. Couldn't he have kept it secret for some time?
Tsk.
Still, he hadn't said anything about being my guardian.
Sigh.
I really was going to do something unexpected... but a potential investment, I would say.
"With a total score of one thousand points, the first place goes to—Kael Frost."
I waited for a moment before pushing the doors open.
What greeted me was the sight of the headmaster standing on the podium, looking in my direction with his usual smile.
As I made my way toward the stage, the audience was unusually quiet.
I didn't bother looking at them, as my eyes were focused on the podium.
Though I could feel a couple of intense gazes directed at me.
I could guess who they belonged to... but I chose to ignore them—
For now.
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I climbed the stairs, the sound of my steps echoing through the hall.
The silence felt a little awkward, but I didn't let it affect me.
Before approaching the headmaster, I shook hands with all the people sitting on the stage.
I extended my hand before any of them could initiate the handshake.
Not even for a second did I want these people to congratulate me.
They were just pests who had been privileged enough to stand before me... and not the other way around.
I had to establish my dominance, however subtle it might be.
Each of them reciprocated my gesture... though their reactions were a sight to see.
I had, after all, set a record that could be broken by none. And my identity might have been the other factor behind the astonishment in their gazes.
As I moved forward, I was met with a pair of positive eyes...
But all I could see was the face of someone who had been washed with the water of reality.
Despite his reluctance, Noah still had a warm look on his face as he shook my hand with a polite smile.
"Congratulations, brother! You are just something else. A thousand points—that's a monstrous score."
Noah's voice, filled with positivity, crashed against my eardrums.
"I guess I still have a lot to learn."
He spoke as if he was genuinely impressed by me. Though fake, his voice had a hint of admiration to it...
"You do."
I replied with an equally polite expression... but not a smile.
My mouth just refused to budge.
Not expecting such a reply, Noah was flustered for a second.
Not waiting to hear his next words, I made my way to the next person.
On my side, I had given Noah the same attention as everyone else.
After all, I believed in equality!
The headmaster shook my hand as I stood straight on the podium, facing the audience.
"Greetings, everyone!"
And here my act began...
Chapter 71: Pioneer
"Greetings, everyone!" I steadied my voice.
"The ceremony might have been unique enough to have drained the life out of everyone here."
My statement earned a few chuckles from the audience.
"I won't take much of your time. Firstly, as the new student representative, I must welcome you all on behalf of the academy."
I said while giving a brief glance to the headmaster, who stood a few feet away from me.
There were some claps among the audience, leading to everyone appreciating my welcome.
"On my way here, I heard our fellow batchmate speaking his mind at this very place."
My gaze drifted towards where Noah sat.
Not knowing how to respond, Noah waved his hand once.
Fool!
"He spoke about being grateful to the academy for letting students like him learn at this esteemed institute along with everyone else."
I knew where I was going with my statements.
"And his words—they just touched my heart in ways I didn't know."
My voice was steady, as was my expression.
I found it against my character to speak something like this before such a huge crowd, but I had to do it.
As for the students... none of them interrupted my speech. They listened with interest—curious to know what a noble like me thought.
"I realized the hardships that a common man has to endure in this world just to fulfil the mere necessity of being formally trained and educated—what I believe is one of the most basic rights that every individual deserves, irrespective of his origins and race."
My words seemed to have hit the mark, as many students nodded in approval.
Most of them being commoners.
What I said wasn't anything new to them... but being spoken from the mouth of someone like me—a noble, and from House Frost no less—had its own importance.
"For the people who have great ambitions and the talent to back them, but are limited due to their financial condition..."
I paused for a moment to let them understand my words on a deeper level.
"The academy certainly provides you with the required scholarships to fund your tuition fees while at the same time allowing you to afford good housing and food. This may sound good on paper, but trust me, getting stronger on the path to power requires more than just having such basic facilities."
The commoners had a look of realization on their faces as they started to think about their possible futures.
"And it pains me to see the immense loss of talent that we suffer from year after year, only due to the obstacle that monetary wealth creates in your lives."
I had a serious expression on my face... like I genuinely cared for the future of the masses—
And I really did!
Cough...
"So thinking about the situation, I have taken the liberty to make things better for you."
Silence.
Be it the nobles, commoners, or the staff from the academy... each of them was glued to their seats, waiting to hear my next words.
As a Frost, my statement had a legitimacy that couldn't be ignored, irrespective of the rumours about me that had been widely circulated in the world a few years ago.
In order to buy things in the academy, besides the scholarships, the commoners had to earn what they called Merit Points—the base currency used in the academy.
And for that, they had to invest a huge chunk of their time in completing jobs that mostly didn't benefit them individually.
