It was rare that Olivia felt what could only be described as pure and unbridled temptation.

It was early May at this point. The silent scholarship student found herself basking in the warm rays of the Spring sunlight that filtered in through the nearest window, draped with parted crimson curtains trimmed with gold. The room was pristine with white-washed walls, ornately decorated dressers and tables housing golden candles and trays, and sofas that looked softer than her bed.

A chandler from above caught the natural light and displayed a variety of colors that seemed to sparkle like jewels. It hung over a table made of a dark wood and covered with a cloth, upon which were small plates, saucers, tea cups, stirrers, cutlery, and a display tray. Said tray was three-tiered, with the base housing honey crispels ringed in a neat circle, while above were tarts neatly stacked in lines, and atop it was a single cake cut into neat slices and topped with cream and fruits.

The appetizing appearance left her tongue tingling within her mouth, and a mixture of anticipation swelled in her chest when glazed porcelain entered the fringes of her vision. An enticing, invigorating aroma wafted up on ribbon-like steam from the mouth of the teacup while it was lowered slowly in front of her. She traced the guiding hand back to her left and found her host smiling down at her.

"Sorry for taking so long. And thanks for accepting the invitation," Leon told her, pointing a finger to his chest before holding the back of his left fist out and laying the flat of his right over it. Then he laid his left hand horizontal, made a chopping motion with the right hand upon his wrist, and then brought it upwards. "That's the way to do it, right?"

A slight smile crossed Olivia's face as she shook her head and wagged her index finger. Then she reached out for the palm of his hand and gently wrote with the same finger the mistake he made: M-i-x-e-d-t-h-e-t-w-o-d-i-a-l-e-c-t-s.

"Ah, my mistake," he apologized. "Remembering them isn't as easy as I thought."

Olivia shook her head to express it wasn't that bad. Honestly, even going this far for her sake was more than she could have hoped. Since she could understand others perfectly well through speaking and could use simple gestures or writing to respond, there wasn't a need for others to do the same.

Still, it did make her happy he was willing to learn. Since they had a free period together, due to not being able to attend Septimal Studies, Leon had decided to try to learn how to read and speak sign language like Master Lucas could when they weren't busy. He said it would help save notepad pages for her, and it was only fair that he learned to listen to her since she listened to him so intently.

Olivia then demonstrated the two methods for his sake. The first consisted of holding the back of her left fist out with her thumb up and then laying the flat of his right over it. After that, she shifted her left hand to be horizontally flat, made the chopping motion with the right hand upon the wrist, and brought it upwards.

The second method was done by resting her right fist with the thumb up in the flat of her left palm and bringing them to her chest just like that. Then she tapped her chin with her fingers and extended the same hand towards him.

He mimed the motions to make sure he had it before giving her a thumbs up. "Anyway, feel free to help yourself to as much as you want."

Temptation nearly drove her to immediately indulge in the offering, allured by the aroma that was so full-bodied and sweet that she could feel herself being taken in by the fragrance alone. But she still held fast to her teachings and offered her gratitude once more, tapping her chest twice and giving him a grateful nod. She honestly was happy that he chose to invite her to his Tea Party, even if it was simply because they were friends.

She had the occasional tea and treats along with the other children when Master Lucas came, but she never expected that it was something they taught the boys here in the Royal Academy. It was supposed to be done to meet prospective partners among the gentry. Personally, Olivia thought it sounded romantic.

Leon begged to differ. In his eyes it was time and money that could be spent doing something else, and it was wasted on most of the girls. After all, they either had lovers already or were only looking for someone to spoil them rather than any notion of romance. He admitted he'd rather fail the course than host a Tea Party for any of them, but there were two he'd make an exception for—and she was one of them.

Olivia felt that he really wanted to do it. After all, he didn't need to go through setting everything up like this if it was just to please Master Lucas. The way he organized everything and even the calligraphy of the invitation made it clear he put real effort into it. And he looked happy when he welcomed her inside while waiting on her hand and foot like a gentleman.

