Ashura gazed out of the carriage window, lost in thought as the landscape blurred by. The late Empress had entrusted him with a weighty task: to uncover the secrets hidden beneath Hoxrarry Academy of Arcane. What those secrets were remained a mystery, even to him and Empress Rozaria.
"If Empress Rozaria assigned me this mission, then whatever lies there must be significant," he muttered to himself, a frown creasing his brow.
The carriage rolled smoothly over the cobblestone road, but as the minutes passed, an uneasy feeling crept into Ashura's mind. Something felt off. "Hmm, it seems like something is about to happen," he whispered, instinctively shifting his gaze to the emblem of Hoxrarry Acedemy in his robe.
Suddenly, the carriage lurched to a halt, and Ashura was thrown forward, nearly crashing into the carriage wall. "What is happening outside?" he called, stepping out to face whatever awaited him.
A boy with tousled golden hair and a cheeky smile stood before him. "Well, well, well! Isn't it the youngest son of the Kanon family, or should I say the 'defactus' of the Kanon family?" The boy's voice dripped with mockery.
"It's an honor to meet the third son of the Zurion family," Ashura replied, forcing a polite smile while cursing the twist of fate that had brought him face-to-face with Luzis Zurion.
Luzis, known as the "Child of Lightning," was both revered and feared for his remarkable talent in lightning magic. While many families had high hopes for him, his reputation was marred by his cruelty. He believed that only the strong deserved to thrive, relegating the weak to the status of slaves.
"Of course, you should be honored, defactus. Not every day do you get to see someone as great as me!" Luzis declared, puffing out his chest.
"What will you do now, defactus? Your carriage hit my carriage," Luzis said with a smirk that felt as thick as the air around them.
"For—forgive me, but it's your carriage that collided with us," the carriage man stammered, glancing nervously between the two young nobles.
Ashura shot a sidelong glance at the carriage man before returning his attention to Luzis, shrugging nonchalantly. "You heard him right. It seems it was indeed your carriage that struck us."
"HOW DARE YOU, DEFECTUS!" Luzis bellowed, his voice sharp enough to cut through the tension.
The energy around them thickened, crackling with golden sparks. "It seems I should teach you how to act like the defactus you are," Luzis threatened, preparing to unleash a harmful spell.
The two carriage men instinctively ducked behind the vehicle, seeking cover from the brewing storm.
"Act 12(3): one who uses a spell without reasonable justification will be punished greatly by the Astrea family," Ashura spoke firmly, his gaze unwavering.
At the mention of the Astrea family, even Luzis faltered. He wasn't about to challenge the authority of one of the most powerful families in the Confederation. "Your carriage man says that it was us who hit you, right? What are the odds that could be true?" Luzis retorted, attempting to claw back some semblance of authority.
"In the academy, there should be an orb of obligation that can show the truth. We can see if what my carriage man says is accurate," Ashura replied swiftly, inwardly wishing Luzis would back down before he embarrassed himself further.
Luzis hesitated, weighing his options. The thought of having to apologize to a defactus was something he couldn't bear, nor could he face the potential loss of face for his family. Finally, he scoffed, "I don't have time for this. I'll let you off the hook for now. Next time, you won't be so lucky." With that, he turned and hurried back to his carriage, not sparing Ashura a second glance.
As the carriage bearing the Zurion crest vanished into the distance, the carriage man breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, young lord. Even though I was the one who accidentally hit them, you still protected me."
Ashura knew the truth: it was indeed their carriage that caused the collision, but he couldn't admit that. The repercussions for the carriage man would be severe if someone like Luzis knew the real story. It was fortunate, Ashura thought, that Luzis was foolish enough to fall for his bluff.
"Let's continue the journey; we cannot afford to be late," Ashura said, climbing back into the carriage.
The carriage man looked at him with newfound respect. "Unlike the rumors say, it seems like you are much more rational than other noble offspring," he whispered, admiration coloring his voice.
With a final nod, Ashura settled back into his seat, knowing that the journey ahead held challenges far greater than this encounter. The secrets of Hoxrarry awaited, and he was determined to unravel them, no matter what obstacles lay in his path. The carriage resumed its smooth journey, rolling toward the mysteries of the academy in silence.