A/N: I'd like to dedicate this section of my book to thank some of my most supportive readers who have continuously motivated and interacted with me! You guys are one of the main reasons I continue to write. These cool guys are: _unkn0wn, Tennolord123, BruhMomento, Noah_Kataphrakt_00, Kataphrakt_35M, MrJrthoughs35, MakeR20.
Thank you guys! You guys rock!
On a side note: With the help of Tennolord123 I've been developing a discord (new one). I'll be posting the link on the next chapter. Leave a comment with your discord name and tag if you want to help as well! Now, onwards to the story!!!
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Griff only needed a single day in the infirmary to recover. It was only mana depletion after all, he just had to absorb mana from around him and recharge. He clicked his tongue.
'Damn... I feel like it's a shame that I fainted. That girl was a good mage.'
He got up from his bed as he put on his gloves that were placed next to him. He was about to go out when two of the healing mages noticed him.
"Um, hey kid. I don't think it's wise to be standing after such a big fight. It's even a miracle you're not missing any limbs after challenging one of the top 5 first year students..."
Griff just stopped to look at them for a second with a blank face. But his face slowly morphed into slight surprise.
"She was one of the top 5?!"
'Damn I'm cooler than I thought I was... anyway. I better get out of here before-'
"I heard that you were feeling better after only one day, so I came to check on you! How are you Griff?"
'It was that Gilded Kings Professor...'
"Professor Augustus... uhm, so yea I'm feeling better. Can I go now?"
"Wait, not so fast. You two, can we be alone for a second?"
"Yes Professor Augustus!"
The two mages quickly scrambled away.
Augustus looked at Griff and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Young Master, I wanted to ask what you're planning to do. Are you going to go back to the Phoenix's? I can arrange you to join my class in the Gilded Kings easily. No one would question me."
Griff actually stopped and thought about that for a few minutes. It was definitely not a bad idea, plus it seemed that he had gained a footing in the Gilded Kings with this, uh, misunderstanding, but he wasn't going to trust his supposed dumb luck to carry him to power.
"I think not. I've met some people that would make me sad to leave."
He slightly smiled to himself thinking his mischievous friends.
"If that is what you desire young master..."
"Also, would you stop calling me young master Professor? I told you many times that I remember almost nothing of my past except that my family was in a big incident."
Griff had decided that he'd try to slowly unravel this misunderstanding. Augustus seemed dead set on believing he was Duke Breaker's long lost son.
"And I've told you several times young master, that you're definitely a Breaker. Only Breakers have white hair. Though, that black part seems odd. Did you perhaps dye it half and half to prevent suspicion?"
"Hey that's my natural hair color! Plus, weren't you a retainer of House Breaker? Shouldn't you be able to tell what my hair was naturally anyways. This might mean I'm from a different house than you think."
"As much as you might have a valid point... I'll still have to refuse to believe so till I am proven otherwise. That talent you showed in magic can only belong to a high noble's!"
Yeah. Griff was definitely taking steps to clear this misunderstanding without creating a big mess. It would be better for him to, after a period of time, conclude that he was "supposedly a son of a fallen noble of a different country." Even Augustus wouldn't be able to refute that if he kept building doubt like this, but for now he'd use this opportunity.
"Alright then, I guess I'll also wait till you're proven otherwise Professor. On another note, I'm basically healed at this point so... can I go?"
"Ah well... I would prefer if you rested more, but if you say so I'll trust your judgement sire."
Griff pondered for a second and then snapped his fingers.
"Also, no telling anyone what we just talked here."
"I'm sadly going to refuse that. Some of the higher nobles who used to be your father's allies must know of your return."
Griff cringed inside.
'No don't you fucking dare you old man.'
"No, no, that won't do."
"Why's that? You'll need allies!"
"You said it yourself that no one knew how the Breaker house fell into ruin. So I'd rather trust no one at this point."
"Hmm... very well. I'll only talk with one of your father's most trusted allies."
'Just one? Meh... I can handle that.'
"Yeah that's fine I guess, but nothing is confirmed yet. Neither of us should get over excited, and I doubt my past would reveal itself so easily."
"As you wish sire. You know, that's exactly how noblemen talk. You've definitely got the blood."
'UGHHHHHHHHH'
"Anyways... I'm off!"
Griff bolted through the door. Augustus shouted behind him.
"COME TO MY OFFICE IF YOU NEED ANYTHING!"
'Damn, I'm finally safe. He said he'd talk to only one noble. That's manageable for me. I just don't want this getting out of hand than it is...'
As he was running through the corridors, the students turned their heads to look at him with shock.
He didn't pay that attention to it, probably them just being curious of a Phoenix who survived against a Gilded King.
He saw the Phoenix classroom, and slowed down. It seemed that the students were opening him a path? Must have been his imagination. Anyway...
Griff opened the door with a smile on his face.
"Hey Professor Julius! What did I miss today!"
Everyone just looked at him dead in the face with pikachu faced expressions. The silence continued for a while before Lance got up and shouted.
"HE'S REALLY ALIVE!"
Then the entire classroom erupted into chaos. Julius was just looking at Griff with his eye twitching, but it wasn't from anger. It was from the excitement of finally having a student that could shine bright amongst the bottom of this world.
Griff just smiled awkwardly as he scratched his head in confusion...
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As Augustus was walking away from the infirmary he realized that he forgot to tell Griff something. He took out the piece of paper that he was going to give him.
It was a list. A list of 10 students. At number 5, a familiar name could be seen: "Anastasia - Gilded Kings." The rest of the list from top to bottom consisted of nobility, but the enigma was number 6, a new addition to the list: "Griff - Order of the Phoenix."
Augustus chuckled as he tossed it back into his pocket. Griff would learn of his new rank sooner or later. Him and the other teachers had seen enough of his performance anyway, there was no need to make things difficult for such a prodigy...