So investing in these pitiful creatures while they were still at their lowest... was the best possible decision that I could come up with at the moment.
It might not be the most effective, but it was certainly a reasonable choice.
As Kael, I had to have a good image in the world so as not to be associated with X—if by some chance the events in the future turned out against my interests.
I didn't like being a hero.
It was beneath me.
But that didn't mean I had to be a villain either.
I could play between the lines without committing to a single side.
And people forgive neutrality more than having a commitment to something and not fulfilling it.
As for why I was supporting the commoners...
History has been a spectator to the fall of many great empires and their rulers, only because the masses had turned against them.
No matter how strong you are... at the end of the day, it is these masses that make you the ruler you project yourself as.
You can't be a ruler if you don't have anyone to rule over.
That was why having a good image before these masses was a more practical approach than randomly boasting about my superiority before them and being cold without reason.
No matter the world, I have always been pragmatic in my approach.
"I may not be able to fund all your expenses... but I can say with confidence that I will strive to support you to the utmost of my capabilities."
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Woah."
"Damn, he's good at heart, man!"
"Yeah. As they say, never judge a book by its cover."
"Fuck those rumours."
The students cheered at my proclamation.
I could see the quiet expressions on the students sitting at the front—royals, perhaps.
I had a good amount of wealth generated from D.X.'s sources. But that didn't mean I would exhaust my money on these... people.
I just had to make an announcement... the rest would soon follow.
After my statement, none of the royals or any of the people in power would be able to stay silent.
They would have to start their own charity campaigns in order to look like the rulers the public expected them to be.
And...
The money they would invest going forward would be, one way or another, attached to my own name.
Heh.
People only remember the pioneers.
This was how the world worked—
And I would make sure it worked the way it should!
Chapter 72: Student Council
The total course of the academy was up to a period of five years.
So the fifth-year students were the senior-most in the academy.
Each year had its own student representative, who was also part of the student council.
The student council at Namda was the strongest regulating body just below the Headmaster and the Senior Instructors.
It had the power to punish students in cases of misconduct... irrespective of the given student's potential and talent.
Most of the nobles who studied at Namda had a wide range of influence in the real world. Still, none of them were spared from the jurisdiction of the student council.
The student council had many limitations before expelling a student, which was considered one of the highest forms of punishment that could be given to an individual.
Still, having the right to execute such power was in itself a testament to the authority of the student council on the grounds of Namda.
The council was presided over by the President, who in most cases was a fifth-year student.
Just below the President was the Vice President of the council, who had powers nearly equivalent to the President.
Then came the various committees, including but not limited to the disciplinary committee, which was the foremost group that worked to maintain the prestige of the academy and punish any wrongdoers.
The student council had a permanent hall allotted to them for conducting their day-to-day activities.
The hall in question was currently occupied as a meeting was being held with the Vice President as the chairperson.
"Yes ma'am."
"I have completed my part too. The request will be forwarded to the Alchemy Department."
A total of thirty students sat across a rectangular table—reporting the recent tasks that were being completed under the name of the council.
At the far end of the table were two chairs, slightly bigger in size than the rest.
At the moment, one of the two chairs with the initials V.P. printed on its rear was occupied by a girl in her twenties.
Her skin was smooth as glass, complemented by the sharp features of her face.
Her black hair was tied in a high bow, with her nape visible for all to see.
The girl sat with elegance... one foot crossed over the other in a refined manner.
The movement of her hands felt smooth as she signed a document before her. Her eyes were a deep shade of black... complemented by her equally dark hair... the signature of a particular House—
The Frosts.
The girl in question was none other than the eldest daughter of the Frost Dukedom—
Victoria Frost.
"Where is the data for the scholarships being awarded this year?"
Victoria asked her assistant without taking her eyes off the reports that she was going through.
"Umm... They are being withheld by the academy due to unforeseen changes in the funds that were to be allocated for the scholarships."
A girl standing close to Victoria answered in a measured tone.
Ella White... one of the top rankers in the fifth year, was a girl of value.
At least for Victoria.
Despite being older than Victoria, Ella had accepted to be her assistant.
Not only due to Victoria being a Frost, but also because Victoria was her close friend.
Normally, the position of Vice President was given to students from the senior-most class in the academy, but the current President had found Victoria more suitable for the job.
There had been some opposition to the decision, but that had been shut down by Victoria's achievements, which never seemed to end.
Not only was she one of the strongest individuals in the academy despite being a third-year student, but she also had leadership skills that could be called top-notch in any part of the world.
"Changes?"
Victoria thought she had misheard the statement.
