Rhen opens his student handbook and flips the pages until he hits a map of the academy. It got him thinking what would happen if he could code the map into his unique skill as well as a calendar.
"(Hmm… I wonder)" He thought.
He sat down on the side of the bench the road and start coding.
*tap*3x
His fingers blaze through his phone until he managed to create a new tab
[Neocademy map acquired]
[Calendar acquired]
-----------------------------------------
NEOCADEMY: (Thur) Afternoon Spring 4 Year 1
-
[NOBLE'S SECTION - Dorm: Monmon, Church: Req Unmet, Garden: Req Unmet]
[COLISSEUM - Fight Monsters, Challenge Duel, Team Battle]
[MIDDLE SECTION - Dean office: Emma, Library: Shop: Spells & Skills, Cafeteria: Azrel, Student Council: Scarlet, Classroom: Mia & Nia]
[DEMIHUMAN'S SECTION - AVR Room: Req Unmet, Apply for dorms]
[GUILD HALL - Guild Hall: Bulletin board, Testing Facility]
[SCHOOL ENTRANCE - Park: Iris, Parking lot]
[MAGE TOWER - Clear Dungeons, Alchemy lab: Mysterious girl]
-
Calendar: Spring 4, Year 1
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun
[1 - NEW YEAR], [2], [3], [4*], [5], [6], [7]
[8], [9 - Egg Hunting], [10], [11], [12], [13 - Syndara Festival], [14 - Valentine's day]
[15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21]
[22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28 - Slave festival]
[29], [30]
-----------------------------------------
Rhen must choose his trips carefully; one event or quest will take up half a day, and some characters will only appear at specific times of day or on certain dates.
"(This is going to take forever to get through all of this)" He thought.
Even with so many options, he decides to go with Iris since their meeting was a bit lackluster and left him with a slap on his face. Determined to make things right, he went to the park.
***********************
Afternoon (Thur) Spring 4 Year 1
Park, School Entrance, Neocademy.
-
Rhen spots Iris talking to Isabella just beside a statue of a man holding a book and a sword on top of a pedestal.
"Head Mistress, we have staff shortages due to the influx of new students. I suggest we broaden our scope to include other races as well, not just Human and Wood elves." Said Isabella, she adjusts her glasses while reading through the report on her portfolio.
"What positions do we need to fill by the way?" Asked Iris.
"We need a new Chemistry teacher and a School nurse."
Isabella then gives the portfolio to Iris, and after reading the contents, Iris gives it back to Isabella. "I'll look it up tomorrow when I have time, I still l have something to do back at the Royal palace."
"But Head Mistress, if we don't act now, the teachers will have to put in extra work and I doubt they'll like it."
"I said I'll look it up tomorrow, you dismissed Isabella." Iris gave her a stern look which made Isabella shudder.
"As you wish Head mistress." With a curtsy, Isabella left.
With Isabella gone, Iris got a call from Emma. "I have failed, he's far stronger than I thought, but I think he's not a threat. I will keep watching him for now."
Iris clicked her tongue. "I see, keep at it."
"You seem busy, that wasn't too nice what you did to my teacher, it must suck to be working for you."
"Gah!" Startled, Iris nearly dropped her phone from the voice behind her. She turns around only to see Rhen up close.
"Do you have any sense of decency? Of course I'm busy, I'm the Lord of Neotopia, as well as dean of this school." Iris replies in annoyance, she rolls her eyes and blows away her bangs.
Despite Iris's retorts, Rhen wasn't too intimated about it. "Look Your Highness, about yesterday. I never go to apologize after what happened, I hope you're not salty about it."
"(Hmmm... Maybe I can gain his trust and let him open up to me rather than counting on Emma to do things. One thing is for sure, is that he seems quite interested in me, I might be able to use this to my advantage.)" Iris gave it some thought.
"It's fine Rhen, but lets keep it between the two of us." She replied, after a brief silence, she walks a head of him. "Walk with me Rhen."
Rhen follows beside her and kept Iris company for the remainder of the afternoon.
"I thought you're going to go to the palace after this."
"Oh? I never thought you were such a gossip Rhen, or are you saying it's just a coincidence that you overheard my conversation with Isabella?" Iris raised her eyebrows and gave him a sly look, implying she knows his interest.
-
[Just a coincidence]
[You like to gossip]
[Compliment her]
-
He decided to compliment her instead.
"Alright, you got me, but Is wrong to speak to a lovely lady?" He curls his lips and gives her a seductive smirk.
Iris chuckles, it seems like she likes Rhen's compliment. "I can leave a little later, Those old men can wait for a while in the palace. Anyways how do you like it here Rhen?"
