Me and Eleanna was standing in front of the class Ioctoria was taking, Introduction to Taxes, we waved goodbye at her as we would meet again somewhere at 5, I did agree to introduce her to Martyn, as a friend and… as what Martyn asked of me and Eleanna, as a recruiter.

It bothers me slightly, as I knew Martyn is going to run her dry just like Guillaume. But… there’s a silver lining as I could hangout with her more, if Martyn found a suitable job for Ioctoria.

For now at least… it’s a somewhat nice view seeing her off, seeing her heeding my words by being somewhat friendly with her classmates… and seeing her… her, beautiful smile, bright pink skin that’s pales in comparison to her classmates, her cute long twitching ears… her…

Bonk…

“Keep staring at her like that and you’ll be marked as the creepy buff guy.” Eleanna mockingly said as she smacked my head lightly.

“You’re lucky that Martyn loves you.” I said vexingly to her.

“Hehe…”

After my trance was broken by Eleanna, we focused ahead on the next class we were going to. Eleanna was continuing her magic class, learning about the methods of how to invoke magic itself, while I, was going back to History class with Professor Howards, learning about Krone and his exploits.

While on the way, we talked about the nostalgically usual stuff about school, our homeworks, the subjects we just learned, and if announced, upcoming tests. We also gossip about some stuff, just like the good old days.

But instead of who is dating who, who is sleeping with who, and who is being a bitch. We talk more about the nobles that might be of use for Martyn and who is being a bitch.

“To be honest El… everyone is a bitch, a majority of them are painfully the stereotypical elitist noblest, though… I’ll give them this, they’re more like the neighbourhood housewives rather than the mean girls and jocks.” I gave the annoying truth.

“Yeah, I can see that, especially how they treat Téodor, always calling him peasant…” Eleanna added more.

“Even Ioctoria… well, I get the rigid society and the social order they have no choice but to grew up with, it’s just… damn… Téodor just wants to study, you know!”

“I get you… and… talking about Téodor, you’re gonna explain why you spent two days staring at him?” Eleanna finally asked.

“Okay about that…” I took a deep breath, as I about to drop something heavy. “I’m not crazy or anything okay! I’ve talked to him, he confirmed it himself, and we even had a fight.”

“Just get on with it, Art!”

“Okay, okay… Téodor of Stratford, is like us! Not originally from this world, he reincarnated.”

“Woahh…”

“And that’s not the kicker! But before I say who he is, I need to know if you know a certain loner from our class.”

“Theodore Eddel? OHHH!!!!” And as she said his name, Eleanna instantly realized. “Woahh… and holy shit, Art! We gotta keep him away from Martyn!”

“Agreed!”

It was something that we agreed upon long ago, in a form of a list we made filled with people that shouldn’t work with Martyn again, as… they can’t handle Martyn’s work ethic.

Téodor or Theo, is among them as like Alice… he forgotten to do his daily essential needs for his body…

I still can’t believe how the people who have worked with Martyn came out unscathed, but… well… at the very least, their neglect towards their selves is rewarded with a very handsome score.

After that we turned our conversation from talking about the nobles in the Académie to Martyn more or less.

We reminisce on the gruelling work with did with Martyn in every group assignments, every late night we pulled, every sleepy morning we had because of that. But Martyn’s not a sadist or anything, or even psychos in suits, he is much more worse, he’s a professional, by his own choice.

It’s kind of funny though as Martyn’s grandfather, Alexander James Wulf, is also a professional beast by his own choice, even though, Martyn never have interacted nor even met his grandfather. It seems blood, in his family’s case, is more thicker than water.

But again, the reward is still very handsome, as one thing that me, Eleanna, Alice, and even Theo can attest and promise to our classmates that’s scared of working with Martyn. Is that the result would satisfy them like nothing ever before, partly due to how overworked you will be, hahaha…

Now speaking of Martyn… me and Eleanna stopped on our way to class as… we saw a guy, only a couple inches short of me, waiting in front of a class’s door.

And he… really resembles Martyn.

“Ahh! Students of the Académie! Might you tell me where Professor Chloé de Diamant is?” He said with a very gentle and relaxed tone.

“I think Lady Chloé should still be working with Martyn in Londini.” Eleanna informed him.

“Huh… she said she would be giving a lecture here…” He mumbles.

“Wait… isn’t this.” Eleanna as she heard what Lady Chloé was going to do here in the Académie, walked passed him and me to the door he stood from, and realized that it was her class. “Huh… wait how do you know Lady Chloé?”

“And how do you know the Lord Protector’s name?”

Both of them stared at each other, obviously of suspicion. But it was cut short as Lady Chloé came out of the blue behind Eleanna.

“Lady Eleanna! Sir Arthur! and… brother?” Her last remark stunned us.

