Luke threw his tired, aching body onto the uncomfortable bed the academy provided. Aside from the four hours of sleep he got everyday, he didn't have much time to relax. Much like many other peasants, when he wasn't studying, he was working. He couldn't hope to pay the exorbitant prices required to learn here. Some peasant were luckier, their villages or families chipped in to buy the resources required, but he had no such opportunity. Everything that he had he earned from hard work. Luke shut his eyes and fell quickly asleep. It wasn't long till he had to get up, though. He dragged his zombie like body out of bed and forced himself to get ready for the day. After brushing his teeth, he made his way into the hallway. He needed to expand his mana shell before the next class began. 

First thing in the morning, he started to run to a lightening mana facility. Out of breath, he signed up for one of the small rooms and started to meditate on lightening as electricity arched all over the room. After some small gains, he exited the room and headed off towards the cafeteria. Although it wasn't much, it still provided them some food. He found a group of his friends and sat together, this was one of the few times he could actually socialize. Although talking and eating could be seen as poor manners, he didn't really care.

What surprised him, though, was that his friends' conversations didn't end up being the usual bitching and moaning about their circumstances.

"Did you hear the Cerns family is recruiting?"[John] Luke looked at this new kid, he was kinda small, and dare he say, cute? Well it didn't matter, they were friends either way. John had been very popular recently because he stayed with the war leader Liam. Somehow John had been transferred away from that scumbag, Neidr's room, although John seemed to be a little bitter when talking about it, Luke couldn't see it as anything but a lucky break.

'A bastard hates you? Good!' 

Although... Luke shook his head, poor John had been mistaken as a woman by The Goddess. The transformation from hard-working angel to bat out of hell shocked Luke beyond words, but he supposed it just went to show how much she loved their general. After a good berating, the misunderstanding was cleared up. Luke couldn't help, but feel John's luck was a little strange. Now though, John and the Goddess had a good relationship. Apparently, John felt bad about the misunderstanding and took it upon himself to help the Goddess out here and there. This must be one of those circumstances. It had been spreading around that Lizzy was a member of the Cerns duchy, but no one really cared after what she did at the pre-test. If she is prepared to suffer with them, she is family.

Luke decided to hear the poor lad out,

"No, what's this about?"[Luke] John beat his chest and said,

"Every peasant that swears loyalty to house Cerns will receive funding and have their experience at Rotham paid for."[John] Luke couldn't help, but drop his fork. Paid for? No more working until late at night? No more anxiety about what the future has to hold? He could focus on studying like he was actually supposed to? Too good to be true.

"What's the requirement?"[Luke] John smiled,

"Like I said, you have to swear fealty above all else to the Cerns house and attend their training after Rotham. You have to become people of the Cerns house and work for them the rest of your life."[John] To the modern ear this sounds horrendous, but

"They'll pay for me, train me, and give me work?"[Luke] This was a godly blessing, he looked over and asked the last question on his mind,

"Who's in charge of us?"[Luke] Everyone knew how much Azalea disdained peasants. If they had to lose their dignity for it... Well, it would still be worth it, but he had to ask anyway. John tilted his head and said,

"Well, it depends, they are hoping to make several divisions, an armed forced division led by Liam, a medical division led by..."[John] Luke jumped out of his seat and shouted,

"Where do I sign up for the armed forces division?" Be lead by Liam for the rest of his life? It looked like the Gods had finally smiled upon him. Everyone in the cafeteria looked at him in interest, one asked,

"What are you so excited about?"[Initiate] Luke slammed his chest and bellowed,

"I'm going to follow our general for the rest of my Life! The Cerns house is putting him in charge of one of their future military divisions! I will join if it costs me an arm and a leg!"[Luke] Everyone erupted immediately, gathering around Luke's table like flies. Everyone in the lunchroom just had to know how to follow their leader in the future. 

John hurriedly jumped up on the table and shouted in a squeaky voice,

"Wait! Wait! It's true that the Cerns house has offered him the position, but he hasn't responded yet."[John] Everyone immediately quieted down. For a time, you could hear a pen drop, then Luke asked,

"Was there a problem with the terms?"[Luke] John shook his head and said,

"Liam and Lizzy are having relationship troubles right now."[John] Everyone immediately chorused,

"Bah, what the hell is wrong with him!"[everyone] Luke shouted,

"I will not allow him to taint our future for such a silly thing! To headquarters!"[Luke] Then everyone began to chant,

"To headquarters!" They all rushed out of the cafeteria, leaving John, or should I say Amber, very confused.

Liam was brooding in his room when he heard a stampede of feet approaching. His whole room shook under the thunder of the herd. Before he could check what was happening, a swarm of people smashed into his room and abducted him. They chanted about a general position, and Liam was left utterly shocked.

'These people are upset that I haven't agreed to Elizabeth's deal? What the hell! Who taught them to abduct people to get what they want?'

As Liam was rushed through the hallways to Elizabeth's room, he had a sneaking suspicion that Neidr's tactics were silently rubbing off on the student body.