(Jacob, 17)

"You look exhausted."

I jump at the voice, twisting and looking at Jason as I fall out of my chair, landing hard on the floor. Normally, I would have succeeded at catching myself, but as Jason said, I am exhausted.

"More than normal," I tell him. "But the main part of negotiations have finished. The help you granted me proved quite useful. I must ask, though, why did you throw a dragon at the Nelem royal castle?"

"I was aiming at that garish statue out front," Jason tells me. "And it attacked me first. I just wanted some blood from a black dragon to try something. All of the others just declined me, that one decided to attack."

That is the same answer which he gave me previously. Either it is the truth, or Jason is lying to cover himself.

"What are you doing in my office?" I ask Jason as I pick myself up off the floor. "And behind me?"

"I was opening a gate to Wolf Alpha, actually," Jason tells me, and the stuffie golem jumps up onto the desk as I right my chair and sit back down. "I didn't know he was in your office, though I did know he was in your quarters."

"Why were you coming into my quarters?" I ask. "And why to Wolf Alpha?"

"He has something for me," Jason answers.

A white spatial storage ring appears in front of Wolf Alpha, then a wooden box falls through it and lands on my desk. Jason takes the box and places it in his spatial storage as Wolf Alpha's ring disappears, then Wolf Alpha jumps off my desk and runs through the door.

"Did he just-"

"Illusion," Jason tells me. "He teleported to the other side. I'm not sure why he did that."

"What is in the box?" I ask.

"Blood sample from Franklin," he answers, and I give him a hard stare. "Joking, joking. I collect those myself."

"Jason-"

"Don't worry about it," he waves a hand dismissively. "You know me well enough to know I won't use them for anything nefarious. Actually, it's something from the most recent assassin. He wanted to deliver it to me immediately, but I wasn't free until just now. I didn't know he was in your office."

"The most recent assassin?" I ask.

"Yes," he answers, then thinks for a few moments. "Actually, I suppose I can tell you. It's evidence proving their orders came from a certain person. Don't worry about it."

"That sort of evidence should go to the Royal Guard."

"The assassin wasn't here to kill a royal," Jason tells me. "They were here to silence a servant."

"A servant?" I ask. "Why would an assassin go after a servant?"

"Because the servant happens to know stuff regarding to a certain street gang," Jason answers. "Which has taken jobs from the assassin's master. The master is sure the servant knows something they shouldn't, so they sent an assassin after her."

I stare at Jason for a few moments.

"I feel that you are making this up, Jason," I say, and he flashes me a grin. I groan. "What is in the box?"

"Nothing," he tells me. "The box itself is empty. I left it here while Mama Alyssa and I were buffing up the palace's defenses, and Wolf Alpha forgot to tell me he'd found it."

"Oh," I say. "What was in the box?"

"I don't remember," Jason shrugs. "Anyway, it's good to see you're back, Jacob, but you should get some rest. How long ago did you return?"

"I sat down in my chair maybe two minutes before you startled me," I tell him. "After informing Papa of the final set of negotiations and how they went."

"Where's the griffin cub?" He asks. "Have you settled on a name yet?"

"I have offered him several names," I tell Jason. "But he doesn't seem to take to any of them. As for where he is, he is right-"

I look around as I realize the cub is missing.

"Uh," I look at Jason. "He was right here. So was Griffin Alpha."

A grey gate forms, and through it walks Griffin Alpha and the griffin cub. Jason and I look at them, and Griffin Alpha looks between us as the griffin cub jumps up onto my lap.

"Oh," he says. "You noticed we were gone. He had to poop, so I took him outside."

"You haven't been very many places," I say. "Where did you take him to relieve himself?"

"I returned to our previous camp location," Griffin Alpha informs me. "As it was easier than attempting to locate somewhere safe here."

"Well," Jason grins at me. "I'll leave you to it, Jacob. Happy birthday, too. I'll see you at the banquet tonight."

"I will see you then," I tell Jason, then he opens a gate and exits through it, the gate disappearing a minute later.

I turn my attention back to the report on my desk, which I had just begun to look over when Jason startled me. Rest might not be possible for me. I have to deal with this report, the events for my birthday, and then it will be bedtime. Tomorrow, I will return to university.

While I did stay with my fellow students in terms of lessons, the work brought to me every day, there is one area in which I know I fell behind. Jason's training group. I am a month or so behind the rest of them in the practice there, even if I performed my own advanced training every day and on every Felday, when Jason stopped by for training.

He knew I was on the last set of negotiations when he stopped by yesterday, though I suppose he did not expect me to finish so soon.

