Zero Fate Against the World (New Version)

10K Words.

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As he left the training room, Philip was disappointed to know that Viera was far too busy getting ready for the party with the help of the maids for him to joke around with, leaving him stranded on what to do.

With Sebastiano outside the manor yet to return, Philip returned to his room with mild frustration, taking the time to train and get used to his changed body.

Maybe it was for the best. He had no pure intentions anyway.

Thus, time passed quickly…

/Half an hour later…/

/Fwush!/

/Bam!/

Philip swung his fist in the air, causing a loud snapping sound, "Phew… This will have to do for now…"

'It'll take a while for me to grow used to my height, but I'll figure things out.'

"… Are we leaving?" Laplabe asked, bored

"Yes, I still need to prepare for a party, you see."

"Hum… I would say it's best for you to rest, deeming what happened. But you seem fine, so it's up to you."

'I'm glad everything ended well… And also flabbergasted… It's such a shame he left this world without seeing this kid.'

'Even if he couldn't become his disciple, I feel he'd have some fun just being around him… or lose his patience… maybe both.'

Philip smiled as he wiped the sweat off his face, "Theres only one thing bothering me..."

He approached a table nearby, taking out both the golden orb and the storage box.

"Now I have two storage items... I can't carry both. The box alone is already quite noticeable on my pockets. I would use the golden orb solely, but moving everything in the storage box would take days…"

"That isn't a problem. That box in your hand is a compressed space, while the orb is a subspace. Meaning, it's far stabler and viable to put it inside without risk of everything falling apart."

"The only thing you can't do is put it inside another compressing device as that will put a severe strain on the shell of the object... Potentially causing it to collapse and that would be a disaster. You can put a lot inside subspaces; they're like small rooms… But don't overdo it."

"I'm not versed in these things, but I know everything has limits. Let's not toy around with them. Not with something this dangerous."

"Is that so?… Well, one less thing for me to worry about." Philip said as he stored the box inside the Golden ball

He looked around, and aside from a massive burn mark in the middle of the room and an awful burning smell, there were no clues about what had just happened.

He interacted with MT, checking its condition and the Data it had gathered before erecting the barrier once more and leaving it there to continue its calculations.

He put on his original clothes and left the room after calling a few maids to clean everything. He felt a bit embarrassed about what he's making them do, but he knew this was her job and they wouldn't complain.

While he still waited for the head butler, Philip entered a hot bath and remained there, thinking… 'It's time.'

He opened his Status:

[

Name: Philip Vinten *???*

Race: Type 2 Pure Human (+)

Home World: Earth (+)

Registered World: Eden (+)

Level 0

Class: None (+)

Title: Apex Evolver(Mental Lord) (+)

/Resonation Effect: Decodifier/

All Titles:

Exterminator of Nightmares; Hunter Genius; Ancient Archeologist; Jack of all Trades; Scholar; Martial Adept; Magical Enthusiast; Mental Lord; Blessed; Apex Evolver; Soldier; Contender; The Silent Legion; Specter; Hitman; Protector; Artificial Chrysalidate

-Vital info-

(+)

Mind> 299 (+) Previously: 174.4 (199.9)

Physical> 299 (+) Previously: 149.8 (173.4)

Energy> 270 (+) Previously: 136.1

Spiritual> 253 (265.8)(+) Previously: 120 (143)

Mystique> 60 (+)

Abilities:

Mental Force Lv24 (Hybrid)

Mental Force Manipulation Lv21 (Hybrid)

Mental Domain Lv12 (Hybrid)

Arcane Manipulation Lv17 (Hybrid)

Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts LvMax (Hybrid)

Seven-Colored Wooden Boat Lv1 (Hybrid)

Falling Fist of the Beast LvMax (Hybrid)

Pthumerian Combat Art (Modified) LvMax (15)(Hybrid)

Skills:

Gamerverse (???)

Advanced Skill Fusion Lv10 (Hybrid)

Western continent language Lv9 (Hybrid)

Scholar Vision LvMax(10) (Active)

Combat Genius LvMax (Passive)

Predator's presence LvMax

Somnium Courier Lv3 (Hybrid)

Simulation Room (???)

Traits:

Castle Town ***** (Weakened)

Hardworking

Unyielding

Incorruptible

]

"Hum…"

'Its truly impressive how much has changed… Each one of my main stats increased by nearly one hundred, some beyond, some below that.'

'Now, both Mind and Physical seem to have reached their limits… but these are still far beyond my previous ones. It's no wonder I've been feeling so strange and the output of every action has caused such destruction. When even a small increase in stats can be significant, what to say so much?'

'There is even the argument to be had where the increase in body quality has resulted in the increase in each stats' worth… but that's hard to confirm without others to compare with. And I don't think I'll be finding other Pure Humans like me anytime soon.'

'Rather than that, I should start putting some thought into expanding these limits… I wasn't thinking about it given how deep I was in issues, but not only have I reached my previous limits, I've surpassed them and reached them again.'

'Still, some time will have to be spent on getting used to them. Maybe it'll take months before I have everything in line to seek out some of the oportunities Dae mentioned.'

'Besides those… are far from what's bothering me the most…'

"My Skills have changed slightly… and while that's expected given the change in stats, its what they represent that bothers me."

'One thing at a time, though… Mental force has shown the most progress out of this change, four whole levels for little effort… and for clear reasons; probably the massive increase in the Mind Stat…'

'Still, my Trait remains unresponsive… Looks like even this increase is little to invoke even some reaction from the Trait.'

'I'm still far from a Mental Lord, it seems.'

'My Mental Domain also grew, but that's within expectations. Maybe once I get a grip on my own powers, this will rise in power again, but it remains to be seen.'

"Now… What bothers me most… these new skills."

There were some unusual skills he hadn't seen before in his Status. Most of them were miscellaneous things he had seen before. Things like "Cut", "Resilience", "Power Slash"… The kind of skills which would be instantly filtered and sent out of his Status to help him focus.

He had configured his System before to avoid clutter in his main page. Otherwise, if he let everything unfiltered, whenever he opened it, it'd be akin to open a scroll twice the size of his body.