After all, the funds for scholarships were decided long before the new year began... and adding any new changes to them wasn't something the academy would do on a whim.
"Yes. There have been some... new sources of donations."
Hearing about donations, Victoria raised her head to look at her assistant.
The scholarship amount allotted for the commoners was a massive sum. For the academy to make official changes to it...
The donations had to be of some hefty amount.
But why now?
Why would someone go out of their way to help some students... commoners, no less?
Seeing that Victoria kept looking at her, Ella took it as a sign to explain further.
"At the entrance ceremony that was held today, a noble suggested it and had been the first one to offer the donations."
Victoria thought for a moment.
Was this some political game to increase his influence in the academy?
But why would the Headmaster allow something like that?
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Namda had always boasted itself as a neutral institute with no affiliation to any of the major powers in the world.
"Who was it?"
"..."
Ella didn't reply.
Seeing the hesitation on her face intrigued Victoria even more.
"Tell me."
Victoria's voice was calm... but no one in the room could deny the subtle command that pressed against their soul.
Victoria never raised her voice... but her words had always been enough to make people do her bidding.
She just had that kind of presence.
Something that didn't need validation but was widely acknowledged.
A leader from birth, as they called her.
Ella looked into Victoria's eyes before shifting her gaze away to avoid eye contact.
She wasn't afraid of Victoria.
No.
Why would one of the top rankers in the senior-most year be scared of a girl two years younger than her?
It was just Victoria's gaze that was hard to return.
"Cough... Well, it was your younger brother."
"Hm?
Kevin? Why would he—"
"No! Not him," Ella interrupted her.
For the first time, Victoria had a trace of confusion on her face. Before she could clarify Ella's answer, the latter responded first.
"Your first brother, the eldest one—Kael...
Kael Frost."
Chapter 73: Dream [1]
"Hurry up or else there will be no food left for us."
Soi urged the kid beside him.
It was Soi's ninth birthday in the orphanage. And he wanted to join the rest of his friends for the dinner that the orphanage had arranged for him.
His patience was beginning to wear off as his best friend was taking longer than necessary to get ready for the dinner.
The boy whom Soi was waiting for was currently styling his black hair in the mirror.
And it was for the hundredth time that he had adjusted the white shades of his hair to mix in with the black ones.
Noah had such mismatching hair since birth. But compared to what others believed, Noah liked his hair.
For him, it was something unique that differentiated him from the rest.
"Just a minute."
Noah shouted from the bathroom.
"That was the twentieth time you said the same thing."
Soi let out a frustrated groan.
"Yeah. Only a minute."
Noah whispered in a barely audible tone.
Soi's shoulders dropped in resignation. He sat on the nearby chair... waiting.
"Done."
Noah emerged with a bright smile on his face.
"For real?!"
Soi just stared at him.
"Yeah... I guess." Noah checked his clothes once before making his way towards the door.
Shaking his head, Soi followed him.
They soon reached a small hall, with a worn-out table placed in the centre. Children of various ages sat across the table wearing birthday hats.
Seeing Soi arrive, all of them began to clap in excitement.
As the orphanage was always stretched thin on the funds available at their disposal, celebrating a birthday was a luxury for the kids.
It was only once in a while that someone's birthday was celebrated with a huge dinner and a... cake.
And there was hardly any kid who disliked cakes.
Soi took his seat at the far end of the table, while Noah sat beside him.
"Happy birthday, Soi."
"Big brother... gift."
A kid around five years of age approached Soi with a small toy in her hand.
The toy was neatly packed with ribbons.
Soi had a look of surprise when he saw the toy.
"Hey, isn't that your favourite one?"
Soi had seen the kid play with it several times.
"My g-gift!"
Stumbling with her words, she placed the toy on Soi's lap.
The gesture earned a few chuckles from the older children.
Not wanting to upset the kid anymore, Soi took the little toy in his hand and patted the kid's head.
"Thank you, Nina."
Nina smiled in return. She had always been an introvert in nature.
It was Soi who had made her open up to the other kids of her age.
Though younger in age, Soi had always been a support for every kid in the orphanage.
Each kid was given a small allowance every two or three months, for them to spend on themselves.
Many times the allowance would be postponed for months when the orphanage had a shortage of funds.
Soi would always share his own allowance with the younger kids without caring for his own happiness.
Seeing others' smiles was the only joy he ever needed.
Soi was someone that Noah always looked up to. He wanted to be like him someday.
Someone on whom you could rely.
"Oh my! Everyone seems ready for the party."
A woman entered the hall with a small cake in her hand. She was in her forties, with her hair catching up to her age.
