Chapter 5: Royal Class.

 Masato had learned about many things that were happening on the city. 

 He saw that people were being led to a warp-gate which was probably sending them towards the bunkers, but this service wasn't given to everyone which was one of the cause for disputes among the people. And Masato learned from Cordelia that the bunkers Couldn't fit everyone in city, that's why there were many safety zones built above-ground. Now these safety zones weren't the best that the Empire had to offer, and they were for lower classes which still didn't count the people from the slums, prisoners, and those who were rioting on the streets.

 Masato was impressed by how much information that the holo-map had shown him.

 "But why do you have access to such things Miss Cordelia? I don't think the academy gives such stuff to you guys." Masato said while pointing at the holo-map.

"I was wondering when you'll ask such questions Masato. You know we Owens handles the techy side of the empire, don't you? So, I get goodies like this without any hassle." Miss Cordelia said with slight smile.

Cordelia frowned and looked around the room making unable to reply to her.

"I guess it's time for us to go Masato…" Miss Cordelia then suddenly suggested.

'Oh, crap! I'm probably super late for class...' Masato also remembered that he had to get to his class.

"Hah... I gotta get ready to get chewed out by Mr.Lucas…" Masato said with a sigh.

"Hehe, you don't need to worry about that Masato." Cordelia said smirk.

Huh?

"Why though? I'm already late, and he'll definitively have a lecture prepared for me." Said Masato with raised brows.

Cordelia stood up and started heading towards the door.

"Just check the time." She said while opening the door.

Masato did just that and he was flabbergasted.

"What…?" 

"Haha, Cat got your tongue? It's a little feature provided to professors." 

Masato knew that they had spend around 30 minutes talking, but his watch was showing that just three minutes had passed.

So, the "little feature" she was talking about was slowing down the freaking time…

Masato looked at Miss Cordelia.

Cordelia looked back.

"No, this is a one time thing." 

"But I didn't say anything?" 

"Fufu, your eyes said everything." 

"But why is it a one time thing?" Masato asked curiously.

"Because, first; slowing down time thirty times costs tons of mana and

 tampering with the river of time has severe effects on people." 

Then she came close to Masato and continued:

"And second, to be even able to stay conscious, one either needs to be someone higher rank like me."

"Or have affinity to time like you." Finished Cordelia after poking Masato in the chest. Miss Cordelia was so close to Masato that he could even smell lavender from her…

"So, it me with immunity to whatever effects caused while tampering with time?" asked Masato.

"Honestly, I don't know much about your affinity, so I'm not the person you should ask." Cordelia replied with a shrug.

Masato's face fell after hearing that...

"Um... Then do you know anyone who has same affinity as me?" Masato asked with slight hope.

 "Yeah, I do, and you know him as well, Masato." Cordelia said with a sad smile.

 "My dad...?" Masato said with a sigh.

 "Yep, he was the only person I knew who had an affinity for time. Maybe there were more in hiding, but your dad was probably the only person in this continent with such mastery over time." Cordelia said with a slight smile.

 "Huh? Was he a big deal?" Masato asked in disbelief.

He only knew a that his dad was quite powerful, and he was not in home most of the time due to his missions...which made him appear in news a lot...but he'd just ignore them and watch something else when he was young.

Cordelia noticed that Masato was feeling nostalgic and sad.

And with a smirk she got a little closer to Masato making him flinch and back away.

"Heh, didn't take you for a shy one. " Said Cordelia with a playful smile.

"Cough… I think we need to go, Miss Cordelia," Masato said while heading to the door himself.

"You're not trying to change the subject or anything are you, Masato? Or are you embarrassed?" 

"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about Miss Cordelia." Masato said innocently while getting away from Cordelia.

"Fufu, You should see your face, you're as red as a tomato." Said Cordelia with a smirk.

"Well, let's say I'm only shy around you, and tomatoes aren't red anymore." Masato replied staring straight at her eyes.

Both of them chuckled, and Miss Cordelia said while smiling, "Now get going, don't want Mr.Lucas to rip you a new one."

"You're gonna be in combat or medical unit?" Masato asked out of the blue.

"Depends on where the academy assigns me." Cordelia shrugged.

"Then later." Masato said while turning towards the door.

"Be safe and don't forget to change to your uniform." Said Cordelia.

"Oops, nearly forgot. Thanks."

Masato then went through the door, and appeared at a completely different place. 

He was currently inside a hall leading to his class in a completely different building. 

Masato then touched his badge while walking to his class and uttered, "Immuton."

Then his common attire changed into the academy's uniform with; white jacket, black shirt and shiny shoes - it was the uniform given to the students of Royal class. This piece of clothing was one of his most valuable assets…with quite a lot of features. One of the feature was what led him to change it's appearance to anything and it wouldn't decrease the safety the uniform provided.

