Before Krion could give more than a passing thought to the impending challenge of unlog a css, Professor Mordrane tinued speaking.

  “Haviablished the importance of unlog a css, I now want to speak to you about the sed annou, which is just as critical to your survival and success as ss at this Academy: bodyguards.”

  The stirred, some students exging gnces and whispers, while others were more stoic, almost like they had been expeg this. Krion himself felt the same flicker of curiosity of that he experienced when Alesin and Rolfun had first brought up the topic with him. Though he had e quite a distance, and was just beginning to adjust to life as a s at the Imperial Academy, the s about bodyguards that he had previously had remained with him. He just did not know how he could deal with the responsibility of taking care of plete strangers.

  Professor Mordrane tihe murmurs dying away as she returo speaking. “As ss of noble houses, each of you carries not only your personal ambitions but also the weight of the future of your houses. While you are here to learn and grow, you will face challenges of various sorts that will require more than your own abilities and skills to survive. It is for this reason that bodyguards are not just allowed but required.”

  Krion’s stomach ed as Professor Mordrane decred that bodyguards were not optional but a requirement. His fingers ched around the edges of his desk so hard that it creaked. Hector looked over, but before he could ent, the Professor eaking again.

  “That being said, there are rules g the presend duct of bodyguards. Pay attention, as ignorance will not excuse viotions. Firstly, bodyguards are permitted to be armed at all times; you, as students, are not, with very limited exceptions.” Her eyes drifted around the , pausing on exposed hilts and scabbards leaning against desks. Krion was acutely aware of he his own on was beside him. “I say this once: do not show up to future csses with ons, or you will face severe sequences. You have been warned.”

  A few students again shifted unfortably at this, but Professor Mordrane ighem to tinue, “Furthermore, while you may recruit and employ multiple bodyguards, as most nobles end up doing, you will only be permitted t oh you to css at any given time. Any additional bodyguards you retain must remain at your housing or out on errands, but they are not to apany you in academic settings.”

  As the professor finished speaking, Krion was surprised to see that the red-headed girl from earlier, Marentia, had again raised her hand. This time, he noticed on her shoulder the mark of a baron’s s. Going by the look on her face, whatever impact Professor Mrane’s chastisement had on early was now fotten.

  “You had another question, Marentia?”

  “Professor, isn’t that rule ily unfair? Higher-ranked ss with rger rooms and more resources support more bodyguards, giving them an advantage over others.”

  Krion half-expected the professor to rip into the girl again, but to his surprise, Mordrane simply nodded.

  “An astute observation, but it misses certain nuances. While it is true that higher-ranking students might house more bodyguards than those lower in rank, the costs of maintaining them — upkeep, training, gear, levels, all to eheir tinued effectiveness — are signifitly higher as well. Keep in mind that there are strict rules oernal assistance grao ss from outside the Imperial Academy. It is unlikely enough would be permitted any one s to the degree that they could obtain su advantage. As a result, those who end up relying on quantity often find themselves short of quality prote.”

  “So fog most of one’s efforts on a sirong bodyguard would be what you advise, Professor?”

  “My advice,” Professor Mordrane said slowly, “is to heed the advice of others but to make your own decisions. Circumstances will be different for each of you, and it remains possible that having a number of weaker bodyguards, as pared to a sirong one, might prove to be a be,” she shrugged, “or it might lead to your death. Now,” her gaze hardened as she looked away from Marentia to take in the css as a whole, “I trust there are no more questions?”

  No one so much as bli her gre.

  “Good. Then there is but one final thing to share with you all, and then we be on our way to the Hall of Bonds.” She raised a hand to make several hand symbols in the air. With a jerking motion, she brought her hand down, and as it desded shimmering discs of silver appeared on the desks of every student in the room, including Krion’s. The disc was about the size of a , and as he looked closer at it, it almost seemed to shift colors in the light of the room. Pig it up revealed it was light i.

  “These Marks of Bonds are ented to form a boween you and your chosen bodyguard. Simply extend it to your chosen bodyguard in the House of Bonds, and when they accept the mark of your House and your name will appear upon their flesh.” She raised her hand, and in a mid-air tapping motion, looked almost like she was typing something. “Now, if you will all accept these Assigs, we be on our way and I get on with my day.”

  Krion jerked in his seat, causing the whole thing to rattle and his greatsword that had been leaning against the desk to fall to the floor with a k. Several nearby students, includior, turo stare at him with loing from curiosity to pt, but he was too busy reading what had appeared unprompted on a s before him.

  Academy Assig - Mark of Bonds: Your First Bodyguard

  Professor Mordrane has issued you a ‘Mark of Bonds,’ a token of authority that grants you the right to tract your first bodyguard. Your task is to visit the Hall of Bonds, located he tral campus square, and use the Mark to choose your first bodyguard. Choose wisely.

  ditions for Success: Travel to the Hall of Bonds to select your first bodyguard using the ‘Mark of Bonds.’

  Rewards for pletion: Your first bonded bodyguard.

  Accept: Yes/Yes

  He read through the Academy Assig, quickly determining that it was essentially a quest like some of the games he had pyed in the past, though the way this one was written indicated direct ties to the Imperial Academy itself. Given that it listed specifiditions for success, as well as a reward, he guessed that it was funally the same. Though he still had reservations, especially giveure of what ‘bonded’ meant, it was not like he had a choice with the options not including oo dee. He selected the obvious choid as he did the s pulsed ohen shifted into a sed Academy Assig.

