Chapter 13: Future Lord & A Loyal Man
[ You Have Been Given A New Title! ]
[ Title: The Guardian ]
[ Description : Anything You Devote Your Heart To Protect Shall Be Protected By the Will of the 3rd Heavenly Realm’s Owner ]
"What the fuck?" Evan muttered.
’I said the principal is here, look,’ Santiago replied, thinking Evan was talking to him.
’Oh, I see.,’ Evan replied.
He looked at the stage and saw a man with a towering, lean frame that gave him an air of quiet authority. His most distinguishing feature was his hair. It was ink-black and reached down his back, pulled neatly into a sleek, low ponytail that kept it away from his face.
In sharp contrast to his dark hair, he sported a well-groomed short beard and mustache, both of which were snowy white.
Evan did not know much about the Outer Realm like the other students. While the others had lived here since birth, he had arrived only four days ago. So, he decided to listen to what the man had to say.
When the man saw that everyone’s attention was on him, he cleared his throat and began to speak.
’Ladies and gentlemen, I hope all of you are doing well. My name is Joseph. I am your principal, and it makes me glad to see such talented individuals attending the academy.’
’I am here to talk about a few things, but firstly, I want you to look around you. I know the stone walls of this academy look cold, and the path ahead seems covered in shadows, but I want you to take a deep breath and find peace. Within these walls, you are safe.’
’I look into your eyes, and I do not see commoners or royals. Rather, I see the future of our great sect. Each of you carries a spark within your aperture, a potential that we are here to nurture and protect. You might hear stories of how harsh the world is, but remember this... the Academy is your shield. We provide the blood, we provide the stones, and we provide the knowledge. Your only job is to grow, to learn, and to trust in the family you have joined today.’
’There is a place for every one of you here. Whether you are D-rank or B-rank, you are a vital part of our bloodline. Do not fear failure, for we do not cast away our own. We simply help you find the path where you can shine the brightest.’
’Walk these halls with your heads held high. Sleep soundly in your dormitories tonight, knowing that you are under the protection of the Sect. You are precious to us, and together, we shall reach the Heavens!’
’Before you go and find your rooms, I have one more announcement. Your journey begins not with books, but with the strength of your own bodies. An hour from now, your first class will commence in the Grand Training Hall. It will be a lesson in hand-to-hand combat.’
’Do not be nervous. Go now, take this hour to settle your hearts, and we shall see the spirit you carry within you very soon.’
After finishing his speech, he left the stage along with the two other people he had previously brought with him.
Evan, meanwhile, thought that listening to the speech had been a waste of time. The principal had given the usual encouraging speech everyone had expected.
The greatest piece of information he had gotten from the speech was that his hand-to-hand combat class would begin in an hour. It was as if he had expected the song of a phoenix but instead received the screeches of crows.
’You were right. He was going to talk trash.’,Evan said to Santiago as they walked toward the dormitories.
’Well, my older brother told me. By the way, do you have any family?’
’Nah.’
’Oh, I see.’
They talked about the lessons they were going to have all the way until they reached the dormitories.
There were two dormitory halls, each consisting of both boys and girls.
Evan and Santiago arrived at Dormitory Number One, where they were supposed to live from now on.
The dormitory was a hall of stone and shadows. On each side, twenty beds were carved into five-story stacks, grouped in sets of four.
’They said to choose whichever bed you like and then paste this sticker onto the corner of it.’, Santiago said.
Moments earlier, after the principal’s speech had ended, all the students had been handed a non-removable grayish sticker containing their respective names.
According to the academy, this was to prevent any fighting between students.
’So, which bed are you going to choose?’ Evan asked Santiago.
’I’m not really sure. What about you? I have to... I mean, I will stick close to my future lord and be his loyal man.’
Evan laughed and then looked at Santiago, expecting a joking expression. But when he looked at him, he saw a face full of seriousness.
As if this were not a joke, but rather a statement or a vow.
’Okay, well, we’ll see about that.’, he said.
’For now, I think I’d prefer that bed.’, Evan continued, pointing toward the highest bed in the second set on the left side.
The dormitory’s left side was allocated to boys, while the right side was allocated to girls, which Evan thought was not a very genius arrangement in any way.
He pasted the sticker onto his desired bed, and Santiago pasted his onto the bed beneath Evan’s.
’How much time is remaining before the hand-to-hand combat class starts?’ Evan asked.
’Twenty minutes.’, Santiago replied.
’I see.’
He willed it in his mind, and the screen appeared to life once again.
[ PLAYER INFORMATION ]
[ Name: Evan ]
[ Race: Vampire ]
[ Health: 60/60 ]
[ Remaining Life: 20 years ]
’Twenty years... I’ll die when I’m thirty eight I think... sigh... one has to die no matter who he is.’
[ XP: 0/120 ]
[ Level: 6 ]
[ Rank: Vampire Fledgling ]
[ Stage: Middle ]
"Skills," he willed in his mind.
[ SKILLS ]
[ SLOT 1: BLOOD DOMINION ]
[ SLOT 2: EMPTY ]
[ UNLOCKED SKILLS ]
[ BAT SUMMON ]
[ REQUIREMENT: LEVEL 15 ]
[ DESCRIPTION: Can summon 100 bats that attack any target at will ]
’I wonder why only I have these skills... and this system. Ah man, I can’t even tell Santiago about it... otherwise, he would get into danger because of me.’
