Krion’s shoulders stiffened as he heard the sounds of footsteps rushing closer. Instinctively, he reached for the hilt of his greatsword as he gnced sideways at Hatsune, whose ears twitched in the dire of sound before he could turn. His immediate thought was that Chadwick had returned, having mustered enough ce for another frontation.

  But as the figures came into his line of sight, Krion’s wariness eased, and he dropped his hand from his on. Rather than Chadwick, or some other s i on causing him trouble, it was Valdre and Redrek heading his way. The two others with them made it immediately clear that they had successfully acquired bodyguards of their own.

  “Valdre, Redrek,” Krioed. Hatsune came to a stop closer to him, her staill somewhat wary.

  Valdre was the first to respond, a grin lighting up his face as he looked over Krion and the Leporine woman at his side. “Krion! Looks like you also found a bodyguard. Too bad we don’t share the same Foundations of History.” He oward Hatsune, whose sharp eyes darted between Krion’s friends and their bodyguards.

  Before Krion could reply, or introduce Hatsune, Redrek interjected. “Perhaps we’ll be lucky enough to share some of the other required courses,” he said, his tone hopeful.

  “That would be nice,” Krion agreed, but his attention was fixed owo bodyguards who stood behind his friends.

  Standing just behind Valdre was a t human simple but sturdy heavy armor. The man’s presence was formidable without being ostentatious. His armor, though g intricate embellishments, bore the marks of practical wear and reliable craftsmanship. The shield slung across his back was equally unadorned, its surface scuffed and dull from tless impacts. At his side rested a pin longsword, again unremarkable in design. His face, framed by a short crop of brown hair, was rugged and stoic, marked by a faint scar that ran diagonally across his left cheek. The man’s expression was unreadable, his deep-set eyes sing the surroundings with the vigince of someone aced to danger.

  “This is Garran,” Valdre said, gesturing at the armored figure after seeing where Krion’s eyes had gone. “He’s a seasoned merary with years of battlefield experience who was looking for something a bit more stable. Figured I could use someoh his background.”

  Garran gave a curt nod to Krion, his posture straight and disciplined. Despite his intimidating size, there was a ess to him, a sense of reliability that immediately veyed petence.

  “S,” Garran said in a deep, gravelly voice, his words suct but polite. Greeting done, he returo keeping an eye on their surroundings.

  Redrek’s bodyguard was in stark trast to Garran’s imposing presence. An elf with light grey skin, he moved with a fluid grace, every step silent on the floor. His lean frame was covered in simple leather armor, dyed a muted bck that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. At his waist were twin long knives in pihs, while across his chest was a bandolier holding a number of throwing knives. His angur face artially obscured by a dark hood, but Krion could still make out violent eyes within it.

  “This is Kael,” Redrek said, his toraying a hint of pride. “Beyond the obvious, he is also skilled in observation and scouting.”

  Kael nodded but didn’t say anything, as he too was focused on keeping an eye on their surroundings.

  Hatsune’s ears twitched again, and Krion could sense her tension as she took iher two bodyguards. Though she maintained her posure, her eyes lingered on Kael’s knives, and she shifted slightly closer to Krion.

  “This is Hatsune,” Krion said, stepping forward slightly to shield her from the gazes of Valdre and Redrek. He could tell she was nervous and didn’t want the scrutiny, so he did what he could to take some of the attention off of her. “She’s… well, I’m still learning about her skills, but everything I’ve seen so far shows her to be capable.”

  Hatsune dipped her head in aowledgment, her expression carefully ral. “o meet you,” she said, her tone polite but distant.

  Valdre raised an eyebrow, clearly curious but refraining from pressing further. “Iing choice,” he murmured, his eyes going back to Krion before tinuing, “but why haven’t you selected for her any equipme?”

  “I do that?” Krion asked, holy fused. He had just assumed that whatever she had with her was it and that he would have to figure out ons and armor ter by himself.

  Valdre rolled his eyes in mock exasperation aured toward a se of the wall opposite from where they stood talking. There, an assortment of on racks, armor stands, and shelves had bee up, probably due to the rush of first-year ss ing in to select their first bodyguards. “Equipment is part of the process, you know. I’m surprised no oold you that you’re entitled to basic equipment for your bodyguard. Go o her outfitted properly. ’t have her looking like you just grabbed her off the street.”