  Academy Assig - Unlock Your Path: The First Step

  As a first-year s at the Imperial Academy, your primary objective is to unlock a css within the System before the end of the academic year. This crucial step will determine your aptitude and dire, ensuring your eligibility for tiudy. Explore the Imperial Academy, train your abilities, and uncover opportuhat lead to unlog a css. Remember, there are many paths to power — seek knowledge, refine your skills, and demonstrate your worth.

  ditions for Success: Iigate opportunities and training within the Imperial Academy to uand the requirements for unlog a css. Meet the System’s criteria and successfully unlock your css, the your success to the Academy Registrar before the deadline.

  Rewards for pletion: Automatirollment into the sed year at the Imperial Academy.

  Accept: Yes/Yes

  This o more daunting, though at least it came with no need for moral refle, nor for hesitation. Both the text and what the Professor had said indicated that, should he not unlock a css of his own, he would not be allowed tress to the sed year of his education. While he was still unsure as to the exact timeline for wheh would gh its Iion, he hoped he would have at least a few years before it happeo get ready. And the best way to get strong enough, based on what little he had seen, was to tinue here at the Imperial Academy. So he quickly selected to accept this ooo.

  As soon as the s was gone, he noticed that Hector had turned in his seat to stare at him with a raised brow. The other s’s expression was a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

  “Something wrong, Krion?”

  Krion blinked, shaking his head slightly. “No. Just a s popped up that I wasn’t expeg.”

  “Let me guess: Academy Assigs?” Hector asked, his amusement turning into a smile.

  “Yeah, two of them. Are they supposed to appear like that?”

  Hector chuckled. “Oh, absolutely. The Academy loves t things on you when you least expect it. Especially without ih expnations. Keeps you on your toes — or that is what my cousin cimed.”

  “So these are the first ones you have received as well?”

  “Oh, no, I’ve already received one,” Hector admitted with a shrug. “So, these new ones weren’t a surprise for me.”

  Krion tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. “What was your first one for?”

  Hector waved a hand dismissively in response. “Oh, nothing major. Just something to help out an old family friend.”

  Krion narrowed his eyes slightly, studyior’s casual demeanor. The other s’s wave and nont tone belied something deeper — but he could not tell what. Then again, helping a family friend seemed like it might be a retively minor task, simir to the first Academy Assig he accepted. He decided not to press the issue, not least of which because it had nothing to do with him.

  “So,” Krion said instead, leaning ba his seat while most of the began gathering there things. Professor Mordrane was already moving towards the door, but he had some questions still to ask, aor seemed like he knew a bit more than the average student. At least based on his responses so far. “Are these Academy Assigs a regur thing?”

  Hector nodded, “That they are. As much a part of life for us ss as the lectures aually, the duels. They’ll keep ing, mostly from the different faculty members, but occasionally from the Academy itself. From what my cousin said, most are required, though some are optional. Still, pletely those of the sed group are still strongly enced.”

  Krion frowned. “And if you don’t?”

  “Well, then you find out what happens if you don’t meet the Academy’s expectations.” Hector shook his head, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to find out.”

  That was a sehat he could agree with. Setting aside the possibility of other, more dangerous Academy Assigs for now, Krion shifted the versation to a topiore immediate importance. Bodyguards. While he knew asking questions about the process risked revealing more about his g background, he judged the risk worth it if it led to some good advice.

  “I don’t suppose you have any advi pig a bodyguard?”

  “Pie.” On seeing Krion’s face shift into a gre at the unhelpfulness of Hector’s ent, the other s chuckled befiving a more serious answer. “Most of our fellow students will be like you — pig their first bodyguard without a clue about what they’re doing. In some ways, the Hall of Bonds is a gamble, but don’t worry too much. If you pay attention, and ask a few questions of the bodyguard didates that i you, you’ll do fine.”

  Krion opened his mouth to respond, but the professor’s voice rang out over the mostly emptied .

  “If you few are done procrastinating,” Professor Mordrane called, tapping her fingers against her csped wrist in impatience, “I would like to go about my day. Up.”

  Krion turned back to Hector, but he was already putting his notebook away and standing. Krion ripped out the pages of what few notes he had taken, and made to hand the notebook back over to Hector. The other s shook his head.

  “Don’t worry about it. Just return the favor sometime. I’ll see you at the Hall of Bonds.”

  Without another word, Hector put his notebook away and joihe end of the line of students leaving the to follow Professor Mordra was being a bit of a traffic jam at the door sihe Professor spoke, so Krion took a moment loo mull over Hector’s words. He goward the greatsword now resting awkwardly against his desk after its earlier near fall, a reminder of how unprepared he felt in the face of this new world. Sliding the Mark of Bonds into his pocket, he grabbed the harness holding his greatsword and pulled it on. The weight of his oled heavily across his back as he adjusted the strap. He could barely feel the Mark of Bonds in his pocket, but he was extremely aware of its presence. A tough decision was ahead, and he wished he had some more time to think it over, but since he didn’t he would do what Hector had suggested. He would ask questions and keep his eyes open. Maybe he would get lucky and someone would immediately click with him.

  Steeling himself, Krion finally strode to the exit. The Professor and the rest of the css had already left, and he was one of the st stragglers, the others already rushing through the doorway to catch up. He didn’t mind being st, though. It would give him some more time to e up with questions to ask once he got to the Hall of Bonds.

  So I ended up deg to stay up a bit ter to get some writing in, this and some progress on the chapter being the result. I hope you enjoy it.

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