The Academy [3]

The academy grounds in its essence could be called a medium-sized settlement. It was comprised of so many different buildings, each one serving their own purposes.

When Arthur had decided to invest in the building he had a general idea of how the academy grounds and its structure would turn when the development was done, but what he was seeing was beyond his expectations.

According to what he had learned this academy had been established only a year and some months ago. It wasn't the first academy, however it was the most prestigious.

The reason?

It had been endorsed by the Imperial king himself.

The king was the reason this one stood at the top despite it being the most recently established.

'I wonder, how many students will I have to deal with?'

He mused as he followed Rex.

"We're here."

Arthur exhaled through his nose. He was only concerned with the number of students he was dealing with.

They both walked through the door, and Arthur did a mental count of the seats.

'With the number of chairs here, there should be about fifty students or lower than that.'

"Alright, let's go."

Not soon after he arrived he left.

"Wait, where the hell do you think you're going."

The man called after him as he slammed the door shut.

'So annoying.'

Arthur thought.

But this same person would have to serve as his guide, he seemed to be one of the few people who didn't harbor any ill intentions towards him.

He didn't seem particularly interested in his past, not even bothering to ask about the rumors despite the fact that he seemed to have come into the academy earlier.

In short, he was like an important asset.

Yet, even though this person was important, Arthur couldn't deny the fact that he was somewhat annoying.

'How did someone like him even become a professor here?'

He couldn't but wonder as Rex came out of the room.

"Hey, you almost damaged perfection, imagine what would have happened if the door slammed against my face."

He complained.

"Stop whining, you're a sorcerer."

"An awakened is still fragile.... How do you know that I'm a sorcerer?"

"Someone like you is rare, for starters you are the one that seeked me out, not the other way around. And you don't seem to be a mage or a warrior so it was easy to deduce that you could belong to a rare class or something in between.

So, I came to the realization that you belonged to the sorcerer class."

Arthur was lying, but the words flowed out as naturally as air to him. It was almost as if he had wanted Rex to ask this question.

'That flaw....'

He thought.

It was nothing more than a problem in his speech, one that ordinary people couldn't even dream of noticing, but one that those who weren't ordinary would notice.

He had told Rex that he knew he was a sorcerer now after formulating a good lie so in case he mistakenly spilled it he wouldn't struggle to formulate a lie.

However, he had practically blurted it out instantly. As soon as Rex stopped speaking he was already speaking.

"You're.... pretty sharp, aren't ya?"

"Maybe."

Arthur murmured as he casually touched the wall.

Symbols. Seals. They traveled through his hand, and as soon as they reached the wall they disappeared.

Almost as if they weren't there in the first place.

He had just placed a seal in the wall for precaution.

"Rex?"

"Hmm, you want to ask for more directions or something?"

"No, just how long have you been teaching in this academy."

Arthur asked.

It was a sudden question, but nothing serious.

The man suddenly smirked.

"Zero days."

He replied.

"So you're new here?"

"You got that right."

"How did someone like you even become a professor?"

Arthur questioned.

"It's called connections, my friend, you'll learn how to make them when you aren't hated by a lot of people."

Rex casually replied.

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at his words.

Connections?

He had plenty that he had formed over the years. People who really knew who he was.

"So it was a recommendation? Who recommended you?"

"Someone I know."

Rex's tone changed slightly.

Arthur noticed this but continued pressing.

"Was it a mentor? Or a teacher? Or was it someone close to you?"

He pestered.

He was being purposely annoying.

"A mentor."

Rex finally replied.

Though it was clear that he wanted not to speak of her, the change in his tone suggested it, and his reluctance to answer as well.

That was all the more reason for Arthur to continue.

"What was their name?"

He asked.

The man didn't respond at first.

"You don't hav-"

"It was Amelia. Amelia Esmeralda."

"Hmm. She must have taught you well, you're quite strong for your age."

His brows furrowed ever so slightly as he said that.

'I've heard that name before.'

He thought.

He had heard a lot of names, many which he didn't remember. But, the ones he did remember couldn't be forgotten easily.

In other words, they were important names.

The fact that he remembered it meant that it was important.

But he just couldn't remember–

Suddenly it came to him.

'Amelia Esmeralda.'

He remembered that name now.

'Wasn't she that traitor?'

He was certain of it.

Undoubtedly, he had killed her.

"Is she still here? I would like to meet here."

"She's not."

He replied.

"I mean, she left to join the war."

'I undoubtedly killed her, she was the leader of those traitors.'

The revelation wasn't as shocking as it was supposed to be, for one, Arthur still felt....

He stood here, next to the person she had personally guided into this academy.

Yet, he couldn't feel anything.

He had killed so many people that he didn't care about one more, even if they happened

to be related to someone he knew.

"Rex."

"Huh?"

"Let me take you out for dinner."

For a moment there was silence between the both of them.

Until—

"Hell no! I'm not fucking gay!"

He shouted.

"What? I just asked you to join me for dinner."

"That's not what you said. You asked me if you could take me out for dinner, and in response I said Hell fucking no."

"Are you going to join me for dinner or what? If you want to deny it, just do it."

"....Okay."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't be interested in a...."

He stopped himself in time before the words left his mouth.

If Rex found out about what he had done, the man wouldn't care if the woman was a traitor or not. He would try to kill him regardless.

And though he had no doubt that he would be able to easily overpower him, it was still best to play safe than be sorry.

After all, this man had a bloodline limit.

So Arthur would not only befriend him, but also make sure the man never knew that he was his mentor's killer.

In a way, it was more for Rex's sake than Arthur's.