"It's so damn noisy!"
Xora covered his ears as he was jostled along by the waves of students surrounding him. The sound was deafening, hundreds of voices talking, laughing, and the stomping of feet on the fine white stone below only made it worse.
'Estellia's probably already at the academy thanks to her Princess status card. She could've brought me along' Xora sulked, his thoughts cut short as Kesa nearly tripped him.
"Watch where you're going, idiot!" she sneered smugly, only to stumble herself a moment later.
Thinking back on what had happened earlier in the courtyard, Xora sighed.
Earlier that day…
"That's not fair! I demand a rematch—no, a recount!" Kesa yelled, grabbing her blade and taking a wild swing at Xora.
Her attack didn't connect. A large hand gripped her wrist firmly, stopping her mid-swing. She looked up to see a towering man with a great beard, his stern gaze fixed on her.
"S-Sir Reynauld?!" she squeaked, her face filled with both fear and embarrassment. She forced a guilty smile, stammering, "I-I thought you were at the meeting!"
Reynauld let go of her wrist, and her sword slipped from her hand, the hilt clonking her on the head.
"Ouch!" Kesa muttered, rubbing her forehead as she crouched down to pick up her blade.
Reynauld stood before her, arms crossed. He wore a long blue coat over white trousers, brown boots peeking out beneath. His sword hung sheathed at his hip. Stroking his beard, he contemplated her for a moment before speaking.
"The meeting ended a while ago," he said with a weary sigh. "I've been watching, and honestly, that was neither flashy nor strong, certainly not what I've taught you."
Kesa scrambled to defend herself. "B-but that's not my fault!" she stammered, glaring at Xora. "I—I was defending my honor!"
Reynauld twisted his beard thoughtfully as his gaze shifted between Kesa and Xora. "Defending your honor, huh? Well, from what I saw, he beat you using the very technique you struggled to master." He turned to Xora with a grin. "Maybe I should make him my apprentice, he's got a knack for learning."
"Y-you can't be serious!" Kesa protested, scrambling to her feet. "I wasn't done yet! I didn't say I was giving up!"
Reynauld shook his head. "Even if the fight continued, the outcome wouldn't change. I saw his stance—how he adapted, learned, and executed every move perfectly. If the match had gone on, you'd have lost every time."
"T-that's not fair!" Kesa cried, falling to her knees in frustration.
Reynauld sighed deeply, visibly embarrassed by her outburst. "You need to learn, Kesa. And I realize now that I've been too lenient, taking that payment from your mother instead of focusing on discipline." His voice softened. "From this point on, you are no longer my squire."
"WHAT?!" Kesa gasped, her face pale with shock. "N-no, please! I need this!" She clung to Reynauld's boots, her tears spilling freely. "Please, I'll do better! I'll change! Don't send me back home!"
Reynauld sighed again, clearly uncomfortable as the growing crowd murmured around them. "I'm not sending you home, Kesa," he said after a moment. "I'm sending you to the academy instead."
His gaze shifted to Xora. "I want you to be rivals with this brat," he declared, addressing Kesa again. "Hopefully, you'll learn something from this. Your behavior isn't flashy or respectable, not in the way I've tried to teach you."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Kesa trembling on the ground. Her face darkened as she buried it in her arms, trying not to cry in front of the gathered students.
Xora, unsure of what to do, tried searching the Hero's memories for advice on comforting someone, but nothing came to mind. He watched helplessly as Kesa wiped her face, her eyes red and puffy, her nose blotchy.
"I'll beat your ass!" she declared, her voice trembling with anger and determination. Clenching her fists, she glared at Xora. "I swear it! I'll get strong enough to beat you at everything!"
Without waiting for a reply, she stormed off, nearly tripping over her sword before disappearing into the crowd.
Xora sighed, watching her leave. "Weird girl."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Is that so?" the princess asked as she sipped her tea.
Xora sighed. It had been a few hours since the earlier events. He had already completed the process to get his ID and had his picture taken by the academy's photographer. The crystal ball used to capture images and videos intrigued him. I'd like one of those things someday…
"Yeah, she challenged me, but I knocked her down a peg or two," he said, leaning back in his chair.
"Well, it sounds like she had it coming. Interesting… I didn't know the Ferwards had their child as a squire," the princess replied thoughtfully.
"Are they important?" Xora asked through a mouthful of cake.
