Fantasy World - Chapter 15 (Older Edition)

Elionia Nightborn found herself inside of the Academy's library once again. The vast library within the Academy contained extensive knowledge from the nearby nations. It even contained some of the more esoteric pieces of information gathered from distant lands.

Ever since she was accepted into the Academy, Eli had been spending as much time as possible inside of the library, desperately attempting to learn as much as she could about the Overflow.

Unfortunately, though the library had a wealth of information related to the Overflow, many of it was anecdotal evidence from those who experienced it. There was a lack of information related to the origin and catalyst of the nightmarish event or how to stop it.

Noblesse obliges compelled Eli to figure out a way to end the suffering of her people. Burried within these books, she believed there was information that would help her mother to create a weapon effective at fending off the monsters during the Overflow.

"Damn it!" Eli slammed her fist on the table. "I have torn through nearly all books connected to the Overflow and have come no closer to discovering how to overcome this than when I started!"

The problem stemmed from not being certain whether the absence of information originated from natural reasons or unnatural ones. A strategy to prevail against this force of nature may be nonexistent or it may be tied to the mysterious organization.

Getting up from the table, she stretched her arms and tried to shake off the drowsy sensation. Peering out the window and seeing the black night let her know she had been inside the library for several hours.

Scanning the room, the library was utterly empty. Most of the mana stones were turned off, compounding the eery feel when alone. Bookshelves hid the rest of the room while creating shadows obscuring the knowledge she coveted.

Taking the books she grabbed, Eli went to return them to their proper location. With how often she studied in the library, there was no need for her to grab one of the portable lamps. The ambient light sufficient for the task.

To help prevent students from accidentally using a fire spell the people who created the library created a magic suppression array. Only the mana stones would be able to work in this location, providing light for everyone.

The place she was sitting at was a study area within the library. Set up in a corner, navigating to other parts of the area felt like a labyrinth. Signs at the intersections along with the lamps preventing students from getting lost.

Permeating throughout the library was the smell of aged books, some having been acquired ages ago. Walking down the paths caused an echo her walking on the wooden floors. Though she typically enjoyed the library while there were students and teachers walking around, being inside when it was empty vastly better.

Being a Princess, Eli always had to pay attention to how others perceived her, so she valued the moments of silence and emptiness that this place provided her. Though sometimes the eldritch appearance at night still gave a sense of unease.

Finding the empty spot and inserting one of the books into it, she sighed thinking about another dead end in her research. Walking away from the book, she proceeded towards the next spot. Navigating her way between the bookshelves, she thought she heard a tapping noise.

"Hello? Is someone there?" Eli called out into the dark. It was unusual to hear any noise this late, which made her curious.

After waiting for a reply and getting none, she shrugged her shoulders and continued deeper into the library. Arriving at the next location, Eli, again, placed the book where she had grabbed it earlier. Each of the books was relatively thick and bulky, so her arms progressively felt better with the absence of each book.

A part of her thought about heading back to her room and getting some sleep. Not being able to find any additional information that could help her mother was disheartening. Everything she tried to do to learn more looked to hit a dead end. Even the ruined city she traveled to didn't have any helpful information.

Walking to each spot and returning the books helped to clear her mind. Placing a hand on the shelved books, feeling the rough texture of the cover as she walked down the aisle, she hummed a tune her mother used to sing when she was a child.

Returning sounds of footsteps made her stop humming and look behind her towards the source. This time, the sound was clearly heard making her anxious. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as she stared into the darkness.

Coming to the library at night and roaming between the shelves in the dark, with only the ambient light to guide her, was something she enjoyed but now the darkness dawned a sinister aura.

"Whoever you are, I demand that you show yourself!" She yelled into the void. The trembling in her voice shedding light on the fear she was feeling.

Listening to the silence, Eli started to back away and decided that leaving the library quickly would be her coarse of action. Making sure to keep an eye on where she thought the sound came from, Eli began to navigate her way to safety quickly. Her footsteps echoing with each step, adding to the growing terror welling up inside.

What went through her mind was how she didn't hear anyone trying to pursue her, though she was getting away. A part of her wondered if maybe everything about this was just in her mind. Stopping at one of the intersections, where there were mana stones providing light, Eli tried to steady her breathing.

