'Timet'

Lux looked around at the remaining students who were gathered in front of him. Only eight teams passed, leaving only eighty students remaining, the others that failed were already sent back.

After mentally taking note of the faces of the students that caught his attention, the prince congratulated the children.

"Well done on making it this far. I know you must be expecting a final test, but this is all I prepared. Congratulations on passing, you will all become marvelous knights in the future!"

There was silence for but a moment, then the children broke out into cheers and applause.

The prince let them enjoy themselves for a bit before raising his hand. The children quieted down shortly after.

Motioning for Ezekiel to come forward, the prince stated. "My aide here will write out a mana contract simply stating that you will work under me after graduation. We will discuss the payment and other miscellaneous things after you graduate, but for now all you have to do is simply sign it and imprint your mana into the contract. You will also receive a small badge with the colors and insignia of the royal family...do not lose it."

Every living being has their own unique mana signature, similar to how every brain has a different anatomy. Although at higher ranks, such as S Rank and above, it is possible to change your mana signature.

This makes catching criminals that are S Rank difficult because they can change their mana signature, and by also changing their appearance they could walk the streets right past you and you wouldn't be all the wiser.

To combat this, upon reaching S Rank you are required to register with a guild or you risk being imprisoned. There are various guilds such as, but not limited to, the adventurers guild, merchants guild, mercenary guild, mages guild, and the knights guild.

After leaving Ezekiel behind with all the work, Lux headed back inside the orphanage. He was currently sitting inside the teachers lounge area. After asking Leo to wait outside and telling him not to let anyone in, Lux decided to look at the documents that he recovered at the warehouse.

"This.."

Lux wanted to feel something...anger...anything, but his emotions went numb long ago.

Lux scoffed. "Is this fate or a coincidence?"

'I have been investigating Archbishop Vincenzo regarding child trafficking for the past few weeks, this being the reason why I'm heading to the underground auction in two days, and here is his name appearing again. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to bring him in with regards to the trafficking case, but with his name on this assassination contract I'll be able to mobilize the empires knights'

Lux stood up and walked out of the lounge. Leo followed behind him.

"Leo stay here with Ezekiel, I will head back first."

"Your Highness-"

Lux interrupted the knight.

"I have Tenebris with me so I don't need your protection. Stay here and return with my aide when he's done with his task. I have some information I need to deliver to the knight commander."

Lux walked over to the office of the director and after some small talk, and informing him that the children still had a chance to join his order after graduating at the top of their classes, he dismissed himself.

As he walked out the front gates the prince put on his hood to hide his golden hair and he proceeded to walk down the road into an alley. He soon vanished into the shadows.

Reappearing in his dimly lit room shortly after, the prince gasped for air.

"gasp..It's going to take me...gasp...a while to get used to...gasp...traveling like that."

After catching his breath the prince undressed and walked to the washroom where he proceeded to take a bath.

Sitting in the tub, Lux called out. "Tenebris keep the documents safe until I'm finished. They are inside the left pocket of my trousers."

Tenebris, although it wasn't his job, readied some clothes for the prince to wear and placed them on the bed. He then dug through the clothes on the floor and after finding the documents placed them in his shadow which works as a type of spatial storage. Walking to the corner of the room he disappeared into the shadows to await further orders.

Soaking in the tub, Lux thought about his next course of action. 'The Archbishop is an SS Rank behemoth with a lot of power in the church. He can mobilize the paladins - elite soldiers of the church - with naught but a word. If this matter isn't handled correctly we could be looking at a war against the church itself.'

The prince sighed as he lowered himself further into the tub. 'Well on the bright side he tried to kill me. Wait no let me rephrase that - It's a good thing I have proof of his attempted assassination attempt on royalty which carries a death sentence as punishment. Although I don't understand how he would be stupid enough to sign it himself? Why not send a middle man to sign for you, that you can throw away if needed, that way the contract wouldn't be traced back to you. That's what I would've done...not that I would hire an assassin, since I already have Tenebris and the other shadows.'

