They both started walking around the campus while Syril explained some of the places. Nathan made a mental map of all the buildings Syril described, so he wouldn't get lost if he needed anything.
Nathan looked sideways at the young woman, curious about a few things.
"This Lloyd guy... Who is he?"
Syril smiled again at Nathan's question.
"Oh... him? He's the big boss' student"
Nathan grimaced.
'Disciple of the man in the suit" Nathan remembered the man who had been watching him darkly throughout the meeting.
'So, he's actually the boss...' Nathan grimaced.
"And why did he act like that?"
Nathan wanted to know why he was looking for trouble with him when he clearly didn't remember doing anything to upset him.
Syril chuckled softly, sending a shiver down Nathan's spine, a very different one to the one he'd always felt.
"That's because he's afraid of being overpowered... well, I wouldn't call it fear, but he definitely sees you as a threat to his position"
Syril scratched his arm and continued to explain.
"You may not be aware of this, but your name is quite well known throughout the organization"
Nathan stopped and looked at her in surprise.
"Why? I only arrived yesterday"
Syril pointed upwards and began to wag her finger playfully.
"Rumors, has it that your name has spread like wildfire in less than a day. 'The devil's disciple has arrived'" Syril laughed at the last part.
Nathan remembered the looks on the faces of all the soldiers he had met. He had asked Dilliard why they had recognized him, and he had his suspicions.
The mask that was over his face had once been worn by Boreas in his heyday. Seeing the aesthetics of the mask, he understood why he had called him the devil.
Nathan just sighed again.
"You were going to meet him sooner or later anyway, besides you'll have to face him someday"
Nathan sighed again.
He had no plans to fight an immature young man who thought his position was in jeopardy. Nathan hadn't come here for a position in the organization... he hadn't even known of its existence a day ago.
But for now, he was too tired to think about all the problems he would face, he would just leave them to his future self.
"It's no lie that he's number one among the cadets, he's first rank and third class, the best of the best in the first rank. No one can compare to him, well... except me, of course"
Syril smiled heroically at his own expression of ego, to which Nathan could only sigh... again.
Nathan continued walking, and Syril, seeing that he seemed disinterested, could only laugh quietly, and follow him.
"Besides us, there are several people of first and third rank. So be careful, especially since everyone wants to know how strong you are... even I'm dying of curiosity"
Nathan was silent as he thought.
'How strong am I?'
He only had Boreas to compare himself to, and he was clearly much weaker than the old man. Nathan needed a better reference, someone his own age.
He glanced at Syril out of the corner of his eye as he thought.
The young woman looked a few years older than him, maybe 18 or 19. She was first rank, third category... but Nathan was only first rank, first category. The lowest possible.
It was understandable, considering his control of the essence. Nathan might be good with a sword, but if the other people of the first rank could empower their bodies with essence and he couldn't, then he would be defeated no matter how much he surpassed them in skill.
But that was just a guess, he would have to see the other first rank cadets to compare and have a better reference.
"Is there a place where cadets fight each other?"
Nathan remembered that in the military organizations where he had spent his childhood, there were several places where soldiers could fight each other. Nathan could compare himself to the soldiers, but his memories of that time weren't focused on seeing how strong the people there were, so he didn't remember it so well.
Syril smiled and looked at him curiously.
"Are you interested in fighting? Well, yes, there is a place"
Nathan walked on without looking at her.
"Where?"
Syril pointed in one direction of the facility.
"You'll see it when you get there, it's an open area where everyone gathers. If you want to fight, just go down to the arena and someone will challenge you"
Nathan listened curiously.
'I have a feeling that if I go down there, half the organization will challenge me...'
If what Syril said was true, then his fame would play tricks on him if he went down to the arena. Not just Lloyd, but many other cadets would challenge him, seeking a comparison with the 'Devil's Disciple'.
Nathan preferred to save himself the trouble, so for now he would just watch to understand the strength of the first rank and compare himself to them.
A few minutes later they reached the rooms and Nathan entered the building, followed by Syril. Then they both entered the lift and exited on the same floor.
As soon as Nathan reached the door of his room, he looked at Syril behind him and frowned.
"What are you doing?"
The young woman was completely calm, as if it was normal to enter his room as she had done the night before.
Syril looked at him playfully.
"Don't you want to continue with last night?"
Memories of the night before came back to Nathan, when she tried to pull his mask off, and they both ended up in bed.
Nathan sighed and opened his door, walking into the room and looking at Syril before closing the door.
"Better another day..."
The young woman pouted slightly before smiling again.
"Then it'll be another day, see you"
The young woman turned and walked to the end of the corridor.
Nathan closed the door and took off his shirt before throwing it in the corner of the room, then opened his wardrobe and put on another.
'…I'm going to need more shirts'