"There is no one here, Eli." She tried to comfort herself. Frightened about being stalked by an illusory figure inside of the academy made her feel childish, jumping from shadows. "This is what happens when you think there is some insidious organization covering up information." She nervously laughed.

Feeling her heartbeat steady, Eli smoothed back her hair and dress and felt better about the matter. "Eli, you are a Princess, not a child who gets easily frightened." She scolded herself.

"You should be frightened," A voice whispered into her ear.

"AHHH!" She screamed, scrambling away from the voice and running down an aisle. Her mind scrambling to try and understand what was happening. The usually calm and rational side of her vanishing.

Peeking back, Eli didn't see anyone behind her, so she quickly ran into another aisle in an attempt to lose her pursuer. The library akin to a maze, meaning if she could lose the person then she would be safe for a time.

Checking to make sure there was no one behind her, again, she was relieved to see the lack of whoever it was. Slowing her pace, she aimed to lessen the sound of her footsteps. With a feeling of hope, she headed down a twisting aisle.

Turning around a corner, the image of a figure waiting for her under the light could be seen. The way they calmly stood there expectantly stabbing fear into her chest.

Gasping in fright, she turned back the way she came only to find another figure blocking her way. Backing into a corner of the bookshelves, Eli frantically tried to conjure enough mana for an ice spell. It felt like she was trying to pull herself out of knee-deep mud, the way the mana in the air responded to her.

"No! No! No! NO!!" She cried out in frustration. Her head jerked back and forth as she looked at the two figures slowly walking towards her. "Why are you doing this!" She screamed at them, tears running down her face.

"You will be a message to your mother." The figure to her left spoke quietly, lacking malice.

A giggle was heard from the other. "You should be thanking us for being so professional, considering how pretty you are." The figure to her right spoke menacingly. "If it were anyone else, they would likely have fun with you before killing you."

When they got close enough, she used all her strength to kick the figure to her left. They easily caught her leg and gently stroked her leg.

"There is no reason to be frightened. Though my partner enjoys the theatrics, I do not want to make you suffer. Your death will be swift and painless. A beautiful Princess like yourself should not be crying in such a manner." The person released her and walked closer. Placing a hand on her cheek and caressing it, the figure whispered, "It is such a sad thing, for a child to suffer the sins of the parent. Hopefully, your mother will understand that her attempts will only lead to more heartache."

"Is this about the Overflow?!" She asked, wanting to understand the reasoning behind her death.

The figure sighed in regret. "There is no need for you to know the reason. You will soon be passing on to the next life, where you will, hopefully, be happier and not have such an irresponsible parent." Looking at the figure to her right, they said, "Now gently place the hood over her head, so she does not have to see what happens. There is no reason for us to be cruel."

Snorting at the remark, the other figure pulled out a hood and placed it over Eli's head. Eli could smell a sweet scent making her become relaxed. Breathing in the aroma, she could feel a sense of paralysis overcome her. "Please! You do not have to do this! We only want to protect everyone from the Overflow." She tried to cry out.

"It is tragic you will never understand how ignorant you are," A voice gently said to her as her consciousness drifted away.

--------

The person looked at the Princess as the plant's effect took hold. Her supple body slowly relaxed with her continued breathing in the soothing properties of the plant.

"I don't understand why you couldn't let me enjoy a piece of her before we kill her," Fox whined.

Wolf contemptuously looked at Fox. If it weren't for the mask they each wore, Fox would have been able to see the disgust. They understood that Fox was the type of person who enjoyed sexually defiling their victim, though Wolf made sure that Fox stopped such things when they were working together.

This poor girl had done very little to deserve death and only served as a message for her mother, who was trying to develop technology to challenge the Overflow. Wolf understood why this couldn't happen, though they knew that Fox wasn't completely with them.

Pulling out a serrated blade, Wolf placed the knife on the girl's neck and prepared to saw through the pale flesh. Though Wolf only needed to kill the girl, Wolf felt that sawing off her head would provide a stronger message. There was a feeling sympathy for the soon to be deceased and the innocent student that would come across this horrific scene.

"You say that my habits are disgusting, but I always wonder what goes through the head of someone that mutilates their targets," Fox remarked.

"Once the person is dead, the body is no different from any animal. There is no need to have any feelings in the act. I only pity the innocent that will bear witness to my work." Wolf emotionlessly answered.