Most skills of irrelevant value are either left aside to be fused later or used as fuel for Skill Fusion. There was no in-between. Philip enjoyed the assistance of the System as much as he disliked it. He needed no hand-holding to such basic needs.

If he let the System be, it might award him with a skill for breathing or worse… He needed no such thing.

"Even the Elven swordsmanship I've been training has been added to the Status list. It's quite important, so no wonder it appeared right beside the Crown's…"

'There are a few other techniques I've trained in, such as the technique the High Orc used during our clash… but maybe the System doesn't recognize my proficiency in it as enough to award me with a skill.'

'Anyhow, these skills… I think I know where they all come from. There can only be so many reasons as to why the System would reward such to me.'

'My one year trapped inside Simulation Room, and my three weeks of training with Fabrin. Everything in between was mild at best, and even if I received some Skills for my diligence, it wouldn't compare to those events.'

'And maybe also when I fought the Wild Orcs on my way outside the South. That was when the System started glitching and began skipping rewards.'

"… Could it be… has the System finally fixed itself?… Why?… Why now, of all times?"

Philip wanted to commemorate and laugh, but reason pulled him down to earth again, 'No, I can't claim victory just yet.'

"My Status hasn't changed much aside from some skills and stats… if I'm right, there must be a log somewhere…"

He searched his Status and eventually found it, but his expression didn't changed.

"Hm… Found it… but this Log isn't right… The time doesn't coincide."

'The log is at least an hour late to when I started my transformation… could it be the System deleted it? It isn't unusual for old Logs to be altered or removed after a set time. So unless I have the System save it, they're automatically removed after a set time.'

'This is especially true for things like Apex Evolver. While it's a powerful ability, the System often showers me with prompts during most inept moments. Forcing me to block its notifications.'

"… Let's say the System just put everything together in one beautiful Log… what would that mean for me?"

He laid his head in the water, hearing it splash around…

"… Hell. That's what it'd be."

'I can already envision it. All of the pending notifications flooding me at once… even if that doesn't happen, even if the System puts everything together in one package… wouldn't that trigger Gamervere?'

'Like last time, I was training in the garden when I received the notification that I achieved my Class' maximum potential. At the time, I had no choice but listen to the notification, but now I have that power.'

'When I returned from Simulation Room, I wasn't even given the chance to breathe before I was sent on another journey, returning only years later… I can't have something like that happen now of all times.'

'I could be wrong and I haven't achieved the conditions yet, but what if that happens?'

"Just thinking about it… What if the System triggers another body change? Then wouldn't I just go through another transformation, only to be sent across the universe again?"

'Gamerverse would definitely trigger during a most incredulous moment… It could be while I'm underwater or in the toilet… It just does things as it wants.'

'If my attention drifts for even a moment, I might definitely end up spending years in another world before this party even starts… That'd be horrible.'

'Right now I can focus on what I want out of that party, but if I'm thrown into some nonsensical and brutal world, would I be able to do the same upon my return?'

"…"

'I usually overthink things, but I'd rather do that than commit mistakes… It's not like the Logs will vanish anyway. Important logs like these don't vanish in just a few hours.'

'This is a good chance actually… a chance to take a breather. I can go to the party, do what I want there and return to focus on this matter. That'd be ideal… It would just be a few hours anyway.'

'What's wrong with focusing on a party for once? I feel like I'm always thinking about my progress and training whenever I do anything… but there's one sour taste to this plan…'

'Activating the Logs could bring me power… power I may very well need if something were to happen. I'm confident in my abilities but more wouldn't be bad…'

"But that's also an issue in itself. I'm barely used to my physical changes. Adding more to it wouldn't do me any better…"

'Unless I received another busted skill, I doubt I'd have the chance to use my abilities effectively.'

"… I can think about all of this later. There are still some things left to review…" He said out loud with a sigh as he rubbed some soap on his body, spreading bubbles everywhere

"Cough!… This soap makes so many bubbles, I'll end up swallowing… cough, pfft… It's almost like a bath bomb… wait… is this a bath bomb?"

He turned to the side of a hole in the marble wall. There, half a dozen beauty products waited in line for him to pick from in multiple glass and crystal jars. Philip recognized some, but not all. He only used whatever he felt seemed like shampoo and soap…

He tried using the others, but one of them, when opened, caused wisps of light to fly in the bath. When that happened, he gave up experimenting with them and grabbed the soap… but it seemed even that wasn't it…

"… Cough!… shit, so much for being a noble… Maybe I should just have a maid bathe me or something…"

He looked around warily… "… can I do that?…"

After a moment of awkward deliberation the kinds only a shower could provide, Philip refocused on his observations.

"… enough of this."

'There's still one thing left to observe… The most important change… My Race changed!'

'… Whatever that means...'

'Not only do I not know what this change means... I wasn't even given the option to choose it… Though from the looks of it, this isn't a complete race change. It's more akin to what everyone underwent when we were baptized by that orb in the Church.'

"And that's about it… I mean, this much is already huge, but normally, undergoing a body transformation would follow a wave of rewards…"

'It seems it's all in the Logs… But I must resist… There's a strong chance that if I open that now, I'll be sent across the multiverse again…'

/Splash!/

He slammed his hands on the water, watching each droplet of water fall back in slow motion…

He looked at his Status one last time, and he frowned yet again, "Hm... Wait a minute." It was faint, but he could see symbols on the top section of his status, next to his name.

They were very similar to the three symbols on the Origin Orbs he collected so far...

"Are those... am I thinking too much?..."

'Why are the Origin Orbs here of all places?…'

His thoughts led him down a dangerous hole. With a cold stomach, he reached for his storage device, and the moment he did so, his expression sank… For every container…

Was now empty.

"Fuuuuck me…"

He reached for his forehead, utterly defeated mentally. This alone meant his entire ordeal was for naught. What was the point of going to the Academy if the Orbs had vanished?

Maybe vanished wasn't the right word. But if his System had consumed them or used them, what difference was there to everything?