  Hatsune’s ears twitched again, but she said nothing, iurning to look in the dire where Valdre indicated. Krion found himself increasingly perplexed by Hatsune’s body nguage. Her expressive ears seemed to carry a whole vocabury of their own — one he couldn’t yet uand. In the short time they had spent together, they had twitched, perked up, and swiveled, often without any apanying expnation, leaving him unsure about her mood or iions. Hopefully, he would be able to figure out what their movements meant soon.

  He turo Hatsune, as he asked, “What would you prefer? You’ll be the one using it, after all.”

  She tilted her head slightly, sidering his question. “A long sword,” she said after a moment. “And scale armor, if it’s avaible.”

  “Long sword and scale mail it is, then.”

  Valdre and Redrek indicated they would wait over by the entraheir bodyguards following close behind them. Krion led Hatsuoward what seemed almost to be a makeshift store. As they came closer, Krion immediately got the sehat all the ons and armor on dispy were the equivalent of starter equipment from some of the games he had pyed growing up. One of the attendants, a middle-aged human man with sharp eyes and a professional demeanor, stepped forward to greet them.

  “g gear for your bodyguard, s?” the attendant asked, his tone brisk but polite.

  “Yes,” Krion replied. “A long dword and scale mail armor.”

  The attendant nodded, gestured for them to wait, then disappeared down the rows towards the back. As they waited, Krion gnced over at Hatsune. She stood poised and calm, her arms crossed loosely over her chest. If she felt aement or apprehension, it didn’t show on her face.

  After a few mihe attendaurned, carrying a scabbarded long sword in one hand and a ly folded set of scale mail armor iher. He set them both down on a side ter, the gestured for Hatsuo step forward.

  “This should fit,” he said, indig the armor. “And the sword is standard issue but reliable.”

  Hatsune approached, iing both with a critical eye. She picked up the sword first, testing its weight and bah a few experimental swings. She grimaced slightly but ultimately nodded. Setting it aside, she turned her attention to the armor. After a brief iion, she said, “I’ll have to try it on.”

  The attendant pointed out a curtained area off to the side of all the dispyed equipment. “There’s a fitting rht there. Let me know if you need any adjustments.”

  Hatsuook the armor and disappeared behind the curtain, and Krion found himself waiting awkwardly once again. He gnced around the hall, watg as other ss and their bodyguards moved about, some engaged in animated versation, others preparing to leave. Each pair seemed to have their own dynamie fluid and natural, others tense and awkward, much like his own iions with Hatsune. Krion ehe ohat shared apparent ease, hoping that his oort with the Leporine woman would be to that level soon.

  When Hatsune emerged a few mier, the transformation was striking. The scale mail fit her perfectly, emphasizing her slender yet athletic frame, and when she secured the long sword around her waist she truly looked the part of a bodyguard.

  “Everything works for you?”

  “It’ll do,” she said.

  “Alright, let’s joihers,” he turo the attendant to thank him, but he was already helping anroup of ss pick out equipment for their new bodyguards.

  When Krion and Hatsuuro where Valdre, Redrek, and their bodyguards were waiting, Valdre’s grin wide the sight of Hatsune in her new gear.

  “Now that’s more like it,” Valdre said, g his hands together. “You’ve got yourself a proper bodyguard now, Krion. She looks ready for anything.”

  Redrek was less effusive but offered a nod of approval. His elven bodyguard, Kael, watched Hatsuh a measured gaze, his violet eyes unreadable.

  “We were just talking,” Valdre said, his tone cheerful. “Since css is done for the day, we thought we’d grab a bite at The Hearth & Ember. Ordran’s pce, remember? Great food, good atmosphere. Probably not too busy yet. What do you say?”

  Krioated, gng at Hatsune. She seemed indifferent to the idea, her gaze focused on a nearby group of ss. The way her eyes seemed to be trag the movements of the bodyguards seemed to indicate that she was taking her new duties seriously.

  “Sounds good to me,” Krion said finally. Spending time with Valdre and Redrek would be a wele distra from what had happened with Chadwick, and it would give him some additional time to adjust to Hatsune’s presehout the pressure of one-oera.

