“We greet you, young ladies and lords of the grand Mystwood Academy.”
The man in the white armor stepped forward, his helmet tucked neatly beneath his arm to reveal sharp, disciplined features and a neatly trimmed blond beard. His voice carried across the marble courtyard with a strange clarity that commanded instant respect. The silver rose crest on his breastplate caught the sunlight and gleamed brightly.
“Thank you, Knight Major Philibert. It is an honor to visit the Rose Knight Academy. I am Professor Quinten, and these are our brightest young minds.”
Professor Quinten stepped to the front of the student group and bowed his head respectfully. Rusty studied the man. His rank was higher than any Rusty had heard of in the small settlements he had passed through. It suggested that Philibert occupied a high position in the hierarchy, or perhaps the ranking system here was simply different.
The Knight Major smiled, though his eyes remained fixed on the young summoners before him. To Rusty’s knowledge, there was a distinction between humanoids with mage classes and those without, as mage classes were quite rare. It was not unusual for many mana users to come from noble families because humanoids followed a peculiar practice known as selective breeding.
People of certain professions seemed more likely to produce children who followed the same path, or at least that was how their bloodlines were believed to function. By pairing powerful magic users together, the nobility ensured that their descendants inherited large mana reserves, reinforcing their status and influence for generations.
As a monster incapable of producing offspring, Rusty found the whole concept difficult to understand. To him, the best way to grow stronger was simply to gain levels and pursue better evolutions. There was no need to form lifelong bonds or concern himself with leaving a legacy through bloodlines. Humanoids, however, seemed driven by that desire, as though their deaths would carry greater meaning if their descendants survived and prospered.
“The Headmaster is expecting you in the grand hall.”
Knight Major Philibert gestured toward the towering white castle.
“Please, follow me. Your luggage will be taken to the guest quarters while the students attend the welcoming ceremony.”
Even though Aldric and Eldric were, in a sense, Aranea’s retainers, they did not need to carry any luggage. Servants and squires were already present to handle such tasks. Every mage here was considered an important guest, especially since they would soon participate in a joint exercise with the knight trainees.
The group was led through the massive arched doorways, where the cool interior of the fortress offered a brief respite from the sweet, overwhelming scent of the rose fields outside, or so they thought.
“There are even more roses in here. White ones, blue ones, even pink and yellow!”
Astrella pointed excitedly at the surrounding greenery. Small gardens and carefully shaped hedges filled the halls, displaying colors Rusty had never imagined a simple flower could possess. The air inside smelled lighter than outside, yet the fragrance remained strong enough to make Syber’s sensitive nose twitch. A moment later, he sneezed.
“What’s with these guys and roses? This is way too excessive.”
Syber sneezed again but managed to cover his nose quickly afterward. Some of the other students also seemed bothered by the sweet, rosy scent, but Astrella, who was aligned with plants, seemed completely at home.
“It’s so beautiful here. We should get some of these roses and plant them back at the academy!”
Astrella’s eyes sparkled as she attempted to move closer to the flowers and brush her fingers against a petal. Before she could, the teacher turned his head in her direction.
“I... I wasn’t touching anything!”
The girl panicked, as though she had sensed the danger instantly from a single glance.
“It’s best if we don’t stand out. People are watching.”
Gwen whispered and tilted her head toward a group of armored men standing nearby. Knights and guards of various ages lined the area, blocking every path leading away from the main route. Although they were guests, it was clear they were not allowed to wander freely and were expected to follow the Knight Major toward the large castle ahead.
The grounds were kept in pristine condition, and in the distance, they could hear the sounds of clashing swords and other weapons. Even now, the young knights seemed to be training. Their group was led down a wide, pillared walkway that overlooked one of the outdoor training fields.
Below them, dozens of squires and young knights in training sparred with wooden and blunted steel weapons. The ringing of metal against metal echoed through the air, accompanied by the booming commands of drill instructors. Rusty peered over Gwen’s arm to assess the warriors' levels and skills. They were disciplined and precise, but their strength did not seem particularly impressive compared to his own.
‘Will these people be joining us? I’m not sure I’ll be able to rely on them very much...’