"Hmmm... I think I like it here, I mean where can you find a school where a princess asks you to be her simp while two cat girls bully you to become their bread shuttle."
Iris giggles in response. "Oh, so you've met the Royals then, but yes bullying is a problem here especially with the different cultures clashing with each other."
"But anyways, you're quite a mystery to me Rhen, how did a human manage to reach rank S at your age, did you know that the strongest human ever recorded is only A? No human has managed to reach rank S within a hundred years" Instead of roaming around the bush, Iris thought it would be better if she asked Rhen more personal questions because he is quite interested in her already.
"(Hmmm... Now that she mentions it, I never really consider about this things. I guess having a longer lifespan really does give you a different perspective in life)" Rhen thought.
"Would you believe me if I told you I'm a mongrel?" He told her a half-truth, there is no point in lying out of this, he needs to tell her what she wants to hear.
"Hahaha, calling a rare mixed race a mongrel." Iris smiled at his jokes. "But yes if you are a indeed one then that explains everything. Tell me what is your other race."
-
[High Elf]
[Orc]
[God]
-
Rhen can't just tell her that he is a half God. Still, he must pick a race that is long-lived else she will grow even more suspicious.
"My mother is a High Elf." He said.
Iris's eyes widen, startled by what he just said. "You're an Impure one I see, a product of the most forbidden of love. I guess you have a hard time during your childhood."
"Well not really, my father taught me a lot of things and the people in the castle are quite nice."
"Hmmm... Is that so." She replied, but a suspicious smile is drawn across her face.
She comes to a halt in front of a brown school carriage.
"My Lord!" The driver yelped, startled by Iris's sudden appearance. Usually, Iris stays in the admin office and is rare for her to be here at this time.
"Bring us to the East wing" She commanded.
"Excuse me My Lord?"
"The Demihuman Section."
The inside wasn't lavish compared to the ones the royals use. It has a simple rugged wooden frame and is designed for labor-intensive use rather than
There is something bothering Rhen for a while as he is not customed to the ways of the school.
"Why a carriage? Wouldn't it be better and more efficient if it's a bus? And haven't you seen the crap the horses make?" He asked blatantly.
"That is correct from your perspective as a Kadweinian. However, cars run on Ether. While you see this as a fuel source, some cultures like Sylnari and Demigia regard Ether as a gift from the Gods as they are basically a condensed form of mana."
"Due to Neotopia's location, we have to play it both ways and carriages are part of Sylnari culture, they also do not run on Ether and they have the benefit of providing fertilizer to the plants I guess," Iris jokingly said.
"Anyways, I did hear that you managed to enter the Noble's section. Did you see how they lived?" She asked.
"Mhm." Rhen nods a reply. "Honestly, I thought I was going back in time, I think the further in I got the more prehistoric it becomes, I wonder if they harbor any dinosaurs there."
"They actually do."
"WHAT!?" Rhen responded in awe. He rises from his seat, nearly hitting his head against the roof.
"Iris this is an amazing discovery! I have to go NOW!" But before he can move, Iris cuts him off immediately.
"That was a joke Rhen. Ahahaha." Iris covers her mouth, trying to hide her impish laugh. Her cheeks flushed in response.
"You're not the only one who can make jokes Rhen. Honestly, you are a breath of fresh air. Most people are just so uptight around me. But please remember to say My Lord of Your Highness when there are other people besides the two of us." She added.
Rhen sighed and sat down, but seeing Iris's playful expression was worth making a fool of himself. He has the impression that Iris yearned for normalcy in her life and he is happy to be that person.
She glances out of the window and stops the carriage.
Unlike the Noble Section, the Demihuman Section is more reminiscent of the 13th century, a time of adventure and magic. The architecture is made from stone and is significantly more rough in design.
Just like in the Noble's Section, the gate is also guarded, not by Elves but by two Demons.
They are known as Demons because of their horns that protrude from their heads. Horns, like hair, are their pride and glory. If one manages to cut their horns, they will be indistinguishable from humans.
"HALT!"They said, but as soon as they realized it's Iris, they immediately reeled back.
"OPEN THE GATES! IT'S HER HIGHNESS!"
A guard approaches and kneels before her. "Do you wish to be escorted, Your Highness?"
Iris glances in Rhen's direction. "I believe I already have an escort."
"But he's a student" The guard retorted.
"He's quite strong despite how he looks believe me, and I can handle myself."
Rhen quickly checks the guard's rank.
[Demon Guard - Hunter Rank: B]
"Grr! He's just a student, how can he protect Her Highness with that flimsy arms."
Just like Rhen, the guard also checks Rhen's rank.
[Peasant - Level: 10]
"(HUH!?)" The guard's eyes squinted before scanning again.