Well, that is something to think about another time. Right now, I will focus on the report in front of me.

Alex Levirar, seventeen years old, head of the Levirar noble family, owner of Levirar Toys Company and Levirar Equipment Company. Friend of the form street gang known as the Leviathans. Holder of the position of Royal Rival, person meant to challenge me and my progress as a warrior and mage.

Several nobles are challenging his position as a Royal Rival, claiming that there is no evidence he has, in fact, pushed me to advance myself. I suppose the position I created for him is a difficult one to prove the actual duties in.

How does one prove they have challenged someone else to make themselves better? I can say that I see him as a rival and do my best to outpace him, but that alone can be challenged on the grounds that they are mere words.

I should have expected something like this to come up at some point. Papa must have delayed dealing with this report until I returned from my negotiations, I feel certain he received the complaints and challenges to the position some time ago. He most likely wishes for me to come up with a way to handle such complaints.

According to the report, some simply wish to know the progress, some wish to dissolve the position, and a few want someone else placed into it. Conveniently, they know someone who they feel is a perfect fit for the position.

A sharp knock at my door disrupts my thoughts over the report, and I call for them to enter.

"What do ya want?" Alex grumps as he enters my office. "I ain't got time for stupid stuff, Prince Jacob. Unlike ya, I have to actually work and earn money, especially since my family's broker than a street rat. Comparatively."

"I heard," I tell him, then check the clock sitting on a shelf before looking at him. "This should not take too much of your time. We have twenty minutes before they arrive, then there will be the demonstration, then that will be all. It should take no more than an hour."

"Demonstration?" He asks. "What demonstration?"

I hand him the report.

"A demonstration," I tell him. "To prove that you are worthy of the position of Royal Rival."

"I ain't wanting to be that," he he tosses the paper back onto my desk. "Ya know that."

"I do," I tell him. "And if you are stripped of the position, Alex, then if you attack me in a fit of anger again, you will not be protected. It will be beyond my ability to shield you from arrest. You do not see us as friends even if I do. You see me as an enemy. You do not like me. That will be taken into account during your trial, and you will be sentenced to execution for treason and the attempted murder of the Crown Prince. Cooperating with this will protect you."

"Oh, really?" He asks. "And how do ya prove I'm doing my duties as a Royal Rival, Prince Jacob?"

"Simple," I say. "Are you aware that we scored identically in magical control when applying for university? That we possessed the same level of affinities overall, even if just in different elements? So did Kyra del Evara, another Magus, a warrior like us, and someone who has been in Jason's training group from the start, just like you and me."

"I ain't seeing any proof."

"Alex," I take a deep breath. "If you and I score similarly or differently, but still beyond her, now, halfway through our second term, then it will act as proof that you have challenged me. She has been put in the same circumstances as you and I. She trains regularly, is part of Jason's elite training group, and has access to all of the same training resources as we do. Yet she is lower than us. Significantly. She is upper yellow. I am lower green, but I know I may hit middle green soon. Just like you. My magical control has increased greatly as well, as have my affinities. Much further than they were at the start of last term."

"And they will try to claim," Alex says. "That it is simply because ya and I train more, or have other resources to train us."

"I would prefer to have Lina demonstrate this with us," I confess. "But she cannot be required to, as princess, and she is upper green now and started above us as well."

"She is upper green?" Alex seems surprised. "She was still middle green when she tested in Jason's thing last week."

"She reached it yesterday," I tell him. "So it will show in tomorrow's test."

Alex thinks about something for a few moments.

"Jason keeps a log of our progress," he tells me. "Our magical power level, our elemental affinities, how much we can control, all of that. He has it recorded down in a separate book for each student he trains."

"He does?" I ask. "Are you certain of this?"

"Of course I'm certain," Alex snaps. "I lived with him for a bit, remember? I ain't gonna lie 'bout something like this, ya dumb prince. He says it helps him to know how to tailor our training if he can monitor our progress and keep track of it. Personally, I think he just likes to be able to look at the numbers and see the progress he's made as a teacher."

"I see," I say, then infuse mana into my comm cuff, shaping it into the pattern necessary to call Jason. "Let us see if he can loan them to us as well."

"Did I forget something?" Jason answers the call a moment later.

"No," I tell him. "Alex claims you keep records of your students' progress in magical control, magical power, and affinities. Is this true?"

"Yes," Jason answers. "No, not you, Papa Michael. Where are you going? Because I want to know? That, and Rufus needs to go for a walk."

"Your Papa Michael is there?" I ask.

