Collection 1

141-150

Chapter 141: The Fight For The Position Of Vice-Prefect

William was praising himself for thinking of such an amazing strategy in order to deal with the bastards who dared to challenge his authority.

'Hmp! Since you dare to fight then you should be prepared for the consequences!' William laughed inside his heart as he watched Drake's and Spencer's faces turn red from anger.

"Honored instructors, I know that this might be sudden, but can you allow this fight to happen?" William asked. "I need to fill up the other positions so that the management of the First Years will go smoothly."

"… I will allow it," Grent said with amusement. "Let's go to the coliseum. Since it is another battle royale, it will be the best place to hold the competition."

Drake and Spencer were cursing William internally. If not for the presence of the instructors, they might have already given him the middle finger.

They were already regretting the fact that they had dared to challenge such a shameless person. Even so, since they had already made a declaration they had to go along with it even though they were bound to lose.

"This William is very sly," Andy muttered. "With this, no one will dare to challenge his authority in the future."

The instructors, who heard him, nodded their heads in agreement. This was the first time they had seen such a character appear in the Martial Classes and it gave them a very refreshing feeling.

The students of the Magic and Spirit Divisions noted this strategy in their hearts. If they were to become the Head Prefects of their own Dormitories then imitating William's approach would ensure that their position would remain safe and secure.

"William has grown a lot since the last time we saw him," a beautiful young lady with midnight blue hair said as he held her lover's hand.

"My cousin usually likes to act in a low-key manner, but since he was forced to be in the spotlight, he is milking it to the fullest." The handsome young man with short red-hair nodded his head in agreement. "I never thought that he'd become the Head Prefect as soon as he entered the Royal Academy. I'm very impressed."

"So you say, but were you not also the Head Prefect during your First Year?"

"Ah, it's because there weren't any strong individuals back then."

"It's not because there was a lack of strong individuals," the beautiful lady said as she leaned her head on his chest. "You're just too strong."

"Perhaps." the handsome red-head replied as he kissed his lover's forehead. "We will visit him after the selection for the Head Prefect of our year is over. Make sure not to tease him too much when we meet up with him, okay?"

"I understand. Don't worry, I will support you this year as well."

"Thank you."

—–

Inside the coliseum, Drake and Spencer stood with their heads held high. The other students, on the other hand, were gripping their weapons in anticipation. If they could kill even one of these boys

then the chance to become the Vice Prefect is assured!

The coliseum had an enchantment placed on it, similar to the Enchanted Forest. Anyone who died would automatically be ejected off of the battleground and taken to a safe location.

"Let the battle, begin!" William raised his fist and announced the start of the competition.

The students roared as they rushed toward the two boys with blood-shot eyes.

Drake and Spencer held their ground and unleashed their full power. Since they were about to die anyway, why not take as many of these bastards as they could with them?

The battle didn't become as one-sided as William initially guessed. Sure, Drake and Spencer were disadvantaged, but they were two of the strongest students among the First Years in the Martial Division.

Both of them went all out and wore their enchanted armors, accessories, and weapons. It made them more formidable and more deadly.

Spencer danced across the battlefield using his superior mobility in order to dodge and attack his pursuers. Everytime he thrust his spear, a pain-filled scream would follow. Drake on the other hand, was like an immovable mountain. The pressure he gave off was not something that a regular student could hope to attain.

Even so, he received several injuries from the united attacks that were coming his way.

"Not bad," William muttered as he observed the battle. "The two of them are quite capable. Don't you think so, too, Mama?"

"Meeeeeeh." Ella nodded in agreement. Although the two boys were weaker than her in her War Ibex Form, she had to agree that they were very competent fighters.

For a moment, those who were spectating thought that a miracle would happen. However, all of these expectations disappeared when a soft buzz reached Drake's ears.

"Sh*t!" Drake cursed when he realized that the one who had killed him inside the Enchanted Forest had struck during a critical time. He was currently fending off four attackers, and the archer chose to attack just as he unleashed his attack.

It was impossible to dodge, so all he could do was endure. He hoped that his armor would be strong enough to block the arrow from the hateful black-haired-girl who had backstabbed him for the second time!

The arrow hit its target, and Drake's body stiffened before turning into particles of light.

"Adamantium arrow?" William raised an eyebrow. "This girl really is scary. She still has trump cards up her sleeve."

After killing Drake, Priscilla raised her head to look at William for a brief moment before aiming at Spencer in the distance. She fired four arrows consecutively forming beautiful arcs in the air.

When the arrows neared Spencer, they all detonated and gave a blinding flash of light. All the students, including Spencer, were momentarily blinded by the attack.

Priscilla nocked another adamantium arrow on her bow and took aim. The moment she released the arrow, a gust of wind followed suit. Her black hair danced as she narrowed her eyes to look at her target.

Spencer's head was blown apart like a watermelon before turning into particles of light.

"So decisive," William commented. "Not bad."

Andy rubbed his chin with a smile as he looked at Priscilla. He had already intended to make her and William his apprentices during their stay at the Royal Academy. He was very satisfied with their performance and he hoped that they would continue to grow to become experts in the field of archery.

"The students this year are quite competent," One of the martial instructors commented with a grin. "Looks like, this year, we will have a chance to teach those arrogant magicians a thing or two."

The other instructors nodded their heads in agreement. They had long accepted that they would remain in the lowest ranked position again this year, but the appearance of William, Priscilla, Drake, and Spencer brought them hope.

Priscilla tucked her hair behind her ear as she gazed at the boy that had beaten her during the competition. Unlike Drake and Spencer, she experienced first-hand how strong William was. She would definitely not underestimate him ever again.

Seeing the beautiful girl's passionate gaze, William casually flipped his hair and nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"From this moment onwards, I declare Priscilla Nerelle Grandfall, the new Vice-Prefect of the Solaris Dormitory," William announced.

"Also, I will be selecting a few more students to become the officers under my management. Even though the position of the Vice-Prefect is already taken, there are still other slots to fill! So, everyone, do your best. Those who perform well after a month's time will become the next batch of officers for the First Years!"

The students cheered in unison. They were quite happy that they would be given a fair chance to show off their abilities and win an official position instead of having to use bribes, or lower themselves to become William's lackeys in order to raise their ranks in the Solaris Dormitory.

Chapter 142: Glory To The Demon Race! [R-18]

[Disclaimer: This chapter contains R-18 Scenes]

The excitement in the First Year Martial Class Division died down after a few days. William's stellar performance had taken a back seat because the competition for the Head Prefect of the Martial, Spirit, and Magic Division Classes in different year-levels had started.

Understand that being the commander over an entire division was a position that no one would allow to slip past their fingers. It was the easiest way to get noticed by the King of the Hellan Kingdom and receive his good graces.

William, Ella, and Kenneth wanted to see how Est would do in his competition, but they were barred from entering the Magic Division. When William asked the guards why, they only told him that the Martial Classes didn't have the qualifications to enter the grounds of the Spirit and Magic Division Classes.

The red-headed boy was dumbfounded by this kind of treatment, but he didn't pursue the matter. William had a meeting with Grent after the battle in the coliseum, and the latter had told him about the "unfair treatment" that the Martial Division Classes were receiving from the two other Divisions.

Grent added that if William were to experience these things, he shouldn't get angry on the spot and just let it be for the time being.

This was the sad truth in the Southern Continent. Only those with Spiritual and Magic Powers were treated as if they were special from the rest. As for those who didn't have magic? They would be treated just like everyone else inside the Royal Academy even if they were a noble.

"To think that there is such descrimination here in the Royal Academy," Kenneth wrinkled his nose in annoyance.

"It's fine," William said as the three of them went back to the Solaris Dormitory. "Since they don't allow the Martial Classes to enter their Divisions then I will, also, not allow them to enter ours."

Kenneth gave him the "You can do that?" look and William only chuckled at his roommate's dumbfounded expression.

"Of course I can do that," William replied. "Just watch me."

William approached the guards that were guarding the gates of the First Year Martial Division. He then showed them his prefect badge and gave out his order. Although the two guards looked at him in a weird manner, they promised that they would enforce the rules that he had given them.

Kenneth looked at how William used his authority in a very casual manner.

"You are a very petty person, you know that, right?"

"I'm one that likes to hold grudges. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!"

Kenneth shook his head helplessly as he followed his roommate back to their dormitory

room.

William was feeling very smug about his blatant use of his authority, that he had completely forgotten that the few friends that had a relationship with belonged to the other divisions. This order of his would make Ian ridicule him in the not so distant future.

—–

"Sir, the hot water you wanted is here," the pretty girl who was working inside the inn said as she knocked on the door of a room.

A handsome man wearing elegant clothes opened the door and made a gesture for her to come in. When the pretty girl was safely inside his room, he locked the door and faced her with a grin.

The pretty girl stood still in the center of the room in a daze.

The handsome man walked towards the bed and motioned for her to come to him.

"Come," the man ordered.

"… Yes," the girl replied as she walked towards him. She stopped half a meter from the man and waited patiently for his next orders.