"How about the two of you step back from her." A girl's voice called out to them.

Wolf's head whipped towards the voice, shocked by someone sneaking up on them.

"Shit! Who the hell are you!?" Fox cried out in alarm.

"There is no need for you to know." She raised her hand and launched bolts of fire at them.

Wolf quickly jumped away from the Princess, narrowly avoiding the fire magic. Seeing the girl use magic was a surprise considering the magic suppression array.

"Wolf, how is this bitch able to use magic!?" Fox yelled out.

Calmly looking at the girl, Wolf skillfully assessed the situation. "I do not know, but we need to deal with her. She looks like a student here, so we should be able to handle her." Though the fact that the fire magic used didn't light the books on fire meant they had excellent control. "Be careful of her." Wolf cautioned.

Sounds of him deeply breathing, anticipating the future outcome, was heard. "I'll make sure to do that. I'm going to have fun with her, so don't think about standing in my way." Fox warned.

"Fine," Wolf growled through clenched teeth. Having Fox agree, instead of arguing, would be best. Considering where they were, the mission being completed was their priority, meaning eliminating any obstacles was crucial.

Letting Fox handle this new person, Wolf could then complete the work and afterward convince Fox to kill the girl instead of playing around. Since Fox enjoyed playing with the victim before doing anything, Wolf figured there would be ample time.

Both of them darted away from their target, compelling their uninvited guest to chase after them.

"You are not going to get away!" The girl called out, as she dashed after them around the corner.

"You're opponent is me, little girl!" Fox cried out in delight, leaping over the bookshelf to lead the girl away from Wolf.

The girl fired off more bolts at Fox, as she gave chase.

"Now I can get back to finishing the task at hand." Wolf calmly said, returning to his prey. "She is likely inexperienced in combat, explaining how easy it was to bait her to chase both of them."

Their move allowed them to present an opportunity for Fox to force her to choose between the two of them. The girl was foolish to think she could take on two opponents at once. Even if she was able to use her magic, the two of them were experienced professionals who had taken on stronger opponents. "The problem with being a greenhorn." Wolf chuckled.

Checking to make sure that the Princess was still unconscious, Wolf once again tried to finish the task. "I am glad that you did not wake up. I promise it will soon be over." Wolf whispered.

"My. My. You are an impatient individual." A woman's voice whispered behind Wolf.

Feeling killing intent, Wolf and dodged to their left, down the aisle.

"There was another?!" Wolf thought. Hearing a blade lodge itself into the bookshelf, Wolf understood that this person wasn't able to use magic, unlike the girl.

"I will be able to finish..." The train of thought was derailed, as Wolf hit a wall. The way it gave, Wolf didn't think that it was a bookshelf. "What is this?!" Wolf cried out, trying to get away and being unable to move.

The voice giggled. "It seems like you got caught in my delightful web. You have the honor of being the first to be ensnared in my web. An ability blessed to me by my Master."

"Web?!" Wolf asked, unable to understand what was happening. Unable to look at the woman that was talking, Wolf's breathing quickened in fear.

As if to try and comfort Wolf, the woman's voice gently spoke, "There is no need to be frightened. You are merely trapped and unable to move. Let me help you move your head."

Wolf felt soft hands remove the mask and the voice sounding delighted, "Oh my! I did not expect you to be such a gorgeous woman!" The woman's hand caressed Wolf's cheek, upon realizing that Wolf was a woman.

As Wolf's head was released from the webbing, she turned her head and cried out in fright. "Y-yo-you are a...!"

"Yes. I am an Aracnia, what you people call a beast person, I believe? The name is Aracia, a Floor Protector and loyal creation to my Master." The woman named Aracia bowed her head.

Wolf looked at this woman and realized how stunning she was, even if she was a beast person. Her hair was a dazzling shade of purple, reaching her shoulder and matching her eyes. With a heart-shaped face, Aracia looked like a cool beauty.

Her skin was like ivory and wasn't covered by any clothing. Looking down, Wolf noticed full breasts that were not covered by anything. Below her belly button, there was the body of a large spider, making up her lower half. The midnight black exoskeleton glowed from the light, like obsidian.

Aracia's laughter sounded as refreshing as wind chimes. She looked at the way Wolf gazed at her body found it amusing. "It is understandable you find my figure to be eye-catching, considering my Master is the one that created it."

