I froze at Professor Morell's words, my heart hammering in my chest. My mouth felt dry, and I stammered to answer his accusation.

Snorting loudly, he shook his head with a grin on his face. "Well, if I wasn't sure before, that pathetic attempt at lying convinced me. It was rhetorical regardless, but still, I was curious how you'd reply. Go on and give me an idea of what sort of disguise you put together."

I was silent for several minutes, going over everything in my head and trying to decide how I could salvage this situation. In the end, honesty was the best policy at this point, and, much like with Master Julian nearly a month ago, lying would more than likely annoy Professor Morell.

"I used a short duration dye on my hair and skin to alter that part of my appearance. These glasses could disguise my eye color and shape, and I use boot inserts and extra clothing to hide my stature and build," I explained, reaching up as I did and removing my glasses, before handing them out to Professor Morell.

He nodded a few times, peering through the lenses at me before scanning my appearance again.

"Not bad, for a novice at least. The inserts into your shoes are a nice touch, but you need more practice walking in them. You move awkwardly, which told me that you weren't completely comfortable while moving. I like the idea of the glasses as well. That helps alter the shape of your face, which is more important than you'd think. But you have a few giveaways you'd struggle to eliminate without years of dedicated training. Any guesses?"

The first was simple, and I immediately answered, "My mana. I have no way of changing how it appears, and anyone with the right training could sense it and figure out my real identity."

Professor Morell grinned in approval. "Exactly. You have Aether mana, which is extremely rare. As far as I know, there's only a handful of you alive, and you're the only mage at the Academy that has it. I doubt any apprentice would have the senses to detect different mana types, at least with any real speed. But a master, on the other hand…" he trailed off, letting his implication fill the dead air.

We stood silent for a few seconds before I realized something about what he had said to me.

"You said a few giveaways, as in plural. What else did I miss?" I asked, crossing my arms and tilting my head to one side. Professor Morell seemed to be more amused than anything, and I needed to take advantage of that amusement to learn as much as possible.

"I half-hoped you would've figured it out. Your voice, of course! There's only so much you can do to change that, but it is still something anyone familiar with you will recognize. The best short term fix is to avoid speaking as much as possible, but it's not a long term solution. I prefer to adopt accents or alter my speech patterns, but that's the sort of tricks that would take years to develop."

I had briefly considered my voice when I initially assembled my disguise, but pushed that concern to the side when I realized I had no way to solve it. It seemed I would need to ensure I spoke as little as possible, particularly in the earshot of Amelia or Sophia. Theo had met both of my identities, but my impression of him was that he was not one to notice similar voices in two people he barely knew.

After a few quiet minutes, Professor Morell straightened up and pushed away from the desk he was leaning against before walking up to me.

"I'm not entirely sure why you decided to make up this little disguise, though I can make some guesses. Regardless of your reasons, I can appreciate a good first effort, and in the end, I intend to make you half-way decent at these sorts of skills. But in the future, don't insult my intelligence by trying to sneak something past me." Professor Morell said brightly.

I nodded and bowed my head. "Thank you, Professor, for your guidance. Is there any other wisdom you can offer me?" I said, meeting Morell's eyes.

He burst into laughter, shaking his head at me. "Well since you asked so politely, sure why not? Focus on your sensory skills and learn them as quickly as possible. When you master sensing mana, you can work on obscuring your signature. Every adept mage can sense mana, but very few are skilled at piercing a solid mana cloak."

His advice was not a new idea to me, but regardless I bowed and thanked him again. Shaking his head at me once more, Professor Morell turned and walked out of the room.

I paused for several seconds before leaving the classroom and getting ready to meet with Amelia for our nightly training. On the way, I replayed my conversation with Morell. After a half-hour of thinking, I concluded that while my situation was not ideal, it was not disastrous.

At least, not yet.

Professor Morell would undoubtedly find out I was attending Dueling, and I was confident he would eventually learn my real name and sponsor. But if luck were on my side, he would assume I was taking the classes on the order of Duke Estton.

My meeting with Amelia was what I had come to expect, a mild beating with a staff followed by a cordial dinner. I was beginning to enjoy her company as more than a means to improve my skills in combat. Though I was not too fond of relying on others and was not comfortable trusting her with my secrets, I was not wholly opposed to the possibility.

My plan for the future was beginning to crystallize, and I had come to a difficult conclusion. I would need allies if I wanted my ideas in the future to work. Amelia was a natural in combat, and she was taking Dueling just like me. If a future came where I could not attend that class, she might be able to assist my training in that field.

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And Simon's expertise in alchemy and enchanting would be excellent for several secondary ideas I had formed. In particular, I knew my cultivation resources would eventually plateau, and a skilled alchemist could prove invaluable in making more efficient methods. Yardley's were likely having some effect, but in the grand scheme of things, they were still low-grade.

There was someone else I needed to become friends with first, and with that in mind, I took a trip to the Library. A half-hour of searching later, I left with a copy of a bright red and gold book titled "A Brief Study of Divine Birds." A few more minutes of asking students in one of the dining halls, and I found myself outside of a wooden door.

I paused for a brief moment, reviewing my story, before knocking on the door and taking a step backward. Several seconds passed before the door swung open to reveal Leon, who's eyes widened noticeably, though he was quick to smile.

"Vayne! I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you'd be the type to socialize only when forced at sword point." Leon said, grinning at me.