She nodded. "Quite. The Ferwards hold significant influence in the mining business. Some say they rival even the dwarves in their obsession with precious materials like mithril, darksteel, and diamonds." Setting her cup down with a soft clink, she added, "Still, sending Kesa away... their only child, especially after what happened to her brothers..." She trailed off, her expression distant.
"Princess?"
"Oh!" She snapped out of her reverie, offering him a warm smile. "I apologize. Do you need more cake?"
That was the last thing he remembered before passing out from eating too much.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"I want some cake..." Xora muttered, drooling as he stood beside Kesa outside the academy's towering main building.
"Ew! Watch where you're drooling!" Kesa hissed, glaring at him in disgust.
The academy was located in the eastern part of the kingdom's territory, near the bustling fishing port of Sunhaven. Renowned for its wealth, Sunhaven offered stunning views of the vast ocean and housed the third-largest adventurers' guild, as well as the headquarters of the Fisherman's Guild.
The academy itself was a marvel, funded by Sunhaven's government, private investors from noble families, and backed by the kingdom's support. Its sprawling campus boasted numerous specialized buildings for disciplines like blacksmithing, alchemy, magic, adventuring, knighthood, diplomacy, artistry, and church related studies.
At the heart of the campus stood the main building, accessible by a grand staircase. Xora and the other students gathered at the base of these stairs, a sea of diverse faces dressed in the attire of their respective cultures, races, and backgrounds. Beastfolk, demi-humans, elves, dwarves, and humans mingled together, the buzz of conversation filling the air.
At the top of the stairs stood the faculty, led by three distinct figures.
To the left was Veec'tor, commonly called Victor. A massive lizardfolk with green scales and small head spikes, his yellow eyes surveyed the crowd with sharp focus. Clad in a finely tailored suit, he exuded authority as the academy's head of security.
To the right was the enigmatic Doctor. Neither their race nor gender was known, as they were entirely concealed beneath a golden mask etched with the barest semblance of facial features. Dressed in flowing blue robes over a gilded suit, the Doctor was the academy's head of medical care, overseeing injuries and illnesses with precision and mystery.
At the center stood the headmaster, a regal figure who commanded attention effortlessly. Cortevia Duvuo was known for her no-nonsense attitude toward education and her encouragement of competitive activities. Dressed in a signature black gown and draped in a striking purple fur coat, she brushed her raven-black hair back as she prepared to address the students.
Kesa leaned closer to Xora, whispering, "I heard she wrestled a demon for that coat."
Xora gave her a dubious look. 'What kind of nonsense is that?'
All around them, magical blue crystals hummed softly. Cortevia held a smaller crystal in her hand, her voice amplified through the surrounding crystals.
"Hello? Is this thing on?" Her voice echoed, repeating briefly before she continued. "Good. I am Cortevia Duvuo, headmaster of this academy. This marks my nineteenth year here, and I expect those enrolling to conduct themselves with dignity and respect. We take great pride in our education."
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "That said, I encourage you to enjoy yourselves as well. Explore your courses, participate in activities, and make the most of your time here. Today, we have various events planned to welcome you to the academy."
She paused before adding, "Additionally, we will be hosting a tournament for students in the adventuring course. Others are welcome to join if they wish, though participation is not mandatory."
"In the folder sent to you before your arrival, you'll find important documents, including your class schedules, dorm assignments, and helpful brochures. Please review them at your earliest convenience."
Cortevia gave a slight bow. "Thank you all for attending, and I hope you enjoy your first day at the academy."
The crowd murmured with excitement as the announcement concluded.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Are you sure you don't want to apply?" Kesa asked as she trailed closely behind Xora. Her persistence was starting to wear on him, evident in the irritated expression on his face.
"I don't. I just want to watch," he replied, his tone fast and annoyed.
The tournament was set to begin in three hours, which was plenty of time for him to explore the academy grounds. 'I want to check out those food stands' he thought. The area outside the main building buzzed with activity food stands, club advertisements, small cafés, and local businesses were all vying for attention.
Lost in his thoughts, Xora accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry," he muttered, glancing up.
The person he'd collided with was a tall young man, about his age, who looked down at him with a sharp, piercing gaze. His red eyes glinted with intensity, and his demeanor exuded quiet, brooding authority. The air around him felt charged, like a predator assessing its prey.
Xora, however, wasn't human and intimidation wasn't in his nature. He stared back, slightly puzzled but unfazed. After a moment of silent acknowledgment, the tall figure nodded curtly and walked away.
