In the morning, inside the Guild's rooms, Simon wakes up shaking his head, his long black hair covers half his face. "Hmmm?" Simon looked around noticing he wasn't in the Inn. "Where am I? And what happened?" Simon got off the bed and walked towards the bathroom, he kicked something making him look down, he saw Zuzu sleeping on the floor happily, he stared at him for a little before walking over to him and going to the bathroom, he looked at himself in the mirror. "Nothing looks different..." He pushes his hair back, he sees his green eyes staring back at him in the mirror. "Hmm, maybe Sarya knows." Simon walked out of the bathroom and stood above Zuzu. Zuzu slowly opened his eyes, his eyes and tail reacting to whatever he did, he saw Simon towering above him. "AH!" Zuzu backs up bumping into a table, books from the table fell hitting him on the head. "Relax Zuzu, it's just me." Simon pushed his hair back and smiled nervously at Zuzu.

A few moments later, Simon with his hair up and hands behind his head walks down the hall with Zuzu who is dressed properly. Down the hall Sarya huffed annoyed while Amy looked out the window, her horn visible. "Finally! You took forever, what was taking you so long?!" Simon whistles ignoring her while Zuzu and Amy greet each other. "ARE YOU IGNORING ME! YOU LITTLE!" Something crashes down the hall, where the Guild Master's office is, Sarya sighs with annoyance. She walked over to the door and burst through the door. Rina was throwing cups and other things at Layla who had her eyes closed stepping from side to side and dodging the objects. "STOP DODGING MY SH*T!" Rina shouted at Layla, she picked up a chair and threw it at Layla. She stepped to the side dodging it, it flew towards Simon who stepped in. "Ah!" Layla opened one of her eyes, and the chair was cut into pieces. "Rina, are you done? Or are you going to keep throwing things like a child?" Ayame gets to the office out of breath, "What... is going on...!"

After a while everyone sat in chairs, Rina sat on the desk due to her chair being in pieces. "Now are you going to act your age?" Rina ignores Layla's comment, "Simon, you can't be an adventurer. Not yet at least." Sarya's eyes twitch in irritation. "So, you're telling me... WE ALMOST DIED LAST NIGHT BECAUSE OF A COMMISSION YOU GAVE US AND IT TURNS OUT HE CAN'T BE AN ADVENTURER YET?!" Layla speaks, "Clam down, Sarya. It turns out they placed a rule for this last year." Ayame takes over the explanation, "The reason for this rule is because of The King, due to the loss of many young adventurers. Now you have to be nineteen years or older."

Rina huffs and puffs, "It's tiring to tell the families of their kid dying, it starts to hurt after the 100th time.", "That's shocking, Rina feeling sad? That's new." Rina laughed at Sarya and then pointed at her. "As if, yes it's a pain to tell families about their dead kids but you think I would care? Don't get things wrong Sarya, I changed." Rina slides off her desk and walks over to what looks like an old picture. "And besides." She picks up a dagger and quickly throws it behind her, aiming at Simon, Layla's eyebrow borrows. Layla opened her eyes and pulled out her sword as the room slowly became a frosty space, she froze the dagger mid-air. "It seems your 'friend' is no ordinary demon child. Someone can't be able to control Overdrive just by seeing it, and we all felt that killing intent when he... 'changed' and you say he has no mana but how can he use a mana-based skill? And don't forget the lady who he just met yesterday saved his life, and this 'lady' is a Kingdom threat and went missing, without telling anyone." Rina stares seriously at Layla who has her blade at her face. "What are you trying to say, Rina..."