"For a minute," Jason answers. "He's about to leave to go do something. Ah, he says to go see you."

"Stop him," I say. "Jason, can you give him those records for Alex, Kyra, and me? Just temporarily?"

"Hold on, Papa Michael," Jason says. "Jacob says he wants me to give you something, and I need to ask him why first."

I explain the situation with Alex and his status as my Royal Rival.

"I see," Jason says. "Here, Papa Michael. They're records of the progress for Alex, Kyra, and Jacob in magical power, magical control, and elemental affinities. It'll help prove that Alex and Jacob are staying relatively the same as the other as they progress, but are advancing further than someone who has access to the same or similar training resources. Also, you can use the training grounds if you need to. Take Rufus with you, he needs a walk. Because I asked? I would, but Papa Jared and I are in the middle of something. That's kind of obvious, Papa Michael, we're literally working on it right now, and I'm half-submerged in gunk."

I do not want to know. I do not want to know. I most definitely do not want to know.

"Jason, why are you half-submerged in gunk?"

"Because I fell in while trying to adjust something," he answers. "Don't worry, I'll clean up before the banquet. Is there anything else?"

"No."

"Okay," he says. "I need to go, before I drop this. Bye!"

The call ends, and I look at Alex.

"He has handed them to his Papa Michael," I tell Alex. "The nobles should be arriving shortly. I sent for them when I received the report, before I came here. Let us make our way down to the main yard."

I stand and leave, Alex following, Griffin Alpha and the griffin cub following as well.

"Typical nobles," Alex mutters as we walk. "Thinking they can just do whatever the heck they want. 'Oh, look at me, some random street rat got a better position than me, let's challenge it just 'cause we ain't liking him'. Arrogant pricks."

"You are a noble now, too, you know."

"Yeah, and ya still won't talk with contractions, even when casual and with your supposed friends."

"I am trying," I tell Alex. "But it is difficult for me to transition. I mostly only manage it with Eden, and that occurs only due to him often reminding me to adjust my words when we speak."

"Yeah, well, ya are still a prick."

"I am trying to protect you," I say.

"I ain't asking for your protection," Alex scoffs.

"Where would you go?" I ask. "If you became a fugitive because of your tendency to lash out in anger results in you attacking me?"

"Somewhere that ain't here!"

"What would you do about Jason?" I ask. "He would give up all of us in an instant if it meant staying with you and protecting you. You do know this, yes? That he would be more than willing to take you to Jeshema, to his home in the Unwild Lands, if it meant protecting you?"

Alex falls silent when I say that, knowing my words are truth. Jason values Alex more than anyone else. The Dragon has always loved the Leviathan. I do not remember my true self as the Griffin, but it is something I know instinctively. Even if their pairing is an interesting one, they hold a deep bond together.

Then again, all of us Magi do, as fellow Divine Beasts. Alex will eventually come out of this phase where he hates me and will accept me as a friend, even if he returns to the current phase eventually.

We reach the main yard of the palace grounds, where several nobles have gathered under the watch of the Royal Guard, several of them arguing that they should be shown to a sitting room, not kept out here like commoners. They are all nobles who challenged Alex's status, though a few have brought their suggested replacements as well. That surprises me none, as they were all made aware of the purpose for the summons.

"Even commoners," I speak as Alex and I approach, and the squabbling fades. "Would be shown to a seat. But then, most commoners would not directly challenge a decision made by their Crown Prince, so they would have earned that respect."

"Your Highness!" They all greet me, all bowing in haste.

"We did not know you had returned," one speaks. A minor duke, but a duke nonetheless. "Welcome back from your journey. I trust it went well?"

"It did," I say. "Rise. We are waiting for three more, then we will be off."

Another noble is shown to us, then Sage Michael arrives with Kyra, who is dressed in a light spring dress, her hair done up well. Was she preparing for a date with Kayla? I must apologize to her after this if so.

Accompanying Sage Michael is Rufus, which draws a few confused looks from the nobles.

"To the training grounds, please," I tell Sage Michael.

He opens a gate, and I indicate it.

"Please," I tell the nobles. "Come this way. We will show you why Alex is my Royal Rival."

The nobles hesitantly step through the gate, then Kyra, Alex, and I step through, Sage Michael and Rufus following. When we arrive in the training grounds, we are in one of the combat training zones, and we are not alone.

