Robert stared at me for a solid three seconds, blinking rapidly like I had just asked him to solve an advanced mathematical equation with a spoon. I was worried I might have fried his brain or something.

“You don’t know who Instructor Remy is?” He asked

“Of course, I know who he is. I just like asking questions I already know the answers to—it keeps things interesting and lets me see how people react. It is also a habit I developed since my sister is so young. It helps her be able to learn things since she has to explain them to me.” I said completely deadpan. Staring at him with a calm expression

“I can honestly say that I can’t tell if you are messing with me or not. I am going to go on the basis that you are. Instructor Remy is the instructor that you sparred with when you were getting evaluated.” He said looking at me with narrowed eyes.

“You’re a pretty gullible person aren’t you, Robert?” I asked unable to keep a straight face any longer.

“Oh, you dick, I am so going to get you back for that!” He shouted before punching me in the arm.

With our little back-and-forth, we made it to the auditorium with about fifteen minutes to spare. My Panoptic Sense did not allow me to see anything specific to a person, at least not yet. It provided a general awareness of movements, energies, and presences within my surroundings, but details like appearances or identities remained elusive. Because of this limitation, we had to try and find Evelyn the old-fashioned way. This only took a few minutes because she was sitting in the very first row. I guess she was going to be a bookworm, good, maybe I can just take the same classes as her for the most part and use her notes.

As soon as I sat down with Prince Robert everyone started whispering about who I and Evelyn were. I didn’t know if Evelyn couldn’t hear or if she was just used to it but having that many people behind my back made my skin crawl. Luckily, I had Panoptic Sense, so I just stared at these people right back, even if they didn’t know I was.

Leaning in, I whispered to Evelyn and Robert, "You know, I think I’m starting to like both of you less and less." I sighed dramatically, casting a glance at the crowd whispering behind us. "My master plan was to stay under the radar, blend in, and quietly get stronger without attracting attention. But thanks to you two, I might as well be wearing a flashing neon sign that says, 'Royalty's New Best Friend', which, by the way, is not exactly the low-profile I had in mind."

I had always intended to keep things low-key, focusing on getting stronger without the weight of constant scrutiny. In a school filled with noble bloodlines and flashy talents, blending in was supposed to be my greatest advantage. Staying unnoticed would let me observe, adapt, and strategize without interference, skills I knew would be invaluable for survival and long-term success. But now? Now, I had the sneaking suspicion that my plans were about to get a whole lot more complicated.

My dad is a guard and while they like for people to always know they are around. They also try to still be out of people’s way, sort of off to the side, there but quiet type scenario. Now everyone is looking at me like I’m a slab of prime meat. Everyone is going to try to use Eve or myself to get to Robert and as soon as everyone learns Eve is the princess I’m the weakest link.”

Robert just laughs and puts his arm around my shoulders while loudly saying, “Don’t you worry, I am sure that we can figure something out,” Robert said with a playful grin, his arm draped casually over my shoulders. “After all, you are my best friend, and what are friends for if not helping each other out?” His tone was light, but there was a levity in his words that made me realize just he was getting me back for earlier.

“Touché Robert, touché. But seriously what am I going to do?” Robert just chuckled in response.

“You could just be honest. Tell people that Instructor Remy introduced you to each other so that you had someone equal to spar with.” Evelyn said.

Before I had a chance to respond, someone came out on stage. She was of medium height about 5 foot 4 inches tall and had long brunette hair and a heart shaped face. She did not seem very muscular but did not look overweight by any means.

“Good morning children, I hope that all of you slept well last night. I am Professor Nancy Farn, you may call me Professor Farn, or Miss Farn, either will do. While today is technically the start of your schooling and the beginning of the rest of your lives. You will find that tomorrow is the first day of your classes. You will find slips of paper on your desks when you return to your dorm that has you class schedules.”

“For those of you who wished to bring servants, we do apologize, but we try our best to keep everything equal here at Ascension. This means that you will have to bathe yourselves and do your own work. I know so horrible.”

While Professor Farn continued I leaned toward Robert and whispered to him, “Do you super nobles really need someone to bathe you?” Evelyn gave me a smack on the arm for speaking and Robert chuckled while shaking his head. I decided that I should keep quiet and pay attention if I didn’t want Evelyn hitting me anymore.

Professor Farn went on to explain that while classes started every year, the first three years you were considered a Foundation class. The next three years we would be considered Novices, and the third set of three years was Masters. The final set of three years was not mandatory and was usually only taken by those wanting to become professors in their own right at the school. They were known as Sages and the classes you took were designed to help the person learn how to teach their subject.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

For the most part everything else was pretty standard boarding school stuff. There is a curfew that students need to be in their rooms no later than 9pm, there are healers on staff that can do literally anything other than bring someone back to life. If they are quick enough, they can even grow a heart back if the person is still technically alive, but they only have a few seconds for that.

There will be Professors and instructors observing us and for those of us considered worthy they may allow us to create a group to start delving dungeons early. Other than that, there was nothing to interesting about the classes. The first-year classes were mostly to help us learn to push the limits of our talent.

Most students experienced their second revelation by the time they are Novices. Those that did not attend Ascension or some other school usually received their second revelation around twenty or so.