"Created it?" Wolf tried to understand the beast-woman's words.

"Yes. My Master formed me from nothingness with only his thoughts, creating me into something that would serve his purpose." Aracia answered. Noticing Wolf's confusion, she elaborated, "My Master is what you humans would consider a God, but not like your powerless ones that scurry in the light of my Master."

"I do not understand." Wolf failed to wrap her mind around what she was being told.

Just as Wolf had done with the Princess, this woman began comforting Wolf. "Shhh. Shhh. There is no reason for you to wonder about that. I am only here because He asked me to keep an eye on the Princess. Being such a wise being, my Master found it odd that none of you had made yourself known, even though the Princess was researching ways to stop the Overflow. Seeing what happened to the two ruined cities, it was not difficult to guess someone wanted the Overflow to occur. I watched as the two of you stalked the Princess, which I commend you for your skills."

With her index finger, Aracia used a nail to cut open the clothing reveal Wolf's bosom. "I did not expect that one of you would be a woman, especially one with such shapely assets. Why would such a woman, such as yourself, become an individual who kills?"

Trying to bury her growing fears, Wolf replied, "I understand how important the task we do is, so I feel no shame for doing what needs to be done. No matter how much you torture me, I will not reveal any secrets."

Covering her mouth, as if she was shocked, Aracia exclaimed, "I never planned on torturing you. We are aware of many aspects of your organization. Even if we did not know, my Master is not one that needs to fear anyone." The expression on her face changed to delight as she placed both hands on her cheeks, "The way my Master moves around with such assurance, all obstacles meaningless before him. I can only hope to be something he can count on, to support him in all his desires." Her eyes started to roll back, and her tongue came out while arching her back in pleasure.

Wolf could only look at the way Aracia was acting, not understanding what was happening. The one thing she knew was this person wasn't something she would be able to fight against. Wolf could only hope there would be an opportunity for her to escape and tell the organization how dangerous Aracia's Master was. It wouldn't be too difficult for them to learn who this individual was, especially with a beast person as a servant.

"No. Torture is not in your future. Actually, with how voluptuous you are, I would hesitate in placing you in front of my Master." Aracia placed both hands on top of her breasts and lowered them to cup both in either hand. "As you can see, my Master enjoys surrounding himself with well-endowed women. To have my body be shaped into one that fulfills his sexual desires is happiness for me." she calmly explained.

"Since I am not the only person my Master has his sights on, I am unable to monopolize his attention. I do not fault him for this, and only wish him to be surrounded by those who love and cherish him." Looking at Wolf, Aracia expression turned sinister. "Though I may not have an issue with this new woman taking up his attention, it does not mean I am foolish enough to place another one in front of him."

"What are you going to do?" Wolf hesitantly asked, not liking where this was going.

"It just means that I will need to remove you from the picture. But killing you would not be enough. I think a better plan would be..." Aracia's mouth slowly opened wide. Out of her mouth, two mandibles were revealed. With her mouth fully opened, it gave the impression she was grinning with glee as if eager for the meal.

"No! NO! NOO!!" Wolf struggled to get free. The thought of being consumed, instead of just being killed, was too much for her.

All she could think about was getting free and Aracia's nightmarish mouth moving closer. "Please! I will forsake everything! Just do not...!".

Wolf's pleading was soon muffled as the mandibles guided her head into Aracia's mouth, Wolf screams in horror reverberating inside of Aracia's throat.

------

Fox jumped over aisles, and occasionally flew down and navigated through the maze-like path, in an attempt at confusing his victim.

Fox was someone used to being chased after, though the people chasing him usually found out why he was code-named, Fox.

"Come on my pretty toy. I know Wolf is going to try and take you away, so I'm going to take you someplace where we won't be interrupted." Fox giggled at the thought of what was to come.

After he was confident he had sufficiently confused the prey, Fox hid his presence. His breathing quickened, looking forward to the taste of the girl. It had been a while since he was able to enjoy the sensuality of a woman as she screamed. Wolf was always trying to act noble, and preventing him from taking his sweets.

As Fox began his hunt for the girl, all he could think about was savoring her naked body after he slashed all of her clothing. He pictured her writhing under him, looking at him terrified. Drool began to form leak out as he fantasized about her.