The prince stood up and grabbed a towel, after wrapping it around his waist he got out of the tub. After wrapping another towel around his hair he grabbed a silk robe and put it on. 'I need to talk to knight commander Soren and show him all the information I've gathered thus far about the child trafficking case and show him the assassination documents as well. He's more experienced in these kinds of tasks, so he'll be able to take over.'

Walking out of the bathroom, Lux sat down at his study so he could organize and prepare the papers he was going to present to Soren. After ringing the bell that was sitting on his desk two maids walked into his room shortly after.

There are always two maids stationed outside his room so they can provide service at any given time, although it isn't always the same maids since they switch out a few times throughout the day.

The maids walked towards the prince, bowed, and while one proceeded to dry his hair the other picked his clothes up off the ground and started drying the wet floor.

After drying his hair the maid combed and tied it into a ponytail. The other one headed to the washroom to clean it.

Lux stood up and walked towards his bed where he saw some clothes were placed on top. 'Tenebris?'

After one of the maids dressed him, Lux picked up the papers on his desk and walked out of his room.

His shadow wiggled as he walked down a long hallway, indicating that Tenebris was with him.

***

"Your Highness, Commander Soren is not here at the moment."

"Then where is he?"

"He was in the deepest parts of 'that forest' last we got word from him, Your Highness."

Mali Ominis, also called 'that forest' by the superstitious citizens of the empire - which translates to 'A Bad Omen', is a never ending forest located to the east of the empire. Filled with S Class rank beasts, and these are only located on the outer parts of the forest with the much stronger beasts residing deeper within, high rank adventures from the Adventurers Guild and the Knights Guild are dispatched once a year to cull their numbers. Lest they overpopulate and run rampant which would endanger the citizens of the empire.

'Shit' Lux cursed in his mind, but kept a smile on his face.

"Do you know when he will return? I have an urgent matter that needs to be handled."

The lowly knight bowed.

"I'm sorry Your Highness but he won't be returning for another month."

The smile on the princes face almost crumbled.

"Very well, forget anything I mentioned today."

"Yes Your Highness!"

Without a goal in mind Lux roamed around the castle halls occasionally greeting the servants that would bow when they saw him. Eventually he ended in front of his little brothers room.

Lux thought to himself.

'What am I doing here?'

The door opened soon after, Lux looked straight ahead, then he looked a little bit lower. Standing there was the third prince. Timet had opened the door quickly almost as if he could sense Lux standing on the other side.

"Come in big brother. Let's have some tea together."

Lux watched his younger brother walk further into the room, take a seat at the lounge area, and then ask his maid to pour them some tea. Lux mentally noted that this wasn't the head maid that is always with Timet before he walked inside and took a seat as well.

Lux stared at his younger brother who was emitting an air of confidence and regality sitting across from him.

"Where's Timet?"

'Timet' took another sip of tea before placing the cup down.

He then looked Lux in the eye as he tapped his temple.

"Timet is sleeping peacefully. We switched places after our head maid tried to strangle us in our sleep last night."

'Timet' - Kato - moved his collar to show Lux the marks on his neck with a smile plastered on his face.

'That would explain why a different maid is serving him...them'

Kato with a hurt look on his face asked Lux.

"Dear big brother are you not going to keep your act of an angelic prince and pretend to be worried about me?"

"..."

"Oh right! You are only kind to those who are useful to you."

Lux looked over at the maid who was standing behind Kato.

Kato followed the princes line of sight, after realizing what he was looking at he laughed.

"Bwahahaha! Brother I pity you, being unable to act like your true self in front of others.

Looking at Lux he adds, "I also hate you. Did you know? Timet admires you. Every bit of your hippocratic personality. I try to tell him about how two faced you are but he doesn't listen!"

After not getting a response Kato stood up and raised his hand towards the maid.

"Glacies Hastam"

Before the maid could react a long spear made of ice pierced her chest. She fell back with a look of horror and shock on her face.

"She's gone. Now you can talk to me without pretense big brother."

Kato crouched down next to the deceased maid so he could get a better look at her face.

"Hahaha pfft... big brother come look! The face she made in her final moments is priceless."