“Ohh! You two are the second heroes!” Hearing our names from Lady Chloé’s remark, he was left as stunned as us too.

“Brother, what are you doing here?” As Lady Chloé passed Eleanna, she went straight to her brother, asking in confusion.

“Firstly, for your eyes only…” He gave her a letter, sealed by a castle’s crest… Margrave Ramon’s family’s crest. “Secondly, how are you doing!”

“Good, good… I’m about to give a short lecture about the many ways to manifest magic, in Lady Eleanna’s class, but other than that… well… good!” She said with a very tender joyous smile.

“Well good then!” He too, gave a tender joyous smile to Lady Chloé. “Ohh and where are my manners! My name is Maximilian de Pied! Chloe’s oldest brother!” He, Maximilian, went to me and Eleanna, introducing with such a vigorous and confident tone to us.

“A pleasure to meet you Sir Maximilian!” I gave him my hand and awaited his.

“No, the pleasure is mine! To finally meet all the second heroes!” He shook back with a very nice firm grab.

“Wait… you have met with Miss Marie and Martyn?” Eleanna asked.

“How do you think I knew where my little sister is? Lady Eleanna?” And… with the smile he gave to respond back to Eleanna, it struck her, though only for a moment, because the resemblances he has towards Martyn, pissed her off. “Well it’s nice to meet you! I have to run now! Don’t want to make my little sister late for her lecture!”

“Brother…” She mumbled while embarrassed.

“Too doo loo!” He then walked away and left us.

“Wow…” I mumbled too, as this sight… was something I’ve wished for from Martyn.

“Yeah… I really want to punch him…” And of course, the resemblances really pissed Eleanna’s off. “Huh… whatever, see you at 5 Art!”

“Yeah!” I waved her goodbye as she went in to the class alone… “You’re… not gonna follow her Lady Chloé?”

“Not yet, I actually wanted to see you first!”

“If it’s about Aronlight… I still haven’t cracked the code… sorry…” I said apologetically.

“No, don’t be! I was actually about to recommend you to go to the Académie’s library! As in there, we have a book written to great lengths of details on the life of the previous wielders of Aronlight! I thought getting a glimpse of who your predecessors was, would help you!”

“Thank you! and… yeah! I’ll hit the library after class!”

“Great! And glad to be of service, Sir Arthur!”

* * *

Sitting there quietly alone in the library, I hold the book that Lady Chloé recommended me, a book that more or less tells the live and deeds of my predecessors…

The early wielders were kinda of funny, as it has a master and apprentice dynamic like the post Darth Bane Siths from Star Wars, but… some parts were reversed, instead of the apprentice scheming against the master, it was the master who was scheming.

Brân the Forest Knight, the second wielder and the one who started the master and apprentice for the Aronlight, stated that the master, the wielder of Aronlight, must always test their apprentice. Test their morals, aptitude, resolve, and of course mastery of the blade.

The when the apprentice would inherit Aronlight, is a bit tricky. It is dishonourable and doesn’t go with Brân’s teachings, if the apprentice slew their master, no, the only way the apprentice can inherit Aronlight, can continue its legacy, uncle’s legacy, is to wait for the master to die or how Áron went, retiring.

Looking a bit on the book, I saw that successorship was passed through death and the interesting part of it, is that the master always die protecting their apprentice.

It was heartwarming to say the least.

But considering how Aronlight was discovered, or rediscovered, by Áron, that master and apprentice tradition was broken off. It passed through many hands but only a few that had unlocked its true potential.

One of them, which is also my favourite, is the Desert Warrior of Light, Yusuf the Righteous One.

I like how he found Aronlight as it’s like a straight up fantasy, a Tolkien-esque fantasy! With Aronlight falling so low to the gutters, this gutters to be exact was a city alleyway that a young boy, Yusuf, found as he was about to let out his last breath.

Though the stories are awe-inspiring and very interesting to read… I… haven’t got a clue to fix my problem.

Again, I know who I am, the meta way and the literal way, I know, know… very much what I desire, what I want for myself, what I’m reaching. But… in the end really, I really am missing the last part, the part of how I feel towards this world, this world that uncle Luther saved…

And I don’t know… a part of me actually doesn’t care and is a bit begrudged to save it. To save a world filled with snobbish aristocrats, that doesn’t acknowledge the everyday man’s achievements.

I honestly detest mingling with them, it’s already hard enough mingling with trust fund babies in Jameson High, now… mingling and being in the same room, breathing the same air! As these pompous shitters… really makes my disgusted.

But I can’t truly hate this world, I’ve met the people, I’ve met the common man, I’ve met Theo who is trying to make a mark and live a happy life here… there is a huge grain of sweetness on saving this world, saving it to unleash the potential they all have…

Maybe I will love this world, maybe I won’t, heck… I might even join those preachers of end times if I hate it too much… But one thing I could say, is that I’m warming up to this world, thank Ioctoria for that Lumenter! As this is her world and I’m falling for her very deeply.

