Soul of the Warrior

"... and so I said, if you're not afraid of your own shadow, you can try it," Teilon said. Reivyn chuckled along with his friend as he told his story. Kimberly smiled as Teilon described their days in the Knight Academy.

Reivyn had been right when he suspected Teilon and Kimberly would be in the Elite Class. They weren't quite at the very top like he was. They're about the same as my new roommates, Reivyn speculated. They're just within the top 10 of their class in regards to combat ability, but their foundations in knowledge and education are a little lacking. I was lucky that mom's lessons directly translated to the Magic Academy, and she and dad both have a lot of knowledge of political science and philosophy.

Teilon and Kimberly are a bit weaker on the theoretical aspects. The knowledge that they gained during conscription and adventuring helped a lot, but the Knight Academy is geared toward a more formal education. As long as they can shore up their foundations throughout the year, they should be able to secure two of the quotas to Eldiar.

"I wasn't able to beat the jerk in a fair duel, but he wasn't able to do anything to me, either," Teilon said, puffing up his chest. "I gained a bit of prestige from that fight, at least. Some people weren't convinced that my style of combat was effective enough compared to their more straight-up tactics. That fight shut up a lot of the whispers, though."

"Hmm, sounds like you fell victim to exactly what Tom and my other roommates warned me about," Reivyn said, stroking his chin.

"What's that?" Kimberly asked.

"They said that after the official rankings came out, a lot of bystanders will start rumors and try to stir up trouble between people," Reivyn explained. "They'll question someone's position or pit them against others. Some of it's out of jealousy, some of it's out of boredom, and some of it's just because people like drama. It sounds like someone spread some rumors about you in order to watch you guys fight it out."

"I can believe it," Teilon said, rolling his eyes. "You wouldn't believe how juvenile some of the other students can be. I think a couple of months serving as cannon fodder in a military unit somewhere would do them a lot of good. That jerk, though, thinks he's the king of the world or something. I doubt it required a lot of rumors to get him foaming at the mouth, and I bet he duels another student in a week or two under similar circumstances."

"What was his name again?" Reivyn asked as they made their way to the market square.

"Lance," Teilon said. "He's the son of one of the Counts located here in the Capital. They don't have any land or territory themselves, so it seems like he and his family, like the other non-landed aristocrats, always have something to prove. I admit, he's a competent fighter, but he's probably not even as good as Erik, and Erik is just a bodyguard."

"Yeah, but you also have to consider who Erik is a bodyguard for," Reivyn said. "I don't know if you guys have heard about it or not, but apparently Melissa and Larissa's family is a branch family to some high-ranking nobles in Eldiar. They're basically as influential as a Duke's family here in The Capital. Erik probably receives training from people who attended the Knight Academy in Eldiar, or something equivalent."

"Oh, that really sheds some light on a lot of things," Teilon nodded his head.

"So, have you guys made any friends that you want to bring along next time?" Reivyn asked.

"Not so much," Teilon said. "Most of the other Elite students are nobles, and without knowing about our connection to Melissa and her friend circle, they don't really spare us a second glance."

"They're not necessarily rude, minus a few like Lance," Kimberly added, "but the ones who are equal standing as us are typically further down in the Rankings and classes, and we don't interact with them enough, yet."

"Yeah, a good amount of the noble students have some form of weak Bloodline that gives them a Stat advantage," Teilon said. "Our Peasant Levy Classes only allow us to keep up with them for now, and it's our superior Skill Levels and combat experience that allows us to be in the Elite Class."

"The top 100 plus students, from what I hear, have a Bloodline," Kimberly said.

"From what my parents have told me, a Bloodline is typically formed from having ancestors that consistently achieved Tier 4 or higher," Reivyn mused. "A Bloodline slowly forms over time based on the Class and meridians, but one has to have their offspring after they achieve Tier 4, or it doesn't accumulate. The higher the Tier achieved before having children, the more powerful the Bloodline.