"True enough, sir. It has been a busy week settling into classes, and unfortunately, I have not been able to attend our nightly dinners with Theo and the others. In truth, I was afraid I might have insulted you or your father with my absence. Please accept this as an apology." I lied shamelessly, handing the red book to him with a polite smile.

Shaking his head, Leon took the book and began flipping through it, his eyes darting along the pages. One of the record-keepers in the Library noted that it was a particularly popular choice, filled with a mixture of useful information and beautiful, fully colored illustrations. I had briefly skimmed it myself, though it was not particularly interesting to me.

"Thank you for the gift, though it is unnecessary. Sophia has been much the same, spending her time alone in quiet study and training. I can understand the necessity, though I prefer to spend time with others." Leon said, closing the book as he looked back at me.

Stepping backward, Leon smiled at me and said, "Come in for a bit Vayne, I was taking care of something, but I could use the company while I work."

Walking into his room, I found that it was mostly identical to mine but with minor changes. The walls had several banners with the Estton family crest emblazoned in silver hanging from them, and books filled his bookshelves. Scanning the room, I noticed a dark wooden bow sitting on the table by the windows, with several tools nearby.

Moving past me, Leon leaned over the table and picked up a small jar before returning his gaze to the weapon.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Regular care of a bow helps keep it working properly, though I haven't had much time to shoot lately. I can feel my skills dulling, so I had hoped to get some practice in during my day off." Leon said, examining the weapon with a practiced eye.

Without looking up from his project, Leon asked, "So what brings you by here, Vayne?"

I could not come out and admit that I wanted his assistance to convince his father in a worst-case scenario, so instead, I settled on a half-truth.

"You seemed as if you were troubled by something earlier today, sir. As your future advisor, it seemed appropriate for me to offer my assistance." I said, bowing my head at the end.

Sighing, Leon was silent for several minutes before saying, "It's not a particularly serious matter, just a bit of uncomfortable business with another noble."

I stayed silent for several minutes while Leon finished applying some sort of oil to his weapon before examining it again and setting it down with a satisfied nod. Looking back to me, Leon shook his head and sat down in his chair with a grunt.

"I appreciate the concern, Vayne, and I understand that I will need to rely upon you for assistance and wisdom. If you are sure you want to know, then maybe you can offer a bit of advice."

I nodded once before replying, "It would be an honor, my lord."

Chuckling, Leon looked at me before saying, "I give up on the whole 'sir' and 'my lord' thing. To answer your question, Theo has been expressing an...interest in pursuing an alliance with my family. One that neither Sophia or I am particularly inclined to accept. When I was less than thrilled, Theo took offense, though he has done his best to hide his anger."

I was a bit unsure what sort of alliance that Theo may be proposing, though I had a few guesses.

"With all due respect, my lord, does it matter what Theo feels? The Barclays are powerful and wealthy, but not nearly to the level of the Esttons."

"True enough, and if this were a simple economic partnership of some kind, it would be fine. But Theo has another idea in mind."

I paused before replying, "What does he want?"

Leon rubbed his eyes with one hand before looking up at me. "He seeks to arrange a marriage with Sophia."

Blinking, I did not immediately reply but instead debated the feasibility of such a marriage. The head of the Barclays was a Marquess, and powerful mages comprised most of the family. In all likelihood, they had a significant store of magical knowledge, and a marriage between Sophia and Theo would ensure their children's inheritance of their secrets.

However, the Esttons would have less to gain from such an arrangement. The Esttons were older, wealthier, and more powerful. They had the ear of King Lyos himself, and above all, they could find a better proposal than Theo could offer. The Barclays were powerful mages true, but there were more influential families with eligible unmarried young heirs. In summary, it was an ill-advised plan that gained little for the Esttons.

When I repeated as much to Leon, he nodded in agreement.

"Sophia felt similarly, though I think her distaste for Theo is mostly driving her refusal. When he first brought it up, it looked like she had swallowed some sort of insect." Leon said, chuckling at the mental picture.

I laughed politely, before saying, "If your father refuses his request, there is nothing Theo can say in reprisal. Besides that, arranged marriages between mages still in training are rare. Sophia and Theo both need to become adepts before they can consider something like that."

Nodding slowly, Leon looked to me and said, "Thank you, Vayne. I still need to inform my father, but when he answers, I may come to you to speak again."

I bowed my head before standing and walking back to the door. I had not said much to help Leon, but that was not my goal tonight. I needed to become friends with Leon, and offering my assistance, however minimal, would help gain his trust.

Before I left, Leon said, "Oh, one more thing, Vayne. On our day off, would you like to go exploring Volaris with Sophia and I? We plan to meet with several friends for an afternoon excursion, and I would love to have you come along."

Turning, I smiled and replied, "Of course, sir. It would be my honor."

Shaking his head at my formal reply, Leon said, "Yes, I'm sure it would be a great honor and all that nonsense. I will come by your room and get you when we are getting ready to leave."

Nodding, I bid him good night and returned to my room, smiling as I walked. I had managed to make the first steps to becoming closer with Leon, and in a few days, I could continue that process. I would rather avoid Sophia if I could, but I had to take the risk.

Unfortunately, that meant I would have to push back my shopping trip until night, which could pose a problem. Volaris tended to become more dangerous when the sun fell, but I was hopeful I could avoid any danger.

I returned to my room with a spring to my step and performed my nightly rituals of tempering and cultivation supplements before falling asleep. In two more days, I could finally begin earning gold of my own.