The time flew by, they passed their second year of school. Their dorms would remain empty but untouched until school started up again. Of course, they could come and go as they pleased. Auna and the other kids took turns checking the clearing for new children. It was rare a day was missed, even Meredith helped out checking.
Auna spent her ninth birthday celebrating their first harvest of crops, they all turned out to be magic crops. Which sold for slightly above market price for the normal version of the crop. Except for a few plants that could be used for potion making, like sweet potatoes. Their bees had turned into tamed monsters everyone taking a queen as theirs to keep the hives under control, a total of eight queens.
Their second year flew by without issue before they knew it, they were taking the second ranking test. Auna scored the highest again with Jensen right behind her. Meredith and Chloe tied for third while the triplets tied for fourth. Ciela ending up in the top 15 as well. There was no incident this time with the combat section. She was forced to do actual representative duties in her second year, mostly mediating small fights between students.
The problems became much worse in the first month of their third year; assassins began entering the school. Their target was Auna. Unfortunately for them every time they entered her room to kill her, she was not there. The guards would notice something was up arresting them before they could even see her.
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The principal and teachers had decided they would take extra lessons and start their leveling up early. They would spend one weekend day a month in a dungeon. The king had no choice but to allow Auna the right for her own safety. The king had denied the request a few times claiming it was too early, she did not need such practical combat experience. Now though she did need it.
The security of the school was also tightened up. The church mother and other nobles not a part of teaching or staff were no longer allowed entrance. This was fought against but eventually, the king sided with the school.
The next few weeks passed with tension in the air. Soon the school calmed down some as the attempts on Aunas’ life stopped. They were still watched closely so the trips to the crater were less frequent than before, and often were after lights out. The children would go to bed early wake up after lights out and head to the crater for chores. Their health and grades were fine, so the adults let them go to sleep whenever they wanted. Even if it was strange. They couldn’t say anything as every surprise check was met with sleepy children questioning why they were being woken up in the middle of the night. Again, the king and the parents of the other students had to request the checks so late at night be stopped. The Dukes both knew what was going on though.
Aunas’ tenth birthday was in a few days. This year they planned to celebrate it on school grounds. They had convinced the teachers to allow them to use a classroom to have a small party with them and a few friends they had made from class. They were all excited. The teachers even let them bake a proper cake.