"I wonder if there's a way to artificially induce a Bloodline in someone?" Reivyn thought aloud. "I can ask my parents. If these noble students have the Stat bonuses from their Bloodlines, then as long as they have the same rarity Class as you guys, the only thing you can rely on to keep up is Achievements. But they can get Achievements as well."

"I know that there are some natural treasures in the Knight Academy that can stimulate Stat growth," Teilon said. "They cost a lot of School Credits, but they can eliminate the reduction of growth due to diminishing returns. There are apparently even natural treasures available in Eldiar and higher Regions that make your body grow as if you've never gained Stat points from your Classes or Achievements for a short time. These treasures only work one time, though, so you have to grasp the right timing to get the maximum benefits."

Reivyn stared at Teilon with a smile on his face. Teilon frowned as he saw the expression on Reivyn's face.

"Why are you smiling at me?" Teilon asked. Reivyn didn't say anything, his smile growing wider. "Hey! Why are you smiling?!" Kimberly hid her mouth behind her hand as she chuckled.

"...and this is Teilon and Kimberly, my good friends from our hometown of Haluville," Reivyn finished the introductions between his new friends and his old. Melissa and her sister and friends had also come along with Tom and Reivyn's other roommates, so they had quite a crowd of people around. Teilon and Kimberly had already met Melissa and Larissa's friends, so Reivyn only had to introduce them to his roommates.

"We were all conscripted together, and we formed our first Adventurer Party together," Reivyn said.

"Any friend of Reivyn and Melissa is a friend of ours," Tom said with a smile. They exchanged handshakes and greetings once the introductions were made.

"Hey, hey! What about me?" Larissa said with a pout. Tom rolled his eyes.

"You're obviously included," Tom said. "It's just a mouthful to always say Melissa and Larissa."

"Well next time, you can just say my name," Larissa said, lifting her chin.

"Sure, sure," Tom placated her.

"Anyway," Melissa stepped in, "Alisia apparently reserved a private room for us at a restaurant her family owns just across the street, over there," Melissa pointed. "She should be waiting for us, so let's not waste our time out here."

"Let's gooo," Teilon said, throwing his arm forward like he was issuing a charge. Some of the bystanders walking through the market square looked over at the shouting teenager and the group of friends. Reivyn slapped his hand on his forehead. Trick threw his arm over Teilon's shoulder as he laughed.

"Yeah, let's gooo," he parroted. The two boys walked toward the restaurant that Melissa had indicated. Larissa hopped up and down as she followed in their wake, and all of the others shared a look before following them.

Reivyn looked around the surroundings as they entered the large building. The decoration is similar in style to the other restaurant that we ate at when we first got here. As in, it's all high quality, but not outlandish. I wonder if her family has an ownership stake in that other restaurant as well? It would make sense, now that I think about it.

Melissa took the lead in introducing the group to the hostess, and they were led up to the second floor where there were many private rooms of varying sizes. They entered the most spacious one in the center, and Reivyn saw that Alisia was seated with some of the staff already placing appetizers and drinks on the table.

Alisia's eyes lit up as she saw her friends enter the room, and she gave a sly smile to Reivyn as he walked in behind Tom and Melissa.

"Hey, handsome, come sit next to me," Alisia called out to him. Tom turned and gave Reivyn a look before stepping out of the way and finding a seat for himself.

"Now I see why Reivyn isn't interested in girls," Trick whispered to Vane and Teilon, just barely audible to Reivyn. "He's already snagged one of the best matches in The Capital." Vane and Trick chuckled, but Teilon simply shook his head.

"Nah, he's got higher vision than that," Teilon replied, equally in a low whisper. "He's literally had girls fighting over him before."

Melissa paused in her stride toward a seat and turned her head to give Teilon a look. Teilon smiled innocently, and Trick and Vane shared a confused look with each other. Melissa harumphed and moved to her seat opposite Alisia as the rest of the group filed in and found a spot to sit.

