Class D, a mid-morning lecture. Sitting in the very top row, Eric watched the class intently. A female professor drew a unique shape on the blackboard and explained, "I know many of you aren't specialization in runes and their arts, but there's no harm in learning a little about them." The professor then continued. "Runes are an essential element of magical tools. Lamps, heaters, safety guards, or protective measures. What mages cannot do is usually accomplished by runes."
"Each rune has its own distinct shape and governs different aspects." The professor pointed at the rigidly shaped drawing. "This rune is commonly used for barrier-related aspects." She pointed to another unique, round-shaped drawing. "Meanwhile, this rune is commonly used to facilitate the absorption of ambient Mana in the surroundings. Runes also serve to strengthen weapons, equipment, and other items related to combat or self-defense. So, don't forget to check the runes engraved on your wands, staffs, or weapons every once in a while, okay?"
Eric could see the commoner students busily writing down what was in front of them, while many of the noble students weren't interested but pretended to pay attention to the lesson. He looked at the unique symbols on the board. To be honest, this wasn't the first time Eric had seen runes—back at the Ostheno estate, there were also various runes on household furnishings and tools—but it couldn't hurt to learn a little more about them.
Class ended, and Eric walked toward the main gate. He stretched and planned to take a short walk through the city center while looking for something to eat. "Eric!" someone called out. Eric stopped and turned around. He exhaled and nodded after seeing who had called him. "Jeremy, brat." The wimpy boy smiled and waved his hand. "Good to see you again, Eric!"
"Likewise. I see you're doing good. What class are you in this year?" Eric asked, crossing his arms. "Class B. By chance, I'm also in the same class as… umm… Dianne, Ellen, and Cecilia…"
"Okay, that's new. What do you need from me, brat?" Jeremy blinked at Eric's question, then gathered his courage. "I was wondering if we could explore the city together—there's so much I need to catch up on with you, and… I haven't properly thanked you for your help last year."
"This brat—he's getting bold. Not that I mind, though," Eric muttered to himself, noticing Jeremy's change in demeanor. "No need to thank me—we were struggling together back then." Jeremy waved his hands. "That won't do, Eric! Please, at least let me buy you some food or a drink as a token of my gratitude!" Eric considered the offer, he did want to shop downtown alone, but there was nothing wrong with having someone he knew tag along. "Fine, whatever you say. Let's go."
Jeremy's expression brightened, and he followed Eric as he started walking out of the Academy. On the way, Eric stopped by Jack's bakery—the same man who had given him information about the haunted mansion a few months ago. Eric then asked about the latest rumors and news, and Jack replied with the rumors he already knew about, such as the power struggle for the throne among the empire's heirs, the conflict between commoner and noble students, the increasingly active demonic cultists, and so on.
After that, it was Eric and Jeremy's turn to catch up with each other. Jeremy shared that being in Class B made his family proud, and he admitted that he was a little braver when facing people and rarely stuttered or got nervous anymore. Eric huffed contentedly, pleased with the progress of the little boy beside him. Then it was Eric's turn to talk about last winter's vacation. Of course, he left out some details, such as his random powers and his involvement in certain incidents. Jeremy was distracted by Eric's story, focusing more on the rumors surrounding the incidents Eric mentioned—like whether it was true that the Red Descendant had kidnapped the Videno family to summon a Mithril-rank Demon, and so on.
They walked through a small alley, and just as they were about to arrive at a hidden gem of a café that Eric had discovered, the two of them ran into someone. A neatly dressed, smiling man stopped and spoke to them. "I assume you two are Academy students? Can I entertain you with this equipment?" Jeremy was visibly stunned but remained wary. After the man pulled out several items—such as knives, daggers, and magic tools—Jeremy was captivated by those fancy-looking goods. Eric watched without comment but kept his guard up.
Jeremy finally spoke up, "Thank you, mister. These are pretty nice items, but we're not interested right now." The man, with his silver tongue, tried to convince Jeremy, "Ah, I see. Maybe they're too expensive or just look pricey? Rest assured, Young Master. We have plenty more in stock at my shop. It's not far from here. Come on, follow me."
Eric kept a straight face, while Jeremy looked curious but held back after seeing Eric's expression. "Sure, mister. Lead the way." The man's eyes widened, but he appeared composed. The two of them began to follow the strange man, before Eric whispered something. "This smells fishy as fuck, be careful." Jeremy was confused by Eric's words but obeyed him.
After a few twists and turns, Eric grew increasingly suspicious and stopped in his tracks. "Earlier you said, 'We have plenty more in stock at my shop'...Who's 'we,' mister?" The strange man clicked his tongue and turned around, giving them a menacing glare. "No more playing around, huh?" Suddenly, a crowd emerged from the corner of the alley, completely surrounding the two young students.