There was no doubt in her mind that he liked playing the host. Something about it clicked with him and she could imagine he'd turn out to be like her mentor once he got older. It was just the fact that he didn't like doing it for most of the girls here that was stopping him.

And she could understand why Leon felt the way he did considering what she learned a while back.

I really didn't know much about his situation, did I? Her smile fell as her thoughts drifted back to the discussion that she'd had a few weeks ago after she had been accosted in the hallway. That older girl who dragged her away to apply makeup to her bruise happened to be Leon's older sister.

According to his sister, his stepmother refused to acknowledge him because he was powerless and wanted to send him off to a battlefield to die. He had to earn enough money to buy his way into Ninth Rank just to be able to remain with his family. The only way to do that in such a short time was for him to strike it rich as an Adventurer, and he'd been gone for months without contacting his family in the process.

'That bitch made it clear what she thinks of you and most of the others are the same, so don't think even for a second that you'll be safe just because the teachers say they're on your side. I've seen them turn a blind eye and flip the blame if it means avoiding the ire of someone of a higher rank. Unlike you, Leon knows he should keep his head down to avoid trouble after barely skirting around being sent away, but he starts acting carelessly around you. So, I'm warning you to keep your head down, so he doesn't end up losing his!'

Those harsh words made it clear that she had truly been lucky to have lived such a wonderful life. Though they weren't rich, her life in the parish was still one she cherished and the people in her life never belittled her for the inability to speak or because she was a Minos. She wanted to pay back that kindness by learning all she could and making their lives easier.

Unlike her, Leon had overcome so many hardships that she couldn't dream of. His noble lineage was denied to him because part of his family couldn't accept that, and just to remain with the others he had to risk his life by braving the unknown for months on end. And, no sooner than he succeeded, he had been whisked away from them to come to the Capital to attend the Academy since it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Even though Olivia truly believed what her mentor told her about the Queen's intentions in bringing them here as scholarship students, she could understand if Leon held reservations considering what little she knew of the life he lived. It was women like his stepmother who ingrained into him that others above him would only use him as a tool to their own ends at best and that he was nothing more. And, from his perspective, they were constantly surrounded by people who thought in that same manner.

She could only imagine that he must be so miserable, but he never let it show even once when he was around her. He was always nice to her and paid attention to her needs. Even now he was going out of his way to learn how to communicate with her in a way that was more convenient to her. But she didn't know why he was going so far for her sake.

Was it because he pitied her for the lack of a voice despite his own hardships? Was it because he found her attractive and wanted her body? Or was it because she was special to him somehow?

If only I weren't such a coward. There was only regret that she lacked the bravery to ask Leon what she was to him. He made her comfortable and she enjoyed his company so much that she was afraid things would change if he confirmed their relationship in one way or another.

If he pitied her, she didn't think she would be able to stand it. Not when he had lived so harsh a life from the little his sister had told her.

If it was because he was after her body… well, she had her doubts about that. She wasn't even that attractive to begin with compared to others in the Academy. And Leon never gave her any sort of lustful gaze.

What if he sees me as someone special then? That thought brought with it a horribly selfish desire that she recognized and immediately stamped down on. She knew that she was only human, and it was their nature to want such things. But she should just be grateful for being his friend rather than pushing such expectations onto him one-sidedly out of nothing more than hubris on her part.

She grabbed one of the crispels, hoping the taste would distract her from the guilt she felt for that stray and selfish desire. The sweetness of the snack played on her tongue, the honey smooth and rich as it graced her taste buds with an electrifying joy. The flaky crust crumpled beneath her teeth, each small and closed-mouth bite spreading the seeped-in flavor throughout the rest of her mouth. She felt it travel along her spine, adding a touch of tension throughout her body as it brushed against the part of her mind that relished every bite until it was gone, and thirst made itself known within her throat.

Olivia then brought the rim of the cup close to her face and inhaled. She could pick up the true essence of the tea as steam wafted up into her nose. The earthen aroma faintly reminded her of home and the fields, a grass plain where flowers would bloom in the Spring with white and yellow hues.