Once the assembly was finished Evelyn grabbed my arm. “Meet me at the same cafeteria we met at this morning, ok?” She seemed to plead with me. I guessed that my trying to slip away this morning did not go as unnoticed as I hoped. Instead of being snarky like I wanted, I just nodded my head before heading to my dorm to grab my list of classes.

“Race you there Jace!” Robert said before taking off.

“You cheater!” I yelled before sprinting after him.

Maybe a hundred yards before reaching the dorm I caught up to him and we were neck and neck the last few steps. I dug deep and pushing every last bit of energy, we were within steps of reaching the door and we both leapt to be the first to touch the door. To this day I swear that I won but Robert said the same thing. Someone opened the doors and we both flew through the doors crashing into them and getting tangled up. As I flew past the door though, I made sure to reach out and touch the door.

“What are you guys doing?” The random guy that we ran into asked. Trying to detangle himself from us and not really getting anywhere.

Robert and I just laughed our heads off and I realized that being friends with the most popular guy in school was probably going to have a bad influence on me. We quickly got untangled and I ran upstairs to grab my list and find out what order my classes were in.

I had four classes a day, Fundamentals of Combat and Strategy, Magical Theory and Talents, Dungeon Exploration and Survival, and Applied Ethics and Problem Solving. My classes were in that order as well and I could only hope that Robert and Evelyn had similar classes. Otherwise, my sparring partner and possibly team leader might not go very far.

I went back downstairs, walking this time instead of running, to find Robert already there and waiting. As we walked to the cafeteria together, I found out that he had the exact same schedule that I did. I also noticed that more people were looking at us and I suspected that, same as at the assembly, everyone was trying to figure out who I was.

When we got to the cafeteria Robert made me promise to come find him either here or in the dorm as soon as I was done speaking to Evelyn. Apparently, Instructor Remy suggested a few other people who might make good sparring partners. While they didn’t share the same talent, their slightly different fighting styles could still provide valuable practice for him.

I promised I would and went to grab another sandwich and went to wait outside by where we met earlier. Munching on my sandwich and thinking about how much to tell her. I knew that I would not be able to keep her in the dark. I am not even positive that Robert did not catch on when her eyes widened slightly.

“Jace?” Evelyn asked coming out behind me. I nodded my head, and she said to follow her. She led me to a spot that struck a perfect balance—open enough to not feel claustrophobic yet secluded enough to provide a sense of privacy. The area was surrounded by towering trees whose leaves rustled softly in the breeze, creating a natural canopy that filtered the sunlight into dappled patterns on the ground. A small clearing in the center offered just enough space for us to sit comfortably without feeling exposed, and the gentle hum of distant campus activity made it feel like a hidden oasis amidst the bustling school.

“What do I need to do, to stop having you try dig more information about my talent? Tell you everything about it?” I knew that even if that was what she wanted I would say that it only worked for me with as much conviction as I could muster.

Evelyn stared at me for a long few seconds, trying to use her talent to make the most optimal outcome would be my guess. I knew that a talent like that would make most people trust her less. All her decisions were based solely on that talent of hers after all. But I knew better, her talent only gave her probably outcomes not certainty.

“I want you to trust me, but I’m a curious person by nature," Evelyn said, her voice steady but laced with a hint of vulnerability. She clasped her hands together, as if grounding herself, adding a quiet sincerity to her words. Her gaze met mine, unwavering. "As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, my talent doesn’t tell me exactly what someone is thinking, nor does it provide concrete facts. It gives me a feeling—whether a line of thought is good or not. Like earlier when I asked about your skills, my talent gave me a strong impression that, based on what I’d seen of you, you’d have at least one more skill hidden up your sleeve."

She sighed, a small, frustrated exhale. "But that’s the problem with my talent. I can’t just turn it off like some people can. It’s always there, always feeding me bits of information, whether I want it to or not. And that’s why I almost gave your information away to my brother. I didn’t mean to, and I’m sorry for that." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "But of all people, he would probably be the best person to tell."

I nodded thoughtfully at her words and sank down into the grass, gazing up at the sky as I tried to process everything, I had learned about Evelyn so far. Trusting someone with the secret of the system wasn’t something I could afford to take lightly. Sharing it could lead to unforeseen dangers, or worse, put Evelyn in a position where she might unknowingly reveal it to the wrong people. The system was my edge—my secret weapon—and I wasn’t sure I was ready to lose the advantage it provided.

Yet, keeping it to myself left me feeling isolated, navigating this world full of unknowns without anyone to rely on. The stakes felt enormous, like an invisible weight pressing down on my chest, making it harder to think clearly. My thoughts chased each other in endless circles, each one torn between caution and the longing for connection. My palms felt clammy, and my heartbeat pounded in my ears, a constant reminder of the magnitude of this choice.

Trusting Evelyn could bring a sense of relief, a way to share the burden. But it could just as easily turn into a disaster if word got out to the wrong people. Scenarios played out in my head, each one filled with its own risks and rewards, making this decision feel like walking a tightrope over a chasm with no safety net in sight.

Evelyn seemed genuine, but her talent’s influence over her actions made me hesitate. Could I be certain she wouldn’t rely on probabilities rather than discretion? My father’s voice echoed in my mind, urging caution, but there was also a small part of me that craved the relief of sharing this burden with someone who might understand. These thoughts left me trying to decide if I should tell her about the system or not.