“It can’t be that easy,” I said to Grey as we exited the administration building of the Academy. After waking up early enough that the green period was barely ending, Grey had gathered Azarus and me for a trek out onto the campus grounds. Fade had told me he would watch the still-sleeping Aveline for me, while Sena barely did more than crack a disinterested feline eye at us before going back to sleep. Renauld was similarly snoring the morning away in a side room of Draymoor Hall, while Liora seemed to have long since awakened and was waiting patiently at the gates for us. In the end, it was just Grey, Azarus, Liora, Venix, and I leaving to accomplish all of our chores for the day.

  Frankly, the enrollment process had taken barely more than a quarter of an hour. When the Headmaster of the Academy itself strolled up to your desk and asked for two prospective students to be enrolled, the paper pushers tended to move quickly. We’d gotten our pins, a bag that contained a full, fitted uniform each for the three of us, and a complimentary map of the campus grounds.

  I rolled the new silver wrought square in my palms, fingers rubbing over the blue glass gem inset into the surface thoughtfully as Grey turned to face me with a raised brow. “I assure you it is, Nathan. I informed my administration months ago that you three would soon be in attendance. The paperwork was already prepared; all that was required was your binding signatures.”

  “But how did they know our measurements?” I heard Azarus mutter under his breath in confusion. Grey just winked at him in response.

  Meanwhile, I shook my head. “No, no. That’s not what I’m talking about,” I said, waving a hand dismissively. “I’m talking about the succession crisis. There’s no way I am the deciding factor in getting Oskar onto the throne.”

  “Ah, I see,” Grey smiled knowingly. He shook his head and gestured to the path leading onward with one hand. “Let us walk and talk, shall we? We still need to go apply for citizenship for you and Azarus.” With that, he stepped foot onto the cobblestones, and the three of us followed with him.

  As we strolled through the misty morning here on the Academy grounds, I could see that it was much busier now than it had been yesterday. Nearly everyone seemed to have been attendance for the meeting about the succession, including the shopkeepers and restaurant staff. At my curious look, Grey shrugged. “If they work or live on my campus, they were invited. Now, where were we? Ah, yes. The succession ‘crisis’, as you put it. To begin with, you underestimate the weight that the Herztalian people place on their heroes, Nathan.”

  “Ain’t just the Humans,” Azarus piped in, returning from a brief jaunt into a bakery. He bit into a fresh, steaming bread roll from a bag of more, handing them out to the group as he did so. He swallowed and continued. “Everyone likes it when people get strong, ‘cause it means they could as well. Or, hells. Maybe their kids.”

  “Additionally,” Liora picked up after nodding in thanks to Azarus. “When truly mythical feats such as the slaying of a Calamity occurs, it means there is a new protector. We all know that Vereden is a hostile place, and it’s comforting to realize there are those capable of tackling even the most dire of situations.”

  “Exactly,” Grey nodded to the two of them as we passed the Main Hall. Kargath must work quickly because I didn’t see a single brick out of place on the wall that Honoka and the other professor had broken. “But you’re correct, Nathan. It doesn’t solely depend upon you. It’s more that…your word of support could tip the balance that might, might mind you, place more weight on the scales. The public support from one of Herztal’s burgeoning champions has a good deal of weight with the populace. I suspect news of your arrival in the city shall spread up the veritable chain soon, and you’ll likely receive…offers from both camps.”

  Hmm. Well.

  That was…different. Now I was just thinking about what I could get out of these guys. There was a lot I was going to need to set up a life for Aveline and I, here in the big city. Housing, merchant contacts, resources, inroads into the court…all of it would come easier if I had the support of the crown. Grey would no doubt help with much of that, but I didn’t want to rely on him for everything. Maybe some good old-fashioned medieval patronage would help grease the wheels.

  I wasn’t above using the faults of the system against it. If I were going to improve Herztalian society in any manner, it would be through either acting as the spear and shield, eliminating threats against me and mine, or through invention involving the Netherim archive. At least, that was the current plan.

