Emerald eyes narrowed. If there was one thing Ilona could not rebuke was anything concerning the Leonile Lord. She knew she couldn't not a pout anything stupid in front of Hercullian Lord so she could only lean towards the banister and implored the youth below. "Honey, you really don't want to change your mind?"

"Ilona!" Maiel whipped his head at her. What was she thinking?

Ilona only rolled her shoulders as she blinked her eyes at the youth below them.

"..."

Moulin raised his eyebrows in surprise. He glanced at the Leonile balcony and shook his head. "I am sure, My Lady..."

"Then no one shall oppose to your choosing." A commanding voice spoke, silencing the halls. Ordan, Guild Lord of Dragor spoke, abruptly finishing off Ilona's hopes mercilessly. His red eyes growing more profound as he looked at the youth, he smiled faintly.

Moulin Sills Fraunces of the Fraunces House, the aristocratic family belonging to the Left imperial Court. White and silver eyes, even the young man's looks were intriguingly captivating. He could not mistake the vigilant aura of Moulin as though the youth finds every single person in the halls dangerous.

Quite a warrior despite his feeble-looking physique, Ordan could guess.

He remembered the deep gaze of Hadrian Hercullio as he stared at the youth in the water mirror.

With dimmed eyes, Ordan waved his hand and dimmed his selection orb. As outstanding every person's eyes were towards the young man with silver eyes he didn't want to fight over someone he foresaw would become a nuisance to him in the future. Perhaps, a guild war would come to be if he did.

The Hercullio House was as dominating as a king. Even if one would slightly tap on the Hercullian's nerve, it would spark a bloodbath.

Ilona only sighed as she leaned back on her seat. She lost a promising one. With a wave of her hand, she reluctantly dimmed her selection orb floating before her. She could not help but pout out of unwillingness. She saw him first! It was unfair.

Maiel only rolled his eyes as he dimmed his orb. He clearly knew what she was conceivably thinking and it only made him pity her. Maybe she'll cheer up as the selection moves on.

As the Lords dimmed their orbs, the passageway behind the Elder Lord opened.

The Elder lord gestures his brass staff behind him urging Moulin to enter. Moulin glanced behind him, his eyes catching Ghana's gaze. The young woman nodded at him with a smile.

Without any hesitation, Moulin walked forward. Bowing his head towards the Elder Lord as he passed by him. The maeruthan candidates watched his back, gazes filled with admiration and some with unwillingness. How was an aphrodite Maeruthan even able to take a place in the twenty trial rankings? With the low-rank status his band displayed, it was impossible!

Moulin simply ignored their murmurs as they stepped into the glamorously lit hallways without turning back.

With a creak, the passageway closed behind him and he continued to walk leisurely. His mind was filled with thoughts of a particular golden-haired lord who fed him grandly and cleansed his feet last night. His toes curled unconsciously as he remembered the sly touch of the man.

As he walked, he caught sight of the double doors at the end of the hallways. It was red with golden door handles. How extravagant...

He continued to walk at a slow pace until he was right in front of the doors. Before his hands reached to grab one of the handles, he suddenly stops as a thought appeared in his mind.

His brows furrowed.

Does that mean he was going to address the Lord as 'master'?

A few seconds passed, Moulin's mind goes blank. As the realization sinks in he sighed heavily. He felt a dark future awaiting him and it wasted no effort making him shudder.

Footfalls sounded heavily on the polished floors as a red-haired man enthusiastically headed towards one of the waiting rooms of the Elder Guildhalls. Although elegantly walking, his mind was as delighted as a child's.

A woman silently followed him from behind with her head raised. Dark curls ended just below her ears as her amber eyes gazed at the back of her leader thoughtfully. Both were wearing the same black uniform, a white cape lined with gold draped down, hanging from their back to their left shoulder, the Leonile emblem carved in gold fastening it. As childish Varick looked as he walked, Tessley Eldoran, the woman behind him, had solemnity carving her angelic face as she walked.

She wasn't too eager to meet the recruits as hastily as the man before him. She was already annoyed to be woken up on her day off. She already knew why Varick was so eager to meet this particular recruit. Everyone in the guild knew from the endless chatter this man would start almost every day. The youth was his savior, he says.

Tessley felt grateful for the person to rescue their Lord and Varick. Honestly, her heart was dripping with indebtedness. However, she could not help but frown as Varick never cease the annoying chatter he begins when he meets anyone.

