The Academy settled into a tense rhythm as the second semester progressed. The atmosphere was charged, and Class C found themselves under constant scrutiny from the other cadets, especially those in Class A. With the arrival of new subjects like Stellar Geography and Alien Biology, the pressure on everyone intensified, and the divisions between the classes deepened.
Claudius and his peers spent hours in the library, poring over maps of distant star systems and the Empire's tenuous borders. In Naval Engineering, they were introduced to the intricacies of ship design, while Alien Biology taught them how different species could affect everything from diplomacy to combat strategy. Every lecture reminded them of the stakes—there was a galaxy full of dangers beyond the Academy's walls.
But beneath the academic pressure, the tension between the classes was growing dangerously thick. It wasn't just competition anymore; it was becoming personal. The incident in the training grounds with Adrian Valerius had only been the beginning.
The divide became even more apparent with the arrival of the new noble instructors, many of whom blatantly favored the elite cadets from Classes A and B. Commander Nestor, with his constant jibes at the "lesser classes," was especially notorious. His lectures often devolved into thinly veiled attacks on those who, in his view, did not belong at the Academy.
And yet, amidst this growing hostility, Class C had gained a valuable ally: Vera. Her presence among them was a shock, but it soon became clear that her transfer was no accident. She had her reasons for being in Class C, and those reasons were tied to a larger game that Claudius could only guess at.
One morning, Claudius sat at a table in the mess hall, his mind buried in a textbook on alien ecosystems, when Felix slid into the seat across from him.
"You're going to burn yourself out if you keep this up," Felix said with a smirk. "Even genius needs a break."
Claudius chuckled, rubbing his eyes. "I just want to stay ahead. These new courses are a lot to keep up with."
Felix leaned back, crossing his arms. "You're doing fine. Trust me, you've got more sense than most of the cadets here."
Before Claudius could respond, the doors to the mess hall opened, and Vera walked in. Heads turned. She was still an anomaly—a former Class B cadet now among the "lower ranks" of Class C. It didn't help that her reputation as a noble with her own agenda followed her everywhere.
"Have you two seen the latest news from Augustolos?" she asked, sitting down beside them. "There's been a massive shake-up in the noble houses. Some of the evidence I sent to my father is starting to take effect. Heads are rolling."
Felix's eyes gleamed with interest. "And I assume that's exactly what you wanted."
Vera smiled, but there was a hint of steel in her gaze. "Corruption runs deep, even in the highest circles. If we're going to save the Empire, we need to root it out."
Claudius looked between them, realizing just how different their world was from his own. Felix, the ninth imperial prince, born into a life of unimaginable privilege yet determined to make a difference. And Vera, from one of the great noble houses, wielding her influence like a blade in the shadows. They were both playing a game that went far beyond the Academy.
"I still don't understand," Claudius said. "You could have stayed in Class B or even transferred to Class A with your skills. Why choose Class C?"
Vera regarded him for a moment, her expression unreadable. "Because Class C is where the real soldiers are. I don't need to be around sycophants and spoiled nobles. I need to be with people who will actually fight for the Empire. And," she added with a glance at Felix, "I'm not the only one who thinks that way."
Felix nodded. "There's something happening here, Claudius. The Empire is at a tipping point, and it starts with us."
Before Claudius could ask what they meant, the doors to the mess hall burst open again, and Adrian Valerius strode in with several of his cronies from Class A. His sharp gaze immediately locked onto their table.
"Well, well, if it isn't the rabble," Adrian sneered, loud enough for the entire hall to hear. "Enjoying your little gathering?"
Claudius felt his hands ball into fists under the table. Every encounter with Adrian grated on him. The arrogance, the entitlement—it was everything wrong with the Academy wrapped up in one insufferable cadet.
"Go away, Adrian," Felix said, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. "You've already made a fool of yourself once this semester. Don't make it a habit."
Adrian's expression darkened, but his smile remained fixed. "You think you're clever, Felix. Hiding among the commoners, pretending you're just like them. But you're still a prince. You'll always be above them."
Claudius stood up, unable to hold back. "He's more of a leader than you'll ever be, Adrian. And he doesn't need to hide behind his father's name to prove it."
For a moment, the entire mess hall went silent. Adrian's eyes flared with anger, but before he could respond, one of his cronies stepped forward, whispering something into his ear. Adrian's sneer deepened, but he backed off.
"You'll regret that," he said, his voice low and threatening. "Sooner than you think."
With that, Adrian and his group turned and left the hall, leaving an uneasy tension in their wake.
The confrontation with Adrian only fueled the animosity between the classes, but it was the results of the midterm exams that truly set things ablaze.
After weeks of grueling study and preparation, the cadets received their scores. Claudius had done well, ranking near the top of Class C in both the written exams and the tactical simulations. Vera and Felix, unsurprisingly, had excelled as well. But it wasn't their success that caught everyone's attention—it was the results from Class A.
Adrian Valerius, who had long flaunted his supposed superiority, had underperformed in several key areas, particularly in the battle simulations. Rumors swirled that some of the instructors had inflated his scores in the past, but now that the simulation was evaluated by an automated system, there was no hiding his weaknesses.
For the first time, the cracks in Class A's facade were beginning to show.
But there was no time to celebrate or rest on their laurels. With the new semester came new challenges. The cadets of Class C found themselves faced with even more advanced subjects and more intense scrutiny from the instructors who favored the elite.
Yet, even as the academic and social pressures mounted, Claudius found himself growing closer to Felix and Vera. They were all in this together now, facing the same enemies, fighting the same battles.
And as they prepared for the next round of exams and simulations, Claudius couldn't shake the feeling that the real battle was still on the horizon—one that would determine not just their future, but the future of the Empire itself.