"She should be getting closer soon, and when she's looking for me, that's when I'll pounce." He licked his lips thinking about his strategy. Though she may be able to use her magic, everyone knew that mages were not skilled in close-quarter combat.

With his senses heightened, Fox listened for her movements. The sound of a book falling and hitting the floor entering his ears. Grinning, he slowly made his way towards the sound. "Greenhorns always make a mistake at a crucial time," He giggled to himself. "It's those who are patient that win in the end."

"Come to me, my little bunny," Fox navigated the tops of the shelves to where his prey would be located.

Reaching where the sound was, Fox looked down to see the opened book on the ground, making his way carefully next to the clue, he carefully looked around. Since she made a mistake, it was likely she was nervous and would give her position away.

A whip made out of flames chased away the darkness as it bound his body. "What is this!?" He yelled out in alarm.

"Look what I found," The girl giggled. "The big bad man fell for such a simple trap. With how confident you were acting, I figured you would be at least a little suspicious."

Hearing her mocking tone, he struggled to free himself, ignoring the scorching of his flesh from the whip. "You fucking, bitch! Let me go!" Fox screamed at the girl. "When I get out, I'm going to slice up that perky body of yours and enjoy watching you scream!"

There was a moment of silence before the girl started laughing hard. "Are you joking? What kind of fantasy world are you living in?"

Seeing her reaction, Fox was caught off guard. Her mannerism was completely different from what he expected.

"That look of confusion is nice." She grinned. "Too bad I am not interested in playing around with you." Lifting up her left hand, she made a cutting motion.

"What?" Fox asked, not knowing what was happening. The world tilted confusing him. He soon could see the feet of someone laying on the ground.

"Where did the girl go?" He wondered before everything went black.

--------

Eli opened up her eyes, dazed and confused about what was happening. The last thing she remembered was the two figures in front of her, and then the world fading to black along with a sweet smell.

"Looks like she is awake." A woman's voice sounding familiar spoke.

"Just a second, Eli." A girl's voice spoke as the black bag was lifted.

In front of her were Selestra and one of Yi's servants, she believed was named Aracia. "W-what?" Eli stumbled with her thoughts, feeling a little light-headed.

"You were attacked by assassins, sent by some secret organization," Aracia informed her.

Helping her up, Selestra supported Eli. "Let us get you back to your room."

----------

Han sat on his throne inside of the Stronghold, inside of his city. Though he was still a student, there were some matters he deemed would be better to handle in person. In front of him was a display, where he enjoyed monitoring certain elements inside of his city.

"What would you like for us to do, with those vermins?" Brittany asked him. She was still filling in for Helania, while Helania was accomplishing a task for him.

Though Han enjoyed having Brittany near him, a part of him desired the resolute nature of Helania. He tapped on the armrest, as he thought about what needed to be done. "Have the students use these guests as an exercise on surveillance. Remind them about how they are forbidden with being detected, so only assign elite students." Remembering something, he asked her, "You noticed someone looking promising?"

"Yes, Master. There is a young girl who arrived recently and has been performing rather well. The instructors expect this girl will be a glowing model for future students. She is gifted in infiltration and reconnaissance." Brittany replied.

Nodding his head at Brittany's description of the student, he ordered, "See if her instructors consider whether she is ready, and have her and her team observe the activities of these people."

The doors to his throne room opened, and Aracia, Selestra, and Eli walked in. Both Aracia and Selestra looking pleased, making Han assume things went well considering Eli was accompanying them.

"Master, as you requested, I, along with Selestra, made sure to keep an eye on the Fourth Princess. We were able to fend off assassins sent by the organization that is actively interfering with the Elven Queen's research." Aracia and Selestra kneeled in front of him.

Eli gaped, as she looked around at everything. Contrasted to what this world considered luxurious, Han could surmise what was going through her mind.

"Welcome to Felicitas," Han said to Eli. "What do you think of my humble city?" He grinned at how she hadn't taken everything in yet, looking like a tourist who was seeing a big city for the first time.

"W-what is all of this? Where did it come from? I-I do not remember a city existing inside of the desert." Eli stammered.

Acting mysterious, Han explained, "We enjoy our privacy, and only recently started to advertise our presence." He fancied the idea of those mythical cities and thought it would be fun to create such a narrative. He imagined Felicitas as the Atlantis of this world. Amusing with Atlantis being located in the Sahara, currently thought of as the Richat Structure and called the Eye of the Sahara.