  “Perfect!” Valdre said, g Krion on the shoulder. “Let’s go before the pce gets too crowded.”

  The walk to The Hearth & Ember was uful, for which Krion was grateful, but the whole walk Krion found himself acutely aware of Hatsune’s presence beside him. The rhythmic k of her armor was a stant remihat she was now part of his life, a reality he was still ing to terms with.

  When they arrived, the familiar warmth of the tavern weled them. The aroma of spiced meats and freshly baked bread filled the air, yet The Hearth & Ember was just as empty as it had beeher time Krion had been there. reeted them with a wide smile, his thick arms open in wele as they came inside.

  “Ah, the young ss return!” Ordran boomed. “And with new panions, I see. e in, e in. Your table from st night is open. I’ll be right with you.”

  The group moved to the table, and the bodyguards naturally took up positions around their ss. Valdre’s t human bodyguard, Garran, sat at one end of the table, his heavy armor creaking faintly as he settled into the sturdy wooden chair. Kael chose a spot he wall, which would allow him to intervene should anyone approach Redrek, where he sat at the table. Hatsune, meanwhile, hesitated before sittio Krion, her posture poised and alert despite the rexed setting.

  True to his word, Ordran came over to their table just as they had settled into the seats, and the dwarf begaing the day’s s from memory. “We’ve got slow-roasted venison with a Firethorn honey gze, fresh Silverfin trout in butter sauce, mb stew with Ironroot vegetables, and for those wantin’ somethiy, Stoh pork pies seasoned with Fmeberry herbs fresh outta the oven. Bread and spiced ale e with everythin’ tonight.”

  “I don’t suppose you make me what you did yesterday? That vegetarian stew?” Valdre asked, then grinned when Ordran nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Trout,” Redrek said.

  “Lamb stew,” Krion said when it was his turn.

  Hatsune g Krion before making her decision. “Bread,” she said softly.

  Garran opted for the Stoh pork pie, while Kael also simply requested bread and water. Ohe orders were pced, Ordraed only to return with their drinks, then disappeared bato the kit, leaving the group to settle in.

  “So,” Valdre began, his tone light. “Did you have any issues pig your bodyguard?”

  Krioated for a moment, gng at Hatsune. She met his gaze briefly before looking away, her ears twitg slightly.

  “ly,” Krion said carefully. “But there was an i.”

  “Oh?” Redrek’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly. “Do tell.”

  Krion reted the events with Chadwick — how the s of House Copperhand had tried to intimidate Hatsuo choosing him and how Krion had stepped in, evening attempting to draw his greatsword at one point before J-65 had stopped him. He omitted some of the finer details, but the gist of the story was clear.

  By the time he finished, Valdre was shaking his head, a look of disbelief on his face. “Typical first-year nonsense,” he muttered. “But drawing your sword? That’s pretty bold.”

  “I didn’t really have a choice,” Krion replied. “Hatsune was —” He hesitated, unsure how to phrase it without making her sound vulnerable. “— in a difficult position.”

  “I handled myself just fine,” Hatsuerjected, her tone firm.

  Krion nodded quickly. “Of course. I just meant —”

  Redrek interrupted, his voice cutting through the versation like a knife. “Did you say House Copperhand?”

  Krion frowned, caught off guard. “Yes. Why?”

  Redrek leaned ba his chair, his expression thoughtful. “I thought as much. It makes sense now.”

  “What makes sense?” Krion asked, his curiosity piqued.

  Redrek’s lips curled into a faint smile, exposing the tips of his faeeth. “House Copperhand is sworn to House Bright.”

  Krion blinked in surprise. “And you know this because…?”

  “It’s part of my family’s busio know,” the hobgoblin replied smoothly. “House Copperhand serves as one of their instruments, and given the frontation you have already had with this year’s s of House Bright, I would wager gold that he instructed Chadwick to cause you problems if the opportunity preseself. Regardless, you should be careful around him.”

  Before the versation could tinue, Ordraurned with their meals, bang ptes with practiced ease. He set each down with a flourish, the entig aroma of freshly cooked food filling the air. Meals delivered, he

  “There you go,” Ordran said, stepping baake sure that everyone had their meal. “Eat up, a me know if you need anything else. Enjoy.”