With a gentle exhalation to carry away some of the heat, she took a sip of it. The liquid was light as it caressed her tongue and inner walls, flowing like a gentle current that carried a relaxing and refreshing flavor. It seeped into every dry spot within her throat on its way down, quenching her thirst while leaving her mouth feeling as though it basked beneath the sky of a clear Spring day.

Before she knew it, Olivia found herself downing the cup and basking in the comforting sensation trickling through her head. Heat and happiness carried on her breath as she let out an elongated yet silent sigh, a pleasant drifting sensation having spread throughout her upper body. It left her wearing a smile as she placed a hand on her chest and inhaled once more, savoring the feeling.

Yet that feeling was so fleeting. She could feel it fading with every breath she took, and its absence left her yearning for more. Perhaps even with the wonderful snacks that had been prepared. She found herself reaching out for another to sate her newfound desires…only to stop when she heard a slight hum coming from nearby.

She turned to see that Leon's dark eyes were fixed on her as he stood at the side of the table. His gaze was strangely gentle, almost as much as the soft and satisfying smile he wore. He almost seemed relieved in fact.

"I'm just happy you're enjoying the selection I picked out for you," he answered even before she could ask him about it. "You've been working hard on everything until now, so I was worried you might be running the risk of burning yourself out. Professor Lucas recommended this blend as something that would help with relaxing you rather than the usual kind available, so I'm glad that it seemed to work. Would you like another cup?"

Olivia nodded slowly before holding the cup up for him to pour into with one hand. She made sure to look away the entire time in the hopes of hiding what she was sure was the crimson hue painting her cheeks. She decided to spend some time reflecting in the chapel once the Tea Party was over.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Leon thankfully remained ignorant of the ardor quickening her pulse as the knock on the door pulled his attention away from Olivia after he finished pouring the tea. "She actually came?"

Olivia passed him an inquisitive tilt of the head at what she presumed was a question aimed at her.

"There was one other woman I could tolerate inviting in the Academy," Leon explained as he set the teapot down and made his way over to the door. He brushed down the front of his uniform and put on a smile that was markedly more artificial than his natural one before he opened it. "Welcome to my Tea Party, Miss Bartfort."

Jenna Bartfort strode past her brother into the room, her long brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail whipping around as she spun on her heel and faced him as he shut the door. Then her dull golden eyes furled as she then glared at him and held up an invitation between her fingers. "What's the catch, Leon?"

"Professor Lucas insisted that I needed to at least invite someone of a social standing higher than my own," he said while not dropping the artificial smile from his face. "You are the daughter of a Baron after all, which makes you Sixth Rank. That's higher than me."

"You know full well that wasn't what your etiquette professor meant," she said. "Tea parties are meant to be held to show deference to us as a sign of respect. It's practically tradition and inviting me would be seen as spitting upon if it got out."

"Jenna, we both know that those traditions don't apply to people like me. I could do everything right and they'd still see me as beneath them. Might as well not even give them the satisfaction of trying and instead use this as a chance to also pay back the debt I owe for the favor you did me a few weeks ago. Three birds, one stone."

Her lips pursed thin for a moment. Then she sighed. "Whatever. If I refused and you failed because of it, then Nicks would probably tell Mother. I don't feel like dealing with that. Just keep your mouth shut so it doesn't get out."

"Will do." Leon gave a slight bow and gestured towards the seat opposite Olivia. "Indulge to your heart's content, just mind your manners towards our other guest. You two haven't met, have you?"

Piercing orange eyes fell onto her. Olivia shook her head to show she understood. The last time they had crossed paths Jenna had made it very clear that Leon heard nothing about what happened or the fact that they had seen one another.

"No, but I can guess who she is," Jenna said, making her way over the table and taking a seat on the opposite side. She helped herself to one of the tarts without waiting and gestured towards Olivia. "She's the other Minos."

"Her name is Olivia," Leon said with an emphasis on her name. "She's the other scholarship student who, unlike me, earned her way in because she's smarter than most of the other students in our year. And Livia, this is my older sister, Jenna."