Adam and Elise are here, sparring against each other, while Tasha and Lina watch from the sidelines. I was unaware that my betrothed and sister were not in their usual places at this time on a Sunday. Both are dressed in training gear, as are Adam and Elise. Jason has yet to finalize the training group's outfit, having gone through several versions of it. The current one is a pair of dark blue pants and a light blue tunic with silvery threads woven through to make them shimmer a little, though the actual purpose of the silvery threads are to keep us cool and add an additional layer of protection.

The sparring between the two betrothed ceases when they realize there is an additional audience, and I clear my throat.

"Jason neglected to say this was in use," I say.

"He probably forgot," Adam tells me as he approaches, catching the towel Tasha tossed to him. "He was distracted by some project he and Sage Jared were working on. Something about a specialized mana engine that uses… gunk."

"Yes," Sage Michael snorts. "Jason fell into the gunk, too. We are here because these young nobles do not believe Alex should be the Royal Rival. They doubt his qualifications and claim little progress has been made."

"They claim what?" Tasha asks as all four of them give the nobles incredulous looks. "Well, that will be disproved quite easily. Jacob pushes himself often in an attempt to outpace Alex, who pushes himself often in order to try to become more powerful and skilled than Jacob does."

"Yeah," Adam laughs. "You should see them in the training group. Jason has to remind them to focus on their own training rather than attempt to push themselves past the other."

"It is something Jacob mentions quite often, too," Lina adds. "That he does not wish to fall behind Alex. Honestly, these weeks while he was away were a relief, as we could make it through dinner without a mention of it."

I feel my face heat up at her comment. Do I really mention it that often?

"There are several purposes for coming out here," Sage Michael says. "The first is to show you these books. Originally, we were going to have the three of them perform the test to apply for university, in the magic portion of it. All three of them received similar results when applying, with a clear distinction between Jacob and Alex at the end of last term as compared to Kyra.

"However," he gestures with one hand, and a stone table rises from the ground. He opens up his spatial storage and sets three tomes on it. "It turns out that their training group instructor tests them in those three areas every Monday. We have here the logs of them. I looked over them before we came, and can confirm myself that Jacob and Alex advanced more quickly than Kyra, yet maintained an even pace with each other. You may look over the logs, but do not damage them, or Jason will be quite upset."

The nobles challenging Alex's status as Royal Rival approach the table and look through the logs. I enhance my sight so that I may examine them as well, and realize that Alex and I really do keep in pace with each other. My affinity for light and his affinity for mind increased at the same rate. My affinity for earth and his affinity for water advanced at the same rate.

It is obvious some of them wish to challenge the validity of these checks, or still claim that it does not prove that Alex is an appropriate Royal Rival who can push me to advance.

"Which brings us to why we are here," Sage Michael says. "We will have Alex and Jacob spar with each other. Jacob, Alex, please hold back while keeping in mind that there are people here who may be injured by your sparring."

"I will create a barrier," a familiar voice says, and we turn to face Miralandis. "Jason requested I come and do so, saying that two Magi may be about to spar at full power."

"Thank you," Sage Michael says, then looks at me. "Well, in that case, feel free to go at it without holding back. While you might be able to breach my barriers if you truly do not hold back, it is doubtful you'd crack Miralandis's."

"Thank you," she smiles at him, then looks at us. "I do wish to see what two similarly-powerful Magi can do in a fight. Jason skews the scales somewhat."

Even if the nobles wish to continue to challenge Alex's position after we spar, they will find it difficult to claim they can find a suitable replacement.

"Should we use those?" Alex asks as we walk forward, and I gesture for the griffin cub to stay.

"With our current power levels," I say. "We would not manage to break a barrier made by Miralandis, even with those. Griffin Alpha will no doubt reinforce it as well, adding another layer of strength to it. However, I feel that might be cheating for the demonstration. Let us use our normal weapons."

"Okay," Alex says, then we take a few steps away from each other and place our hands on our swords.

"Begin!" Sage Michael calls.

(Jason, 16)

"Hello, Niko," I answer the call on my comm cuff as soon as it comes in. "Are you coming back for the banquet? If so, I have an outfit made for you."

"That was not necessary," Niko sounds annoyed. "I will not be returning. I have told you that-Jason, are you in the shower?"

"I got covered in gunk while working on something," I tell him. "I'm scrubbing it off right now."

It's taking quite some time, too. Once it dried, it became like cement, making it even more difficult to remove, even with magic. I'm honestly considering just ripping off the flesh beneath it and allowing my natural healing regeneration as a grey-level mage to fix me up.

"What gunk is that?" He asks.

"A form of liquid mana crystal," I answer. "It's rather annoying stuff. If you aren't coming back for the banquet and needing an outfit for it, why are you calling me thirty minutes before it begins?"

