Collection 1 Chapter 47 528-537

Chapter 528: A Thorny Path Called Life

50th Floor.

Boss Room….

"Mmm, as expected, the last stage isn't going to be easy," William said as he stared at the Boss Monster and its subordinates in front of him.

He had already expected that the last floor of the Dungeon wouldn't be easy to beat, because if it was, the students of the academy might have already cleared it.

However, no student in the academy had been able to do that. The farthest they had come was the 40th Floor, and they had suffered several casualties along the way. Because of this, all the students had been warned not to go past the 35th Floor of the Mirage Cavern if they valued their life.

Any student that decided to challenge the Dungeon had to sign a Death Waiver that stated that the Academy would not be blamed if they were to lose their lives inside the dungeon. This was to prevent the noble houses from finding fault with the Academy, due to the reckless actions of the students who wanted to have a high score on the Quarterly Assessment Tests.

—–

< Crowned Purple Behemoth >

— Boss Monster

— Toxic Toad Behemoth

— Threat Level: SS (High)

— Millennial Beast

— Cannot be added to the herd

——

< Berserked Lava Toad >

— Last Floor Guardian

— Threat Level: S (High)

— Centennial Beast

— Cannot be added to the herd

—–

< Fiery Lava Toad >

— Last Floor Guardian

— Threat Level: S (High)

— Centennial Beast

— Cannot be added to the herd

—–

< Wave Rider Toad >

— Last Floor Guardian

— Threat Level: S (High)

— Centennial Beast

— Cannot be added to the herd

—–

< Defiant Tempest Toad >

— Last Floor Guardian

— Threat Level: S (High)

— Centennial Beast

— Cannot be added to the herd

—–

< Vicious Stone Toad >

— Last Floor Guardian

— Threat Level: S (High)

— Centennial Beast

— Cannot be added to the herd

——

A ten-meter tall purple toad wearing a crown on its head looked down on the three people that dared to enter its domain. It was the last boss of the Mirage Cavern and it was highly toxic. Only those that had a strong resistance to poison would be able to survive its deadly attacks.

However, even if one could escape the attacks of the Boss Monster, they still had to deal with the four guardian toads by its side. These guardians were three-meters-tall, and all of them controlled one of the four elements.

This deadly combination was enough to exterminate anyone below the Adamantium Rank.

Ian gripped her weapon tightly as she prepared herself to fight. She knew that this battle would be difficult, but she was not afraid.

"Ragnar, let's go."

A magic circle appeared in front of her, and Ragnar was summoned inside the boss room. Ian had made a pact with Ragnar long ago. That was why she was able to summon him just like how William summoned his Herd and Legion.

"Ruff!" Ragnar stood in front of Ian and looked at his enemies with arrogance.

Ian waved her hand as she activated the special ability that allowed Ragnar to take on a stronger form.

"Kinship Evolution!"

Ragnar's body grew and transformed into a five-meter tall Grand Cerberus. Ian jumped on her partner's back because they were already used to fighting together.

"Wow," Chiffon looked at the towering three-headed dog in front of her with sparkling eyes. "So cool."

This was the first that she had seen Ragnar and it reminded her of the powerful Beasts in the Demon Continent. However, her admiration didn't last long because she knew that now was not the time for it.

Chiffon took a

fighting pose and her hands were covered by a black, spiked gauntlet, which served as her main weapon.

Surprisingly, the little girl was a close combat fighter, and she was quite proficient in it. However, William wasn't sure if he should allow Chiffon to fight against monsters that were stronger than her.

"Chiffon, stay at the back, " William ordered. "There's no need for you to participate in this battle."

"Big Brother, don't worry," Chiffon replied as she gathered magic power to strengthen her body. "I'm confident that I can handle that Stone Toad over there."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Please, trust me."

William nodded his head, but he wouldn't take Chiffon's words at face value. He had already decided to call for reinforcements to help him deal with the final obstacle that blocked his way.

"Erchitu, Psoglav, Kasogonaga, Fenrir, B1 and B2, come forth!" William shouted.

The Giant Revenant Ox, stepped out of the portal and focused its attention on the Crowned Purple Behemoth. Since it was already a revenant, it was not affected by any type of poison.

Psoglav and Kasogonaga faced the Fiery Lava Toad, while Ian and Ragnar faced the Wave Rider Toad.

William was going to face the Defiant Tempest Toad that held the power to control the Wind Element. However, he called out Fenrir, B1 and B2, to serve as Chiffon's reinforcements.

"Chiffon, allow me to introduce you to Fenrir," William said as he patted the Trollhound's head. "As for these two dumb birds, the red one is B1, and the blue one is B2. They will help you deal with that Centennial Toad."

Chiffon nodded her head in understanding. Although she wanted to ask William some questions, she decided to ask them after the battle was over.

"Let's go!" William took a step forward and charged at the Defiant Tempest Toad.

That was how the Final Battle in the 50th Floor of the Mirage Cavern started.

——

Meanwhile, back at Silverwind Academy….

"William still hasn't returned," Stanley, the boy that had made a bet with William crossed his arms over his chest. "Did he perhaps chickened out of our bet?"

"Who knows?" a boy named Scott, who was Stanley's good friend, replied. "He doesn't strike me as someone that will declare something and run away from it."

Steffan, who was also Stanley's and Scott's friend, nodded his head in agreement. He was a man with few words, and only talked when it was necessary.

Due to the fact that these three boy's names started with S, they were given the nickname the Triple S.

Stanley rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Well, I don't really mind if he doesn't manage to bring our class to the top spot. Back then, I was just carried away by my emotions."

"So, you mean that you're fine with having a Trash Eater as our classmate?" Scott asked. He was about to say more when he felt a hand hold onto his shoulder.

"We should stop calling her that," Stanley replied. "I feel bad when someone in our class calls her that nickname."

"Um, yes, sorry," Scott apologized. "It's just a habit. I will do my best not to call her that nickname again. Besides, William said that he would prevent her from going to the Garbage Dump again. As long as he does that, there will be no reason to continue calling her Trash Eater. Am I right, Stanley?"

Stanley nodded his head. "We should stop calling her by that nickname."

Their classmates that were listening to their conversation also nodded their heads in agreement. All of them were students of Class F. Although everyone looked down upon them, that didn't mean that they had to vent their frustrations on Chiffon and make her feel bad.

Professor Ewan walked inside the classroom to check if all the students in his class had finished with their respective tests.

After doing a headcount, he found out that William, Chiffon, and Ian, still hadn't returned. The assessment test would end at three in the afternoon the next day and, if they were still not back by then, they would be punished for not returning their Test Bracelets that recorded the points that they had gathered during the duration of the one-week assessment test.

'I hope that the three of them are fine,' Professor Ewan thought as he adjusted the glasses on his face. He had already been teaching in the academy for seven years, and had been the Homeroom Professor of Class F from the beginning.

The Professor had seen how his students had struggled in their grade, and some of them had lost motivation to climb up the social ladder. However, he still didn't give up and continued to teach the worst class, every school year.

The reason?

It was because of a belief.

He believed that anyone had the potential to succeed in life. It didn't matter how low their status was, or how lacking they were compared to geniuses in the empire. What Professor Ewan wanted to instill in them was a belief.

A belief that no matter how high the hurdle that they must face in the future, they should find the courage to face it head on.

That way, they would regain the confidence that they had lost, and a world of infinite possibilities would once again open its doors to each and every one of them.

'William, I'm counting on you,' Professor Ewan prayed inside his heart. 'Make it so that the students of Class F, can once again raise their heads with pride, and walk the thorny path that is called life.'

Chapter 529: Is Your Academy Teaching Weaklings? [Part 1]

The Last Day of the Assessment Test…

Princess Sidonie had just finished lunch, and was about to return to her room when she heard a commotion in the dining hall.

A crowd gathered around Prince Jason and those who had gathered were constantly praising him for his triumphant return at the academy after challenging the Mirage Cavern.

"That's amazing, Your Highness!" one of Prine Jason's classmates exclaimed. "You actually beat the record that was set by the First Prince. Your name will definitely go down in the Academy's history!"

"Incredible! I am blessed to witness the birth of a legend in my generation. Thank you, Your Highness, for giving me this opportunity to witness your greatness!"

"Long live Prince Jason!"

""Long Live!""

Prince Jason acted as if what he did wasn't a big deal. When his gaze landed in Princess Sidonie's direction, he gave her a brief smile before nodding his head in greeting.

Princess Sidonie returned his greeting with a nod of her own before turning away to return to her room.

The Prince's eyes followed the beautiful princess until her back disappeared from view. Everyone noticed his behavior and exchanged glances with each other. All of them were well aware of the custom of the Kraetor Royal Family.

Cousins marrying each other was a very common thing, and one look was enough to tell them that the Prince was planning to do just that.

However, there was one problem.

The Princess was wearing a collar on her neck, and the one that gave it to her was none other than the red-headed boy that hailed from the Southern Continent. Due to William's declaration of being Princess Sidonie's lover, almost everyone in the academy had come to know his name by now.

