-----Hervalle Empire, Grosslain Estate-----

The Marquis of the Grasslands, Nico Grosslain, stood on his balcony atop his horse with a bowstring drawn to his cheek. Ignoring the ridiculous sight of a horse on a fourth-floor balcony, an oddly usual occurrence for the Grosslain Estate, the Grosslain Retainer asked her question again.

"Milord, the Academy is requesting access to our lands for a monster hunt. They wish to know if we have any particular areas containing monsters fit for student Mages of the Third." The bookish woman spoke behind her spectacles.

TWANG! The taunt bow was released sending the notched arrow far into the distance. As a shape so far away it was hard to identify what it was other than some four-legged creature collapsed it was obvious the arrow had found its mark.

An oddly raspy but soft voice answered the Retainer. "The Academy wishes to send students here? No doubt as a form of thanks for sending Virgoh to attend." A look of pride flashed across the still-mounted man's always squinting eyes. "What year students are they sending and from which classes?"

"It's a group of first and second years. The participating students are reportedly from all four classes: Sparrow, Falcon, Hawk, and Eagle. Virgoh was on the participating roster Milord." The Retainer added the last bit predicting what her Lord's next question would be.

"They want first and second years to hunt monsters equivalent to Mages of the Third?" A baffled tone came from the bowlegged man as he finally dismounted his horse. "Are they wishing to accelerate their training for the war?" Seemingly thinking out loud the Marquis continued, "No, even then first and second-year mages should only be Mages of the Second at the very greatest. Of course, Virgoh might be at the third considering his genius." Another flash of pride played across Nico Grosslain's eyes. "Still in an area filled with monsters matching Mages of the Third they'd be useless. Hiding behind their chaperones the entire time likely doing nothing more than hindering their escorts."

The Retainer seeing a chance to butt in did so, "Not long ago our informants reported a student-led protest demanding they be allowed to directly join the war despite their lack of battle experience. This is likely a response to that milord."

A whispy chuckle came from under Grosslain's well-groomed beard. "Oh, so it's a punishment of sorts then. Who am I to be getting in the way of teachers reprimanding their spoiled students. Especially now in a Hervalle with the ruthless Farfeather at the helm, the soft and entitled will never survive. Even the Malims seem to have been sobering up as of late. Grant them access to the Gloomrot Marshes. That should serve as a proper place to drive home the challenges of battle. No doubt our Virgoh could use the challenge anyway."

"Of course, I will do so at once milord." The Retainer left the balcony with a mixed expression of both pride and vengeful retribution as her Lord began to mount his horse once more and resume his target practice with a smile on his face.

------------------Two Weeks Later, Hervalle Empire, Gloomrot Marshes------------

Avior looked out from the mounted line of students at his surroundings. The golden grasslands they'd been riding through the last few hours were now growing taller some reaching taller than three men. The grasses had also gained sharper edges, more than one student had already been cut on them. Something which had quickly become a joke among students claiming they'd already become "blooded." A term generally used for soldiers who'd shed blood in battle. To Duvain's credit, he hadn't reacted when he overheard the joke, although Avior had no doubt from the war hero's clenched fists he was not pleased by the attitude the students had been showing.

In addition to the taller grasses the ground underfoot had grown wet as they neared the Gloomrot Marshes. The trail they'd been following slowly developed into a waterlogged footpath slowing the mounted students' pace down considerably. After watching their progress dwindle the three professors and Duvain met briefly before turning to the students. The oldest professor of the three spoke, "Students we have decided this will be the location of our camp."

The students looking at the waterlogged ground, towering yet sharp grass, and narrow path glanced at one another perplexed. Most of them might come from noble backgrounds with little experience with roughing it, but even they knew this was an awful place to make camp.

The youngest professor saw their reactions and let out a laugh. "Why so bewildered? Have you all forgotten so quickly what we are? We are Mages! We do not bend to nature's whim, nature bends to ours!" With a triumphant shout, the young professor began sending mana into the ground in front of them making the earth slowly rise.

Silently joining in the older Mage channeled into the rising ground drawing the moisture within to a floating ball of muddy water which he turned into the form of a scythe and swung it through the base of some of the tall grasses, clearing them.

The third professor with barely a wisp of hair on his head, the man everyone had grown to fear during his particular "lessons," followed his peer's impressive actions by dismounting directly on the newly dried and raised area and laying down. The students who waited for him to do a matching feat were soon disappointed as they heard snores emanating from the professor's prone body. He'd fallen asleep.

Ignoring the crazy professor's actions Duvain turned to the still idle group of students. "Well? What are you waiting for!? Go help make camp!"

Broken out of their self-appointed spectator roles the students joined in. Sending their mana to raise and dry their own areas of earth before using their mana to mold water and earth into tools to clear it. Apparently thinking tools too slow a method a particularly zealous student from Hawk Class drew on fire and sent it into the surrounding grasslands. Immediately the horses all the students were riding began to panic at the sight of fire, bucking more than a dozen unprepared students directly into the muck. At the same time, the fire the student had started quickly grew to a roaring blaze. Both the older and younger professors were forced to halt their own work to quell the blaze before it could grow even further and fall upon the students. As for the Hawk student, she was given a permanent assignment as the camp's dish cleaner for the rest of the hunt.

