Sorin was relaxing in the guard house. They were left to their own devices for the day just resting and waiting for the command to meet or just any directions for the exam to start.

Euryale had taken on a happier mood with the confidence she had succeeded in her role as a small unit commander. Sorin was glad for her.

That was the thing about being a teacher or instructor. When a student, whether they know it or not or can admit it or not, does well and succeeds it's an amazing feeling that doesn't need the attention.

Many times Sorin had been in this situation with young non commissioned officers and even commissioned officers who have found success in leadership through listening to him. If any of them asked Sorin where he learned to do this, he didn't have a problem telling them that he was a thief.

He steals leadership techniques and philosophy from every single great leader he can find and puts its back to work. It just takes effort.

Sorin paused in his musings because everything was quiet. There is a thing called too quiet. It's an unnatural quiet. Sorin's storm sense was open and he couldn't see anything out of the norm.

He could see all the servants of the main house, reeger was in his own room writing. Euryale was in her own room looking at some sort of box and gesturing wildly as he assumed she was talking.

Cain was....wait....where was Cain?! Sorin looked for Linx next, but didn't get a chance as a dart appeared in his arm and three people dressed in black appeared out of nowhere right next to him. He couldn't sense them.

He pushed aether into his recovery, trying to burn off whatever he was injected with as he lashed out with a firestream. The men put up simple barriers which Sorin worked to bypass by lashing them with his fire bindings. They actually let the wrap hit only to reach up through the smoke from their clothes and rip it off as if it meant nothing. It took as larger chunk out of Sorin's aether having it ripped like that. Behind them Sorin was already summoning fireblast orbs. He launched them all at their backs putting his own barrier up as protection from his own attack.

*Boom!*

Sorin slammed them all into the people who were just standing there completely unconcerned.

"The reports were right Number 1, this one is most certainly not a tier 2. He is easily mid tier 3 or above. Lady Aegis has chosen well with these conscripts." Sorin heard one of them say after the explosion that blew out the side of the guard house and they casually used an aether skill to disperse the smoke and fire.

"Number three, if you would?" One of them said as one of them moved. Sorin instinctively moved to defend himself from the individual, but was so slow it felt like the encounter with Laxric all over again.

He felt something go around his next and click into place then sharp pain as needles pushed into his neck. Sorin saw all the aether around him get pushed away and the aether within his body get pushed down. His connection to everything around his was completely cut off.

His body immediately felt heavy, his mind became sluggish and that's when the shot to his head came in and Sorin's vision went black.

- Euryale minutes earlier to present -

"Mother! I've so much to tell you! Euryale exclaimed the moment Maia, the fifth wife of the duke entered the projection.

A brilliant smile lit her face seeing her one and only daughter safe and sound.

"It's so good to see you Eury! I trust you have been as well as you sound? She asked.

"Oh I have! I am currently waiting for the start of the second phase of the exam. It is nerve racking to say the least as it all depends on the conscripts I have selected." She answered her mother who took on a more serious look.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"They would leave the grade of a cadet up to what amounts to as slaves?" Maia asked.

"More or less, but it is testing my ability to instill loyalty into my troops be it through fear or other means."

Maia tilted her head.

"You don't seem as concerned as I thought you would be."

"I'm honestly not. I have gotten extremely fortunate. I selected two that were skilled and extremely dangerous when paired up as one boosts my passive. The last member is the one that our family would be very wise to keep as long as we can."

Euryale's mother just listened excited to hear her daughter's voice after she had been so busy as of late.

"Oh! Is your encryption key turned on mom?" Euryale asked.

Maia pulled a silver sliver from her pocket, inserted it into the machine on her side and turned it.

The projection turned red across the top indicating it was now an encrypted conversion.

"Mom are you by yourself?

Maia nodded after getting up, sealing the doors, and activating the soundproof circuitry of her chambers.

"I believe this man is a Savant. His name is Sorin Ekart and he grows faster than anyone I have ever seen and now I believe his strength is already nearing mine, if he hasn't passed it already." Euryale explained.

"Why hasn't he tried to break away? Conscripts have been notorious for trying to overtake their masters." Her mother asked sounding extremely concerned.

"That's another benefit to this conscript. He was a member of the military in his world. He was also a leader of sorts who also trained leaders. I have spoken to him at length and he has shared much information that goes with some of our own philosophy that some of our greatest commanders used in the early parts of the wars to push back the creatures."

Her mother nodded along knowing there was more to come. She and her daughter were always close as she was only blessed with a single child to fight the loneliness of the duchy.

"He has never told me what to do, but has just mentioned what had worked for him when "telling some of the best officers he has worked with" had done." She said in air quotes."

"The other conscripts have taken to this form of leadership very well. Cain the Dahmpire I chose, and Linx the fox beastman who is smitten with me have been loyal to a fault. Reeger even approves of their work ethics."

"What of this Sorin then? If he is this versed in war and tactics then he is extremely dangerous." Her mother asked.

"That was a concern of mine as well, but he asked to speak openly one day when we were talking and he and I came to an agreement. He has a wife and son in his universe. He only wants to get back to them. He said he would faithfully serve me and our family under the condition that we do everything in our power to try to get him back home." She explained.

Maia nodded. "Were those the exact words of the agreement?"

"Yes, he was specific about the "try" part especially as he knows rift walking is rather difficult." Euryale said.

"How do you feel about this man? Like really feel about this man?" Maia said suggestively.

Euryale looked up with a shocked look on her face blushing at the suggestion of her mother.

"Mother!" Euryale exclaimed.

"Oh don't "mother" me, Euryale! I am a woman still and know the allure of new, mysterious, and powerful." She said.

"Even if it were possible for me to bond with the conscript.." Euryale said pointedly. "He shows absolutely no interest in me. It's actually frustrating. I know I am beautiful. To say otherwise would be false modesty and arrogant. Yet he looks at me as if I'm a younger sister to him. It kind of hurts to know that even with his wife in another universe he loves her so much that he doesn't even look at other women."

Euryale started playing with her hands.

"I know Eury. Being born into high society has the unlimited privileges it does, but it comes at a cost and that us usually the ability to actually marry for love." Her mother said.

Euryales eyes started to get pink with tears and she sniffed then looked up steeling herself.

"I have a duty to the family and our people though mother. You're right as much as it hurts. His story is something out of those fairy tales you would read me."

Maia smiled. "It certainly sounds that way. Though it's not commonly done, when the man is free of academy control, keep your word nut go further. Free him and ensure his loyalty. If he continues to be powerful and grows powerfully then he could be an ally that we can call on especially if he truly does end up becoming a Savant."

Euryale smiled mischievously.

"I was thinking of running off with the man to his universe and becoming a second wife to him."

"Don't you dare!" Maia said eyes going wide.

Euryale just giggled laying back then coming back up right.

"He is a one woman man. It came up in conversation about his culture and he is content. Besides, Iknow what father would do if we damaged his standing like that."

*Boom!*

Euryale looked up.

"Mom I have to go something happened! Love you!" She hung up taking her encryption key and ran outside.

Cain was gone and she was sure linx was as well. Sorin, would be the issue in this part of the exam. He was too instinctively good at combat and she had warned the academy of this.

She got outside to see half of her guard house was completely blown away and still smoking. As the academy tier 8s selected for the "supposed to be" silent kidnapping of the conscripts walked out with an unconscious Sorin over on of their shoulders.

She wishes them strength and prayed they remained true to their word.