They also knew that he had been thrown to Class F due to the reaction of the nobles of the kingdom. Simply put, they didn't like William and they wanted Princess Sidonie to take the collar on her neck off, and find someone who was more deserving of her beauty.

None of the students surrounding Prince Jason said anything, because they didn't want to be singled out by the Prince. Instead, they continued to praise him for his achievement, and ingratiate themselves to him.

< What a bunch of bootlickers. >

Morgana snorted from inside their shared mindscape.

'Well, that's just how the world works,' Princess Sidonie replied. 'Those in power tend to gather people around them. This is a very common thing when you're a member of a powerful faction.'

< Hmp! Just because he broke the Academy's record he thinks he's that good? The moment Darling returns, everyone will probably have a stroke due to shock. By the way, where is Darling? >

'He didn't tell you?' Princess Sidonie asked back.

< No. Also, why are you asking me? If I know about it, you will also know, right? >

The corner of Princess Sidonie's lips curled up into a smirk 'Big Sister, don't think that I don't know about your night escapades when I am

in deep sleep. Every time I wake up in the morning feeling hot and bothered, I know that you've been doing something behind my back.'

< W-What are you talking about? I-I'm not doing anything wrong. >

'You're stuttering, Big Sister.'

< B-Because you are saying weird things. >

'Heh.'

Princess Sidonie shook her head because she could tell that Morgana had no intention of spilling the beans. Actually, she wasn't too bothered by it. She had already known how naughty her other half could be. Her only concern was that she wasn't there to see whatever she was doing with her beloved.

As soon as Princess Sidonie entered her room, a sudden surge of power washed over her body. She almost collapsed from where she stood, fortunately, she was able to lean on the door before her legs lost their strength.

< It's breaking out of control again >

Morgana muttered worriedly, as she hugged Princess Sidonie within their shared mindscape. It had been a week since the Princess had been with William, and there had been no time for them to spend some quality time with each other.

William had been helping her regulate the Divinity inside her body, but due to his absence. The Power of Lust was starting to break free from Princess Sidonie's control.

The only saving grace was that whenever these outbreaks occurred, she was alone without anyone around her. She had long stopped using her power to turn people into her loyal subordinates.

< Take deep breaths. Follow me, inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale… >

Morgana guided Sidonie to help her to calm down. Five minutes later, the beautiful princess had regained control of her body.

< Don't worry. Darling will be back soon. Just hang in there, okay? >

'Yes.'

Princess Sidonie walked up to her bed and laid down. She felt so weak after fighting against the Divinity that was starting to manifest.

Just before she fell into sleep's embrace, the image of her beloved Half-Elf appeared inside her head. She hoped that by the time she woke up, William would have already returned to the academy.

That way, he would be able to help her, dispel the Power of Lust that she had forcefully held back inside her heart.

——

"Should we wrap things up here? I think all of the students had already submitted their bracelets," one of the professors that was managing the collection of the bracelets proposed.

A few of the professors nodded their heads, however the Headmaster of the Academy, Gilbert, remained seated.

"It's only half an hour before the promised time. Let's just wait and see it through till the end," Gilbert said. His voice was firm, which meant that he was not going to take no for an answer.

A year ago, there was an incident when a dozen students had been unable to pass their bracelets in time because the Professors managing the collection had left earlier than the promised time.

Many nobles had complained to the Headmaster, so he decided to personally participate on the last day of the Assessment Test to ensure that all the Professors would do their duty properly.

The Professors glanced at each other before sighing inside their hearts. Since their Employer told them to wait for half an hour, they would wait for half an hour.

While everyone was waiting for the clock to strike three in the afternoon, three students entered the room. All of them looked disheveled, and it was clear that they rushed to the Academy's staffroom in order to submit their bracelets in time.

The Headmaster immediately recognized two of the latecomers. One was a Half-Elf who was being monitored by the special agents of the Emperor, the other was a troublesome girl that hailed from the Demon Continent.

William also recognized the Headmaster of the academy and headed in his direction. He thought that it would be best if he surrendered his bracelet to the man on top, so that no mishaps would happen.

"Sorry we are late," William said as he removed the bracelet from his wrist. "Here you go, Headmaster."

William placed his bracelet on top of GIlbert's desk with a smile. Chiffon and Ian did the same. Gilbert nodded before looking at the clock on the wall. There were still ten minutes before three in the afternoon, so William and his group had arrived in time.

"I have received your bracelets," Gilbert replied as he took William's bracelet from his desk to personally see his results. "All three of you can return to your rooms and take a bat– Wait! Don't go!"

The three teenagers almost jumped back in fright due to the Headmaster's sudden shout. They didn't expect that the man who stood at the top of the Academy would look at them with bloodshot eyes, as if they had committed something outrageous.

Chapter 530: Is Your Academy Teaching Weaklings? [Part 2]

"T-This!" Gilbert's hands shook while holding William's bracelet. His eyes turned bloodshot as he stared at William's Merit Points.

The Professors got curious because their Headmaster was acting in a weird manner. They sneaked behind him to check what was wrong with the bracelet. Their eyes widened in shock, as their jaws dropped from the unbelievable sight that they saw.

—–

William Von Ainsworth: 6,913,367 Merit Points

—–

"Oh my God! Almost Seven Million Merit Points!" the Homeroom Professor of Class B exclaimed in shock. "How is this even possible?! Boy, you better explain this!"

"Did you tinker with the bracelet?" a Professor from the Fourth Year Division asked as he looked suspiciously at the red-headed teenager who had a smile on his face. "Do you know that there is a heavy punishment for anyone who dares to cheat in the Assessment Test?"

"I didn't tinker with it," WIlliam replied.

"Then how?!" another professor stepped forward. "Do you know that the highest record we currently have was from Prince Jason. His Merit Points were 621,489. His Highness has set a new record, and yet your points are ten times higher than him!"

"What? Only 621,489?" WIlliam replied in a dumbfounded manner. "Is your Academy teaching weaklings? Why are his points so low?"

The professors almost spat blood when they heard William's comments. They couldn't believe that someone actually dared to call Prince Jason's accumulated points low. Not to mention, he even added that they were teaching weaklings?

The Homeroom Teacher of Class A in the Fifth Year division's face became beet red out of anger. He had been feeling smug earlier because not only did the Prince set a new record, his class had also gained the highest Merit Count among the Fifth Years.

Although it was guaranteed that they would be hailed as the best class in the Fifth Year Division, he was unable to accept the fact that someone had easily beaten the new record that a student of his class had made.

"We need to investigate this." Prince Jason's homeroom teacher stepped forward. "How can this be possible? No one has gotten this many merit points since the Academy has been founded."

William crossed his arms over his chest as a devilish smile appeared on his face. "No one managed to do this? Oh, my. I guess I overestimated the elite students of this academy. Something as easy as gaining six million points is deemed impossible?

"If I had taken this assessment test seriously I could have easily earned ten million points. However, I wanted to be lowkey, so I only settled for nearly Seven Million."

The Half-Elf shook his head in disdain. "What are you going to say next? Are you going to tell me that no one has beaten the Last Boss on the 50th Floor of the Mirage Cavern? Because I just beat that boss not long ago."

The room descended into

silence after William had dropped a bomb in their faces. Gilbert almost dropped the bracelet in his hand, because of how much it shook after hearing William's words.

"Y-You have beaten the Boss Monster at the 50th Floor of the Mirage Caverns?" Prince Jason's homeroom teacher pointed a shaky finger in William's face.

"Yes," William answered. "The Boss was a ten-meter-tall purple frog, and his subordinates were three-meter tall. Each of them had a different element. Man… those toads were quite springy. They jumped around like their butts were on fire."

William took out Five Beast Cores inside his storage ring and piled them on top of Gilbert's desk.

A Purple Beast Core the size of a basketball, and four beast cores the size of bowling balls stood side by side.

The professors all stared at the glowing Beast Cores on top of the desk. Beast Cores that were not a day old had a certain lively luster in them that was different from those that had been stored for a long time.

All of them had fought in dungeons before and they were very familiar with the quality of Beast Cores. With this kind of evidence in front of them, it was hard to refute William's claim.

"How did you do it?" Gilbert had regained his calm and asked this question directly.

"It's a trade secret," William replied before he took the Beast Cores and stored it inside his storage ring. "I don't intend to share it with anyone."

All the professors inside the staffroom cursed William in their hearts. What he did was not uncommon. Most adventurers didn't want to share their strategy when dealing with High-Level Dungeons. It was their way to earn big, so these kinds of things were a well-guarded secret.

Gilbert sighed and placed the bracelet down on his desk. "The three of you may leave now. The final result of the Assessment Test will be announced in two days."

William nodded his head and thanked Gilbert. Ian and Chiffon did the same and the three left together in a carefree manner.

After the students left, an old man wearing glasses stood up from the corner of the room. He was the Grandmaster that had created the bracelets that were used to measure the Merit Points that the students earned during this time of year.

