?Everyone could tell that Michael progressed faster than everyone else. However, even if Michael hadn’t progressed this fast, he wouldn’t have been worried about Kaleb’s growth. If anything, it would be nice to hear that his friend quickly expanded his territory in the Origin Expanse.
Unfortunately, Lincoln and Zeke felt the pressure weighing hard on them. The moment they reported to their families how much Kaleb had improved, their lives would turn upside down. For now, their parents didn’t pressure them too much. They told them to stay close to Kaleb, Michael, Killian, Maria, and some other Descendants to find out which families would be best to tie to them, but that may change soon.
Their focus would transfer to the Origin Expanse, where they would have to expand their territory and construct several settlements to catch up or surpass Kaleb. Their families had high hopes for them. They didn’t want to see anyone surpass them, especially not their friends and those circling them.
Maria was luckier than the childhood friends. She didn’t have too much pressure weighing her down. None of the Seraphs had much trouble in the first place. They were known for expanding their territory slowly but steadily. Their focus was on battles of attrition since they had various healers on their side. Even the probability of summoning a Healer as a Summon was higher for the Seraph family.
The Seraphines, the armies of the Seraph household, could fight for weeks once their Summons performed well enough with the special Seraphine Techniques created by the first Matriarch of the Seraph household.
Maria didn’t care too much about politics. However, she was pulled into it when she was young as a member of the Seraph household’s main branch. She was the daughter of the Tritan Alliance’s most influential Healers. Her awakening increased her influence and impact on the political world even more. That was the worst for Maria.
She couldn’t even imagine how Michael must feel. He was never politically influential before his awakening, only to become one of the most important chess pieces in the Tritan Alliance. He was uncontrollable, but that was precisely what many families wanted to make use of. He was unpredictable and didn’t hesitate to show how he felt. Michael didn’t see a need to act overly friendly to people he didn’t like. There was no need to be polite to jerks. Some families felt they could use that to get rid of their enemies. They didn’t even have to pull Michael to their side. All they had to do was to push their enemies in Michael’s direction with small tricks.
Michael was aware of that, but he didn’t mind. He acted as he pleased, which was dangerous.
Maria could accept that. Michael was not someone born into the High Society. Kaleb was different. However, he was even more foolish than Michael. Kaleb was naive and ignorant about the political world. It was almost as if he was born as a nonpolitical figure like Michael. That was Alice’s fault.
Alice did her utmost to ensure Kaleb wouldn’t be pulled into the political world. She succeeded in her attempt, but Maria was unsure if that was good or bad.
‘His ignorance makes him more likable, though. He was an idiot before he met Michael, but thinking about it…he is kinda cute.’
Kaleb’s foolishness was adorable. His genuine attitude made it hard to dislike him. Maria hadn’t been friends with the others for a long time, but she could tell that Kaleb was to be trusted. Lincoln and Zeke were still unsure about their stance. However, Maria could feel that they were pulled toward Michael’s side slowly and steadily. They didn’t like the political world either. Escaping it wasn’t easy, but the childhood friends wondered if it would be possible with Michael on their side.
Or maybe…it would be worse if they stayed with Michael.
They had yet to make the final call. It was only a matter of time.
‘The next few years are going to be…wild…’ Maria predicted, glancing at the humans who would be the pillars of the Tritan Alliance.
She hoped that everything would be alright.
Looking at Kaleb and Michael, Maria could only hope they would stay on the same side. They fought each other well, and they controlled each other. It was perfect that way.
**
“I can’t apply for an exam exemption or a study exemption? That’s…annoying,” Michael grumbled.
He called Saphirelake Military Academy’s management only to find out he didn’t meet the requirements to apply for the exam exception. The woman he was talking to was hesitant and very apologetic. She mumbled to the other women in the headquarters of the management department, indirectly hinting to Michael that something was going on. He figured that he heard bits and pieces of information from the woman talking to her coworker.
“Did you offend anyone?” Kaleb stopped midway and smiled wryly. Of course, you did.
“The better question would be. Who did he not offend?” Frederik chuckled.
Michael retained his smile. He thought about what to do for a moment before turning to Zeke.
“If I fail all exams, I’ll be expelled from the academy, right?” Michael asked.
“Not really. You will receive some bad marks, but that’s what matters. It looks like someone wants to tarnish your reputation without affecting your life in the Saphirelake Military Academy too much.”
“What a coward,” Michael chuckled before turning to Kaleb. After he considered his options, he typed on the crystal watch and called Alice.
“Michael? You never call. Is something wrong?” Alice asked almost immediately. Her voice was loud enough to be listened by everyone. Lincoln and Zeke glanced at each other in surprise while Maria frowned.
Kaleb, on the other hand, smiled.
Perfect.
“Nothing is wrong. I was just wondering if you need an assistant. I found a cheap aide who is strong, talented, and extremely handsome.”
Frederik frowned now as well. Like the others, he stared at Michael, trying to figure out what he was up to.
“Why do you want to be my assistant?” Alice inquired right away. She instantly knew that Michael was talking about himself.
“Easy. I’ll drop out of the Saphirelake Military Academy but don’t want to leave the campus.”
No one spoke a word for a while. It took her a few moments to regain her senses, but Alice agreed readily.
“Are you planning to hire an assistant to do your work while you are registered as my assistant?”
“I didn’t think about that, but that sounds like a good idea. Less work for me.” Michael thought aloud.
“That’s fine with me. However, you’ll have to meet me at least once a week after I register you as my assistant.” Alice pointed out.
Michael didn’t think that was an issue. If anything, gathering up with Alice alone seemed like a reward.
“That’s fine with me, but why?”
“Because I say so,” Alice grinned on the other side of the phone.
“Okay. It’s a date then,” Michael teased Alice.
He didn’t know why he expressed that, but it sensed like the right move. 𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝘮
“W-what?” Alice began coughing.
She stared at the holographic screen to see if she was speaking to Michael or on a call with someone else.
“You don’t want to?” Michael asked, “Fine, then our gathering will be work–…”
“No. That’s fine,” Alice said, her voice higher-pitched than before.
“It’s a date then.”
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