"Class A, the Elders of Lunaire Tower has ordered all of you to be dispatched at the Blightlands that appeared at the outskirts of Mersell Capital" Professor Ellysa said, staring at the communication orb hovering at her table, she smiled softly.

"Do not worry, it’s just a Blightlands inhabited by Hollows, though there are also Ghouls that were seen"

"Who are you worrying for Professor? " Feilres asked, his blonde locks shone as he tilted his head.

"Well, I guess you all can handle it, but I’d like to say one more thing... Zeres, do not harm your allies like you did on the trial" Professor Ellysa glared, her aura slipping out weakly.

’Huh? ’ Zeres’ eyes widened, he didn’t harm any of the participants on the Trial, but what is she saying?

"Why do you have a dumbfounded expression, only twenty participants have survived because of you, some participants told the staffs there that the place where you stayed at became graves for the other participants" Aeliz chuckled as she spoke loudly.

’This bitch’ Zeres didn’t want to react, but the voice was literally coming from beside him—yes, Aeliz had became his seatmate.

"Enough chatter, you heard me Zeres" Professor Ellysa warned one last time. "And the schedule for the Blightlands Expedition will be on the next two days."

The sound of clicking echoed as Zeres silently put his own things back at his locker. "Expedition in the next two days, haven’t heard of it, did my sister really revise all parts of her story?" He remembered her sister saying she’ll revise the novel while he’s out abroad. "Well, fuck, my knowledge’s kind of useless then.. Or is it because of my presence here?"

"Ohh, so you also loved talking to yourself, but you see—isn’t saying that things change because of your presence; sounds like a vanity isn’t it? " a soft but detached voice rang on his ears as he turned around.

"What do you want? I’m sure it’s not because you want to lecture me for my vanity? " Zeres asked, his eyes squinting as he stared at the figure before him. A handsome face, blonde locks and a sapphire eyes—it was Feilres, the prince of the Empire.

"Indeed, I’m not here to lecture you, I came here with a proposal" pulling something off within his uniform, he handed it to Zeres "I won’t ask you to give your answer immediately, but I hope you consider it" smiling, he went outside of the classroom.

"Is Allistair making his move already? " Zeres put the letter with intricate design and a crest that bore the sun—representing the insignia of Mersell Royal Family.

_________

"A total of 10 Credits" Zeres stared blankly at the woman behind the counter "Hey cadet, I said it’s 10 credits" the woman with apron on her head uttered once more, her hands already extended towards Zeres.

"Here it is" Zeres sighed, he didn’t expect the meal to be that expensive, he just chose a steak, brased ribs and a chicken stew. Yet the price was unbelievably high for the poor student like him who just got a total of 300 Credits.

"Hey, there’s no more seats" a boy with dark green hair looked around.

His friend, a boy with muscular body whispered "What are you saying, there’s that one—we can just kicked that commoner vampire out."

"Are you an idiot? Well I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t know cause you’re just from a County, but that Vampire right there killed all the Participants who tried to steal the ten Forsaken of the Ghoul rank during the Trial—so I suggest we just go out" the boy with green hair said quietly, trying his hardest not to meet the gaze of the white haired vampire eating quietly.

Little did they know how loud they are in Zeres ears. ’Damn, rumors are getting out of hand, but I’ll let it spread for now as it serves as my shield for those ridiculous nobles.’ Zeres thought to himself, unbothered that not a single student shared tables with him.

____________________

The sound of metals flanking echoed in a certain ground, Zeres leaned against a pillar, carefully adjusting the black light armor he wore, his dark longsword strapped beside him.

"Cadets, are all your gears ready? " a professor standing at the small podium spoke, his eyes scanning the seven freshmens of the class A.

"I won’t expect good performance from hatchlings like you, I only expect you to carry your own weight during this expedition."

"Tsk, there goes elderly people again, thinking they know everything" Aeliz rolled her eyes, standing beside Zeres. She wore a light armor, and the estoc hang on her side.