Masato looked at his wrists, and uttered, "status", then a short holographic list appeared in his view,

| Name: Masato.

| Division: Royal class.

| Rank: E 

| Vitals: Normal

| Shields: 93%

| Affinity: Time 

Everything seemed alright expect the shields being at 93%

It seemed having a time affinity didn't protect from whatever tampering with time did to someone.

Masato then reached his class and opened the door meeting the gaze of his classmates who were scattered all over the class, which was much bigger than needed for such a small number of students because, along with him there

were only 23 students in his class, but the room was big enough to seat a hundred more. And this was for a good reason as everyone in this class had talent assessment of A-rank and above, and very few students had their talent ranked at even B-rank.

"Hey! You're blocking the way." A sharp voice shouted to him from behind.

Masato realized that he was just standing on the doorway and looked back to the person who was shouting at him.

"Oh…sorry Masato!" The person who was shouting at him paused and apologized to him while going towards his desk.

"Ralph?" Masato said quizzically, not understanding that idiot's antics.

Masato then took a seat in an empty bench at his usual location. His classmates paying him no attention. Except Ralph who was giving him secretive glances with evident worry and some other students he had talked with. Masato knew that many people hated his guts in this class and for a simple reason that he was commoner, and this class was full of kids with elite background. Although, nobody was allowed to flaunt their status in Sun-glade academy. But the first years who had just entered an environment where they had to suddenly deal with commoners as equal took some time to get used to. 

But that was not the only thing though, you see, Masato hadn't left a good impression in his classmates…There were people like Ralph who feared him because they had tried to use their 'status' with him, and it hadn't gone well for them as Masato was already used to deal with haughty and unruly kids back in the orphanage.

 'Why am I even thinking about all of this?' Masato thought to himself after thinking about some useless thoughts…and he knew the reason…he was anxious about the people back at the orphanage; even though they were very far from the capital there was still a chance that the monster invasion had happened there as well.

While Masato was deep in his thoughts, he was tapped in his shoulder by someone who

was behind him, and he came out of his reverie with a start...

"Why am I only getting startled all day...?"

 Masato wondered out loud...

"Huh? What do you mean?"

The person who called him asked incredulously, 

not knowing what Masato was mumbling himself.

"It's nothing, El, So what were you calling me for?"

It was Elicia who had called him. Elicia was one of the people who Masato was

in speaking-terms with.

Elicia stared at him for some time and said with slight hesitance.

"It's just that I wanted to ask you about something..."

"Hmm…about what?"

"It's just...you know...you were probably outside so, do you know what's happening?"

'Didn't she know what was going on outside?'

Masato was taken aback by this…Wasn't she informed by anyone…? 

It was strange that she hadn't even asked anyone until now…It was even strange that she was asking him of all people, maybe Elicia only talked with him? He hadn't actually seen her talking with anyone, and she seemed to be the only person who greeted him when met on their dormitory.

But he started to tell her nonetheless:

"Yep, I wasn't in the academy, and let's say it's pure chaos out there…" 

Masato began to recount what he had seen while staying in ms.Cordelia's office and when he was outside.

Worry flashed across Elicia's upon hearing his words.

"Really…? Thanks for telling me Masato..."

"It's okay, it's not like I'm the only one who knows this." Masato said with shrug.

"Um…It's hard for me to talk with others…" Elicia said while avoiding eye contact with him.

Huh? 

How shy was this girl to not even able to have a conversation?

"Then how about me?" Masato said while pointing at himself.

"You can talk with me, isn't it? What's so different about me?" Masato inquired curiously.

This caused Elicia to pause for sometime with slight frown on her face, making her look even more cute…if that was even possible with how cute she already was.

"Err…I don't know…?" Elicia said uncertainly.

"Haha, you didn't need to think so hard about it, you know?"

Elicia looked embarrassed with face flushed read after listening to him.

It was quite funny that she was even thinking about such a small thing with such a serious face.

"Hey, you don't need to feel embarrassed, El. I was just pulling your leg."

" Pulling my leg…? When did you do that?" Elicia asked innocently.

"Huh...? No, no. I didn't mean it literally. It roughly means that I was just kidding with you." Masato explained while shaking his head.

"Oh…I don't have much knowledge about such things…I'm sorry." 

"Really? Then do you wanna learn?" Masato said with a grin.

Then Masato began to teach her different idioms and proverbs. He also learned about he reason for her gaps in knowledge.

"Uh... I was homeschooled…"

Then Masato asked what 'homeschooled' meant.

Apparently, there was way for a child to study under a private teacher in their home…

"Really? So you studied under private teachers until you came to his academy?"

"Yes…What about you Masato?" 

Elicia had already begun to somewhat open up to him during their short conversation.

"Well, I guess I was 'homeschooled' too…if you call being taught by nuns in an orphanage as such." 

"Orphanage…?" Elicia said with wide eyes.

"Yep, been in there since eleven." Masato said with a smile.

Elicia seemed sad after hearing that, and when she was about to say something the door to the classroom opened, revealing a man with dark skin a sharp facial features with hair as dark as night wearing a black blazer over white shirt.