Finally, they arrived before the doors of the waiting room. Varick grasped the handle and pushed it open with a smile on his face. "Welcome!!"

As the doors opened abruptly, Moulin jerked awake from his nap. He almost fell from the couch he was sitting on as the loud shout dragged him awake from slumber. Moulin blinked.

"Ah, I apologized... " Varick lowered his voice.

Tessley scrutinized the youth's features with awe. Indeed, as Varick had described, the white hair looked as exquisite as the silver eyes of the youth. An Aphrodite maeruthan!

Her eyes gleamed for it was her first time meeting an aphrodite maeruthan. However, as she noticed the white band around the youth's wrist her expression gradually fell. She looked at Moulin confused.

How was an Aphrodite Maeruthan with such poor ability could become the 16th standing of the Trials? Just thinking about it made her guess that the youth might have cheated his way here. Perhaps, he had the aid of someone superior?

"Forgive me, I was growing tired." Moulin bowed his head apologetically.

"Ah, I was too rash as well. Haha!" He scratches the back of his head and smiled, "I was assigned to escort you to the Guild. Please follow me..."

This time Tessley's expression fell. Why was Varick treating Moulin like an esteemed young master instead of a recruit?

Varick guided the way as they walked, as usual, chattering endlessly. Moulin could understand the deepening frown of his senior guildmate, Tessley. He also felt the woman's dissatisfaction with him. It was radiating openly but he didn't care one bit. Honestly, why are people always angry at him when he didn't even do anything wrong?

He yawned as their group finally exited the Elder guild halls. Although he was disappointed to not see Emlen's figure as they left, Moulin could understand his brother's increasing workload for the Candidate Selection was still ongoing.

"Unlike the other Guilds, the Leonile manorial isn't located within the Imperial Azuran circle," Varick explained as they walked down the steps before the hallway-like entrance of the Elder Guild.

Circle?

"The mountains..." Tessley said, noticing the questionable look of Moulin. She looked away from him after speaking.

Moulin nodded not bothered by her cold behavior.

"Our guild Lord, being the prominent man that he is, refused to flock with other guilds. Thus, the Elder guilds allowed the Leonile quarters to be situated somewhere else." Varick continued. He was unaware of the spite Moulin could easily detect in his voice.

The Little Hercullian Lord was on bad terms with other guilds so they let him move elsewhere, away from the Azuran circle, was what Varick meant. The lie was so loose Moulin could see through Varick with a glance.

Tessley palmed her forehead. "Enough with the nonsense..."

Seriously, even the things that were meant to be kept a secret from recruits were vulnerable once Varick started talking. Sometimes, she wished the Lord was with them to keep Varick silent and obedient.

Moulin shook his head with a smile.

1Half an hour later, as they arrived in the central courtyard of the Academy, a crystal platform glowed with a faint light beneath the beautiful orange skies of Thaeria. The teleportation platform was large and circular.

Three crystal statues of Griffins, an orb held between their claws as they surrounded the teleportation platform.

As Tessley and Varick stepped on the platform, Moulin stared admiringly. The thing looked so expensive one was afraid of stepping on it and dirtying it. However, who was he to care about how dirty it would become. Certainly, it was made to be stepped no matter how extravagant it looked.

Moulin lifted one foot and stepped on the platform with Tessley who ignored him and Varick who was smiling at him.

Taking out a coin from his pocket, Varick let it drop on the Crystal surface beneath them. Moulin watched, curiously intrigued.

The moment the coin made contact with the crystal floor with a ringing sound, it flashed a bright light.

No more than a second, the group of three disappeared with a flash.

Moulin felt his body grow light and his vision blinded for a second. He closed his eyes shut. Once his feet pressed heavily on the glass floor beneath him and the light against his eyes faded away. He relaxed his shoulders which had gone stiff.

He slowly opens his eyes.

What first greeted him was the refreshing breeze brushing on his cheeks. His eyes widened, sparkling.

Ping!

The coin that had fallen from the ground swiftly shot up from the ground and caught by Varick's quick hand. He pocketed the coin and turned to face Moulin who's breath was stolen away by the wondrous view before him.

Tessley stepped down from the teleportation platform, unable to wait for the two people behind her. Indeed the view would make one stop in their tracks, she wasn't surprised.

Varick turned to Moulin, smiling at him, "Welcome to the real Guild of Gold, the Leonile Manorial."