The month of preparation ran out faster than I wanted but I wasn't complaining. Professor Brighton's training completely transformed my view on mana and how to use it effectively.
Efficiency improves lethality
I stood in front of the wall mirror, gazing at my figure with an unsatisfied frown. For the big occasion, I wore a black jacket atop a green shirt, with matching black trousers and boots. My traveling bag was already tucked away in my carriage; I had just come back for my grimoire.
Picking it up, I glanced at William's letter on the table but said nothing. It came in a few days ago, expressing support and wishing me luck on my first expedition, nothing special.
After fastening my grimoire to my belt buckle, I took one last glance at myself in the mirror before leaving. Exiting the estate, Lucy, Klien, and Leo were waiting.
Everyone was on edge and quiet. We entered the carriage, Leo sat with Lucy while I sat with Klien. Our carriage began to move, and soon, other carriages converged towards the academy gates, carrying four students each.
The gates slid open for the first time in a month and the outside world was revealed to us again. Just like the last time, civilians lined up outside and cheered hard, but the air was different; no one smiled or waved.
In fact, it felt irritating to hear them cheer. Like, am I supposed to be happy? I have to risk my life for you people?
Why the hell are you cheering? Shut the fuck up!
If I'm going to die, I might as well enjoy some peace and quiet before I go!
Watching elderly men and women cheer even though they know we may not survive came with some feelings of resentment. Forget the magic; we are just 15-year-olds, and even the oldest amongst us is 16 at most.
But of course, none of that mattered, as long as they could live their peaceful lives and eat their warm foods from the comfort of their homes.
"Useless," I mumbled with my fists clenched tight.
{You can finally see through the eyes of nobles.} Lin chuckled and I frowned.
'What are you trying to say?' I asked.
{Your view of people without magic will worsen over time with each expedition. Soon you will grow to resent them and become like the people you sort to kill. Live long enough and you become the thing you hate. There is no good or bad, just perspectives.} Lin responded.
I glanced out the window again, frowning as I realized I used to be one of these people. While we didn't step outside to cheer them because something this grand never happened in my little hometown, I was just another useless human living peacefully with nothing to offer.
{What if the Ashford's had just lost someone recently outside the wall, and your parents just happened to be the unfortunate recipients of their pain?}
Buzz!
I abruptly sat up with a facial expression so vicious that I noticed Klien, Lucy, and Leo glance at me, but I paid no attention to them.
'Are you trying to justify my family's death?' I snapped in a threatening tone.
{Yes, I'm justifying the Ashford family's actions, the same way your act of revenge is justified. Good and evil do not exist, Derek; it's just perspectives, and only with power can one shape perspectives. The victor writes history…}
'So only power matters.' I mumbled while my eyes revealed a green hue and a smile spread across my lips.
Lin was right.
The murder of my family was ordered by a member of the Ashford family whom my parents encountered that day. Normally, that person should be the only one to die but I'll kill all of them because I can.
I will wipe the Ashford's off the face of the earth because I can and that is all there is to it. That is true power.
_____
An hour later, we had left Emberhold, and our carriages diverted to different parts, leading to different regions of the kingdom in need of reinforcement.
For us, we were going to the territory of House of Count Ravenshire popularly known as the only Frostlands in the entire empire and housed the Northern border of Loth Kingdom.
From what I have read, the war raging on in this part of the empire has been going on for centuries now, with each house inheriting the task of protecting its homeland, kingdom, and empire.
I don't know why the first battlefield we were to fight on was a cold one, which limited our firepower. In fact, I'm wondering if King Emberfall was trying to get his only son killed but it's none of my business. I had already made up my mind to keep my death magic hidden until necessary, but once unleashed, I would be killing everyone who witnessed me use it.
Even if the person is Leo Emberfall.
Ten hours later our carriage entered the Frostlands—a remote part of the empire painted white with snow with the weather of some -5°C to -20°C.
Klien, Lucy, and Leo were prepared, wrapped in oversized fur coats they prepared beforehand, and staring at me like I was a monster because I didn't feel the cold much.
As expected of a border territory, the walls were of the same quality as Emberhold, however, its wall was massive, spanning over 50 meters. The city was more of a military barracks than a city. If I'm not mistaken, civilians only make up 30 percent of this city's population and you can't blame them.
Monsters and the Knoll stood at the other side of the walls; it made sense only a few civilians stayed there.