He couldn't stop thinking about it, and several times he almost reached for the logs, willing to risk it all if it meant having his curiosity sated… In the end, he didn't, and it seemed he wouldn't be able to enjoy the party after all… So much for trying to be optimistic.

Philip tried to enjoy the rest of his bath before leaving and putting on another pair of clothes. He would think more about all of this and explore more of his stats later. Now it was time to meet with Sebastiano and prepare for the party.

It was best if he busied himself with something, otherwise he'd end up doing something he'd go to regret…

…

After leaving his bath, Philip immediately contacted Sebastiano, who had just come back from seeking out his request.

They me in his Office as usual…

/Knock knock/

"Come in." Philip said as he got up from his couch

/Creak.../

"You called me Mi… Milord?"

The moment he entered the Office, he was quick to notice the changes. His eyes darting around as he adjusted his glasses.

"Dont even ask, it's quite complicated… Instead, do you know how to trim hair?"

"Oh?…"

'His hair and nails are a mess... Focus, the reason does not concern me.'

"I know, it's a sudden question…"

"Ah, not at all Milord, on the contrary, barber work is part of my basic set of abilities…although its been a long time since did it, so I may be a bit rusty."

"That said, for a hair this long, you may be interested in more professional work?"

Philip was surprised, but on another note, it was to be expected. He shook his head in denial, looking at his long hair with a smirk.

"It's okay, I only need you to trim my hair a little, no need for any exotic styles. Just cut it like it was before… maybe you can make it closer to the current fashion standards?"

'I do like my hair this long, but it's not like I lack methods to make it long again if I wanted to.'

"I understand, in that case, follow me."

Sebastiano led Philip to another room and had him sit in a chair. He took out a set of silver scissors and started cutting after asking what sort of style Philip wanted.

…

/Not long after…/

While getting his hair cut, Philip burried Sebastiano with questions about the city to pass the time, inquiring about its history and places to visit. He planned to explore these sights sometime in the future, perhaps alone, perhaps with a companion.

Although he now had four Earth months of free time, he had no intention of neglecting his mission.

"… and… All done." His butler said with a smile as he gave Philip a small hand mirror

"… It's perfect."

'Well… To be honest, men's hair work has always been the simplest.'

"Is there anything else you need my assistance with, Lord?"

Philip nodded, "About the preparations for the party…"

"No need to worry. Madam Viera is already choosing her dress as we speak, while I've called a couturier from a reputable shop nearby to handle yours. His arrival should be soon upon us. I wager it has taken longer then planed due to my sudden request and the volume of products they're bringing."

Philip frowned. He wasn't familiar with the word "couturier," nor was it a word he heard every day. But he nodded nonetheless, "Aside from that, what about our transportation?"

'I don't even know where the party will be held… The invitation only mentioned the title of the castle, but how am I supposed to know where that is?'

"I have dealt with that as well. The driver will be available whenever you wish."

"… Good."

Sebastiano bowed, his tone lower, if not a bit hesitant… "Theres just a minor problem…"

"Speak your mind."

"...I'm afraid Madam Viera lacks something…"

"Bust?" Philip asked with a half smile

"Ah? No... MLord, please mind your words here in the open. If Madam hears it, she may skin you alive."

Sebastiano smiled, a rare threat… and one that went away all too quickly.

"I believe she lacks jewelry." He said in a serious tone

Philip was caught by surprise, "Jewelry? Of all things?..."

"Yes, it's currently the fashion among young ladies. Although jewelry was something often employed in many situations, from parties to a casual strolling… it never became a necessity as big as it is now."

"I'm asking just to be sure and I have no intention of implying anything. My apologies if you're offended." He said with another slight bow

His excessive politeness showed his sincerity, but it was quite annoying to Philip. Such overly manners implied things he'd rather not think about,.

"No… It's okay, it was my mistake for not paying attention towards… The latest fashion…" Philip said with a sigh

'I never thought I would need to care about that... There's no point in complaining. Even my mom had her pretty rings and necklaces.'

'But now is a bit late to go window-shopping, isn't it?'

Sebastiano smiled. He understood Philip. It was indeed something tiring to follow, so much so most masters normally left it to their servants to choose their own clothes and accessories. They only needed to learn the details after so they could talk about it when the time came.

"… I do have some ideas as to what I'll give her. Leave that to me."

"Hum… May I inquire about it? It's important to have one that matches her attire."

"Well... a red gem… I'll gift her a red gem in a silver collar." Philip said after some thought

"I'll keep that in mind. We'll get the rest if necessary." Sebastiano said as he put his hands behind his back

With everything done, Philip waited for the couturier to arrive…

...

/Over half an hour later…/

In a large room, Viera, Sebastiano, and several maids watched Philip try on his outfit: a red suit over a white shirt, black pants, and shoes.

His hair was slicked back, giving him a distinctly delinquent air. Laplabe was tucked into his pants pocket, and his subspace item concealed in a secret shirt compartment.

Other accessories would have to wait, for now, they were looking for something that matched with his looks.

"What about this one?"

'Come on… they're all great. I'm growing tired of changing clothes… I need to scratch my balls...'

"You look… Okayish..." Viera replied as she looked at him, but her thoughts were elsewhere

'… I'm still processing his recent changes… just when did he grow so big? My neck hurts a little when I step too close to him.'

'At least like this… with his mouth shut… If you didn't know him, he would truly look like a Noble… Not just any Noble, as there is a certain aura to him… One I can't quite put my finger across.'

'… But then again, once you get to know him, it all comes falling down because of his goofiness...'

Hearing her comments and busy thoughts, Philip smiled, "I know, I know. Theres no need to tell me how good I look. Your face says it all."

She rolled her eyes and looked at the side with a slightly flushed expression.

"You look stunning, Milord, how does it feel?"

"Well… it's better then the last one. It feels good to move around it, not as constricting as I had imagined. However, it's still a bit tight… in some areas…" Philip replied as he moved his arms around

'My arms and legs are a bit suffocated. If I move too much too fast I'm afraid it will rip apart… Just because I'm rich now, that doesn't mean I would overlook this suit being ruined.'

'It's a nice suit… and expensive.'

