The ringing of bells echoed from a distance as Ciel and Rune sheathed their swords. With a breathless breath, Ciel smiled and then bowed to a master who was one level above him.

"You have progressed quite rapidly. I feel like I can let you go peacefully for the swordmanship tournament."

Ciel smiled. "That's overpraised."

The green eyes of Runeleaves stare down at the blue eyes of Ciel. "Two years ago when you were set apart as my student, I always thought that one day you would cross me. And now I know it will be real."

Ciel widened his eyes. In this world, there are various sword skills and magic developed locally or handed down to others. However, Ciel does not come fromae family of knights or noble. He's just the child of two peasant farmers in Junon. That led to Ciel's lack of sword skills and inheritance magic so he eventually learned all of it at random person or technic.

While students at the academy are mostly born into elite noble families who begin their training at the age of five or six. Therefore, Ciel and his twin brother, Ash, have to beat those people and become top rank in order to enter this year's sword tournament. That way, he and Ash will have chance to become Holy Knight. To meet again with the creator of this world and the only person who abuses the Canon.

"Being your disciple is an honor to me."

Hearing Ciel say in formal language, Rune showed a smile that ridiculed himself. "You're still stiff with me. I broke the rules by appointing you as a student. Normally, aristocrats living as knights had to choose others of lower rank. Then, when you were my student, I couldn't help but notice the other noble sons."

"If I may ask, why did you pick me that time?"

Rune let out a slightly odd laugh that did not match his firm impression. "Because I am convinced that a person who is not tied to the traditions can develop more freely than we do. But I'm a little disappointed that you still think of me as a teacher instead of a close friend. Well, we're not that close to calling names yet, but more importantly, I was hoping that you and your twin could get a letter of recommendation for the tournament."

"Ah. I will do my best to earn this year."

"Well, that's enough for today." Rune held out his clenched fist. This is not a formal greeting between senior and junior but as a fellow knighthood. Ciel greeted him with a big smile and an enthusiastic shout.

When Ciel was packing up their equipment, Ash entered the practice area. Although twins, Ash's physical appearance was completely different from Ciel. Ash had light blue hair that was almost as white as his mother, while Ciel had dark blue hair like his father. The only thing that proved that they were twins was the blue eyes lowered from the mother. Also, Ash is much timider than Ciel. He simply stooped down at Rune when he passed, then approached Ciel in a hasty move.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Today's training is really long." Ciel gave a big smile to ash about to grumble.

"Well, I just came too. Because this is the last practice of the long holiday, Mr. Ceane gave me a little more rigorous training."

Ciel growled, then watched his twin brother in confusion. "It was so unexpected."

"Right? Usually Mr Ceane is punctual, but now he wielded a sword and showed me complex magic."

"I think it's all because the swordmanship tournament is imminent. Mr. Rune was just talking about this, too."

Ash's face became cloudy. "Ah, swordmanship tournaments."

"If we get a teacher's recommendation, we can join the tournament, right?"

Ash laughed bitterly. "I don't know. I think it will be difficult to enter a swordmanship tournament before we become senior students."

In the basic rules of the academy, it is not illegal for an academy student to participate in the tournament. However, in peerage, contestants of noble birth would come first. In Augfheim, there are six peerage. Ordinary people like those from a small village were in the lowest caste, so it was difficult for them to stand on the level with the elite students of the academy.

Afterward, Ash thought back to their childhood dreams. They walked down the corridor with big smiles. A white sun building with blue ornaments so vast welcomed them. The only academy of sword in Augfheim to give birth to the Holy Knights from the first generation to the present.

"It doesn't feel like we've been here two years."

"And we've learned so much. Just a little bit more, we can get to that place, right?"

Ciel looked in Ash's direction. A white tower with massive gold strokes viewed from below makes up the tallest tower and the center of the human world. Around the tower are four cloud covered battlements. That's where their god is. Celestial Cathderal To enter the tower, they must undergo rigorous selection. The only position allowing them to meet Absolute is the Holy Knight.

"Yeah, just a little more ...." Ciel's murmur can still be captured by the above-average hearing of Ash. "Any minute now, if we win the swordmanship tournament, we can be the candidates for the Holy Knight and then meet Ivy."

"But I don't think we're gonna join the tournament in this year." Ash laughed bitterly, stepping back and forth behind the staring clock.

"I'm sure there must be a way to get a tournament recommend letter!" Ciel called after Ash's step. "We can't linger anymore. What will happen to Ivy if we're too late to save her?"

Ash's facial expression came back cloudy. All humans comply in absolute obedience to the Canon Celestial Cathderal that created by Absolute. Because Absolute and Celestial Cathderal, this world is in harmony, without theft, murder, war, or any other serious crime.

But Ash and Ciel didn't understand one thing. Why would a little girl who cross the authority line to protect a village from a monster attack be considered a criminal? The images of Ivy being arrested by the Holy Knight and never coming back were still vivid in their minds. With no certainty whether Ivy was alive or not, it had been the goal of Ash and Ciel for nearly five years.

Ash was struck by the stares of the disciples gathered in the corridor. They whispered when they saw ash and ciel. Well, it's not a new sight. Not only Ash and Ciel, but also disciples who were of the common people. They would invite a snide gaze from the noble disciples.

Whether it's called profit or loss, the rules of caste are not affected on facilities obtained at the academy. The dorms and cafeteria positions of the students are only distinguished by their level of education and achievement.

"In the past, their gaze was terrible." Ciel said that with a sinister smile. "But now they looked like a swarm of flies that flew away when we hit them."

Ash just laughed bitterly. Before long, they arrive at the door of the luxury cafeteria. Ash inhaled, preparing as Ciel opened the door unhurriedly. As soon as the door opened, the gaze of dozens of students was immediately drawn to them. The situation was similar as they passed through the corridor earlier, but this was much more annoying.

The cafeteria consists of three floors. The first floor is worn by new students, the second floor is worn by second-rate seniors, and the third floor is worn by senior seniors without gender. Most of the male students seem to be clustered at one table as long as the female. It's just that, among the male disciples in the crowd, there's always a nobleman who dominates.

For Ash and Ciel, who came from a normal family, the view was simply splendid. How can those people bring their caste to neutral places like the academy? Unfortunately, if the nobles hit or said anything rude to the common man, the rules apply, not the academy rules. So, new disciples who come from the common people and do not have achievements are prone to discrimination.

Trying as much as possible to avoid the insulting stares of the noble students, Ash and Ciel hurried past them, picked up prepared food trays, and went to the empty table on the corner.

"Argh, this food is really disgusting."

Ash restrained Ciel from turning his head when accidentally hearing the words from the other side of the cafeteria. Without turning around, Ash knew someone who had just complained. He is eron, one of the highest order of aristocrats who owns nearly half of the male new student population at the academy.