The academy gates were already far behind them when the carriage finally picked up the speed. It did not carry the festive noise of a tournament departure.
There were no banners, no cheering crowds, and no teachers who were offering dramatic farewells. There were only a few distracted students that waved half-heartedly before.
After all, it was just a meeting. It was just a gathering of representatives from different academies across the region.
There would be discussions, evaluations, and exchanges of information. Prius Academy who was neither the weakest nor the strongest would likely be ignored.
In the meantime, the carriage itself went unimpeded. The subtle runes that were carved beneath the frame kept flowing relentlessly. It looked unremarkable, yet Baston could feel the faint hum of the enchantment that was vibrating through the floorboards.
Alicia sat upright near the window and her posture was flawless as always. As for the noble boy, he occupied the opposite seat with his slightly raised chin and folded arms.
Baston sat between the stacked crates of provisions and the travel rations. He soon reached for a plate of snacks and the noble boy's gaze sharpened.
"You're really a glutton," he said coolly, "We've barely left the academy and you're already revealing your true nature."
Baston paused mid-bite, thinking about the noble boy, "What is his problem?"
Before he could reply, something trembled inside his bag. It was a faint and deliberate vibration. His heartbeat quickened since the pattern was becoming clearer.
The old book never acted randomly since it responded to the situations, the pressure, and the encounters.
First quest came when Panto bullied him. Second quest came when Alicia entered his surrounding. Third quest came when Angus began to suspect him. Now, a meeting outside the academy walls provoked for the next quest.
The timing was too precise to be a coincidence.
He subtly pressed his palm against the bag and he could sense the order from the old book. Without other choices, he sneaked a peek.
"Must have a good relationship with your teammate before reaching the destination…"
Looking at the new quest, it seemed there was a time limit. That was new for him but he wasn't ready toward such requirement.
He resisted the urge to curse.
This wasn't about the shallow friendliness. Good relationship implied something deeper. Perhaps, it was about trust, respect, and mutual recognition.
He glanced back at the noble boy. His hunch played along inside his mind. This quest was surely aimed at him.
Alicia was neutral ground since their relationship hovered in a strange space which was curious and watchful but certainly not hostile. It could be said that he had good relationship with her.
As for the noble boy, he could sense the pride that was wrapped in insecurity. Such insecurity was the easiest place to dig. He chewed thoughtfully then looked up.
"You eat like a livestock," the noble boy continued with colder voice, "You have no restraint and no refinement. You are like a pig at a trough."
Baston chewed slowly. He could react, argue, and defend himself. Unfortunately, all of those would widen the gap of their relationship. He would just distance himself toward his target.
Instead getting angry, he then calmly said, "Oink… Oink…"
The silence loomed since the words were flat and almost casual. He was not angry and embarrassed. His response was the acceptance because he told the people around that he indeed was a pig.
Alicia's shoulders trembled despite restraining hardly while the noble boy's lips twitched before he suppressed it. Such mockery loses its strength when embraced.
The noble boy had expected the resistance, the outrage, and the pride. Instead, he received the indifference and the tension soon shifted.
"You're ridiculous," the noble boy muttered.
"Don't you think it's a fact?" Baston replied mildly, reaching for another snack.
This time, the noble boy grabbed one too almost unconsciously.
For now, it was not friendship. It was just no longer hostility sharpened into a blade. Inside the bag, the old book pulsed faintly just to signify a progress over the quest.
"What's your name?" Baston asked.
"You're unfit to know it…"
"Ah…" Baston nodded thoughtfully, "Just because you're the weakest here, it doesn't mean I don't need to know your name."
The boy stiffened, "You!"
"Are your family strong?" Baston asked casually, redirecting before the anger solidified.
The change in the direction caught the boy off guard.
"Our family produces knights every generation," he replied automatically, "We are respected in our territory."
"Then, why you become a wizard? Wouldn't that dilute your prestigious influence?"
There was a flicker of hesitation from the noble boy before he answered, "It was my decision..."
"Of course it was," Baston said mildly, "You want to prove something, don't you?"
The silence loomed the atmosphere and Baston continued his eating. He didn't look at the boy again.
If the boy wanted to talk, he would continue by himself. If not, then the matter must be a secret and he didn't want anyone to know about it. Several seconds went by before the noble boy sighed.
"My father has many children," the noble boy said quietly, "They came from different wives. For him, the talent determines their position."
Baston listened without interrupting.
"In noble families…" the boy continued, "Such affection is conditional and your potential is the currency. If you're average, you're tolerated. If you're weak, you're ignored."
Alicia's eyes shifted since she did not deny it. Baston slowly tilted his head.
"I thought the nobles could relax. After all, they stay in the mansions. They rule over their servants and they only need to wait for their inheritance."
"You think too simply," the boy said, "The comfort is for the heirs but my own position must be earned."
"So… you chose magic in the end," he said softly, "Because being a knight has already been expected but being a wizard can stand out."
The boy's jaw tightened, "Yes…"
The boy didn't show the rebellion and the escape. He only wanted to be special, different from any other. He wanted to have his own place among the family and the society.
Baston smiled faintly, "So… you don't hate me much. You only dislike my unpredictability. After all, it will feel that I'm cheating all of your hard work."
The noble boy looked startled, "I…"
"You studied hard…" Baston continued calmly, "You followed the magic structure and advanced step by step. But suddenly, I appeared among the students. The boy who had been awakened under the Great Wizard Angus. I quickly made a fast growth with no visible foundation. It was indeed like cheating."
The boy didn't deny it. There was an indignation, yet it was not full hatred. It was such important distinction inside his attitude.
"You think I was lucky," Baston said.
