Spellblade Class
Gris remembered his time with Gwen as if it were a fast-forwarded movie, but every detail was crystal clear. Four years older than him, Gwen had dark gray hair and shimmering amber eyes, often compared to Blayz's looks.
Three years ago, she pretended to die in the Seventh Apocalypse Wave to go to Pandemonium Academy. No one suspected her death since many died in the chaos.
"I haven't heard from Gwen in a long time," Gris whispered, trying to be calm despite feeling a twinge of panic because Gwen was never part of the original story.
Last night, he spent hours taking notes on the plot and characters he remembered. If it turned out that this world did not go according to the story, he would have to be extra careful and come up with a new plan.
"Your sister can't send the news as she pleases. She must be careful because the empire might discover she was still alive. But now she's in the empire."
Gris frowned. "What for? Isn't that dangerous?"
Alberic took time to answer. The real reason Gwen had come to the empire was to see Gris, more precisely, to give him a proper burial.
Gwen considered the Forest of Death test difficult for her young brother to handle. Before leaving for the academy, she declared she would return when 15-year-old Gris took the test.
Out of a sense of kinship, she was determined to make it to Amarthia to ensure her brother received a proper burial. She also brought copies of academy textbooks for children who had successfully passed the test.
"Lady Gwendolyn would like to see you," Alberic did not have the heart to say that Gwen did not believe in Gris' abilities, so he only revealed part of the truth.
"Gwen is already a committee member, right?"
"Yes, she became an alchemist there. Her title is Explosives Expert. She creates explosive weapons like cannons. She has never been out of the headquarters during this time. This is her first leave after becoming a member."
Gris had no more memories with Gwen after her sister attended the academy. They never exchanged letters because it was too dangerous. The warmth that momentarily spread throughout his body when he heard Gwen's news from Alberic proved they were close.
"Is my sister coming to the mansion?"
Alberic shook his head. "She will not come here to avoid suspicion. She disguised herself as an alchemist from another kingdom who came to Amarthia for a global alchemist gathering."
"Ah, that means she's already got a new identity."
"You're right. Lady Gwen once informed me that the committee had changed her identity and appearance. She now has dark brown hair. Her eye color is still the same, as transformation magic hasn't developed much. She has burns on both her hands and face."
"What should I say when I meet her?"
"The key word is walnut or almond. Say that, and she will know you're from the Silverth family."
Gris was silent momentarily, thinking about how he should behave when he met Gwen. He did share memories with Griswalden. It was just that he felt uncomfortable acting like the real one, always silent with a dead stare.
He was not worried when Blayz discovered his change in attitude. But Gwen was a different case. Griswalden had a special bond with his older sister.
His heart warmed just by hearing news of her. It was not the reaction he expected, but his body reacted automatically.
'If I make the meeting awkward, the original Griswalden's feelings that are still connected to this body will react. Well, I have to act like him just for once.'
Gris returned to reality. "When does the global gathering start?" he asked Alberic, who immediately frowned in surprise.
"I haven't told you about Lady Gwen's arrival because you were busy disposing of the corpses. But you must have heard that the gathering has been held for a week. Everyone is talking about it."
"I guess I was too busy with my hobbies to notice anything else."
Alberic squinted as Gris smiled. Actually, Gris' hobby gave him goosebumps. He had once crossed paths with that kid in the middle of the night when he was dragging a fresh corpse with a blank stare.
Seeing Gris's improved appearance, Alberic felt at ease conversing with him. However, he could not shake the thought of whether Gris might be influenced by the spirit of one of the dead.
"Can I see her tomorrow?" Gris asked again.
"I'll discuss it with Sir Blayz first."
"Also, tell him I want to raid doomkeep before meeting with my sister. I want one competent guard to protect me and rent a low-level doomkeep for us. I want to see how my power affects the monsters there."
"Are you sure you don't want to practice first?"
Gris could understand Alberic's concern but had to visit the doomkeep as soon as possible. Several portals in the doomkeep could be a way out or connect to other places.
He wanted to check if those portals connected to his original world. The only way back he could think of was a portal that did not exist anywhere but in the doomkeep.
"That's why I need one qualified guard," Gris would not let Alberic refuse his request. "He must have a high rank. There are no dangerous monsters in low doomkeep, right?"
Alberic could not refuse because Gris' request was harmless. In low-level Doomkeep, only passive monsters acted to defend themselves.
Cases of death occurring in low-level doomkeep were sporadic. Knights without the divine blessing could get out of there without being seriously injured.
"Your father will agree to your request as long as it involves your power," Alberic made Gris beam with his words. He then pointed at a tall, bulky man waiting outside the greenhouse. "Do you know him?"
Gris glanced at the man following him and Alberic since earlier. "I don't know who he is. But it seems father sent him to look after me."
"His name is Declan, and he is an academy student. He came here to do his practical exam to help Sir Blayz without getting caught by the empire."
"Is there some sort of practical test?"
"It depends on the position you want in the committee. If you want to be a spy, you will receive a practical exam like Declan."
The more Gris learned about the academy, the more curious he became about being an apprentice there. If he did not find anything to go back to his world, he would focus on studying at the academy.
He had no intention of siding with Lux or anyone from the side of virtue because he would still die in the end. Lux would not think twice about finishing him off when he discovered Blayz was a spy.
Many territories were destroyed due to the spies sent by the Doomsday Committee. Because of that, the empire of Amarthia would impose the death penalty on spies, including their families, for three generations.
When the rule emerged, the people did not raise a fuss about human rights. They wanted to return to a peaceful life without being haunted by the fear of the next Doomsday Wave.
"Am I going with Declan?" Gris had already finished examining Declan's physique, which was better than his.
Alberic gave a nod. "He will also be the one to accompany you to meet with Lady Gwendolyn. He must learn how to behave calmly in public."
"There won't be any trouble, will there?"
"I forgot to tell you that Declan has received a divine blessing. He got spellblade as his class."
Spellblade was a class that combined magic power with weapon-fighting skills. They combined physical attacks and magic to deal with various situations.
The Spellblade was typically granted to knights who honed their physical prowess before receiving divine blessings. In contrast, individuals with innate magical abilities like Rowena seldom acquired the Spellblade, as they were more often bestowed with the Mage class.
"I want an easy-to-use weapon for my raid tomorrow," Gris requested, the last topic of his conversation with Alberic.
That day, Blayz gave permission for Gris to raid and meet Gwen with Declan. He added another guard because the situation outside was not as safe as in the mansion.
Gris would see the aftermath of the apocalypse tomorrow, just like in Rise of the Low-class Hero. The mansion was untouched by the Doomsday Wave. But as he ventured out, he would witness the chaos from the war between the Doomsday Committee and the Heroes.