It still blows my mind that I can put my body through incredible punishment, just go to bed and wake up fine. I understand why everyone back home thinks Forchunae are demonic monsters. If a regular person went through what I did, they'd be hospitalized or buried. Thankfully, I don't have any training today. As I stood up after finishing my breakfast, Elle stopped me.

"Your lessons with me will be held in the library. Don't be late," Elle said.

“Uhm, yes, ma’am,” I said as she walked off.

Wait, I have no idea where the library is. I sprinted after her, but she was already gone. The castle is way too large. I feel like I’ll never truly know where anything is. I don't want Elle to think I'm stupid or lazy if I can't get to the library. If only this place had a map or signs to find out where I was. I was startled by Sam coming up behind me.

"Need help?” Sam said.

I laughed nervously. “Actually, yes, I do. Elle told me to meet her in the library, but I don't know where that is."

“I'd be happy to show you the way. Follow me, and I’ll take you there,” Sam said.

They led me through the hallways, and I saw the same kind of incredible paintings from before. I saw some depicting mountains covered in fire or frost, muddy swamps with giant bugs, and deep ravines that seemed to hide horrible beasts. I focused on my surroundings to hopefully memorize the way to the library. Sam stopped in front of two large white wooden doors. The one on the right has a carving of some giant snake-like creature with wings, and on the left, there is a tiger with what looks to be six eyes. Both animals look just slightly off from what I'm used to. I turned to Sam to say thank you, but they were gone already.

I pulled open the doors and stepped inside the library. It is massive with three floors to it. There are bookshelves everywhere the eye can see. A grand staircase leads to the other two floors that overlook the first. Long oak tables are spread out with plenty of chairs. Oversized comfy chairs are also interspersed next to beautiful stained glass windows. There must be a hundred thousand books here, if not more. I've always loved reading, something my mother and father always encouraged, and this place is like a dream. The only bigger library I've seen is the Grand Bastion Of Learning, a ten-story building back home. It contains every piece of literature the empire has ever found or had. I was only able to go a few times on class trips, but it left an impression on me. I think Gabriel's library is nicer because it feels warm and homey. I'm broken from my wonder by Elle's voice.

"Good, you aren't late. Come to the second floor, and we can begin."

I walked up the staircase and found her sitting at a table with a neat pile of books at her side. She was wearing her suit and had pulled back her hair into a ponytail. She had a pair of reading glasses on and was flipping through a book.

"Sit," she commanded.

I took a seat across from her and sat quietly. She was giving off the same aura as the headmaster at my school. A cold, distant, and no-nonsense attitude radiated from her. I didn't wait for long before she closed her book.

"Your lessons with me shall be to fix your lack of knowledge. I'm not saying you're stupid; I'm saying you're ignorant. And that's worse. Your time in that place has left you more clueless than a farmhand from a backwater village. Don't fret. I shall correct your flaws. I don't know how they do things in the Strakken Empire, but ask it if you have questions. If you don't understand something, stop me, and I will clarify. There is no such thing as a stupid question, so feel free to ask."

I was shocked by how abrasive she was. I felt like I should apologize for not knowing stuff. Instead, I just said okay and nodded my head. She pulled out a rolled-up parchment. She unfurled it to reveal a map of what I assume is our surroundings.

"Today, we will focus on the Kingdom of Terusia," she said while pointing at the map. “See this tiny peninsula up here? That is your home, The Strakken Empire.”

“It looks so small,” I murmured.

“It is. I know the others tried to tell you before, but the world is much larger than you know. Currently, we are here,” she said while pointing at a picture of a town surrounded by trees. “In the hidden town of Sheira. Master Gabriel founded this haven over a millennium ago. It is impregnable; no one can enter without Master Gabriel’s permission. I cannot tell you why. That is his right, but you are in the safest place in the world. Even the king wouldn’t cross the master.”

“Is Gabriel that important? And you guys have a king?” I asked.

“Yes, he is, back to our geography lesson. We are in the Kingdom of Terusia and led by the current king, King Arnold IV,” she answered.