Everyone called her Aunt Jenna by habit. No one knew her real name, but Jenna was a name that she had taken while working for the orphanage.
Only the older kids and the staff at the orphanage knew about her circumstances.
She had been a noble before... but her house had been executed for some crime that she didn't want to discuss.
The execution wasn't held in public, so very few knew about its details.
That had made Jenna a mystery for everyone when she first volunteered to work in the orphanage.
But soon her caring nature and motherly vibes made everyone comfortable with her.
Aunt Jenna had become a favourite among the kids in her first year at the orphanage.
Everyone made way for her as she moved towards Soi and placed the cake on the table before him.
"Happy birthday, dear." Patting his head, Aunt Jenna clapped for everyone to take their seats.
Soi blew the candles and cut the cake... the party began.
The children sang songs in chorus... their tones didn't match, but they still tried to voice out their excitement in one way or another.
Jenna took a small pouch out of her coat and handed it to Soi.
"Here, your birthday allowance."
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Soi's eyes widened as he glanced at the sum in the pouch. It wasn't much, but for a kid in the orphanage it was like a year's allowance.
"Aunt, this..."
Soi hesitated before accepting the gift. He glanced at the kids, and as he was about to speak—
"Brother, we don't want it."
"Yes. I also have my previous savings."
"Uhh... I don't like money."
"..."
"..."
"Hey! At least say something believable." A nearby kid whispered.
Seeing the little exchange, Soi chuckled.
"Take it. You always give your part to others, so I had to squeeze this from the funds.
And before you say anything, it wasn't my goodwill but your right. You deserve it."
Aunt Jenna stopped any resistance before Soi could voice his thoughts.
"Just take it, idiot. I want to eat the cake already."
Noah grumbled from his side.
Smack!
"Oyy!" Noah rubbed his head in annoyance.
Seeing his theatrics, Soi smiled.
"Is that how you talk to your senior?"
Realising what he said, Noah's face turned pale.
"No, s-sir."
Jenna just observed their exchange in silence.
She just wanted these kids to enjoy their lives without worrying about anything.
But reality had always been harsh on kids like them.
Jenna just hoped that such moments of happiness would last forever.
But as always—
Fate had other plans.
Chapter 74: Dream [2]
"Couldn't we visit later?"
Noah complained.
Nina wanted to visit the market today, so Soi had suggested the three of them go together.
As for Nina's insistence, she wanted to buy some candies for Soi that she had seen the other noble kids eat.
And Soi, being himself, didn't refuse the request—or more accurately, the threat—from the little girl.
Soi didn't reply to Noah's grumbling, as it was an everyday thing for him.
Noah would always complain from time to time about any random thing.
His mood swings had no logic.
Soi remembered that one time when Noah simply refused to bathe for an entire week.
The reason being...
Water wasn't blue?!
Now the logic behind that statement was still a mystery to this day.
"There!"
Soi was brought out of his thoughts by Nina's adorable voice as she pointed at a stall on the right side of the street.
Well, calling it a stall would have been an understatement, as it was something closer to a shop.
"Uh, Nina..."
Soi hesitated while looking at the stall. He didn't want to upset the girl, but seeing the line of young nobles before the shop made him think twice.
When Nina had informed him about the candies, Soi had taken it as some sort of food that was in demand, but he never imagined it to be exclusive to this stall.
"Nina, let's go somewhere else, okay? The line here is long; you will tire your legs out."
Soi tried to convince Nina, but...
"B-Brother?"
Her puppy eyes made Soi change his decision.
Glancing at Noah once, who now had a serious look on his face, Soi made his way to the stall.
They waited for nearly thirty minutes before being able to place their orders.
As the stall owner was preparing the candies for them, a young noble pushed Nina aside, who was standing behind Soi.
"Aah!"
Nina fell on her knees.
"Nina!"
Seeing her, both Soi and Noah rushed towards her to make sure she was fine.
As Nina looked at them, her eyes grew moist.
Noah made her stand, dusting the clothes at the same time.
"Oyy! What was that for?"
Soi asked, looking at the noble.
"Huh. You have a sharp tongue for filth."
The young noble, who appeared to be around twelve years of age, barked at Soi.
"They need to be taught a lesson to know their places."
The kids beside the noble, supposedly his friends, backed him up as they moved toward Soi.
Soi knew it would have been a bad choice to confront them, but seeing Nina suffering due to their arrogance angered him.
He stepped forward, but before speaking, his eyes grew darker.
The guards accompanying the nobles stepped in between.
"Bring that girl over here," the young noble ordered his guards.
Nodding their heads, they pushed Soi aside and grabbed Nina by her hands.