  But, for all of his faults…I was still inclined to support Oskar. I at least knew Oskar, to a degree, and appreciated how he had put himself at risk to actually fight in the war. I could predict him, work with him if I had to. But these new guys, the ‘von Steinmark’ family?

  Well, the devil you know and all that.

  I wasn’t surprised that Liora briefly stopped us not long after we reached the gates. Not far from our position, I could see a grumpy-looking Kargath nursing a steaming cup of tea, sitting on the deck of what seemed to be his house here on the grounds. Grey in particular looked to be the focus of the dwarf’s ire, but my mentor just ignored him.

  That just made the Dwarf glower harder.

  “This is where I leave you,” Liora said politely, nodding to each of us. “I must see to my own business in the city, as I am already a citizen.”

  “Very well, Ms. Valen,” Grey inclined his head. “However, if you wish for entrance back into the Academy grounds, you might need to wait outside the gate for our return. Tensions with the Assembly are…tense, without the signing of the treaty. I’ve instructed Kargath to bar the gate to all who seek entrance, currently. I’m unsure if he will allow you entrance inside on your own.”

  I gave the older man the side-eye at that. Weren’t you his boss? Couldn’t you just tell him to let her in?

  “I WON’T!” I heard Kargath holler at us across the courtyard.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Okay, maybe not.

  Liora nodded at all of us, opened the unbarred gate to the rest of Blutstein, and vanished from sight.

  When the four of us followed after her, she was already gone.

  ……………………………….

  Grey led us to a large, multi-tiered building in the middle layer. It was farther inside the district than we had ventured before, sitting flush with the wall that separated the base of Kyronkar from the rest of the city. It was quite busy, with a long line of people snaking from the entrance, but…

  We didn’t have to deal with that. As soon as they saw Grey, our business was fast-tracked. In what felt like only moments, we were inside and speaking to a group of very polite Blutstein officials. When they learned that Azarus and I were here to apply for citizenship, what followed was a very…soft interrogation. Sure, there were no demands from the neatly dressed human men, and no instruments of ‘persuasion’ were brandished.

  But I could recognize an interrogation when I was subject to it. They asked all sorts of questions to Azarus and me, about where we were from, our business in the city, and why we were seeking citizenship. I don’t know everything about Azarus and his past, so I don’t know how truthful he was.

  I had to lie shamelessly, though. I had no interest in a governmental bureaucracy officially having knowledge about my status as a Precursor. I fed them the old cover story about being from behind the frozen northern mountains, recently descending from that waste, only to be enslaved. When I showed them the dummy slave brand Azarus and Grey had inflicted me with, now much faded with time, they were more sympathetic.

  I…was a bit surprised that a citizenship application involved being officially Observed, though. While not outright illegal, per se, it was heavily frowned upon in Veredenese society and likely to start a fight if you did that to someone. Still, I acquiesced.

  After using Hidden Amidst the Spheres to edit out anything I didn’t want them to know, of course.

  At the same time, while we were there, I officially registered Aveline as my ward, and I her legal guardian. This…typically wasn’t something done for anything less than the orphaned children of nobility, as I found out, but the process was smoothed over with Grey’s prodding. I tried to inquire about citizenship for her as well, only to be told that even the possibility of citizenship was tied to a Status. You had to be sixteen and Awoken to be considered for it.

  When it was all said and done, the officials told us that our applications would be sent to the front of the line as a courtesy to ‘the venerable Headmaster Greycton’. However, there was no estimated time of review…considering there was no currently reigning monarch to actually do so and ratify them.

  Which I’d expected anyway.

  “It’s important that we have the applications filed with the scribery sooner rather than later,” Grey told us as our group of four exited the admin building, passing by groups of disgruntled-looking people on the way out. “Citizenship hearings can take quite some time to happen. Why, I’ve known some to take yea-”

  When Grey stopped abruptly, I turned and was surprised to see a sudden frown on his wrinkled face. He was staring past me at something and absolutely did not appear happy about it. I followed his gaze and…began to get an inkling as to why.