Rina slams a piece of paper on the table shocking everyone. "It's simple, I want Simon and my sister to enroll in the Academy!" Rina said with a smug grin, she tried to sit where her chair was, and Ayame sighed as one of her ghost clones placed a chair there. "Huh...?" Sarya tilted her head in confusion, she looked at Layla who was reading over the paper with a hand on her chin. "Think about it, Icy. If they sign up they could change the very base of the world, and I know you always wanted a kid~" She leans over the desk playfully elbowing her. "Hmm... How will I be able to sign him up for this?", "SIMON! SAY SOMETHING!" Sarya shouts at Simon, who pokes the frozen dagger with Zuzu and Amy. "What?", "Do you not hear anything they're saying?!" Simon shrugged and stood up sitting back in his chair. "I don't mind, if it's Layla I wouldn't mind at all." Sarya gives up sulking in her chair then jumps up, "HEY! WHY DO I HAVE TO GO!?" Rina turns to look at Sarya shrugging not caring at all, "I don't know, you two are close so why not? Oh, and Ayame.", "Yes?" Rina's look changes to an evil grin. "Put that Lisa girl in the Academy too. Before you ask, the entrance exam will put her in her place. (She called me old!) Ahem! And she has to fight other students who entered." Ayame quickly grabs the paper signing Lisa's name, she stops at her last name. She pauses, "Fine, but you better thank me."

"Uhh... what about us?" Rina looks at Zuzu and Amy, she rolls her eyes and grabs a small bell. "Let's see..." She rings the bell. Something loud ran down the hall, and a small knock could be heard on the door. "Come in, Hiroto." Hiroto the doctor from before walks in with his goggles and a dirty lab coat. "What were you doing?" Hiroto looks at himself noticing he is dirty from doing whatever he was doing, he pushes his goggles up on his forehead and quickly takes off his coat throwing it out the door. "I was uhh... testing... Anyway, what do you need from me, Guild Master?" Rina raises her brow in confusion. "I-I meant, how may I help you, Guild Master?"

"I need a favor, a huge one." Hiroto sighs with despair in his eyes, "I already signed my soul away to you what else do you want me to do?", "Don't be like that! Anyway, get over here and sign this paper~" Rina slams the same paper on the desk, which Layla is still looking over. "The... Academy? Why do you need me to sign this? Can't you sign it yourself? You're the Adventurers Guild Master so...", "Just sign the damn paper or I'll beat the hell out of you!" Rina shouted and quickly changed back to her calm self, Hiroto signed the paper without a second thought. "I think you abuse your position too much, Guild Master..." Rina takes the paper looks it over and leans back in her chair, "Oh please, I don't need to hear you say that Ayame, you're always my right hand.", "More like I'm you're only right hand..." Rina slides the paper to Zuzu and Amy, Amy picks up the paper and looks over the text. "So... this guy will be our guardian?" Rina nods while kicking her feet up on her frozen desk.

"Absolutely! A Parent or Guardian is required for enrollment in the Academy." Zuzu scratches his chin as his tail tickles his head, "What exactly is this Academy?" Rina gestures upwards, indicating a glass case showcasing a trophy featuring a photo of Rina and four others. "It’s the best Academy in the world! And it’s the only one that welcomes every race. Maple Park University!" Sarya looks at Rina angrily, "You must be crazy..." Rina appears behind Sarya with a smug grin, she brings her closer. "How are you feeling, Sarya~"

Annoyed, Sarya tried to push her away but Rina's grip was too strong. Sarya swings at Rina but she catches her fist with ease. "How are you doing, my dear little sister~" Sarya pissed gave up trying to fight back, “Feeling alive, but being here makes me want to shoot myself with an arrow if you put me in that Academy.” Rina laughs and lean closer, her face changed to an annoyed stare. “Okay, fine. But if you don't go I’ll ship you back to the castle with Mom and Dad. And they'll put you through more hell.” They shout back and forth at each other, Layla watches with a nonchalant expression. “There’s another way he can be an adventurer.” Rina snaps her fingers signaling for Ayame, she nods while grabbing a folder from the desk. “What's with that folder?"

Ayame opens the folder and starts reading what is in the folder. "Sigh, if you don't want to do the academy, you can either work in the Guild until you are the right age or as a knight," Rina smirks, appearing in her chair and leaning forward on the desk with her eyes glowing. "You choose, but overall you have to go to the academy and graduate, and once you leave I’ll be there with your adventurer’s permit,” Rina explained, she grabbed the folder from Ayame and placed the folder on the desk while staring into Simon’s eyes. “Why does he have to go to school?! All this for a permit?!”, “What’s the catch...” Rina grins while leaning back in her chair, Ayame steps up to explain but Sarya stops her. “I’ll be your kid!” Rina starts to laugh but Ayame hits her with a bundle of paper. "Owie..."

