"Mage...of the Abysmal Darkness?!"
"Andrius?" His mother expressed concern. The mage was occupied with trains of thoughts, enough to ignore his surroundings.
'Is he someone who stole the crown prince's skill? Or is he the crown prince himself? No, let's be realistic. There is no way that stubborn prince is reincarnated into the same world...unless he begged the system with his obstinate head...'
"Rius!"
"It's nothing, mom! Just heard them somewhere, hehe..." Andrius snapped out of his thoughts.
No matter how powerful the imperial family of Aven is, the system were created by an omnipotent unknown entity. Suggesting that the future king of Aven negotiated with such deity is beyond imagination.
A knock was audible from the room entrance. The doorknob twisted and turned, revealing Professor Noreen with her kebaya peeking inside.
"Mr. Viator, I'm glad you're doing well!" The Professor beamed seeing the mage got along with the officer.
"You finished today's classes, Professor?" Abyasa bowed in respect.
"There isn't many today. It's a short semester." Noreen replied concisely. She scanned Andrius briefly and oversee the projector contents. The screen displayed Vuizen's portrait along with his information. Abyasa bit his lip. It's not like him to make such mistake of enclosing another hunter's information.
"Are you acquainted with him?" Noreen glared at the blue-eyed mage. She must have deduced that the officer was under pressure of a certain mage. Aware of the intense stare, Andrius shook his head in response.
"I've never seen him before."
"Good. It's better if you never know him at all." Professor Noreen sighed in relief. "But, I didn't know you voluntarily let Mr. Viator do a background check of someone, Sir Abyasa?"
"I apologize, Professor." Abyasa closed his eyes and bowed. "It was nothing but an accident."
Evidently, it was a blatant lie. A Hunter's Unity officer is strictly prohibited of disclosing inexperienced hunter's identity. Yet, Professor Noreen acted nonchalant. Perhaps it has ties with Vuizen being one of the few S-rankers. She probably deemed him as capable enough of protecting his own information.
"Could be the exact opposite. She gave up trying to keep his information a secret..." Andrius mumbled to himself.
S-ranks are a whole species of their own. They aren't regular humans bound by rules. No one has the power to enforce them. Possessing strength beyond comprehension, there is only around 20 at most in the whole world combined.
Those few individuals who can overturn the course of whole world in a finger snap. Who wouldn't pay attention to them? It's rather strange if hoards of reporters aren't prying on their daily lives.
'To think I'm one point away from registered as an S-rank...' Andrius nervously rejected the thought of confessing that fact. He has barely adapted to the new world. Bringing enormous attention to himself during that adaptation process is suicide.
"Say Mr. Viator, will you entertain the idea of going around the academy?"
"Huh?"
"Since I have free time, I'll take you around the academy. It'll be better to familiarize yourself before attending classes, right?" Professor Noreen grabbed the mage by force. She lifted him lightly as if picking a kitten in the street.
Andrius's face reddened by the touch. He was caught off guard. He didn't expect such dainty professor to carry him like nothing.
"Wait! He is-" Estela stood up from her seat, trying to form a sentence.
"Rest assure, ma'am. I'll take good care of your son here." Professor Noreen smiled before closing the door air tight. She put down the adolescent mage and carried her bag.
"Why don't we walk and discuss the reason you fainted earlier, Mr. Viator?"
Andrius's embarrassed mood switched into a sharp gaze. He caught up his steps with the professor quickly.
"Are you saying you know the cause?"
"It's not rare among mages who constantly replenish their mana. Do you know anything about dark mana, Mr. Viator?"
Dark Mana. Andrius encountered it in his previous life as well. So, this topic was nothing new.
"...It's a type of mana used by dark mages. Mana that can only be gained by killing living beings..."
The professor nodded in agreement. "In a place where the lives of masses were taken, dark mana materialized."
Places where life has no meaning. For instance, battlefields and dungeons breaks. Is filled with dark mana to the brim. Andrius captured the point addressed and analyzed the relations.
"Am I sensitive to dark mana?"
"...You caught on fast. Your body can't synchronize the dark mana you absorbed with the mana field residing in your body." Noreen clarified.
Andrius bit his lip in frustration. At this rate, he'll faint every time there is a dungeon break. This was an unexpected, high-priority problem.
