The next couple of school days were just back to back expedition training sessions. The professors had informed them that there was already an expedition planned so they wanted to get training over with as soon as possible. After tiresome days of training the day their projects were due came.

 

“Good job, Mr. Beckham, Mr.Watt.” The professor said with a smile before moving to Yue and Viktor’s group with the rest of the class.

 

William’s project really hadn’t been that great, and you could tell that it didn’t reach the professors’ standards. The tower was short and unstable and would topple easily if there were a storm. Everyone looked at the magic crystal that Viktor and Yue had made in awe, especially compared to William’s.

 

Yue and Viktor activated the crystal and a pristine and perfect tower was quickly built in front of them. Yue celebrated a bit in his head but didn’t show it on his face, aside from the proud little smile on his face that he quickly covered with his fan as he noticed Viktor’s gaze. 

 

The professor inspected the tower with a surprised look. It was on a different level than the other groups’. The main thing that set it apart from the rest of the projects was that it required very little magic to activate, this would make it significantly easier for regular people and soldiers to use the spell. Using the ‘Archive’ left behind by someone with a good core would create that effect. The professor turned to Viktor and Yue and smiled.

 

“You two make a good team, This is the best solution to this project I’ve ever seen.” The professor said and wrote down their grade.

 

Yue nodded and bowed, whispering a small thank you. Viktor smiled and said thank you as well. They moved on to the next group and Viktor looked at Yue with an amused look.

 

“Must you hide your smile? I find it quite charming..” Viktor said with a teasing tone. Yue blushed and moved his hand so his fan covered his whole face.

 

“I’ll wear a veil next time..” Yue murmured, embarrassed.Viktor just chuckled in response. After the presentations ended, the professor walked up to them.

 

“Could you two come to my office? I have something to ask you.” 

 

Viktor and Yue looked at each other, Viktor was relatively worry-free while Yue was terrified that he had shown too much of his power and that he was going to be asked about his core type. They followed the professor to his office and were instructed to sit down in front of his desk.

 

“First of all, your project was fantastic. I didn’t think to do it that way,” The professor said as he sat down, “I didn’t come here to ask something like your core type, people are usually very private about things like that..”  

 

Yue felt like he was stalking directly at him so he felt a bit embarrassed. He had every reason to be worried about it but he was read so easily it was embarrassing.

 

“I wanted to ask if either of you had made a Pact of Sovereignty, because the school would require you to sign some papers before expeditions if you did.” The professor said and pulled out two files, one had Viktor’s name in both English characters and Russian and the other had Yue’s name in both English characters and Chinese  characters.

 

“I believe it’s referred to as the Walking Emperor Pact In Chinese and as the Solitary Ascension Pact In Russian.”  The professor added, remembering that both students were from countries where English was not the official language.

 

A Pact of Sovereignty was a pact made by  people with core types that were significantly high. This allowed them to be considered essentially a walking country. They were in no way required to serve the country they were born in and wouldn’t be charged for any crime. It was mostly a good idea but it was also dangerous because of how easy it was to start a war if one wasn’t careful.

 

“I have not, I have made a pact of Kin to the Ivanov family.” Viktor answered without a second thought.

 

“I had a feeling that would be the case, I had heard that the Ivanov’s weren’t officially considered Russian.. What about you Miss Xia?”

 

“I haven’t made a Sovereignty Pact. There are only two mages in the Xia family Including myself so I also have not made a pact of Kin.” Yue said and looked down.

 

If he had made a Sovereignty pact he wouldn’t have had to leave his master and Lian Bai. The governments of China and the surrounding areas were all trying to get their hands on him because of his prophetic abilities, this wouldn’t be an issue with the pact. 

 

Viktor noticed the sad look on Yue’s face as they left the room. Before he could say anything Yue walked faster after noticing that Mai was waiting for him. He stopped and watched them leave before sighing and walking out through a separate answer.

 

“Young Master. Your father sent a letter.” One of the servants from Viktor’s manor said in Russian as she appeared from the shadows when Viktor crossed through the threshold of the exit.

 

“Just wait at home next time...If you all hang around campus, you’ll trip magic sensors and cause an uproar.” Viktor said and glanced at the maid. She hadn’t come alone, from thin air a carriage appeared with a few more servants.

 

“My apologies, master. I was told it was something regarding an urgent matter so I acted out of line. I will accept any punishment.” The Servant said and kneeled.

 

“Don’t.” Viktor said and waved her off before entering the carriage.

—

 

“Expedition briefing is tomorrow! I’m so excited! But also really scared…” Mai said going from excited to a bit worried in seconds. A bunch of the girls in the dorm were there with them in the lounge room at the moment.

 

“What if we have to fight those sea monsters that recently showed up in the Dead Sea or the Wyverns in Austria? That would be scary! Well Viktor is strong so I’m sure he could save us... but still!” Mai exclaimed as she paced around the room.

 

Shirley laughed as she started setting up a billiards table that was in the middle of the lounge room. She wasn’t sure if anyone else could play but she just wanted to mess around a bit, she was tired of just sitting around.

 

“The rest of us are the lucky ones this time, the regular classes get to go with the teachers.” Anika said and sipped some tea.

 

“We have to go all alone..” Yue murmured. It didn’t really bother him much, if anything happened went wrong he and Viktor could probably save everyone like Mai said. He also already had experience with Night Hunts so expeditions weren’t really scary.

 

They decided to change the subject since it only increased Mai’s nerves. Shirley ended up teaching them how to play Billiards as they went along.

—

 

“A lot of you seem nervous.” The professor laughed as he stood in front of the class.

 

Most of the class was looking down at their lap, terrified that they’d have an expedition that required them to get rid of monsters that could kill them. Yue wasn’t scared, he was convinced that nothing could be scarier than the monsters he had hunted in Night hunts.

 

“Don’t worry too much, if you die Mr. Anderson will make you into one of his zombies.” The professor said and successfully made a lot of them even more scared. Mr. Anderson was a pretty powerful Necromancer so It was highly likely that it wasn’t a joke.

 

“This expedition doesn’t seem that hard, at least from my perspective. You’re going to a small town that is near the border of Austria and Germany.” 

 

Mai immediately braced herself, fully expecting the professor to say that they would be fighting the Wyverns she was so terrified of.

 

“You’re going to be exterminating Werewolves and stabilizing magic barriers around the forest.” The professor said and Mai immediately relaxed.

 

“You were all probably worried about the Wyverns.” The professor laughed as he saw that many students let out a sigh of relief. Werewolves weren’t easy to deal with but they were not as difficult Wyverns. 

 

“Your leaders are Viktor and Yue since they had the highest scores during training. Try to follow their le—!” The professor started before he was cut off by William,

 

“Wait a second! I can understand Viktor being a leader but Yue?!” He yelled, clearly he was only angry that he didn’t get a leading spot and that a woman did.

 

Mai,who had just been very calm and carefree because she didn’t have to fight a Wyvern, immediately became furious and slammed her hand on the table. If  Yue hadn’t grabbed her hand an unimaginable string of insults would’ve probably come from her mouth.