"Stop kidding around, Guild Master!" Layla burst out laughing at Rina, especially Rina who was shocked and mad. "I must say, I haven't had a good laugh in years. But I agree with Rina." Layla looks at Simon and Sarya, "I think you'll learn something you never knew about before, so I think you should do it." Sarya stood up and walked towards the desk with the paper for the academy, Sarya signed the paper to enroll in the academy, and Rina was surprised. “You’re serious about this... Are you only doing this because that soulless swordswomen?”, “I only wanted to do this because we’re both elves and it wouldn’t make sense for a human boy to be your child.” Simon sat there confused, Ayame stared at Rina with a worried look. “What about Simon?” Rina looked at Layla who nodded. Layla stared at Simon and he could only see her blond hair and orange eyes with her smile that yet again shocked Ayame and Rina.

“Your name will be Akio Ishiguro.” A vein appeared on Rina's forehead, “You can't just change his name completely!?” Layla nods. “The name change is because you know that old man is always looking into anything, so you must think ahead.” Rina sighs in annoyance but doesn't want to ask. "Just who is Miss Layla and why does she make you so mad Guild Master Lady?" Amy asked. “Layla is someone from my old team, known as the greatest swordswoman from this kingdom until she just ran off! I don't know why, she was always dumb and mysterious.” Rina rolled her eyes, Sarya leaped on the top of Rina’s desk with her sword pointed at her. “What are you doing...?” Rina visibly annoyed made a fist as lightning surged from it. “You might be my sister but as a Yeslar you should know when and how to act around someone stronger than you.” Rina grins about to laugh with visible anger on her face, “Didn't I tell you before you little sh*t I've had enough of your game.” Rina stood up and grabbed the blade of Sarya's sword, her blood dripping off the blade. "I'm not a part of that family. Not anymore, and if you want to kill someone you better not estate... and if you can't... get the hell off my desk." Rina's eyes glow deeply as her aura wraps around Sarya's sword.

Layla claps her hands as the office air becomes dense, and the sword Sarya holds shatters. "That's enough you two. Now sit down or lose your heads..." A red line appears on Rina and Sarya's necks, Sarya huffs and jumps off the desk, and Rina locks eyes with Layla refusing to stand down. “You don't tell me what to do anymore, Ishiguro...” Ayame and Hiroto look at each other nervously. "Yawnnnn~. Are you guys done yet? I'm feeling a little hungry." Simon yawned and stood up walking to the desk, he picked up the writing utensil. "Where do I sign on this?" Layla slid the paper she was holding over, "You sign right there, below my name." He nods and writes down, Akio Ishiguro. "You don't get an undercover name Sarya?" Rina sighs and sits in her chair, she waves her hand from side to side. "No, she'll be fine. No one should know Sarya is missing and no one knows what she looks like nor do they know her name. It's an elf thing, the child's parents don't share the child's name until they are 'coming of age' or whatever they do." She explained.

A few moments later Simon, Sarya, Zuzu, Amy, and Layla sat in the huge back room of the Adventurers Guild, while Rina sat further away with Ayame standing behind her. "Rina... I meant Guild Master, you should go and apologize to her." Rina ignores Ayame while watching Simon eat with the others, she taps her finger on the table. "I don't get why you have to sit here..." She looks to the side as Layla drinks tea, places her cup down opens one of her eyes, and sighs. "Are you still drinking that same ale, now I always wonder why no man will ever love you, you drunkard." Rina slammed her cup on the table, her face noticeably red she stood up pointing at Layla. "S-s-SHUT UP! You're no better than me! You! You! Make men run away!" Layla doesn't budge and sips her tea, Ayame shields her face from the second-hand embarrassment.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

As the sun sets, everyone is gone except Rina, Ayame, and Layla. They were in the Guild Master's office (Rina), and Layla sat with her legs crossed. Her sword leaning on the arm of the chair, Ayame sat near the window watching the sunset. Rina opened a drawer, and a picture of a person who looked like Sarya, with three others on there. A lady who looked like Layla looked more serious than the others in the photo. “You never smiled no matter what." Layla with both her eyes open looks to the side. "I felt like things got worse after Asuka's death, and I mean that for all of us..." Ayame kept watching the sun and Layla just stared at her sword. "Pfft, don't get me started on that greeny. She was always too much for no reason.", "We all had the same goal in mind, that's why that party was made." Rina stares at the picture before leaning back to look at the photo above her inside a glass case. She stood up looking at the paper Sarya signed.

