Chapter 021:

Summer had finally come to an end, and with fall's chilly advent, the academy's construction had also timely concluded.

The streets were abuzz with nervous excitement as every parent scrambled to get their kids the supplies necessary for the new school year.

Regardless, the small smithy a small distance away from the main road was as desolate as always; that is, save for the petite figure dashing about with a feather duster at hand.

Humming a joyous tune, she brandished the weapon with lethal grace, not leaving a single dust bunny alive.

After every speckle of dust was dusted and then swept, Kiara finally came to a stop with a tired but satisfied expression on her face. ‘Though it may be bad to say this, I am kind of glad that we don’t get a lot of customers. I can keep this place as clean as possible. If only I could find a way to convince Boss to get rid of the trash though…’ She thought as she stared at the crudely made weapons that hung on the store’s walls.

Just as she was about to plot further, the source of her misery slammed the door connecting the smithy to the storefront open before rudely barging in with his soot-laced shoes.

“Hey Kiara, mind telling me why these were in the trash?” Arin spoke with a puzzled expression as if he genuinely wondered why the hunks of barely refined ‘weapons’ were tossed into the bin.

“You are kidding me, right? Look at them!”

“I have spent plenty of time looking at them, I made them after all,”

“Then you should understand why those ugly things were thrown away!”

Arin raised an eyebrow, lifted one of the ‘swords’, and swung lightly. “It works just fine, why is it ugly?”

A vein popped on Kiara’s forehead as she spoke “Stop bullshitting me! any scrap of metal can be swung like that! Besides, even if it can cut something, it’s too ugly to wield,”

“I see. So you mean to say that even if something is useful if it’s too ugly, it won’t be used…”

Looking as irritated as she was perplexed, Kiara merely nodded unsurely.

“Then why does Teacher still keep you around?”

“...”

Instead of answering, Kiara calmly drew a sword from one of the shelves. “You should be happy, this may be the only one of your weapons that will see some use,”

“I thought Teacher was training you to be an archer though?” Arin said while tilting his head in genuine confusion; Simultaneously he also took out a weapon for self-defense, a slingshot.

Following that, from the pouch by his side, Arin took out what looked like a small, green marble.

However, just as the tension reached its peak, a lazy yawn interrupted the brawl.

“Morning sis, hey Arin,” Rafiel spoke while stretching. “Did you guys restock the fridge 'cause I’m starving!”

“Mhm, if you are gonna fry eggs, make me some too,” Kiara replied, not lowering the sword at all.

“I want mine boiled,” Arin also chipped in.

Rafiel nodded while scratching his hair casually, it seemed like the scene of his sister about to commit a murder was common these days. ‘After the auction stuff, sis really has gone a bit bloodier,’

“Should I make some for Boss?” Rafiel asked the room.

“Don’t bother, he’s probably not gonna come in today, entrance exam,” Kiara replied.

“Oh yeah, that was today! Well, we better get ready so we can cheer him on!” Rafiel moved with renewed vigor.

“Hopefully Teacher doesn’t forget…Woman, did you properly remind him yesterday?”

“Shut up, and I told Sir Carson, so no worries,”

“You really do have your uses…for such an ugly thin-” A sword threatening to gouge out his eyes interrupted Arin from speaking.

………………………………………………..

In Baek manor.

The mass of servants moved with routine efficiency, each diligently performing their assigned duties.

Standing before one of the many mirrors furnishing Baek manor, head butler Carson combed his hair, making sure to keep his precious few strands of gray at the forefront.

Finally content with his appearance, the aged butler moved with surprising grace through the halls.

He greeted the staff he saw on his route with a slight nod, making sure to say each one’s name; he made his way upward toward the only master bedroom currently in use.

After a set of polite yet firm knocks, and seeing that there was no reply from the other side, He made the decision to barge into his master’s room.

As expected, what greeted him was the sight of an empty bed. Recently, his master had picked up the rather admirable habit of escaping with the first rays of dawn for exercise.