He took William's bracelet from the desk and scrutinized it properly. The Headmaster and the other Professors didn't say anything and waited for him to announce his verdict.

Five minutes later, the old man placed the bracelet back on the desk.

"It wasn't tampered with," the old man stated. He then tapped the bracelet thrice and a projection appeared in front of everyone.

—–

William Von Ainsworth

Merit Points: 6,913,367

Merit Source: Mirage Cavern

Last Entry: Boss Room.

Mirage Cavern 50th Floor

——

The professors sucked in deep breaths after they had seen the records inside the bracelet.

They knew that once they announced the results of this year's Assessment Test, the entire Kraetor Empire would go into an uproar. Gilbert hurriedly stood up from his seat to return to his office.

He needed to talk to Emperor Leonidas and tell him what the Half-Elf had achieved during the week-long test. Gilbert knew that if William's record was announced publicly, it would go down in the annals of their Empire's History.

—–

William escorted Chiffon to Princess Sidonie's quarters because he was afraid that the little girl would be bullied along the way.

The noble ladies looked at the disheveled Half-Elf in shock as he swaggered inside the Girl's Dormitory.

This was not the first time that William had come here, because Princess Sidonie had often invited him to dine with her. The girls were also used to the dashing Half-Elf who made their hearts flutter with his smile.

However, seeing his current appearance, they couldn't help but be shocked because the latter was currently not very presentable.

William noticed their stares, but he didn't mind them one bit. He just walked with confidence as if he owned the place while holding Chiffon's hand.

After knocking on Princess Sidonie's room twice, the Half-Elf thought that the Princess was not around. He then opened the door to allow Chiffon to go in when he noticed a peculiar scent in the air.

William scanned the room and found that the door that led to the Princess' bedroom was left partially open.

The Half-Elf could sense a Divine Power emitting from within, so he hurriedly walked towards it to see what was happening.

Inside, he saw the beautiful Princess lying on top of the bed, and panting for breath.

The moment her beautiful golden eyes landed on William, a barely audible plea escaped her lips.

"Will… help me…"

Chapter 531: Wrapped In Tender Feelings

The sound of kissing reverberated inside the bathtub.

William felt the urgency in Princess Sidonie's kisses, and knew that she was at her limit. He then embraced her smooth and seductive body as the power of lust overflowed from within her, sending shivers down her spine.

"Will, please…," Princess Sidonie pleaded as she pressed her naked body over him.

Although the bathtub was filled with cold water, the heat inside her body continued to burn unabated.

"I understand," William replied as he kissed her forehead.

The Half-Elf then started caressing the Princess' body in order to release the pent up lust that it had accumulated since he left to conquer the Mirage Cavern in Silverwind City.

The beautiful lady surrendered her body to her beloved, and allowed him to do whatever he wanted. Just like an itch behind her back that she couldn't scratch, Princess Sidonie had felt her frustration build while William wasn't around.

Seeing her current state made the Half-Elf's heart ache, so he used his expertise to kiss, suck, lick, and bite the itch that the Princess wasn't able to reach. It didn't take long before Princess Sidonie's body shuddered, as her beloved brought her to the peak.

However, once was not enough. It was not so easy to sate the Power of Lust, and both of them knew it.

"Darling, let's take this to the bedroom," Morgana whispered in William's ear. "It's my turn now."

"Okay," William replied and kissed her.

They were currently inside the Villa located in the Dungeon of Atlantis. A day in the outside world was equivalent to three days inside the Dungeon. William thought it would be best to absorb all the overflowing divinity from his lover's body, in order to stabilize her condition completely.

After drying themselves with magic, William sat on the bed, while Morgana kneeled on the floor in front of him. Princess Sidonie's other half, lowered her head and lovingly kissed William's…

If other people were to see her now, they would be surprised because the beautiful lady that all the men and women adored in the academy, was currently servicing a Half-Elf with her seductive lips.

Although both girls were still inexperienced, that didn't stop them from doing their best to make William feel good.

It didn't take long before the red-headed teenager uttered a soft grunt, before releasing his essence inside her mouth.

Morgana ceased all actions and focused on taking in William's precious seed. She didn't intend to waste even a single drop of it because it belonged to the man that she, and Princess Sidonie loved.

Two minutes later, the two lovers were on top of the bed and seeking each other's warmth. The power of lust was continuously being absorbed by the gem on William's chest, easing the discomfort that the Princess was feeling as the time went

by.

Although they still didn't cross the last line, that didn't prevent them from having their fill of each other's love, through words, and actions.

A few hours later, Princess Sidonie slept peacefully in William's embrace. Her smooth, and near-perfect body, that would drive both men and women crazy, laid on top of the man she loved, and the latter held her firmly, unwilling to let go.

William looked at his lover's sleeping face. He realized that parting with her for a long period of time would put her and the people around her in grave danger, if her power suddenly flared out in the wrong place, and the wrong time.

'System, can you make it so that Sidonie can go to the Thousand Beast Domain even if we are far apart?'

< It is possible. >

'I want you to make it happen.'

< Certainly. However, for that, the host will need to pay 50,000 God Points. We will need to tweak the Collar of Wisteria and add a waypoint that will allow it to connect to the Thousand Beast Domain, regardless of how far the two of you are apart. >

William nodded. 'Do it.'

< Understood. >

< Deducting 50,000 God Points in order to embed a mini teleportation gate inside the Collar of Wisteria. >

—–

Remaining Points: 4,450,642

—–

The collar on Princess Sidonie's neck glowed, but its wearer was currently not aware of what was happening.

Half a minute later, the glow disappeared and everything returned to normal.

William breathed a sigh of relief because with this added feature, his lover would be able to teleport inside his Thousand Beast Domain to seek his help if her Divinity suddenly started to go out of control.

The Half-Elf kissed the sleeping Princess' forehead once before closing his eyes to sleep. He was also exhausted because Princess Sidonie's, and Morgana's, stamina almost rivaled his own.

Clearly, the two girls were born for love making, and William looked forward to the day when he would finally become one with her.

—–

Back in Princess Sidonie's Room inside the Girl's Dormitory…

Chiffon hummed as she scrubbed her body with soap. She had not taken a proper bath since she had explored the dungeon with William, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

After properly washing her body, she donned a new set of clothes that Princess Sidonie had bought for her, and laid on top of the bed to sleep.

She hadn't had a proper sleep as well, so she took this opportunity to catch up. Ian promised to pick her up so they could have dinner together. The little girl was surprised when the Princess of the Kraetor Empire suddenly disappeared from on top of the bed.

Chiffon had wanted to ask William what happened, but the latter only said that he would explain it at a later time. Back then, William had a worried look on his face, so she decided to not pry any further and watched him leave in haste.

Ian had also accompanied William to return to the dormitory. Both of them were boys, so they couldn't possibly stay inside the girl's dormitory for a long time.

'I hope they will take me with them again when they go to the dungeon,' Chiffon thought as she hugged Princess Sidonie's pillow. 'I didn't know that exploring dungeons with other people was that much fun.'

She had always been alone most of the time, and stayed away from people. When William asked her if she wanted to accompany him to the dungeon, she readily said yes.

Back then, she only agreed because she didn't want to be lonely. Chiffon didn't expect that in those days battling inside the dungeon, she would feel things that she had never felt before.

It was not her first time fighting monsters. In the Demon Continent, fighting was a way of life. However, this time, she hadn't fought alone. There were people who treated her as their equal, and William even held her hand most of the time.

The little girl placed her hand over her chest as she pondered on what the source of this warmth that she was feeling inside her chest was.

She wished, with all of her heart, that there would be more opportunities where she would experience this feeling again.

"I don't want to be alone again," Chiffon said softly as the tender feelings wrapped itself over her cold body.

She had been alone for a very long time, and longed for the warmth of someone that would stay by her side… forever.

Chapter 532: My Era Has Come

"Have you heard the news? They said that someone has broken the record of the academy in the Individual Rankings."

"I did. According to the Fifth Years, Prince Jason has broken the record that had been set by the First Prince."

"His Highness is truly a prodigy. I bet that all the girls in his class are looking at him with infatuation."

"Hasn't that always been the case?"

"I wish that they would just post the result now. Must they keep us all in suspense? I want to see which classes were able to get the highest points this year."

"Why are you in a hurry? Do you have a bet with someone?"

"Yes. I made a bet with a Third Year student from Class F. That moron said that they would be ranked first this year, so I agreed to the bet."

"How lucky. You got some easy cash there, Bro."

"I know, right?"

The students were getting rowdy as they waited in the Academy Plaza for the results of the Quarterly Assessment Test.

This was where all the points of the different classes in each school year would be posted. Not only that, it would also show the individuals who gained the highest merits in each Year Grade as well.

These Individuals would often be sought out by the High Officials, and nobles of the Kraetor Empire to train under their guidance. This way, they would have a talented subordinate that would help them out in the future.

"Look! It's Prince Jason!"

