Having spent three whole days diligently trying to restore meat upon his bones, whilst training the only thing he could due to the lack of food, being his stamina, carbon-dioxide tolerance and emotional-control. Which by far was the hardest for him to train, as the instant nutrients and calories had restored the chemicals within his body to their bare minimum to function. Artemis found himself awaking with morning-wood, as well as his gaze often-times lingering over towards Melody's body.

Rather than become all shy and embarrassed for the tents he kept pitching, he double-downed and proudly continued with his training, regardless of the desires down below.

 

"Young lord, the carriage has arrived. Would you like to freshen up before departing?"

"No need, lets leave now." 

 

Eager to see more, learn more, experience more of this world that was abundantly clear to him, to be a world away from Earth. Artemis strapped an old oversized cloak around himself before marching out of the castle. Ignoring the clear-joy that was more than happy to see him leave.

Whilst another 10 knights surrounded the carriage as bodyguards, equally glad to be returning to their real lord, the baron. And rid of their temporary baby-sitting duties.

Due to his training, the running, lunges and squats, his aching legs failed him as he staggered into the carriage. Something the knights enjoyed seeing, as if he were a jester, rather than a noble.

 

Planting his sore glutes upon the soft cushions, and being joined only by the maid, he absentmindedly gazed into the horizon, beyond the grass and farms. It was only after the carriage began to rock and shake, as the horses pulled it onwards, did he speak.

 

"Melody, do inform me of my schedule once more." Feeling somewhat stiff, as the delayed-onset-muscle-soreness struck him throughout, the young-boy desired sleep, but desired it a higher priority to refresh his mind of what the road ahead had in store for him.

 

"My lord, the ride back home will take a few hours, a little more if we encounter goblins or vargs, and an hour more if we decide to rest.

Once we return, you'll have to report in person to the baron, before you may rest prior to supper, time you may spend on your hobbies.

We have perhaps, another few days before we are scheduled to leave the barony, as you will be joining the academy in the kingdom of Del Lagos."

 

"Academy? Why am I only hearing of this now?"

 

Melody blinked in confusion a couple of times, before realizing her lord was once again playing dumb, or testing her for entertainment, again...

"You're 16 now, you spent your coming-of-age celebrations pushing down another man's fiancé. Ruining your own birthday party, you ended up defending your honour as the high-nobles permitted house Nowen's attack, which was scheduled and concluded successfully.

Military academy is compulsory for all able-bodied men and women regardless of pedigree, upon reaching 16 and entering adulthood, you must attend for three years starting from the new year. You should consider yourself lucky, as the commoners have to go through an additional 3 years of active military service, immediately after they graduate from the academy."

 

"W-wait, what about you?" He eyed the maid up, unable to figure out her age range, as she carried herself like a noble, but was clearly a commoner due to her occupation.

"The moment I graduated from the academy, I was fortunately recruited by baron Nicholas, thus I am exempt." Raising a single hand which formed a circle, she made it clear that people with money or connections could dodge the second-half.

"I see... So, how long have you been working for my father?"

 

Melody remained indifferent, a smile that didn't include her eyes held itself upon her innocent face. Pretending as if he hadn't asked the prior question, he rephrased it.

 

"I see. So, nobles recruit the cream of the crop, the best of the best from the academies into becoming their soldiers, knights and servants? Will I be expected to actively headhunt? To scout and form connections with the commoners with the most potential?"

 

"At the graduation date, a ranking system will inform the noble houses of individual student scores, abilities and estimated potential. Thus, you may rest easy that the baron has no expectations of someone like you." Melody smiled, as her hidden blade taught her haughty young-lord a lesson in etiquette. Specifically regarding women.

 

"Wait, doesn't that mean that if I fail my exams or tests horribly, the whole kingdom would know of it?"

 

Melody simply nodded in confirmation, before injecting a little fun fact to lighten the pressure.

"Don't worry, even if you fail mathematics, history, strategy, religion, swordsmanship, spear-handling, archery and horsemanship. If you manage to find commoners good enough to gather merits with, enough to grant you a passing grade as military-experience is prioritized over academics and general-knowledge. You can still graduate and return home with your head held high."

 

"Melody. Are you taking jabs at my ego or am I imagining it?"

"You're imagining it. What I just outlined is a strategy many sons and daughters who hail from rich families utilize, as the only course that actually correlates to their future-occupation is mathematics, something they most likely already excel at. If their families are merchants at heart, and not militant like yours."

 

"So. With money, I can easily buy my way through the academy and through life?"

 

"Yes. that is correct."

 

"Am I rich?"

 

"No."

 

"Is house Dignitas rich?"

 

"..." 

 

"Holy crap, I'm screwed! No wonder I've been surviving off dry-bread and water for days, I'm dirt poor!"

 

"W-wait... Please, Melody. Tell me where exactly is our income coming from, and where is it being spent?"

 

"My lord, whilst I'm not privy to all the details, with the rumours that go around the manor... Your mother Elizabeth Dignitas, spends the majority of the year renting, living and attending balls and tea parties at Einhoren, the capital of Del Lagos. As for your father, he just as you do, indulges in alcohol more than he does with food. Rather than save the monthly stipend the kingdom grants him, he spends it on gifts for his favourite maids, which encourages them to warm his bed.

You. You spend all your allowance on art, and not the healthy-kind, but depictions of naked women and their flowers kind.

As for your younger brother, he spends his allowance on books and clothing.

House Dignitas, having no businesses of their own, surviving of the tax from the villages, as well as the monthly stipend from the kingdom. Is honestly barely afloat."

 

 

Silence befell them as Artemis finally allowed the self-pity to consume his energy. Weakly, slowly, like a gold-fish, he formed his words.

 

"Melody, earlier you told me, that you believed in me, telling me to prove myself to the world, on how powerful and mighty I could be... What exactly did you believe in?" "And that doesn't sound like not privy to much detail at all!"

 

"I believe in your kindness and big-big heart." Finally smiling with her eyes included, her heart filled with warmth when she recalled her first weeks at house Dignitas. "I was extremely nervous and clumsy when I first started working at your manor. I often broke a few things here and there, and you my lord, took it upon yourself. Claiming that it was you who broke them on a whim, or out of boredom. As such, I won't forget your kindness~"

 

 

 

 

..

 

 

 

 

"Holy cow, this life is on hard mode... Where's my silver spoon!? I'm a baron's firstborn son no?"