The man lifted the girl's chin as he looked at her clouded eyes. He had placed a powerful suggestion spell on her earlier to come to his room in the middle of the night when everyone inside the inn was sleeping.

It was very easy for him to empower the suggestion spell because the pretty girl took a liking to him when she guided him to his room. The major factor that empowered the spell was because the girl was only a commoner, and had no resistance to magic. He only needed to wait until the effect of the spell matured in order to have his victim willingly enter his arms.

"Time to have a taste," the handsome man lowered his lips and kissed the pretty girl.

The girl's body stiffened for a brief moment before it became lax. The handsome man held her waist firmly to prevent her from collapsing on the floor.

A minute later, their lips parted as the man licked his lips in satisfaction.

"Such a sweet and innocent life force," The handsome man sighed in appreciation. "Now, the question remains… should I pluck your cherry or not?"

The girl offered no reply. She leaned weakly on the man's chest as if all of her strength had been sucked out from her lips. If the man really decided to have his way with her, the girl would definitely not be able to form any sort of resistance.

The handsome man expertly removed her upper clothes so her beautiful breasts appeared before his eyes. He then lowered his lips to kiss the pink tips that were fanning the flames of his lust, before placing them inside his mouth to lick and suck on them.

He was very satisfied with the softness and volume of her breast, causing him to enjoy them to the fullest. The handsome man spent a few minutes fondling, kissing, licking, and sucking the girl's proud peaks, while soft moans escaped the girl's lips.

He only stopped when he had enough, and prepared to go to the next phase of his night of pleasure.

As his hand was slowly making its way towards the pretty girl's lower body, he heard the voice of the owner of the inn calling out her daughter's name from the first floor.

"Ava?" the voice called. "Where are you, girl?"

The handsome man clicked his tongue because the opportunity had been lost. He knew that he couldn't jeopardize his mission just for the sake of saiting his carnal desires on a mere commoner, no matter how pretty she was.

The handsome man whispered in the girl's ears as he strengthened the suggestion spell that had already taken hold of her mind and body.

"You will forget everything that has happened. You will not remember my face, my name, or anything that is related to me. Do you understand?"

"… Yes," the pretty girl replied weakly.

The handsome man watched as the pretty girl tottered towards the door. Even in her weakened state, the pretty girl didn't forget to bow and lock the door behind her.

"This is only a small mishap," the handsome man muttered as he looked outside the window of his room. "Once I enter the Royal Academy, I will follow my Lord's order and… indulge myself on the beautiful bodies of the most talented ladies in the kingdom while I suck the life force from their luscious lips. I can't wait to have a taste."

The man grinned as he held back the laughter inside his chest. "Glory to the Demon Race!"

Chapter 143: Inner Circle Of Friends

Two days passed and the Head Prefects of the different Divisions had emerged victorious from their competitions.

William was pleasantly surprised when he received the list of the new Head Prefects. Est had successfully become the Head Prefect for the Magic Division of the First Year Students. However, William's surprise didn't end there, the name that appeared for the Fourth Year of the Magic Division was a name that he knew too well.

Matthew Von Ainsworth, Head Prefect of the Magic Class Division (Fourth Year).

"It seems that Big Brother Matthew is not being low profile here in the academy," William muttered as he sat down on the bed.

Matthew was aware of William's current condition because Leah's and his parents' letters had arrived at the Hellan Royal Academy. His parents, Mordred and Anna, asked Matthew to look after his cousin and make sure to keep his secret safe while he explored the world outside of Lont.

William and Matthew had a very good relationship, and both of them treated each other as a real brother instead of a cousin. With that said, William was very happy that he could hug his "Big Brother's" thighs if push came to shove.

In regards to the way the Martial Classes were being treated by the other divisions, William couldn't think of a good plan to reverse the current situation. All he could do was to ensure that the people under his wing would perform well and put the arrogant Spirit and Magic Divisions back in their rightful place.

"At the end of the day, it all comes down to strength," William sighed as he closed the document in his hand. "Master was right. Those who have the bigger fist dictate the rules. The weak can only nod their heads in submission or perish in the aftermath."

The survival of the fittest, or the law of the jungle, was the most basic law that those who could wield power followed. William understood this concept, but he didn't like it.

Even though it wasn't perfect, the laws back on Earth could "force" the authorities to take the necessary actions once a citizen used "the power of the masses". This power was so great that even those people in high ranking positions had no choice but to compromise once this move was used.

'Unfortunately, there is no social media in this world,' William mused. 'Just one post and it would definitely go viral.'

Ella rested her head on William's lap, and the boy unconsciously patted her head. This was the scene that Kenneth saw when he entered the room after checking out the latest news of the other Divisions.

Kenneth grinned as he approached William and tapped his shoulder, "There are people looking for you outside the gates. They can't

come in because a certain someone prevented them from doing so."

"People looking for me?" William frowned. "Do you know them?"

"I only know three of them," Kenneth replied. "Est, Ian, and Isaac. Also, there are two more people. One of them had the same hair color as you, while the other was a beautiful lady with midnight blue hair."

Ella lifted her head from William's lap because she recognized the two people that Kenneth had described.

"Meeeeeeh."

"Yes, Mama. It's definitely Big Brother and Big Sister."

"Meeeeeh."

"Okay, let's meet them." William nodded his head then thanked Kenneth for passing on their message.

Kenneth decided to follow behind William. He was very curious about the people that had a relationship with him. William didn't mind bringing Kenneth along with him. In fact, he wanted to introduce him to his Big Brother and Big Sister as the first friend he made inside the academy.

Also, since Kenneth was his roommate, it would be a great idea if they get to know each other, so that they could look after this delicate silver-gray-haired boy when William was not around.

"Big Brother, Big Sister, Est, and Isaac, thank you for visiting me," William greeted them with a smile as he met them at the gates. He then looked at the guards who had carried out his orders with a smile. "These two people are the Head Prefects of the Magic Division Classes. In the future, please, allow them to enter the premises if they are looking for me."

William then raised his chin and pointed it at Ian, "As for this snot-nosed-pansy, feel free to keep him out of the premises. He's just a side character. He is not important!"

"Y-You!" Ian gnashed his teeth in anger.

He had come here with Est to thank William because the strategy he used helped them to win the competition for the Head Prefect in the Magic Division. To think that not only did William ban them from entering, the red-headed-boy even explicitly told the guards to not let him pass because he was a side character and not important!

Ian was so close to lunging at William and beating him up to a pulp. Unfortunately, the shepherd hadn't exited the gate and hid behind the guards that were watching over it.

Est gave a light cough as he looked at Ian with an apologetic gaze. He then moved closer to Ian and whispered something in his ear.

"I'll ask him to let you pass after our meeting," Est whispered. "Until then, stay here and take note of the people who tried to enter the gates aside from us. I believe that they are people who want to recruit William into their party. This is something that we cannot allow to happen, understood?"

Although Ian was still reluctant at being left out, he still nodded his head in acknowledgement. William had been a hot topic in the Spirit and Magic Divisions. There were plenty of people who wanted to make him part of their team.

The reason why they came here right after the ceremony was to ask William to join their party when they entered dungeons and domains in the future. The three children, Est, Ian, and Isaac knew full well how powerful William could be in a battle.

If the other teams were to successfully poach him, wouldn't that lower their chances of clearing the hard dungeons that were available in the academy? This was something that they couldn't allow to happen.

"Understood." Ian nodded his head. He was someone who could think of the bigger picture.

"Thank you," Est replied. "Don't worry, I'll convince him. Just make sure to stop butting heads with him after I succeed in the negotiations."

"Okay." Ian sighed. There was nothing he could do, but accept the fact that William was no longer an ordinary student that he could bully. He was the Head Prefect of a Division, which meant that he had to give him some face in front of the public.

Matthew and Leah were talking to William, but they were also paying close attention to Est and the twins that were always around him. Although they knew that they were William's friends, the two of them were still wary of their backgrounds.

For them, William was too trusting. Since that was the case, they took it upon themselves to keep watch on the people that were trying to get close to him.

What they didn't know was that Ella was a very good judge of character. Since she had already vouched for Est, Isaac, Ian, and Kenneth's temperament, William would definitely keep them in his inner circle of friends.

Chapter 144: Collaboration

"Big Brother, I knew you were awesome, but I didn't know you were this awesome," William flattered his Big Brother which made the latter pat his head affectionately.

"I thought that you would be keeping a low profile once you arrived at the capital, but it seems that you're not someone that wants to get ordered around," Matthew replied with a smile.

"Haha, I just want to keep Mama Ella with me all the time. I didn't think things through and made myself stand out by accident."

"Uh-huh, I've already sent grandpa a letter informing him that both of us have become Head Prefects. I'm sure that he'll be laughing out loud once he reads it. He will definitely not keep silent about it and brag about it to his friends and acquaintances."

"Yikes." William could already imagine his grandpa's smug expression as he told his friends that his two grandsons were the Big Shots in the Hellan Royal Academy.