"Tsk, annoying brat..." Rina walks by Layla about to leave, "Wait." Rina turned around staring at the back of Layla's head. "What do you want?" Layla stood up as Ayame and Rina watched her movements. "Meet me on the roof." Layla brushed past Rina, she turned around about to say something but Layla was already gone. "I hate her so much...", "I'll let you two talk, I have to go close down for the night." Ayame stood up with a grin, Rina rolled her eyes leaving the office with the picture on the desk.

Rina walks down the hall memories of Rina on her knees as the dragon from before lay on the ground defeated and the boy who protected her stood there with his arm broken and in a critical condition. The strong wind blows his hair away from his eyes but it's still blurry and distorted, he reaches his other hand out as the white in his hair slowly fades becoming a black color. "I'm glad you're okay." He smiles while the sun rises behind him. Rina shakes her head walks out of the Adventurers Guild and turns to look up at the whole Guild, there's a clock tower on top of the building and she sees Layla sitting. "Sigh... I hate you so much..." Rina turned into a lightning bolt and appeared behind Layla. "Ughh... hurry up and make it quick, I got things to do y'know." Layla patted the surface next to her, inviting her to sit, reluctantly she sat next to her with her leg close to her chest.

"I would yell at you for saying that about the Queen but... she wouldn't care either way. That's how she was..." Rina shrugs, "Not like I cared either way.", "So why did you stay in the Kingdom instead of leaving? I remember that day. The day we lost our 'Hope' our leader and our 'sister'." Rina ignored Layla and stood up, as she turned to leave Layla grabbed her hand. "How long... how long? Are you going to keep hiding your feelings, Rina? She told us to live..." Rina snatches her hand away. "You wouldn't understand... you left her when she needed us the most... you wouldn't understand her pain! You couldn't even attend her funeral, because you were too power-hungry to kill the guy we were looking for!" Rina faced Layla, her eyes falling as she remembered that day. "I was always there, Rina... I never left her side-" Rina grabs Layla by the collar, her eyes emitting her electricity, "Well! Did you find him?! Did you do what you wanted?! Did you kill the guy who saved us!?" Layla stares into her eyes blankly. "Tch! Knowing you, you probably did... I don't even understand why I would be mad." Rina released Layla and sat back down, annoyed and crying. "No. I never killed him, but I did meet him." Layla sat back down staring at the sun. "Look," Layla points where a tombstone lies, on that tombstone is a small glint. "He gave me one last gift for her, I was too late to give it to her, but he wanted her to have it." On the tombstone was a diamond hairclip with a green gem inside it. "Wait a minute wasn't that..." A memory of all those younger-looking Layla, Ayame, Rina, Asuka, and another girl sitting around a campfire. Asuka mimicked someone while hyper as ever, "Then! He crashed in and boom! Bam! Kaboom! And whooped everyone, then when he tried to save me I pilled my knife on him, I thought he was going to do something to me but he just picked me up and ran out the cave like it was nothing! I don't think I ate that much that day but I know I must've been a little heavy. Anyway-!" Shorter hair Rina sighs loudly signaling she's bored, "Shut it, Greeny! You told that story so many times, I wanna shoot myself with an arrow." Rina was roasting something over the fire while Layla cleaned her sword off in the dark corner. The girl who doesn't have a name spoke, "How about you tell us what happened after he saved you, Asuka." Asuka stood proud like her sharp nose was pointing upward. "Well since you asked! I gave him something priceless for saving me! And it was to pay for his sword that shattered, alone with his armor that was badly damaged.", "What was it?" Rina asked taking a bite of the meat that she was cooking. "It was my family heirloom!", "Oh yeah, this girl is hopeless..." Rina rolled her eyes while Ayame and the girl stared at the grinding Asuka. "You did what!?", "Relax, he told me he'll take good care of it and attach it to his hair! I've heard he never took it off! So I wanted to find him and give him this!" She digs in her bag and pulls out a hairclip with a clear glass and a rainbow gem inside it. "Wait a second! Isn't that rainbow gem rare?! How did you even find that?!" Asuka waved her hand like nothing was wrong. "I just asked Father if I could get a special one for him and he gave me this. But I had no way of getting it to him, the Kingdom that summoned him doesn't allow anyone in or near him, so I found people looking for people like me!"

