The Academy's Invitation

As soon as Steven left, Ren flopped on the bed, exhausted. 

"System, can I see the list of my targets?"

[Host, you're finally showing interest! I was starting to think you didn't care about your mission. Here's the list of your six targets.] The system's voice sounded chipper.

Hold on, where was the emotionless voice?

A glowing panel appeared in front on Ren, displaying six numbers, he watched as three unfolded while three were left with question marks.

[Harem Targets-

1. Cassian Valtheris

2. Elias Vealthorne

3. Riven Duskbane

4.???

5.???

6.???

Three remaining targets are to be revealed when you meet them.]

"So, no character profile?" Ren asked.

[Host will get them upon meeting them.]

Hmm. 

Since Ren had nothing to do, he just lay his head on the pillow, immediately falling asleep after two minutes.

Ten minutes later, the door clicked open, and Damien walked in, he sat at the edge of the bed, watching Ren's sleeping form, a subtle frown passing his face as he looked around the room.

He briefly rested his palm on Ren's cheek before silently walking out.

The system who had witnessed all of this didn't know if it should wake his host up, it looked at the character profile of Ren which stated deep sleeper and didn't know whether he had carried that trait over. 

After contemplating over it for a while, he decided to let its host sleep, as he had a rough day.

Yes, that's how he convinced himself, deciding to let Ren sleep.

Ren slept deeply, until Lucian who was back at the estate personally came to wake him up with the butler and Damien trailing behind him.

"Ren" Lucien patted his shoulder.

"Ren, get up," he continued, raising Ren's form so he was sitting upright on the bed, this did wake him up.

Ren's face which had previously looked peaceful automatically formed a grumpy face, instantly giving Lucian a death stare.

Steven, coughed, trying to hide his smile, "Master Ren it's time for dinner."

Ren stood up from the bed, giving Lucian one last stare before turning towards the butler with a still grumpy face, although much toned down, with an expression of 'lead the way'.

Steven got the hint and immediately left the room, with Ren who had stumbled on his feet twice trailing behind him.

Lucian and Damien exchanged glances; amusement clearly seen in their eyes.

Meanwhile the system closed its information window, it would not be seen witnessing it's host embarrassing moments.

Dinner was a success, with nearly all of Ren's passive aggressiveness leaving his body and Lucian finally not needing to endure Ren's death stare anytime he passed him something from the table and trying to hold in his smile.

Damien had gotten blasted from the table twice because he had shown too much of a smile, when Ren whose brain was still foggy from sleep did something that was not very-ren-like.

At first Damien was stunned from being blasted out of the table, making him burst out laughing after coming to terms with the fact that he had been blasted out of the table, making Ren blast him even further away from the dining table.

Five minutes later, Ren was having his shower trying to wash away the fog from his brain. After he had showered and put on a sleepwear he found his way towards Lucian's study.

Lucian was answering a business call when Ren walked in, he didn't need to knock as Lucian had left the study's door open for him to come in.

Seeing as Lucian would be busy for a while, Ren busied himself going through Lucian's book collection.

The books were.... interesting, not something he expected Lucian to have or rather read, but hey you can't judge a mafia boss by his build.

He was probably a softie deep down.

Lucian who had been tagged as a softie, was done answering his business call.

"Come over here," Lucian beckoned Ren over. 

As he was about to say something, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Steven stepped in, bowing slightly. "Sir, an invitation has arrived for Young Master Aaron."

Lucian lifted a brow. "Already?"

The butler passed the sealed letter to Lucian, the emblem of an elite academy pressed into the wax.

Lucian passed the letter over to Ren.

He took the letter from Lucian, his fingers tracing over the mark. The academy.

It was a place filled with Espers and Guides, the strongest and most talented of their generations.

The previous Ren couldn't get in because he couldn't awaken but the brother, Alistair could.

His grip on the letter tightened slightly.

Lucian watched him, his sharp gaze missing nothing. "Do you want to go?"

Ren smiled, a curve that brightened his whole face. "Oh, I want nothing more."

Lucian looked at Ren for a moment before nodding his head, "Well you have to honor the invitation so you can go."

Ren smiled, before standing up. 'I'll take my leave now, oh and I apologize for the mess at the dinner table." he scratched the back of his head before making his way towards the door.

Lucian watched him go, pausing ever so slightly before he heard him speak, "And can you tell Steven I'm fine with your old room? I like the view."

And just like that Ren walked out.

Lucian shook his head before he laughed.

Ren's Room.

Ren stood by the window of his new room, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of the invitation on the window's edge. Outside, the city stretched beneath him, shimmering under the evening glow while the garden and the lake were illuminated by the lanterns the servants had put up.

The Mordaine estate was a fortress, the walls were filled with security, guards stationed at every corner, no one was allowed entry unless Lucian or Damien allowed it.

It was a far cry from the cold, neglectful walls of the Vaelcrest estate, that he remembered from his memories.

Yet, he didn't think he was here to admire the luxuries the estate had, he still had unfinished business with the Vaelcrest family and for that he had to go to the academy.

Well, going to the academy was not only for the revenge he planned on taking for the old Ren.

There were other purposes....

A knock at the door broke his train of thoughts.

"Come in," Ren said smoothly.

The door opened, revealing Damien.

Oh, the weird brother.

Ren wasn't actually surprised, if anything he had been expecting him.

The man had been watching him all evening, not discretely though but openly.

I mean who does that?

Damien Mordaine, that's who.

Even when he had flung him away from the dinner table, twice.

Lord bless my heart, what was I thinking?

That didn't even change his demeanor.

Damien stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He wasn't dressed as formally as earlier, his usual sharp, composed looked slightly disheveled, like he had been in deep thought.

Ren turned, raising a brow. "Can I help you?"

Damien's silver eyes locked onto him; it was unwavering. "You plan to leave."

Not a question, then he's probably aware.

Ren smiled faintly. "Of course. I've been given an opportunity. It would be a waste not to take it. Don't you think?"

Damien stepped closer, his gaze searching him. "You didn't bother to think about it?"

Ren tilted his head. "Should I have?"

Silence.

A moment of silence passed between the two. Then, Damien exhaled, like he was holding something back, after a while he spoke again.

"There's something dangerous about you."

Ren laughed softly. "Oh? And what makes you say that?"

Damien didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached forward, lifting Ren's chin with two fingers. It wasn't forceful, but it was firm.

"System, is this what they call sexual harassment?"

[Host, about that, yes but only for people that are not love interest.] 

Huh? Was Damien apart of the target, he'd have to ask later.

"This is what I'm talking about, you don't react like normal people do," Damien murmured. "You don't get nervous. You don't hesitate. You're not scared of either of us." Damien was used to people being scared of them or rather acting without dignity when they heard the Mordaine surname, explains why they were still single till now.

Eh. 

"System is that how to act like prey?"

[Yes.] The system faced palmed, closing its information window.

"Oh."

Ren gave Damien a small smile before stepping further away from him.

"And yet, you can't look away now, can you?" Ren asked, taking his position by the windowpane, looking outside the estate.

A shadow flashed in Damien's silver eyes.

Ren let the moment stretch before he spoke again, "Don't worry," he said, his voice light. "You'll see me again."

Damien didn't answer, instead he gave Ren one final look before he left his room.