Teilon sat between Trick and Vane, and they immediately launched into a conversation. Reivyn tuned them out as he was sure what it was they were already going to be talking about. Trick and Teilon have very similar personalities and interests, and Vane seems to get dragged along by Trick more often than not, Reivyn quietly laughed to himself.

Kimberly sat between Larissa and Haylen, Erin on the other side of Larissa between the two sisters. Tom took a seat next to Reivyn with Vane on his other side.

"I already ordered the appetizers and meals based on the specialty of the chefs and what I know everyone likes from previous times," Alisia said. She must use her Social Memorization Skill for more than just names and faces, Reivyn nodded his head. "That way, we won't have to wait for our food any longer than necessary. I'm 100% certain everyone will enjoy their meal.

"So, handsome man, did you miss me?" Alisia turned to Reivyn and said. Her tone was more joking than it was flirtatious, but Reivyn kept what Melissa had said in mind as he formulated a response.

"How could I not?" Reivyn said. He tilted his head back and placed a hand on his chest. "I've been just distraught that you haven't been able to accompany Melissa and her friends to our study group." Alisia giggled behind her hand.

"It can't be helped," she said wistfully. "I have duties and responsibilities above and beyond those at the Academy. I'm sure you'll be able to manage without my august presence."

"It's hard, I admit," Reivyn said, "but I've somehow figured it out." Alisia laughed as she swatted Reivyn on the arm. Melissa just took it all in and gave a small shake of her head at her friends' antics.

"Ok, enough of that," Alisia said, her smile never leaving her face. "I hear that you and your roommates orchestrated quite the spectacle in the Dueling Arena."

"What's this?" Teilon poked his head up and looked at Reivyn. "You asked me all about my duels and experiences, but you didn't say anything about you having a duel. Did you run into some jerk, too?"

"Hardly," Vane said. "There isn't anyone that wants to duel Reivyn, especially after our little exercise in the arena."

"Yeah, they apparently had a huge free-for-all amongst the entire Elite Class," Alisia said, addressing Teilon. "We weren't all able to attend, but the school has made it an official dueling type, now."

"Oh, that explains some things," Teilon said, nodding his head. "At the start of the week, we got a notice that there would be new combat simulations involving free-for-all's and team battles. The Knight Academy has typically geared its education toward leadership and single combat, so they haven't had students act out pitched battles. Most of the graduates aren't going to be rank and file troops, after all, so why have them practice such a thing?"

"Apparently they overlooked the fact that there were benefits to acting such," Alisia said. "It's kind of funny if you think about it. They're supposed to be the experts, but Reivyn's stunt taught them all a lesson. There were a couple of people resisting the change - you know how some people are - but they were overruled by the Headmasters of the schools.

"So aside from introducing completely new styles of dueling and far outstripping your contemporaries in terms of weaves and Mana, what else have you been up to?" Alisia asked, placing her chin in her hand, elbow resting on the table. She appeared to be genuinely curious about the answer.

"Oh, you know, this and that," Reivyn said. "We - Tom and the others," Reivyn pointed at his roommates, "just got back from the Cobbled Ruins Dungeon earlier today."

"Yeah, and this guy apparently struck up a conversation with Prince Galwit this morning," Tom interjected. "Acting like it's no big deal," he snorted as he ate an appetizer. Alisia's eyebrows went up at the revelation.

"Really? You've already met the prince?" Alisia asked.

"What's he like?" Haylen leaned forward and asked.

"Is he as charming as the stories?" Erin also turned her attention towards Reivyn and their conversation.

Reivyn pulled his head back in surprise at the sudden outburst from the two girls. It's like they have an alarm system in their heads for any mention of the prince. They were engrossed in their own conversation and not paying attention to us at all, but as soon as the prince was brought up, they immediately latched onto it. Reivyn rolled his eyes.