"Anyone would…"
Alicia interjected gently, "If awakening were that simple, the academy would be full of wizards."
The noble boy frowned, "Yes… That's quite true…"
Baston smiled and reached for another snack. The noble boy immediately grabbed the plate.
"Don't hoard everything," he scoffed, "Lady Alicia hasn't eaten."
"She seems uninterested toward eating."
"That's because you're taking all the food."
"I'm protecting it..."
"You're devouring it…"
Their hands clashed over a pastry. For a brief moment, they looked absurd. Alicia almost laughed again since the atmosphere had shifted.
They were still not friendly but they also were not hostile. The old book pulsed faintly and there had been a progress toward the quest. The pulse was subtle like a heartbeat that didn't belong to him.
Baston did not take it out again. He didn't need to since the old book had already given him the condition.
The book wasn't a mentor. It wasn't even a judge in a normal sense. It was closer to an audience. It was an invisible presence behind his shoulder, waiting to see whether he would stumble or improvise.
It demanded a good relationship but it never defined what good meant. It could be warmth, loyalty, or tolerance. The ambiguity was seemingly deliberate.
It meant the old book wanted him to choose a method and not follow the instructions.
Across from him, the noble boy had loosened his posture. It was not much but enough to compromise his behavior. He had also started reaching for the snacks without acting as though it offended his dignity. His small movements told about his small concessions.
Baston leaned back, chewing with slow satisfaction as if the entire world was nothing but about the food and the timing.
Alicia watched them both without speaking. Her expression was calm but her silence wasn't passive. It felt like a test of its own. She didn't interrupt, didn't correct, and didn't guide. She simply observed and Baston was aware of it.
In the academy, Alicia's attention carried the weight. People adjusted themselves when she looked their way even if she didn't say a word.
Now, in the confined carriage, that attention became sharper and more intimate. It was harder to pretend even though pretending was his most frequent weapon.
The noble boy cleared his throat, "By the way, you talk too much for someone who claims to be poor status."
Baston raised an eyebrow, "Poor status doesn't mean poor intelligence."
"It usually does…" the boy scoffed automatically then paused as if he was realizing that he was falling into an old habit.
The boy glanced at Alicia then back at Baston before the edge in his voice dulled, "I mean… People like you are not trained to speak in front of the nobles."
"And yet, I'm here speaking casually…"
"That is precisely what I dislike…"
Baston didn't respond immediately. He allowed the silence to stretch just long enough for the noble boy to feel it. It was not punishment but it was just the space and the boundary.
"You dislike me because you can't predict me," Baston said.
The boy's eyes narrowed, "Don't act like you understand me…"
"I don't…" Baston replied honestly, "At least, not yet…"
The honesty disarmed the atmosphere slightly. Even he felt it as it left his mouth. He hadn't planned to say it that way, but perhaps, that was the point of the relationship.
If this quest wanted a good relationship, then the authenticity might matter more than the manipulation.
Perhaps, it demanded the appearance of the authenticity. Baston couldn't tell because the old book was cruel being of the judge.
Alicia shifted slightly and the fabric of her sleeve stretching against the cushion, "You're both behaving like kids. But at least, you're only behaving…"
The boy stiffened, "Lady Alicia, I…"
"You don't need to explain yourself," she continued, "If you're going to attend the meeting, you should both understand that any conflict between us must not happen."
She turned her gaze toward the window as if she was watching the road, "Outside Prius Academy, your personal pride matters less."
The boy hesitated, "We're going to be ignored anyway."
"That is only your assumption..."
"It's the fact…" the boy insisted, "Prius Academy is average. While the other academies will bring the real talents and prodigies, we will be the decoration at best."
Baston spoke gently, "If we're ignored, isn't that safer?"
The boy stared at him, "Safer?"
"Yes…" Baston said, "There will be no attention, no scrutiny, and no jealousy. Isn't that what the nobles prefer when they're weak?"
The boy's eyes widened before it narrowed again. "You're calling me weak..."
"No…" Baston replied, "I'm calling you cautious, just like me…"
Alicia's lips curved faintly, "Baston is right. Being ignored can be the protection but it can also be a trap."
"A trap?" the boy asked.
Alicia nodded slightly, "When people ignore you, they also stop warning you. They stop explaining and they stop showing their intentions. After all, you become invisible."
"Being invisible sounds better than being targeted."
Alicia continued, "In the gatherings like this, people exchange the information, including the weaknesses. The politics isn't only for the courts. It exists anywhere when the power gathers. In such cases, being invisible means losing much information."
"It's very complicated even though it's just a meeting."
"The meetings are where the alliances begin," Alicia replied, "The alliances begin where several interests overlap."
Baston watched the boy's expression tightened. He could almost see the boy's mind shifting from the competition to the survival.
Not many noble students thought in survival terms because their safety was inherited. But for the noble boy, he understood the competition inside few bloodlines because of his family structure.
He understood that being irrelevant was dangerous and being outstanding was dangerous too. The worst thing was being noticed by the wrong person.
Baston leaned forward slightly, "Whatever it is, we must always hold our pride and dignity highly. We can't bow down to our opponent easily."
The boy glared, "You think too easily..."
"There's no use to complicate the matter anyway. Rather than getting a headache, it's better to simplify the things."
The noble boy hesitated but he slowly accepted the conclusion. The same also happened toward Alicia even though her confidence came from something else.
The carriage seemed to grow quieter that even the faint rumble of wheels felt distant. Whatever they were facing, the best they could do for now was discussing the general situation.
Surely, there would be war of words in the future. Eventually, this kind of war was the moment that Baston believed he would win amazingly.