"Erm," I can hear the hesitation in his voice. "Would you be willing to deliver a gift to Lina? As a birthday present? I know she will be receiving many from potential consorts and from nobles trying to win her favor, but I wish to send her something as well."

Niko sounds a little annoyed as he says 'potential consorts', and I can understand why. It is not uncommon for nobles or royals to have a consort or two, for when their wife or husband is unwilling or away for a long period of time. While they would not become actual consorts until after she marries – which would occur after she finishes university in a few years – they will still try to begin earning her favor before then, so that once she marries Niko after university, they already have their foot in the door. Once they get that foot in the door, they will also try to end the arrangement between Niko and Lina. Or at least, to have her favor them more than him.

And as he still loves Lina, he would hate that someone would try to get between them, as much as he consciously tries to say he has no plans to return.

"I can do that," I tell him. "Just give me a few minutes to finish scrubbing this off, dry and get dressed, then deal with the guest downstairs."

None of my mamas and papas are here at the moment. They're either doing their thing or at the palace already. I only stopped by here to wash the gunk off and get changed before the banquet, so the guest is lucky there was someone here.

I'm curious to know why he's here, though. It's not like he likes me at all, though I haven't really interacted with him since his papa punished him for causing a scene.

"See you in a few minutes, then," Niko tells me and ends the call.

Deciding to use a less-painful solution, I float up into the air, then wrap myself in pure magic, which dissolves the dried gunk in an instant. And the water hitting it, but I don't care about that. Once I'm clean, I release the spell and land, then perform another wash of myself, just to add the scent of the shampoo and soap back on.

Clean, I finish the shower and dry both myself and Zevenas off, then pull on a formal outfit for the banquet and slip on the ring which allows me to know when others are speaking the truth.

I already sent my gifts for Jacob and Lina to the palace, so all that's left now is to deal with James and obtain Niko's present, and the ring my papa gifted me as a present for starting university will help me with the latter of those two things.

Ready for the banquet, I make my way downstairs, where James Holdir is sitting on a couch, looking rather nervous. He looks at me as I approach, his gaze drawing to Zevenas before becoming even more nervous.

"James," I say. "What brings you here?"

"Hello, Jason," he stands, avoiding my gaze while looking down. "I came to apologize for how I acted towards you at the beginning of last term. It was inappropriate of me, and I have come to realize that my actions were unbecoming of a person, much less a noble. My papa has educated me on how to act properly, and I am doing my best to adjust to it. My mama spoiled me quite a lot, as my papa was often busy with his work. I still have a lot to learn, but I am doing my best to make amends to those I have wronged. I know you are likely busy, but I still wished to see you and apologize."

He is speaking the truth, according to the ring's enchantment.

"Your apology is accepted, James," I tell him.

"Sorry for breaking the magical power reader," he tells me, still not meeting my gaze. "It was inappropriate of me as well. I was used to getting whatever I wanted, and could not tolerate someone refusing me something I wished. I am not asking to enter your training group, as I know I do not meet the requirements for it now, but I still wish to apologize for that as well."

"You are forgiven," I tell him.

"Thank you," he says. "I am going to work hard from now through the end of the summer to try to meet the requirement to join your group the proper way when the next term begins. If that fails, I will continue to work at it until the term after that."

"Good luck," I tell him. "Is there anything else?"

"No," he answers.

"Then I must be going," I tell him. "I have to do something before attending the banquet. Have a good day."

"You as well, Jason," James says, then leaves.

Time to go pick up Niko's present for Lina.

(Niko, 16)

I turn the bracelet over in my gloved hands, not wanting to smudge it. It is a solid piece of metal, rather than a flexible band. Made of silver, with a pattern like wind etched into it, a few tiny sapphires here and there.

I hope Lina will like it. It is rather simple, but was all I could manage to have made in just a week. At least, it is all I could come up with.

A grey gate forms in front of me, and I look up as Jason enters. I slip the bracelet into a cloth pouch, and he accepts it from me, then leaves, not saying a word.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, I look at Kyron, who is busy studying a book I set him to reading earlier. He doesn't look at me, but he probably wants to. He knows how much Jason pushing for me to return bothers me.

As I pull off the gloves, I find myself annoyed that Jason did not push for me to return. Why, though? I do want to see Lina again, I want to hug her tight, to hold her hands, to hear her voice again. But she will see me as a freak. I do not wish for her to undergo such an ordeal as discovering her love is not a whole man anymore.

So why do I find myself bothered that Jason seems to have given up asking me to return?