Expelled? Just for running around?
I shook my head as a smile of mockery laced my face. They were punished with expulsion just because they chased after the wrong person.
How... unfortunate.
If I were them, I would be on my knees begging by now, but they still stood there, stunned and unable to move.
With a chuckle, I then looked away. Whatever happened next was no longer my problem.
What I was going to do now had a chance to annoy me, but I found it necessary. I needed to know how the undercurrents were doing. Were they swift, fierce, or gentle?
Thus, I looked around the entire campus. I listened in on conversations and analysed the thoughts that I could hear. I spied on people as they went about their day, taking note of any significant actions.
All so that I could piece together the following scenes.
[]=[]=[]
Today marked the third day since the start of school, and Aethercaller was as peaceful as it could be. Students went to class and roamed the campus with varying desires.
Meanwhile, the division of status created cliques and factions among the first years. Essentially mimicking the upper batches as they were assimilated into Aelthrie's toxic culture.
Though, perhaps it was better to say that they brought Aelthrie's culture into Aethercaller to continue its proliferation. Fights were breaking out every now and then as a hostile atmosphere rose to its peak.
The talented commoners banded together and created a powerful fortress that the noble children were wary of.
All while the higher nobles secretly began their plots to deal with the collaborating commoners.
There was war beneath the calm idealistic surface. A vicious cycle.
[]=[]=[]
Pain assaulted my eyes as Sight-Sent Senses was pushed to its limits. The use of Omniscient Overseer alongside my engraved spell had an adverse side effect that I had expected to a certain degree.
Thus, I could only stay here for a limited time.
I had to make the most out of what I had.
As such, I directed my gaze towards the dormitories in the hopes of encountering something that could supply me with important information.
[]=[]=[]
"Young miss, our family's gatherers have been sent out. Their mission is as you have requested."
Lily nodded as she danced with her sword. Unseen mana swirled and crashed in front of her like the raging rapids of a river. She let the mana bombard the empty space of her training room as she closed her eyes to feel the effects of her dance.
Mana Swordsmanship was truly worthy of its name.
"Caelum Phricius..." She muttered a certain name as she opened her eyes. Irises of sapphire blue shone as if in response to the mana that swirled around her blade. Her face was as unreadable as ever, like the glaciers of the north.
"I will figure out who and what you are..."
[]=[]=[]
I couldn't help but smirk before looking elsewhere.
[]=[]=[]
"Is this really necessary?" Virion combed his golden blonde hair with his fingers. He scanned the trio of troublemakers before him as he gripped the battleaxe he kept slung on his back.
He did not want to use it, because using it meant dealing lethal damage to people who he could not kill.
"I apologised already, did I not?" He continued trying to de-escalate the situation. "Can you please just let this go?"
Too bad for Virion, they would never let it go.
"Disgraces like you need to bow for our forgiveness to be granted unto you." The teenager in the middle spoke with disdain in his tone.
He sneered as he let his foot linger in the air, flaunting his leather combat boots. "Kiss my boots and I may just forgive you."
Virion's brow twitched. This was going way too far for a simple shoulder collision.
Moreover, in the first place, he wasn't even the one at fault. They had an entire side of the wide sidewalk to traverse, and yet they choose to bump into him.
Things then got twisted real quick and now a few spectators were watching them. Like cats curiously eyeing new prey.
The commoners around him all had frowns on their faces as they kept their distance. Memories of similar experiences with the nobles were bubbling up in their minds like PTSD.
'Sleazy nobles,' They all thought.
Virion sighed and let go of his battleaxe. Instantly the tension in his body subsided and he seemed to become relaxed. He shrugged at the teenager's words.
"I have already apologised, and that's all that you will get from me. Take it or leave it, but know that I don't want any more trouble." He said as he prepared to cross the street to walk somewhere else.
But it seemed like the trio had other ideas.
Shiiiing—!
The sound of a sword being unsheathed rang out. The blade hovered just a few feet away from Virion as the teenagers spread out and surrounded him.
A vein popped on the lead teenager's forehead. To be disrespected like this was not something he enjoyed at all. He was going to crush all those who dared to defy him. The same thing applied to those who ignored his magnificent presence.
"Since you refuse to kiss my boots in apology, punishment must be dished out."
[]=[]=[]
I could already guess what would happen next. It was awfully similar to my encounter with the nobles from earlier.
It was as if they were reading from the same script—which they technically were. They were all following the commands of either Allyas de Nuantra or Jiontar of the Phristines. Those two were the masterminds, and these troublemakers were all hired for the sake of gauging Virion's abilities, character, and connections.
The same thing applied to me. It was also the main reason why a random second-year had challenged me to a duel. Someone instigated Tiger to measure my abilities. They probably offered him a certain reward that was related to the growth of his skills.
It was when my thoughts reached here that my eyes suddenly twitched. While Virion let loose a barrage of attacks on his foes, I felt a searing pain blossom from the depths of my irises.
It seemed like I was reaching my limit. Any more use of Omniscient Overseer and Sight-Sent Senses would curse me with blindness.
"I guess this is enough for now," I smacked my lips. I still had many more chances to do this in the future.
As my [ Physical Ability ] had the capacity to grow, so could my ocular abilities. Thus, I could lengthen the time I could spend here in Vianthia, spying on the people inside Aethercaller and absorbing information.