"Why’re you even here, go back to Vairel, he’d love to have you accompany him" Zeres nudged Aeliz shoulders, it had been a while since this woman started acting friendly towards him.

"I won’t learn anything with that bum, I want to be friends with the strong one"

"So you acknowledge me? "

"Don’t get your hopes up bastard, I won’t acknowledge you until you show me your full strength" she hissed, her head turning towards him for a moment, then she looked away.

"Get on the carriage," the professor shouted as he strode forward, an enormous axe hanging from his back, battle scars etched into his hardened frame.

They all followed quietly as they stepped inside the carriage, there were only one carriage.

"What is this? " Feilres asked, his lips twitching as he glanced at them

"Your Highness, this matter is urgent, we can’t afford to have a carriage as grandiose as the one you usually rode on" the professor replied, already seated at his own horse.

’What a mess’ Zeres laughed at himself, he could barely moved, the place was so cramped the normal capacity would be four person—but they were seven.

"Saelyz, you can take my seat" Feilres pointed at his own seat, his head bowed politely as be smiled softly.

’Well, well, it looks like the prince’s starting to take a move’ Zeres nodded, atleast the characters relationships he knows were still accurate—that’s what he thought, until all of them stared at him as he sat comfortably.

"You’re not going to move? " Aeliz asked, her smile was unsettling—it was a smile Zeres could imagine everytime this woman did something, and that soneyhy was never good.

"Helize you can take my seat" Standing up, Aeliz guiden Helize into her seat.

"Uhh, then where are you going to sit? " Vairel scratched the back of his neck.

’Poor boy, he surrendered his seat as a sign if his interest on her but she seem clueless’ Zeres’ lips tugged upwards faintly, he felt bad for Vairel—but it also felt good seeing this arrogant one be so antsy in front of him.

"Hey, Zeres, your leg’s fine right? " she pointed at Zeres legs for a moment, then she came to Haslien—she leaned in to whisper something.

"What? My leg’s fine" Zeres tilted his head, it looks like Aeliz imbued her voice with mana cause he didn’t manage to hear even a single of it.

"Then let’s go, he said it’s fine" Aeliz dragged Haslien, she still looked embarrassed, maybe because of what Aeliz had said.

’Well, it’s not my business anyway—’ Zeres head snapped on his front, those two—they both sat on his lap.

"What, embarrassed? " Aeliz teased, her eyes narrowing into slits as her lips twitched.

’Funny, I can see both of your ears’ Zeres just leaned on his seat as he let the two sat on his lap. Vairel was the only one standing—he was staring at Aeliz, his eyes looked almost near crying in Zeres’ perspective.

’I need to stop enjoying these things, I’m such an easy person to please’ he sighed inwardly, just then—the carriage shook.

"Apologies, we’re on a jagged road" a voice bellowed outside.

’Fucking hell’ Zeres wanted to run, he was starting to feel their skin grazing him more vividly.

__________________

"We’re here" The professor, who had just introduced himself late was named Clark.

"We’ll head straight there, the earlier the better, the Blightlands will have a lot of Hollows there I’m sure, we’re near a slum after all" He warned as they walked quietly, the scent of something disgusting drifted around them.

Having many Hollow-rank Foraken in a Blightlands near a slum is a predictable outcome—hollows were, after all born from negative emotions.

After arriving at the center, a massive orrange-colored essence crystal hovered mid air.

"Now scatter, we need to kill all Forsakens here, only then will this essence crystal be extracted! " Clark’s voice thundered as he released his aura.

’Ehh, only Eclipse? ’ Zeres stared a moment longer, before he looked away—his lips twitched before he walked away.

Yeah, how could I forget it. Only Professor Ellysa was the Monarch-rank among all the professors—it was normal, once they’ve reached that rank, they’ll get scouted even if they demand the terms themselves.

Stepping on the cold ground quietly, Zeres heard a guttural scream, a sound that can only come out from the Forsakens.