Honestly, I was surprised the princess could hold me on her shoulders with little to no effort. She seemed to not even feel my weight. I assume it must be something to do with the 'status window' that I cannot access. I was in no mood to continue upon my childish rouse but I needed it to gain a least small amount of information about the academy for all this trouble. I would learn about magic on another day but I wanted to at least to know of it now.

The princess herself was a curious specimen. I understood that their were many nobles who went to this school but none who had such status as this women seemed to. The teacher herself almost seemed to treat the princess not as a student but an equal. From that I would assume that she was very powerful in her own right not just for show.

The princess, of course, had grabbed my bag and hung it around her shoulders. She didn't change the length as it seemed to automatically adjust.

"Is everything in this world made with magic?" I whispered aloud to myself.

"Not everything. Most items are ordinary. Their would be no reason for everything to be so expensive.Looks like Francis really wishes to spoil you while he can." The princess answered my question to the wind.

I had been so caught up with my thoughts that I had spoken aloud.

Francis is a schemer. The man has plans within plans within plans. I would need far more information before I could figure out his true goal. For now I would allow it. I couldn't contest him even if I wished to.

"Sis, do you know why Francis made me a special student?" I asked her searching for some answers.

"Hmm, I think its because he thinks you are so much like him." The princess mused.

We had left the classroom a few moments prior and almost half of the students were already gone. The rest, at least 8, were walking with us to the what they had called the 'lift'. I assumed these were the friends of the princess. The others were of the lower ranks I could tell from their seating position. It had been a big deal when I sat next to the princess at the top row on accident. So I assume only the most high of nobles can sit above all others.

"Sun its not because you are like him. As a son is to his father. It because your situations are similar." The princess replied to me.

The princess looked to a guy who was at worst the most handsome man I had ever seen in this world just yet. He had angular face with a jaw line that screamed he was a ladies man. His black hair swooped around the edges of his face leaving sets of two silver eyes that seemed to pierce every direction. His body was at its peak condition every muscle bone ligament were exactly as they should be.

For no better words, I was jealous.

He need no introductions beyond his pure presence.

I could say that women are the fruits of my eye but men have my respect on a level no woman could ever reach.

"This man must be someone important. A noble not below the princess." I thought.

We had reached an area of the building that I had never seen before. After having gone down at least 5 flights of stairs we had reached the "lift". The room itself was tightly guarded. Men in chain mail and suits of arms positioned at all the right places. No one would be able to escape unless they had killed everyone. Examining at least one of the soldiers I noticed that he had extraordinary training. I would need to be at least twice my current age before I would be able to take down even one of them. The guards were tough.

The room itself was of the greatest design. A waterfall covered the walls and sculptures were everywhere.

"Dmitri would you look after Sun while I go inform the madam of our departure." The princess had a loving smile on her lips as she finished the words.

The man I learned to be Dmitri was not fazed. His face held still and closed as if within its own world.

"As you wish, My Princess." Dmitri did a small bow one hand placed behind his back and the other in front.

The princess left with three of the girls leaving me with my bag which adjusted itself automatically, Dmitri, and 4 other guys that looked at me as if they wanted to teach me the world. The girls had left through a door opposite of the one we had entered. I instinctively drew towards Dmitri.

"Tell me Big Brother, do you understand what the princess meant by calling saying Francis situation was similar?" I asked.

Dmitri looked over me slowly as if in thought. Then spoke aloud after seemingly making up his mind.

"No, I do not." He answered curtly. "But I believe your auras are very similar but-"He trailed off. He was thinking to himself once again.

"Whats an Aura?"I said quietly.

It had been a long time since I had heard of auras in the last life. They were at least in that world an idea that touched mysticism and the occult and generally by people who wanted to make a quick penny.

My teacher had taught me closely on the basics of auras but I was no good in that body. I could not increase my physical ability to the level where it could manifest in spirit. My master had said that mine was different that he but had refused to explain why.

"What is the moon? The sun? The Earth?" Dmitri asked rhetorically." Auras are life. They are the breath of the soul. The glimmer of the stars. The energy of all things. It is what most would call the energy of life."

Dmitri looked me over and I shook my head. He believe me a child. Which helped the rudimentary explanation. It had been a time since I actually practiced its use.

"What's different about mine?" I asked my eyes wide as if in amazement at the idea.

"Yours is black, which is not impossible. Francis's aura himself is black as well. But the thing about yours is that its-" He stopped for a moment taking a breath. "Darker than the night sky. But yet when I focus on it trying to imagine your depth the darkness becomes white. White. Pure White."

He had been almost whispering towards me at the conclusion of his sentence. Not speaking to me but rather talking to himself.