"Everything here is so different." She continued.

"Instead of standing around in this stuffy room, we should arrange for something to eat. I am sure you will enjoy it and I can be filled in about what happened." Han walked to the doorway, heading out of the throne room and flanked by Brittany, Selestra, and Aracia. It took a moment for Eli to follow after them, looking unsure about everything.

Since the first time he created this construct, Han had added several more floors. On one of the floors, there was a fabulous restaurant that served great food and was available to anyone who wanted to dine there. The trick of it was how the restaurant existed in its own dimension.

The interior was made to look as if the restaurant was floating through the sky. As guests dined, they could view the restaurant circle the city. At sunset, the restaurant would begin its ascension into space where the world could be viewed in its splendor. It was a type of illusion, while not an illusion. Thinking about it made Han's head hurt but he was able to create it with time and effort.

Entering the restaurant, several servers greeted him. Acknowledging them and having one of them guide the group to his area, which was a raised location off to the side. It gave a sense of privacy, while not keeping him separate from the other guests. Sitting at the head of the table, Han swiveled his seat so he could watch the city below.

Gazing at the city made him think about how society was always wasting its potential, trying to compete with one another. This city proved how real innovation could be accomplished when people decided to work towards the betterment of everyone. No longer were people chained to some artificial construct, and instead able to freely pursue their dreams and aspirations.

"How is something like this able to exist? Are we still inside of the building?" Eli asked.

Turning his chair around to face her, Han grinned. "Yes and no. The image you see is an accurate reflection of what is transpiring in the world, this area existing in its own dimension but also inside of the Stronghold." He looked at Eli while asking, "Are you amazed?"

"I do not even know what to think." She said.

Selestra giggled at Eli's reaction.

"Master is someone that stands above all," Brittany stated. She simply stared at him, as if there was nothing else important in the world.

Noticing Aracia motion for servers to approach them, soon five servers arrived, with only one of them bringing a menu. Considering this was the first time that Eli dined at the establishment, it would be odd for her to know what types of foods were served.

The other servers stood next to each person and waited for them to order.

"Bring me some steak strips, mashed potatoes in addition to gravy on the side. Also, include some vegetables and biscuits. I would like a cup of gravy just for the biscuits." Han ordered. The server inclined her head and walked away, as the other servers followed once they received the orders.

Looking at Eli, Han smiled, "It appears we did not need to worry about the question of why the organization was not interfering with our adventure."

Eli sighed, thinking about what almost happened. "How long did were you aware of their plan to attack me?"

"I, personally, did not know they were planning to attack you. One of my servants had informed me there was going to be an attempt on your life, so I had Aracia and Selestra follow you." He shrugged his shoulders, downplaying the issue.

"Do you know who is in this organization?" It dawned on Eli by his reaction to her question.

Scoffing at Eli's question he said, "Of course Master already knows who is in this organization." Aracia laughed, thinking how ridiculous the idea was.

"Then are you going to do anything about them?!" Eli demanded.

Hearing the tone Eli was using towards Han, both Brittany and Aracia narrowed their eyes at the princess. They didn't appreciate her tone in addition to taking advantage of his kindness, expecting him to bend to her whims.

"What if I did know," Han spoke with an edge in his voice.

Realizing she had gone too far, Eli quickly stammered, "I-I am sorry. I did not mean to order you."

"Hahaha! There is no reason for you to apologize. It is understandable you would desire for such an organization to be destroyed." The mood around the table improving in an instant. "I have my own reason for why I do not interfere, at certain times, in this world's affairs, so you will just have to respect my wishes."

Understanding the position Eli was in, she heavily sighed in frustration.

"In consideration of our friendship, I will at least let you know that this organization believes the Overflow is something necessary to keep this world at a particular societal state." Han threw her a bone of information.

Eli slammed her fist on the table. "The deaths of my people are a necessity?! What kind of monsters are they to believe in such nonsense?!"

"Like any person that looks too deeply into someone else's set of beliefs, it is understandable to see such followers reach a false conclusion." Han shrugged his shoulders.