"He's so handsome!"

"He must be feeling proud of himself for beating the record that his older brother made a few years ago."

"Definitely. I know I would be grinning from ear to ear if that were to happen to me."

Prince Jason had a friendly smile on his face as he made his way at the very front of the Giant Monument at the center of the plaza. The crowd parted before him, and all of them bowed their heads to show their respect for the Prince of their Empire.

Prince Jason didn't stop walking until he arrived at the very front row, where most students were waiting for the result.

The Prince ignored all of them and raised his head to look at the very top of the monument. There, a name, written in bold letters shone brightly even when the sun was at its zenith.

Maximilian Hal Kraetor

The name of the First Prince of the Kraetor Empire shone brightly. This name had been the target of all the students inside Silverwind Academy. A name that they had long wanted to surpass in order to gain untold honors from their Emperor.

Prince Jason sneered in his heart because he had long wanted to prove that he was better than the First Prince of the Empire. He had been feeling giddy since the moment he woke up that morning.

Why?

Because this was the day, when his name would appear on the top of the monument. A name he believed would remain at the top even after hundreds of years had passed.

It was the greatest honor within Silverwind Academy. Just imagining all of the students looking up to his name made Prince Jason almost laugh out loud. However, since he

was a Prince, he needed to maintain his image.

Suddenly, a commotion happened. The crowd once again parted to allow three beautiful ladies to pass unimpeded. They were Prince Jason's cousins.

Emperor Leonidas had three sons, and two daughters. Currently, his three sons were vying for the throne.

The current Emperor was old, and he had also announced that he would only remain in his position for two years before handing it out to one of his sons. No one knew whom the Emperor was leaning on, but the battle between the three brothers was being waged in the shadows.

Although their children didn't dabble in politics, the young princes' and princesses' accomplishments would also give their parents a much needed boost in popularity if they performed well inside the Academy.

"So you are here, Big Brother Jason," one of the beautiful ladies with long blonde hair, and gray eyes, said with a smile. Her eyes softened as she looked at her Big Brother whom she had secretly loved all these years.

"Vanessa, it's been a while," Prince Jason replied with a nod. "Big Sister Hannah, Big Sister Amanda, I pray that both of you are well?"

"I'm good," Princess Hannah answered. "The Assessment Test was quite competitive this year. Did you manage to get some good points, Cousin?"

Prince Jason crossed his arms over his chest and gave his cousin a mysterious smile. "I think I managed to get some decent points."

"Heh~" Princess Amanda chuckled as he looked at her cousin who was looking back at them with a confident smile. "There are rumors going around that you have beaten Big Brother Maximilian's record. How true is this rumor?"

Prince Maximilian was Princess Amanda's blood brother. The two of them had a very good relationship with each other, and always watched each other's back. Seeing that someone was threatening her Big Brother's position, Princess Amanda felt anxious inside her heart.

Prince Jason didn't answer and only smiled at his cousins. He was doing his best to not boast in front of them, because he wanted to see the look on their faces when his name appeared on top of the monument.

"You look very smug today, Cousin."

A deep and confident voice reached Prince Jason's ears, and the latter clenched his fist before looking at the direction where the voice came from.

Four good looking teenage boys walked with grace, which made the faces of the ladies in the plaza blush in delight.

They were the four young princes of the Kraetor Empire, and all of them had gathered to see the results of the rankings.

"Do I look smug right now?" Prince Jason asked the First Prince of the Kraetor Empire whom he had treated as his rival.

"Very," Prince Maximilian replied. "I could see your nose from beyond the Seventh Grade Residences. Looks like the rumors flying around have substance in them."

Princess Amanda's heart sank when she heard her Big Brother's words. Although she wouldn't believe the rumors until the evidence was right in front of her eyes, it still made her uneasy because of how confident Prince Jason looked.

"A Prince of the Kraetor Empire should be confident." Prince Jason shrugged. "If we can't even do that then we won't be suited for the position that was bestowed upon us. Isn't that right, Cousin?"

"True," Prince Maximilian replied as he placed his hands behind his back.

No more words were spoken between the two Princes. A subtle tension hung in the air as the rowdy crowd earlier quieted down. For some reason, it was very hard for them to speak because the presence of the Royal Family pressed down on them like a mountain.

A few minutes later, the bell of the academy started to ring. It was the spark that made everyone look at the monument at the same time.

The Giant Black Monument suddenly sprang to life as the names that had been written there months ago disappeared, and were replaced by new ones.

The first ones to appear were the Rankings of the First Years. It was immediately followed by the Second Years then Third Years, and so on, and so forth.

Prince Jason's lips curled up into a smile when he saw his name appear in First Place in the Individual Rankings of the Fifth Year Division.

The changes on the monument were happening gradually. It would still take a few seconds before it reached the top of the monument where Prince Maximilian's name shone in bold golden letters.

Prince Jason clenched his fist as he waited for his name to appear on the top. His smile became wider when his older cousin's name slowly faded from on top of the monument.

'My era has come,' Prince Jason mused. 'This time, all of you will look up to me.'

Every student in the plaza also noticed the change that was happening at the very top of the monument. All of them waited in bated breath as a new name appeared on the spot reserved for someone who had broken the previous records of the academy.

A name whose fame would spread far and wide in the Central Continent in the next years to come.

Chapter 533: Short-Lived Happiness

—–

Jason Hal Kraetor

Merit Points: 621,489

—–

A loud cheering broke out in the crowd when they saw Prince Jason's name appear on top of the monument. Anyone who was able to break the record of the academy was like an idol in their hearts.

This was the goal that everyone in Silverwind Academy strived for. They wanted their names to be at the very top of the monument, to be stared at by the future elites of the empire.

The Fifth Prince of the Kraetor Empire faced the crowd and gave them a princely bow that was overflowing with charisma.

Princess Vanessa's face reddened when she saw her beloved's name on top of the monument. She glanced at the handsome Prince, and hurriedly covered the lower half of her face with a fan, to prevent anyone from seeing the sweet smile on her face.

Prince Maximilian didn't look at his cousin's smug expression as his gaze remained fixated on the name on top of the monument.

'Fool,' Prince Maximilian sneered internally.

As the first Prince of the Kraetor Empire, he was privy to confidential information that was not readily accessible to the public. Since that was the case, he already knew that his record had been broken.

However, it was not only broken by one person.

It was broken by two people.

The Giant Black Monument showed things in its proper order. Since Prince Jason had broken his record first then his cousin's name would appear on the monument, albeit fleetingly. What Prince Maximilian was waiting for was the moment when his arrogant cousin's happiness would come crumbling down.

After paying the students his good graces, Prince Jason noticed that the First Prince of the Kraetor Empire was still staring at his name on top of the monument.

A sense of superiority bloomed inside his chest as he walked towards the First Prince who had always stood ahead of him for the past few years.

"Cousin, I got lucky this time," Prince Jason said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind," Prince Maximilian said. "You did well by breaking my record."

"This is the right attitude that a Prince should have. Cousin, let's go to the Whispering Wind Tavern later. Drinks are on me."

"I will take you up on that offer, Cousin. Make sure that you don't keep me waiting."

"But of course."

Prince Jason chuckled as he sneered at the First Prince internally.

'You sure know how to put on an act,' Prince Jason ridiculed Prince Maximilian in his heart. 'Let's see how long you can keep up that facade of yours, dear Cousin of mine.'

What Prince Jason didn't know was that The First Prince of the Kraetor Empire was already laughing internally. Prince Maximilian had already noticed that his cousin's name was starting to fade from the top of the monument.

Since he was the only one looking at the monument at the moment, no one had seen the changes that were happening. The oldest Prince waited for a few more seconds before shifting his gaze at Prince Jason who had a smug expression on his face.

"Dear Cousin, it's quite unfortunate that your happiness is short lived," Prince Maximilian chuckled as he pointed his finger at

the top of the monument. "Your name is no longer written there."

Prince Jason sneered at his cousin before looking up at the monument. He thought that the First Prince was just saying nonsense in order to divert his attention away from him. However, the moment Prince Jason's eyes laid on the name that was written on top of the monument, his body stiffened and the sneer on his face disappeared completely.

—–

William Von Ainsworth

Merit Points: 6,913,367

—–

"W-What?!" one of Prince Jason's lackeys gasped in shock. "O-Over Six Million Merit Points?!"

It was not only Prince Jason's lackeys that had been shocked, but everyone in the plaza. They thought that they were only seeing things, but after rubbing their eyes repeatedly they had come to the conclusion that what they were seeing was real!

"Impossible! How could such a high merit exist?!"

"Prince Jason's was only over Six Hundred Thousand. This new record is nearly Seven Million! How could this be possible?!"

"Wait, I know that name. Isn't that the name of the Fiance of Princess Sidonie?"

"Now that you mention it, you are right! It's that guy that has been tossed to Class F!"

"T-This is truly unexpected. To think that one can gain this many merit points during the Assessment Test is a first."