This was news to me as well. I understood what auras are and what they represent at least by my own standards but it would seem it means much more in this world. Did my aura change because of reincarnation or was it always like this? The thoughts continue to swirl in my head until I shoved it away at the look on Dmitri's face.

I unconsciously had let my eyes relax outside the normal facial movements of a child as I was thinking. It did not seem I could play it off. His eye seemed to see much more than I could hide as of now.

"What does that mean?" I asked him normally but I'm sure the point was across.

He smiled at me for the first time. His handsome face giving into a jovial grin.

"You are far more than what you seem." He answered my question.

He had obviously already noticed the small mark at the corner of my face.

Francis had told me not many know what the significance of the mark is but if they do know they will fear me. He had called me an incarnation. The living embodiment of death and his faith. Where I was his lord. I do not understand the specifics yet but I would learn them when I traveled through the dungeon he told me.

This mans grin almost seemed to want to revel in what I would become. Not in fear but almost as if wishing he could challenge me now. I could see it written as plain as day on his face. He wanted a challenge.

"Be ready." I said accidentally the words slipping from my lips.

Dmitri only laughed aloud at my mistaken words. I believe he and I could be fast friends.

"Can you tell me about the system of rank in the academy?" I let all hindrance of childish behavior leave my demeanor.

The other students were busy playing around telling each other of their exploits of their various affairs with women and the like. Most were an obvious lies. But when one described the body of some snake women like creature. I made a mental note to explore the truth of the statement in the future. I would never discriminate. That would limit the possibilities.

"Little brother," Dmitri said mockingly.

"The academy is divided into levels of ability. Level 1 the lowest tier and level 8 the highest tier. The classes themselves are split based upon status. An 8th tier class will have the best of the best but will still be divided based on rank within the kingdom. You can only join a class if you are found to wield talent in that field. As an example, you cannot join a class in the field of magic if you have no talent.

This rule is universal. Ability far outranks status. In many cases students with no status whatsoever are above students with titles of nobility. Nobility have the option to pay for their child's induction into the academy at the age of 6 but all others are drafted.

By draft I mean that nation is scoured at every corner looking for those who show promise. From orphans to high class nobility none are left unseen. Of course this is seen more as an honor in these cases. For a family of low birth to have a child of great talent allows them to quickly rise in status often even granted parcels of land.

It is a kingdom wide search for the talents of the future."

Now it made sense. Francis knew I would be most interested in magic and had suggested this class for me to become acquaintances with the princess. He probably didn't estimate this would happen though. Or could he?

"I am an orphan who was scouted by the royal family itself." Dmitri said proudly.

This was news to me. I had thought Dmitri was a Prince of his own right. The others treated him the same way they treated the Princess.

"Dmitri, that smile tells me you had an enjoyable time with Sun?" I heard called from behind.

"Yes my princess, he is" He stopped and smiled at me "full of surprises."

The princess furrowed her nose and eyebrows.

"As he should be. Angeline would never choose someone so boring." She responded.

She said Angeline as if she were close to the woman. I had only met her a single time when she left me three years ago. I was curious to what she had in mine for me to go to this school. I don't believe her and Francis are on good terms.

"We need to be back by tomorrow morning or else the 'madam' will punish us all."

The group started to leave the room.

"Wait, we haven't even left yet?" I called to them.

"Sun we are already there. This is connected space. We have been here since we entered the room." one of the guys said.

The idea of magic once again dawned on me again. Is there nothing it cannot do.

I followed after them into a red and gold dipped carpeted hallway even more luxurious than the halls of the academy.

"Hey brothers and sisters, where are we going?" I asked them.

The group laughed stopping in their tracks.

"To meet the king." The princess said to me.

I heard one of the group of four guys from earlier joke about the time he didn't greet the king. He laughed but their was a edge of pain in his voice that you have after you overcame torture. I relate it to torture because that was the face the victims would make after I stopped.

"So we meet the king then." I thought to myself.

The halls were decorated in the fashion of old royalty. Everything looked sparkling new but the objects themselves felt old. As if you were to touch anything that decorated the halls it would fall to ash at your feet.

I did not relish the fate of the maids that worked here.

We came upon many doors. Big doors, small doors, Pink doors and orange doors. Some double many single but none could quite be like the door that we finally came upon. The place was a maze but the others walked through it like it were home for the princess and Dmitri it was of course but the others I still did not understand their positions.

The door was large but to just call it large would be an understatement. This door was at least two stories high and three across. It was so large that it had two door keepers one on both sides. They were similar red and white uniforms and pants.

The princes had spoken to one of them quietly so that I couldn't hear but I still caught the words.

"You come through this door today princess?" The doorman said.

"Yes, now hush, we are trying to give Sun the royal showing. Open the door so I can see my father."

"Yes, my princess."

