Chapter 18: Rumors. (1)

"This is where you're going to sleep from now on. You can eat in the cafeteria that I showed you earlier, and you don't have to pay for it," Julius said as he showed the room that was four times bigger than his room in Sierra's house. "Since I'll be busy teaching the students, we are going to start studying from 6 p.m.," Julius looked at Alseace wandering around the room. "I have a class to teach, you can wander around if you want. See you later," Julius continued as he looked at his wristwatch.

Alseace looked at him and nodded his head with understanding. He watched Julius leave the room, and then he went to his desk with the small book in his hand. He wanted to see the names and how strong they were.

There were 8 top Guilds in East Dasmein with more than a dozen S-Rankers. Compared to West Dasmein, they looked stronger, but it was natural since East Dasmein's territory was twice as big as West Dasmein's.

"Silver Talon, Onyx, Notorious, Specter, Goldenclaw, Lost Age, Watervale, and Vendetta. Each of them has two S-Rank Candidates except for Silver Talon. They're not on friendly terms with each other unlike the guilds from West Dasmein," Alseace hummed as he read Katya's writing.

"That's too many names to remember..." Alseace closed the book. "I guess I should use my time to explore the academy first and try to remember these names," Alseace stood up and left the room.

Alseace was wandering around the empty dorm since everyone was still in class. He left the dormitory and went to the cafeteria to eat lunch. But on his way there, he saw Edgar with his friends talking with the red-haired guy that bumped into him earlier on the field near the breezeway

The two of them didn't look like they were on good terms, and so Alseace decided to eavesdrop on them as he pretended to read his book.

"What do you want this time, Edgar? I'm really not in a good mood right now," The red-haired man asked with a cold expression as he stared Edgar in the eye.

"Seriously? You're living under the wealth of your own sister and she already provided you with everything. And yet you're still so grumpy? What an ungrateful bastard you are, Luke," Edgar crossed his arms and stared back at the red-haired guy.

A strong heat was oozing out of Luke's body and started to hurt Edgar's skin. Slowly but surely, Luke's body was covered in faint and gentle flame, but it was hot enough to send Edgar's friends away.

"You want to fight, bastard?" Edgar grabbed Luke's collar as he glared at him.

Alseace looked at the unburned attire that Edgar wore when he grabbed Luke's collar, and there were a few materials that could endure a flame. Either way, to have attire with the material that could endure flame was already amazing, and it was worth a fortune.

"They're at it again," A woman's voice could be heard from Alseace's left side. "I guess we can enjoy the show while it lasts," She continued and leaned on the pillar.

Alseace glanced at the black-haired woman with the messy bun. She had a choker on her neck and she looked younger compared to him. She could be the same age as Edgar and Luke.

While he was staring at the woman, he then heard a thumping sound. He looked at Edgar and Luke, and to his surprise, Luke was sent to the ground after Edgar punched him. Edgar was choking Luke and sat on top of him with his right fist ready to punch Luke in the face again.

Alseace furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Edgar wasn't affected by the flame. His skin was tough enough to endure the burn, which was really interesting to watch.

"A mage trying to threaten me?! I'll show you the difference between me and you!" Edgar punched Luke in the face as he locked Luke's body from fighting back.

"It's interesting isn't it?" The woman looked at Alseace with a smile.

"It is, he has quite a nice skill to endure the flame," Alseace answered as he watched Edgar get pushed by wind magic.

"Oh, it's not just a skill. It's because he's rich, that Edgar guy," The woman replied, and looked at how the table had turned when Luke threw a fireball right in front of Edgar's face and exploded. Edgar was sent flying and Luke used that opportunity to heal the wounds on his face.

Alseace looked at the woman with a confused look.

"What are you looking at me like that? Don't you know who Edgar is? Edgar's father owned 70% of the gold mines that exist in Dasmein. He also has a few diamond mines and a few silver and iron mines. That man's father is stacked," The woman approached Alseace and stood next to him. "You don't want to know how much money his father spent for him for God Coins," The woman continued.