"He's just some guy," Reivyn said. Erin and Haylen frowned and seemed like they were going to refute that statement, but Reivyn held his hand up to forestall them. "I only spoke with him briefly. He was really just like any other person in the short exchange we had. Nothing important."

The two girls narrowed their eyes in suspicion at Reivyn, but Larissa and Kimberly dragged them back into a conversation with them before they could pursue the matter any further.

"Anyway," Reivyn said, turning back to Alisia, "I've just been focused on the studies and making the best use of my time." Reivyn held his hand out and started ticking on his fingers. "What we really need to do is plan for the future," he lifted his first finger. "We need to keep up with our weaves and theoretical knowledge, we need to practice our individual combat abilities, we need to practice fighting in groups, we need to explore the other Dungeons, we need..."

"Hahahahah," Teilon interrupted Reivyn's list of things to do with loud laughter. Tom, Vane, and Trick rolled their eyes and shared a helpless look between each other. "Now you guys get to experience the training lunatic first hand. Thank goodness the Knight Academy is so lax compared to the slave driver that Reivyn is. Hahahaha."

"What are you talking about?" Reivyn interrupted Teilon's laughter. Teilon eyed him suspiciously. "You're going to go with us to all of the Dungeons. Don't think that just because you're in a different Academy that you can escape from this. You just told me earlier that there were treasures for growing Stats that require not only School Credits and preparation to acquire, but you also need to grasp the appropriate timing.

"We got a lot of work to do if we're going to make sure you keep up with those with Bloodlines," Reivyn smiled evilly at his friend. Teilon's eyes got wide and he grabbed at Trick and Vane sitting next to him.

"Noooo! Save me!" Teilon exclaimed, mock panic on his face. "This is why you were smiling at me earlier," Teilon pointed an accusatory finger at Reivyn. "You were already planning on dragging me into more training sessions!" Reivyn spread his hands to the side.

"Guilty," he responded. "What are you worried about? It'll be fun."

"I was hoping to relax a bit longer at the Knight Academy," Teilon lamented with a sigh. The girls all laughed at the show Teilon was putting on.

"You call life at the Knight Academy relaxing?" Trick asked, a look of disbelief on his face. Teilon just shook his head.

"You don't know Reivyn," Teilon said. "I'm sure you'll come to understand soon, though." Teilon paused for a moment. "I guess I can handle whatever Reivyn comes up with, as long as he doesn't ask his dad to oversee the training." Teilon shuddered.

"Hey, that's a great idea," Reivyn said. "Thanks for reminding me, 'ole buddy, 'ole pal."

"Why did I have to open my mouth?!" Teilon leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

"Now you've done it," Kimberly said, rolling her eyes. "I'm about to lose my appetite."

"Why? What's wrong with Reivyn's dad supervising the training?" Tom asked, looking back and forth between Teilon and Kimberly.

"Reivyn's dad is insane!" Teilon shouted. "He made us carry a giant pack of rocks on our journey to the Revenant Dungeon to train on the way there, and that was after months of grueling sparring sessions where he handed our butts to us over and over again. That man has infinite Stamina, I heard him say - ahem," Teilon cut himself off with a cough. "Anyway, there's a reason why Reivyn is so diligent and interested in constantly training. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"It can't be that bad," Vane said.

"It is," Teilon said. "Nothing to it but to accept fate, now," he sighed.

"Don't be so glum," Reivyn said with a smile. "You still have to attend classes at the Knight Academy, and we won't interfere with that. You still have a lot of time to yourself."

"Oh, yeah," Teilon perked up.

"That just means we'll have to be even more intense in our personal training," Reivyn dropped the other shoe. He laughed as Teilon questioned his life choices and the others in the room watched on with skepticism.

A knock came at the door. It opened, and a long line of staff came in to deposit the main entrees on the table.

"Will there be anything else, young miss?" The lead waiter asked, hands clasped and posture slightly bent.