Everyone was in uproar and William's name was spoken here and there.

Prince Maximilian had a devilish smile on his face as he patted his cousin's shoulder, who seemed to have lost the color in his face.

"I'll be waiting for you at the Whispering Wind Tavern Later," Prince Maximilian said. "Don't keep me waiting, Cousin."

Prince Maximilian chuckled as he walked away from the Giant Monument to return to his residences. The expression on his cousin's face was priceless, and he had succeeded in secretly recording it in a crystal because Prince Jason wasn't able to recover from the shock right away.

'I think I will meet with this boy named William,' Prince Maximilian thought. 'Someone as extraordinary as him will definitely be a good addition to our Empire. I heard that he is Princess Sidonie's Fiance. That girl sure knows how to pick good men.'

The First Prince of the Kraetor Empire was in such a good mood, that he didn't notice that he was humming as he walked back towards his residence in the academy.

Meanwhile, while everyone was in an uproar, a certain Shepherd had just left the bathroom alongside a beautiful lady with light-blue hair.

"The results of the Assessment Test should have been posted by now," Ashe said as she dried her hair with a bath towel. "Are you sure you don't want to go there?"

She was currently seated on the bed, and looking at the boy who was rummaging for clothes inside the closet.

"I'll look later," William said as he helped his lover wear her clothes. "The test results won't be going anywhere. Besides, I'd rather look at you than that Giant Black Monument. What's so good about it? Can those results be eaten?"

Ashe lovingly pinched William's ears because of his flattering words. The Half-Elf suddenly grinned mischievously as he counter attacked and pinched Ashe's…

"You're hopeless," Ashe replied as she grabbed the naughty hand that had repeatedly brought her to the peak of pleasure a few minutes ago. "Be serious, Sidonie and Chiffon are already waiting for us."

William kissed her lips before putting on his own clothes. Today was also a rest day for the students, so they planned to go to the Whispering Wind Tavern to celebrate.

The Half-Elf had gone there once when he was exploring the city in search of its popular attractions.

The Whispering Wind Tavern was a place that was exclusive for the nobles of the Kraetor Empire. No commoner could enter the place. Technically, William, Ian, and Chiffon wouldn't be able to enter.

Fortunately, Princess Sidonie was well-known in the Academy and in Silverwind City. it would be easy for them to enter the tavern since they were going to act as the Princess' entourage.

Also, William, Ashe, and Princess Sidonie, wanted to let Chiffon experience something that she had never experienced before. The Half-Elf had asked the little girl if she had drunk in a tavern before, and the latter firmly shook her head.

When WIlliam asked if she wanted to try going to one, Chiffon nodded her head like a hen pecking rice. The pink-haired girl was Half Dwarven, but she had never had the chance to drink wine in the past.

According to the information that William had gained from the System, Dwarves had a high alcohol tolerance. As for Ashe, William already knew what state she would be in after drinking a few glasses of wine.

The Half-Elf was half tempted to let his mermaid lover drink to her heart's content. That way, he would once again experience that aggressive mermaid that once tore off his clothes in her drunken state.

None of them were aware of the commotion that was currently happening in the Plaza of the Academy as William's fame shot up to the roof.

Chapter 534: Let's Go Darling. It's Now Time For Our Date

William and Ian walked side by side as they headed to the girl's dormitory to pick up Princess Sidonie and Chiffon.

The Half-Elf noticed that all the students that he passed were looking at him with various expressions. Some look at him with admiration, envy, and jealousy, but none of them looked down on him like they did a week ago.

The Half-Elf had a calm expression on his face, but deep inside he was feeling smug because of the attention he was getting. Since he had declared that he would be Chiffon's caretaker, he needed to show his classmates that he was capable of backing up his words.

Ian, who seemed to have guessed why the students were acting like this, chuckled internally.

'I guess the impact of your performance shut them up completely,' Ian said through telepathy.

Although she didn't say it out loud, she was very proud of William's accomplishments. Any girl would be happy if their man was an outstanding person. Ian wouldn't admit it, but she had admired William since he had saved them from the Mountain Trolls on their way to the Temple to take the Test of Courage.

'As long as they don't bother us, I won't come looking to bother them,' William replied. 'I came here to the Kraetor Empire to lift the curses on your bodies. It's just the Emperor is playing hard to get and stalling for time. Without his approval, I am not allowed to visit Aamon's Temple.'

Ian nodded. Even with Princess Sidonie's help, the Emperor hadn't yet agreed to William's request to go to Aamon's temple to have an audience with the God that was responsible for placing a curse on their bodies.

The Emperor, however, told William that he should enroll at Silverwind Academy for the time being and show him what he was capable of. Once he deemed that he was worthy to meet with their Deity, he would give his approval, so that William could visit Aamon's temple.

The two of them continued their journey towards the Girls' Dormitory, however, the moment they entered its premises a dozen girls appeared out of nowhere and clung to William.

"Sir William, you are amazing. I know that you are Princess Sidonie's fiance, but I can't stop myself from loving you," a cute girl said with starry eyes. "Can you please, make me your mistress? Even a concubine will do!"

"Sir William, pick me instead," the girl clinging to William's left arm pleaded. "I am a good cook, and I have been trained with proper etiquette. Do you have a maid? I can be your personal maid. Of course, if you also want me to warm your bed at night, this humble servant will happily serve you all night."

"Pick me, Sir William! I am the only daughter of Baron…"

"I am the third daughter of Duke…."

William was bombarded by proposals left and right, and was unable to get rid of the girls clinging to him. Even Ian who was just standing beside him a minute ago was pushed aside by the crowd of girls that was growing by the minute.

"Girls, please, listen to me," William said in a suave voice that would put all the best Hollywood Actors to shame. "I know that I am handsome, and awesome, but you shouldn't fight for me like this."

The Half-Elf raised his head to look at the sky. It was at this moment when a gentle breeze ruffled his hair, making the hearts of the ladies around him skip a

beat.

"Beautiful ladies, I apologize because my heart is not big enough to fit all of you," William said in a tone filled with regret.

"However, I believe that all of you will be able to find a man that is less handsome and less awesome than me. Life is filled with unexpected surprises, so don't give up. I am but one of the many fishes in the ocean. I pray that you girls will find your beautiful ending someday.

The girls blushed because of William's shameless words. Although the bastard Half-Elf had explicitly told them that they would never find a man as handsome and awesome as him, they still thought that he was just teasing them.

They became more rowdy and started to say things like "Kyaaah! Sir William is so romantic!", or "Sir William is what all men should aspire to be!"

Ian, who had been pushed away, stared at the crowd as if she was staring at lunatics that hadn't taken their medicine for the day. The mermaid was half tempted to summon her whip and whip the crazy girls until they returned to their senses.

She then glanced at the smug-faced-bastard-Half-Elf and cursed him internally. Although she understood that William couldn't possibly push the girls away because he might hurt them, seeing dozens of pretty girls clinging to her lover was making her feel irritated.

"Will, what's this? Are you planning to cheat on me?"

A cold yet seductive voice reached William's and the crowd's ears. All of them turned to look at the entrance of the Girl's Dormitory where a very sensuous beauty stood with a sweet smile.

"Your Highness, how can I possibly cheat on you?" William replied as if he was wronged. "These beautiful ladies and I were merely discussing how beautiful the weather was. Am I right, everyone?"

""Yes!""

The girls giggled because of the way William replied to Princess Sidonie. His teasing voice tickled their heartstrings, and they felt regret that they hadn't met a young man just like him.

Chiffon, who was standing beside Princess Sidonie, looked at the crowd before shifting her attention to the Half-Elf who was surrounded by women.

The little girl was currently licking a lollipop, as she stared unblinkingly at the red-headed teenager who had declared to become her caretaker.

For a brief moment, something flashed within the depth of her clear and beautiful eyes. It didn't last long and immediately disappeared in the next second. However, her foot subconsciously stepped forward.

Before she knew it, she was already walking in William's direction. The girls' who saw Chiffon walking towards them immediately backed away.

Chiffon was notoriously known as the Trash Eater, and none of the noble ladies wanted to be near her. They were afraid that if they were to breathe the same air around her, they would breathe in the stink of the garbage that she regularly ate.

Thanks to Chiffon's deterrence, the girls who were clinging on William hastily retreated, leaving the Half-Elf all alone.

The little glutton reached out her hand and held William's left hand. She didn't say anything and simply licked the lollipop inside her mouth. Chiffon didn't understand why, but the moment she held William's hand, the lollipop inside her mouth suddenly tasted sweeter compared to before.

Princess Sidonie shook her head as she, too, walked towards William.

The Half Elf then bent his arm to allow the beautiful Princess to hold on into it.

"Shall we go?" William asked.

Princess Sidonie didn't say anything. Instead, she reached out to hold the back of William's head and pulled him close to her.

Right in front of all the girls at the entrance of the Girl's Dormitory, Princess Sidonie kissed William's lips.