He did not want to make a judgment too quickly, but it was best not to depend on others for survival. The students, on the other hand, seemed impressed by the fighting spirit of the young men below for entirely different reasons.
“Look at them... why are they all so good-looking?”
Astrella began giggling, unable to take her eyes off the young, strapping men below. The other girls seemed equally captivated, while the boys were visibly irritated.
“Is that what you humanoids consider handsome?”
“I suppose so.”
Gwen replied to Rusty’s question. He had to admit that the young men here looked different from the average person. It made him wonder whether physical attractiveness was one of the qualities sought after by the knight academy, or if there was some connection between good looks and strength.
“I heard that their aura strengthening technique improves their appearance. Or maybe it only works on people with a certain physique.”
Astrella commented, seeming unusually knowledgeable when it came to the knights’ appearance. Rusty, however, was interested in something else.
“What’s an aura strengthening technique?”
“Oh, Sir Rusty doesn’t know about aura?”
Aranea was the first to respond. Even though she was usually quiet, for some reason, she seemed much less reserved when communicating through the bond bands. Whenever her two retainers were nearby, she preferred speaking through the bond where they could not overhear, and she was surprisingly good at explaining everything.
“No, I’ve never heard of an aura technique. What is it? Is it something only humanoids can learn? Does it make you stronger?”
He immediately started asking questions, eager to learn about every possible way to become stronger. There was also something peculiar about those youths and even the Knight Major. They radiated a kind of energy, but it was not mana.
"Aura is the manifestation of physical life force."
Aranea's voice echoed in Rusty’s mind, and he listened attentively.
"While mages manipulate ambient mana from the atmosphere or draw from their internal reserves to cast spells, knights focus on refining a different kind of energy. In some distant regions, it is called vital force, but here it is simply known as aura."
“Oh!”
Rusty was intrigued, but as he listened to the explanation, he became somewhat dejected. If vital force, or life force, was required for aura to manifest, then he would probably be unable to learn it. As a monster created through magic, he was not a living organism and possessed no vital force of his own. Instead, he was sustained by magic and the core that generated it.
"By circulating this energy through their muscles and blood vessels, it is possible..."
“I see...”
Aranea continued her explanation, but once human physiology became part of the discussion, Rusty began to lose interest in the technique. Perhaps when he returned to the Soul Forge, he could ask Alexander or Aburdon for their thoughts. However, he understood enough about skills to know that he should not be capable of learning aura, at least not the version used by humanoids.
The explanation continued for some time. Learning aura seemed to require humanoids to push their bodies to their limits, practice unusual breathing techniques, meditate, and place themselves in dangerous situations. According to Aranea, when a person's life was threatened, their vital energy and desire to survive could sometimes trigger a transformation that strengthened their aura.
‘Seems like an awfully convenient way to gain power...’
He felt a bit jealous that humanoids could gain skills that enhanced their abilities during moments of extreme danger. It sounded almost too good to be true, and from Aranea’s explanation, the chances of such a transformation occurring in battle were actually quite low.
Eventually, Knight Major Philibert led the group to the end of the walkway, where a massive set of double doors carved from white stone stood open. Two guards in full plate armor saluted smoothly as the delegation passed through.
The air inside the grand hall was cooler and filled with protective enchantments. High above, the ceiling rose into intricate arches painted with scenes of historical battles, where knights and mages fought side by side against enormous beasts. Long wooden tables lined the sides of the hall, though they were currently covered with half-eaten meals that servants were in the process of clearing away.
“Oh, isn’t that... A-Class?”
Rusty pointed with his small halberd toward a group of people gathered inside. Among them stood a familiar figure, Gwen’s archenemy, Katherine Grandwell.
“Why are they still here? Taking their sweet time?”
Astrella sounded annoyed as she glanced toward the members of A-Class. Their group was the smallest among the classes, consisting of only fifteen people. Each summoner from A-Class was surrounded by attractive knights, with Katherine attracting the largest crowd. It seemed they were all competing for her attention, and the smile on her face suggested that she was enjoying every moment of it.