It was getting dark when we arrived and we headed straight for Count Ravenshire's residence—Lord of the Frostlands. After a backbreaking journey, our carriage finally halted at the Grand Estate of the Ravenshire family.
I exited the carriage first and the first person I saw was Count Edric Ravenshire, current Patriarch of House Ravenshire. He was in his early fifties and had a unique pale skin.
They wore light clothes as if the cold here did not affect them.
Beside him was Lady Selene Ravenshire and she looked like she was in her late forties. Her figure and attire were hidden beneath a brown fur coat.
By Edric's right was his first son and only mage in the family—Lucian Ravenshire. Unlike his parent's brown hair, he has snow-white hair braided back in a cornrow.
I wasn't sure if it was dyed or natural. Just like his father, he was dressed in light clothing and unaffected by cold. The family glanced through me with a dull expression like I didn't exist.
They waited until Prince Leo had exited the flash with a friendly smile and approached. Rooted to my location, I watched Leo walk past me and approach the Ravenshires with a smile, and they bowed.
"Welcome my Lord and—Chosens of the academy."
Even though Count Eldric sounded like he was speaking to us, he only looked at Leo. I watched them lead Leo into their home, not even bothering to say a word to us, the Chosen he had just praised.
"What was that?" Lucy asked with a slight frown while Klien walked towards the building without giving a damn about anything.
He was just like me, a loner but with a primitive animalistic vibe that scared everyone away, including Lucy and Leo. That's why no one spoke to him.
I glanced at Lucy, meeting her gaze but I didn't respond. Following Klien's lead, we entered the building, which was much warmer than the inside.
Once inside, our path was blocked by a bald butler with the body of a bodybuilder and a claw scar running from his left ear, down his cheeks.
"Welcome, Chosens. Let me lead you to your rooms." He said politely with sharp eyes to gauge our reactions.
I looked past him, watching Leo and the members of the Ravenshire family enter the door leading to the Grand Hall. Yet they were sending them to their rooms.
It was one thing to treat peasants like this. But treating the most talented set of mages to appear in the history of this kingdom like trash was just plain stupid.
They must believe befriending the future king of Loth was all they needed, disregarding the fact that every one of the chosen was more talented than the prince.
I shrugged the thought aside and followed the man to my room. There I had a hot bath and a warm meal. We had to eat in our room while listening to the music from downstairs, hearty laughter, and the sound of celebration
It turned out that they were celebrating the arrival of the Chosens with just one member of the Chosens and the weakest one at that. There are levels of disrespect, and this was the height of it all, but it didn't bother me.
Respect or not, I didn't care because their recognition meant nothing to me, and even if I felt offended by their actions, I couldn't do a thing about it.
The Ravenshire have ruled this part of the kingdom for centuries only because they have kept the northern walls standing. Even if I find my way to the top and become king of Loth, I can't touch them because the protection they receive extends beyond just Loth but the Gyro empire itself.
Since I can't harm them anytime soon, worrying about them was a waste of time. For the night, I had a book titled Legendary Guardians—it focused on the guardians who inherited the powers of the old golds and their exploits before the fall of the old church.
At this point, reading was the second best thing besides fighting.
Knock! Knock!
The knock on the door left me with a frown while wondering who the hell was interrupting my reading session this late into the night. Glancing towards the window, I took a good look at the crescent moon before turning my attention to the door.
Click!
The door slid open and Lucy stepped in timidly with a pillow in hand. I said nothing and just gave her a questioning look with a raised eyebrow.
"It's loud and I couldn't sleep and…."
I cut her off with a wave of my palm before rubbing my hair back with the same hand.
"How is this my problem?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and for a minute there was genuine shock in her gaze
She probably didn't expect this response and ransacked her brain for a response.
"Close the door on your way out," I said and returned my attention to my book.
The sound of the door shutting behind me came a few seconds later and I snapped my book close with narrowed eyebrows.
{Is there a problem?} Lin asked.
"This girl…" I mumbled, trying to understand what she was playing at.
Back in the academy, she spent nights in Leo's room, indulging in chats and games with him. However, that doesn't stop her from attempting to replicate the same relationship with me.
Maybe I'm overthinking this as a fifteen-year-old who has no experience with women. But I believe such a relationship between a boy and a girl should be exclusive, so why is she trying to drag me into it?
To make matters worse, I can't feel any negative intent from her but that doesn't mean she's innocent. To her, this may just be a game meant to end in a clash between me and Leo.
"I ain't fighting anyone over a bitch."