Chapter 1

The Boy Who Wanted to be a Summoner part II

    Part 3

    The cafeteria buzzed with excitement.

    Everyone was animated about the upcoming field test, their first real foray into the world as official adventurers. The conversations predominantly revolved around the field test.

    "Tomorrow’s the day, huh? If we pass the field test, we’ll finally be registered as young adventurers and get to choose our official class. You guys have a class in mind, right?"

    Lofen started the discussion after finishing his big plate of spaghetti.

    Students who had not yet completed the young adventurer preparation course were considered novices, receiving only basic general training.

    While everyone was free to study the subject line of the class they were interested in, they would not receive specialized training or access to advanced class information until they were registered as young adventurers and had officially chosen their class.

    "I’m sticking with Swordsman, no changes there,"

    Alan responded casually before returning to his bread.

    'Swordsman' was a starting class for the warrior profession that used swords as weapons, which could branch into various combat classes like 'Warrior' or 'Knight.' For someone as determined and justice-oriented as Alan, his ambition to become a knight was clear

    "For me... I think... Cleric,"

    Talis replied with a slight hesitation in her voice. She enjoyed helping others but did not want to be a burden. She had long debated whether to choose a combat or support class before finally deciding on Cleric, a support class that also had some combat capabilities.

    "Hmm... that means only Zal and I chose magic classes. Looks like next term we won't have many classes together,"

    said Lofen, who had chosen Apprentice Mage, a starter class for almost all magic professions. Although he had not planned what to specialize in, Lofen thought the magic class suited him best since it aligned with his preference for a relaxed lifestyle away from trouble.

    "So, Zal still wants to be a Summoner? It's a pity, especially given your physical aptitude,"

    Alan commented, disappointment tinged his voice as he finished the last piece of his bread.

    In physical performance tests, Zal scored almost as high as Alan, who had trained extensively to become a warrior. Although Zal's magical aptitude was also above average, it was not so outstanding as to be considered a prodigy. Alan felt that Zal would be better suited to a warrior class.

    Moreover, Summoner, a magic class, had been unpopular and underdeveloped for nearly a century because it was considered challenging, slow to master, and had many weaknesses. Most people chose to learn it as a secondary class rather than as their primary one.

    "But my dream is to have my own army, you'll see. One day, I'll change everyone's view of summoners with my Zalaras army!"

    "And then you'll use that army to attack the world, like your father did, right?"

    The remark from the table behind stopped their conversation abruptly, and the atmosphere around them instantly tensed.

    The voice belonged to Brandt Scarford, a haughty, blonde-haired boy. He was a descendant of a high-ranking member of the Peace Keepers and was sent to school to lay the groundwork for inheriting his family's position.

    Although expected to excel by his family, Brandt had never beaten Alan, whether in academics or practical tests. He harbored a particular resentment towards Alan's group, especially today, as he had to retake the test three times to pass, making him more irritable and eager to pick a fight than usual.

    "Don't you know that speaking like that is forbidden? Aren't you afraid of being punished?"

    Alan stood up, his expression stern. Other students in the cafeteria became aware of the changing atmosphere and turned to look in unison.

    "Isn't it true, though? That his father was a Doombringer? And the worst one at that, taken down in just one day,"

    Brandt retorted with a mocking tone and expression. His friends at the same table snickered quietly, but the rest of the cafeteria remained silent, as Alan's face clearly showed he was not amused.

    At that moment, Zal could only hold back because he had no words to retort to the other party's remarks.

    Zaramoth Halcyon, Zal's father, was once the top Peace Keeper of the Peace Keepers Organization. He had achieved notable successes, especially in preventing a looming global war as kingdoms amassed weapons and troops excessively, leading to mutual suspicion. Zaramoth resolved these issues and led the kingdoms around the world to reduce their military build-ups successfully, ushering in a true era of peace, earning him recognition as a hero of the era.

    However, three years ago, Zal's father became a Doombringer, leading an army of hell to invade heaven. No one knew the real reason why he betrayed. Some said it was because of his wife's disappearance; others suggested he had been under demonic influence even before. But the real reason remained a mystery.

    This overreaching act led to Zaramoth's defeat within just one day, marking it the shortest invasion in history.

    Because the head of the Halcyon family became a Doombringer, a grave crime, the Peace Keepers blacklisted the family. The Security Council then decreed that all his descendants be placed under the organization's surveillance to protect them from public hatred towards the Doombringer's family and to prevent the children from following in their father's footsteps.

    Zal had four siblings; the two eldest were a son and a daughter, foster children taken in by Zaramoth. They were whisked away to safety by Zaramoth’s close associates before the discovery, but Zal and his twin sister were not so lucky and were found before they could escape the kingdom. They were separated and sent to a boarding school under the Peace Keepers' supervision, losing contact with each other for nearly three years.

