After my little impromptu meeting with the Mayor and family, I was allowed to go back to sleep. Adria tried dragging me along to see Tristian, the Vice-Mayor’s son, but thankfully Muriel managed to convince her that I needed to rest. Something I was more than happy to do.

It was decided that if Tristian would attend the academy alongside Adria, then I would be allowed to accompany them both. My status while at the school would see me be bumped up to servant instead of slave. But, of course, I was only a servant in name alone.

I was still very much a slave.

And Lady Keyla made sure to make everything infuriatingly difficult. If she could have had it her way, I’d be shackled to this house for as long as she lived. Probably worse.

When I imagined a family with multiple spouses, this was the kind of thing I imagined happening all the time. Grown adults being vindictive, infighting, and have a lack of family unity. Unfortunately, it seems Padraic and his family are the exceptions to the norm.

An extremely rare case even.

Nonetheless, this was progress. Any type of ground I gain is better than nothing. Perhaps this might even lead me to no longer being a slave, in which case I can be considered a citizen and then promptly “leave.”

Only if it was that easy...

One of the biggest opportunities I was looking forward to was being able to send a message out from this city. I thought about dropping one off while I was in the merchant district, but it was far too difficult of a task. Under the watchful eyes of multiple royal guards and at least two of the three strongest fighters in the city-state, the risk was far too significant.

Much the same would happen if I tried it in the mayor’s district. But at this school, there was a good chance I could slip something out. Even if I could just get the message to ANYONE in Syn’nari, that would be better than nothing. I was thinking of someone, in particular, I would like to contact, but I wasn’t sure where they were exactly. I wonder how I would send a message to a trader who moved around a lot?

The next biggest chance was to learn about the outside world again. My information coming in has been so scarce there could be a war going on outside, and I would have been none the wiser. The only ordinary people that left the mayor’s district regularly were the guards, and unlike my fellow servants, they wanted nothing to do with me.

If I went around trying to question guards even in passing, I would be reported faster than I could climb to the mansion's third floor. I’ve made it this far by trusting in only myself, and I plan to keep it that way.

I only hope that Tristian and his father will agree to the Sandervile’s terms. I don’t see any reason for them to decline such a generous offer from their lord, but you can never be sure.

I suppose I will just have to wait it out.

—

The news came back faster than I could have anticipated. Adria had already come back with Tristian in tow when I awoke that same day. Tristian and his father had agreed to the terms, and it seems the three of us would be attending the academy together.

We would be starting during the winter of the following year since none of us would be ten and a half, which was the cutoff for this year’s winter term. And that would make us nearly eleven years old. Tristian was planning his tenth birthday a few days after Adria’s. It was a shame. The sooner I started, the better.

The two spent the entire day together, so I was somewhat thankful to get a break after the previous long day and early morning fiasco. Tristian seems as kind and amiable as he did at the gathering that night.

He has a humble air around him that doesn’t match his noble position. I suppose if there is a vice-mayor would that make Tristian something akin to a vice-prince? I don’t think it works that way, though…

Tristian had begun visiting the mansion far more often than I expected. It turns out he took some time away from the knight academy so he could do self-study with his father and get some well-deserved rest. It was apparently unheard of for someone so young to attend the knight academy. Most children didn’t start till they were at least ten, so Tristian being there since he was five must make him some kind of genius. That or his dad isn’t afraid to pull some strings… I can’t be sure.

I was somewhat concerned with having Tristian coming over so frequently. I could see that he and Adria were good friends as they seemed to pick up right where they left off. If Adria discards me now of all times, I wouldn’t know what to do. I’ve been working so hard for a chance of escape that coming this far and falling short would be too brutal to handle.

But thankfully, those events never came to pass.

Tristian’s birthday came and went. It was much smaller and more intimate when compared to Adria’s. The guest list wasn’t even in the triple digits. It seemed the Vice-Mayor wasn’t keen on big parties, much like the Mayor. But unlike Mayor Sandervile, Vice-Mayor Relud was not the man I was expecting.

When I heard all the stories from Tristian and how he was currently studying combat under his father, I imagined a man that was similar to Mayor Sandervile. The gruff retired soldier type. But no, Vice-Mayor Relud looked all the part of a strategy officer, glasses included.

From a distance, the skinny Human man looked like he had never wielded a weapon in his life. Let alone been on any kind of battlefield. Even his somewhat high-pitched voice didn’t resonate anything close to a soldier for me, unlike Mayor Sandervile’s commanding voice. But those things changed when you got a better look at him.

His hands were calloused, and even though he was a small man, he had the body of a long-distance runner. Through his tailored suit that night, I could tell the man didn’t shy away from physical activity despite being in his fifties. It was a lesson on more than meets the eye. I should have known better than to judge a soldier from their outward appearance.