"Stop, you bastards!"
Noah tried to resist, but the guards quickly overwhelmed him.
One of them grabbed Noah by his head and slammed him into the ground, stopping him from doing anything foolish before the young lord.
While the other guard dragged Nina, not caring for her condition.
"We will report you! Stop this instant."
Soi tried to protest but was stopped with a punch to his core.
"Cough..."
Blood spilled from his mouth, but his eyes never left Nina.
"Stop, please..."
He pleaded, but words without power were meaningless.
"L-Leave me. Go away!"
Nina protested, her eyes welling up as the guard dropped her before the young lord.
"Oh! Look at this pretty face. She will grow to become a fine woman."
The young lord laughed in amusement, with the other kids joining him.
"Bro... Should we just take her?"
"Yeah. My cottage is free at the moment."
"Hehhe... Why refuse a free slave?"
One of the kids licked his lips in excitement.
Seeing their exchange, anger boiled in Noah's mind... but he was powerless to resist.
"Aaghhh!"
As Noah tried to lift himself, the guard slammed him into the ground again.
"Hey, look here."
The young lord lifted Nina's face by her chin.
As Nina looked up to meet his gaze—
Slap!
"Nina!"
"Nina!"
Both Soi and Noah shouted at the same time.
A deep red mark appeared on her right cheek.
"You see... I love equality!"
Slap!
The young lord slapped the other cheek to even out the hand marks that literally glowed on her previously bright skin.
More tears spilled from Nina's eyes.
"Sorry... Hic... It hurts... Sniff."
Nina whimpered under the stinging pain on both sides of her face.
The young noble kid kept observing her for a few moments, and—
Slap!
Slap!
"Heehhaaha!"
Slap!
Slap!
One after the other, his hand moved in rhythmic motions, slapping the little girl's face until it became a shade of blue from the accumulated injuries.
Nina's eyes had swollen up under the rapid slaps that hit her left and right.
The noble then grabbed her by her hair and—
Bam!
Slammed her face into his knee.
"Stop!"
Noah's shouts were drowned by the chuckles from all the noble kids present at the scene.
Blood began to flow from Nina's nose, her head dropping...
Thud!
Her body then dropped to the ground.
"Huh? I hadn't even begun the show."
The young lord shoved his boot onto Nina's face, which was parallel to the ground.
"Oyy! Wake up."
He repeatedly stamped her head, but...
No response.
Nina didn't move an inch.
"Tsk. Filthy commoners... Can't even last a second."
The young lord had a disappointed look on his face.
One of the guards who stood nearby approached the girl to wake her up. He knew his lord's tendencies... and attracting trouble was his everyday habit.
Not wanting these commoners to suffer more, he moved his hand toward the girl, who he felt had fallen unconscious from the strike.
"Huh?!"
The guard froze as his hand lingered on the girl's neck, checking for her pulse.
"What? Let's go. And—"
"Master... S-She's dead."
The guard interrupted the young lord's words.
"..."
"..."
Chapter 75: Nightmare
The other guards tensed up upon hearing that.
Though the nobles had higher authority in the empire compared to the masses...
Murder was still considered a serious crime irrespective of the status of the individual killed.
The situation... It had escalated beyond control.
"What nonsense is that? I had just hit her once."
The young lord raised his voice in annoyance.
"How could someone die from that?!"
Behind the mask was fear.
No matter who he killed... A murder was a murder.
"Master, let's move from here. We will clear the scene, you just have to—"
"You bastards! Do you even realise the limits of your cruelty?"
Soi growled at the guards who began to escort their lord out of the place.
He picked up his body from the ground.
"Tsk. Commoner, do you want to die too?" The noble kid began to move towards Soi, but was stopped by the guards.
He might have felt the fear of the possible consequences of his actions... But his ego blinded him again.
"Master, the lord won't be happy." An elder guard in his forties tried to reason with their young lord.
Hearing about his father seemed to have knocked some sense into the kid, as he turned to leave the place.
Tears began to spill from Soi's eyes as he looked at Nina's lifeless body. He had to at least take her to the orphanage for a proper funeral.
Soi turned to look at Noah, but his pupils dilated the moment he laid his gaze on the latter.
Noah had gripped a stone in his hand, his gaze never leaving the retreating figure of the young noble.
"Noah, sto—"
Thwack!
"Argghh!"
The stone landed squarely on the young lord's face, blood spilling from his forehead.
The nearby guards had been tense due to the death of the little girl. Most of them were engrossed in thought, trying to find possible solutions to remedy the situation.
That had led them to become negligent, as their senses couldn't track the projectile that was hurled at their lord.