'… but I suppose I'm to blame for this. Sebastiano gave the couturier my past sizes and I've grown considerably. Giving an excuse for her was a little troubling.'

"I expected as much, but that isn't really a problem young Lord."

An old woman spoke beside him as she checked his clothes with arms crossed. She was wearing a full black dress and her white hair was tied. She had a golden black pair of glasses on her face and she had that evil, old secretary look.

This was the owner of one of the many clothing shops down in the Upper city, one Sebastiano had called to select the perfect outfit for his Lord. This is how things are done for those that have money, you don't go to the service; it comes to you…

For the past half hour, Philip tried many outfits, but each one failed to meet the expectations… Not Philip's, but the owner herself. This job wasn't just about selling the clothes, it was about maintaining a reputation… Because of this; she was extremely strict with her clients' fashion.

Because once he went out there, everyone would see it. Philip was a walking billboard.

But thankfully, it seemed she had finally settled with a style, "Hum… this will be pretty simple to fix, there's more than enough space to loosen it up." She said as she checked his arms, legs, waist, and chest

As she said that, she took out a circular container, very reminiscent of the one Philip's grandma used to keep her sewing items back in the day… When she took it, his clothes seemed to come alive as all of its fibers moved under her control.

She was like a Maestro, guiding each line into its respective place… Seeing this, Philip did not react to it, he was used to it, this wasn't the first time she had used this on him, but hopefully, it would be the last.

He didn't like the feeling of his pants moving on its own… It scraped against every bad place one could imagine and it was very itchy…

"All done. Please, tell me if there's anything else troubling you." The old lady asked professionally as she stepped back, looking at him up and down as she pinched several areas of his body

Her expression was mostly cold and serious, but deep down, even she felt accomplished by seeing Philip check out his clothes. Between working around a fat old man that likes to act in a superior way... And a young fit man... The answer was apparent.

Especially one that wasn't pampered, remaining calm under any circumstance, not lashing out like the many brats she worked with during her long life…

"It feels perfect, I'm satisfied with this."

'At least the worry about this ripping off is over. I can now safely touch my back without fear.'

'With my current strength, if there's any form of resistance anywhere, I'm afraid I'd rip through the fabric first before realizing something was wrong.'

As he said that, he checked the time on his pocket watch, "Its getting late."

He turned to face the old woman and nodded, prompting her to gather her things and leave. She bowed one last time and asked him to call her again if he needs any more help.

Once she left the room, a maid promptly gave her the payment, and with a satisfied smile, she left the Manor. She wasn't the only one to leave the room, as Sebastiano also left the room together with the other maids, leaving Philip and Viera alone.

He looked at her up and down and smiled, "It's impressive how much a few touches of makeup and a nice dress can do a person..."

"That came out as rude! If not for this puffy dress, I'd kick you!" She exclaimed as she resisted the urge to tug at her clothes

While she tested her clothes, the maids gave her many lessons on simple womanly behavior. It was far from making her a high-class lady, but it was enough to let her know how to look like one to others from afar.

Philip smiled helplessly as he saw this, it just wasn't the same without a reaction… but there were other ways…

"That wasn't what I meant. You look incredible." He said with a straight face as he looked at her up and down

'If my mother were here, I wonder just how long she'd spend looking at those stores. She may think the clothing stores are ridiculous, but I doubt she'd just walk past some of those dresses… They are… quite amazing.'

"... Is-Is that so…" She replied, embarrassed

Viera was wearing a purple long dress to match her hair. Unfortunately, because of her age, she was still in the middle of development, so there wasn't much to fawn over…

When she took care of herself, her true beauty shone through. Viera was truly a charming girl, and she would surely grow into a beauty, but for now, she looked nothing more than a teenager trying to act mature with lipstick on her face…

"I may look different with a dress, but you look like someone else entirely… What happened?"

This was a question that had danced on the tip of her tongue for a while now. After she came back from her time with the maids and saw him, she immediately recognized the change… It wasn't hard to see.

From certain angles, Philip could fully cast shadows on her now…

"Oh, I thought you would never ask that..." Philip replied as he scratched his head, "It's complicated to explain… Simply put, I got stronger."

"... By that you mean getting a palm taller and your shoulders broadening?"

'Even during his three-week training, he didn't change that much... Just what happened for him to have become… this?'

Philip shrugged, "There were unusual circumstances. I used a special item… Payment for a certain task I'm doing."

"Task?..." She mumbled in suspicion, 'Could it be the task my master gave him? To take care of me?...'

"… Sigh, it doesn't matter… It'll just take a while to get used to your new height…"

"I know, even I'm still a bit wobbly when I walk… I was satisfied with the way I looked before, but its not a hard hurdle to surpass. It's not like I lost a limb…"

"Besides this… There are still a few things to address before we leave... Three things to be precise."

Philip took out a pair of masks, one metallic, and the other made of wood, although it wasn't really noticeable.

"You prepared masks?" Viera asked with a surprised expression as she held one of them in hand

"Of course I did. We're going to a masquerade, after all."

"Didn't the letter say that they would distribute such masks on sight?"

"Yes, it did; however, don't you think we'd appear less classy if someone provided our masks instead of us bringing our own?… Also, I doubt people will go there without masks, but if they do, we can always copy them and just grab whatever they give us, it wouldn't cost us much."

"Not like they'd know, right?… So let's treat it as me taking some precautions."

"I guess you have a point." She said as she grabbed her mask

(Image)

The wooden mask resembled a butterfly, its left side forming delicate wings that covered the upper half of the face. A thin silver line allowed it to wrap around the head, and its flexibility ensured a snug fit.

In contrast, the second mask, Philip's, was strikingly plain: smooth, black, and featuring only eye and nostril holes. Although it covered the entire face. As he held it, Philip demonstrated that the upper and lower halves were detachable... for whatever reason.

Closer inspection revealed intricate black engravings, slightly darker than the mask itself, and a subtle border of light golden detail. This simple yet mysterious beauty lacked the fastening line of the butterfly mask, yet it remained firmly in place on his face.

This was no ordinary mask; when questioned, Philip vaguely attributed it to his military training, adding only that it was remarkably durable, a detail his companion might prefer not to know.