Est and Isaac were only listening from the side, but they were surprised to find out that this person was related to William. Also, Matthew was their senior and also a Head Prefect in the Royal Academy. Est made a mental note to gather information about William's "Big Brother" once he returned to his dormitory room.

"Ah, Big Sister Leah, you've grown more beautiful since the last time I saw you," William complimented his Big Sister. He then glanced at his Big Brother and gave him a knowing smile. "Big Brother, If you don't keep watch over Big Sister, several bees will be attracted to her."

"Don't worry, even if they come in swarms, I'll just burn them all to the ground," Matthew answered with confidence.

In the years that the two of them had stayed in the academy, several students, from different grades, would always confess their feelings to Leah. This was another reason why Matthew did his best to become the Head Prefect, so he could protect his fiance from these obnoxious bugs.

Yes. Leah became his fiance after her father, Sebas, and his Grandpa James, helped with the matchmaking. The two of them would get married at the end of their Fourth Year at the Royal Academy once they returned to Lont.

If not for the fact that the two were truly in love with each other, Sebas might have convinced his daughter otherwise.

"Your way with words has greatly improved over the years, Little Will." Leah teased. "There are many in our Department who have found you to their liking. Should I play matchmaker for you? Your Big Sister knows a lot of beautiful ladies."

"You can't!" Est wasn't able to stop himself from voicing his protest out loud. When he realized what he had done, his face immediately flushed in embarrassment.

William was surprised by Est's sudden outburst, but he just smiled and winked at his Big Sister Leah.

"Big Sister, I'm not in a hurry to find a girlfriend right now," William replied. "I came here, to the Royal Academy, to learn things, not to form a romantic relationship with anyone."

"Oh?" Leah raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

"Big Sister, if possible, introduce me to them some other time."

"I thought you didn't come here to form romantic relationships with anyone?"

"Forming a romantic relationship and forming connections are two different things," William argued. "It is best to know a lot of people so that you know who to talk to in case you need to ask for a favor."

"Alright." Leah nodded her head in understanding. "I'll introduce you to them when you're not too busy with your duties."

"Thank you, Big Sister, you are the best." William gave her a light

hug, and the latter hugged him back.

Kenneth returned with some snacks and refreshments and served them on the table. After becoming the Head Prefect of the First Years, William was given a bigger room that fit his position. Naturally, he asked the instructors to allow Kenneth to remain his roommate, so the two were still living together.

William and his guests ate their snacks while having random conversations. After half an hour, Matthew stood up from his seat and bid his goodbye.

"We can't stay here for long because I still have duties waiting for me back in the Fourth Year Division." Matthew patted William's shoulder. "However, if you have questions in regards to being a Head Prefect, don't hesitate to ask me. I will inform the guards to allow you to enter the premises."

"Thank you, Big Brother," William replied. "When I encounter difficulties, I'll immediately go to you and ask for your help."

"… Just don't go causing trouble."

"Of course not. I'm a good boy."

William and Matthew exchanged a knowing glance before the latter nodded his head and left the room with Leah.

As soon as he left, Est was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. He was quite sensitive when it came to people observing him at a close distance. Because of this, he wasn't able to tell William the real reason for his visit.

Now that the third and fourth wheels were gone, Est finally decided to get right down to business.

"William, I came here to ask a favor from you," Est stated.

"Is this about Ian?" William snorted. "Fine. I'll allow him entry, but only when he is with you. I don't want him to go out of his way to visit the Martial Division just to bother me."

"Thank you." Est chuckled. "However, that is not the main reason for my visit."

"It's not?"

"No. I'm here to propose a collaboration."

"A collaboration?" William tilted his head in confusion. "What do you have in mind?"

"It's something like this," Est started his explanation.

Est told William that there would be monthly and quarterly assessments for each Head Prefect and they would be required to visit a dungeon or a domain once a month. For dungeons, having a party of five to six people was ideal.

Est asked William to become part of his party permanently and not join the other parties that would later come to him and ask him to join them.

William understood the gist of Est's proposal and readily agreed on it. He had fought side by side with Est and the twins in the past. By his standards, the three of them were very capable individuals and forming a party with them would bring benefits for him.

He then looked at the delicate looking boy who was seated next to him and asked for his opinion.

"How about you, Kenneth?" William asked. "Do you want to join our team as well?"

"Can I?" Kenneth answered. For him, as long as he was together with William, in order to observe him, he didn't mind tagging along in their party for dungeon and domain explorations.

"Of course you can." William patted his chest. "With this, there are already five of us. However, I'm feeling a bit down."

"Feeling down?" Est inquired. "Why?"

William sighed, "A party made up of only boys. Are we going to form a boy band? How about we get a girl to join our party so that we will have a muse."

Although the three children didn't understand the term "boy band", they realized that what William said held some truth. Est and Isaac had mixed feelings about William's statement.

They wanted to say something, but in the end, they held back and just sighed internally.

"How about you invite Priscilla to join us?" Kenneth proposed. "With her skill, the strength of our party will improve by leaps and bounds."

"Priscilla…" William crossed his arms over his chest as he considered his roommate's proposal. In regards to fighting ability, Priscilla is a good choice. However, William wasn't sure if adding her to their team was a good idea.

"Let me consider it first," William said after careful thought. William then looked at his dependable Mama Ella.

"Meeeeeeeh."

"She's good, but she's not loyal?"

"Meeeeeh."

"How about her character?"

"Meeeeeh."

"So-so?"

"Meeeeeeeeh."

"I see. Let's observe her for now then."

Ella nodded her head in acknowledgement. Priscilla was a neutral person according to Ella's view. She could shift from being a good friend to becoming an enemy. Although she didn't say outright that Priscilla would become her baby's enemy, there was a fifty-fifty chance for that to happen.

Ella wouldn't take the risk and allow Priscilla to join their team after she had carefully observed the person's behavior. Only when she had determined that Priscilla didn't pose any threat to her baby then and only then would she give William the "Go" signal and allow her to join their party.

Seeing William's positive response to his invitation, Est felt that their victory was assured. With such a powerful Shepherd on their side, getting a passing grade was already in the bag.

"The first dungeon exploration will begin at the end of the month," Est stated. "Since we are only First Years, there are only three dungeons available to us. The Orc Fortress, The Hound Bastion, and the Goblin Crypt. I'll come and find you once I get more information about the dungeons. Until then, I'll keep in touch."

William didn't hear everything that Est had said. His mind froze when he heard the dungeon name "Goblin Crypt".

Ella, who was lying beside William, opened her eyes wide. She then looked at her baby and found William looking back at her. Both of them were thinking about the same thing and it was mainly due to the fact that they had entered the Goblin Crypt through the Ring of Conquest.

'This needs further investigation,' William thought as he unconsciously rubbed the ring on his finger. 'I wonder if this Goblin Crypt is the same Goblin Crypt that I have been visiting for the last thirteen years of my life.'

Chapter 145: Turn The Royal Academy Upside Down

"Good morning, Professor."

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Professor!

"Good morning to you, too."

A handsome young man, who seemed to be in his early twenties, greeted the two students who were looking at him with a flushed expression.

"Today is the first day of class," the handsome professor said with a smile. "If you don't hurry up, the two of you are going to be late. This is not a good trait that beautiful and talented girls, such yourselves, should possess."

Although he said this in a stern manner, the smile on his face made the two girls feel their hearts beat wildly inside their chests.

Seeing their reactions, the handsome professor sighed and took four candies from his pocket, "It can't be helped. Take these and be on your way."

The two girls giggled and accepted the professor's gift. They then walked away while sneaking glances at their handsome professor.

"Professor Carter is so dreamy. I wonder if he has a girlfriend."

"He doesn't have a girlfriend. I had already asked around and this information has been confirmed."

"Handsome, talented, and the youngest professor in the Royal Academy," the pretty girl with shoulder-length brown sighed. "There are rumors that the king himself is planning to nurture him to become a high-ranking official."

"Actually, that rumor is actually true," the girl's best friend replied as she looked around their surroundings. "According to a reliable source, Professor Carter only needs to complete one year of teaching in the Royal Academy before he is taken as the assistant of the Prime Minister."

"Is this true? If yes then I'd better get serious and catch his attention."

"Goodluck, but, the two of us are going to be rivals. Please, go easy on me, will you?"

"Why don't we share him between the two of us?" the pretty girl with brown hair proposed. "That way, he will not be able to cheat on us even if there are other girls who plan to hook up with him."

"Sounds like a plan," the girl's best friend replied. "Oh my gosh! This candy is so delicious. I wonder how it was made?"

"You're right," the brown haired girl agreed. "This is probably a very expensive candy that is not sold in the capital. Maybe we can ask for more after classes end. What do you think?"

"I like the sound of that!"

"Remember, you're not allowed to take the lead."

"Deal!"

——

Carter was walking towards the dining hall when a sliver of power passed through his body. A smile appeared on his face because it meant that the two girls had eaten the candies that he had given them.