And the other thing being, none of them expected the commoners to gather the courage to harm a noble.
"Young master?!"
"Are you okay?"
"Lie down quickly!"
The guards panicked as blood flowed continuously from the wound.
Soi, seeing the situation getting out of hand, moved before the guards could turn their attention toward them.
He stood close to Noah, his knees on the ground, as he mimicked the act of throwing.
"Soi, what are you—"
"Shut up for a moment, please!" Soi let out a forced whisper.
Once the guards confirmed their master's condition, their attention shifted toward the culprit.
As they looked back, all they could see was the older of the two boys on the ground, his hands holding another batch of stones, ready to attack them at a moment's notice.
Two guards moved to teach the kid another lesson, but the senior guard had another thought.
"Bring him with us. Attacking a noble... An heir, no less, is a grave crime and shall be punished by the authorities. We can use the situation to frame him for the girl's death."
Noah's eyes widened upon hearing the guard's statement.
He messed up... Didn't he?
Soi too had a look of realization, but now...
He couldn't back down.
"Noah, hey! Listen to me."
Soi turned to face Noah, who had a lost look on his face.
Soi shook him by his arm.
"Hey! Take Nina to the orphanage. I will try to make it back as soon as possible. And—"
"How?"
Noah's voice broke.
"Listen—"
"How the hell are you coming back?! Let me go—"
Slap!
A red mark appeared on Noah's face.
"Do as I say. Is that clear?"
Noah stood frozen for a moment.
"Sniff... Yes, sir."
Soi's gaze hardened as he looked into Noah's lifeless eyes.
Before they could talk further, the guards grabbed Soi by his neck and picked him up from the ground.
"Hey!" Noah tried to raise his voice but was stopped by Soi's gaze.
He then moved towards where Nina was and bent down to check on her.
Though from Soi's reaction he could tell that Nina was probably dead... He wanted to see for himself.
The guard who had grabbed Soi chopped at his neck to knock the boy out.
"Let's go."
Giving a final glance at the two kids, the guards, along with the noble kids, left the place.
"Nina."
Noah just sat there, holding Nina's body close to him.
He remembered Soi's instructions, but his body felt too heavy to move.
Noah felt lost about the entire ordeal.
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They had just wanted to enjoy today like all other kids... Was that too much to ask?
Why did everything have to happen to them?
Was it a sin to be an orphan?!
Just why...
"Hah!"
"Huff... Huff..."
Noah abruptly woke up from his sleep.
"Haa... Haa..."
He kept taking deep breaths to steady his heart, which was beating like crazy.
The same dream...
It had been ten years since he kept dreaming the same thing.
No! It wasn't a dream.
That was a nightmare for Noah.
A nightmare that he wished to forget, but the memory was so deep that it refused to leave his soul.
Nina had died that day.
Noah had carried her to the orphanage in hopes of saving her. His mind knew that she was dead, but his heart refused to accept it.
He begged several healers to salvage the situation through any means possible.
But reality had already made itself clear.
Nina was dead...
If only he had been stronger!
Noah wanted to grieve for her death, to let himself suffer for his incompetence...
But he still had other things to do.
It had been a day since the funeral, but Soi didn't return.
Noah had waited for him... He went to the authorities, demanding Soi's release.
But...
The answer he received was the last point that completely broke him.
Soi had been brought to the authorities for investigation, but he had mysteriously disappeared from the jail the next day.
A search was sent for him... But he was nowhere to be found.
Since that day, Noah had never seen Soi again.
Chapter 76: Academy Life
It had been three days since the ceremony ended.
And right after that, the Headmaster had asked for the donations that I would be giving to the commoners.
Couldn't he have waited a bit?
Did I look that untrustworthy?!
Though I didn't tell him the exact date, the Headmaster didn't say anything.
And here I was in my room...
The room was about half the size of my room at the Frost Dukedom... At least that was what I had remembered from Kael's memories.
I now had a better grasp of what type of life Kael had lived. Though I knew it from the game... There was a difference between knowing and actually feeling those memories.
But the interesting part was—I didn't feel like those memories were changing my own emotions.
Or had my emotions already been changed?
That couldn't be possible...
After all, I didn't feel any identity crisis. I was X and Kael was me—
Huh?!
Something felt off... But at times like this, I had never been able to point it out.
Leaving that aside, today was my first day at the academy.
I glanced at the mirror once, and a pair of black eyes stared back at me.
I had worn a white shirt and a blue blazer to complement my already handsome looks...
Well, at least that was the dress code of the academy.
Additionally, the blazer—or the coat... whatever this thing was called—had shades of black printed across it that gave it a really rich and... intimidating look.