Olivia put down her tea and wiped her hands with a cloth before extending outwards to greet her for the 'first time' as far as anyone else knew. Jenna, however, only hummed while chewing on the tart with her mouth closed. Then she leaned back in her chair with her cup held out expectantly towards Leon while going for one of the crispels this time.

"That's probably as close to an acknowledgement as you're going to get," Leon said in an apologetic tone towards his fellow scholarship student while pouring his sister some of the tea. "Sadly, that's also an improvement in a lot of aspects."

Jenna swallowed her food and then turned her nose up towards them. "I accepted the invitation and didn't call her any of the other names being thrown around for the two of you. I'm being remarkably polite compared to just about every other girl since she'll probably be my in-law."

A jolt ran through Olivia at that, and tension straightened her spine. In-law?

Leon, in contrast, only sighed and let his shoulders droop. "Is that the prevalent rumor about us going around then?"

"One of the nicer ones," Jenna said, lightly blowing over the rim of her cup while staring into the tea itself. "You're always spending time around her and, technically speaking, you do outrank her like everyone else. The only time people of the opposite gender slum it with those below them is if they're a bed-warmer, a lover, a spouse, or a follower."

"I suppose men and women being friends who enjoy spending time with one another is a foreign notion here…" The bitter resignation in his voice was followed by another apologetic look towards his main guest. "Sorry if it causes you trouble, Livia."

The mute girl shook her hands to show she didn't mind. And that would better explain why that other girl was so cruel towards her for receiving that crystalline rose from Lord Brad that one time. From her perspective, it must have seemed as though they were more than associates who shared words and faith in the chapel on the weekends. Though she didn't need to be so violent about it…

Olivia probably would have been able to avoid offending her if she had been more aware of the culture of the aristocracy regarding such matters. That was why, even though she would like to consider Lord Brad as a friend and learn more about his own plight, she never sought him outside of their shared time within the chapel. She wanted to avoid causing any future problems for him or his future bride, even though he looked so burdened that she wanted to offer him her shoulder to share it.

Jenna cleared her throat before gesturing to the spread on the table. "Anyway, how much did you spend on all of this?"

"Not a single Dia personally," Leon answered. "There's a budget set aside for the needs of the scholarship students. Anything not provided by the school but considered essential or mandatory for our continuing education can be expensed to it. Since Professor Lucas felt it was imperative that I learn how to socialize with the women of all ranks for my future endeavors, he judged it to be essential and thus allowed me to use it to pay for everything."

"So, you have access to a blank check for all intents and purposes and you get the cheap stuff?"

"That money has to last both myself and Olivia for at least the year and I haven't been given the exact amount we have access to," Leon pointed out. "And I have to draft detailed expense reports about what gets purchased and why, before having the professor sign off on it. Supposedly the Queen reviews the budget every few months and I don't want to have to explain why I bought a Tea Set worth more than an Airbike."

"I'm pretty sure giving gifts to the girls who attend your Tea Party could be justified as essential expenses," Jenna mused aloud in a tone that lacked the concept of subtlety despite that being the intention. "And I could use something that glitters and would bring out my eye colors..."

"I am not embezzling from the Crown to get you jewelry," he said without subtlety as well, only intentionally to get the point across rather than the art of it being lost to his sibling. "Seriously though, I want to save as much as I can for Olivia's sake. She has the Adventuring Course coming up soon and that means we need to get her a full set of combat armor to go along with the upscaled pistol we bought for her. Those things get expensive enough as is that we're going to have to find one refurbished."

Since that weekend, Leon had been giving her training in handling personal firearms knowing she would have to take the Adventuring Course for this semester at least. The Academy had a rule in place that, to use them during the course, you had to have a certain level of proven proficiency to reduce the chances of friendly fire. She had just taken the certification for it yesterday with Master Lucas overseeing it and qualified for its use with a pistol that wasn't exceedingly powerful to the point of risking overpenetration but would serve for the first few floors at the very least.

"Speaking of which," Leon continued. "Livia, we'll need your measurements for the bodysuit that makes up the under-armor. So, when you have a chance get them to the professor."

