I barely made it out of the building when I heard footsteps approaching rapidly. Followed by a light pant, I glanced back to see Linda carrying a heavy looking bag. I stopped and held out my hand and she placed hers in my grasp.

I almost facepalm right then and there. Instead, my lips twitched and I pointed at the bag. “I meant to request your bag, not your hand.” I spoke softly.

Her tan skin darkened considerably as she removed her hand from my own like it was a snake. She bowed slightly as she held out the bag and I tossed it over a shoulder. It was moderately heavy.

“Sorry, I thought…” She stammered.

I interrupted by grabbing her rough hand and proceeding to walk.

“It’s fine. I don’t care about other people's opinions.” I said, while glancing at two noblemen who snickered and pointed at me.

Linda walked with her head down. She might seem shy and embarrassed, but I was sure that was merely because she didn’t know how far she could push our relationship. Our status was worlds apart when you think of it logically.

We walked in what appeared to be circles but in reality; I was just wasting time until someone walked out of the building.

“Didn’t we pass the residential block?” She asked, curiosity overtaking her.

She gestured at the sign we passed back a few minutes ago. I merely smiled and changed the subject.

“How many siblings do you have?”

She turned to me. Her face clearing up as if she was thinking something weird.

“Four other siblings. Three girls, one brother. He’s older and signed up for the army. Which was how I was able to meet the requirements to enroll. My sisters followed after my mother. Learning the trade of farming and marrying a farmer. I’m the youngest.”

“Oh. What do you hope to gain by attending the academy? Power? Wealth? Or a stable home?”

I gave her a solemn look and took the time to look over her shoulder. My target was chatting with a bunch of other watchers in similar uniforms. She seemed to be well liked and didn’t seem to have any guilt about the way she sold me out to teach me a lesson.

“Um.. I hope to gain the ability to provide a stable life for my family? I heard that a lot of Earth mages make a lot of money in construction. I requested to be placed in classes emphasising usefulness for that department.”

She looked down at her foot, twisting the toe of the shoe into the dirt.

“Where is your home if you don’t mind me asking? Mine is the Emerald Mountains. My father is currently Viscount of the Emerald Mountains but I was bestowed the title of Count of Emerald Valley. A kind of lush place that produces a lot of medicine for mages and knights.”

My target was walking this way with two other females. She had that kind of cute chubby face. Short with standard blonde hair of the central lands, capital region. Kind of a perfect fuckable body frame but the thing that irked me the most was her eyes. Those guilt free eyes that hinted at someone enjoying life.

Tsk, just remembering the pain of being carved into was annoying me.

I dropped Linda’s hand before I gave myself away by inflicting pain onto her.

“Oh, I lived in a village right outside of the Emerald mountains. You might have heard of the Green river village? My family does a lot of farming that goes up to the mountain towns.” Linda spoke excitedly, not upset to have her hand free.

She had secretly wiped a lot of the sweat she had been accumulating onto her pants. I smiled at her shy acts and held up a finger before walking to my target.

“Excuse me, Professor. Mind if I ask you a quick question?” I held up my hand, waving it a bit.

The women turned to me and the short one recognized me in a second. I saw her eyes widen, her nose flare, and her posture shift defensively. This automatically made the other women do the same.

Their training at least wasn’t trash.

“Student?” she asked, hesitantly.

“Count Clarke Lewis of the Emerald Mountains.” I replied with a smirk.

The woman stuffed up and she glanced at her companions. “What kind of question do you need answering, first year student Clarke?

I held up my badge. I broke an enchantment on it on purpose for this moment. “My badge seemed to have had a malfunction. It doesn’t seem to be showcasing my dorm location. Is there somewhere I can fix this?”

The woman’s taller companion looked between us before taking the badge. The short woman didn’t seem as if she was capable of uttering a coherent sentence right now. Probably because she felt targeted?

The taller watcher did a very quick work and passed it back.

“It is not a big issue. Some of them are used as teaching material for new teachers. We all have to learn how to fix those bastards. Anyway, have a safe trip to your room.” The taller one saved her companion from the awkward situation.

My eyes drifted from the short watcher to the taller one. “Thanks. May I acquire your name?”

The tall woman gave a saucy grin. She wasn’t of noble birth, it was clear in her posture. She was just fearless of nobles with her identity as instructor at this prestigious school.

“I’m Combat Instructor Rachel. You might have one of my classes in the upcoming days. Now off with you, little lord.” She spoke kind of patronizingly.

I bowed my head with the respect neither of us probably felt. I glance one last time at the short woman before walking away.

Did they really think by not allowing her to speak, I wouldn’t be able to figure out her name? Sigh, the level of caution in these people is so horrible.

I grasped Linda's hand and walked away.

“Did you break your badge on purpose?” she asked, when we were far from the watchers.

“Of course, she was one of those watchers, watching us during the exam. I believe she called over a patrol or did something to alert them to my presences. Which led to my capture and imprisonment. Which was not fun.”

Linda looked at me strangely but chose not to say anything else. Which was for the best.

My dorm was a gated villa. I recognized one of my knights, Clare Canon, posted at the front gate in his dark green armor. Looking very imposing with the dull grey wall as backdrop.

He saluted me from thirty yards away. When I reached fifteen yards away, he opened the gate.

“Welcome home, my lord.” he said in gruff baritone.

I saluted him with fist to the chest. The old man had my respect for he was highly competent at his job and never slack off.

“This is Miss Linda. She will be staying with us. Please arrange an escort for her from now on. Also planned a shopping trip soon to pick up any necessities she might need.” I commanded, walking through the gate.

His dark green hair dipped as he nodded. “Of course, my lord.”