"History of Pompeii is about 500 years old, but what is relevant to this class has happened in the last 250 years," stated Master Ortheus, his voice commanding attention. Alan, along with the others, listened intently, scribbling down what they deemed important.
"It all began 250 years ago, when King Roiran beseeched the Gods for their benevolence upon his barren land,"
Master Ortheus continued, his words painting a vivid picture of Pompeii's past. As he recounted the events, flashes of the puppet show Alan had seen earlier that week danced before his eyes. He realized that what he had once dismissed as folklore and myths held deep significance for the people of Pompeii.
This newfound understanding filled him with disbelief and curiosity, prompting his deeper attention as the tutor continued,
"After receiving the blessing of the Gods and the mysterious vanishing of King Roiran, the elders of Pompeii stepped forward to establish the Church of Roiran, instilling hope amidst the chaos and panic,"
Master Ortheus continued, his voice steady and authoritative.
"They believed that Roiran had sacrificed himself to save Pompeii from the fury of the Gods, and the Relic Castle became his final wish—a chance for Pompeii to redeem its sins and earn flourishing resources by proving themselves to the Gods."
"The elders sought the assistance of Pompeii's elites, who, with their astute minds, understood the blessing and devised a system. This system utilized the unlimited resources, knowledge, and challenges provided by the Relic Castle as the foundation for a social structure. It made Pompeii self-reliant and flourished for years to come, without any external assistance, all under the watchful eye of the elders," Master Ortheus explained, his words carrying weight and significance.
Master Ortheus turned to the map of Pompeii, his gaze piercing as he pointed at the borders where the ink was smudged.
"Because the elders believed that if outsiders were allowed in, they would bring more sin and evil into Pompeii, enraging the Gods. This, in turn, would lead to the escalation of horrors within the Relic Castle,"
—-tuoooooonnnnnnnphh!!!!!——
Suddenly, a horn echoed throughout the Academy, signaling the end of the lecture. Master Ortheus closed his book with a decisive snap.
"That will be all for today. You are dismissed," he declared, his tone laced with a hint of mockery. "Now…Scatter."
With this hint of sarcasm, everyone filed out of the classroom and began making their way toward the food hall. Armis tried to catch Leo's attention, but Leo continued walking ahead without acknowledging him. Alan, puzzled by the interaction, turned to Lyco for an explanation.
"What's that about?" Alan inquired.
Lyco shrugged. "I don't know, maybe they are childhood friends. Anyway, are you up for lunch?"
Surprised by the suggestion, Alan asked, "This soon?"
Aurelia, who had overheard their conversation, chimed in from behind Alan.
"Yeah, the Academy only schedules two classes a day along with training hall sessions. It's their way of ensuring students have enough time to absorb their lessons and practice their skills effectively. Come on, I think Armis is heading towards the Food Hall as well."
Impressed by the Academy's thoughtful approach to education, Alan followed Lyco and Aurelia towards the Food Hall, curious to learn more about their daily routine.
As Alan and the group entered the Food Hall, they overheard a tense exchange, soon coming in sight, Armis and Leo arguing,
"Leo-ro, wait for me. Why are you avoiding me? I thought we were frie—"
"Shut the hell up!!!!" Leo snapped in annoyance and anger, cutting off Armis's attempt to approach him. Armis, taken aback, gradually stepped back, a frown forming on his face.
"I have nothing to do with you, we were never friends!!! We only had practice sessions together. That doesn't make us anything!!!" Leo continued, frustration evident in his low but heated tone.
Armis hesitated, visibly hurt by his supposed friend's harsh words, but with a glimmer of hope still in his eyes, he tried to defend himself. "But, Leo-ro, what about father? He liked u—"
"And stop calling me that! I want nothing to do with a weakling like you or that cow—"
"Hey!!!!" Before Leo could unleash his full anger on Armis, Aurelia stepped in, with Alan and Lyco by her side, defending Armis.
"I think that's enough!!! Armis has every right to be here just like any of us, and just because you don't want anything to do with him, it doesn't give you the right to insult our friend like that!!!! Got it? Now back off!!!"
As Aurelia's words laced with venom stung the air, Armis retreated behind his friends, his expression marked by visible sadness.
Leo's sharp gaze, filled with surprise and rage, bore into Aurelia and the others as they stood in defense of Armis. Before Leo could retaliate, Augustus appeared from the side, positioning himself a few steps away from Alan and the group, interjecting into the conversation.
"Hey, don't think you can gang up on a member of Solis just because he's facing you alone," Augustus stated with a humble yet confident smile, his eyes squinting. He approached Aurelia, meeting her gaze directly.
"I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use force against anyone, regardless of gender. In Pompeii's culture, men and women are regarded equally, as two sides of the same coin."
Unfazed, Aurelia maintained her unwavering gaze on Augustus. Sensing the tension escalating, Alan and Lyco attempted to intervene, but before they could act, Leo shoved Augustus aside with contempt.
