Then Archery is my path

September 3, 3108

I got up around 5 a.m. and headed out for a short run along the route I had planned beforehand.

As I approached the dormitory exit, I heard a familiar voice—Liam. He was also dressed in sports clothes, likely on his way out for a morning workout.

"Morning, Kail! Out for a run?"

"Good morning, Liam. Yeah, it's already a habit."

"Same here. Want to wait a bit? Nero should be joining us soon."

He's not going to say anything about how I behaved in the mall? I wondered.

"If you don't mind my company, then of course," I replied.

We exchanged a few casual words until Nero appeared, also in workout attire.

"Good morning. How'd you sleep?" Nero greeted.

Like Liam, he showed no reaction to my disappearance at the mall. Did they not even notice I left or what?

"Let's go," Liam said, and we began running.

This wasn't just a casual jog—we had built up a considerable speed, yet it didn't strain us. It felt comfortable, even relaxing, as we continued to exchange light conversation.

We talked about trivial topics: favorite foods, the state of our rooms, and so on. But my curiosity about their lack of reaction to my disappearance grew stronger with each passing moment.

The logical choice was to leave the incident in the past, but I couldn't suppress the question any longer.

"Didn't it bother you that I left when Astrel approached?"

There was a moment of silence—neither of them showed any signs of anger or disappointment. Nero eventually broke the pause.

"Not really. You're not allied with any clan, and getting involved with Astrel would only cause you trouble. Honestly, I didn't expect you to react that way, but it's perfectly understandable why you did."

After Nero finished, Liam picked up the conversation.

"As you've probably noticed, Nero and I don't talk much with other clan representatives or guild members and when we do this, it's just because of formalities. Honestly, we're sick of them. Whenever I see that expression—the one that says they need something from you—it's just awful."

Nero nodded and added, "Compared to others, you've never acted like you wanted something from us right from the start. You treat us as people, not as investments or tools. Plus, you've got some pretty fascinating abilities. It's refreshing to talk to you."

That was... unexpected.

My attitude toward Liam and Nero was the way it was because I had been in their situation before. I still vividly remembered the countless looks people gave me: envy, hope, hatred, greed. Even though my time surrounded by such gazes had been brief, it left a lasting impression—one impossible to forget.

"Maybe it won't be so bad having two friends," I thought to myself.

Initially, Altgrad wasn't a place I had intended to make friends. My plan was simple: use the academy's resources to their fullest and establish useful connections for the future. But now, perhaps, a slight correction to that plan wouldn't hurt.

I came to a stop, and the momentum carried Liam and Nero forward a few steps before they stopped too, turning to look at me. Without saying anything, I opened the hologram on my watch. A few quick taps, and I sent them my contact details.

Straightening my posture, I clasped my hands behind my back and gave them a polite bow.

"My name is Kail Vaylith. I do not belong to any organization. Nice to meet you."

The reaction was immediate—and not what I expected. Their eyes widened in shock as if they couldn't believe what they were witnessing. Then, after a few seconds of silence, Liam erupted into laughter.

"Pfff—HAHAHAHA! You're serious? Hahahaha!" he doubled over, clutching his stomach.

Even Nero, who was usually composed, struggled to suppress his laughter. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he failed to maintain his usual stoic demeanor.

"Are you two ready to stop?" I asked, slightly annoyed by their reaction. "I was just being polite. It's normal to introduce yourself formally like this."

Liam tried to catch his breath between laughs. "But it's not normal to do it like that! Hahaha, we're not at war, Kail!"

Nero finally composed himself and stepped forward, extending a hand. "I'm Neuron Frostvein, a representative of the GlacierDominion clan. Nice to meet you."

I accepted his handshake, nodding slightly. Once we were done, both of us turned our gaze to Liam, who now stood alone, clearly realizing he was outnumbered.

"Oh, come on," Liam muttered, rolling his eyes as he stepped forward. Copying Nero's gesture, he shook my hand dramatically. "My name is Liam Leafblade, representative of the Forest Guardians guild. I'm EXTREMELY PLEASED to meet you, Mr. Kail Vaylith."

Ignoring his sarcasm, I shook his hand firmly. Both of them accepted my friend request on the hologram, and we resumed our run together.

"Have you already chosen an additional course?" Nero asked as we ran.

"Tomorrow, I'm starting the Short Weapons course," Liam replied confidently.