We never did end up going to the spring tournament. I was looking forward to going, but Adria decided to focus on her studies rather than wasting time on an event. I was tempted to have Tristian take me with him, but I never vocalized that desire. I guess if Adria wasn’t going, then neither was I.

Time kept flowing as the date of our attendance at Sandervile Academy crept closer and closer. In just two months, we would be jumping right into the thick of things. Adria had begun to study under a tutor to prepare herself for the coming changes. She had always had a tutor that came about twice a week for a few hours, and what did she learn during those two hours? I have no idea.

I was never allowed to sit in on the lessons, but at the bare minimum, I could only glean information from Adria. Her arithmetic skills were on par with what I figured a ten-year noble should know in this world. I was proud to say that with my teaching, Cerila and Padraic would both be able to defeat Adria in a battle of numbers.

But she has continued to improve and I have also been forced to join in these arithmetic lessons along with Tristian. It seems I was expected to know at least the bare minimum so as not to embarrass myself or House Sandervile. At least that’s what Sylros said. But I had to downplay my skills significantly since I already knew everything. I was supposed to be a dumb gutter Elf slave, after all.

The three of us were also taking Human language lessons that were more geared toward school. Adria and Tristian could read and write in Human just fine, but that was the only language they knew well. Tristian had learned a small amount of Elvish but it was sparse knowledge at best.

He could ask for water and where to find an inn. Muriel had attempted to teach Adria the Beastmen language, which she quickly dropped as fast as she picked it up. Adria had also begun some modicum of physical training with the help of Tristian and Ester.

It was… somewhat sad watching Adria attempting to work out.

Jogging and simple bodyweight exercises that Ester had her go through seemed to drain her quickly. Ester and Tristian also tried to guide Adria through light sword training but… that only lasted a week until all parties gave up.

I was, of course, exempt from physical training due to my injury, something I was very thankful for. It was one thing to play stupid and hide your mental skills but hiding your physical abilities in front of trained individuals was incredibly difficult. I made that mistake with Dad once. Now I could just continue my training in secret.

Unfortunately, it seems Adria just doesn’t have any physical talent. But it was when she spent time with Martin that things changed quickly. An average training session with Martin the mage would go down like this.

Martin walks into the room dedicated to Adria’s studies. He plops down in a chair and mumbles a few things to Adria that even I can’t hear. Then Adria nods her head as if she understands him. It turns out she does understand him somehow. She then proceeds to practice her mana control flawlessly with no further instruction.

Her natural ability with mana control is very high. A few months in, she could cast her very first Beginner-level water spell. It seems she lacks the capacity for high-end body enhancement, but since it took her such a short amount of time to cast a spell I think it more than makes up for it.

Adria did say her mother was a mage so it must be in her blood. Tristian, on the other hand, can’t use magic at all. But he is gifted in his ability to use mana enhancement. So pretty much, they are the opposites of each other.

But it was during a practice session today with Adria and Tristian that I had a burning question. “Hey, Tristian? What if you could use both high-end body enhancement and use magic?”

“Well, you would be really strong of course. Unfortunately, almost nobody can use both. I've only heard of a select few War Gods or even Exarchs from the Holy Kingdom being able to use both magic and body enchantment at equal levels. And even then, most people just stick with one or the other. My dad can use a little bit of magic, but when he tries to cast a spell, his body enhancement gets weakened while he is casting,” Tristian informed me.

“I see…” I mumbled.

Is that really the case?

I can use both mana enhancement and magic to similar levels. And I can cast magic without compromising my mana enhancement at all. Grandpa drilled this type of training into me from the start. That and learning about magic theory, of course. Those were his two major points for teaching me magic, but it seems even the highest level of people struggle to achieve mastery in both.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I was under the impression that if you had an affinity for any magic, that would just make you that much stronger. But of course, if you could only use one or the other, then you should just focus on one. But that begs the question…

Grandpa… who are you really? And what did you teach me?

“It’s odd that you can’t use magic, Kaladin. I thought High Elves were supposed to be some of the best mages in the world,” Tristian pondered while wiping sweat off his forehead.

“Seems I’m just unlucky, is all. Maybe there is a school of magic I’ve just never tried before. I’m sure I’ll find some kind of magic I’m good at,” I lied from my relaxed position in the sun chair.

We were outside in the flower garden today, and I was just passing the time by watching Adria work on her mana control and Tristian his practice swings. “You will definitely find some magic you are good at, Kali! I just know it!” Adria exclaimed. She was supposed to be meditating right now… but that never lasted very long either.

“Mhm, say Tristian, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. What kind of sword are you using?” I asked. I mean, I knew what kind of sword he was using, but I wanted to hear the name he gave.