By now, the suggestion magic that he had infused on those same candies had already planted a seed inside their subconscious minds. As they ate more of his candies, they would gradually fall into his hands and become willing slaves that would help him capture the peerless and talented girls inside the Hellan Royal Academy.

Aside from the two girls earlier, he had already given his candies to four others. He wasn't in a hurry to corrupt all of them because the school year had just started. He planned to take his time in "training" them. He wanted to mould their bodies and minds to be the perfect slaves that he could use to turn the Royal Academy upside down.

—–

William and Kenneth had arrived at the dining hall after taking a shower inside their dormitory room. The other students who had followed William in their training were, surprisingly, sharing the same table with them.

Priscilla was seated across from William and Kenneth as she ate her sandwich in peace. Since she was the Vice-Prefect of the First Years, it was only natural for her to be seen with William.

However, what the shepherd didn't understand was that, aside from her, Spencer, Drake, and the boy named Conrad, along

with his lackeys were seated at the same table as him. Just like Priscilla, Spencer and Drake were seated across William, while Conrad sat beside him.

William didn't say anything, because although it was odd, all of them were in the same school year. Since he couldn't reserve the entire table as his own, having people with familiar faces around him was the next best thing.

"Head Prefect. You said that in a month's time, you will choose the new batch of officers, isn't that right?" Drake asked.

"Yes," William replied with a smile. "Are you interested?"

"Very interested."

"Then you have to do your best. I will only pick capable individuals," William stated. "However, the way you are now, you won't qualify for any position I have in mind."

"Why?" Drake inquired. "I am confident in my strength."

The other students who were eating inside the dining hall perked their ears to listen to their conversation. Earlier, the dining hall was still noisy, but now, only the sounds of utensils moving could be heard.

"Strength alone doesn't win battles," William answered. "I already mentioned this in my speech when I became Head Prefect. Besides, individual battles are going to be rare starting from this point onwards. If you want to have a position, you must learn to cooperate in group battles."

Matthew had already given William some pointers on how to be a good Head Prefect. As someone who had held the position for four straight years, Matthew was well aware of how difficult it was to maintain his position.

Because of this, he didn't skimp on anything and told William exactly what he needed to do in order to succeed.

"Are you talking about the Inter-Division-Battles?" Spencer asked.

"Yes and No," William replied as he drank his fruit juice. "Aside from the battle against other divisions, we are also required to complete missions from the academy. Although you can do these missions alone, it will be faster if you do it with a group of people. Think of this as a form of training."

"But forming teams is only for the weak…," Drake mumbled. "I want to be like the Sword Saint who protects the borders of the Hellan Kingdom. With him alone, the armies of the other four kingdoms dare not enter our territory. I want that kind of power."

William patted Drake's shoulder and said goodluck.

He was not against the notion of walking the lonely path towards the Peak of the Mortal Realm. In fact, this was the path that William initially decided to take when he was born in this world.

However, he was not meant to travel that lonely path. In this lifetime, he had his Mama Ella, and thirteen other goats who were willing to fight by his side. With such a loving family backing him up, how could he possibly abandon them and move forward on his own?

"Head Prefect, do you want to form a team with us for the upcoming Dungeon Exploration?" Conrad asked.

"Ah about that, I want Priscilla, Spencer, Drake, and you to form your own teams," William answered. "I am looking for qualified generals that will help me command our entire Division during the battles that we will face in the future."

The students who heard William's words nodded their heads in understanding. The Domain and Dungeon explorations were an integral part of the academy's teaching. Aside from taking missions that would require them to travel outside the academy, the Dungeon and Domain explorations would help them sharpen their fighting abilities.

"Can we recruit students from other divisions?" Priscilla asked after finishing her sandwich. "Or must we rely only on the students of the Martial Class Division?"

"Freel free to recruit students from the other divisions," William answered. "The ideal is to form a permanent team with people you can trust. Although all the Divisions are our rivals, that doesn't mean that they are our enemy."

All students were required to take missions twice a month. By doing this, they would be able to earn "Academy Points" that they could exchange for special items from the Academy's Exchange Shop.

Once the students had obtained enough Academy Points, they would be able to buy rare weapons, ability scrolls, enchanted armors, and other items that would help strengthen their bodies and raise their ranks.

Top performers of each Year-Grade would be given a special reward by the instructors on a quarterly basis.

"How about you, Head Prefect?" Drake asked. "Who will you be teaming up with during the dungeon explorations?"

William finished chewing an apple before answering Drake's question. He had no intention of hiding his relationship with Est and the rest, so it was best to come clean to avoid future misunderstandings.

"The Head Prefect of the Magic Division begged me to form a party with them," William said in an arrogant manner. "Since I am a refined, elegant, and charismatic person, it was hard for me to reject his offer."

The students inside the dining hall pretended that they didn't hear the part about their Head Prefect being refined, elegant, and charismatic. They focused more on the part where the Head Prefect of the Magic Division "begged" William to form a party with them.

"A permanent party?" Priscilla asked. "How many members do you have?"

"Five." William spread out the fingers in his left hand. "Kenneth is included in my party as well."

The students in the dining hall gave Kenneth sneaking glances that were filled with envy. To be personally added to the party of the Head Prefect means that William had already taken Kenneth under his wing.

There were many students who wished they could swap places with Kenneth, but hurriedly tossed this idea to the side. They wanted to be like William. If a shepherd, who had spent his days tending sheep and goats, could become a Head Prefect then they, too, could become officers using their own powers.

After his speech, William had unknowingly become the idol of the commoners in the Royal Academy. They looked at him favorably because he was just like them. A common person who rose through the ranks due to his hard work.

William was feeling smug because everyone was seriously listening to his every word. This had never happened to him before and it was usually "he" who needed to listen to others in a serious manner.

The shepherd enjoyed this moment of happiness, unaware that he would be caught inside the storm that was brewing inside the Royal Academy.

Chapter 146: Don't Hold Back And Crush Them

Two weeks had passed and William finally got used to his daily life in the academy. The lessons were very informative, especially the class that described the wild Spirit Beasts that roamed around the Southern Continent.

William took these lessons seriously. He memorized the safe way on how to fight against these beasts as well as their weaknesses. Since he had no powers right now, knowing this kind of information would be beneficial for him.

Today, Grent took the First Years to the Coliseum in order to teach them the proper way to fight mages. All the first years lined up in a row, while Grent and Andy looked at them with serious expressions on their faces.

"Do any of you know how to effectively fight against mages?" Andy asked.

Spencer raised his hand and stepped forward. "Sir, the best way to fight mages is to get close to them. Once you engage them in close combat, most mages will start to panic. Once that happens, it will be easy to neutralize them."

Andy smiled. He didn't agree nor disagree with Spencer's answer.

"While it is indeed true that fighting mages in close combat will help you defeat them, this is not always the case," Andy answered. "Only people who are confident with their close combat skills will be able to pull it off. Anyone else have an answer?"

Priscilla raised her hand and gave her opinion about the matter. "The spells of mages have an effective range. Even if they cast powerful spells, they will disappear once they reach a certain distance."

Andy smiled and nodded his head. "A textbook answer, but only those who are proficient with their archery skills will be able to say these things. Is there anyone else who can give me an answer?"

Andy's gaze landed on William who had his eyes closed while caressing the side of the Angorian Goat beside him.

"William, what do you think?" Andy asked. "How can a martial fighter fight against a mage?"

William opened his eyes as he looked at Andy with a smile.

"The answer to this question is really simple," William replied. "It will depend on certain conditions and the ability of the one who is fighting against the mage. There is no clear cut answer on how to fight mages, but as Martial Fighters, you must consider everything including the weather, the terrain, and even the mentality of your opponent. If you think that you have no chance of winning then you should just run and escape."

William smirked and added a few more words. "If you think that running away is shameful. You can just pay them back once you become a Saint. By then, even Archmages would have to think twice when fighting against you."

Grent clapped his hands. "Good answer. Physically, mages are at a disadvantage because they rely more on their magic power, compared to their physical prowess. However, don't forget, there are mages who are proficient in wielding weapons too. Magic Swordsmen, Battlemages and the likes are good examples of Magicians who can fight in close quarters with an expert fighter.

"In short, the one who is going to win is the one with more battle experience. Once you've become proficient in fighting mages, you will learn a few tricks on how to neutralize their strong offensive magical powers."

Grent gave everyone an encouraging smile as he looked at the other side of the stadium. "Today, we are having a joint class with the First Year Magic Division Classes. This is a good opportunity for all of you to learn how to fight against mages, and they in turn, will learn how to fight against Martial Fighters.

"Make sure to open your eyes and learn from this experience. It is not everyday that we can use terrain like the Coliseum to fight in a real battle against mages."

Just as Grent

finished his speech, the Magic Class Division, led by Est, entered the stadium. The haughty mages looked at the warriors of the Martial class with arrogant expressions. Some of the students of the Martial Class frowned, but they didn't say anything and simply watched them from a distance.