The woman explained that Edgar's father bought dozens of Life Potions for him. He was trained like a soldier by his father, and since he didn't have a magic affinity, his father decided to make him strong enough to be immune to magic. The solution was to raise Edgar's [Pain Resistance], and unlocked all the Sub-Skills of it. [Heat Resistance], [Cold Resistance], [Fire Resistance], [Freeze Resistance], [Tough Skin], and other skills that increased his defense against elements attacks.

"So basically he was tortured by his father to get those skills and then healed him with the Life Potions. What a caring father," Alseace said, and looked at the instructors who came in a hurry to stop those two from fighting.

"I know right? The privilege of being a rich kid. I heard his father bought 10 Growth Potions for him for his last birthday," The woman was smiling and scoffing as she watched Luke and Edgar being separated by the instructors.

"How envious," Alseace said without showing any expression.

"I like you..." The woman suddenly said as she tilted her head and leaned her body forward to look at Alseace's face from the front. "You're so laidback and play along with the flow of the conversation," The woman continued with a smirk.

Alseace raised his eyebrows and was a bit surprised by what he had just heard.

"Cleo Fengrim," The woman offered her hand for a handshake.

"Alseace LaRoze," Alseace shook the woman's hand.

"Alseace LaRoze... never heard of you," Cleo said with her arms crossed.

Alseace smiled and shrugged his shoulders as he watched Edgar and Luke try to hit each other. "I'm just here for a special study," Alseace answered.

"Special study?" Cleo seemed intrigued as she looked at Alseace from top to bottom. "Anyway, do you have somewhere else to be?" Cleo asked and saw Luke and Edgar being dragged in the breezeway right behind her.

"I'm going to the cafeteria. Get something to eat," Alseace answered, and glanced at those two entering the building.

"Perfect. Let's get to know each other because I want to know you better," Cleo said as she turned around, and then walked the breezeway. She suddenly stopped and turned around. "Am I bothering you? Should I just leave you be?" Cleo asked with her right eyebrow raised.

Alseace smiled a bit and shook his head, "No, please lead the way."

They went to the cafeteria and grabbed their lunch, but since they were too early, there weren't that many students there. They both had small talk until the bell rang for a lunch break. Students started coming into the cafeteria and the quiet place turned into a noisy one.

"So you're going to be an Agent of Emissary. How coincidence that I'm also going to be an Agent myself," Cleo said with a smile as she put a french fry into her mouth.

"Slut..." A woman said as she poured a cup of soda on top of Cleo's head and wet the table. "Hey, you. Don't associate with her, she's a slut who slept with all the boys that she met. Well, maybe you can sleep with her once after you treat her food since she'll open her legs so easy for anyone," she looked at Alseace and chuckled.

Surprisingly enough, almost everyone in the cafeteria was snickering at Cleo. Some of them acted like they didn't see or hear anything. Alseace then looked at Cleo, who didn't seem mad or annoyed; she was staring at the wet fries on her plate. He then left the table and left Cleo alone.

"Thank God he left, right? He looks handsome and tall, maybe I can sleep with him instead," The woman talked to her friends. "Serve you right, slut," she put the cup on top of Cleo's head and then left.

Cleo could feel the gazes pointing toward her, and even though she didn't feel angry or embarrassed, she hated the eyes around her. But when she was about to leave, Alseace came back, and to her surprise, he brought a tray with plates of food.

"Here, your fries. You looked bummed when she wet your fries," Alseace said as he gave the fries to Cleo. "Also, that girl ruined my food, so I got a new one," Alseace continued and cut the ribs on his plate.

Cleo was speechless as the cup on top of her head fell on the table. She then laughed as she covered her mouth which attracted more attention to the students around her.

"Is that so? But are you sure you're treating me not because of what you heard from her? That I would spread my legs open by treating me food?" Cleo asked as she grabbed a fry and stared him in the eye.

"I don't believe in rumors, but if there's a rumor going around, then that means there's a reason why the rumor exists in the first place. So, I'm interested in that, not the rumor itself," Alseace answered and ate the meat.

Cleo raised her eyebrows as she chewed the fries in her mouth. She was quite impressed by Alseace's way of thinking.

"I think I'm in love with you," Cleo rested her arms and head on the table as she looked at Alseace.

Alseace kept eating his ribs and looked Cleo in the eye, "Thanks."