I'm Trapped Inside a Prince as the Most Powerful Entity-Chapter 119: A Choice of Allegiance

Just as Shin the representative of the black-banded group made his offer to Ryan the representative of the red-banded group a student named Samba stepped forward.

He had a friendly smile on his face.

He looked at Ryan.

His expression was one of polite yet predatory interest like a fox looking at a chicken.

"You haven’t told us Ryan," Samba said. His voice was smooth and ingratiating. He sounded very friendly but also a little fake. "Which subject do you plan to major in at the Academy? What will be your specialty?"

Ryan turned his attention from Shin the serious leader of the Black Sword faction. He now looked at Samba and his red-banded group.

They were all smiling at him.

"I... I haven’t decided yet for sure," Ryan replied.

He was a little flustered by the sudden attention from two powerful factions.

It was a lot of pressure.

"But I want to become a magic intellectual. I want to study magic theory and ancient spells."

A wide smile spread across Samba’s face when he heard this.

He then turned to look at Shin the leader of the Black Sword faction.

A challenging glint was in his eyes.

He was directly challenging Shin’s claim on the new student.

"Well then," Samba declared his voice confident and loud "our group the Red Flame faction is also willing to take you. We have many skilled magic users in our group. The choice is now up to you Ryan. Which group do you wish to join? The Black Sword or the Red Flame?"

All the new students stared at Ryan.

They were waiting to see what he would choose. The pressure on the small commoner boy was immense. He was caught in a very difficult position.

It was a dilemma a hard choice that could very well define his entire Academy life.

He thought to himself I just need to get into one group. Any group will do. After that my life at the Academy should be much more... normal. I won’t be a target like that Kado boy.

Eric watched this entire exchange from the back of the first-year crowd.

He saw the blatant power plays the intimidation the forced allegiances. It all reminded him in a strange distorted way of his school days in his past life on Earth.

He remembered the formation of cliques the groups of popular kids.

He remembered the pressure to join a group to avoid being targeted or bullied. It was a familiar if much more dangerous dynamic here.

Within Eric’s internal domain within his mind Adam had been observing everything with a detached amusement. He found the whole situation very entertaining.

But then as he watched Ryan squirm under the pressure a new almost mischievous idea began to form in his mind.

He suddenly sat up straighter on his metaphorical sofa.

He stood up.

No, Adam thought a cold smile touching his incorporeal lips his energy form. I will not let Eric live a ’normal’ life in this Academy either. A normal life is far too boring. It’s time to shake things up a bit.

The [System Window: Millennia] instantly appeared before Adam in his inner world.

"[Master Adam]" it inquired its neutral voice echoing in his consciousness "[shall I intervene? Should I discourage Host Eric from joining any of these student groups?]"

Adam shook his head.

"No Millennia," he replied a predatory glint in his non-existent eyes.

"I will handle this myself. I will take over his body. And I will make my own changes to this little... welcoming ceremony they have prepared." He was going to enjoy this.

"[As you wish Master]," Millennia replied obediently. It then vanished from his domain ready to act when he gave the word.

Back in the dormitory courtyard Ryan was in turmoil. He was trying to make a very important decision. He looked back and forth between Shin of the Black Band group and Samba of the Red Band group.

A primal instinct a nagging feeling in his gut warned him that something was wrong. It warned him that joining the Black Band group with that duplicitous boy Kal would lead to trouble.

He didn’t trust Kal’s sudden fake smile.

Yet at the same time he didn’t get a good feeling from the Red Band group either.

Their smiles were too sharp too hungry. Their interest in him felt too sudden to be genuine.

But he knew he had to choose one of them.

The alternative the fate that Kado was currently facing sitting alone and marked for future punishment was far worse. He couldn’t afford to be an outcast on his very first day.

With a deep resigned sigh Ryan made his decision. He had to pick one. He raised a trembling finger.

He pointed it towards Samba the smiling leader of the Red Flame faction.

"I... I would like to join the Red Team," he announced. His voice was barely a whisper but in the quiet courtyard everyone heard him.

A triumphant smile spread across Samba’s face. It was mirrored by the members of the Red Team who were standing behind him.

They all shot a smug victorious look towards the Black Team.

They had won this small battle for the new student.

Kal the boy from Ryan’s own kingdom simply stared at Ryan from across the courtyard.

A creepy unsettling smile formed on his face. It was not a happy smile. It was a silent promise of future trouble. He was clearly angry that Ryan had not chosen his group.

"A wise choice," Samba said to Ryan beckoning him forward. Ryan walked nervously towards the Red Team. As he reached them Samba the group’s representative placed a hand on Ryan’s shoulder.

Suddenly Ryan felt a strange sensation a subtle pull from his own body.

He watched confused as Samba seemed to draw a small shimmering wisp of his own mana his own life energy from his body. It didn’t hurt but it felt very strange.

"Don’t worry," Samba said noticing Ryan’s confused expression. "This is just a part of the process. It’s a small ritual that will officially bind you to our group to our faction."

Samba then took the wisp of Ryan’s mana. He pressed it onto a piece of paper he was holding.

The paper was covered in strange foreign-looking script in magical writing. As Ryan’s mana touched the paper it flared with a soft red light.

The wisp of energy imprinted itself onto the page. It formed a unique glowing symbol.

The contract was made. Ryan was now officially a member of the Red Flame faction. His choice was sealed.

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