Professor Noreen noticed the mage's frustration. "You can overcome it by finding ways to make dark mana yours." She smiled after dropping a hint.
"Make it...mine?" Andrius whispered, wondering beneath his breath.
"It'll take some time. While you haven't find out how, use this." Professor Noreen pulled a small trinket out of her low bun. It was round, similar to a remote with only one button to press. The vibrant pink color it has could cause a few misunderstanding.
"This is a safety alarm. Press this button every time you encounter dark mana and pull the chain lock to activate it. Trust me, Hunter's Unity officers would rescue you in no time."
"Uhhh...thank you..." Andrius scrutinize the device in disgust. Why must he, an A-rank hunter, resort to this? He swallowed his pride reluctantly and kept the alarm on his person.
***
"What magnificent fountain..." The mage paused to sightsee near the student dormitory. A 5 meter grand fountain welcomed him. Astonished, he froze on the spot to hear sounds of water flowing. The falling water hit coins scattered at the fountain base.
"Why do people throw away their money like this?" Andrius's hand reached to bag a few coin.
"Some hunters here believe this fountain brought them good luck. Those coins are simply offerings." Professor Noreen explained.
"I wouldn't take those offerings if I were you....It inflicts you the bad luck people desire to throw away."
"Haha, I don't believe in luck. I do believe in materialistic wealth." Andrius mocked as he harvested some coins shamelessly. The Professor sighed and left him alone with his coin farm.
"Eh? Professor? Is the campus tour over?" The mage was sitting on the edge of the fountain. He assumed the professor had something urgent to take care of, or simply ashamed of his actions. He glanced to the water reflection and was met with a pair of blue eyes.
A stranger's face. A face he has to claim as his own.
Looking at his reflection in the splashing water rather than a sea of blood. He knew it's futile to think about the past. An unanswered riddle will forever burden him.
'What happened to Aven while I'm here?'
The memories he spent as Duke Elixis wasn't joyful. But, he could call that place home. He long to come back one last time, saying proper goodbye with his sister.
Andrius smile dejectedly, a sign of slight acceptance. As he prepared his leave, someone tapped on his shoulders.
The person was four inch taller than him. Upon seeing his face, the blue-eyed mage recognized him immediately and backed a few steps.
A man with three-piece suit, sharp crimson eyes, and a black metal staff adorned in red magic orbs.
The mage of Abysmal Darkness, Vuizen Oshiro.
An expressionless face glanced down at him. Andrius sensed high pressure coming out from the S-rank. Without words, it spoke the power gap between them. He gulped, gathered his courage.
"You...want something from me?"
"I just arrived. Can you-"
'Aha, I know it. He is about to make me a bellboy to carry all his luggage and-' Andrius was drenched in sweat overthinking what the red-eyed mage will do to him. His excuses were reasonable, reckoning this is the same guy who got in his father company via nepotism.
"-tell me where the restroom is?"
"Ha?"
"Please. I've been in traffic for two hours..." Vuizen dreadfully pressed Andrius's shoulders. Although with a cold glare, there were signs of desperation in his voice.
"Alright! Alright! Stop pressing! You might break my clavicle bone!" The mage exclaimed. Seems those articles weren't exaggerating the amount of power S-ranks posses. A flick to them can disassemble other people's organs.
'Right. It's not like I have a choice.' Andrius led Vuizen inside the dormitory, leaving his attendants outside. His judgement concluded that this exhausted Vuizen wasn't hostile enough to gave him significant harm. A swift trip to the urinal couldn't be that bad.
"Thank you." The shadow mage fastened his belt, finished with his business.
"If you're done, I'll escort you outside. But, first-" Andrius extended his hand.
[Andrius used Relentless courage of invisible authority lv. 24]
A black barrier revealed itself at the end of the restroom hall. Keeping the restroom from outside interference. Dark mana emitting from the pitch black barrier gave a heads up about who casted it.
"What do you want to talk about? I'm getting migraines from the dark mana flaring from there. Plus, this is public property. So, be extremely brief." Andrius ruffled his messy hair. He was a fool to think for a fleeting moment that he was only guiding the new kid who's been holding his pee.
Vuizen smiled coldly. His crimson eyes lit up in the dark. "I intend to greet you, that's all." He pointed his staff on to the blue-eyed mage. "Some conversation would be lovely, though."