"How do I look?" Viera asked as she looked at Philip

"Hum… Like a young Noble lady going to a party… Although the mask does little to hide your face…"

Her eyelids twitching, she replied, "Well... It's a mask meant for a ball. It has another purpose from the one you're thinking of..."

"True, still, it may be because I know you… Your purple hair is unmistakable."

"M-My hair?" Viera asked as she fondled her hair, embarrassed

'This guy… How can he say these things with a straight face?… I swear... Does he do it on purpose?'

"Yes, I think your hair is pretty good. Where I came from, black and brown were the norm, with the occasional white from old people. Yellow and red were also common, albeit not as much."

"People did paint their own hair, but it wasn't quite the same…"

'I'd even go to say if someone did not have those colors, then I wouldn't even listen to whatever they had to say…'

"… I think yours look pretty good despite how exotic it feels to me sometimes."

'Although exotic hair colors are a common thing in this world compared to my previous one, some colors are still oddly rare. Purple, Green, Silver… And many more.'

'I can count on one hand how many people of such hair colors I have seen… Don't ask me how this is possible in the first place, I have no idea, nor the desire to understand the genetics of the people of this world… maybe later in the future.'

'Nevertheless, Black, blonde, and Brown are still the average hair colors, although red and Orange are also surprisingly normal. I suppose in this world people can just produce the same chemicals behind the colors in bird feathers…'

"With our masks done, the next thing is this…" Philip said as he took out a walking metal cane from his First Class' inventory

"Wha… A cane?" Viera asked with a frown, 'What is he planning this time?…'

"Why a cane? You don't need it, nor does it add any stylish factor to you…"

"…"

He looked at her and frowned.

"P-Perhaps just a little, but it looks more of an inconvenience to me than anything else."

"Humph… This will do just fine. Treat is as… a surprise."

"I don't quite understand…" She replied as she shook her head

'I would like it if he simply said some things straight to me… despite me knowing that he holds many secrets that I would be better off not knowing, sometimes I'd like it if…'

As if knowing her worries, Philip lifted the cane and swiped it in the air…

/CLANK!/

The cane opened, becoming a long whip, segmented in many sections, each with a metal razor attached to it…

It was a violent tool made for slaughter…

"WHAT?!"

'Are you attending a party or a freaking battlefield?'

"How's that going to help us?!" She exclaimed as she took a step back

/CLANK!/

Philip moved the whip in such a way so that it became a harmless cane once more…

"I told you not to worry. Hopefully, it won't come to this."

"... Do you… How do you even know how to use that?... No, why do you even have such a thing?"

Philip smiled, "Where else? You ask as if you did not know already."

'This is only in emergencies… only meant to buy enough time for me to take out something I can actually use.'

'That said, I'm likely a bit rusty…'

"Not with that again!" She replied angrily as she turned around

Philip smiled, he approached her, his voice low, "The last thing…"

"?!"

Philip's arms passed around her neck, placing a beautiful collar around it.

"This is?..." Viera asked as she saw the beautiful collar

"I was told our lady over here lacked jewelry, so I'm giving this to you… temporarily I'm afraid."

"A more correct term would be lending. This collar is… A bit too much for me to give away right now." Philip said with a half smile as he stepped back

He didn't even need to use his skill to check it. He feared if it would even work, but if he were to use it…

[Red Moon shard…]

"..."

Because of the angle, Philip failed to realize just how red Viera was right now.

"I see…"

"Let me take a look. Turn around for a moment." Philip asked Viera as he crossed his arms

But she didn't move… "Hey. I can't say how good it looks if you don't turn around…"

"Humph…"

She tried to hide her face with the mask as she turned around, it was an unfruitful endeavor as her mask did not hide her face fully… not that it mattered, for his attention was elsewhere.

"Hm… It fits quite nicely." He said with a smile

The beautiful red gem in the simple silver collar stood out quite a lot in her purple dress…

'With this, we're done!'

"... What is the name… The name of this gem?" Viera asked as she looked at the collar

When she looked at it, she felt strange... For a moment, she felt as if she saw a beautiful field of flowers within it… She felt sorrow when she looked at the gem as if she had lost something dear for her, although those might not be her own emotions.

However, it went away just as quickly as they came.

"Hum..."

'A good question, what should I call it? Shard of the Red moon seems a bit boring.'

Philip had a burst of enlightment. His expression change, growing distant…

"Heh… call it… Flora." Philip replied with an enigmatic smile

…

Following this, Philip and Viera made their way out of the Manor, where their ride was already waiting for them. It looked like a car, something that made Philip rather nostalgic, however, it didn't have tires, instead, it was more like a slim, modern carriage... One without a Horse.

"Welcome, Milord and Milady, I'll be your driver for tonight, Loid Freitas at your service." The driver said with a bow as he stood besides the carriage

Philip nodded and greeted him, "Nice to meet you Loid, there's no need to wait, we're already a bit late so let's depart as soon as possible." He said as he got inside the floating carriage

He turned around and helped Viera get inside as well. Not that she needed to, but hey, a little bit of chivalry isn't going to cut his hand off.

"Then sit tight, well arrive in no time at all." The old driver said with a smile as he entered and pressed a few buttons on the carriage's front panel

Philip looked at the side to see Sebastiano and the other maids behind the gates. He lifted his right hand and waved then goodbye.

/Fwuoosh!/

And the carriage made its way across the sky, leaving behind a faint blue trail of smoke…

…

/At the same time…/

Inside a beautiful manor built on the ravine that surrounded the city of Freedom, a beautiful girl with silver hair checked herself in front of a mirror with a pensive look.

She was truly beautiful, the book definition of icy beauty… However, she seemed upset about something, her gaze was unmoving as she stared at herself…

"… are you still thinking about that boy?" A voice came from the side

"... you startled me." She replied calmly as she turned to the side, seeing a small green creature on top of her table

It was a small spider-like creature the size of a child's hand… It looked rather faint as if it could vanish at any moment, from the girl's perspective, however, it looked as nitid as any object in her room.