"(Oh shit, I showed him the wrong thing, I haven't even updated it yet.)" Rhen decided cast the spell Illusion again, changing the guard's perception of his rank.
Due to his castless method, he only has to remember the feeling of using it for it to activate.
With a quick clench of his hidden fists, Rhen changes the guard's perception
[Student - Hunter Rank: C] This is what he showed him.
"(I guess he's strong enough, still I cannot let him get away with being alone with Her Highness Iris. He's probably going to attack her and Her Highness will definitely use her Wrap skill on him while stepping on his groin.)" The guard thought, his cheeks becomes flushed while he thinks of obscene thoughts.
"Still I cannot let him escort you alone Your Highness." He blurted out, putting himself in between Rhen and Iris.
"Do as you wish, but do follow us from behind," Iris told him off, she can read the guard's face like an open book and does not want to be at arm's length with him.
If the Noble's section is posh and refined, the Demihuman's Section is more like a back alley and red light district.
Instead of cafe's and restaurants, the commoner's leisure area is filled with taverns and brothels. Besides the vape shop, there are stores here that sell pot and kush related items, everything from joints and oils.
"HEY PUNK! YOU LOOKING AT ME HUH!?"
*Crash!* *Glass shattering*
"You look like a FINE MAN~ how about a quickie." The succubi motions Rhen an imaginary blowjob.
"Hey man, I got something for ya. It just 30 Neo-credits, fresh from the cooker hue hue hue."
Rhen moves closer to Iris, not to protect her, but to keep the succubi's and crackheads from closing in on him.
"Is this normal around here?" He points to the local gang fight happening right before their eyes.
"No it's not. Ever since the Neocademy started accepting students from Demigia and the Scarrock Plains, bullying started to become a problem because they regard to strength as of a higher value than anything else. Their ways even start to rub of on some Human delinquents, and I wish to stop it. Follow me." She motions Rhen to come closer.
"What about the Succubuses?"
"Well I tried stopping the rampant prostitution of the Succubi but pushback from the male population both High elves and other races was too much even for me, and most of their targets are consensual adults. However, lately, they are very pushy even if these males are already in a relationship and most of the protests come from the girls."
"As for the druggies, well pot has always been part of the Orc culture just like coffee is to us, as long as it's not Etherite, it's fair game. Even if it is being used by other races." She added.
Iris sighs, clearly she has a lot on her mind right now. Not only she has to deal with the problems of Neotopia, but Neocademy as well.
-
[Feel sorry for her.]
[Joke about it.]
[You have no part in her problems.]
-
Rhen decided to joke about it to relieve some of her stress. "You know Iris, I think you're running a zoo with no walls than an actual university. I mean seriously you have some pretty diverse fauna around here."
"Pfft! Hahahaha!" She lets out a hearty laugh before wiping the tears from her eyes. "That is a very accurate interpretation Rhen, yes I am actually running a zoo than a university in a sense. Not just in Neocademy, but in Neotopia as well. It's tough to keep the balance of many different cultures in Neotopia."
Iris took a moment to catch her breath, she turned her gaze towards Rhen, her eyes filled with a sense of gratitude. "Thank you Rhen, I needed that. It has been a long time since I laughed that hard. Everything is just so upright when I become Lord of Neotopia."
With a subtle curl of her lips, she smiled, her expression changed like a maiden hidden beneath her uptight facade.
"Anything for you My Lord" Rhen ironically said, adhering to Iris's advice of calling her a lord when in public.
"Fufufu." Iris chuckles softly. "There's just something off when you say it to me. Hmmm… Anyways, you can call me "Iris" Rhen. If it's you, I don't mind you calling me by my name even in public, but do not get it into your head."
"Alright, if you say so."
The guard watches the two in pure envy from behind, gritting his teeth. "(Grrr! This student is casually flirting with Her Highness, they don't even recognize my existence. Just you wait, once Her Highness leaves, you will never see the light of day kid.)"
Rhen and Iris went past the leisure area and headed inside the school building.
Rhen notices an old man reading a book inside the classroom while the other half of the class is having a bar brawl. The other half acts normally and goes about their business. Succubi is flirting, while Okatu is playing eroge games in front of the teacher. For whatever reason, the teacher is unconcerned by the kids' disruptive behavior.
"Rhen come over here" Iris calls his attention.
"Hmm? Need something?"
Iris then opens the door to the classroom, chalkboard eraser narrowly hits her but Iris evades it by cocking her head.
"Rhen I want you to defeat the two of them." She then points to a mean-looking Beastman who is transformed into a lion and is sizing up another delinquent, a male Demon.
Rhen raised an eyebrow at Iris's unusual request, a dean literally just told a student to fight another student. If this happened in Kadwein, Iris would be put in prison.