It had been a widely accepted rule that magicians would always be superior to those who didn't have the ability to wield magic.

"Today, you are going to learn how to fight against fighters," Layla explained. "This is a joint class with the Martial Classes so make sure to observe them carefully. Although they don't have magic powers, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are pushovers. Remember, a single arrow can end your life if you are not careful."

"Don't worry, Professor Layla," a handsome boy, who seemed to be a noble, said as he flicked his hair with confidence. "As one of the Generals of the Magic Division, I'll show you how to handle these small fries."

"I'll be looking at your performance then, Sir Edward," Layla said with a smile. However, her smile never reached her eyes. She was someone who hated arrogant nobles the most.

"You can count on me, Professor." Edward gazed at the Martial Class as if he was looking at a bunch of bugs that he could easily crush under his foot.

'Edward Yole Aerich. Grade S Talent in Magic, and second son of Marquess Aerich,' Est thought. 'According to the information, he is the most promising among the First Years when it comes to Magic Affinity.'

Est, Ian, and Isaac, only had Grade A Affinity to Magic. Compared to them Edward was a level higher and his family had gone all out to give him the necessary resources in order to pave the way for a future Archmage.

'Let's see what you can do.' Est smiled. He wanted to see just how capable his second in command was. Honestly, Est was hoping that the one who would get to fight Edward was William.

Although the latter's power had been sealed, Est wanted to see just how much he had grown over the few years that they hadn't seen each other.

A few minutes later, Grent, Layla, and Andy met at the center of the Coliseum and exchanged pleasantries.

"Looks like you're not having it easy, Layla," Grent teased. "You're starting to look your age. You better apply your night cream before going to sleep."

Layla sighed and nodded. "These brats will be the death of me. I hope your students can bring them down a peg, so they will understand that they are not the center of the universe."

"Oi, you're supposed to side with your students," Andy reprimanded her. "Are you sure you want your own class to suffer a loss? It might reflect badly on you as their teacher."

"Don't worry. Even if that really happens, so what?" Layla replied. "I can simply say 'Aren't you ashamed that you got beaten up by the same magicless warriors you ridicule everyday?'. As long as I say that, everyone will shut their traps and just focus on their magic training."

Grent and Andy shared a knowing glance and shook their heads helplessly. Layla was quite brutal to her students, but this was the right way to curb their arrogance while they were still young. Of course, they were also worried about their own students because magicians were not pushovers.

"Let's just make this a challenge match," Layla proposed. "We will take turns in challenging each other. You guys can start first."

"Okay." Grent nodded. "This sounds like a good plan."

The three instructors returned to their respective Divisions and explained the rules of the "exchange of pointers".

Both sides could choose to fight one on one, or in a group battle. Just like what happened when the Martial Class elected their Vice Prefect, the magic formation inside the Coliseum would prevent anyone from dying.

With this assurance, both sides would be able to unleash their full power without worrying about their opponent's safety.

"We will be the first one to challenge them," Grent said with a serious expression. "Who wants to take the first victory for our Martial Class?"

"Me!"

"No! I will do it."

"Step back, I'll handle this."

Drake, Spencer, and Conrad were itching to teach the mages a lesson or two about fighting strong fighters like them.

Everyone was getting heated up, and even Grent was starting to have a headache about who to choose. It was then that a lazy voice spoke out and gave out an order.

"Priscilla, you will fight first," William ordered. "Don't hold back, and crush them."

Since the Head Prefect had spoken, everyone reluctantly stepped back and stared at the beautiful girl carrying a bow behind her back.

They had recognized Priscilla's strength during the Vice-Prefect competition, so none of them thought that William's decision was out of place.

Priscilla didn't say anything and stepped forward. She then looked at the Magic Class Division and issued a challenge.

"My name is Priscilla Nerelle Grandfall," Priscilla declared. "I am the Vice-Prefect of the Solaris Martial Division. I would like to challenge the Vice-Prefect of the Magic Division!"

Edward grinned when he saw the beautiful girl who had dared to challenge him. He then swaggered forward and gave Priscilla a smirk. "I guess the Martial Class is not lacking in beautiful girls. Since you dared to challenge me, how about we make a little bet? If I win, you will become my subordinate. Don't worry, I will treat you really well. What do you say?"

Priscilla sneered as he gazed at the handsome blonde-haired boy in front of her. "I don't mind. But, if I win, you will become my subordinate. What do you say?"

"Hah! You've got guts!" Edward grinned. "Very well. I accept your condition. Let everyone here be a witness!"

After making his declaration, Edward took out a golden magic staff from his storage ring. It looked so cool and amazing that William was very tempted to touch it and see if he would be able to learn a new Job Class from it.

Priscilla held the bow in her hand and gazed fearlessly at the arrogant boy in front of her. With a glance, everyone could tell that she was not the least bit nervous about the bet they had just made.

William smirked when he saw this scene. Although Priscilla lost to him, he was sure that the girl still hadn't used all of her hidden aces during their battle.

William and Est exchanged a glance and smiled at each other. This was not only a contest between their Divisions. This was a fight between the two of them as well.

Chapter 147: Might Over Magic [Part 1]

Edward appraised the beautiful girl in front of him from head to toe. He really liked Priscilla's beauty and the cold and fearless gaze that she was giving him.

It made him want to defeat her, so that he could make her his subordinate. For some reason, there was something about her eyes that made him want to break her until she willingly knelt in front of him and declared her undying loyalty for his cause.

He then gripped his staff and started to channel his magic power in preparation for their battle.

"Are both of you ready?" Layla asked.

Priscilla and Edward nodded their heads in unison.

"Very well." Layla nodded. "Battle Start!"

Edward immediately unleashed a storm of wind blades that headed towards Priscilla without mercy.

The girl archer simply lowered her body and dashed to her left to evade the overwhelming attack. Edward sneered because he had already anticipated this move coming from her. He then activated the spell that he had prepared beforehand.

Earth Spikes protruded out of the ground and they appeared in the direction where Priscilla planned to make her escape.

"Dual Element Affinity. Not bad," Grent muttered as he watched the battle. "At least he has the ability to back up his arrogance."

Even Layla who hated Edward's arrogant attitude had to admit that he was a very talented mage.

"Earth and Air? What a weird combination." Andy commented as he looked at the black-haired-girl who seemed to be at a disadvantage. "Even so, it is far from enough to defeat her."

As Andy said these words, Priscilla stomped on the ground and jumped high into the air. She then fired three consecutive arrows that flew in an elegant arc towards the handsome boy who still had a confident smile on his face.

Edward waved his hand and a barrier made of wind surrounded him. He thought that it was enough to block Priscilla's futile attempt at a counter-attack.

The moment the arrows touched the barrier, they exploded into dazzling flashes of light that blinded Edward, which made him lose his concentration.

"This move." Spencer winced. How could he possibly forget the move that Priscilla used on him during the battle at the Coliseum.

The string on Priscilla's bow glowed as she fired another arrow the moment she landed.

Edward knew that he was at a disadvantage so he immediately tapped the ground under him with his staff. A dome made of Earth surrounded him. It was a powerful defensive spell that could fend off most attacks as long as they didn't exceed the caster's magic power.

Priscilla's arrow connected with the Earth Dome and exploded. The arrow that the black-haired-girl used was an exploding arrow that detonated upon impact. A small hole, the sizeof a basketball appeared on the dome protecting Edward.

Before the boy could cast another defensive spell, the sound of the wind whistling reached his ears. That was the last sound he heard before an arrow pierced his forehead and passed through to the other side of his head.

Edward fell to the ground, dead, and turned into particles of light. The Earth Dome disappeared and the students of the Martial Class shouted and cheered for their Vice-Prefect with all their might.

"Long live Priscilla!"

"Long live our Vice-Prefect!

Edward re-appeared on the side of the Magic Division with a dejected face. Everything happened so fast that he was unable to accept how easily he lost against a mere girl from the Martial Class Division.

"Good job," William said as he gave Priscilla a thumbs up.

Priscilla only nodded her head before she returned to her position behind

the red-headed boy.

The Martial Class students were looking at their "Warrior Princess" with admiration and respect. They knew that Priscilla was strong, but they didn't know that she was that strong!

Est looked at Edward with a complicated expression on his face. The Head Prefect of the Magic Division Class had wanted Edward to be taken down a peg due to his arrogance. However, when it actually happened, the only thing Est felt was bitterness.

He had to admit that Edward represented the Magic Division Class. His loss was the loss of the Magic Division as a whole.

"Young Master, let me fight next," Ian stepped forward. "I will definitely win this round."

"Who are you going to challenge?" Est asked without looking back at his loyal retainer. The moment Ian spoke up, he already knew who Ian wanted to fight in the Martial Class.

"I'll fight William," Ian answered with a serious expression. "Believe in me, Young Master. I can defeat him."

"Are you sure about that?" This time, Est turned his head to look at Ian's eyes. "How confident are you in defeating him?"

The seriousness in Est's eyes made Ian unconsciously take a step back. William's "bickering buddy" wanted to say that he had a 100% assurance that he could win the battle against William. But, he knew that this was not the case.