  Approaching us was a large group of what looked to be nobles, accompanied by a platoon of alert, sharp looking Herztalian soldiers. There appeared to be five of them in total, and for the most part, four of them were all dressed in fine silks, ruffles, big poofy sleeves, and large coats. I…couldn’t help but think they looked a bit ridiculous, like they were nothing more than a pack of peacocks in human form. They even carried themselves like colorful birds, with long, proud strides, forcing the masses away from their procession. I almost wanted to laugh at the absurd sight, but something stopped me.

  The fifth man was different. Four of the nobles were following behind him in a near-crescent shape pattern, and the soldiers were behind even them. He led from the front and was dressed much more soberly than the others. This man was in plain, if not high-quality clothing. Simple slacks, hardy boots, a tunic, and an accompanying vest were all he wore, all in black. The only hint of color he bore on his person was a green and blue striped kerchief, neatly folded, its peak barely showing from a pocket on his vest.

  As for the man himself…he almost seemed to reflect his monochrome dress. Long, straight black hair fell down his shoulders in a wave, while his features were sharp, almost blade-like in appearance, only slightly softened by a short-cropped beard on his chin and a thin mustache.

  Across the distance, I met the man’s equally black eyes and was surprised at the lack of emotion I saw in those depths.

  I couldn’t stop a frown from crawling across my lips, but that didn’t faze the man at all. He just kept approaching us in a beeline until he reached where our group had stopped. In the ensuing silence between all of us, I couldn’t help but notice that all of the surrounding crowds had abruptly vanished.

  I was almost jealous of them.

  The first person to break the silence was one of the accompanying nobles, and not the serious-looking one. The silk fop cleared his throat self-importantly and started to speak. “You have the honor of-”

  He was abruptly silenced by the black-clad man raising a hand. I couldn’t help but think that level of obedience was a bit impressive.

  Like he’d just told one of his dogs to heel.

  The leader of the opposing group nodded at Grey respectfully. “Headmaster Greycton. I hope this day finds you well.”

  Grey took a deep breath, his skinny chest expanding in full before he let out a breath nearly akin to a sigh. “Lord von Steinmark,” He said tiredly. “Greetings. How can I help you?”

  Ah. I get it now.

  Von Steinmark. In other words…the branch house of the Eisenherz dynasty currently in competition for the throne.

  This might just be Wenzel himself.

  The prospective King.

  Very…direct, for a noble.

  “I’d like to invite you and your apprentice to a private lunch,” Lord von Steinmark said bluntly. “There are matters of import I wish to discuss with the two of you.”

  Okay, so he was more than just direct.

  The Lord's eyes shifted back my way, and I quirked an eyebrow back at him, undaunted by being in the presence of such high nobility.

  It took way more than political maneuvering to frighten me these days.

  Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I detected a glimmer of approval in those black depths.

  Grey was silent for a moment, and I saw him glance at me from the corner of his eye. I didn’t take my own away from Wenzel’s as I nodded slightly. I heard my mentor sigh once again. “Very well, Lord Wenzel. My apprentice and I gratefully accept.” I saw him turn slightly to his left. “Azarus, do you mind…?”

  Confirmation. This was the guy.

  I heard Azarus snort in the background. “Oh, would ya look at the time?” He said a tad sarcastically. “High noon. I should really go talk to a man about a thing and all that junk. I’ll see you two back at the gates. Later.”

  I restrained the urge to laugh as Wenzel von Steinmark’s noble retinue scrunched up their noses at how disrespectful Azarus was being. Azarus just didn’t care about the nobility anymore, not since his exile. He just waltzed away into the city without paying them any mind at all.

  Wenzel von Steinmark nodded sharply. “Follow me, then. I have reserved a private room at the Brassleigh Club for the occasion.” Without even another glance at us, he spun on a heel and marched away, his retinue and soldier retinue scrambling to get out of his way and follow.

  I exchanged a glance with Grey to find my mentor already looking tired of it all, and then trailed after the group of nobles.

  I, at least, was interested in seeing what the prospective King had to say.