The Half-Elf was surprised by the Princess' action, but played along with his lover's wishes. The two kissed, and kissed, and kissed more, making the girls looking at them blush in excitement and anticipation.

After a while, their kiss finally ended. Princess Sidonie leaned on William's chest, while the latter wrapped his right arm on her back.

"Let's go, Darling," Princess Sidonie said. "It's time for our date."

William nodded as he guided Chiffon, and Princess Sidonie outside the gates of the Girl's Dormitory.

Ian followed behind them without a word like a retainer. She had already had her fun with William earlier, so she didn't mind letting Princess Sidonie have her turn.

With two beauties in each hand, and a handsome retainer behind his back. The Half-Elf entered the teleportation gate that would bring them to Silverwind City.

Their destination, the Whispering Wind Tavern. A place where the noble students gathered for fun, and to gossip about the recent events that had happened within the Academy.

Located on the top floor of the tavern, Prince Jason, along with the other members of the Kraetor Royal Family gathered. They were seated at a table exclusively for them, while their peers were seated on tables around them.

The atmosphere was very lively because the students were currently in a festive mood. Their Assessment Test had just ended, and all of them wanted to enjoy themselves, while the school was still on break.

Everyone had smiles on their faces, but among them, a certain Prince was seething inside his heart.

'Damned Half-Elf,' Prince Jason cursed internally. 'Why must you always get in my way? You should have stayed in the countryside, you plebeian!'

Prince Jason had hated William ever since he had placed the Collar of Wisteria on Princess Sidonie's neck. He had also seen the way that the beautiful Princess looked at the Half-Elf and it filled his heart with jealousy and envy.

Unknown to Prince Jason, the First Prince of the Kraetor Empire was observing his every action in a subtle manner.

Prince Maximilian was not a schemer, but he was a witty individual. He knew when to attack, and when to defend. He was just waiting for the perfect moment to strike and make sure that his target would be unable to recover from the devastating blow that he had prepared.

Chapter 535: My Business Is None Of Your Business

"The two of you really made a scene back there," Ian said as they rode a carriage that would bring them to the Whispering Wind Tavern. "Was that really necessary, Princess?"

Princess Sidonie, who was currently resting her head on William's shoulder, smiled sweetly at Ian.

"Of course it is necessary," Princess Sidonie replied. "I need to make sure that those nobles know that Will is my lover. This way, it will deter those who intend to lay their hands on him. Isn't that right, Will?"

"Mmm." William hummed as he agreed to his lover's words.

Right now, he had his hands full with the Princess and Ashe. Adding a dozen pretty noble girls to the list of his lovers was not part of the reason why he came to the Kraetor Empire.

Although what Princess Sidonie did was very bold, and unexpected, it was also very effective. When the news of their public display of affection spread inside the academy, the noble ladies would probably back off, in fear of angering her.

Chiffon, who was holding William's left hand, licked the lollipop in her hand in silence. She didn't join in the conversation and merely listened. For her, being around the Half-Elf was enough.

Since William had declared that he would be her caretaker, the little girl decided to stick close to him to avoid the stares of ridicule and contempt that were always sent in her direction, whenever she walked around the academy.

A few minutes later, the carriage finally arrived at their destination.

A very enthusiastic staff greeted Princess Sidonie and personally guided her, and her entourage towards the top floor, where the luxurious accommodations for the high ranking nobles of the Empire were waiting for them.

"Today seems to be a special day, Your Highness," the staff said with a smile. "Aside from your presence, the other Princes' and Princesses' of the Empire are also here."

Princess Sidonie smiled as she told the staff that today was indeed a special day. However, she didn't divulge any details and acted mysterious.

The staff member knew better than to seek information from the Royal Family, so he didn't pry any further.

"Please, enjoy your stay, Your Highness," the staff member said as he opened a luxurious door.

As soon as the door was opened, the sound of laughter and merry-making reached their ears. Only when Princess Sidonie stepped inside the room did people start to notice her presence.

The staff led the Princess to an empty table near the balcony where a scenic view of the city could be seen.

William played his part and pulled the chair out to allow the princess to sit. He did the same for Chiffon, while Ian pulled a chair out for him to sit on.

Right now, Ian played the role of the retainer. Since she had plenty of experience serving Est in the Hellan Kingdom, her actions were very natural.

The nobles that were being rowdy earlier quieted down a bit as they chatted while paying attention to the beautiful Princess and her lover, who was currently the Top Ranker of the entire Academy.

Princess Sidonie and William didn't pay them any attention and gave the waiter their order. After the waiter left, the place returned to its lively atmosphere, but everyone still perked their ears for any juicy gossip that Princess Sidonie and William might spill as they chatted inside the Tavern.

Prince Jason clenched his fist from under the table as he stared at William.

Princess Vanessa who always had her eyes on her Prince followed his gaze. That was when she saw William and Princess Sidonie talking casually to each

other.

As a member of the Royal Family,s he had known about the Half-Elf that had traveled to their Empire as part of Princess Sidonie's entourage. She was also aware that the collar that the beautiful Princess wore came from William as well.

Although the Half-Elf was indeed handsome, Princess Vanessa only had Prince Jason in her heart. The Princess also felt slightly jealous of Princess Sidonie. She couldn't count how many times she had dreamed that her beloved cousin would attach a collar on her neck, and claim her as his wife.

Unfortunately, she didn't have the courage to tell anyone about this dream, in fear that they would laugh at her for aiming for the moon.

"Cousin, can you tell me more about that young man, William?" Prince Maximilian asked Prince Jason, who was looking at William with a calm expression on his face.

"Him? He's nothing more than a shepherd who tended goats and sheep in the countryside," Prince Jason replied. "There's nothing special about him."

"Really? You call someone who managed to gain over six million Merit Points nothing special?" Prince Maximilian chuckled. "If there's nothing special about him then both of us are just pebbles on the ground. Dear Cousin, I think your judgement is clouded by jealousy right now."

Prince Jason forcefully tore his gaze from William and shifted it to the First Prince of the Kraetor Empire. He knew that Prince Maximilian was just provoking him, so he decided to show him that he was not someone that the latter could step on lightly.

"What do you mean by that, Cousin?" Prince Jason asked.

Prince Maximilian smiled as he met his cousin's gaze straight on. "You are in love with our cousin, Princess Sidonie, are you going to deny it?"

Vanessa felt her chest tighten when she heard Prince Maximilian's words. Although this possibility had crossed her mind in the past, she tossed it aside completely.

Why?

It was because of the collar on Princess Sidonie's neck.

The Kraetor Royal Family had a custom that any member of the Royal Family that had been given a collar, would become the life-long lover of the person that gave it to them.

One could even say that it was the unwritten law of the Royal Family, and no one had challenged this tradition since the Empire had been established.

Because of this, Princess Vanessa managed to curb her jealousy because she knew that her beautiful cousin was already taken by another man. However, this idea she had tossed aside was now brought back to the surface by Prince Maximilian who had a confident smile on his face.

"My business is none of your business," Prince Jason replied. "Instead of minding my affairs, you should focus on your own, Dear Cousin."

"Oh my, it seems that I hit a sore spot. Well, it's fine if you don't want to admit it." Prince Maximilian chuckled. "It's already written on your face."

Prince Jason snorted before drinking the wine in his cup. He then made a gesture for the waiter assigned on their table to fill it up again.

Princess Vanessa's hand under the table trembled. Even though her beloved cousin didn't answer Prince Maximilian's question, his actions already spoke volumes.

'No. this can't be…' Princess Vanessa felt an ache on her chest as her unique ability confirmed her suspicion. 'He's in love with her.'

Princess Vanessa had the unique ability to know if people were telling the truth or not. Her parents had strictly forbidden her from sharing this secret with anyone because this was a trump card that they could use during critical moments.

Since people could lie anytime they wanted, they needed someone with the ability to discern the truth from what was false. This ability had already helped Princess Vanessa's parents secure some merit for the Kingdom, and made Emperor Leonidas very pleased.

"What's wrong, Vanessa?" Princess Amanda asked. "Your face is very pale. Did something happen?"

"I-I think I drank too much wine, Big Sister," Princess Vanessa stuttered.

Although Princess Amanda and Princess Hannah were not her blood related sisters, Vanessa had always referred to them as Big Sisters, and the two Princesses' treated her like their own.

Princess Vanessa's twin brother, Prince Rainier, looked at his sister with worry.

"Vanessa, do you want to return to the Academy?" Prince Rainier inquired. "I can take you back if you're not feeling well."

"Sorry, everyone," Princess Vanessa lowered her head. "I think I will return to the Academy. I'm not feeling well."

Princess Amanda patted the younger Princess' head. "I knew that it might be a bit early for you to drink wine, but I still allowed it because today was a day for celebration. I shouldn't have forced you earlier. I'm sorry, Vanessa."

"I-It's fine, Big Sister," Princess Vanessa stuttered. "As a member of the Royal Family, I have to get used to it sooner or later."

Prince Rainier had already stood up from his seat and walked towards his twin sister. He was quite worried about her condition, so he immediately suggested that they return to the Academy in order to allow her to rest.