She nodded and from there the Tea Party carried on. Olivia watched as Leon used that time to seemingly ask her about things at home in the guise of conversation, such as any letters she received that he didn't. He seemed relieved to hear there were no problems in his absence, which only added to her opinion that he missed his home.

When Jenna had her fill of tea and snacks, she decided to leave. But not before passing a look that sent an unspoken message to Olivia. It was a silent reminder of what she had told prior about him: to keep him out of trouble by keeping her head down.

Olivia gave a slight nod in response.

[—Leon Fou Bartfort—]

Two weeks later after the Tea Party it was time for their course to take them into the dungeon nestled in the heart of the Capital.

The Royal Academy mandated that every student eligible be inducted into the Adventurer's Guild due to tradition dating back to the founding of the Kingdom of Holfort. They had to make their way through the dungeon, with it being necessary as a graduation requirement to reach at least the Thirtieth Floor. There, a specific item could be obtained and had to be brought back as proof of reaching the depths.

Echoing steps and creaking wheels bounced off steel walls as Leon, clad in his White Tiger combat armor, pushed along a flatbed cart through one of the corridors of the Adventurer's Guild. Having already been registered due to his previous endeavors, Leon skipped the registration process and the formal explanations of how the system worked that the other students underwent. He had instead gone to retrieve the medium-sized protective container containing the refurbished combat armor to bring to Olivia's changing room.

Once he finally arrived, he rapped his gauntleted knuckles against the door to grab her attention from behind it. "Livia, I'm back. If it's okay for me to enter, open the door."

There was silence for a few seconds. Then there was a click as the lock was undone. The door opened slightly, and he could catch her silhouette moving away from the opening in a hurry.

Leon slowly opened the door and rolled in the cart, shutting the door and locking it behind him afterward. He then turned to see Olivia's head sticking out from behind a changing partition, affixed to a corner of the room with sliders on the top and bottom. Her face was somewhat red.

"What's wrong?" Leon asked, reaching up for his helmet. It decoupled from the collar with a thought and came off to reveal his face. "Is It too tight?"

Olivia shook her head before very reluctantly stepping out from behind the partition. She had finished slipping into the black bodysuit that molded itself around every graceful curve of her body. The artificial light cast a sheen over the scale-like materials threaded between layers of harder reinforced plating that sandwiched her vital areas, while structural metal plate-like sections could be found at the shoulders, forearms, hands, hips, thighs, and calves of her body.

Leon let out a slight hum as he ran his gaze over her figure to make sure there were no areas that were slogging or loose. "I imagine it might be a little snug since it's your first time wearing one, but it looks like it's a perfect fit in the front. Mind turning to show me the rear?"

Her response to that was to get back behind the partition and poke her head out while frowning.

"Partner, this is going to sound wild but hear me out," Lola's artificial voice chimed in through his earpiece while her pod was affixed to its storage compartment on the rear plate of his armor. "Maybe she's feeling a little embarrassed being looked up and down by someone of the opposite gender in something so skintight?"

Leon quietly conceded that might be the case and averted his eyes for her own sake. Though in fairness to himself, he had primarily been focused on ensuring it was form-fitting to provide her with the best protection it could. It was meant to be under-armor beneath the outer shell of the Exosuit and that meant they had to be tight without suffocating due to housing multiple layers of materials—all of which served a different function.

The innermost layer was meant to press against the skin so it should be the most comfortable. The layer above it consisted of some kind of fabric that operated under the theory of piezoelectricity and would become more maneuverable once it was subject to an electrical current supplied by the battery. The topmost layer was the more durable region with protective padding meant to provide a base level of protection capable of withstanding small arms fire, while the metal plates would become magnetized due to the current from the power supply to secure a connection to the outer armor.

The under-armor alone was expensive enough that a commoner like her would either need a sponsor or life savings to afford it. Let alone both that and the Exosuit that made up the outer shell of the powered combat armor. There were reasons Adepts with combat-suited Septima were so valuable—you could give them far less protection and gain far greater benefits for much less.