I continued reading the book, more or less just to increase my knowledge and entertained myself with the very much spectacular deeds my predecessors have done.

It is an awe-inspiring in all measures.

But… my attention was taken as I saw… a man, from top to bottom wearing red, velvet based as it looks very soft and expensive.

He was browsing the library, finding a book of course, but as I saw him searching it very thoroughly, I knew he was finding something very specific. He didn’t find it as he went to the other shelves, until… he saw me, saw the book I was reading.

“Hi! Are you still reading that?” The Red Velvet man, came to me and asked for my book.

“Yeah, I’m still reading it.” I answered.

“Ohh… hmm… I know this might sound rude, but can I borrow it for a moment? I just need to see the last page! The last one who wielded Aronlight!”

“It’s Áron le Láidir, the Maître of Foreign Affairs.”

“Well, I’ll be…” He mutters in disbelief, with a proud smile.

“You know Lord Áron?”

“Not personally, but I did save him a very, very, very… long time ago.” He smile again, while remembering a very fond memory. “But can I still borrow it for a moment? I want to read what the book says about him!”

“Ehh… sure! Let’s read it together!”

“Great!”

He then pulled a chair and sat near me, while I flipped the book’s page to the last to see only one dedicated page for Sir Áron…

It was confusing, as how could there only be one page! All the others have at least five pages to them, stories since their childhood, their adulthood, their exploits, everything! But Sir Áron’s… only has one page and in it, it only tells the tale of his days as a slave of the empire, then how he found Aronlight, a couple of his exploits, and… his resignation as a wielder.

I still wonder why he resigns, why he gives it up, was it for me? I think it is, but… it feels like there’s more to why he relinquishes his status as a wielder.

“Huh… so the Fada didn’t die with it…” He mumbled. “Ohhh! How about the first wielder? Is he written here?”

“Sadly no… the first wielder, was a mystery through and through for this world.”

“Hmm… it’s funny you know! I once saved him too! the Fada and his companions too included!”

“Wait… you’ve met uncle Luther?”

“Yes! I saved him and his companions from my old ally, Charles, and… I assume, from how you say ‘uncle’ you are Arthur Svard, the first wielder nephew?”

“Yes…”

“Ahh! Then it’s good to meet one of the second heroes!”

“It’s good to meet you too! Sir…?”

“Call me Rouge!”

“Good to meet you Sir Rouge!”

“Good to meet you to Sir Arthur! But… sorry for being too sudden, I have to go now! duty calls.”

“Sure! Yeah, I understand!”

He then left while waving me goodbye, leaving me with… a feeling of wanting to know more about him, know more about what uncle Luther did back in the day, what he saw, what he could he tell me.

“Sir Arthur? Is that you?” Suddenly a familiar voice came.

“Lady Chloé?”

“Ahh! It is you! and… that book, I see you heeded my advice!” She was glad of my action.

“Yes… but… It didn’t help that much and only reinforce something that I need to search for myself.”

“Your feelings towards Lumenter, my world.”

“Yes… but it was an insightful reading though!” I gave her an upside. “Also… I met a guy who knew my uncle, he said that he saved him a long time ago!”

“Is that so… do you know who he is, Sir Arthur?”

“No, he only gave me a name and he wore red velvet from top to bottom.”

“Wait…” My answer suddenly chilled Lady Chloé’s spine. “And… what is his name?”

“Rouge…”

“Dear Gods…” Her pupils suddenly shrank, and I was scared. “Sir Arthur! Please do not panic and come with me now! We must secure you and Lady Eleanna!”

“Wha… what’s going on?”

“This is important Sir Arthur! If he is here, that means a powerful Crimsonborn Servant or even a Crimsonborn itself is here in the Académie! We must secure you and Lady Eleanna!”

“Okay, okay!”

“Ceniza! Go on ahead and make sure the hallways are secure!”

“On it-”

“I don’t think that is necessary, Lady Diamant.” And… he suddenly appeared, touching Lady Chloé’s shoulders gently, and stopping Ceniza. “I’ve already dealt Élisabeth’s boytoy early this morning, there’s no need to invoke Red King to the Headmaster, Lady Diamant.”

“Ohh… very well then…”

“Who… are you?” Seeing his high, above, and mysterious nature… invoked my curiosity at him.

“Though I did tell you to call me Rouge, I do not have a name and I wish it to be that way, you do not need to know who I’m Arthur Svard, nephew of Luther Svard, son of Gordon Svard.”

“…” I stayed silent, a bit shivered as I never told him my dad’s name…

“Again, goodbye Arthur Svard! And keep finding Élisabeth for me, Lady Diamant!” And then he suddenly vanished through thin air.