"That's the end of class. Head to your next session," Silvius muttered, sighing as he picked up his worn book. "Team Five, follow me."
Kael stood up with the others, trailing behind their instructor. Even with his back turned, he could still hear the whispers echoing around the classroom. He tried to ignore them — and on the surface, he did. But deep inside, they stung more than he'd admit.
Selina finally broke the silence. Her voice was barely louder than a whisper. "I still don't understand why they keep clinging to the past…"
The group turned to her in surprise.
"Oh—sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud…" she added quickly, blushing and looking down at her shoes.
Silvius gave a tired smile. "It's just human nature, Selina. People love stories that make them feel superior. The truth doesn't matter as long as the lie gives them comfort. In the end… most of humanity will always be sheep."
Neira's brow furrowed. She didn't seem to like that answer.
She raised her hand slightly. "Instructor Silvius, about what you said in class—about Divine Beasts not wanting to help humans…"
Silvius raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"I just… I don't think that's completely true. Not all of them think that way. I believe some Divine Beasts choose humans because they want to help."
He was surprised. Neira hadn't spoken during the lecture, but now she spoke with confidence. It caught him off guard.
"And how exactly do you know that?" he asked, more curious than skeptical.
Neira hesitated, eyes flicking to Kael, then back to Silvius. "Because…" She paused. Then said nothing.
Silvius sighed and shook his head. "This team's a mess. No trust, no sync. I bet none of you even believe in me."
The group looked away, no one saying a word. Their silence confirmed it.
"Wow. I was hoping at least one of you would stand up for me," he said, holding his chest in mock pain. "You wound me, truly."
Then a mischievous smile spread across his face.
"Oh, but I know how to fix that."
Emilio stepped back. "What are you planning this time…?"
"We're going on a mission together," Silvius said cheerfully. "Don't worry, it's simple."
"What kind of mission?" Kael asked, intrigued.
"Escort job."
Kael blinked. "That's it?"
He looked disappointed.
"Tsk, don't give me that look, brat," Silvius grumbled. "It may sound boring, but there've been reports of bandits harassing trade routes. We'll be escorting a merchant with ties to the headmaster himself. So don't count on this being a peaceful stroll."
Kael turned his gaze away. Great. Now he had no choice. "Wonderful. I've already seen the future—and it's going to be a boring one."
"Don't say that," Emilio said with a grin. "Who knows? Maybe we'll see something cool. Get to travel outside the kingdom. Bet you've never left before, right?"
"When is the mission?" Kael asked Silvius directly.
Silvius scratched his head. "Hmm… let me think. Tomorrow."
"What?!" Neira and Kael shouted in unison.
"Tomorrow?" Emilio's face scrunched in confusion. "That's way too soon. We haven't prepared anything—we don't even know what we're doing yet."
"Calm down," Silvius said, waving a hand lazily. "Trust me, I don't want to do this either. But it's not my choice. These are the headmaster's orders. Might be reckless, sure—but I'll be there. So take it as one of my… hands-on lessons."
Serina, quiet up until now, spoke with a bit of hesitation. "U-Um… now that I think about it, where exactly are we escorting this merchant?"
Silvius folded his arms. "Simple. To the Kingdom of Marventis. It's located west of Eirenthal, beyond the Sapphire Straits."
"Wait… so that means we'll be boarding a ship?" she asked.
Silvius raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You know the route?"
Serina nodded. "That's because… my father is part of the G.T.U."
"What?!" Silvius blinked. "You're the daughter of someone in the Grand Trade Union?"
Neira and Emilio looked just as shocked.
Kael leaned closer to Emilio. "What's the G.T.U.?"
Emilio whispered back, "The Grand Trade Union—G.T.U.—is a powerful merchant consortium. They operate independently from the royal family but hold enormous influence. They run trade routes, control markets, manage shipping lanes, auction houses, blacksmith contracts, raw material mining—you name it. Even the academy answers to them sometimes."
"I see," Kael muttered, glancing toward Serina.
[And you had the nerve to throw away the food she gave you. You really love stirring up trouble, brat.]
Kael looked down, embarrassed. I didn't even know…
"So wait—does that mean we're actually getting on a ship?" Emilio asked, hopeful.
Silvius shook his head. "No. We're just escorting the merchant caravan to the nearest port village. From there, they'll board the ship. Our job ends once they're safely on that ship."
"Oh," Emilio said, deflating a little. "Well… that's still kinda cool, I guess."
"So that's all I can tell you," Silvius said, brushing chalk dust from his hands. "You'd better be ready to depart tomorrow morning."
The team nodded, except Kael. He was quiet Lost in thought, clearly already picturing the road ahead.
Silvius noticed and smirked. Without warning, he flicked Kael on the forehead.
"Snap out of it, little Revenant."
Kael blinked, startled. Then he blushed, flustered. "Wait… how did you—? Did you do a background check on me?"
Silvius chuckled, amused. "Who knows?"
"What's a 'little Revenant'?" Emilio asked, glancing between them. Even Serina looked confused.
Kael frowned and turned away. "It's nothing. Let's go."
The team followed behind, whispering among themselves while Kael kept walking stiffly ahead. Behind them, Silvius leaned back against the wall, laughing to himself.