A Leap Down the Ladder

Aizen tried to flash back his memory to remember what things he did that could cause this change in destiny.

The incident between Nathan and Arman should have happened near the end of the year. The two of them had never been in the same class before, one in Class 3 and the other in Class 1.

Their feud emerged when Arman got into a fight with one of the students from Nathan's class. As the prince of the empire, his sense of justice did not accept oppression, so he then stopped Arman from beating his classmate.

At first, a fight was about to break out, but Arman's friend shouted Nathan's surname and reminded him of the imperial family. That made Arman realize the difference, and he gave up, grumbling and annoyed in his heart. Thus, he decided to repay the treatment many times over due to the grudge.

After a few weeks, the plan for revenge was set in motion.

Arman framed Nathan for kidnapping the second princess of the Tucan Kingdom, causing tension between the two nations to heighten. Despite the likelihood of war being unlikely to happen, it was still a dangerous situation.

As the demand for reparations, the Aslan Empire had to pay a hefty price to redeem the fourth prince's life. It caused the empire to weaken during the war that occurred in Year 725.

Moreover, considering the war capability of the Tucan Kingdom, which had one million combat troops. Not to mention some of their famous generals numbering in the dozens.

The Aslan Empire was certainly no match, even as a nation that had vast, massive land and about one million ordinary citizens.

Apart from that, Maximillian Argust also couldn't do anything even though he knew that Tucan would not carelessly start a war because many nations were eyeing the kingdom's back.

He knew that the second princess of Tucan was the king's favorite. So, even though there was a risk in starting a war, the Tucan king would not hesitate to do so, even if the price was the destruction of his kingdom.

He couldn't bear to watch the Aslan Empire fall and complied with Tucan's request even if it hurt the nation.

Aizen, who was now starting anew, couldn't let Aslan weaken again before the war that brought down the City of Mada transpired. No one knew if the war would break out earlier than his estimation and knowledge, as the situation kept changing due to his interference.

If a war took place and Aslan Empire fell early, then another battle between the Asylum Empire and the Tucan Kingdom would begin and usher in the era of the Omni War coming sooner than expected. In case that happened, he would be powerless to stop it.

'This brat is indeed the source of the headache!'

He changed his plan from investigating the Brotherhood of Spectre to recovering his full strength as soon as possible due to an emergency after finding no reason or cause for why Nathan's class changed.

Suddenly, a professor came into the class and made all the students silent for a moment.

"Erm! Good morning. My name is Dante Alexander. Instructor of magic spells. Nice to meet you all." Dante said in a rather loud voice while waving his left hand.

Then, chalk floated up and started writing his name on the blackboard.

That amazed some of the students, while the rest weren't impressed at all.

They didn't go to Raven Academy to write on the blackboard without moving their hands. They just wanted to learn how to use sorcery and Mana control.

To become a real sorcerer and reach 1-star Mage! It was the dream of nearly every student in the Mage Division.

Meanwhile, Aizen ignored the teacher. He was busy racking his brains over the possibility of the situation getting out of his control.

The next moment, his eyes fell on Inkgrit, who was sitting far in front of him.

'Right! These two young people are almost the same type. They are the exact opposite of Arman. I'm sure if one was being bullied, the other would help out.

'It is such a coincidence!

'I don't need to worry about the dispute that will ensue. Two against one is something that can not be underestimated.

'Arman won't be able to do as he pleases without proper preparation since the fourth prince entered the picture. Especially with Nathan's background, Arman will definitely resist his urges.'

'Within that period, it's my time to retrieve Reeva's power.'

But Aizen couldn't help but be distressed. Initially, he didn't need to deal with Arman because Inkgrit had an obscure background. So, Arman was not too obsessed with bullying.

That way, he could casually find out about the Brotherhood of Spectre as well as temper his physique to the level of a Knight Apprentice.

But with Nathan around, he was forced to deal with Arman directly. In fact, he knew that it was not an easy matter because Emperor Maximillian Argust himself was not able to reveal the truth about the incident of the second princess of the Tucan Kingdom.

And the person behind it all was Viscount Joe Malajorg. The Mayor of Mada City turned out to be a powerful political figure in the government of the Aslan Empire. No one knew because he was not a member of the ranks of imperial officials in the capital, especially considering his peerage of only a Viscount.

He was likely someone who was well-connected, highly organized, and influential, and had the knowledge and resources to plot and scheme against the emperor.

And yet, knowing such a powerful figure's background, Aizen still wanted to jump into the mud.

Why?

It was to ensure that the weakening of the Aslan Empire did not occur in the near future and that nothing would happen to the Inkgrit lest any clues about the Brotherhood of Spectre be lost.

He needed to ensure the well-being of the two of them.

'Ah, sh*t! What a troublesome matter I'm stuck in! It's more complicated and tricky than fighting on the battlefield!'

While Aizen was still thinking about how he should handle the problem, Nathan was chatting with Milo while whispering beside him.

"I joined this class because of the previous incident at the gate. I admire that girl who stood up for you guys. If my position wasn't far away, I would have come to protect you too."

"Ah, is it really like that? I think you should avoid that girl. She seems to be short-tempered." Milo answered in a low tone.

On the other hand, Aizen stood up from his seat and walked towards the teacher, ignoring Nathan and Milo's chatter.

"Hey, Aizen! Where are you going? Class isn't over yet!" Milo tried to pull his friend back. But his efforts were in vain because Aizen had already passed him.

In that instant, the attention of all the students in the class was fixed on Aizen, who stepped forward without a clear purpose. Even Arman, who was still glancing at Inkgrit, also turned his gaze to Aizen.

Dante frowned when he saw Aizen standing in front of him.

"Yes!?"

Aizen bowed and said, "Professor, I would like to transfer to the Knight Division class."

Everyone, who heard the words, was shocked and fell silent. They didn't expect such a statement to be heard in an age where being a mage was the most prestigious thing.

The degrees of a mage were dissimilar to a knight's. The difference was like heaven and earth. The two were too far apart.

In terms of strength alone, a mage was a shrewd Mana user than a knight, who could only use Mana Aura without being able to cast magic spells.

Besides, a knight wouldn't be treated with dignity; a mage would be respected and could have promising jobs in various places.

Therefore, the Mage Division's classes were always full, and many parents were trying to make their children become mages to increase their prospects of decent jobs. A mage could earn anywhere from 50 silver coins to 1 gold coin, whereas a knight would only earn around 10 silver coins.

Not to mention if one could become a talented mage, then connections to the high nobility would be easily accessible.

Such conditions were everyone's dream, especially for the lower classes of society.

Aizen himself was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. Of course, learning to become a mage was a must.

But now!?

"Is what you said true!? Think again. It's not something you should say casually. The knight class won't do you any good.

"Sigh! Return to your seat. I take it you are digressing, Student Barthomelo."

Dante said after blinking his eyes and letting out a sigh. His tone was slightly gentle and felt a hint of affection.

However, Aizen didn't flinch and remained standing in front of Dante. His eyes displayed a determination that would not be shaken by the slightest wind.

Concurrently, Inkgrit, Milo, and Nathan were shocked with their mouths open. As for Arman, he was so irritated that veins appeared on his forehead and then shot out.

"Are you crazy!? Go back to your seats now! Don't say such shameful words out of nowhere!"