As Kesa hurried to keep up with Xora, she chided him. "You seriously don't know who that was?"
"Nope. Just some weird guy," Xora replied flatly.
She tugged on his ear, making him wince. "That's the Valtorian noble!" she sighed dramatically. "His family is known as the Blood Wolves! He must've transferred here…" Her voice dropped to a shuddering whisper. "They're insane, you know. His family puts their newborns through brutal survival of the fittest tests!"
"Valtorian?" Xora asked, his interest piqued.
"Yes. Ugh, I forgot you have amnesia," she said, exasperated.
Of course, he didn't. Xora remembered perfectly well through his inherited memories. The name "Valtoria" stirred old memories of human kingdoms. Valtoria was the eldest and most militaristic of the three great human nations. It had evolved from a loose tribal society into a unified powerhouse through conquest, absorbing smaller tribes into its fold.
Valtoria's reputation was dark and bloody. Known for its mastery of blood magic and zealous devotion to a blood god, the nation's cultural practices like their infamous survival tests for newborns were whispered about in horror.
"Valtoria is—"
"KESSY!"
A blonde-haired blur tackled Kesa to the ground before Xora could finish.
"What the?!" Kesa yelped before her wide eyes focused on the attacker. "Livia?!"
The blonde girl squealed with delight, clinging to Kesa. "Oh, Kessy! I didn't know you were here!"
"Livia!" Kesa's expression lit up. "It's been so long!" She wrapped her arms around her old friend in a tight embrace.
Xora took this as his cue to leave. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.
'I want some ale' he thought, his mind already wandering to the drink stands he'd spotted earlier.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
After filling his stomach with delicious food and ale, Xora found himself seated in the arena stands. The place was packed, buzzing with excitement, and thankfully, Kesa wasn't around to bother him again.
The arena itself was an impressive sight a massive oval structure with an open roof, allowing sunlight to bathe the central stone platform below. The noise from the crowd was deafening, a cacophony of cheers, yells, and conversations as everyone eagerly anticipated the start of the tournament.
Shortly thereafter, a line of participants emerged from the main entrance. Each contestant carried themselves with determination, showcasing a range of unique outfits and equipment that reflected their diverse backgrounds and cultures. Most of them were from the adventuring course, though a few represented other discipline mages, blacksmiths hoping to showcase their creations, and even some members of the church.
One of the staff members overseeing the event was Hera, a demi-human with striking wolf-like features: a bushy tail and ears that twitched with every sound. Demi-humans were a relatively new species, the offspring of humans and beastfolk. For centuries, they had been enslaved in many parts of the world, a practice abolished only a few decades ago.
Though I doubt anyone would dare enslave her, Xora thought, observing her.
Hera was built like a warrior, with a physique she clearly took pride in. She wore a form-fitting black shirt under a long brown leather coat, its back tailored to accommodate her tail. Her steel-reinforced black boots matched her black leather pants, and the academy emblem on her coat marked her as a staff member. Her black and silver hair, cut just above her shoulders, framed her sharp features.
"Hey!" Hera's voice boomed through a crystal amplification device, loud enough to make everyone clutch their ears in pain.
"I'm Hera, your battle instructor, and I'll be overseeing this tournament!" she announced, grinning ear to ear. "This is a thirty-two-contestant tournament. Each battle will be one on one, and the match will end only when someone is knocked out, forced out of the arena platform, or admits defeat!"
She began announcing the matchups, her enthusiasm barely contained.
"Charleston Chewston versus Katie Kit!"
A few chuckles rippled through the crowd at the quirky names.
"June Mars versus John M&M!"
Xora barely registered the matchups. His mind was elsewhere.
'What is this presence?'
The roar of the crowd began to fade into the background as a familiar sensation crept over him—a soft whisper in the air that morphed into a thunderous echo in his mind. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced since his previous life.
'That awareness... that recognition. Could it be _________?'
He stood abruptly, his body trembling.
'No, it can't be. They're weaker than ________.'
But before he could calm himself, he was overwhelmed by the unmistakable signatures.
'One. No, two. No, three... four.'
There were four others.
In his past life, Xora had encountered countless entities—some he had destroyed, others he had ignored—but never had he felt so many of these presences in one place.
And now, they were aware of him too.
Their signatures shifted, responding to his recognition of them. The arena around him seemed to fade as his focus sharpened on the new threat.
'I am not alone.'