The Exalted Prince Lives Again
Chapter 64: Recruitment

Chapter 64: Recruitment

"Nobody knows what it does, since it’s not bonded, but," He paused, scanning his eyes over everyone, and said, "I can open it up, and let everyone be in direct line of vision with this."

Silence.

Pin drop silence.

Cadets weren’t sure if they really should do that.

On the one hand, they would be able to witness a Sentient Artifact, but on the other, it would be dangerous, to say the least.

But since they had Professor Lucas with them, they had nothing to fear, right?

When that thought crossed everybody’s minds, they all slowly agreed to it.

Lucien, who had come across a Sentient artifact, wasn’t that much worried to begin with.

"Alright," Lucas announced, one of his hands covering the seal of the glass, while the other opened it, "Here it is."

Whoom!

An oppressive aura immediately swept over the entire room, making every Cadet present inside sweat uncontrollably.

Even Lucien was startled.

This was so much different from Arenox.

Sure, he was dangerous and scary in a way, but it wasn’t obvious in its normal form.

Was this one just that powerful?

"Alright, we are done."

Not even a second later, Lucas announced as he resealed the glass panel.

Just that fraction of a second felt like minutes to many cadets.

"I nearly peed my pants," William whispered, wiping away his sweat with his handkerchief.

"Me too," Vivy replied, not being demure at all.

Every cadet had similar experiences, and the idea of losing control of one’s bladder was common among many.

"I think this is enough for today," Lucien announced, while the other students were still shaken. "Use this time to get back to normal, and we will discuss the levels of artifacts, going from Tier-4 to Tier-0 in the next class."

"Class dismissed."

There was still time left before the class finished, but Lucas decided to end it right there.

Professors did possess that kind of power as long as they had a reasonable excuse.

One by one, students stood up and started to leave.

Since most of them only chose 1 elective, they were now free to go to the dorm.

William also took this opportunity and stood up with wobbly legs. "I-I think I am done for today."

"Hmm!" Both Vivy and Lucien hummed.

William started leaving, but then realized that Lucien wasn’t moving. "Lucien, let’s leave."

"I can’t," Lucien admitted, "I have another elective class."

William’s face scrunched, "Vivienne is a bookworm, so her case is different, but weren’t you like me? Bare minimum?"

"I was," Lucien replied somberly, "But these are the direct orders from the Palace."

Vivienne’s ears also perked up at the mention of the Royal Palace.

There was a certain romance in that word.

"They have ordered me to join the..."

"Join the...?" William and Vivy both asked in unison.

"Political Etiquette and Diplomacy."

...

The polished hallways of the western wing were much quieter than the rest of the Academy.

Unlike the bustling combat halls or the chattering classes of theory classrooms, this part of the building had a strange hush to it.

Even the footsteps of cadets walking were much quieter.

Lucien arrived outside the designated classroom and paused at the doorway,

Classroom 1:17: Political Etiquette and Diplomacy

He walked inside the room, but was immediately faced with a hurdle.

"Lucien Callastre,"

The people blocked his way, and Lucien even recognized a few of them.

The guy right behind the one who spoke was the one whom he had slapped after the infirmary incident.

That must mean that these people are from the Elitist faction.

Factions weren’t even an official thing in the academy.

It was just an unofficial way for like-minded people to unite.

And there were four main factions in the Academy.

The Solstice’s High Society faction, the Cythos’ Elitist faction, the Commoner faction, and the Neutral faction.

"I heard that not only did you reject our offer to join the Elitist faction, but you also humiliated our member." He took a few steps closer to Lucien and tried to appear overbearing, "Is that true?"

If Lucien’s memories served him right, the guy in the front was a mage from class {1-B}, and was ranked in the Top 10.

Dark blue hair, lightning blue eyes and the cocky smug on his face.

There was no mistaking it.

The fourth son of the Prime Minister of the Solstice.

Kane Morrow.

Lucien raised his hands, making the guy behind Kane flinch, and spoke, "Everything you said was true."

Kane coated his hand in spirit energy just in case, and reciprocated the handshake. "I recommend you rethink your choice, Lucien.

"Here in the Elitist faction, the social hierarchy is everything, and you are currently at the top of the food chain in the first year. Just joining the faction would make you the leader of the first-year Cadets."

Lucien let go of Kane’s hand and smiled, "You know I still cannot join the faction."

Kane frowned, "Is it because of your brother?"

Lucien shrugged, "It wasn’t that hard to guess, was it?"

"Prince Edric told us this would happen," Lucien raised his eyebrows, wondering what Kane meant by this.

"His Highness, Prince Edric, has an offer for you that might force you to reconsider."

Lucien furrowed his brows.

An offer?

That snake?

This just reeked of a trap.

Lucien knew this was a trap, but "Sure."

He agreed.

"I would consider the offer after hearing it." He agreed, very curious about what Edric had to offer him, that could convince him to join the faction.

Kane’s face lit up as he bowed politely and spoke, "He invited you to the Student Council room after you finish your classes."

Home ground advantage against a weak fawn like me.

How suiting of that snake.

"Looks like your business is done here," Lucien’s tone changed into a more stern one, "Make way."

Kane’s eyes twitched, but he complied.

Lucien walked through the mahogany door and was greeted by an elegant room, unlike anything he had seen in the academy so far.

’Looks like the assigned Elective rooms are all unique in their own way.’

He pondered and looked around more.

No desks, just a circular chamber with tiered seating around a central discussion pit, which looked more like a council room than a classroom.

Additionally, there was a lot of free space.

Most students were already seated, a few staring in his general direction because of the ruckus, but Lucien’s entire attention was captured by a single cadet staring at him.

Michael Fonseca.