I followed Cecilia walk into the area which I've never been before.
Looking around, there are a lot of student dressed with accessories on their uniform, which made me realise that this is the noble's area.
'Heck, even the entrance is decorated properly...'
Some of them threw me a suspicious glance, and some of them didn't even pay attention to me.
"Um, where are we going?"
I asked while following her.
"To my room"
"Huh?"
She then continue walking without further answering my question.
Arriving in front of a door, we entered the room.
Inside the room looks more lavish than my one, as even the fridge is bigger and the kitchen looks more advanced.
"This is my room. I'm sharing this unit with princess Reyna as I'm her caretaker"
She then stopped in front of a book shelves, then pushed it to the side revealing a hidden door.
"Come this way..."
I then followed her inside to find a training space similar to the one in the staff building.
"How did you make this?"
"The princess' supporter provided us with the talisman, and all we did is put it behind the book shelves from earlier. Of course the mana is provided by someone whom you don't need to know..."
After saying that, she gestured me to sit down as she sat down first.
I sat next to her and catch her frowning a bit before acting normally.
"Have you heard of mana quality?"
"The quality of mana?"
"Not wrong, but let me explain... you can judge how strong someone is based on two, their mana quality and quantity.
I'm sure you already know of mana quantity, which is basically how much mana you have in your body and how much you're able to generate.
Now talking about quality, is how thick and how strong a single thread of your mana can be. If your mana quality is top notch, a single shot of that attack of yours earlier can penetrate multiple layer of protection generated by low quality mana.
That's how important mana quality is... of course I'm not saying that the quantity is not important"
She explained a lot of things that I didn't know before.
After that, she put up both her hands and generate a mana ball on both.
"Now you try the same thing..."
I did the same, and she gestured me to push mine unto hers, which I did exactly as I was told.
What happen next is my mana ball dispersed and hers pushed me back a few steps, and I was sitting which makes me unable to get my footing right and fell.
"Urghh"
"See? that's our quality difference there.."
"How do you improve the quality then?"
"Medicine, training, and other of course"
"What kind of training?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"..."
She's right, she has no obligation to tell me anything. The fact that she bothered to explain about mana quality itself is already a great help to me.
"I brought you here because I want to ask you something as well.."
"?"
"You're on bad terms with prince Oscar right?"
"Huh?"
"Not you personally, but your friend Kim Jaesuk..."
"I think so, yeah..."
I answered ambiguously.
"Well anyway... if you can, try to bring your friend Kim Jaesuk and the alchemist guy to join the princess' faction, then prince Oscar wouldn't be able to touch them directly..."
"I see, what about the price?"
"?"
"That protection of course comes with a price, correct?"
"You're smart, I'll give you that"
Nodding her head, she continued
"The price for that is, you have to help the princess whenever she need you..."
"Huh? that's it?"
I exclaimed in surprise.
"Yep, as simple as that. Also, you guys won't be allowed to join any other faction as long as you're under the princess'"
"And what if we do something that's harming the princess faction without you all knowing?"
"It's not that simple... you will be signing a contract which won't allow you to do that"
"I see..."
The benefits of joining the princess' faction is actually much more than what I expected, and the princess looks like a decent person at least, on the surface.
'But we still lack information...'
We just entered the academy, and there's still so much information that we don't have yet.
We haven't even meet the other descendant of the emperor either.
"I'll discuss this with the other..."
"... Okay, I look forward to your response"
After saying that, she walked me to the front door and we said our goodbye.
Just as I was about to left the dorm building, a bunch of people blocked the way out.
The one leading them is a handsome man with his hair tied into a ponytail.
'An ikemen(handsome guy)'
Is what I thought after seeing him.
"Umm, how can I help?"
I asked carefully.
"What were you doing inside Cecil's room?"
The ikemen asked me.
"Nothing, she's just teaching me a bit of theory..."
"Huh?? and why would she do that inside her room??"
"Oh, its-"
Just as I was about to talk about the talisman, I stopped because I suddenly thought whether it was supposed to be a secret or not.
I then decided not to reveal about the talisman.
"Why do you ask?"
I asked back.
"Just answer the question!"
One of his henchman(?) shouted at me, and the other started to rush me as well.
Just as I was about to talk back, the ikemen suddenly shouted
"SHUT UP!"
They instantly stopped, he then stared at me.
"You're just a commoner, how dare you act like that..."
I was praising him for teaching his follower right inside my mind, but then he just has to start acting like a bastard.
"Either you answer me, or you're not leaving this place without getting hurt"
After saying that, he started to gather mana around him.
"Isn't it prohibited to fight without permission?"
"That's if they found out"
"Sigh..."
Sighing, I then get ready to fight as well.
"STOP!"
Just as I was about to use my mana as well, Cecilia suddenly showed up from behind me.
"What are you doing, Frankwell?"
She asked, clearly upset.
Not catching her mood, he smiled at her and said
"Oh Cecil, I'm just teaching this commoner a lesson for daring to go inside your room..."
I looked at Cecilia and she's clearly getting irritated after hearing that.
"Who do you think you are to teach my acquaintance a lesson??"
"I'm your future husband, so of course I have the right"
"That's not decided yet!"
She suddenly shouted.
"Oh, but it is, my dear Cecilia. After your princess' faction lost in the upcoming faction war, she'll lost all the power bestowed, and you too will lose your backing"
Smiling evilly, he continued
"And then I will make you mine! hahahaha!"
"You bastard..."
Cecilia gritted her teeth and was about to dash forward before I suddenly blocked her.
"Hey, ponytail guy..."
"?"
"Clench your teeth"
After saying that, I dashed and punched his face which throw him back.
"!!"
"Boss!!"
His henchman got surprised and quickly attended to him, while some of them started to rush towards me.
"Beat him up!!"
"Come here you little shits!"
I shouted while beating his henchman who's coming towards me.
"Arghh"
"Urkk"
"What the hell, he's strong!"
They haven't landed a single hit at me, which makes me thinking.
'Are they first year? how come they're so weak?'
I continued to beat them under Cecilia's surprised expression.
The ikemen named Frankwell then got up and started to use his mana.
"How dare youuu?!"
He then dashed towards me covered in mana, which prompt me to use mana as well.
I was about to block his punch when Cecilia suddenly appeared in front of me to block it instead, and kicked him in the stomach.
"Uhm, thanks?"
"Why are you doing this?"
She asked without looking at me.
"No reason, I just find him annoying"
"..."
After that, she didn't say anything and walked toward Frankwell.
Grabbing him by the collar, she warned him
"If you dare to annoy me or those around me after this, I'll castrate you!"
Hearing that, Frankwell looks so scared that he started shaking.
"And! princess Reyna's faction will not lose!"
She then throw Frankwell away and started to walk towards my way.
"Thank you, but don't involve yourself with me if you have no intention of joining the faction, otherwise he'll keep on troubling you since you have no backing..."
After that, she walked back to her room.
I looked at the people laying on the ground groaning in pain before shaking my head and walked away.