“They were supposed to get here before us. They must have been taking their time...”
Syber even chimed in as he looked at the rival students with a slight scowl. Rusty was aware that everyone from Mystwood Academy wanted to enter this class, so competition was fierce. For some reason, the students in A-Class seemed especially eager to flaunt their superiority and look down on everyone else. The moment B1 Class was spotted, scowls appeared on the faces of many A-Class students.
“Ah, look what the manticore dragged in...”
“Oh, and it was just becoming fun. Best if we move along then.”
“What’s that smell? Oh, B-Class. I should have known. We should leave before the second one arrives and the smell becomes even worse!”
The students from A-Class burst into laughter, and their insults hit their mark. Astrella’s face started turning red with anger, but before she could say something she would regret, Syber grabbed her from behind and placed a hand over her mouth.
“Mmpph!”
“Quiet down before you get our whole class into trouble.”
Astrella struggled for a moment before finally calming down. Syber only removed his hand once he was certain she would not immediately shout back.
“Good.”
“Those arrogant peacocks...”
She muttered under her breath, glaring daggers at the laughing students across the hall. Rusty glanced between the two groups. The hostility was obvious. He had seen similar behavior among the humanoids before, but for now, there was nothing his group could do about it. Fortunately, they did not have to.
Knight Major Philibert turned toward the crowd. His disciplined gaze swept over the students, instantly silencing the lingering snickers from the knights accompanying A-Class who had been playing along. The summoners noticed the reaction and seemed to realize they had crossed a line. Even so, they showed no sign of remorse and simply started moving forward, passing by B1 Class.
“My apologies. I was told that this group had already left...”
Philibert turned to Quinten and gave him a slight bow. Their teacher simply shook his head and replied.
“It’s fine. I understand.”
Quinten knew well how the divide between students and ranks worked. It was impossible for him to complain as those at the top always had the final say.
“We will just wait until everything is ready.”
“You have my gratitude.”
Philibert nodded before guiding them forward. The students from A-Class passed by without another word. Rusty watched them, wondering if perhaps one of them had been responsible for the trouble Gwen had faced during their initial journey.
Katherine Grandwell, who stood at the top of the list, glanced in their direction. Rusty fixed his gaze on her, but after giving them a somewhat displeased look, she simply lifted her chin and resumed speaking with the handsome knights gathered around her.
'I might never be able to find the perpetrator like this...'
Rusty was worried. He had no clues about who was after Gwen, and soon they would be participating in a joint training mission with the knights gathered here. He did not know where they would be sent, but he was certain it would provide the perfect opportunity for whoever was responsible to strike.
"They are so annoying... but soon we'll be in A-Class too. Let's do it, everybody!"
Astrella turned to the rest of Class B1, who were gathered with her. In reality, however, it did not seem as though anyone here was eager to move up. Aranea, who likely already met the qualifications for promotion, had no desire to change classes. Aldric and Eldric were simply there to support their lady, and Gwen appeared content to remain where she was, clearly unwilling to share a class with Katherine. The other students also seemed satisfied with their current standing, leaving only Syber as someone with both the potential and the motivation to advance.
Once the hall had emptied and the tables had been cleared, a lavish feast was served. Yet the students found little enjoyment in it after their encounter with the other group. They quickly noticed that their dishes were not nearly as refined as those served to the A-Class students. Astrella continued complaining through the bonded chat while they waited for their meeting with the Headmaster. Eventually, the summons came, though not before the members of Class B2 arrived as well.
They were led into another chamber, one that dwarfed all the previous halls they had seen. The vast room stretched before them, grand and imposing. Both groups waited in silence for someone to appear. High above them stood the Headmaster on a balcony overlooking the hall.
The old man possessed a presence that seemed to warp the very air around him. He wore no armor, choosing instead a deep crimson tunic that made him resemble any number of noblemen. Yet his physique was unmistakably that of a warrior. Powerful muscles strained beneath the fabric, while his long red hair and thick beard gave him the appearance of a fierce beast.
"Welcome, students of Mystwood Academy. I am Grand Master Valerius, and I officially welcome you to my Rose Knight Academy..."