“Sorry to interrupt again. I’m just surprised that a monarchy is still used. Back home we… I mean they have a council to decide on all matters of the empire. You can continue, ma’am,” I said.

“The Kingdom of Terusia is divided into four regions. A Duke or Duchess rules each territory. The most extensive duchy belongs to Duchess Raiya. You could put the Strakken Empire into the Raiya Duchy, and it wouldn't even occupy five percent of it.

"It's that big? The Strakken Empire is huge, though," I said.

"Yes, that's why we keep trying to impress how vast the world is. If we didn't have Helena, your trip back would have taken months," Elle said.

"That's incredible. I'm having trouble even wrapping my head around that." I said.

"The sooner you forget the lies you were taught, the sooner you'll be able to gain some perspective. As I was saying, the Raiya Duchy has the most land, but it's primarily farmlands. All of the kingdom's food is grown here and then shipped to towns and cities. There are also beautiful forests and deep lakes teeming with life. The Arano River also snakes through the region giving access to boats used for transportation. It's also where this town is located. Duchess Raiya is considered a fair and loved ruler by her citizens. She is a Forchunae, the same as her peers. Her Word is Raise, and she uses it to breed all of the kingdom’s various mounts and beasts of burden. She has also Raised Belkans to be used as mounts and partners for her entire family.”

“I’m surprised that all the dukes and duchesses are Forchunae. I thought with it being random, there wouldn't be so many,” I said.

“Tyler, think of how many words there are. Almost every word is a possible Forchunae. We are far more common than you believed. I’d say that for every ten people, one ends up being a Forchunae,” Elle said.

“I guess I didn’t think of that. Wait, you said she Raises Belkans? What’s a Belkan?”

“A Belkan is a quadrupedal mammal covered in coarse brown fur. They weigh about thirteen to fifteen hundred pounds. They’re muscular but slower than most riding mounts. They have three long claws on each limb, and a set of antlers adorn their heads. Each antler weighs about thirty pounds. If you see one in the wild, run away because they are meat-eaters,” Elle answered.

“And she RIDES ONE? She’s either incredibly brave or foolish.” I said.

“Regardless of your thoughts, her methods speak for themselves." Elle said before continuing on about the various lakes and wildlife that the Raiya Duchy has. I didn't have any questions as she wasn't saying anything that truly interested me. That changed when she spoke about the next duchy.

"Moving on, we have Duke Frostforne of the northeast. His duchy is nothing but a barren tundra set in the Freinheim Mountain range. He has the smallest land and population but has the strongest soldiers. The people out there are of a sturdier breed to survive the cold. He is the oldest duke by far at nearly four hundred years old. He exists as the protector of our kingdom against the threat of the Winged Ones.” Elle said.

“What are the Winged Ones?” I asked.

“They are terror incarnate. They are highly intelligent flying reptiles. They are, on average, two hundred feet long from snout to tail, and their wingspan is around a hundred and eighty feet. Razor-sharp teeth and a tongue that extends out nearly half their body length. They have excellent natural camouflage and are deadly predators," Elle answered.

"How the hell does he protect the kingdom against those? How is anyone supposed to fight them?" I asked.

"His Word makes him uniquely suited to dealing with the Winged Ones. It is Exceed, and supposedly it allows him to become stronger, faster, and more durable than anything he's fighting. The Winged Ones are purely physical threats, as in they don't have acidic blood or venom of any kind. He's a perfect counter to them. He cares nothing for politicking or schemes and desires nothing more than to do his duty. He is described as to the point and blunt." Elle said.

"He sounds awesome. Like a knight out of a fairytale just protecting his kingdom."

"Then there is Duchess Willems, who is in charge of the south. She maintains the Terusian part of The Shield Of Civilization." Elle said.

"What's 'The Shield Of Civilization'?" I interrupted.