This was a feature only available to the students in the top class of the academy.
The S Class.
And this was the very place where the entire main cast of the game would be present.
I would be studying with the very characters that I had played with.
Haa...
Rubbing my palms, I opened the door and stepped out.
My academy life had finally begun.
***
"Wahhhh... Brother...
Sniff... hic..."
A girl of around nine years sat leaning against the bark of a tree.
Her knee had been injured, and the pain made her unable to walk.
Alicia had just thought to go on a stroll, but she had tripped while walking.
"Brother... Sniff..."
She kept shouting for her brother.
Normally, whenever she needed him, he would appear beside her. But right now...
No matter how many times she called for him... He simply didn't appear.
It had been a month since her brother had started to behave weirdly.
Nowadays, he would rarely come to eat dinner with them.
Alicia didn't know what had happened, but her father and big brother would constantly argue with each other.
Father always had a bad look on his face when he saw Brother Kael before him.
As for Kael, he would also have what her elder sister called a displeasing look plastered over his face.
Alicia didn't know the exact meaning of the word, but she did know that the word was meant to be a bad one.
"Hic... sniff... Brother...
It's hurting..."
Alicia wanted her family to go back to how they previously were. All eating together, smiling together.
Though elder sister Victoria would play with her along with Kevin, Alicia could notice a hint of anxiety on her sister's face.
It wasn't visible for everyone to see, but Alicia knew her sister very well.
When Alicia had asked her sister about it, she had just replied with a small smile.
"It's going to be alright." That was what she had said.
But Alicia could feel nothing was going good.
"Alicia! What have you been doing here?"
As Alicia was thinking about her family, Kevin's high-pitched voice brought her back to reality.
Kevin had come for her... Not Big Brother.
Yes... For Alicia, this was her new reality.
She really wanted to change this into the dream that she always had.
A dream of her family being together again.
"That was why I keep telling you not to run away on your own."
Kevin had a worried look on his face as he wrapped Alicia's injured knee with the handkerchief in his pocket.
Alicia just never listened to anyone... Except Brother Kael.
Whenever Kevin saw Alicia crying... He would always find his brother near her.
But now—That was a past that had long been washed away.
In the Frost Dukedom, only the men were allowed to inherit the throne. That was why, as the second in line, Kevin knew more than his sister Alicia.
Father had wanted Kael to train harder... So as to become capable of ruling over the Frost Duchy.
But Kael just refused.
Kevin didn't understand his brother's decision.
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Kael didn't even have to train to death. Father just wanted him to at least become capable enough of defending himself and also not appear weak in public.
But Brother Kael had been adamant about his decision.
And with each passing day, that had increased the fracture between Father and Big Brother.
As Kevin managed to stop Alicia's bleeding somehow—well, there were some efforts on his part, but the rest was done by her body itself, as it quickly clotted the blood in the injured area.
Both Kevin and Alicia had high self-healing capabilities since their births.
That was to show the insane potential of their bodies for higher forms of power.
It wasn't like their recovery was magical... It was just far faster than humans at their age and core rank.
"Here, take my hand."
Kevin guided Alicia as she slowly stood under his support.
"Now walk slowly, okay!"
"Y-yes... sniff."
Alicia whispered in a low voice.
Her body had lost all its energy from crying so long.
Though Alicia was silent, her eyes kept wandering over the surroundings...
Hoping to search for a certain someone.
She desperately hoped that he would appear now... Maybe he was busy with some work and couldn't come.
Maybe Father had asked him to complete some task.
Maybe...
Somewhere deep in her soul, Alicia knew she was just chasing something that was never meant to happen.
But no matter what her mind told... When your soul yearned for warmth—
It would do its best to find it.
No matter how hopeless the battle was!
Chirp-chirp-chirp!
The sound of birds drifted in the tranquility of the cold morning.
A pair of dark black eyes opened as the girl woke up from her sleep.
As she sat on the bed, her blonde hair fell across her shoulder, giving her a mesmerizing look even in such a state.
"That was just a dream..."
Alicia muttered as a single tear slid down her cheek.
Chapter 77: Mana Creation
I was late.
I had tried my best, but this academy has a weird structure... Or was I bad at directions?
I was currently standing before the door to my class, with a sign showing S Class above it.
I could hear an adult's clear voice, probably the teacher.
Haa...
Steeling myself, I pushed open the door.
The class shifted its attention toward me.
"Student Frost... You are late."
The female standing at the podium spoke in a measured tone.
Her red hair freely flowed up to her waist with curls in between.
Elsa Senor—A senior instructor at the academy. At this time her rank should have been around... Diamond 2.
