Revenge pact

Soaked in his sweat and tears, Adonis jolted awake, his breathing ragged and uneven. Gradually with each passing moment, his breaths began to regain control, becoming more measured and steady.

{I'm getting sick of seeing the same three dreams, have some variety.} Eos complained.

"...I need some fresh air." Preferring not to engage in some playful banter, Adonis ignored the Devil God.

Still unnerved by his dream, Adonis left the comfort of his covers and donned a somber nightgown.

Exiting his spacious room, Adonis ensured his door was locked before he began his walk.

As he strolled along the expanse of Dorm Alpha's wide hallway for a while, the sound of labored breathing gradually reached his ears.

{Fucking on the first day, I'm impressed...}

'Get your head out the gutter, someone's training.' Adonis, whose mood had seemingly improved, followed the source of the heavy breathing.

He moved away from the sleeping quarters of House Alpha, guided by the sound.

Reaching the community training grounds of House Alpha, Adonis peered his head inside to find out who the dedicated youth was.

Hanging on a pull-up bar using nothing but his ankles was a first year with black hair and a dedicated expression etched into his face with large droplets of sweat splashing onto the reinforced marble floor.

"He's training even with two broken arms?" Astonishment swept over Adonis, causing him to gasp audibly.

He observed in awe as the first-year student, despite having both arms encased in substantial casts, executed hanging sit-ups by flexing his abdomen in a repetitive motion.

{And here you are healthy and moping!}

"Maxwell Aster, you're strong both in body and mind..." Earnestly complimenting the fellow Rising Star, Adonis turned and left the training facilities refusing to interrupt Maxwell's dedication.

***

The beginning of Adonis' second day of school unfolded differently compared to the previous one. As a Rising Star, he was bound to receive glances and elevated attention, though nothing too overpowering.

However, this day brought about a noticeable change. Upon entering class, he found himself met with a slew of stares, each accompanied by a range of distinct expressions.

Despite the attention from his classmates, Adonis chose to disregard them. He proceeded to navigate through the room, reaching his seat at the back of the classroom.

"Good morning Triksta." He said cheerfully.

"Good morning." Surprisingly Luna responded with a groggy grunt and slight nod.

'I'm growing on her.' He grinned cheerfully.

Following their established routine of sleeping during the majority of lessons, Luna and Adonis snored through most of the day.

However, Adonis' slumber was abruptly interrupted when he was roused by the realization that a sizeable puddle of drool had formed on the shared desk between them.

"Ah!"

{You mortals get intimate in the most obscure ways.}

'Eww, don't make it weird.'

The lesson Adonis awoke to was Ethics class, presided over by a middle-aged man whose brown hair was neatly tied in a ponytail. Yet, it was the air of malevolence surrounding him that had a disquieting effect on anyone who cast their gaze upon him.

"What is a magic knight?" With a sharp grin stretching across his face, he paced back and forth within the classroom, in front of a large chalkboard.

"A soldier." An eager student replied.

"Too broad, be specific."

"A magic knight is the strongest military weapon a nation possesses, being used to resolve the conflicts between nations and irreplaceable assets during interworld wars." Flora, a pretty girl with lengthy blonde hair that cascaded down her face and vivid pink eyes, raised her hand and elaborated on her classmate's vague response.

'I refuse to be anyone's tool.' Adonis thought sternly.

"What does it mean to be a magic knight?" Unaware of Adonis' stubborn mindset, Professor Benedictus continued with his lesson.

"To serve one's Empire, without room for their personal feelings and emotions. Putting their ambitions second to the emperors." The usually proud and selfish John answered sternly.

'Huh?' Adonis stifled the urge to gasp out loud as he heard the most self-absorbed Rising Star answer the question.

"Correct! As a magic knight, you should be wholeheartedly committed to your country, everything else comes second. But knowing the principles and living by them are two separate situations, so let me give you a hypothetical."

" The Caelum empire is in an active war with the Norse empire of Fulgar and you are a Commander in the Caelum Legion, leading your division.

The Caelum Empire had just won a battle against Fulgar and the leftover soldiers fled into the neighbouring Norse Empire of Tempesta. You are tasked with tracking down these leftover magic knights and eliminating them, and intel suggests a small village is hiding these soldiers. What do you do?"