Her expression seemed to shift from embarrassment to minor frustration. And then finally acceptance. She emerged from behind the partition and turned around.

"The alignment looks fine," Leon said while he traced along the artificial spinal column that was the Exospine. "Okay, you can take a seat while I get the pieces out and then we'll get you suited up."

Leon moved the cart and case closer before opening it while Olivia sat down. While the bodysuit was tailored for her size and compatible with the Exosuit itself, it was fairly old as far as models went. Back in the game, the suit itself would be around the lower tier in terms of stats, the kind that Greg would wear, but it was functional to get her through the first couple of floors.

He then began to pull out the disassembled, modular sections that made up the outer shell and started getting her fully equipped. Boots. Greaves. Cuisses. He managed to get her lower body covered in the separate pieces of the outer shell swiftly and pulled her to her feet. "Now, you're going to need to hold the front of the torso for just a second."

She wrapped her arms around the front of her body once he'd fitted the torso section against her. Leon then grabbed the rear section of the torso and pressed it against her back. It found connecting points with the rim of the front section and they snapped into place, with him pressing down to latch them together.

That just left her arms. Pauldrons. Brassards. Gauntlets. They found metal connecting points and ports built into the bodysuit and then snapped into place when he applied pressure. "Okay, that's done."

Olivia tried to move around hearing that she was fully suited in her new combat armor. But it felt like her entire body was weighed down when she tried to move, to such a degree that taking a single step was a lot of effort. She then turned to him and made an exasperated expression.

"Pop Quiz," Leon said while pulling out what appeared to be a small canister made of metal. He twisted it open to show her the crystalline object inside. "What are battery packs that power suits like these made of?"

She peered intently at the neatly shaped crystal that had been uniformly cut and fitted within the container. Then she perked up and with one of her fingers managed to write two letters in the air: E.C.

"Right, Energia Cores." He replaced the top on the canister and made his way to her backside. "The crystals are condensed mana that you can occasionally find from monsters, but in the dungeon here they drop more frequently and can even be found within the walls. The guild buys them off the Adventurers here in their raw form and they get refined and shaped for use in electrical converters."

As Lola explained it upon her analysis, it was basically that some monsters had condensed down the mana that composed them to such a density that even when they decomposed upon being killed, they remained behind. The reason this dungeon they were situated over in the Capital had such a high-frequency drop rate was that the entirety of the earth itself was saturated with mana to the point that any excess would condense easily rather than attempting to escape into the atmosphere.

"Connecting," he said out of habit while pulling down a hatch on the control unit module of the rear plate and slotting the battery pack into it. He then re-sealed the hatch, which completed the circuit that connected to the components of the bodysuit that ran along the Exospine. It passed the electrical current throughout the entirety of the suit like how the spinal cord carried electrical impulses to the rest of the body.

Leon then moved his hand over towards the collar of the torso armor in the front and slid over a panel located there, exposing two buttons. The moment he pressed it, there was a slight hum before the sound of latching could be heard from various parts of her armor. It was followed by an abrupt jerk as the electromagnetic coupling took hold and secured the outer shell against them for a tight fit. "Now, try moving around again."

Olivia cautiously did so, only to blink in surprise before walking around the room relatively quickly. She lifted her arms, twisting and turning them in front of her, before pressing her hands against her chest and smiling at him.

"While the battery is connected, the power-frame located at the top of the Exospine assists in moving the armor and relieves the pressure in place of your actual spine," he explained before reaching over to her arm and twisting so she could see the underside. He then slid back a casing to show there was a gauge now displayed. "However, keep in mind that it drains the battery pack to do so. That one battery should last throughout class since it doesn't have any complex systems despite not being as efficient as more modern generation suits. Keep an eye on this so you'll know when it's running low, because if it runs out before we leave the dungeon that suit will become as clunky as before the power was turned on."

And as she had experienced prior moving in that state was too difficult. He could help her get back to the surface if she needed it with Lola's Capture Field, but he would rather they just leave while she could still move under her own power. He was trying to keep a low profile and so he had set most of the White Tiger's functions into standby mode, including having the wings compressed against the back and covering the P-Bits and Lola's pod.