“Oh, this thing? It’s an old imperial gladius. As soon as I picked it up, I just fell in love with it,” Tristian said fondly while patting the scabbard on his belt.

Mmm, yes, that is what I would call it as well. It’s nearly the exact model of the sword the Ancient Romans used on Earth. The blade wasn’t anything fancy and just seemed like a standard steel gladius.

I wonder if that is just a natural course for the Old Empire, or did someone influence that design from my world? I can’t be sure, but then again, it’s not like somebody wouldn’t try and make a sword like that. The weapons of this world are pretty much the same here as they were in ancient Human history.

“Wanna swing it around a bit?” Tristian asked me.

“No, thank you, I have an aversion to violence.”

“Really? But what about your Dark Elf blood? Dark Elves are really good fighters as well. I mean, Shadow Dancers are amazing. I've seen the two that guard the King of Luminar in action, and they were so cool,” Tristian recalled.

Shadow Dancer guards, huh? Interesting….

“Sorry to disappoint. I guess I’m just a failure of an Elf,” I said self-deprecatingly.

“I… I didn't mean it like that,” Tristian said awkwardly.

“You aren’t a failure! Just because you can’t use magic or fight doesn't matter. If me and Tris get even stronger, we can just protect you! Right, Tris?” Adria yelled while still pretending to meditate.

“Adria! ” Tristian hissed. Then he looked away, “But yeah… sure. We can always just protect you, Kaladin. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that,” I said somewhat honestly.

It was refreshing being told that somebody would protect me. I felt a little awkward that two ten-year-old kids were offering to protect me, but it is what it is. At least it was a good sign that these two valued me, even if just a little.

Then a handful of small wiggling green vines erupted from the garden as Adria shot up and danced around yelling. “See! I can protect Tristian and you! Just you wait!”

I wonder… what would you two think of me if you knew the truth?

—

The day of our entrance to Sandervile Academy had finally arrived. Of course, I was expecting us just to show up, be told where to go, and start whatever the heck we were going to do. I mean that’s what I did back in Owlkirk. But I should have known better. This was a school for nobility, and I was attending it with the princess and vice-prince of this nation…

Adria, Tristian, Sylros, Sir Bril, Mayor Sandervile, and myself were all packed into the opulent carriage rolling into the academy. Everyone outside was standing at the sides, gawking at us. It seems this carriage was the official carriage of House Sandervile so just about everyone here knew that inside this carriage was a member of the Sandervile family. The faces of the students and onlookers were filled with both wonderment and surprise. But inside this carriage… the scene was very different.

“Do you know where the cafeteria is?”

“Yes, Dad…”

“What about your classes? You know where all of those are, right? And the fastest way to get back to the dorms?”

“Dad, I haven't even taken the placement exams yet… and yes, I know where the dorms are…”

“And you are going to come back home every other weekend like you promised, right?”

“Just like we promised Dad…”

“Oh, but—”

Adria buried her red face into her hands as she screeched, “DAD! I get it! Please… I’m ready, and I’ll be fine… I haven’t been studying and training for nothing…”

Tristian just looked at the back-and-forth event with a wry smile, while Sylros inspected the threads on his seat with a faint smile. Sir Brill was as stoic as ever. And I was too busy trying to take in the school.

Mayor Sandervile exhaled deeply and just gave a nod. A look of acceptance washed over his face. He looks more like a father right now than a head of state. I knew he had a soft spot for Adria, but I didn’t realize it would go to this extent…

Adria was already embarrassed that she had to take the carriage to school. She vehemently expressed that this was the last thing she wanted to do, but Mayor Sandervile shut down that notion with a heavy hand. This morning the carriage was prepared and ready to go three hours before departure on his orders, although that time was definitely not needed. So when her father began firing off these questions, her embarrassment only grew.

The carriage slowed down, and Sylros, who had been quiet up until now, looked over to Adria with an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry, Young Master Adrianna, please forgive me.”

“Ww-What? Sylros, what are you saying sorry for?” Adria said nervously.

“I’m sorry,” Sylros repeated before stepping out of the carriage as I followed behind him.

We were outside in what would be the very front of this school. The entourage of royal guards who had been following in front and behind us circled us. Unlike the mansion, this school was constructed with wood and stone. It looked old yet refined, but it still kept the same ideal aesthetics of this City-State. It was simple yet elegant. The burnt orange banners of House Sandervile flapped in the wind, and students and facility alike stood slack-jawed at us.

Sylros stood at attention, cleared his throat, then called out loudly for everyone to hear. “Arriving today is his Lordship, Mayor Sandervile. And accompanying him today is his daughter and new student of this institution, Adrianna Marie Sandervile. Along with Sir Tristian Relud of House Relud.”

