The Forsaken Heir's Ascension
Chapter 55: The Academy of Clans: Magic, Monsters, and War

Chapter 55: The Academy of Clans: Magic, Monsters, and War

In a worn-out room, a young man with violet eyes awoke, shirtless. Messy black hair fell over his forehead as he stepped in front of a large window, the morning sun casting golden light across his sculpted body.

His smile widened until it reached his eyes.

"Hey, System," Riven said into the air, his voice light, almost playful. "I never thought waking up could feel this good. I can’t wait to see Lyra."

A blue screen blinked into view.

[System]: I do not understand feelings.

Riven laughed. "You know, you’re really missing out on a big part of life."

The System paused.

[System]: ...

He turned toward the light, smile fading slightly. "Anyway, why did you start talking again? You stopped responding to me eight years ago... after I turned those so-called parents into slaves."

[System]: Update took that much time.

Riven’s expression shifted—laughter gone, voice lower. "What do you want me to do this time?"

[System]: Assistance is provided only after thorough calculations—to ensure optimal growth of the host.

Riven sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Fine. But stay silent when I’m with Lyra—unless it’s urgent."

[System]: Affirmative.

Riven sat in the private section of the cafeteria. Across from him sat Lyra, a cup of steaming coffee in front of her and a half-fried egg resting beside a neatly sliced piece of toast. She was quietly cutting the bread with her knife, holding it in place with a fork, her gaze flickering to Riven every few seconds.

Riven, meanwhile, was enjoying a tall stack of pancakes soaked in thick honey syrup that dripped slowly down the sides. The only sound in their little corner was the soft clatter of cutlery against ceramic.

After a sip of coffee, Lyra asked, "Are we going to the Veylor Club after breakfast, or after class?"

Riven swallowed a bite, washing down the syrupy sweetness with a sip of his own bitter coffee. "As you command, my lady," he replied with a grin.

Instantly, a translucent screen flashed before his eyes.

[System]: Visiting the Veylor Club after class is necessary for future progression.

A flicker of annoyance crossed Riven’s eyes—but it vanished just as quickly.

Before Lyra could respond, Riven’s tone shifted. "We’ll go during lunch break," he said, voice calm but firm.

Lyra blinked, surprised by the sudden change. She lowered her fork slightly.

Did I say something wrong? she wondered. Should I not have asked that?

After finishing breakfast, Riven and Lyra entered class and sat in their usual spot in the third row near the wall of the hall.

Riven noticed something peculiar today. As he glanced to the back, Alex wasn’t sitting alone—Rina Roarhart was sitting with him. All the students were looking at them and whispering: Noble sitting with commoner.

Riven thought, This truly is a crooked world. Here, nobles consider commoners less than insects. There’s no concept of the rights of the commoner.

SLAM!

The classroom door burst open as Teacher Emilia Aurelwyn strode in, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor. Her outfit, though formally tailored, did little to hide the alluring curves of her figure—particularly the strong outline of her thighs, which drew more attention than she seemed to care for.

A few boys drifted into daydreams, their eyes glazed.

"NOW!" Emilia’s voice cracked like thunder, snapping them back to reality.

"Let’s start with attendance."

After calling the roll, Emilia’s gaze settled on Rina, who was seated beside Alex—once again drawing unwanted eyes to their corner.

This girl... When will she start growing a brain to match that chest of hers? Emilia sighed internally, resisting the urge to scowl.

Then, her tone turned stern.

"Let’s continue from where we left off yesterday."

She stepped toward the blackboard and began:

"The Warden Way has a history nearly a thousand years long. It’s modeled after our world—deliberately."

She paused, letting the weight of the words settle before continuing.

"In WW, there are ten Columns. Each defender is assigned to protect one Column, mirroring the way our ten major cities are each protected by a clan. The attackers represent the chaos beyond—the monsters from danger zones. If they breach the cities, we lose them. Likewise, if even one attacker crosses all ten Columns, the defenders are defeated.

This simulation isn’t just a game. It teaches strategy—how to defend, how to attack, how to think under pressure.

And in this academy," she added, eyes sweeping the room, "who plays attacker or defender... is decided by a coin toss."

A hand went up.

"Yes, Meika?"

The girl spoke with a calm, clear voice. "Teacher, haven’t we been at peace for decades?"

Emilia’s smile faded.

"No, Meika. We’ve never been at peace. Not truly. Even as we speak, cities are under siege by monster storms. The frontlines are always at war—you’re just lucky to be sitting behind the walls."