The twins left the tavern, accompanied by their retainers. Their sudden departure didn't decrease the liveliness of the surroundings, because Princess Vanessa and Prince Rainier had always kept a low profile.

They were not like Prince Maximilian or Prince Jason that the younger generation looked up to because of the accomplishments that they had achieved in their age. For them, the twins were only part of the Kraetor Royal Family and nothing else.

"Instead of looking at what you can't get, why not look at the one who only has eyes for you?" Prince Maximilian muttered.

Although he seemed to be just saying random things, Prince Jason understood that the First Prince's words were targeted at him.

Prince Jason pretended not to hear Prince Maximilian's words and stood up from the table. He then made his way towards William's and Princess Sidonie's table, while carrying a wine cup in his hand.

Clearly, he was not satisfied with the way the two were chatting with each other, and he intended to put a stop to it; by force if he had to.

Chapter 536: Sweeter Than Lollipops

Inside the Kraetor Royal Palace….

"You've been praising him a lot since you returned here to the Empire," Emperor Leonidas said. "At first I thought that you were just exaggerating. But now, I'm starting to think that your praise is well deserved."

Evexius, the Grand Archmage of the Kraetor Empire, bowed his head respectfully. "Your Majesty, that boy is someone we should bring to our side. His potential is limitless."

Emperor Leonidas tapped the side of his armchair as he looked outside the window. He didn't agree or disagree with Evexius' proposal, but the Grand Archmage knew that the Emperor had agreed with him.

"That Domain is going to open in three months." Emperor Leonidas stared at Evexius. "The top finalists in the tournament will participate in exploring that domain. If he becomes one of the finalists, I will consider your suggestion."

Evexius nodded. "Your Majesty, I only have one concern."

"Yes?"

"It's Prince Jason. He is in love with Princess Sidonie. I'm afraid that he might do something reckless and provoke William."

"Mmm." Emperor Leonidas hummed as he leaned on his chair. "You may go, Evexius. Whatever happens between Jason, and that boy, William, is something that they have to settle between themselves."

"Y-Your Majesty, you mean?"

"Nothing is settled yet. It will depend on both of their performances in the upcoming tournament. Also, His Excellency Aamon, is expecting that boy's visit to his temple."

Evexius frowned, but didn't say anything. It was not his place to ask what their God wanted from the boy. The only thing he cared about was the continuous prosperity of the Kraetor Empire.

—–

"Hey, Shepherd, looks like you did well in the Assessment Test," Prince Jason said as he walked up towards William's and Princess Sidonie's table.

The Half-Elf turned his head to look at the Prince before raising one of his eyebrows.

"And you are?" William asked.

The corner of Prince Jason's lips twitched because of the Half-Elf's unexpected reply. They were currently in the Kraetor Empire, and he was its Fifth Prince. Also, they had met several times back in the Southern Continent, and William was pretending that he didn't know him?

Absurd!

Princess Sidonie lowered her head, because she was doing her best to suppress a giggle from escaping her lips. William really knew how to get on people's nerves. The Half-Elf had probably known that Prince Jason was after his woman.

Since that was the case, he didn't need to be civil with him. Even if he was the Prince of the Kraetor Empire.

"Surely you jest?" Prince Jason said with a smile. "How can you possibly not know me?"

"Are you famous then?" William asked back. "I don't really know who you are. Can you please introduce yourself to me?"

The lively tavern became silent as everyone listened to William's and Prince Jason's conversation. Everyone was thinking the same thing.

'How could you possibly not know the name of our Prince?'

Suddenly a loud laughter reverberated inside the room. The First Prince of the Kraetor Empire, Prince Maximilian, laughed heartily as he looked at William from his table. This was the first time that he had seen someone toying with Prince Jason, and it raised his impression of the red-headed teenager drastically.

"William, was it?" Prince Maximilian raised his winecup after his laughter ended. "I toast to your good health."

William raised his own winecup with a smile. "It is my honor for Prince Maximilian to know my lowly name. May your Highness live a long and happy life."

""Cheers!""

Both teenagers raised their winecup and drank its contents happily. There was a famous saying that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Since it was very obvious

that both of them treated Prince Jason as their enemy, they would stick together as allies.

"Are you still going to act dumb, Shepherd?" Prince Jason inquired. "You know the name of the First Prince, and you don't know mine?"

He was currently doing his best to stop himself from throwing his wine cup at the irritating Half-Elf who was mocking him on purpose.

"Sorry, but I only know famous people," William replied with an apologetic expression. "Prince Maximilian is the First Prince of the Kraetor Empire and held the highest record in the previous Assessment Test. A celebrity like him is well known by everyone. Um, let's go back to the topic. Who are you again?"

Another loud laughter from the First Prince erupted and it grated in Prince Jason's ears. If not for the fact that there were many witnesses inside the Tavern, he would have already engaged William in a duel.

In the end, the Fifth Prince of the Kraetor Empire held his irritation back and decided to play along with the Half-Elf's game.

"Listen, I am the Fifth Prince of the Kraetor Empire," Prince Jason said with veiled contempt. "Jason Hal Kraetor."

"Chiffon, you should eat more vegetables, instead of eating only meat." William placed a few carrot sticks on Chiffon's plate, while the latter nodded her head obediently. "I want you to grow up as a beautiful lady in the future, so you need to eat a balanced diet. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Big Brother," Chiffon replied. "I will do as you say."

"Good girl. Um, what did you say your name was again?" William asked as he shifted his attention back to Prince Jason, whose hand was already on the hilt of his dagger.

"You, Bastard! Stop messing around!" Prince Jason shouted and his aura exploded around him.

A powerful gust of wind blew away the tables near him, including the nobles' tables, who were watching the scene with dumbfounded faces. The Fifth Prince was about to lunge towards William to beat the crap out of him, but two people grabbed both of his arms and held him in place.

"Cousin, get a hold of yourself!" Prince Maximilian warned as he held Prince Jason's right arm firmly. "Remember where we are. If news of this spreads, your reputation will suffer."

The Third Prince of the Kraetor Empire, Kevin Hal Kraetor, grabbed Prince Jason's left arm to prevent him from making a bigger scene.

"He's right, Cousin," Prince Kevin commented. "If the Emperor got wind of this, you might get punished for endangering the lives of the other nobles."

Prince Kevin had already placed a magical circle around the three of them to prevent anyone from listening to their conversations. Although there were some people that were capable of lip reading, since most noble children weren't taught this skill by their parents.

Prince Jason forcefully reigned in his anger, and stopped struggling. He gave the Half-Elf one last glare before telling his cousins to release him.

Prince Maximilian and Prince Kevin let go of his arms, but remained where they were. Although they would like to see Prince Jason make a fool of himself, it would reflect badly on them if news of the Fifth Prince Rampage was to reach the ears of the Emperor and their parents.

Since they were at the scene, they were duty bound to stop Prince Jason's reckless actions to preserve the dignity of the Royal Family. Not doing anything would definitely make the Emperor become disappointed in them, and this was something that they didn't want to happen.

Prince Jason turned around to leave the Tavern before he totally lost control of his remaining reason. His lackeys hurriedly followed behind him, but none of them dared to talk to him, or walk near him.

Only fools would do that, and they were not fools.

"You really are something, Sir William." Prince Maximilian praised. "I have heard great things about you. The Hero that had protected his Kingdom from an Elven Invasion, truly a man of the times. I wish that I can be someone like you."

"Hahaha! You praise me too much, Your Highness," William replied as he scratched his head. "Feel free to praise me more."

The corner of Prince Maximilian's, and Prince Kevin's, lips twitched after hearing William's reply. The First Prince thought that he could settle the conflict by praising the red-headed teenager. However, he underestimated William's shamelessness.

'What a shameless person!'

This was the thought of everyone in the room, including the Two Princes, who were now regretting their earlier action of stopping Prince Jason from beating the crap out of William.

Princess Sidonie and Ian exchanged a glance as their bodies shook from trying to hold back their laughter.

Chiffon, on the other hand, was busy eating the carrot sticks that William had given her. Although she preferred eating William's lollipops, any food in between was fine with her.

'Big Brother sure is nice,' Chiffon thought as he looked at the Half-Elf who was now putting some meat pieces on her plate. 'Is this what it's like to have a Big Brother?'

Chiffon had older brothers, and sisters, as well. However, they paid her no attention. They avoided her at all times, and didn't even want to be in the same place as her.

While she was reminiscing these depressing thoughts, she felt a hand brush the top of her head.

"What's wrong? Are you not hungry anymore?" William asked in a teasing voice.

Chiffon raised her head to look at the Half-Elf who was looking at her with a gentle gaze. Suddenly a thought came to her mind as her heart beated wildly inside her chest.

'I wonder what Big Brother tastes like…,' Chiffon thought. 'Will he be as sweet as the lollipops he gives me daily, or will he be sweeter?'