"I already have all three planned," I said.

"Really? What are they?" Nero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Archery, Unarmed Combat, and Breathing Technique Study," I answered.

"Hmm, I get Archery, but why the other two?" Liam asked, curious.

"Unarmed Combat focuses heavily on elemental control, and I'm not well-adapted to that yet. As for Breathing Techniques, it's to improve my technique," I explained.

"That one is based on elemental control?" Liam said thoughtfully. "I didn't notice that on the list. Maybe I'll join, then."

"Where are the courses held?" Nero asked.

"I'm going to the Unarmed Combat course the day after tomorrow for the first time. If you're interested, we can go together," I offered.

"That sounds good," Liam said.

"Agreed," Nero added.

We continued our morning run, discussing minor topics, until we returned to the dormitory. Once there, we parted ways, each heading to our own rooms.

Back in my room, I took a quick shower, reheated some food left over from the previous day, and changed into fresh clothes. Just as I sat down to eat, I heard a sound.

Knock, knock.

Someone was at the door. I wasn't expecting anyone—no one even knew which room I was in. Cautiously, I grabbed a knife from my gear, a practical weapon I'd gotten from Iron Spark, and approached the door.

"Who is it?" I called out.

Silence. No response. Even stranger, I couldn't sense anyone's presence behind the door.

Deciding to investigate, I slowly opened the door, fully prepared for an unexpected attack.

But the door didn't open easily. Something on the floor blocked it. Glancing down, I spotted a box. Relief washed over me for a moment when I realized what it was.

This year, they prepared them faster, I thought, recognizing its contents.

The box contained the uniform of a first-year student at Altgard. It was a black jacket with simple military-style gold ornaments. Designed for practicality, it was made from durable materials and enhanced with aether-conductive properties for lighter mana manipulation. Everyone was required to wear it during lessons.

With this, I'll blend in even more in public, I thought, satisfied.

After putting it on and finishing breakfast, it was already time for the first lesson: history and basic knowledge.

When I arrived at the lecture hall, it looked almost identical to the previous day, except now everyone was in uniform. What stood out was the uniform of the top 10 students, which had additional diagonal stripes on their jackets representing their elemental affinities. Luna's uniform bore a purple stripe, Elysia's was yellow, and Astrel's was red. On top of that, Astrel's jacket had two smaller silver pearls, while Nero's boasted golden ones.

They seriously want a war between students, I thought.

In human society, status—whether earned through power, wealth, or blackmail—was sacred and fiercely protected. Differentiating between representatives of major clans, particularly competitors, was practically an invitation for conflict.

Yet, to my surprise, Astrel showed no visible signs of anger. I could tell, though, that his composure was likely a facade.

As I approached the stairs to reach my usual seat, I felt something unexpected—a gaze fixated on me. My goal was to avoid attracting attention, so this was unsettling. I scanned the room for the source and found it almost immediately.

Lunaris.

Her eyes were unmistakably focused on me, but just as quickly as our eyes met, her gaze shifted back to the conversation she was having with the people around her.

This isn't good, I thought, tension rising. She's one of the few people who could recognize me. Worse, she had an alliance with Cindercrest.

At the moment, it was too early to draw conclusions. Perhaps she simply remembered me from Ironspark or public transport. Either way, it was a development that needed monitoring.

The lesson began abruptly. A man, who didn't bother to introduce himself, turned on a hologram and launched into an explanation of topics that most of us already knew. Every student here had likely studied these basics in clan, guild, or school training.

This subject—history and basic knowledge—was often ignored by students due to its lack of practical applications. The grade didn't affect anyone's rank; it was only useful for certification in exams for other subjects.

That's why most students paid no attention to the teacher during this subject. Instead, they prepared for other lessons or practiced meditation, evidenced by the faint glow of numerous ManaVentis activated throughout the auditorium.

Following their example, I decided not to waste time. Activated my circuit, and entered a meditative state. At the same time, I listened to the teacher's lecture and jotted down small notes in the document on my watch. Maintaining an active aether circuit while focusing on another task was excellent training for elemental control, so I made the most of the situation.

The next lesson was with Mr. Michael. Unlike yesterday's hands-on approach, today's class focused on theory. He explained essential concepts for tracking and stealth—techniques I was already familiar with and often applied in practice.

With the classes done for now, it was finally time to meet Lia again.