William's strength lay in his unpredictability. Even Ian had to acknowledge that even if he used his full powers, he wouldn't be able to accomplish the things that William had done in the past. Ian couldn't possibly defeat a Ruler of the Forest which was said to be, at the very least, in the middle-tier of the Grade B Threat Rankings.

"I-I will do my best." Ian gritted his teeth and answered.

Est shook his head and faced the students of the Magic Division. "It is now our turn to issue a challenge. Who among you wants to fight?"

"I will fight," A girl with long blonde hair that reached down to her waist walked forward.

She was one of the most beautiful girls among the First years in the Magic Division. Priscilla might be called as the "Warrior Princess" in the Martial Division Class, but this beautiful blonde girl also held a title in the Magic Division.

She was the "Steel Princess" that was said to be Impregnable.

(A/N: Men of culture, please, behave yourselves.)

"I will secure victory for our Division," the beautiful girl stated.

Est nodded his head. "Do your best, Wendy."

"Don't worry, Head Prefect. Leave everything to me," Wendy declared, but everyone could see that her cheeks had flushed a beet red while she talked to Est.

In order to prevent anyone from seeing her expression, she hurriedly walked towards the center of the Coliseum as she steadied her breathing.

When she arrived at her destination, she had already regained her calm. Her eyes landed on the handsome boy in the Martial Class who was also staring back at her.

"Big Brother, come," Wendy said as she summoned a spear in her hand. "Show me how much you have improved after you ran away from home."

"Looks like it's my turn to fight," William raised his chin in an arrogant manner as he took a step forward to fight the beauty that was waiting at the center of the Coliseum.

However, he was only able to take five steps when a hand grabbed the back of his robe and pulled him back.

"That is my little sister," Spencer commented. "I am her twin and she is calling out to me, not you, Head Prefect."

"What? You are that beautiful girl's Big Brother?" William eyed Spencer from head to toe. "You don't look alike."

Several students of the Martial Class also nodded their heads in agreement to William's words. Although Spencer was cool-looking, the girl's beauty was at least two levels above him.

"I've been hearing that all my life." Spencer sighed as he stepped forward. "Head Prefect, I apologize in advance."

"Mmm," William nodded his head in understanding. "Don't worry. Do what you have to do."

"Thank you."

"Introduce me to your little sister later."

"… No."

Spencer stared at the face of his twin, whom he hadn't seen for half a year. It had been that long since he ran away from home because he wasn't able to tolerate the ridicule from his relatives. Since he couldn't fight them due to his father's position, he chose to run away in order to prevent both sides from having a confrontation.

"Have you been well, Wendy?" Spencer asked.

"No," Wendy answered. "You shouldn't have run away, Big Brother. It only made Uncle and Aunty more arrogant."

"Let them be arrogant," Spencer closed his eyes as if to push the negative thoughts to the back of his mind. "That is the only thing they can do. They wouldn't dare to escalate things, or else they would not be able to handle the consequences."

"Even so, they still irritate me!" Wendy gnashed her teeth in anger. The hands that were holding her spear were trembling due to the rage she was feeling in her heart.

"Since you already called me out, let's just fight," Spencer opened his eyes and summoned his own spear. "Come. show me if you have gotten stronger since the last time I saw you."

Wendy's blue eyes turned light-red as she circulated the magic power inside her body. The blade of her spear enlarged. Instead of a spear, Wendy seemed to be holding a giant curved dagger in her hands.

"Big Brother, I will fight seriously. You'd better not hold back."

"Enough talk. Let's fight!"

Spencer spun the spear in his hand as he took a fighting stance. Both combatants stared at each other as they waited for Layla to declare the start of their battle.

"Are both of you ready?" Layla asked.

"Yes."

"Ready."

Layla nodded and raised her hand. "Battle Start!"

Chapter 148: Might Over Magic [Part 2]

When Layla announced the start of the battle, the first thing that Spencer did was to take a few steps backwards.

The students of the Martial Class didn't understand why he acted this way. However, they soon found out the reason for their representative's actions.

Several two-meter-tall steel spikes protruded in a straight line from the place where Spencer stood a while ago.

"Slaughter Domain!" Wendy shouted as she stabbed her spear towards the ground. Her magical power exploded and hundreds of steel spikes appeared all over the coliseum. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the entire battleground was similar to the back of a porcupine that had all its quills standing up.

Spencer found himself inside a steel forest with no path to advance nor retreat. This was not the first time that Wendy had used this move against him, but, back then, she didn't intend to hurt him. Now it was different.

Spencer could feel the pent up anger in his twin sister's words earlier and knew that she wanted to vent her frustrations on him. Even though Spencer was quite a capable fighter, he really couldn't find it in his heart to hurt his little sister.

The cool-looking boy channeled his strength into his spear and spun it around him creating a whirling storm. The steel around him was sliced off like bamboo poles as he advanced towards his sister, who was looking at him from the center of the Coliseum.

Wendy jabbed the spear in her hand in her Big Brother's direction and the Slaughter Domain answered her call.

The steel spikes shot out from the ground and rained down on Spencer like a hail of arrows.

Spencer roared and spun his spear in front of him to deflect the incoming barrage. Tinkling sounds could be heard as Spencer's spear deflected the downpour of steel spikes that seemed to be unending.

It was then that he heard a mighty roar as the steel that he had deflected flew up into the air to form a Blade Liger.

'She's really going all out!' Spencer thought as he gritted his teeth.

The Blade Liger roared once more before charging towards him with a vengeance. It was over four-meters tall and each part of it was as deadly as Wendy's eyes, who were looking at him with the intention to kill!

"Good thing, I don't have a little sister." William gulped as he watched this scene unfold. "Mama,

our little Eve is a good girl, right? She won't do these kinds of things to me when she grows up, right?"

"Meeeeeh."

"Phew. I better send her some candies in our next package headed for Lont."

"Meeeeh."

—–

Spencer did his best to resist the attacks of the steel rain and the Blade Liger, but it was to no avail. Actually, it was not impossible to win the battle. However, he would have to force himself to kill his little sister.

This was something that Spencer couldn't do even if there was an enchantment inside the Coliseum.

Soon, the steel spears embedded themselves inside his body. Spencer did his best to protect his vitals as he fended off the persistent attack of the Blade Liger.

Wiliam sighed as he closed his eyes. The cool-looking boy had already apologized to him. Spencer had no intention of winning the battle. His purpose in accepting the challenge was to endure his little sister's hatred and try to ease her heartache.

"Meeeeeeh." Ella bleated softly as if to tell William that the battle was over.

Spencer's body turned into particles of light and the members of the Magic Division cheered for their victory.

"This leaves a bad aftertaste," Drake spat on the ground. Although he felt bitter, he had already seen the outcome of the battle when he saw Spencer's lonely back as he went to confront his little sister. That was the back of a man that had no intention of winning.

It was not only him, Conrad and his lackeys had spent a lot of time with Spencer, Drake, and Priscilla during the past two weeks. Their relationship had grown a bit closer and, although they were still rivals, they had accepted each other as members of the Martial Class Division.

"Head Prefect, allow me to fight next," Drake said as he stepped forward.

"Go." William waved his hand. "Show them the might of our Martial Class Division!"

Drake grunted in affirmation as he took center stage. His eyes then locked on Est who was standing in front of the Magic Class Division. He wanted to challenge him, but he was afraid that William wanted to fight Est as well.

As if sensing his hesitation, William called out from behind him.

"Challenge anyone you like," William ordered. "Don't worry. Even if you lose, I am more than enough to secure our win."

Drake silently thanked William inside his heart as he pointed his greatsword towards Est.

"I, Drake Vi Craig, challenge the Head Prefect of the Magic Class Division," Drake shouted. "Do you dare to accept my challenge?"

Est glanced at William, and the latter only gave him the thumbs up sign. Seeing that William had no intention of interfering in the challenge, Est nodded his head and walked forward to meet the one who challenged him.

"Go Head Prefect!"

"Beat that ugly boy and show them the power of Mages!"

"Show them our superior might!"

The students of the Magic Class Division cheered for their handsome Head Prefect. Although they didn't know who Drake was, they were sure that their Head Prefect wouldn't lose to a muscle-brained barbarian boy.

Est gave Drake a brief nod of acknowledgement as he unsheathed Rhapsody, the sword that was given to him by the Goddess Astrid. The sword rang the moment its body had been fully exposed as if announcing its presence to the world.

Est took a pose holding Rhapsody in his right hand, while holding the sheath in the other. With a glance, one could tell that he planned to fight using both of them at the same time.

'Dual wielding? Not bad.' William grinned. 'I guess the battle against the Cyclops made you realize your shortcomings. This is gonna be good.'

William focused his attention on the battle that was about to take place. It had been four years since he last saw Est fight and he was hoping that his first friend outside of Lont had grown stronger. There were only a few people that he could trust inside the Academy and Est was one of them.