  The group dug in, the versation shifting to lighter topics as they ehe meal. Valdre regaled them with a humorous story about a cssmate’s disastrous attempt to expin to their Foundations of History professor why the csses at the Imperial Academy were overrated after the professor had overheard the s pining to his neighbor how early it was. Redrek had offered dry entary that had everyone ughing, including the bodyguards. Krion found himself rexing, the camaraderie of the group easing the tension that had lingered sihe Hall of Bonds. Even Hatsune seemed more at ease, though she remained mostly silent, fog on her meal. The shared meal at The Hearth & Ember had beely what he had needed.

  Krion ate his st few bites slowly, his fork movihodically. As the story had wound down, his thoughts had drifted elsewhere, cirg back to Redrek’s warning. Krion’s instincts told him to be cautious, but the situation g him. The Academy was meant to be a ral ground, yet the enta of noble houses was unavoidable.

  As he mulled it over, Krion came to a relut clusion: there was nothing he could do about it — at least, nht now. His best course of a would be to stay vigint and avoid provoking them further.

  But that wasn’t the most pressing matter.

  The year’s primary goal loomed over him like a specter: attaining a css. Everything else paled in parison to its importance. Without a css, his future at the Imperial Academy would be ent, and from there, it was not hard to see his ces of doing anything for his family ba Earth dwindling to nothing.

  Krion’s focus sharpened, a his fork down. The soft hum of versation at the table pulled him back to the present. He g Valdre, who was animatedly starting to ret aory, and Redrek, who listened with a mix of quiet amusement and occasional sarcasm. Hatsune, sitting silently beside him, sipped her drink with a poise that reminded Krion he would o find out more about her background. But that would be a versation for ter.

  Clearing his throat, Krion leaned forward slightly. “I’ve been thinking about our Academy Assig,” he said, breaking his silence.

  Valdre looked up mid-bite, raising an eyebrow. “Finally. I was w when you’d start talking again.”

  “Let me guess,” Redrek chimed in. “You’ve e up with some sort of pn?”

  “Something like that. I think most ss here will try to plete the Academy Assig on their own or form alliances out of y, not loyalty.” He raised a hand as Valdre was about to speak. “I’ll admit we haven’t known each other for long, but I’d like you both to know that I already sider you friends. If you think the same, then I think we have an opportunity.”

  Valdre set his fork down, looked over at Redrek who hen motioned for Krion to tinue, his i clearly piqued. “Go on.”

  “We all want different kinds of csses, right? Even if we don’t know the specifics yet, it’s uhey will iven the goals we have in mind. So instead of peting or w separately, why don’t we form an alliance? We help each other attain the css we each want, pooling our strengths and resources to overe any challehat emerge in the process of doing so. It’s a win for all of us.”

  Hatsune’s ears perked up slightly at the suggestion, though she said nothing, her expression thoughtful.

  Redrek studied Krion with a calg gaze. “In theory, that would be nice, but what about once we figure out the actual requirements for unlog each css? I’ve heard from my father that the rarer the css is, the more likely it is to have material pos to unlock it. What if there is an overp between what our csses require and limited opportunity to attain these materials?”

  “That might be true, though I admit to not knowing much about the process yet,” Krion admitted. “But we have access to the tral Archive. end time there researg css options and figuring out the requirements for eae. Once we know what we’re aiming for, we create a pn to help each other achieve it. If something does flict, we address it together.”

  Valdre tapped his , sidering the idea. “That’s… actually not a bad pn. Most ss will be scrambling to figure out things on their own, but we could coordinate and cover mround.”

  Redrek nodded slowly. “It’s practical. And if it means I don’t have to waste time dealing with ss who see me as a sacrificial pawn, all the better.”

  Krion smiled, relieved they were on board. “Then it’s settled. We’ll start by gathering information at the tral Archive. Once each of us decides on a css, we’ll work together to make it happen.”

  “Does this… cooperation include us as well?” The question came from Valdre’s bodyguard, Garran. The man’s tone was steady but hesitant, as though he expected to be reprimanded for speaking out of turn.

