The faint morning light slipped through the window of Dorm Room 393, brushing against the stone walls in muted gold. Ace's eyes opened sharp, his limbs still buzzing faintly from the Enchantment Orb he'd consumed after that oversized Aster Wolf hunt. His body felt stronger, lighter—like his muscles weren't just repaired but refined.
Theron's bed was empty, untouched again. The elusive roommate remained a mystery.
Ace swung his legs off the bed, cracking his neck. Another day, another battlefield—though this time, it wasn't blades or beasts. It was words. And for once, he felt perfectly equipped.
A short session of Molecular Disassembly drills followed—his hands and feet flickering, fragmenting at the molecular level, then reassembling in smooth, flawless rhythm. The progress was undeniable. The control? Better than ever.
Quick breakfast in the refectory—bland bread, watery eggs, three more silver crowns vanishing from his pouch. He chewed mechanically, mind already ahead of the day.
"Good thing I grabbed that law book from the vendor last week," he muttered, finishing his meal. "Kingdom policies, succession mandates… read all of it. Guess we'll see if it pays off."
Astrails Academy — Lecture Hall 4C
The hall buzzed as students filed in—noble crests gleaming, silk uniforms pressed, eyes sharp. The unspoken seating hierarchy held as always: high-born heirs in front, minor nobles scattered, commoners hugging the walls.
Murmurs swirled as Ace entered. His Alchemy class defiance, his boldness, the wolf hunt—all fuel for whispers.
"That's him—Dragnell kid."
"Low-tier House, lucky with words."
Ace took a seat in the middle row, defiant, calculated. Neither at the edges, nor cowering at the back.
A familiar pair of violet eyes locked onto him—Elara Flavosky, already seated, crimson hair cascading like silk, her expression equal parts intrigue and amusement.
"Bold seat choice, Dragnell," she murmured, voice light with mockery.
"It's fun to make them uncomfortable," Ace replied, smirking.
Further down, Theo Harnest lounged like nobility incarnate, sneer perfectly in place. His entourage whispered, but the sneer faltered when their eyes met.
Professor Caldris Thane Enters
The room silenced as Caldris Thane stepped in. Elderly, sharp, eyes like polished glass—he carried himself like a man who'd navigated courts where words killed quicker than swords.
"Arcane Power means little here," Thane declared, voice cutting through the room. "Unique Abilities? Irrelevant. In this hall, knowledge is the blade. Bloodlines, laws, and politics shape the fates of Houses older than any of you."
The topic scrawled across the board in glowing script:
Nobles tensed. It was a loaded debate—the right of magically superior younger siblings to challenge heirs, destabilizing Houses, altering legacies.
Professor Thane's gaze swept the room, landing like a blade's edge:
"Suppose a younger sibling surpasses the heir in Arcane strength and Unique Ability—do they inherit? Or does tradition outweigh raw merit?"
The Verbal Duel Begins
The nobles practically leapt to defend their birthrights. Theo Harnest slammed his hand down, voice filled with practiced arrogance:
"Only fools believe bloodlines can be shaken by some backwater fluke with extra mana," Theo declared, loud and venomous. "Nobility exists to preserve order, not indulge rebellion."
The words weren't aimed at the class—they were aimed squarely at Ace.
The room watched.
Ace leaned back, voice casual, words sharpened like daggers:
"Tradition's great… until it starts rotting from the inside," Ace replied evenly. "If your heir crumbles at the first real challenge, maybe they shouldn't sit on the throne. Pretty words don't block fireballs."
A few chuckles broke the tension. Theo's jaw tensed, his sneer hardening.
"Spoken like a desperate House," Theo fired back, louder, angling for humiliation. "Dragnell mutts clinging to scraps, thinking loopholes will fix your bloodline."
Snickers rippled from the noble seats. Elara's smirk deepened, watching.
Professor Thane? Silent, observing—waiting to see who truly understood the battlefield here.
Ace Strikes Back — Intelligence (S) On Full Display
Ace straightened, voice crisp, slicing through the tension:
"Actually," he began, "Article 7 of the Astrails Succession Mandates makes Magical Merit challenges not just legal—but encouraged by the Crown to prevent weak heirs from sinking Houses into irrelevance."
A pause. Then:
"Unless Theo Harnest ranks above the King now?"
The silence was palpable—sharp, heavy. Nobles exchanged glances, whispers coiling.
Theo's composure cracked, eyes narrowing.
Professor Thane's expression flickered—a ghost of approval surfacing:
"House Dragnell may lack prestige, Harnest," Thane remarked, voice cool as stone, "but at least one of its scions can read. You'll revise your laws, I assume, before your next attempt at a public takedown."
Laughter broke the tension—some mocking, some surprised, some impressed.
Theo simmered, visibly humiliated but shackled by the rules of decorum.
Students filed out, chatter buzzing. Whispers carried Ace's name differently now—no longer just that low-tier noble, but sharp, dangerous, worth watching.
Elara appeared beside his desk, her presence subtle but charged:
"Careful, Dragnell," she teased, voice low, amusement simmering.
Ace shrugged, smirk lazy:
"I will try, Madam."
His eyes flicked to the back—Theron Blackwood, his roommate, slipping quietly out of the room. Unreadable expression, unreadable motives.
Ace filed that away. Another battlefield, another time.
Updated Status Window — Ace Dragnell
• Strength: C
• Agility: C
• Endurance: B
• Intelligence: S
• Willpower: A
• Charisma: D
• Arcane Power: C+
Abilities:
• Molecular Disassembly & Regeneration — control refined, combat-ready limbs detachment.
Elemental Affinities: Fire, Air, Lightning
Skills:
• Basic Self-Defense (C)
• Survival (Wilderness) (D)
• Weapon Forging (B-)
• Knife Mastery (Beginner)
Reputation:
Rising among faculty and sharp students.
Rivalry with Elara Flavosky growing—competitive respect forming.
Public humiliation of Theo Harnest — noble tension building.
Silver Crowns: 437
Dorm Room: 393