Lady Eva and Eren stood up to take their leave but lady Eva stopped and turned to Eren.
"From here on out, you will have to figure out on your own the secrets you're curious about, and choose how you must survive. I know you're confused, but you must be strong. What lies ahead of you is not for the weak." she said. She had on an outright serious expression looking straight into Eren's eyes.
"But then, you're not the weak hearted one, are you?" she turned her head trying to read the mysterious child before her.
She smirked and turned away. "I'll very much like to see what happens next." she said, walking forward.
Eren didn't quite understand what she meant, but for him, all that mattered was survival.
All his life, he had had to survive by being as insignificant as he could. Claire called it the art of staying invincible. In the Pandoria division, people met their ends by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Years ago, there was a magic explosion on Wale Street. Before the explosion, the street was under redevelopment. It was to be the first redeveloped street in the Pandoria division. Merchants from the Oalia division came and hyped the people up. They started rebuilding but there was a strange building they built. Nobody knew what they were doing in it and nobody cared. All they cared about was the redevelopment.
On the day of the explosion, the street was turned into a waste land. Everybody died, including the merchants. Soldiers from the Oalia division came and captured a few sorcerers reported to have been close to the street at the time of the explosion and they were sentenced to death on the offence of treason. The soldiers executed them in public and Eren watched from the sidelines.
***
Elite Royals Academy, as expected, was as magnificent as the gossips say. It was like a historical site as it was the oldest, largest building Eren has ever seen. The school's green flag was mounted on opposite sides in front of the building on poles. Statues of Master Absalom - the first human king to rule the Eastern kingdom, and Lord Wembley - the founder of ER Academy, were at the centre of the large compound.
Eren followed behind Lady Eva, and they walked to the Magistrate's office. Lady Eva knocked on the door.
"Yes." A man answered from inside the room. She opened the door, and they both let themselves in.
In the room, a man was seated on a desk. There were so many books, files, and documents on the table, but the man barely noticed their presence as he was engulfed in his work.
Eren and Lady Eva stood for a few seconds before Lady Eva cleared her throat.
The man looked up to see Lady Eva. Shocked, he almost falls off his chair trying to get up, then he raised his falling glasses back up his nose. "Lady Eva!" He exclaimed, "What brings you here? I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, I wasn't aware that it was you."
"So, this is how you insult your guests." Lady Eva said in a calm tone.
"I'm sorry my lady" the man said lowering his head.
This man looked to be in his 40's. His brown hair was gelled backwards with a few strands popping out. He wore a frameless rectangular lens. On top of a blue long sleeved shirt, he wore a sleeveless knitted black and white striped vest with a black suit trouser, and black shoe.
"Let me walk you to the principal's office." He said, immediately leading the way.
He led them further into the building and stopped at a huge door. He knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for a reply.
"It's Lady Eva..." He whispered with his head through the door and his body outside before opening the door for them both to enter.
The principal was already on her feet when they entered. They came in and sat in the chairs opposite her, then she sat after they had seated.
The principal was a lady in her late 40's. Her hair was packed into a senator wife's hairstyle and she wore a blue suit with a set of pearl jewelries to compliment the look.
"What brings the eloquent Lady Eva to Royal Elite high?" She asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Lady Eva replied, uninterested in small chatter.
"I wasn't aware you had a child." the principal continued.
"That's none of your business." Lady Eva retorted to end the conversation.
"Okay." The principal said with a smile. She took out a file and started turning its pages. "You are a month late on application, but I can make an exception for you. So, what is your name?" She said as she looked up to Eren.
"Eren." He replied most casually.
"Eren what?" The principal asked again and narrowed her eyes.
"Leave it as just Eren." Lady Eva said.
"I can't have a child without a family or a house identification in our school. Shouldn't I just write him as adopted?" The principal asked looking at Lady Eva.
"No... If so, you can just write my name." Lady Eva replied.
"Isn't that an abuse to your family's name? I couldn't." The principal retorted.
Lady Eva leaned forward and stared at the principal with discontentment. "And did I ever say he wasn't my son?"
"Okay... Eren Willberg it is." The principal said and smiled."I'm principal Catherine."she turned to Eren and said."so what will you be studying Eren?" the principal asked.
"What are my options?"Eren asked.
"Well, it's odd that you don't know these things, but it's okay, I'll give you a briefing..." the principal said. "...our school offers education in categories like law, engineering, medicine and military." She continued. "Be sure to make a wise decision, Eren. It's okay, you have until the beginning of next month to decide." She said with a light smile.
"No... I'll pick now. I pick medicine." Eren said without much thought.
"Are you sure?"principal Catherine said surprised.
Usually, students think very hard about what department to go into. The Royal Elite Academy was not just a school for the students, but a place that would determine their futures and a place to gain allies. Most houses would push their children into a department that they knew they could guarantee their success.They would ensure they are good at whatever department they go into, but here was a child choosing a department on a whim.
Principal Catherine wondered who this child was and why a member of the Willberg household was taking him in, not even as an adopted son, but a bastard son.
"Interesting" she thought.
"Alright"she said, then lowered her head to put it on paper. "To make necessary preparations, you will be required to resume on the first of next month. Your uniform and every other important thing will be sent to the Willberg mansion." the principal finally concluded.
Eren and Lady Eva rose and exited the room. The school was indeed fascinating. Eren looked around trying to burn every route into his mind, but gives up after some time. There were just too many halls.
"How is a person supposed to find their way around this huge building?" He thought as the man from earlier led them out of the building.