Chapter 149: This Is Why They Are Called Heroes

"Battle Start!"

As Layla said those words, Drake charged forwards like a raging bull freed from its pen. The greatsword in his hand glistened in the sunlight as he closed the gap between him and his opponent. Est, on the other hand, didn't retreat. Instead, he also charged forward which made the students of the Magic Division Class cry out in alarm.

The clash of steel reverberated inside the Coliseum as both sides collided. Est felt his hand go numb due to his opponent's superior strength. He knew that he would be at a disadvantage if he exchanged blows with Drake, but he didn't back down.

His left hand, which was holding the sheath, slashed towards the side of Drake's body, forcing him to take a step back.

After regaining his footing, Drake held his greatsword with both hands as he counter-attacked with the intention to cleave Est apart.

William raised an eyebrow, when he noticed that Est was planning to trade blows with Drake in close combat.

A humming sound reached everyone's ears as the sword in Est's hand started to glow. Est's unwavering gaze never left his opponent as the sword in his hand buzzed in anticipation.

Rhapsody met Drake's full powered strike and the resounding clash created a shockwave that pushed both combatants away from each other.

As soon as Est regained his footing, he lunged forward with his sheath right in front of him.

Drake took a while to recover from the clash. A part of him couldn't accept that his full powered attack was brushed off so easily, but he knew that he was fighting against a Magic Swordsman, so this was not surprising.

'I guess I have to get serious,' Drake thought as he gripped the greatsword in his hand. Gathering his strength, a burst of red light exploded from his body. He then pressed a hand on the back of his sword before cleaving the space in front of him.

Est's sixth sense screamed of danger as he hurriedly jumped to the side to dodge whatever invisible attack was headed his way.

The ground beside him exploded, sending soil and grass flying in every direction. When the dust cleared up, a six-meter crater appeared where Est stood a while ago. Est didn't bother to look at the scale of Drake's attack for an extended time, because his opponent was not finished yet.

Drake waved the greatsword in his hands like a fly swatter. Est had to concentrate in order to avoid Drake's powerful attacks.

'He can't do this forever,' Est thought as he used his superior speed and flexibility to avoid another invisible strike from the boy who seemed to be using all the strength in his body to maintain his barrage.

"Wow, what a scary kid," Layla praised as she eyed Drake with a smile. "How old is he? How is he able to use the initial stages of Sword Aura and Sword Intent at such a young age?"

"He's 16 this year," Grent answered. "I believe that his Master trained him in the mountains for 2 years, so he was late in enrolling at the academy."

'He didn't use this when fighting against Priscilla,' William thought as he looked at the older boy who was hell bent on winning against Est. 'I guess this is one of his Trump Cards. It seems that Spencer's loss angered him, and he's now going all out.'

Drake wasn't just attacking randomly. He was carefully observing Est's reactions as

he continued his barrage of attacks. His sword Aura only lasted for three minutes, so he was preparing to unleash his true strike at the perfect moment.

Est gritted his teeth as he was forced to jump into the air to avoid Drake's latest strike since it gave him no room to maneuver.

Seeing his opponent jump into the air, Drake prepared to unleash the Coup de Grace that would end their battle.

"Sky Shattering Strike!" Drake roared as he unleashed every bit of his strength into this final move.

An image of a five-meter Red Lion appeared in front of him and roared. It then changed into a ray of crimson light that shot towards Est who was still in mid-air.

Ironically, Est was also thinking of the same thing. When he jumped into the air, he was already in the process of unleashing one of his strongest Blade Skills.

A golden aura surrounded Est's Sword as he, too, used his Sword Aura. Rhapsody buzzed in his hand as if telling its owner that it was ready anytime.

"Your future rests on the orders of the divine," Est said firmly as the Sword Aura surrounding Rhapsody grew brighter. "Lay down your life to these hands of mine!"

"Divine Burst!" Est shouted as he thrust his sword forward.

Rhapsody unleashed a blast of golden light that shot out from its tip.

The Sky Shattering Strike and the Divine Burst collided in mid-air. Both sword energies started to push against each other in a battle of supremacy between Sword Intents.

Drake's feet skidded on the ground as he roared to empower his attack. Est, too, roared as his hair fluttered in the wind.

William watched the battle with his arms crossed over his chest. He could tell that Est was very different from the boy he had met in the past. The red-headed-boy understood the message that Est was trying to convey to him in this battle.

Four years ago, Est could only watch helplessly as William fought against the Mountain Troll. During the battle against the Cyclops, it was also William who made the ultimate sacrifice in order to help him clear the trial.

Even though it didn't show in his face, deep down in his heart, Est hated himself for being weak. He hated himself for always being the one to be protected, while others suffered in his place. During the years that he hadn't seen William, he never stopped training.

He did this, so that the next time he met William, he wouldn't have to depend on him to fight his battles. Est wanted to fight his own battles and use his own two hands to overcome any challenges that come his way.

"Break through it! Divine Burst!" Est shouted and the golden beam of light intensified.

The sound of something breaking reverberated in the Coliseum as the Sky Shattering Strike 'shattered' into particles of light.

Est's Divine Burst swallowed Drake's body, and obliterated it completely.

A mighty roar came from the Magic Division Class as they looked at their Head Prefect with star-struck gazes.

Est landed safely on the ground and used his sword and sheath to support his body. The cheers of the Magic Division reached his ears, but he didn't react to it. Instead, his gaze sought out the red-headed boy on the opposite side of the stadium.

Happiness bubbled up in his chest when he saw William clapping his hands together while mouthing something.

Est smiled. He was able to read William's lips, and it made him feel that all of his hard work had paid off.

Following their Head Prefect, the students of the Martial Classes gave a round of applause to both fighters. Seeing the other side's reaction, the Magic Division decided to follow suit. They also applauded Drake's and Est's impressive performance.

Even Grent, Layla, and Andy, were clapping their hands together.

Drake had already materialized beside William and the sixteen-year-old warrior sat on the grass with a dejected expression.

"Can't you hear it?" William asked as he patted Drake's shoulder. "Everyone is applauding you for your performance. Why are you feeling down?"

Drake didn't raise his head and simply answered, "Because I lost."

"Yes. You lost," William answered. "Is this the first time that you've lost?"

"… No."

"Then why are you acting like it's your first time?"

"…"

William crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at the Magic Division Class. "I've lost many times as well. However, that didn't stop me from moving forward. As long as you are alive, you will have plenty of opportunities to lose. You will have plenty of opportunities to learn from those losses. Did you know? The boy you fought earlier has also suffered losses in the past. However, despite those losses, he didn't stop moving forward."

William started to walk towards the center of the arena. However, he stopped as if he had forgotten to tell his class something important. He then faced the students of the Martial Class who were looking at him with a serious expression.

"No matter how strong the enemy is, a hero can't choose their opponent," William said in a firm manner. "This is why they are called Heroes."

Est, who was standing in front of the Magic Class Division smiled when he heard William's words. He had said the same thing to him four years ago when they were facing off against the Cyclops in the Trial of Courage.

The students of the Martial Class gazed at their Head Prefect who had resumed walking towards the center of the Coliseum with complicated expressions.

Ella hesitated for a while before running towards her baby. William grinned when his Mama appeared beside him.

"You want to fight with me, Mama?"

"Meeeeeeeh!"

"Okay," William said as he rested his hand on his Mama's back. "Let's show them the power of Lont."

"Meeeeeeh!"

Chapter 150: Valuable Lessons

"I am the Head Prefect of the Martial Class Division," William announced. "I would like to fight a two-on-two battle with the Magic Class Division. Is there anyone who wants to accept my challenge?"

Est turned his head to look at his two retainers. Ian and Isaac averted their gaze and pretended to look at the sky. The twins were not afraid to fight against William. What they were afraid of was fighting against Ella.

They had seen her true form, and both knew that none of them could fight her even if they gave everything they got. They were Est's left and right hand men, and they didn't want to lose in a bad manner in front of the Magic Division Class.

Est understood their concern. He also didn't want Ian and Isaac to fight against William because he felt that there was no chance of winning. The handsome brown-haired boy looked at the other members of the Magic Division who were raring to fight William and sighed inside his heart.

'Ignorance is truly bliss,' Est thought. 'I wonder who I should send?'

While Est was deep in thought, two towering students stepped forward from the back of the Magic Division. They were the tallest and oldest members of the First Years and none of the students dared to provoke them.

"Head Prefect. Allow us the honor of winning this battle for our Division," a sturdy teenager who was almost two meters tall said with a confident smile plastered on his face. "This will be a piece of cake. Isn't that right, bro?"

"More like a piece of pie," a teenager replied with a smirk. "It's not everyday we get to step on a Head Prefect's head. I'm sure that this will make the two of us famous. Hahaha!"

Est used all his willpower not to roll his eyes at the two teenage twins who thought that they could easily beat William.

The names of the twins were Brutus and Bruno. Both of them were eighteen years old and only passed the enrollment test of the Royal Academy after failing repeatedly for three years.