Leon then placed the firearm and helmet onto the changing table before pushing the now empty case against the wall and pulling the cart free. They had to return it before they began their descent below. In the process, Olivia had retrieved her notepad and pen from the utility pouch clipped to the side of her under-armor, opposite of her empty holster.

She held it up for him to read: How did you get into yours on your own so quickly?

"Mine is lighter, so I don't need a second person to help me," he answered. "And back home, while we had people who would help get the knights and others into their Exosuits a lot faster by working in tandem with each other, we were drilled to be able to get armored up on our own in a hurry. You just have to get used to it, really."

It also helped that his Exosuit could be disassembled into pix and then reassembled by Lola if necessary, rather than needing to put everything together piece-by-piece. He only did that when he had absolute privacy because while he could justify a lot of what the suit could do due to being a relic he discovered, that was stretching the suspension of disbelief by a lot. He just needed to have this specific bodysuit on since Lola created it to be used with the White Tiger armor.

It consisted of more than twice the number of layers that most modern generation ones did, all refined to the best of her abilities. It could be hermetically sealed with the helmet and had a gel layer that could absorb impact and provide temperature control. There was even shielding that prevented foreign electrical currents and electromagnetic fields from tampering with the systems, something that most suits didn't have, and more.

Shifting the topic back to the matter at hand, Leon checked to make sure her gun was unloaded, put the safety on, and ensured there wasn't a stray bullet in the chamber. Then he held the gun face down while presenting the grip to her.

Olivia grabbed hold of the weapon with one hand and then gave a thumbs-up sign to signal she had a solid grip before he released it. She then turned her back towards him and checked if the safety was on and if it was loaded. It was redundant given he had done so, but not everyone was going to hand her an empty weapon to be loaded only once they were below ground.

He then refitted his helmet over his head, leaving it to click into place against the collar of his bodysuit. The neural readers installed into the helmet linked to the suit and displayed information on his visor before he mentally had the screen split apart to show his face. Finally, he grabbed Olivia's helmet and held it out for her to take once she had secured her handgun to its holster. "Shall we get going then?"

She took it gingerly and held it against her chest while flashing him a smile.

As they left the room behind, Olivia opening the door so that he could wheel out the cart, Leon spotted another door opening from further ahead. From it exited a blonde woman with her hair done in a bun, accompanied by a few other women of lower rank. He recognized her in a single glance despite them never seeing each other prior from the countless hours spent playing the game.

Angelica Redgrave—the daughter of the Ducal Family with close ties to the Royal Family itself, meant to be the villainess who would oppose Olivia due to her lower status and the growing affection of Prince Julius. She had been the one orchestrating the bullying campaign against Olivia until it eventually resulted in a condemnation event. Even if you were on another route, Julius would only 'give up' pining after Olivia once she was out of the picture.

She stood out with her slim combat armor that was largely a bodysuit covered with what could pass as breastplate armor with greaves and gauntlets. It was crimson and ornate looking, but it didn't look like it was powered armor. Then again, with her Septima being Psychokinesis she really didn't need it.

From what game lore Leon could recall, she could generate powerful protective fields at will and crush objects with ease by psychically manipulating the air itself. Or so the game said. The only time that you would see something akin to that was during a cutscene after her attempt to remove Olivia via a duel would fail, as no one would serve as her champion given that meant going against the Crown Prince.

It was then she would attempt to use her power on Olivia, which would reveal her previously weak Septima being that of the Muse. She would disappear after that, exiled for attempting to bring harm to one who carried the Septima said to have helped with the founding of the country—the next Saint.

Piercing red eyes settled onto them for a moment. Leon briefly became concerned about any lingering potential issues due to the original plot of the game even when Olivia hadn't met with him once. But the moment passed as her fleeting attention faded before she made her way towards the entrance of the corridor to join the rest of the class.

Leon let out a sigh of relief before turning his focus back to Olivia. Blue eyes went from the distant figure of the Angelica back to him, half-furled and inquisitive. "Is something wrong, Livia?"