"I can't believe I've run into the O' Great Young Master Eric Ostheno!" one of the men said, licking his blade in a vulgar manner. Meanwhile, the others also burst into loud laughter. Eric immediately instructed Jeremy in a low voice, "Move when I give the signal." Jeremy was a little startled by the arrival of these people—who looked more like bandits and thugs—but he remained calm upon hearing Eric's command, even though a hint of worry was visible on his face.
"Because you stopped our partnership and arbitrarily cut off your monthly payments, we've been left broke and wandering around like fucking beggars!" one of the men shouted, spraying saliva as he spoke. Eric raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, he finally remembered who these people were. According to his memories, they were people from the underworld who had often done business with the Eric of the past in shady dealings—people who usually supplied him with illegal items such as drugs, alcohol, weapons, and so on.
Since the current Eric had taken over, they hadn't received any money from him, which had led to a breakdown in their relationship. "Ahh… it's you guys. Your faces are so plain I'd completely forgotten about you!" The men gritted their teeth, staring into Eric's unusually bright blue eyes. They then smirked, "Hmph! We've already found a new patron who's better than you! As for you… we'll show you what happens when you mess with us!!"
Some of them began to lunge forward and brandish their weapons. Jeremy panicked and tried to cast his wind magic. But before he could, a knife pierced his eye. "Agghhhhkkk!!" One of the men, giggling, had just struck Jeremy in the eye. Then Jeremy fell to the ground, where he was beaten and repeatedly stabbed by the men. "Er-Eric!! Hel-help me-meee!! I-I don't wan-want to d-die!!"
Eric panicked and tried to step back to cast his fire magic, but from his blind spot, a man slashed his thigh and leg. "Ugghh!!" Before Eric could fall, a sword plunged through his chest, and a blood-curdling scream erupted from his mouth. "Gkaaaahhhk!?!?" Blood gushed from his mouth in a rush, and it didn't stop there—as Eric fell, his body was riddled with stab wounds and slashes.
"Die, die, you piece of shit!!"
"Fucking noble!!"
"How does it feel to die like a dog, huh!?"
The men hurled insults and curses, even after the bodies of the two Academy students had stopped moving and twitching, the men remained utterly merciless. Two corpses, covered in pools of blood, lay at the men's feet. The smell of iron began to fill the alley, and one of the men wiped his blade clean while nodding in satisfaction. "Nothing's more satisfying than killing those damn nobles, right?" The rest agreed, but another man chimed in. "We should go. We don't want any witnesses."
A thug asked, "Uhh… what about their bodies?" The man simply answered, "Let them rot here—they deserve it," he said, spitting on Eric and Jeremy's corpses. "Anyway, don't let your guard down, all of you. We're still waiting for news from that snotty-nosed Academy kid. Come on." a man urged everyone present. One by one, the men left the small, blood-soaked alley… or so it was supposed to be.
Jeremy and Eric stood in the middle of the street, especially Jeremy, who looked stunned and confused. "Ummm… Eric? What's going on? You told me to step aside, and the next thing I know… they suddenly started fighting with the ground and stabbing at it…? Are they crazy?" Eric chuckled softly at that. "Heh. You could say that."
Something finally clicked in the boy's mind. "Is… is it another one of your strange abilities, Eric?" Hearing that, Eric nodded slowly. "Yeah, I didn't expect that ability to take us this far." Jeremy just widened his eyes and gave a small smile. "I see." Eric was grateful for the boy's consideration in not pursuing that topic.
"'patron'… 'waiting for news…'" Eric thought about what the group of men had said. He felt there was more to it than met the eye, judging that today's events were merely a prelude to something bigger. The two of them finally decided to head back, and Jeremy didn't forget to treat Eric to some smoked foods and other dishes, just as he'd promised.
***
The next day, before morning classes began, Eric left early, accompanied by Wayne. As they were about to pass through the main courtyard, they were both puzzled by a crowd of students swarming around a bulletin board. Curious, they both approached. After trying to push their way through the crowd, they finally reached the bulletin board.
"Holy fuck."
"Mind your language," Wayne paused, adjusting his glasses. "But I get you."
Eric had accidentally cursed and was reprimanded by Wayne. They were both shocked by the provocative announcement on the board.
You who have trampled on our dignity as human beings
You who have mocked us for our inadequacies
You who have mocked us simply because of our appearance
We hereby declare that you will face the consequences
To the arrogant and haughty nobles, it is time for you to receive a punishment commensurate with your actions
We've rigged the entire Academy with something dangerous that even you nobles won't be able to handle
May you reflect on your actions, seek forgiveness, and apologize
If not...
You'll see soon.
Eric's hunch was right—something big is going to happen and it will shake the very foundation of the Academy.