The creature looked like a jumping spider with its big round eyes; And with the small black hat on top of its head, it could even be called cute…

"What makes you think of that?" She asked in her usual calm tone

"You don't need to keep up the act when its just us… I know what you're trying to do, but its going to weight on you eventually… anyhow… For starters, ever since you saw him, you've been oddly pensive, so much so you've ignored the moronic remarks of that stupid boy, something you never did before."

"Even if only to dismiss him, you'd reply, but you've ignored several of his words, lost in thought."

"It's actually such a big change that even he noticed that, and it's no surprise he took it in the wrong way… He must think you're actually starting to like him." The spider said as it shook its head in denial

The girl remained silent, but her expression changed when she realized she had indeed been thinking too much… and that made her frustrated.

"So? What did you see that made you change so much? Much less ignore me for the past few hours? You know, I've been around you for a while yet you haven't realized I was there."

'She even missed her daily training, truly odd.'

As the young woman thought, the spider also thought deeply:

'Eri was born with the highest Affinity towards the spiritual the Azul family has seen in the past six generations... In fact, in the medium to far future, she may stand among the best in their recorded history.'

'The family has spared no resources in making such possible. I mean, that's why I'm here… but I must say, guiding this girl can be tiring sometimes... Especially when her kind goes through puberty... Urg.'

'It was the same with those other kids… and they always look back fondly at these times as if it wasn't my problem to deal with all of their outbursts… maybe I should start giving them reasons not to.'

"… sigh…"

Seeing that the young lady was still in deep thought, the spider let out a sigh and continued with its thoughts, 'What could have caused her to be like this?... She rarely showed interest in other boys… Not that she hasn't, most girls will have a small crush... Her's was the old butler that takes care of the Main house, although it quickly died out as she grew older...'

'It was a healthy and innocent first love that allowed her to grow as a person. However... That boy wasn't outstandingly handsome. He was okayish if compared to some of the boys she sees on a somewhat regular basis.'

'He was a bit… unique, to say the least. Even I noticed something odd about him… a different kind of odd… but that's not unusual. How many young nobles have inherited unique abilities through their bloodline? What makes him so unique from those even I can't tell?'

'… She must've seen something, then.'

"… are you still thinking? Can we talk? Are you going to stay like this all night?" The spider asked as it moved closer to her

"..."

"Sigh... and they ask why I don't have children of my own…"

The small spider shook its tiny head and rested on the ground, continuing its thinking.

'The Azul family has many abilities that allow them to excel above others in spiritual arts. Most of those came with time, as with each generation, they slowly added more and more abilities into their bloodline as outstanding individuals like her appeared and refined their powers to their limits…'

'The Azuls are one of the few families that have managed to systematically awaken their ancestral abilities every generation. Of course, not everyone can awaken all of them, but at least one or another will…'

'One of them is the ability to see the "affinity" of other people, specifically, the affinity towards their very own spiritual arts, an ability that Eri has not simply awakened, but a form unique to her.'

'This ability is the reason the Azul family has steadily increased the overall Affinity of each generation… By making sure they introduce the bloodline of those talented in the field into their family.'

'This ability is so effective that it has allowed them to be selective with whom they choose to hold hands… It is no wonder the Azuls are so aesthetically pleasing to others… But even I can do that to some extent. Anyone can with enough training.'

'In Eris case, she can see much more than that… She can see the manifestation of someone's spirit… The shadow of someone's Soul… and that boy was odd in this regard.'

'His affinity isn't on her level, but comparing the two would be a stupid endeavor. You can't compare the daughter of a Family focused entirely on spiritual arts with a random passerby... Although it is already impressive he comes close to her… Closer than many could ever dream of reaching.'

'Perhaps she is thinking about that? If so it would make some sense… but not quite either.'

'We've seen far better alternatives out there after all.'

/Knock knock knock!/

Amidst their thoughts, someone suddenly knocked on the door…

The girl was startled once more, but instead of complaining, she turned her head and gently said towards the door, "Please speak, I'm still preparing myself."

"Young Miss, the party is about to start. The young Lord asked me to warn you that you have half an hour to get ready." Someone replied on the other side of the door, a man with a deep and heavy voice

"I see, I'll be ready by then." She replied, uninterested in talking further, she went from gentle to rude within a single moment... her vocal range was quite impressive.

"Understood, I'll inform the Young Lord."

Soon enough, his footsteps echoed beyond the door… "Sigh." The lady exhaled as she looked at the mirror

For the past half hour, she had stood there, gazing at her own reflection doing no sort of makeup or preparations at all… The more she thought about it, the longer she stood there...

Only now had she realized her hair was unkempt…

"I'll call Mimi…" She said with a helpless smile as she looked at herself

"You should, the way you are right now, no way in the six great will you be ready in half an hour." The spider said as it shook its head

"... Rude…"

"Am I wrong? Until you open up to me, the only thing I can do is watch you…"

Eri looked at the spider and finally relented, "Can you blame me? What I saw was simply too…"

She finally revealed a faint smile, but at the same time, fear as she recollected her memories.

"Are you finally ready to talk?"

"I… Huu… at first, I felt a deep gaze… It was something unlike the lustful eyes of that fool, and the fearful gazes of the maids… For a moment… I felt as if I was being stared by… It was like how my father looked at me when I committed a mistake, I felt a massive pressure weighing down on my back…"

/Crawl…/

"Okay, that's a start…"

The little spider moved and crawled on her arm, now standing on her shoulder.

It looked at her face in the mirror, "Hum… That is to be expected. That young man doesn't seem to live a joyful life given the aura he carries… A heavy gaze… that fits, I suppose."

"He felt no desire for you, nor did he seem to know you. He was simply staring at someone across the glass… And yet, you felt the brunt force of his presence… He wasn't directing anything at you, it was merely a result of a collision between your "sight" and his "affinity"."

"Didn't that used to happen often with your father? When you were small and unable to control your own senses?"

The young lady nodded, "That I know… But please, don't bring that back… Its embarrassing." She said with an awkward smile as she gave the spider her hand so it could crawl onto it

The spider shook its head, jumping away from her shoulder.