"Any more questions?" Emilia scanned the classroom.

When no hands rose, she nodded.

"That’s all for today."

She turned and left, slamming the door behind her.

A thick silence hung in the room.

Alex finally broke it, casting a sideways glance at Rina with his usual narrow-eyed stare.

"What are you doing?"

Rina smirked. "Nothing. Just sitting."

"Why?"

"What ’why’?" she replied, still wearing that smug smile.

Alex sighed, dragging a hand down his face.

Turning to the wolf sitting on the desk, he pleaded,

"Hati, can you make her leave?"

The little wolf cooed and deliberately turned its head away.

Defeated, Alex dropped his forehead onto the desk with a thud.

The door creaked open again.

Professor Hugo entered, climbing the small stage at the front.

"Today’s topic is the history of the Ten Clans," he announced.

"Let’s begin with their names."

He started writing them on the board:

Silent Veil ClanIce,White Phoenix Clan, Fire Phoenix Cla, IcePhoenix Clan, Fire Dragon Clan, Earth Dragon Clan, Mythical Lion Clan, Mythical Eagle Clan, Shadow Panther Clan, Mythical Flying Snake Clan.

"All ten clans are named after mythical creatures," Hugo explained, "because during the Mythical Monster Era, they were ruled by them."

A hand rose.

Professor Hugo saw who it was and smiled warmly.

"Yes, Ms. Frostreign?"

Selene stood with calm elegance.

"Professor, were there only ten mythical creatures? And why doesn’t the Silent Veil Clan have a creature’s name like the others?"

Hugo’s face lit up, clapping his hands.

"Excellent question, Ms. Selene."

The class murmured in excitement, whispering to one another and casting glances toward her.

"Now, now," Hugo chided with a chuckle. "Let’s not behave like commoners."

The room quieted instantly, though a few students smiled in amusement.

Alex frowned.

"To answer your first question," Hugo continued, "no, there were far more than ten. Take the Black Dragon, for example—the one in the Illusory Sky Main Hall. It had an affinity for the Space element. Very little is known about it."

"As for the Silent Veil Clan..." He paused, his voice lowering slightly. "It’s tied to that very dragon. According to a manuscript written by Void Sage, the last patriarch of the Veylor Clan, the ancestors of the Silent Veil refused to name their clan after a creature who once enslaved them."

Gasps echoed across the classroom, followed by a sudden burst of chatter.

Selene’s scowl deepened.

Of course. That’s why we embraced the Ice Phoenix name. She protected her kin... even gave us her Ice Flame core.

Professor Hugo checked the time.

"We’ll end here for today. Next class, we’ll continue this discussion."

Without waiting, he turned and exited the room.

Riven stood up, Lyra following close behind as they left the classroom.

Elsewhere in the academy, a room exuded silent grandeur. Deep purple drapes fell from the high ceiling, brushing against dark marbled walls. A chandelier of twisted gold held violet flame-crystals that pulsed gently, casting a regal glow across obsidian floors. Plush black leather chairs trimmed in gold surrounded a rune-etched glass table, and the Veylor crest loomed large on the back wall—etched in shimmering gold, shadowed by flickering runes.

Seated in the main chair was a young man with features oddly reminiscent of a monkey—short black hair, long arms, deep-set eyes, and a disturbingly wide smile.

Aslan Veylor, the club president, and cousin to Riven Veylor, watched the door with anticipation.

It creaked open. Riven entered like he owned the place, Lyra just behind him.

Aslan stood immediately, grinning, and offered a handshake.

"Hello, cousin. How are you?"

Riven smiled. "I’m fine. How about you, Aslan?"

"Thank you for asking, cousin. I’m doing well," Aslan replied respectfully.

Riven leaned in, his voice dropping low.

"Did anyone give you trouble over that commoner?"

Aslan laughed, his grin never fading. "No, nothing like that. But if you want, we can make him disappear." He drew a thumb across his throat in a slicing motion.

Riven chuckled. "That won’t be necessary. He’s a nuisance, not a threat." He glanced around. "Now, tell me—when can I join the club? I want Lyra to join with me."

Aslan clapped his hands together.

"We’d be honored to have you both. But the official induction is three months away. If you need credits in the meantime, we can provide as many as you want."

Riven placed a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. "Perfect. Then I want to upgrade both my room and Lyra’s."