The doorman looked and at the other and signaled.

They walked congruently from both ends to the center of the door. Turned and both pushed slowly. It opened faster than I thought was possible. Obviously they were stronger than they seemed.

It opened to an enormous room that held the meaning 'Money is only an object." They were showing me the throne room and they were showing me it in fashion. Nobles I assumed were talking to another on either side of the room and speaking in hush tones at our entrance as we made our way forward. I even heard a voice call out the princess and our group introducing us to the gathering.

The carpet was decorated to the point of being its on mural. No single space was less than the work of a master craftsmen. I saw the numbers one through seven lining the back wall as if they held a greater meaning. The throne itself was white and another smaller throne next to it. It held no semblance of what I had imagined a throne to look like but it wasn't the chair that made me wide eye. It was the man within the chair.

His hair was black but had turned grey at the roots. The eyes were silver, the same as his daughters but it was an older wiser silver. Eyes that had seen many things. His clothing were simple but not too simple possibly made that way for a reason. He wore a single robe much the same as Francis wore on a regular bases black but he had a type of armor covering the top so it looked as of the robe were only an undershirt. His legs were hidden underneath the robe. Atop his head there was a single black crown. Nothing extravagant about it.

This man had the same aura as my master in the last life. An unbreakable calmness that swept my entire being. I looked at the others an had failed to realize that they had all bowed.

I thought to do the same. But I was far too late to save any sort of face now.

"Are you not afraid of me child?" the king said.

I thought of twenty different answers the moment he finished his sentence but I realized this meeting was that which would shape all other interactions that we would ever have.

It was important to establish now before everyone that I would not be his instrument.

"Are you of me?" I called out not in the voice of a child but with that of a mans demeanor.

I was not below the status of a king in my own mind. I was below no one.

I heard a few gasps at my response even one from the princess. I saw a smile come to lips of Dmitri.The bastard was surely going to be a close friend as I aged.

The king looked me over. I felt something pass over me. If it was magic I had never felt it before. Not harmful but it was gone before it even began.

"No, I have never been afraid of a child before." the king replied a smile coming to his lips.

Our conversation was watched from every inch of the room. Our voices rising and falling with not even the sound of a murmur in between.

"I have never been afraid of anyone before either. No matter what seat they may sit within." I said slowly.

The king had listened closely to my every word. His smile getting larger and larger with my every word. By the last word he was standing and coming towards me.

I merely stood my crowd I didn't feel any danger from the situation. I believed him to be deeply intrigued.

When he was only steps away, I realized how tall he was and by his strides how disciplined his body was. He stood above all other men at height no less than seven feet. His strides were tight no excess movement but he was comfortable in the pacing. I was right to compare him to my master. He was no less than the best. He was the king in a world where power was everything. I respected the man. But I respected myself just as much. My head never lower in his presence.

"He looked from above towards me with a sleight smile. He then lifted me into his shoulders faster than I could react. I was starting to believe this family had a type pride in this. The daughter must do so in habit because of her father.

"Father!" The princess stood. The others remained bowed to the ground.

"Calm daughter, this child will be someone very important someday so I will teach him something while I can." His voice was wise. I believed he must be older than my combined age.

He had me sitting on his left shoulder holding me still with his left hand.

"Tell me young Sun? What does it mean to rule?" The king asked me as I looked down on the others in the room.

I thought carefully about my answer using all of my experience. I didn't wish to disappoint the man who reminded me so much of my master.

"To be strong."

The king laughed at my simple answer. He laughed heartily as if he had heard a similar answer before.

"Angeline said the same. No doubt she felt you were a kindred spirit when she found you." The king laughed a little lower this time but a the memory not at my expense.

"Listen young Sun. To be strong is to be weak when in the presence of someone equally strong. But to rule is to have a strength without peer."

I began to laugh at this and hearing this the king laughed again. We were to young and old food laughing again over over as if we had heard some old joke.

My master had said the same.

The nobles all around the room had seen the situation but could not understand what was happening. It was as if the child and king had gone into a world where only they were allowed to tread.

The princess was reminded of her brother and the time the king had counselled his son one his future. It was uncanny the resemblance was. It had made her tear at the laughter. Her brother would never return home.

I stopped laughing an had a warm smile on my face. I could be friends with this man. It would be an honor I had thought kings would be superficial and completely enamored with their power but he was simple. He believed strength gives you the right to rule but not the right to govern.

"Then what of governing?"

"Who said anything of governing?" The king replied.

The king patted me on the head.

"Let us go talk of the future in my study. I'm sure Angeline must have heard you were here by now and would love to see you."

The king walked out towards a door behind the throne that had not been there before or was it? I could no longer tell. It seemed to have materialized out of the thin air.

"Magic" I thought.

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