"Back off, freak. I don't need you to be my guard dog," Leo spat, his tone dismissive.
With that, he turned and strode away, heading towards a table in the corner of the hall.
The casual disdain in Leo's demeanor towards Augustus changed his expression, sending his smugness to visible frustration in an instant, causing him to grit his teeth as he watched Leo depart, soon leaving himself away from the group.
After Leo's departure, Aurelia turned to Armis, who wore a frown and had sadness in his eyes as he watched Leo leave. Aurelia gently nudged Armis towards a nearby table and spoke in a reassuring tone,
"Come on, Armis, don't cry for fools. You'll end up crying all day," Aurelia said, guiding Armis to sit down at the table.
As they settled at the table, Alan and Aurelia fetched plates of food for the group. Observing that Armis was still feeling down, Aurelia attempted to cheer him up with his favorite meal.
"Come on, Armis, it's your favorite: mashed potatoes with meat, and a glass of milk," Aurelia said, offering Armis his plate.
Armis raised his head and managed a small, makeshift smile at Aurelia's gesture.
Sensing his friend's lingering melancholy, Lyco stepped in, patting Armis's back gently.
"Come on, buddy. Cheer up. Our food is getting cold."
With their collective attempts falling short, Alan took a seat beside Armis, his expression gentle as he offered a listening ear.
"Want to talk about it?"
Armis lifted his head, brows knitting on Alan's offer.
"Hmm?"
"How do you know him?" Alan inquired, gesturing towards where Leo had departed, before beginning to eat his lunch. Lyco and Aurelia followed suit, giving Armis the space to share his thoughts.
"Leo-ro…Leo was my childhood friend," Armis began, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
"We used to train with my father. Leo was full of ambition, always looking up to my father for inspiration. Until…"
Armis paused, his eyes seemingly clouding with memories of the past. Sensing his distraction, Aurelia probed gently.
"Until?" she inquired softly.
Armis hesitated before delving into his story.
"Until my father went to Relic Castle, to open the mighty gate of floor 50 and never returned. Pompeii turned my father's legend into a joke. Leo couldn't bear watching his hero's legacy reduced to mockery, so he ran away to the mountains to train alone. I used to see him every once in a while, but I never got my friend back."
Aurelia's frustration bubbled to the surface as she reacted to Armis's tale.
"He is no friend, Armis!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with anger and disappointment.
"Yeah. You shouldn't be caring about people like him. He's a selfish little runt," Lyco chimed in, adding his opinion as he twirled his spoon around Armis's eyes before taking a bite of his food.
"Just forget about him. Now you have us, your real friends," Aurelia added, trying to uplift Armis's spirits as she indulged in her potatoes.
Upon hearing Aurelia's words, Armis lifted his head, his eyes slowly being devoid of sadness and filling with newfound hope. He gazed at his friends with joy, gratitude evident in his smile as he turned to Alan.
"Thank you all for being my friend," Armis expressed sincerely.
"No need, man. We're here for you. Tell you what, when we become expert Raiders, we'll open the gate of the 50th floor. Who knows, we may even find your father there," Lyco suggested, his arm draped around Armis, filling him with hope.
"Really?!" Armis exclaimed excitedly, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Alan glanced at Armis and responded calmly, "Why not? We'll just have to work hard enough."
"Sure we will!" Armis replied enthusiastically, eagerly digging into his food.
"Calm down, Armis. Your food isn't going anywhere," Aurelia interjected with a chuckle. Before she could finish expressing her concern, Armis had already finished his plate. Seeing this, Alan reassured Aurelia, "Leave him be. He's happy."
——Thuooobhhhhbhhh—-
As the horn echoed through the academy, signaling the end of lunchtime, everyone began clearing their plates and heading towards the exit of the food hall. Armis turned to Aurelia as they exited,
"So, what's next?" Armis inquired, his excitement palpable.
Aurelia consulted her book and replied,
"I believe it's Wielding Arts."
"Then let's not waste any time! Let's go!" Armis exclaimed, dashing through the hallway, with Aurelia following closely behind. Their enthusiasm was contagious.
Observing their exuberance, Lyco remarked to
Alan, "I guess we got him cheered up, huh?"
"A little too cheered up," Alan responded, amused. With a mischievous glint in his eye, Lyco teased Alan before he dashed ahead, joining the group.
"Last one to the class will be a chicken!"
Alan first stayed calm then with a sudden burst of speed left the others panting as they struggled to catch up.
Armis, still trying to regain his breath, gasped out in amazement.
"H... how the hell are you so fast?!"
"Practice," Alan replied with a modest smile.
"My ass, you're some superhuman or something." Aurelia retorted, playfully punching Alan's shoulder as she tried to catch her breath.
As they approached the wooden gate with "Art of Wielding" etched on it, Lyco took the lead, opening the gate with a teasing remark, "Enough of the childish behavior, folks. We have a class to attend."