The little girl didn't know the answers to her question. She hoped that one day, she would get to taste it. The taste of the Half-Elf who was currently patting her head with a smile.

Chapter 537: Is This What It Feels Like To Have A Pet?

A week passed after the Assessment Test and things finally settled back inside the academy. However, after the result of the test came out, it brought an unbelievable change to a certain class of the Third Year Division.

"Look, it's the Triple S!"

"Damn, this guys again!"

"Just because they became the top class, they started to become arrogant. The nerve of these bastards!"

Stanley, the leader of the group walked arrogantly with his head raised high. Steffan and Scott walked beside him and both of the boys were smiling.

"Do you hear that?" Stanley asked in a voice that was loud enough for the students to hear.

"I do." Scott chuckled. "It's the sound of sore losers."

The students who heard their words feel indignant because the losers of the past were now strutting on their high horse.

"Shut up, Scott!" one of the students of Class C shouted. "You only got lucky because of the Princess' Fiance! You and your class are only riding on his coattails!"

"Pffft!" Stanley sniggered as he eyed the student that was looking at them with disdain. "You don't understand. From the very beginning this was part of our strategy."

"What strategy?! Stop spouting nonsense!"

"That's right! You only just got lucky!"

"If not for Sir William, all of you would still be the worst class in this grade!"

Jeers and taunts flew in every direction. The spacious hallway that led to the classes of the Third Year was now crowded with students who couldn't accept the new status quo.

"Stanley, let's not waste our time on these sore losers." Scott chuckled. "This is why they will never raise their ranks. All of them are stupid."

"What did you say?"

"You want to fight?"

"Come! Show us what you can do, you bootlicker!"

The crowd circled the three boys, but before they could do anything, a friendly voice called out from behind the crowd.

"Good morning, Everyone. What is all the commotion?" William asked as he looked at the crowd that was blocking his way.

Chiffon was standing beside him, while licking a lollipop.

Everyone immediately recognized him and made a path for him to walk through. After the Assessment Test, William had become the idol of the Third Year Division. The girls adored him, and the guys wanted to be like him.

Although he was not part of the Royal Family, or a member of the nobility, right now, William's Status in the Academy wouldn't lose to the Princes' of the Kraetor Empire.

"Sir William. These Mofos are saying that Class F's rise in the ranks is due to their strategy. They're lying, right?"

"Sir William, I really admire you, I really do, but these bastards are taking credit for all of your hard work. It irritates me!"

"Yes. They even act as if they were the ones responsible for bringing Class F to the top!"

Several more complaints were hurled in William's direction. A few minutes later, the Half-Elf raised his right hand to tell everyone to stop.

"They are telling the truth," William stated. "If not for Stanley, Class F would not be in the spot we are now. It was all thanks to him that everything turned out the way it did."

Everyone shifted their attention to the good looking boy, who seemed to be waiting for this exact moment.

Stanley flicked his light-brown hair with his hand and sighed. "This is what I've been trying to tell them, but they wouldn't listen."

Scott, the chubby boy shook his head helplessly as he scanned the faces of the crowd that had surrounded them from all sides.

"Sometimes, the truth is hard to believe, but it is still the truth," Scott said sagely. "Even if Sir William managed to gain nearly Seven Million Points, that would not be enough for an entire class to reach the number one spot."

Stanley nodded his head. "This is what you call Team Effort. We just played our role to ensure that all the classes wouldn't know the plan we had decided on beforehand."

Steffan, who was just listening at the side, was looking down at his shoes. He didn't dare raise his head because he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face from

all the b*llsh*t that his two close friends were saying.

"That's right. It was a Team Effort," William agreed as he walked towards his three classmates.

He walked while holding Chiffon's hand because he wanted everyone to change their opinion of the little girl whom they had labeled Trash Eater.

Because everyone was focusing on William, they didn't notice the little girl that was by his side. Only after they had regained their senses did they recognize the pink-haired girl whom they had mocked and ridiculed behind her back.

"Sir William, why are you with the Trash Eater?" One of the boys from Class D asked. "Who knows what she ate for breakfast? Maybe she just went to the Garbage Dump to eat some rotten food that the kitchen had thrown out."

"Someone like her is not worthy to be by your side, Sir William," a pretty girl stated. "Having her around will only dirty your good name."

"Trash Eater! Get away from Sir William!"

The students shifted their attention on the pink-haired girl whose body trembled from their piercing glares.

William pulled her close to him in a protective embrace as he glared back at those who were ridiculing his ward.

"From this day onward, let it be known that this girl will be under my care," William declared. "She will no longer go to the Garbage Dump to eat, nor will she sleep in the stables. So, please, Everyone. Stop calling her Trash Eater."

The students glanced at each other and looked back at Chiffon with a complicated gaze. Her head was currently buried in William's chest, and the Half-Elf could feel something wet and warm staining his clothes.

William's arms held the fragile girl in his embrace as she cried silently. His heart ached because Chiffon was such an adorable and loveable girl. For her to suffer this injustice, due to the sin she carried, left a bitter taste in William's mouth.

"Everyone, what's going on here?"

Professor Ewan, the Homeroom Professor of Class F, parted the sea of students that were littering in the hallway.

"Classes are about to start," Professor Ewan announced. "Please, return to your rooms and wait for your professors."

The students gave William, and the little girl in his embrace, one last glance before returning to their rooms. Soon, only William, Chiffon, and the Triple S remained in the hallway.

"Let's go to our room," Professor Ewan stated. "Mr. Ainsworth, I don't mind if you come a bit late, but make sure to come to class. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Professor."

"Good."

Professor Ewan herded the other three boys into the classroom, while William patted the head of the crying girl who was hugging him tightly.

"It's fine," William said softly. "They will change their minds soon. Chiffon is so cute and adorable, I'm sure that after a month or two, people will start to approach you to become your friends."

"I don't need friends," Chiffon replied. "I just need Will, Ian, Sidonie, B1 and B2. I don't need anyone else."

William's hand that was rubbing Chiffon's head stopped when he heard the little girl's reply. Him, Ian, and Princess Sidonie were understandable. However, what surprised him was that Chiffon thought of B1 and B2 as friends.

Sensing the hand that was patting her head had stopped, Chiffon raised her hand and grabbed it. She then made the motion of patting her head, using William's hand.

The Half-Elf's heart almost melted due to Chiffon's cute gesture, so he immediately returned brushing the little girl's head until she finally calmed down.

'This is bad,' William thought. 'Is this what it feels like to have a pet?'

He had never had a pet before, but being around Chiffon was like taking care of a small adorable pet that followed him around.

Ten minutes later, William and Chiffon entered their classroom. The stains on his uniform had already been dried using Magic Power. He had also used his handkerchief to wipe the tear stains off from Chiffon's face and used a bit of water magic to wash them away.

Ian had returned to Class A to watch over Princess Sidonie. Her birthday was only ten days away, and the celebration would be held in Silverwind Academy's Grand Ballroom.

Originally, it was supposed to be in the Royal Palace. However, after thinking things through, Emperor Leonidas declared that his granddaughter would be celebrating her birthday in the Academy.

Professor Ewan stood in front of everyone and made an announcement.

"Everyone, ten days from now, we will celebrate Princess Sidonie's birthday party here in the Academy," Professor Ewan explained. "I want all of you to be on your best behaviors. I know that your heads are in Cloud Nine right now due to our current Rank. However, remember that we will not always be at the top.

"Arrogance without the strength to back it up will only cause your downfall. Remember that what goes around, comes around. Don't wait for the time when your arrogant words will be sent right back into your faces.

"This is true, especially for both of you, Stanley and Scott. I've been getting several complaints in the Staff Room. The two of you better behave, or else…"

Professor Ewan smiled, but his eyes screamed of murder. Stanley and Scott immediately nodded their heads in understanding.

William shook his head helplessly because what Professor Ewan said was true. The entirety of Class F had suddenly become arrogant after becoming the Top Class in the Third Grade Division.

The students of Class F had been bullied many times in the past. After having a taste of success, they suddenly felt like they were superior to others. It made them feel that they now had the qualifications to return the favor to those that had wronged them.

However, this would not be good in the long run.

'Fear leads to anger. Anger would lead to hate, and hate would lead to suffering,' William thought as he remembered the quote he once had seen in a movie back on Earth.

While the Half-Elf was in the middle of his thoughts, Professor Ewan continued his explanation.

"A month and a half after Princess Sidonie's Birthday, the Silverwing Tournament will begin," Professor Ewan announced.

"As you may already know, the winner of this tournament will have one of their wishes granted by the Emperor. This is not compulsory. Those who want to register for the tournament, make sure to tell me a week before the tournament starts."

Professor Ewan scanned the crowd. His gaze lingered at William for a few seconds before looking at the other students of his class. Right now, all the Professors in the Academy had their eyes on William.

He was currently the Dark Horse in the tournament, and everyone wanted to see the power of the teenager, who was now hailed as one of the strongest students in Silverwind Academy.

Chapter 47 - 528-537

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