With his head resting on his arm, Adonis inserted himself in the scenario put before him.

'The first option would be to negotiate, but with Tempesta being a Norse Empire they'd be more inclined to protect Fulgar than to help Caelum, even if it doesn't benefit them. Secondly... Infiltration, although that'd seem like an obvious option would still spark conflict between Caelum and Tempesta due to the lack of even trying to communicate... Strategically speaking, retreating would be the best option; it reduces any risk, prevents any casualties and Caelum already won the previous battle so morale would be already up; technically speaking even hunting them down is extremely inefficient...'

"So retreat... that's the best option retreat." Adonis pondered quietly, reaching his conclusion with a hushed whisper.

"Kill them all." John van Ani called out.

"But, you'd be greatly outnumbered and you'd never win. Plus there's no reason to provoke Tempesta." Expressing his surprise, Adonis raised his eyebrow and whispered to himself.

Professor Benedictus' demeanour went through a noticeable shift, his mouth curved into a smile upon hearing John's statement.

"Correct! Kill them all, no matter how many casualties it takes. A filthy Norse elf is a filthy Norse elf, whether they're from Fulgar, Tempesta, Pax, or Elegans... Hunt the soldiers down and burn the nasty village down with the pests!"

Wendy's countenance transformed into a brief scowl before it took on its unbothered state once more.

Adonis' eyes widened, rendered speechless by the unabashed propaganda that had just been vocalized.

'That's just blatant racism...'

His gaze swept around the classroom, seeking confirmation that not everyone shared this perspective. However, to his astonishment, he was greeted with an unfortunate reality. A majority of Class 1A appeared to align with the professor's sentiment, nodding in agreement and a few even chuckling at the derogatory remarks.

In this revelation, Adonis encountered a disheartening truth about the prevailing attitudes among his classmates- a truth that challenged his convictions and morals.

Adonis wasn't oblivious to the tensions and discrimination existing between the races; as a member of the Hermes clan, he was among the most informed individuals in the world. However, experiencing the reality of it firsthand was an entirely different and impact revelation.

"Disgusting," a soft female voice murmured, filled with gentle but firm disapproval.

"Huh?" The utterance caught the attention of everyone in the classroom, prompting a collective turn of heads toward the source of the voice: the third Imperial princess of the Caelum Empire.

"Such mindsets are what limit our world from achieving its best potential," the third Imperial princess spoke with a blend of sadness and determination.

"Wa people, the Norse, the Romans—we're all, at the core, human beings. We share the same planet, worship the Gods, and stand united against common adversaries like damons. There's truly no reason for us to turn against each other."

"That's a good point you bring up Jupiter." Surprisingly, Professor Benedictus' expression didn't waver; instead, he quietly listened to the princess before he spat his counter.

"While true that Interworld Wars necessitate united action, the fact of the matter still and always be the world is ours...the Romans. We're the chosen ones, handpicked by the mightiest God Jupiter. In contrast, the Norse are merely grotesque creatures, mutated by mana into filthy beasts, and the Wa people are even worse. They're weaklings who sought refuge on OUR planet due to their failures." The professor's rejoinder unveiled the deeply entrenched biases and superiority complex that had been etched into him from a young age.

Before he gave his closing statement, Professor Benedictus scoffed. "We're all human? Ha, anyone who isn't Roman isn't human."

"Stupid," Luna's groggy voice broke the tense silence that the debate had stirred in the air.

"Is there something you'd like to add Triksta?"

"All of this is stupid, what's the point of all this pointless chatter; discussing who's better just because certain gods picked certain people... If one race is better than another they should prove it, strength is the only relevant thing. Not the strength granted by blessings but strength determined by your own potential, talent, and perseverance... any other measure is not only pointless but childish and petty."

Turning to the professor, Triksta continued, "You professor rely on the empire to make your own decisions which is not only lazy but a testament to your cowardice..."

Now addressing Marie, Luna's tone didn't change. "You Princess Party Pooper have the nerve to lecture people on violence and discrimination when your family's whole legacy is built on these acts."

"You deciding to call them out isn't doing anything because, at the end of the day, you don't have the strength to change shit."