I just nodded at her words before walking through the entrance.
If it had been someone else, they would have surely received a good amount of scolding and a session about discipline.
Elsa was the typical strict teacher at the academy.
Only because I was the top ranker, a Frost, and it being the first day of the academy seemed to have saved me.
There were a seat or two empty in the first row, but avoiding them completely, I moved towards the back.
The front seats were always reserved by the scholar students... And I certainly wasn't one.
I mean, there had to be a difference between a scholar and a genius!
As I moved to the far end of the class, everyone's gaze was focused on my back.
I didn't need some monstrous senses to feel that.
And when I returned it, the students quickly avoided eye contact, not wanting to offend me.
Hehhe.
This felt good.
There was an empty seat at the far right corner that I was currently moving towards.
Taking the seat, I placed my backpack down... and focused my gaze on Elsa, who was also looking back at me.
"So where were we?"
"Mana creation," a student at the front answered.
Scholars!
"Yes, mana creation. So as I was saying, all the research so far has only concluded one thing—
Mana can neither be created nor be destroyed."
Elsa paused as a girl raised her hand.
"Yes?"
"If mana cannot be created, then how is the mana used by us replenished in the world?"
A valid question, to which many nodded their heads in understanding.
"That was quite a good question, Miss..."
"Amelia," the girl spoke up.
"So Miss Amelia, if you think carefully about the question you asked, then you will find the answer in the question itself."
Amelia had a serious look on her face as she tried to remember the specifics of her question.
A total nerd.
I too was engaged in my own thoughts, but not about the class...
This girl—Amelia, she was supposed to be some main or near-to-main-level character in the game.
But I couldn't exactly remember her background.
Hm?
I looked at the student to my left. What was the need to remember if there was a boy next to me?
Boys may not be able to excel in all fields, but one thing was for sure—
These bastards always had every girl's name along with her entire background etched in their minds.
Honestly, I wasn't one of them.
I was what one could call...
A gentleman.
"Her details?"
"You mean the one with red hair."
Huh.
Now that I see it, Amelia had red hair too, just like Elsa—only hers was on the shorter side, with the top half tied in a ponytail and the rest open, freely flowing up to her shoulders.
It was what they called a Half-Up Ponytail.
It gave Amelia a mature look with hints of being... cute.
But I wasn't the one to care for looks.
I nodded at the guy.
Getting the cue, he began to explain.
"That's Amelia Dracoth... the second princess of House Dracoth. She is the type that's more interested in researching than combat, though I wouldn't deny her combat prowess. As for her hobbies—"
"That's enough."
I patted his shoulder.
Seeing that Amelia still hadn't reached the desired answer, Elsa turned towards the rest of the class.
"Anyone?"
Expecting an answer, she alternated her gaze between each of the top students in the class.
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More preferably the royals... whom she believed could have some knowledge about the subject.
But none of the students could answer.
Weren't these guys supposed to be the top class in the academy?
Elsa's gaze soon found me as her attention turned toward the back.
I could have just remained silent, but...
"The theory answers the question itself."
My voice was low, but the silence in the class was enough for it to be heard by everyone.
Every head turned towards me.
My expression was steady as I kept looking into Elsa's eyes.
"Could you please explain it further, student... Kael."
The answer wasn't anything complicated.
"It is believed that mana can neither be created nor be destroyed. So the basic assumption is that mana just keeps on changing its form."
Elsa nodded with a hint of appreciation in her eyes.
I had said believed to be because the method of mana creation hadn't been discovered... yet.
Seemingly satisfied with my answer, she then went on to explain the rest.
"As student Kael said, mana keeps on changing its form."
Elsa stopped for a moment before conjuring a small fire on the palm of her hand.
"Right now, I have used the mana in my core to create this fire. So the mana transformed from its form in my body to create this," she looked at the fire in her palm.
"Each particle of mana that is used to sustain this fire gets dissolved in nature again. It might be through heat, light, or any effects of the activities for which you have used the mana."
Amelia raised her hand again.
Seeing Elsa nod at her, Amelia stood up.
"But if the mana is used for creating the fire, then shouldn't it vanish entirely? How can it transform and be used at the same time?"
Another valid question, but the answer was still basic.
"There has always been a misconception about the use of mana. Mana can never truly be used. The state of creating a fire in itself is the act of transforming the mana in my reserves."
Amelia tilted her head in confusion.
"You see, we never really use mana, nor can we. We just go through the process of transforming it to get the result that is the desired effect for us. Like in my case, creating a small fire was the desired effect."
Seeing the concept become clear to the students, Elsa continued her session.