With the aid of magic and a lack of any other students daring to use fire magic a campsite quickly appeared out of the muck. At its center sat three large tents. Each tent was a reflection of its occupants. The young professor's tent was a solid green and seemed rather new with few signs of damage from use. The tent that belonged to the older professor was a faded blue, with some sprawling symbols in white across it. Duvain's tent was a standard issue to Mage's actively serving in the military. The heavily tattered red tent stood rigid proudly displaying a black eagle on its side. In front of the tent entrance, there was even a makeshift flag pole flying Hervalle's flag far above the ground.

As for the third professor, he was still sleeping, where he had first laid down, out in the open. It was a vulnerable position for a professor to be in when surrounded by students who were prone to pranks. But only a true maniac would risk drawing the crazy professor's ire after experiencing the special "lecture" he'd given for those going on the hunt. A class that had weeded out half their prospective number.

Surrounding the professor's tents each student had set up their own tents often clustered with the tents of their friends and classmates. Putting up the tents had gone very well considering most of the students had never camped before. Of course, that success did not surprise the students. But instead of enjoying their success the students in question were shaking with fear while glancing at the sleeping professor, as if afraid he would wake and exclaim they hadn't set up their tents well or fast enough. His wilderness lesson had taught many of the previously pampered students more about fear than any speech Duvain could ever give.

Avior saw Jessica, whose tent neighbored his own, putting on a false mask of confidence as she checked her tent for any flaws. Piran doing the same while shivering asked the thought on everyone's minds with shaky breath. "Do- Do you think it'll be like his lesson?"

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The usually bright-eyed James was similarly scared, eyes rapidly glancing between his tent and the sleeping professor. "Of course not. That- that'd be crazy. Right? Right??"

Finally, Jessica still wearing her mask of confidence worked to calm her friend's nerves. "Hey shut it you two. There's no way this will nearly be as bad as Witaker's survival class. Even he wouldn't test our tents with a torrent of ice water or a cauldron filled with centipedes out here. As for burying us while we sleep or emitting banshee wails, well, let's not let our guard down just yet."

A new high-pitched voice joined the conversation filled with the resolve of a soldier. "If he does try that again. We'll be ready."

Jessica glanced past Avior's tent where three tents stood in a circle. The girl who'd just talked stood there with a look of determination on her face as she continued staring at the sleeping professor as if he were her mortal enemy.

"Oh, Lady Christina!" Jessica's usual casual attitude vanished upon realizing rumored royalty was camped next to them.

Breaking off her death stare at Professor Witaker Christina turned to Jessica, before glancing at Avior and blushing. "Oh hi! I'm sorry I don't remember meeting?" Christina's previous resolve vanished as if it had never been.

Jessica visibly flustered responded nervously, "No of course we haven't Lady Christina! But as a student of Hervalle, how could I not know one of the big three?"

Christina seemed a little taken aback by the formality. "Ah well nice to meet you then. What's your name your ladyship?" Christina tagged on the last bit trying to match Jessica's tone.

Horrified at potentially being seen as impersonating a noble Jessica panicked. "Your ladyship? Me? Oh no, no this humble Jessica is just the child of a soldier your ladyship." Jessica began to bow as if to affirm her statement.

Confused by the odd girl's behavior Christina responded with a simple nice to meet you before turning to Avior. A deep blush returning to her face as she did so.

"Haha, funny we happened to camp so close to each other Avior." Christina spoke brightly ignoring the look she got from Virgoh and Victoria who'd just emerged from their own tents. They had only picked this location because Christina had insisted and looking at the nearby Sparrow class whom Christina was known to be obsessed with it was easier than learning a tier one spell to figure out why.

"Hi Christina," Avior responded with a smile, "Good to see you out here. Are these two in your hunting party?" Avior gestured to Virgoh and Victoria who were looking at their neighbors from Sparrow Class. A class they'd rarely seen given their place at the Academy let alone interacted with.

"Yeah! They're my classmates Victoria and Virgoh!"

Avior gave a practiced smile to the two, "Pleasure to meet you two. My name is Avior. Christina and I are from the same place."

Everyone around Avior except Christina reeled as they realized what Avior had said. Jessica who was still partly bowing to Christina stood straight with a look of shock as her eyes rapidly glanced back and forth between Avior and Christina the rumored princess. Piran collapsed into a heap next to his tent while James' mouth and eyes were both frozen wide open. All of them realizing Avior had just said he'd come from the same place as royalty. Didn't..didn't that mean their quiet friend they'd been hanging out with the last year was royalty too?

As for Virgoh, his mind whirred as he quickly put together the pieces. Realizing Christina's unusual obsession with Sparrow class was obviously due to her royal brother being placed there. What a disgrace for royalty to be in Sparrow class, no wonder Christina was so defensive of them!