"That fact changes nothing, though. What made you think so much? That is what I want to know about."

"… You are right, it wasn't his eyes, intention, talent, nor anything of the sort that made me think so much… It was what I saw next that made me think for so long."

"The reflection of his Soul, the weight it leaves behind… I saw something Rafiel wants but can never achieve, the freedom he wants but cannot reach due to his own ineptitude and frivolous attitude."

"Freedom you say? Explain."

"… How do I say that…" Eri mumbled to herself as she touched her chin

She thought for a moment before replying with a pensive gaze, "I saw a young man holding a thick book, crossing a strange black road amidst a city of stone and metal… Bored."

"I then saw him, clad in black leather and drenched in blackish-red blood, holding a rusted saw below a red moon… mocking it amidst a sea of white flowers… Mad."

"I saw his desperation as he looked at himself beyond a mirror. Struggling with his sanity as he fought to keep his mind straight in a dark world… seeking a chance to drive a stake through his own heart… Fear."

"Then… I saw him holding a strange thin sword as he sat on top of a massive glass tower, gazing at a sea of lights under a rainy night… Tired."

She looked at the spider's reflection and asked, "Do you understand it?"

"I… I can't quite say that I do."

"Then there's your answer. I don't either." She said with a beautiful smile as she let out a faint laugh

Of course, she omitted several details… She omitted how she saw moving hunks of metal, seemingly moving in both air and ground without any possible explanation.

She omitted how she saw a distressing and horrifying monster descending from the red moon… The pressure she felt when she saw it was terrifyingly massive, and even its faint silhouette sent shivers down her spine...

She omitted how she saw him drive his hand through his own chest and free himself from his own nightmares, the world behind him shattering as it turned dark once more.

And she omitted how she saw him holding a metallic heart that was still beating even though its previous owner now remained dead on the cold hard floor…

Lastly, something she completely refused to speak of... She saw him smiling at the top of a snowy mountain, with visions of an adventure... and for the first time, he seemed to feel…

Happiness.

She felt... Oddly excited when she saw this scene, and at the same time, embarrassed. It wasn't something she could just admit to, not like this…

"So? What do you think?" She asked the little spider as she tapped on her counter

"I… I can't quite say… Your ability is often cryptic, but I wager it's the same as every other scenario. You saw what he did and lived through, even if heavily distorted."

"But… it seems the young man traveled quite a lot for his age… its hard to connect some of the places you mentioned with reality." The spider replied awkwardly

"Perhaps so… that's why I've been thinking."

The young lady got up from her chair and went for the door.

"Well, if you're so interested, then you'll probably meet him soon."

She stopped, confused, "What do you mean?"

"Heh, do you really think Rafiel will remain still after what happened? You know perfectly how he thinks of you and those around him… Something will happen tonight." The spider said as it vanished

Eri turned around, frowning as she grabbed the door's handle, 'That would be problematic.'

"Are you thinking the same as I am?" The spider asked, its voice echoing in the air

"... Rafiel isn't short-sighted… At least not to a moronic level." Eri replied, conflicted

"Ha… but what if he thinks he has things under his control? And that he can profit from this situation?"

"..."

The girl did not reply to that, but after a little while… "If he does that… It wouldn't be too late to kick him away." Eri said coldly as her eyes flashed with light

"Oh? Indeed… It may be a good opportunity to do that. Rafiel is a selfish brat and not in any way material for a partner… So I bet you're ready to face the consequences of that?"

"You!..."

/Chuckles/

/Creak!/

She opened the door and exclaimed loudly:

"Mimi! Mimi! Come here!"

…

/A few minutes earlier somewhere within the same manor.../

A man clad in heavy armor, his suit gleaming under the bright lights, strode into an extremely decorated office. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries; the shelves filled with ancient tomes and curious artifacts.

The man's heavy footsteps echoed in the grand room as he made his way towards the center where a large mahogany desk stood. He wasn't alone in this room; there was one more person within it, a young man with tousled blond hair and intense brown eyes.

The young man looked up from his work, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity as he took in the imposing figure before him. The contrast between the two men, one in battle-worn armor and the other in a crisp suit, was stark.

As they stood facing each other, tension filled the room. The heavy silence was broken only by the soft rustle of papers and the distant hum of the city outside…He took his helmet off, showing the tired face of a bearded man with a scar on his left eye, rendering him blind.

"How was it?" Pyke Rafiel asked as he took his eyes off his documents

"Nothing... But it is to be expected, the Academy is still on lockdown, and it'll probably remain as such for a few more weeks if not months, many are paying attention to it right now and it would be completely impossible to sneak inside, much less get out."

"Tsk, what an annoying thing to happen now of all times... What are those old wizards doing?"

'How did they even allow an intruder inside their most secured area? There must be more to it they're hiding.'

"Ahem… Please... be careful of your words, young lord. This information is still classified... this room isn't safe against scrying." The man said as he looked around

Rafilel smiled sarcastically, getting up from his chair, "As if that matters, half of the continent already knows that something happened at this point... The famous Parad Academy... Fallen so low as to allow an unknown intruder directly inside their Principal's room... Not only that, they were unable to prevent these news from being spread, how pathetic."

"With their inability to resolve the issue, worse rumors are beginning to spread anyway... some have even begun to doubt the Principal's condition… Its not only me that thinks the guy has already croaked."

He seemed uninterested in this issue, "Thanks to this chaos, a lot of problems regarding their management have surfaced, such as how the students are treated... Or should I say, how they treat each other..."

"That is indeed concerning..." The Knight with a frown as he looked at the table

The young man kept talking as he walked around the room, he raised his fingers, counting… "Let's see… tales of mental and physical abuse. Blackmail, bad ethics, corruption, and other idiotic things are now on everyone's mouth..."

He shrugged, "You know how it is, the same useless things they talk about every once in a while when they want to throw some dirt at the Academy. I say they are losing their creativity."

He grabbed a bottle of wine and took a sip, "Phew... I needed this..." He said with a satisfied smile as he wiped his lips

"Young Lord... The party will start soon..."