  Valdre turned sharply, his face twisted in irritation. “You will —”

  “Yes,” Krion interrupted Valdre, his calm voice cutting through the half-elf’s ahe ued answer made everyone pause, even Hatsune, who g him curiously. Krion leaned ba his chair, eyes taking in everyo the table around him. “It only makes sense. If we’re helping each other unlock our csses, why wouldn’t we include those who protect us? None of you have csses either. Helping you unlock stronger ones makes you more capable, and in turn, makes us safer. It’s simple logic.”

  Valdre’s mouth snapped shut, clearly caught off guard, while Redrek had a look of amusement on his face. Garran nodded slowly, his expression unreadable but appreciative while Kael clearly looked excited at the possibility of unlog a better css.

  “Are we all agreed?” when everyone nodded, Krion tinued, “Then we’ll all be from this. No os left behind.”

  Valdre raised his drink and was soon joined by everyone else at the table. “To teamwork, then. May we all walk out of this year and into the oh the csses we want — and preferably without embarrassing ourselves in the process.”

  The versation shifted to lighter topics as they fiheir meals. Valdre resumed his storytelling, this time toug on some of his childhood escapades. Redrek tered with dry observations that earned a few ughs, at one point eveing Hatsuo snort. Krion had chosen not to make a big deal about it when her face clearly lit up in embarrassment. Before much larran and Kael were the occasional ent as well. Krion noticed how Valdre and Redrek had looked at him to see how he would respond to the participation of the bodyguards in the versation at the table. When Krion simply included them, both of his fellow ss did the same. While he didn’t know for sure, how Valdre and Redrek were ag seemed to indicate that allowing bodyguards to participate was not the norm at the Imperial Academy. That was one expectation he was happy to turn on its head.

  When their ptes were empty, Ordrauro clear the table, his stout frame moving with practiced efficy. “Good to see you lot enjoying yourselves,” he said with a grin. “Don’t be strangers now, y’hear? This pce’ll be bustling soon enough, but there’ll always be room for you.”

  “Thanks, Ordran,” Valdre said warmly. “We’ll be back.”

  The group bid the dwarf goodnight, stepping out into the cool early evening air. The streets were quiet, as csses were ended and Krion guessed most people were inside having their own dinners.

  As they walked, Krion found himself falling behind the other ss slightly, his thoughts turning inward. The night had been a good one, one of the best in a while. He’d strengthened his friendship with Valdre and Redrek, and they’d e on board with his pn for the year ahead. He eheir pany and that of Garran and Kael as well towards the end. Even Hatsuhough still something of a mystery to him, had begun to fit into the group in her own quiet way. They still fell short of his friends ba Earth, but he hoped that would ge in time.

  Krion g her as she walked beside him, her new scale mail glinting faintly in the moonlight. She caught his gaze, her expression unreadable.

  “Thank you,” she said softly, breaking the silence.

  “For what?” Krion asked, genuinely curious.

  “For including me,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Krion nodded, unsure how to respond. The truth was, while he didn’t fully uand her yet, he felt certain that choosing Hatsune as his bodyguard had been the right decision. Her defiant spirit and unyielding stance, even in the face of Chadwick’s veiled threats, had impressed him. The memory of how she had drawn herself up after g her family would e for her lingered in his mind — a remihat she wasn’t merely a servant bound by a tract but a person with her own goals. He watched Hatsu of the er of his eyes, but she did not speak up again, opting to keep her attention on their surroundings, much as Garran and Kael were doing up ahead.

  For now, he resolved to trust his instincts. Time would tell if his choice of a bodyguard had been wise, but something about Hatsu undeniably… right.

  My apologies for the deyed chapter today, everyone. Some things came up on the personal froerday that carried over to today, which set me back a few. Everything is sorted now, so the chapters dropping on Wednesday and Friday should be back to being in the early afternoon. Anyway, I hope you all ehe chapter!

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  he Royal Road Writathon just ended, and I am currently w oing back up to 10+ additional chapters for those who wish to read ahead. In addition, you will eventually gain access to exclusive short stories tered on characters from the main story that provide additional insight about the Multiverse (which will only be on Patreon), as well as fun articles that will reveal more of the worldbuilding (also only on Patreon).