As for Victoria Begaul, her thoughts were different. She wasn't royalty as many had first assumed, but she was backed by the Hervalle Council. As a result, the powerful families who made up Eagle Class had no doubt been told to treat her as a princess. As those in the know knew, the Council had run the Empire for the last decade, not the royal family. Victoria being backed by the Council meant she was seen as more important than the royal family. As for her classmates who had parents as Councilors, they were even more terrified of offending Victoria. Because her backer, her father, was the only Councilor who accompanied Him. Despite knowing her power Victoria wasn't one to abuse it and bring trouble to her father. But she had used it to look into Christina when she first joined Eagle Class. Wanting to make sure her new friend wasn't some spy sent by a nosy Councilor to befriend her Victoria had put in a word to look into her background, specifically sending three different individuals to learn more of the supposed village Christina was from.

Her own investigation returned with a strict reprimand. The Empire's elusive Spymaster himself had visited her. Victoria had never met him before, but she knew who he was the second she entered her Academy townhouse and found the three men she asked to investigate the village tied up and gagged on her floor with the Spymaster himself standing over them. His surprisingly young face and offputting hope-filled eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. He'd proceeded to execute the three one by one as he asked her questions. Asking why she would want to investigate the village, and what she knew. That hope-filled look never changed for a moment as he did so. Eventually, he left her without even lifting a single finger to harm her directly, apparently showing he was satisfied with her answers.

As she got rid of the bodies the Spymaster had left behind by incinerating them, Victoria realized she'd been shown a vast amount of mercy. No doubt it was due to who her father was that the Spymaster, known for his brutality, allowed her to live without a mark on her. With the warning coming from the Spymaster himself Victoria knew the village must have something to do with Him. A conclusion that made her shocked once again that she was still alive, quickly realizing soon after that she had likely given the Spymaster leverage he could use against her own father. The same father whom she tried so hard to make proud of her ever since she was a girl.

With that realization, Victoria's thoughts fell apart. All her efforts, all her hard work, she'd put in hoping to make her father proud, had just resulted in giving the Spymaster something he could use to weaken her father's position. Victoria hadn't gone to classes for the next week. Feigning illness Victoria spent her days collapsed on the floor crying herself to sleep and mustering all her willpower not to end her own life out of disgust at being such a useless failure. Then suddenly her door had opened and Christina had appeared. The smiling girl who on the surface was a simple villager entered her townhouse and had the gall to appear shocked. She rushed over to the crying Victoria and hugged her asking what was wrong acting the part of a concerned friend and Victoria's mind froze. In a warm hug from her classmate, the only person she'd seen for a week, the very person whom the investigation that had gotten Victoria into this mess had targeted, Victoria's mind began to think at lightspeed until eventually, it came to a simple conclusion. Christina's important. Befriend Christina. Make Dad proud.

And she had done so. Making her first friend in her entire life Victoria made an effort no matter how hard it was for her to befriend Christina. And to her surprise she found Virgoh doing the same. Soon the three of them became actual friends. And although Victoria still spent most of her time trying to improve herself to make her father proud she also now believed she might be able to make him proud through befriending Christina. Hopefully even undoing the damage she had done in time.

Returning to the present Victoria looked at the eerily normal-looking Sparrow Class student who had just said he came from the same village as Christina. The same "village" where a simple investigation had led to three people's deaths and almost her own. Victoria began to faint, but she managed to muster her willpower and stop it. This was another chance. Another chance to make her father proud. Another chance to make a friend. Forcing herself forward one step at a time she approached the boy and offered her hand while forcing a smile to appear on her face.

"Nice to meet you Avior."

Christina, clueless to what had just flashed through Victoria's mind, instead saw her normally stoic friend smile like a maniac and nervously walk over to greet Avior. Like she had a crush!

Christina felt herself becoming angry, but managed to calm herself. So what if Victoria liked Avior! That would just mean Avior would have another person looking out for him it was a good thing. Right? Christina's own thoughts slowly fell into turmoil as she began to play out scenarios in her head.

Back in reality Avior shook the oddly nervous girl's hand. "It's nice to meet you too Victoria. Thank you for taking care of Christina you have my gratitude as her friend."

Christina was broken out of her thoughts by Avior's words, her face turning to an even deeper crimson.

Victoria taking his words as affirmation she was on the right path allowed herself to dip her head a little to Avior in a modest bow. "My pleasure."

For Jessica, Piran, and James the sight of Victoria, a suspected princess bowing to Avior in deference only meant one thing. As royalty would only bow if facing one of three people. The Emperor, the Queen, or the mysterious CROWN PRINCE! Their magicless friend was the Crown Prince???

As for Virgoh Grosslain, who knew Victoria was backed by none other than the dominant Merchant Councilor himself, seeing her show deference to someone only meant they had even greater sway than her. But the royal family wouldn't have more influence than any councilor in the current Hervalle Empire, unless... the council decided to back one of them specifically. And there was only one member of the royal family the council would ever want to support. He must be the hidden Crown Prince! Coming to the same conclusion the others had, but for different reasons, Virgoh felt blessed for stumbling into such a promising candidate to help with his revenge.

Avior on the other hand was happy Christina was making friends as she usually did while he continued focusing most of his mind on training his body. After all, it was just idle chit-chat with other students and everyone still seemed to be stuck on basic greetings. Avior sighed internally realizing these people may be even more socially awkward than he was.