    Despite being separated from his siblings and family, Zal's life at the academy went on peacefully, with very few people bringing up or holding his heritage against him. His close friends accepted him well, deepening his gratitude and attachment to them. But occasionally, someone would bring it up, like Brandt was doing now.

    In this academy, there were many other students who were descendants of those implicated in dark affairs, leading to a rule against discussing one’s family legal history to prevent conflicts or bullying. Brandt’s deliberate attack on Zal regarding his father was therefore out of line.

    Alan, from a prominent family, was raised with high standards from a young age. Normally, he avoided confrontation with Brandt because their family conflict could escalate to the two families becoming enemies. But this time, Brandt had crossed a line, and Alan was considering breaking off relations with him once and for all. However, before he could speak, a harsh voice from someone else interrupted.

    "If that's the case, then why!? That's the father’s issue! Making descendants responsible for what their predecessors did is the worst! If that's how it's judged, then none of us deserve to be on this planet!"

    Unexpectedly, it was Talis who exploded in anger.

    Though her angry face looked more adorable than frightening, the fact that such a calm and kind-hearted person as Talis suddenly burst out shocked everyone as it indicated how genuinely upset she was.

    People on this planet were descendants of those from the old world who once led it to ruin. If descendants had to be punished for what their parents or ancestors did without a chance to defend themselves, then current humans would also have no right to live on this planet. That was what Talis meant.

    But above all, the notion of collectively blaming relatives of offenders was fundamentally unfair. All students at the Ejis Academy were taught this. The other students in the cafeteria thus looked at Brandt, who had breached both the academy's rules and social norms, putting him under pressure. Brandt and his group, frustrated, had to leave the cafeteria.

    Zal's group also discreetly left the cafeteria shortly after.

    Lofen and Alan wanted to prepare for the field test and parted ways halfway, leaving only Zal and Talis to walk back to the dormitory alone.

    "I don't really mind,"

    Zal said after he had been silent after the incident, noticing Talis still looked worried.

    "It's inevitable that some people will think that way, after all, my father did commit those wrongs..."

    "But…"

    "The most important thing is having people who understand and give me a chance, like you, Lofen, and Alan. Even if no one else on this planet trusts me, having you guys who still do is enough."

    Talis smiled at his words, her cheeks puffing up, but her eyes momentarily seemed distant before she spoke,

    "I'm not that good of a person. After all, it's not really someone else's issue..."

    With that, Zal fell silent for a moment.

    Talis's uncle had also been accused of being a heretic. Although he was just a relative living in the same city and had been arrested, the townspeople still held a bias against Talis's family, forcing her father to move the family here.

    For Talis, being branded guilty simply because of her relation to an offender was not just someone else's distant issue; she had experienced it firsthand, which was possibly why she felt particularly empathetic and understanding towards Zal.

    "Thinking that way is already very commendable. Not everyone can think like that, especially standing up for me like you did. That was truly amazing! Even Lofen was shocked enough to bug out his eyes like this!"

    Zal said, exaggerating by widening his eyes with his fingers, making Talis laugh.

    The two walked together to the dormitory, parting ways to their respective rooms, filled with a sense of contentment as if the upsetting incident had never occurred.

    On that day, everyone was busy preparing for the field test. Zal and Lofen chatted late into the night, excited about their first adventure. They talked until nearly midnight before dozing off.

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    Part 4

    In the quiet of the night, Professor Garris walked through the darkened corridors of the central building, a restricted area for students, to reach the top floor of the building.

    Although the top floor was the same size as the others, it contained only one room.

    When Garris entered, he found a large room where dozens of officials were sitting at desks with magic screens displaying various images, and the walls of the room were also covered with screens showing different parts of the academy.

    Though it appeared to be an observation room for academy security, the screens focused more on the students than the locations. The largest screen in the center displayed the day's cafeteria incident.

    "How was today?"

    "Just a little incident in the cafeteria, sir, but nothing serious. It all ended well."

    Garris casually inquired, showing no airs, while the officer at the main desk responded with every polite word, reflecting the disparity in their ranks.

    "Should we remove Brandt Scarford from the system, sir?"

    After reviewing the event records, Garris pondered for a moment before responding,

    "Hmm... No need, he hasn’t caused anything too severe. More importantly, facing obstacles and pain in life is crucial for these kids to grow into quality adults. However, keep a close watch from now on. If there’s a tendency for bullying or overreaching behavior, intervene immediately. Call in friends to help, or if necessary, intervene directly. I authorize it."

    "Understood, sir."

    After the conversation, Garris left the room, leaving the officials diligently monitoring the screens behind.