"I know I know. It was just a small sip." He said as he closed the bottle and placed it back in the drawer, "… but I say, Clare... Who cares if a slightly capable bumpkin gets tricked, abused, raped, and killed? I'll say the truth…"

"No one."

"… They've been doing that for decades already with their wardens and workers, butchering them like pigs. Yet, no one ever did anything about it. Every time they talk as if it mattered to them, but still, no action has ever been taken… They're all the same… everyone does it in their respective territories!"

"I find that disgusting. Mingling with commoners and disgracing their legacies… That's why I didn't go to that shitsty. To lose my time in such company… I have far better things to do."

"Think about the head of the Traumount Family. How many peasants do you think he had his way with over his youth? Twenty? Fourty? It certainly is not over a hundred... but it may as well be! Knowing all the scandals surrounding him... and now I ask, did anything ever happen to him?"

"They're just screaming at each other. Nothing will happen, it never does… things will only start changing once they elect a new principal, then I'll be willing to listen to their words."

/Chuckles.../

Rafiel laughed as he looked outside. "Young Lord..." The knight wanted to refute, but he wasn't in the position to do so, and even if he was, Rafiel was right... No one cared until the daughter or son of someone important got the short end of the stick...

Rafiel rolled his eyes, "Boring..." he muttered as he approached the knight:

"Clare... Despite everything I said, everyone is now talking about this as if they care. A bunch of two-faced businessmen trying to kick the Academy while it's down and profit while they are it."

"And once they're done profiting out of this... They'll continue doing the same they always did, while the world's anger will be directed at the Academy... Just how it always happened."

"Families fell like this, didn't they? The history books say one thing, but the truth is something else entirely..."

"..."

'Aren't you one of those Young Master?...'

…Clare remained silent, listening to the ramblings of his Lord.

"The mighty Queix Family, the old Paze Family... Even the noble Polter Family, and many others."

"Put all of this together and you have a clear idea that the Academy's prestige is now on the verge of being broken... It makes me wonder what those old people at the Council are thinking now."

"A political war is about to happen, everyone will want a slice of the Academy now that the old Principal is gone… How surprising, dad told me this would happen soon, but I didn't expect it to happen this soon... I'm not quite ready for this development yet..."

"Haaa... I can't stop thinking about the repercussions of this event." Rafiel said with a wide smile as he chuckled

Rafiel seemed rather excited about the fall of the Parad Academy's grace...

He turned his gaze to the Claire, "It's a shame we can't contact them, but that doesn't change what we should do." He walked back to his table and grabbed a small piece of paper... On the very front page, there was a name and image...

[Philip Polter...]

"Heh, don't you think its fate?... But Polter, huh..."

'Does he have anything to do with that family?... Not that it matters… You offended Verimir Ji and many others by intervening in the Great Hunt... Incurring several losses, including that of their reputation...'

'… The son of Duke Ves after humiliating him in Class... and even the infamous Red Mountain Prince, Ermilian, by beating him up and slapping his fiance... I heard even his sister pissed her pants in shock...'

"… Don't you think this kid is just asking to disappear?" He asked the man as he turned to face him

'Even if I did nothing, someone would sooner or later. But he's lucky. With the Academy the way it is, persecution against him is near impossible. He was one of the lucky ones to leave moments before this disaster.'

'Though I may have to act fast. If the Academy gets to him first, it would be difficult to get my hands on him while they're conducting their investigations… although a day or two of wait is nothing before the prospects of his capture.'

Clare's expression darkened, "Erm... I do think his actions were a bit inconsiderate of the circumstances… but he seemed to be in the right for the most part, no?..." The armored man replied as he coughed awkwardly

/BAM!/

Rafiel banged the paper on the table and replied with a cold gaze:

"I know that! I'm not blind nor mentally impaired!… but do you really think it matters? Who was in the right, and who was in the wrong? Did people ever care about that at all?..."

"It has never been the case. Monsters have been captured and released for little. Innocents have been captured and killed for feeding their starving families… and no one cares."

"… Those who stick to such feeble ideas end up being gobbled up. Remember Clare, the laws were made for us to control those below us, nothing else."

'The power of the people can't be ignored, of course, but all problems have a solution... The people can only see so far as they're told. The fools who can think ahead are far too easy to uproot.'

'That's the truth of this world.'

"What matters is that an unknown and background-less guy offended several Noble Families that are now very eager to have a talk with him... People that would pay quite the money to get their hands on him… and I just have to have the means of doing so."

"Nothing else… although Clare… maybe there will be some… self satisfaction."

"..."

Clare closed his eyes as he put on his helmet again, 'Oh, Lord Thomson, it seems your eldest son has quite the twisted ideas about society... Was it really the right idea to send him this place to learn and grow?'

'… but who am I to question your arrangements?…'

"That said… the timing is horrible. If I could only share his location so others could do the dirty work… I hate doing things myself. With the Academy closed, doing too much would only backfire."

"If that's the case... Why not just wait or simply... not get involved in this mess in the first place?"

Rafiel felt dissapointed as he heard his words, "What?... Oh, Clare, you won't get anywhere with such a weak personality."

"I... I just think it may be too much to worry about this when there's already so much going on..."

Rafiel looked at Clare and said threateningly, "You think I'm incapable of handling these meager matters at the same time? "

"Not at all!"

"Then shut the fuck up." He said coldly, "The very reason I was told to come here by father was to understand how to lead the Family, how to make business, and to make some connections..."

"If I can't host a party and deal with a minor inconvenience if I can even call it that, then I won't be able to even dream of leading it!"

He looked to the side, seeing a large metallic object containing a miniature sun and several moons orbiting a small sphere filled with numbers...

"Now, enough of this talk, it's almost time for the party and Elyria still isn't here... Go remind her to get ready, we don't have all day."

"... Understood sir." The man said as he left the room

Once he was left alone, Rafiel looked at the paper on the table one last time…

"... Philip..."

Rafiel then shook his head. '… Enough of him, I have other things to worry about.'

...

.

.

.

Notes

We're two chapters away from the next arc I've been writting recently, I like it, and I hope you all do. Thank you for reading!

Peace.