Rina clam and with a smug grin shrugs, "I'm looking for a human he has crazy power and he was able to beat a dragon with ease! His hair turns white and I want to tell him something." Ayame, the girl, and Asuka's mouths drop with awe. "Well I'm looking for a boy who saved me from my house, I wasn't able to see his face but I can tell who he is by his voice and body build." The girl shrugs after Ayame's reasons, "I'm just looking for The Hero, so I'm with Asuka with this one. I have no reason, I wanted to see if his 'magic' is similar to ours."

Meanwhile, Layla stabs her sword into the ground getting everyone's attention. "There's no reason for me to share. What is my quest, is my quest, not any of ours. Just stay out of my way or fall to my blade." Rina spit out something and stood up getting in Layla's face. "If you don't wanna share, shut up then. No one cares how strong you are, you can't be as strong as my hero." Layla doesn't back down and looks into Rina's eyes, "Try me little elf, and lose your life in seconds." Asuka stood between the two, her green aura flowing around her body. "Enough you two. I won't tell you again, I thought we all had a deal." Rina snickers and Layla huffs, she turns and walks back to her corner. "Whatever, I was tired anyway." Rina walked away flopping on her bedroll, Asuka sighed and sat on the log near the campfire. "Why are you 'really' looking for The Hero, Asuka?" Layla asked, Asuka sighed and stared into the campfire. "Besides giving him the hairclip, I want to know if he still has my hairclip..."

Rina chuckled as she realized the glint was from Asuka's hairclip, now placed on her tombstone, surrounded by flowers and gifts. "Ahahaha! You bastard! Why didn’t you come to see her yourself? She spent years searching for you! What kind of hero are you!?" Layla gazed forward while Rina yelled, and after a moment, the moonlight illuminated brightly as Rina took a swig from a bottle. "Are you enrolling your sister in the academy for a reason?" Layla queried, gripping her sword and observing the shops closing in the Kingdom's streets. "Eh, I don't know.", "Quit lying, I've known you for years." Rina places her bottle down at her side and sighs. "Fine, I...I'm worried about her okay?! I thought she died out there or got caught or something worse..." Rina said with her cheeks even more red, she avoided eye contact with Layla, "I-I'm glad she met that demon- I mean that kid, I don't know what he is but I can tell he cares about her.", "Pfft, hahaha!" Rina slowly turned her head in shock and surprise, Layla laughed at Rina breaking her cold and emotionless expression. "Look at you! You're all red! Hahaha, Asuka would love this!"

Rina drinks more and more. Bottles lay beside her while Layla was silent, "Those two are going to be monsters in that school. I kinda feel bad for the kids... no not really. I bet those noble assholes are still there." Layla shrugs, not even thinking about it. "I don't know, even if they're still there. I don't think any of them stand a chance against either, Sarya or Simon. How will you keep her hidden from your parents?" Rina stood up pacing back and forth, wobbling a little but keeping her balance, "To be honest, I'm not sure. I might not even tell them. Ohhh! I have a question for you as well~" Rina sat back down and leaned closer to Layla, her mood changing.

"How do you know my sister? And where did you meet that kid? I can tell they were hiding it and the fact Sarya treated a random person she doesn't even know with respect is... odd. I'm not talking about how she treated Ayame but about, 'Yeah, we've known each other for a long, long, long time'. I may be an air-head but I'm not dumb.","Maybe you should ask her yourself. It could be respect or perhaps she looks up to me. I don't know." Layla stood up and looked ahead, watching the beautifully lit Kingdom. "Go rest up, we have to get our 'kids' ready for school, in a few days." Layla turned to look at Rina who was looking ahead, she shrugged and stood up with her cheeks red from drinking.