"It is a giant wall spanning two countries that separates humanity from The Wylder Lands., a hazardous area where survival of the fittest is the only law. Everything out there is trying to kill you, from the plants to the wildlife to the very lands themselves. It has a ninety percent mortality rate," Elle said before continuing. "Duchess Willems maintains this wall and keeps it staffed and defended. She is a brilliant general and an even better combatant. She used a spear and shield to fight, and before you ask. Her word is Thrust. Her lands are fiercely patrolled and have an almost non-existent crime rate. She once had a roving group of bandits attacking trade caravans and kidnapping children. She single-handedly wiped them out and then had them all tied to stakes on the other side of the wall. They begged for mercy as monsters devoured them. Her Duchy is a hotter climate than any of the others and has large canyons that cut through it."

"Who could do that to people? What kind of person feeds people to monsters?" I asked disgustedly.

"It is neither my place nor yours to judge the duchess. She is forced to deal with things beyond our understanding. Not everyone has an army of fearless gun-toting warriors to maintain the peace. Do not forget the plight of others and your privilege." She said with a hint of anger.

I sat quietly and thought about what she had said. It isn't my place to judge things I don't understand. Even so, Duchess Willems sounds barbaric and violent. To avoid further angering Elle, I didn't speak my thoughts and just waited for her to continue.

"The final high noble is the Lord of the East; Duke Farnsworth. His territory is devoid of any beasts or hostile creatures. It is a coastal region focusing on trade and fishing. A giant body of water separates us from our neighbor, the Veldori Empire. The empire is easily three or four times bigger than this kingdom. The only way to get there is to either brave the ocean or get a pass to use the continental bridge. His Duchy is moderately sized and home to all major trading corporations. The Royal Knight Academy is located there as well. Any questions?" Elle asked.

"I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that I know nothing about the world. The Veldori Empire and that bridge sound interesting, but you said today is all about Terusia. So the only question I have is, what is the Royal Knight Academy?" I said.

"There is no shame in being ignorant as long as you're taking steps to rectify it. The pursuit of bettering yourself is forever admirable. The Royal Knight Academy is where they train the elite group of people who are responsible for protecting the royal family and the capital city. Many people enter, but only the best can graduate and become royal knights. Those that don't make still normally go on to join one of the four ducal houses." She paused and waited to see if I would ask any questions. "I've told you about all the other Forchunae's Words, and Duke Farnsworth is no exception. His Word is Barrier, and it does exactly what it sounds like. He is the youngest Duke and also the weakest. His power allows him to create translucent purple barriers that can repel any kind of damage. He is crucial to the kingdom despite not being a fighter. He maintains one of his Barriers around the capital."

"He maintains one around the entire capital? How can he be the weakest if he can do that?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. All that’s known is that Duke Farnsworth tells people he is the weakest of the four. The last thing I want to cover today is the fifth region if you can even call it that. The capital known as Einhra is a massive, sprawling city that is truly a wonder to explore. It’s where the royal family lives, and every noble has a house there.” Elle explained.

“I’d like to see it if possible someday,” I said.

“You are not ready. Your powers haven’t been properly explored, and you're lacking in social graces and common knowledge. With that being said, it’s not an impossibility. I will end our lesson now and will see you in two days,” Elle said as she quickly cleaned up the map and books she

had out.

I stood up and left the library to go to my next lesson. I feel like I'm going to need a notebook for our next lesson, especially if all of them will be two hours long. This one is with CJ, someone I haven’t interacted with a lot. Last night at dinner, he had told me we’d be meeting in the castle's keep. Thankfully, I remember how Sam took me so I could get to the dining hall. From the dining hall, I quickly make my way to the keep. I walked down the stairs to find a single lamp was lit, and CJ was doing a two-fingered handstand. He pushed off the ground and landed on his feet before acknowledging me.

“Welcome, my dear boy, to the most wonderful spectacle,” CJ exclaimed.

“The most wonderful spectacle?” I asked nervously.

“Why, of course, that would be me. CJ. Swashbuckling extraordinaire, international man of mystery. Ladies love me. Gentlemen love me. Actually, it seems like all manner of people love me. While the others will teach you about boring topics like fighting and history and politics, I shall teach you what truly matters; the art of people. Throughout our time together, I shall teach you how to read a room, seduce someone, cause a scene, and more. I will make you into a chameleon.” He said while staring at me with a wild smile.

“Where do we start?” I asked before immediately regretting it.