"No, that will be all. Thank you, Artio," Alisia dismissed the man with a smile. The other man beamed at Alisia as he withdrew. No doubt happy that she remembers him by name. I wonder if he knows about the existence of the memorization Skill?

A group of young men followed the exit of the staff members, clearly not employees of the restaurant. They were dressed in expensive clothing and based on their bearing and the fact that they were on the second floor of this restaurant, they were most likely also the younger generation of noble and affluent families.

There was an apparent leader of the group of young men, as he stood in front of all of the others, and he walked up to Alisia with a smile on his face.

"I heard the staff mention that Miss Alisia was present with her friends, today, so I took it upon myself to greet you," the young man said with a slight bow.

Alisia held out her hand, and the young man bent forward and placed a very light peck on the back of it. Reivyn raised an eyebrow at the scene, remembering what Melissa had told him of the etiquette in the local kingdom. Alisia pulled her hands into her lap, and Reivyn could see out of the corner of his eye that she wiped away the lingering saliva discreetly. She maintained the smile on her face, though.

"I hope you don't mind the intrusion," the young man finished as he straightened up.

"Not at all, Joven, not at all," Alisia said politely. Joven's smile grew slightly wider, and he surveyed the room. His gaze directly passed over Reivyn and the others seated at the table, and his gaze landed on Melissa and Larissa. He walked over to them, and also gave a greeting.

"I figured that Miss Alisia would be accompanied by her two friends from the Bluefayres," he took their proffered hands in turn, but he only hovered over them as was the custom.

Reivyn frowned as the man completely ignored everyone else but the three girls he greeted. The other young men didn't ignore everyone else like their leader, but they didn't pay any attention to Reivyn, Teilon, or Kimberly. Only one of the others took note of Teilon and Kimberly, and he stepped forward and whispered something into Joven's ear.

Joven finally looked at Teilon and the other boys seated at the table, and he turned to Alisia.

"Miss Alisia, I won't disturb you any longer," he said. The boy who whispered in his ear directed a sneer toward Teilon. Teilon, for his part, ignored the other man in turn. "I'll schedule a time to meet with you when you're not with your -ahem- 'friends.'" He gave a slight bow and indicated for those following him to depart the room. "Another day."

The group filed out of the room, and silence permeated the room for a moment before Reivyn broke it.

"Who was that?" He asked Alisia.

"A slimy bastard," Alisia said with a frown. "But his father is the brother to the King, so his standing is slightly higher than mine. I can't be rude and shoo him away, even though I would like to."

"He's always popping up wherever Alisia goes," Melissa added. "It's like he has spies that watch her every move, and he shows up any chance he has. It's no secret that he's pursuing Alisia, and he's even asked his father to intervene and arrange a marriage. But his father is friends with Alisia's father, and even though he'll indulge his son, he won't go overboard."

"He seemed like he didn't really care for anyone else in the room," Reivyn said.

"He's never impolite or rude, but if he believes you aren't worthy to talk to him, he'll treat you like air," Alisia said, the frown still on her face.

"Who was the one who whispered in his ear?"

"That was Lance," Teilon answered. "The jerk I told you about before. If he's hanging around someone like Joven who's 'too good' to interact with the peasants, then his personality makes perfect sense."

"It seems like he wants to stir up trouble," Reivyn mused.

"Let him," Teilon said. "I'm not afraid of him."

"He might not be able to affect you while you're in the Academy - they're quite independent of the politics of the nobles - but Joven can affect any appointments or opportunities once you graduate," Alisia warned. "And he's likely to do a favor for his sycophants."

"Can he interfere with the quotas to Eldiar?" Reivyn asked.

"No, he's not that influential," Alisia replied. "And if he tried, it would reflect poorly on his family. His father wouldn't let him do something like that." Reivyn turned to Teilon and smiled. Teilon sighed once more.

"It looks like we really do have to do that training," he conceded.

"I knew you would see things my way," Reivyn said.