With a sigh, Carson spoke out loud to seemingly no one: “Find him,”

Behind him, a figure dressed completely in black materialized. “Yes, sir,”

Now alone in his master’s room, Carson looked toward the slightly open window with a small smile.

………………………………………………..

A distance away from Baek Manor was another mansion similar in size if not slightly more prominent. Yet unlike Baek manor or Schuyler manor, this estate’s decor was more barren in nature, more militaristic.

The spartan nature of the house did not even stop there as every member of staff visible seemed a better fit for combat than chores.

In the rather sizeable rear courtyard which doubled as a training field, two large figures repeatedly clashed before separating, only to crash into each other again.

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When the two finally came to a stop, the figure of Big Ed, otherwise known as Edward Hert, was made clear. “I lost,” He said with some irritation as his sword broke into many pieces.

“It is only natural,” Nox Hert, Ed’s father, said calmly as he tossed his sword to the side. “But you are warmed up for today,”

Ed clicked his tongue as he studied his father’s face. Once again his hateful father took actions without Edward’s consent and enrolled him into the newly built academy which was made in cooperation with the Graveclaws kingdom.

‘So fucking troublesome….’ He thought with a stern expression which then softened as he recalled the fact that he wasn’t alone in this mess. ‘Grim’s definitely gonna be there before me but Timmy…’ Ed grew worried over whether Timmy would even remember how important today was.

“I doubt this needs reminding, but do not cause the Hert house shame in the upcoming contest,” Nox spoke with his usual grave voice.

Edward grimaced at hearing the word “contest”. “You know our deal old man,”

“You still insist on the pacifist nonsense. Do as you please, but do not disappoint. When the time comes, I’m sure you, a man of the Hert family, will know what’s right,”

Ed turned his back toward his father, no longer willing to listen to his nonsense.

The captain commander of Iron-Wall’s prestigious knights watched his son leave with conflicting emotions in his heart. Within the deepest reaches of his mind, he heard a laugh, hearty and robust and he scowled. The face of Lobo came to him then with the bastard’s ever-present smirk. However, the face then morphed slightly into the appearance of a youth with handsome features.

“Timothy Baek…” Nox’s stern voice would have sent chills down Alexander’s spine.

………………………………………………..

“The two kings are all but certain to make an appearance; not only are they both invested in the academy’s well-being, but they will each have people close to them attending. The same goes for the two dukes and various marquises along with other nobles such as Count Schuyler and his family who have recently grown closer with the crown,”

Grim listened to the report as he settled back into the seat of his carriage. In his hand, he held a book that detailed various etiquettes to keep in mind while dealing with nobles. Sitting before him, his father, Cornell, spoke with his characteristically prim and proper tone.

“In short, this event is even grander than the auction some time ago. But this time around, the security will be even more frightening so no need to fret, son. Another incident is unlikely to happen.

All you have to do is perform well enough to enter. I do not mean to put pressure on you but you of all people should know how important this is for us…”

“I understand, father,” Grim spoke grimly with a determined look in his eyes. “I will do my best!”

His father was seemingly content with that declaration as he no longer spoke to Grim, allowing the youth to resettle his gaze outside the window where the moving scenery helped calm his mind.

‘Ed’s surely on the way, but….as expected, I’m worried about that idiot,’

………………………………………………..

Unfortunately for everyone, their worries regarding our consummate reformed hero were well-founded.

“Fuck, the wind’s nice today,” Alexander spoke with a lazy sigh as he thoroughly enjoyed the wind tousling his hair. He was currently nuzzled cozily in a hammock tied between two sturdy trees. Before him was the lake he visited on his first day in this new and exciting world.

The scene would have been picturesque were it not for the many empty bottles of wine littering the ground beneath the hammock.

“Burp!” Alexander let loose a belch as he stood to his feet. Judging from the sun’s position, there was still time before noon.

“Should I get plastered now? That way I’ll save some money when we get to the club,” He plotted his day as he stumbled out of his hammock and arrived beside the lake to dip his feet a bit.