---------

"Today, the Academy has announced their concerns about whether students will have the ability to support cities, towns, and villages during the Overflow. In response to such concerns, they expect all students to be at a certain level of combat proficiency. We will, now, be going to a dangerous location where monsters are known to exist, in order to meet their expectations on us. These sites are called dungeons, and they are referred to as such due to how easy it is for monsters to thrive in said area." Ha-Yoon informed the class.

Han hardly paid attention to what was going on in class, mainly enjoying the attention Anacolis was giving him. Lately, Han had Anacolis be a priority in accompanying him to class, considering her tail having the ability to form into a chair. She also acted more like an older sister, which Han enjoyed. It reminded him of those adult comics where the older sister had a brother complex.

"Master, would you like to head home? You seem a little bored with the class today." Anacolis mentioned.

"Though the current topic is boring, I should at least act like a student. I am sure this trip will bring some entertainment, and present an opportunity to interact with the class." Han replied.

"Now some of you may remember what happened during our first class trip and are, understandably, concerned about something similarly taking place." Ha-Yoon studied the class's reaction. "To help alleviate your fears, we will be having several adventuring groups accompany us."

"It is good to know we will have people to protect us during this trip," Han murmured.

Anacolis giggled upon hearing what Han said. "Master, is there any need for them to hire these people when you are in the class?" She wrapped him in her arms and squeezed, she always found his sarcasm to be cute.

"I know some of you have your own protection, so feel free to bring your own people," Ha-Yoon added.

Soon the class was dismissed, having been informed to meet at the city's entrance by the end of the day. Giving them enough time to prepare for the journey. The school would supply many of the provisions, so they were told just to bring things they would personally need to survive any encounters.

As Han was heading out of the class, Ha-Yoon called out to him. "Yi, if you would come with me to my office?"

His classmates looked curious after hearing the teacher ask to see Han and wondered what they were going to talk about.

Han and Anacolis followed Ha-Yoon, as she guided them to her office. The office she used was somewhat different compared to the other teachers. With her background as an adventurer, she, along with other former adventurer teachers, stayed in a building that had its own training area. This was to allow them to maintain their skills, one of the main reasons they were hired by the Academy.

They entered the nondescript building, which was a massive boxy building. "This area is where all the offices for each of the teachers are, and the rear portion is where all the training is done. A fifth of this building is the office area." Ha-Yoon explained.

Going up some stairs, to reach the third floor, they went down a hallway to reach her office. The room reminded him of the offices his various professors had when he was in college. There weren't as many papers, but there was still a significant number of books.

"You are probably wondering why I have asked you to come to my office." Ha-Yoon started. Seeing Han looking at her, she continued, "Considering your accomplishments, fighting off the monsters during our first class trip and going to the ruins with the princess, I thought it would be a good idea to touch base with you. Though we will be bringing adventurers with us, there is still a concern about the monsters. I know you have several servants that are capable, so I wanted to ask if you could bring as many as you have on this trip."

Seeing she was finished, Han thought about it and said, "I have no issues with doing this."

Ha-Yoon sighed in relief, hearing Han would go along with her request.

Listening to more question, Han, predictably, answered them without giving away unnecessary information. Upon completion of the meeting, he excused himself and left her office. On his way out, he saw Eric Lightwing heading down the hallway.

Eric, seeing Han leave Ha-Yoon's office, looked angered, his face contorting. "What do you think you are doing here?"

Lately, Eric had been sporadically attending lessons, which explained his ignorance about Ha-Yoon inviting Han to her office.

"Just discussing the latest class trip," Han said without much thought.

"Weaklings like you need to try so hard, compared to the inherent talent we nobles have. Unlike you trash, I along with the other nobles will be attending a diplomatic mission of great importance." He sneered at Han and Anacolis. "We will be journeying to the newly discovered city inside of the desert, to encourage relations with the local government and our nations. You people will be fumbling around, likely getting eaten." Eric passed them by as he chuckled, before entering Ha-Yoon's office as if it was his own.

Leaving the building, Anacolis asked, "Master, why do we not just turn him into paste? With a flick of my tail, I could have him smeared across the street." She sounded annoyed.

"I get a feeling things will get interesting with that person." He commented.

"Should I let Queen know to assign people to watch him?"

Han shook his head. "There are more important things to worry about, and I do not think we need to waste much energy with him. Part of me thinks this class trip will be enjoyable. Have everyone meet me in the throne room."

A smile on his face as he looked forward to reaching the dungeon, expectations growing inside of him.