A few weeks later, Simon held a sword while standing in the sand dome of the area in the back of the Adventurers Guild, he stood in front of a dummy. "......" He closed his eyes as the sound of chains made his eyes snap open quickly, but he wasn't in the sand dome anymore. "This place again?!" He looked forward and saw that kid but there was something different, he had a hole in his chest and blood tears, he sat in a chair with chains attached all around it and wrapped around his arms, legs, chest, and around his neck. "How was it...?" Simon looks around and he's in the same dark dungeon he woke up in before but it's... different. Simon looks up and there's no roof, no top, just the chains leading up somewhere. "I have no idea what you're talking about..." The boy sends a chain at Simon, but he quickly dodges, avoiding the chain.

"Good... that means you won't break easily..." The boy stood up as the chains wrapped around his arms and floated around him, pointing at Simon. "Let's see if you can keep up..." The boy pulls a sword from the ground and throws it at Simon, slamming it into the ground. "Pick it up or die..." A chain shoots at Simon, he quickly picks up the sword and parries the chain. The boy laughs as his green eyes beam into Simon and his dark red hair flows around. "Good! Now..." He digs his hand into the hole in his chest and pulls out a bright red sword, covered in chains and dripping in blood. "Show me what you can do, weapon master..." The boy blitzed Simon, he couldn't see the boy rush him that fast. Simon quickly swung his sword, but the boy countered Simon easily and kicked him away, he flew back, a chain wrapped around Simon's arm pulled him back, and punched him in the gut. Before Simon could fall, the boy grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "Don't tell me this is all you got...?" The boy held the sword to Simon's neck, the chains wrapped around his chest as one punch left him breathless. "We'll see what you can do without my... energy." The chains around his chest started to glow. "(What the hell? He knocked the wind out of me with one attack... What the hell did he do to me?! I took stronger and harder hits than this but I feel so much... weaker...)" The boy was about to finish him off...

"Hey! Idiot, stop fooling around. Rina needs us at the front." Sarya shouts for him as Simon comes to, he opens his eyes with the dummy in front of him impaled with multiple weapons in it. "Just what are you doing? And why did you do that to a dummy?" Simon looks at his hands and then at the dummy in shock, his hands and face sweating. "I was... uhh... training!" Sarya rolls her eyes and walks away, Simon slowly walks towards the door following Sarya. In the bleachers a man stares at the dummy with the many weapons in it, he remembers how Simon attacked the dummy. "Somethings wrong... but just what is it, Simon..."

Simon and Sarya walk down the Guildhall, "Uhh... where are we going?" Sarya groans and points ahead, walking by the other adventures. Zuzu and Amy stood by the front door waiting for them, Zuzu waved. "Are they still out there?" Sarya asked. "Yeah, we were waiting for you guys." Sarya nods and opens the doors, the bright light blinds Simon. Rina leaned against the carriage, and Layla stood near it with a smile, a group of people surrounded the carriage shouting and yelling. "I told you, to go to the back but nooo. Layla Ishiguro, just had to make a scene! You know everyone in this damn Kingdom loves you!" Layla dismisses Rina with the same smile, "I told you it was fine. And I want everyone to know, that Akio Ishiguro is my son." Rina scoffs.

Sarya, Simon, Zuzu, and Amy approach the two ladies, Zuz is confused as to why there are so many people surrounding the carriage. "Why are there so many people here? Is there some type of event?" Sarya shakes her head, "No, it's because of who Lady Layla is.", "Who is she?" Sarya coldly walks forward to Rina, Layla locks eyes with Simon who is nervous about how many people are around, and Layla locks eyes with him, she walks towards him, and with a quick motion, she cuts something. The crowd goes silent as Simon stumbles back, his hair long hair cuts and now his hair is shorter, showing his blue eyes. "I have something to say! This is my Son! Akio Ishiguro!" The crowd stayed silent while Layla opened her eyes with a gentle smile, "Are you ready for the academy?"