The minimum age to gain entry to the academy was fourteen years old. Anyone who reached this age would be eligible to partake in the trials for enrollment. However, among the thousands of enrollees, only a few managed to pass through the gates of the Royal Academy each year.

Those who failed their tests would come back again next year in order to try their luck. The academy had seen many such students, but they didn't care as long as they didn't exceed the maximum age limit of eighteen years old.

Priscilla and Spencer were fifteen, while Drake was sixteen. There were also a few eighteen-year-olds among the Martial Classes, so Brutus' and Bruno's circumstances were not really that rare in the academy.

Although they were older compared to their peers, the fact that they had managed to enroll at the academy proved that they had potential. Even if they had to attempt to enroll consecutive times before succeeding.

"Go. However, be careful," Est replied. "The Head Prefect of the Martial Class is not a pushover."

"Don't worry, Head Prefect." Brutus smiled. "My brother and I are very experienced in group battles. Have more faith in us."

"That's right." Bruno nodded his head. "When this battle is over, the Martial Class won't be able to raise their heads in front of us again."

The towering twins walked towards the center of the battlefield with arrogant expressions. What they didn't know was that Est, Ian, and Isaac, had already lit incense for their corpses deep inside their hearts.

Brutus and Bruno stopped walking when they were only fifty meters away from William.

They then summoned their staves and declared their names.

"I am Brutus Mac Kaeser!"

"I am Bruno Mac Kaeser!"

""Together we are the twin towers of Kaeser!""

Although the two of them only had average faces, they were by in no means ugly. Their short-gray-hair and sharp features made them look charming in their own way. Both of them released a powerful presence that was quite common among mercenary groups.

William clapped his hands in amusement as he looked at the two cannon fodders who were about to meet his Mama's hoof and horns.

"Amazing! The two of you look so powerful!" William praised. "Are you perhaps the strongest in the Magic Division Class?"

Brutus grinned and looked at the red-headed boy who was pleasing to his eyes. "Well, I wouldn't say that we are the strongest."

"But, we are definitely in the top ten," Bruno finished his brother's sentence. He, too, grinned and eyed William. "Boy, since we are older than you, allow me to give you some advice."

"What does the Senior Brother want to teach this humble shepherd?" William inquired. He looked so refined, elegant, and charismatic, that even the arrogant twin brothers didn't want to humiliate him too much in front of the crowd.

"Admitting defeat at an earlier time is better than suffering from a beating," Bruno said with the 'I am a

good person' look on his face. "I hope that Mr. Head Prefect will remember this during our battle."

"I thank senior brother Bruno for his advice," William nodded in acknowledgement. "I will admit defeat when I think that there is no chance of winning."

"That is good," Brutus smirked. "Let's have a friendly fight."

"Yes. Let's." William agreed.

The three people smiled at each other as if they were lifelong friends who were about to have a friendly spar. Ella, who was watching this banter from the side, felt her hoof itch. She was itching to kick the two teenage boys to kingdom come.

"Are all of you ready?" Layla asked. She was quite amused by the pleasantries that both sides shared before starting their battle.

""Yes!""

"Meeeeh!"

"Very well." Layla raised her hand. "Battle Start!"

"Multiple Stone Bullets!"

"Multiple Firebolts!

Although they acted carefree and arrogant, Brutus and Bruno never underestimated William. The position of Head Prefect could not be bought by money or influence. It was a position that could only be obtained through a competition.

Since William was the Head Prefect of the Martial Class, it meant that he had the ability to back it up.

The twins didn't know his capabilities, so they decided to overwhelm him by using the magic combination that they had perfected over the years.

William started to run towards his right to evade the unbelievable display of magic and control from the twins whom he labeled as 'cannon fodders'. If William still had his magic power, he would have been able to counter this attack. However, since it was sealed, he was forced to distance himself from the combined attack of his opponents.

It was right at that moment when Ella made her move. Her hooves and horns glowed in a bluish hue as she charged towards Brutus like an arrow in flight.

The twins had been paying attention to both William and Ella, so the moment she made her move. Brutus immediately constructed consecutive layers of Earth Walls to stop her advance. He thought that this was enough to block a little goat.

It was the biggest mistake he made in his life…

Ella broke each Earth Wall as if it was made of paper and continued her wild charge.

Although she looked like a harmless goat right now, her stats were the same as her War Ibex form. Even if she couldn't use her massive horns to inflict serious damage, her current horns were more than enough to demolish everything that the twins could throw at her.

The jaws of the students of the Martial Class and the Magic Class dropped down in disbelief. Some of them even rubbed their eyes in an attempt to see if they were hallucinating.

"Meeeeeeh!" When Ella tore down the last Earth Wall, Brutus immediately stabbed his staff forward.

"Boulder Crash!"

A two meter tall boulder appeared in front of Brutus and flew in Ella's direction.

Ella stomped her front hooves on the ground and delivered a back kick towards the boulder. Just like a volleyball ball that was hit by a powerful spike, the boulder flew back to where it came from.

"Gwaaaah!" Brutus didn't expect this sudden reversal and was hit squarely in the chest by the boulder he summoned. He flew a few meters backwards, but he didn't die from the impact. However, he wished that he had died because the excruciating pain in his chest was driving him mad.

Several of his ribs had been broken, and it was very painful to breathe. Bruno roared and hurled several fire lances at the goat who was only a few meters away from him.

Ella nimbly dodged this attack and charged in Bruno's direction.

Due to desperation, Bruno spun his staff in front of him which created a firestorm that engulfed the goat in searing flames.

This was his strongest attack and he was saving this as his trump card. He never thought that he would be forced to use this against a little goat that he had treated as mere livestock!

"Meeeeeeh!" Ella's mighty voice rang out within the firestorm.

Bruno didn't know how it happened, but the moment he heard the goat's bleating. His whole body was blown away from where he stood. The firestorm disappeared, and the image of a white and fluffy goat appeared in front of everyone.

Looking at her coat, that was still as white as snow, made everyone realize that the Firestorm practically did nothing to her.

While everyone was looking at her in disbelief. Ella opened her mouth and shot a ball of light, the size of a basketball ball, towards Bruno who had fallen on the ground.

This was Ella's range skill "Benevolent Shot".

This was the move she had used earlier in order to counter the Firestorm that was headed in her direction. Due to its Holy Properties, it prevented the flames from advancing towards Ella.

The energy ball hit Bruno and immediately turned him into particles of light. Ella shot another Benevolent Shot, this time, it was aimed at Brutus. Just like what happened to his twin, Brutus turned into particles of light which meant that the victors of this battle were none other than William and Ella.

"What a hard battle," William declared as he casually walked towards his Mama Ella. "Fortunately, my Mama is very strong. Good job, Mama!"

"Meeeeeh!"

William caresseed his Mama's neck as the latter closed her eyes in satisfaction.

The members of the Magic Class and Martial Class didn't know how to react to the battle that just ended. The one who disposed of both combatants was Ella, while William only ran around to avoid getting hit.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that William didn't even lift a finger to help win the battle.

"Well then, who's next?" William asked with an innocent smile. "The battle ended before I was able to unleash my ultimate move. I feel unsatisfied with this result. Does anyone want to battle us again?"

Est, Ian, and Isaac's faces became stiff when they heard the shameless boy's provocation. They knew that Ella alone was sufficient to end the battle, so they didn't even bother to fight against her.

However, William was forcing the students of the Magic Division into a second round. This was something that Est wouldn't allow because it would just lower his team's morale.

"Since the battle has ended, it is best to let the other students participate," Est replied. "The Head Prefect of the Martial Class shouldn't hog the spotlight."

"That's right!" Ian agreed. "The Head Prefect should let his other members fight. It is bad to keep all the good stuff to yourself."

Williams scratched his cheek because Est and Ian were adamant about preventing him from securing another easy win.

"Meeeeh."

"Okay, Mama. I'll listen to you."

"Meeeeh."

Ella had told William not to bully the kids, so William finally relented. The two walked back towards the Martial Class with calm expressions, as if the battle they had undertaken was not a big deal to them.

This motivated the members of the Martial Class and made them perform their best against the Magic Class Division.

Although the Martial Class Division suffered more losses during the next several matches, none of them took this loss to heart. William had already told them that he would personally train them the very next day in order to become stronger.

Faced with this kind of promise, they were able to fight without any worries and even gave their opponents a headache.

Out of the thirty battles that took place on that day, the Martial Class only won ten. Even so, the Magic Division didn't look down on them. They had experienced firsthand how difficult it was to fight against Martial Experts, and had learned a lot from the experience.

Some of the girls from the Magic Division even snuck glances at William during the break between each battle.

The shepherd smiled and waved at his admirers, which made the girls blush while giggling at each other.

Overall, the battle had been an eye opener for both sides. Due to this, Grent and Layla decided to hold more of these inter-division battles in order to let their students gain some fighting experience.

The instructors hoped that these valuable lessons would help these students survive in the outside world, after they left the protective walls of the Hellan Royal Academy.

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