Relishing in the cool freshness of the lakewater tickling his toes, Alexander stretched wildly, letting loose a yawn.

Still, in the back of his mind, he recognized that there was the nagging sensation he usually got when he forgot something important.

“Well, whatever, I’m sure I’ll remember it if it’s important,” He shrugged the matter off easily and returned to playing with his toes in the water

Truthfully, the past few weeks had been dreadfully dull; Alexander struggled to think of a time in both his lives when he had been this inactive.

This was especially so after the matter with the auction house was concluded without him needing to lift a finger.

‘The kids did well with that one,’ He thought to himself as he brought a snack out of his sack, it was a sandwich consisting of some sort of acidic cheese and fresh cucumber.

‘Speaking of the kids, should I go check in on them? It had been a while since they got some action, they must be getting angsty, and I do have some time before evening when I have to meet with Ed and Grim…’

Alexander paused for a second, and tilted his head to the side, ‘Ed and Grim…there was something about them right?’ He remembered them pestering him about something last night.

‘Hmmmmm’ He gave the matter some more thought as it may have been related to the nagging feeling he was getting from earlier, but then he slowly restarted his chewing, deciding to decommission that particular train.

‘Ah well, if it is important, I’ll probably remember it,’

………………………………………………..

Union Academy

A newly built educational institution founded on the premise of improving relations between the kingdoms of Graveclaws and Iron-Wall.

As this would be its opening year, the Academy was yet to be fully operational; thus, only students starting their first year of higher education would be admitted.

The educational system in both Graveclaws and Iron-wall was of the standard variety in which children would be homeschooled up to an appropriate age or once they’ve attained an appropriate level of education, and once either or both of those standards have been met, they would be finally be enrolled into an academy.

The nature of such an educational system made it so that student age tended to vary; where in one class: one might find a student in their early teens while also finding another in their late twenties.

That being said, the general rule was that those below the age of ten or above the age of thirty would be exempted from admission.

As for the process of admission itself, that was where the fun began!

Before the entrance of one of the many testing halls, stood both Ed and Grim who sported wry expressions on their faces.

“He forgot…” Ed muttered.

“Most definitely,” Grim agreed callously.

Around them, children their age were busy either talking or reviewing their notes.

“Still, it’s surprising that the first exam would be a written test…” Ed said, seemingly somewhat troubled.

“It’s standard procedure in other academies so it’s not that surprising, remember our last academy?” Grim replied stoically.

At the mention of their previous academy, Ed’s expression grew exasperated “Ah, don’t mention Stellar Arts again, my heart aches just thinking of it!”

“It is a great shame that we have to start over again, but as Union Academy was just recently founded, it can’t be helped that it has no equivalency procedure yet,”

“Yeah, but we were midway through!” Ed grew more agitated.

“Mmmm,”

Seeing that Grim was no longer replying as enthusiastically, Ed shifted his gaze toward the surroundings. “Is it me or are the students enrolling in this hall a bit…”

“Delinquents. They are delinquents. We are in the delinquent hall…” Grim tossed an accusatory gaze toward Ed.

Ed shifted his gaze away from Grim’s.

The large youth, or rather his father, had been the one to forcefully encourage their entrance into Union Academy but the problem was that they were still slightly late in enrolling for admission, and since Ed did his, Grim’s, and Timothy’s papers all at once, they were all admitted last minute along with all the other tardy students.

Though the academy had yet to divide the students, there was still some sorting decided with the date with which they applied for admission. Naturally, those who applied early were grouped together, and those who were tardy…

“At least we are not grouped together with the financial aid division,” Grim spoke stiffly.

“That’s horrible dude,” Ed replied.

The financial aid division was for students who lacked the financial ability to enroll but still wanted to give it a shot. The financial aid division accepted fewer students and received more than double the admission requests making it a much more competitive scene.

“Attention!” The guard standing by the entrance to the exam hall spoke authoritatively “The exam will begin in ten minutes!”

Ed’s expression grew more nervous while Grim started scowling as he said “That cad really did forget, didn’t he?”