Those who heard the name Mayor Sandervile blinked a few times in surprise, then, as the understanding dawned on them, they all took a knee and lowered their heads. At this time, Tristian and Adria had stepped out of the carriage and were both bright red in the face. If Adria was full of embarrassment before then, now she was ready to burst.

Oooh’s and Ahh’s emanated from the crowd as the two came into everyone’s view. The uniforms of this school weren’t militaristic and just looked like typical school uniforms. They were gray and yellow for students. The girls wore skirts and shirts, but during the winter, they also wore blazers and sometimes coats.

The boys wore similar clothing, but they had long pants and a jacket in the winter while hotter days called for shorts and long sleeves. Both Adria and Tristian were wearing the winter uniforms and looked like the ideal pair. I’m sure if there were models for these uniforms, these two would be the clear choices.

Servants also had their own outfits. They were the same design, but our color scheme was all white. Just from looking out in the crowd, I could see that every student in gray and yellow had a person in white close by them. Servants were technically also students here, but our focus was on supporting our masters through school while learning things along the way.

Most, if not all, the servants here were either career servants from a renowned family or the fourth or fifth children of nobles—children who would have no claim to anything their family had to offer. So instead of being considered deadweight, they would be sent here to learn how to be servants for higher ranking nobility.

“Your things will be placed into your dorm room for you, Master Adrianna, and Sir Tristian. Good luck with your exams. You too, Kaladin,” Sylros said with a slight bow.

Mayor Sandervile, who hadn’t left the carriage, poked his head from the door. He had a dopey smile on his face as he waved to Adria and gave her some similar words of encouragement. Adria and even Tristian were now about to explode from the embarrassment as they dragged me through the row of royal guards and towards the school.

Today we would all be taking an exam to see where we would be placed. The students here had all been accepted to this school off of their blood ties, so this exam worked as a way to place children where they belonged academically and physically.

This school mainly focused on the academic side of things while the knight academy focused more on the martial aspects, but both schools blended both ideas. For example, it was expected of a noble to be able to protect their house and land by force if need be. So physical training and combat were a part of the coursework.

Even though servants took the exam, it was just a formality. My score wouldn’t matter as I would be going wherever Adria placed. Tristian’s score would usually dictate where he was being placed, but he was in the same boat as me. However, he wasn’t a servant.

A map was provided for us, and we had all been studying it so we didn’t get lost. Currently, we were headed from the “Great Hall.” This room was usually where significant events were held, but today it was going to serve as our testing room.

A group of adults was waiting outside of a set of large double doors handing paper and giving students instructions as they worked their way through the lines. Together the three of us hopped in line and waited for our turn.

The teachers were moving fast, so it didn’t take long at all. As soon as Adria approached, the female teacher in front of us must have recognized her as she was about to take a knee before Adria stopped her,

“Please… don’t do that. I’m just a normal student, miss.”

“No… no, I can’t do that, Lady Sandervile. You shouldn’t have to wait in—'' the teacher stammered before being caught off by Adria.

“Just Adrianna is fine, ma’am. I’d like to be treated as a student here, so please help me,” she stated clearly.

The teacher seemed conflicted as she battled with her internal thoughts. On the one hand, she was in front of the princess, and on the other, the princess was giving her an order.

It seemed the order won out in the end. “Okay… Adrianna. And Sir Relud, I recognize you as well. You two and your servant will be at table A, seat’s one through three. Here is your material and something to write with. Please don’t break the seal until instructed. The physical test will be administered today after the practical,” the teacher instructed kindly.

“He’s not our servant. He is our friend, and his name is Kaladin,” Tristian said firmly.

Huh, that’s usually Adria’s line…

“Oh, uh, yes, of course, Sir Relud. Sorry, Kaladin,” the teacher said, taken aback by Tristian’s correction.

“Not a problem, ma’am,” I said.

We gave our thanks and went to our designated seats. We were at the center table all the way at head position… great. We got comfortable and awaited our instructions.

I wasn’t sure what to do about this test. In reality, I could just not take it, and the outcome would be the same. Of course, if I failed it, that would look bad, and I’m sure I’d be punished.

If I did poorly, it would be a similar situation. But if I did too good then that would be a problem as well. I suppose I should shoot for the middle of the pack at around 60-70%. Nothing that will make me stand out.

Shortly after, the teachers began pacing around the hall while one of the teachers stood in front of a podium and projected her voice to the whole room. The instructions were simple, break the seal and start the test. Once completed, turn the test over to a teacher so they could mark you as finished, and you were to take a break and get ready for the physical test.

With those instructions, we started to take the exam that would decide our place in this new school.