Olivia only shook her head and motioned for them to get moving.

The steel and concrete of the (relatively) modern capital gave way as the pair descended into the dungeon once the cart was returned. The entrance to the First Floor consisted of hardpacked dirt trampled into rough paths, and smoothened walls of natural stone supported with columns of steel that provided artificial lighting. The length of the rear wall itself was reinforced with steel and had a series of doors to serve as entrances, each of them currently shut at present.

"Normally, it's busier down here," Leon began while watching her take in the surroundings. "So many people moving that you'd struggle to see the floor at times. I'm guessing they restrict the number of people that come through while the Academy course is active since they don't want to have the lower class getting in the way of the aristocracy. Their gear tends to stand out compared to the norm since a good portion of them are late model first generations and second generations, so they would stick out like sore thumbs even for the ones who had a full set."

When she quirked her head in question of that, Leon gestured over to where most of their class had gathered. They had broken into cliques and were chatting among themselves, which made the distinction clear between not just the higher-ranked students and lower-ranked ones but even the boys and girls themselves. In a lot of cases, they were wearing just their bodysuits with breastplate exteriors, greaves, and gauntlets—more fashionable and elegant with brighter colors.

"Bartfort," a voice called from halfway across the chamber in the opposite direction, pulling his attention away from the others. It came from Professor Monica, the instructor for the class. She was a woman who looked like she was only a decade or so older than them, standing alongside what looked to be a member of the staff. "A word, please?"

Leon conceded with a nod before asking Olivia to give him a moment and then headed over. Upon arriving he took note of the man's features and how he stood out, short blonde hair and grey eyes. He was dressed in a black uniform that was trimmed with gold and blue clips that matched the tie visible from his raised collar. Beads of sweat could be seen glistening on his forehead before he wiped them away with a handkerchief before folding his arms behind his back.

"You needed me, Professor?" Leon asked.

She nodded before holding her hand out towards the man next to her. "It seems there's a problem that needs to be sorted out with the routes the students will be using today, as this guild executive here tells me."

His brow quirked before looking at the man. "What sort of problem?"

The blonde executive cleared his throat. "Since the Academy went out of its way to reserve the use of the eastern routes the normal swathe of adventurers hasn't had access to them and so the monster population hasn't had their numbers trimmed down from the early rush. The usual procedure would have been to have a specialist or a team deal with it prior to your arrival, but an oversight was made and their services weren't enlisted. A scout was sent in a short time ago and found it too dangerous for inexperienced students, which puts us in a predicament as the course cannot proceed as planned until this is rectified."

Since most of the students were not active Adventurers at present, they lacked practical experience with diving into the dungeons. The routes, the monster variety, survival tactics, and so on were something the course was meant to teach them. But to ensure that there were no accidents since these people were aristocrats, the number of monsters was trimmed down in advance.

He continued. "That is why the Guild would like your help given your ranking and reputation. You've made it as deep as the Tenth Floor already according to your records, so clearing enough of them to the end of the Third Floor to reduce their numbers ahead of the rest would surely be within your abilities. We'll see you compensated at the same rate as the group, of course."

Leon considered the offer before shaking his head. "Trimming their numbers down all the way to the Third Floor would take time. Just the First Floor alone would probably take me until the starting hour, meaning I would miss the rest of class acting as their vanguard effectively."

"Considering how far you've gone, surely the course is redundant for you?"

"It is," Leon conceded. "However, I'm required to be here as the course is mandatory regardless of prior experience. More importantly, I'm here to ensure the safety of my friend given other groups would have trouble coordinating around her with their inexperience. You're asking me to endanger her well-being by going off ahead, which is something I just won't do."

"I'm certain your professor would be more than willing to give your companion a passing—"

Professor Monica shook her head even before he could finish the suggestion. "Their grades in particular are heavily scrutinized and monitored for certain reasons, with any tampering in either direction warranting complications for whichever instructor is responsible. It's one thing if they go off ahead of the class to do so since that counts as participation, but if the matter isn't resolved then the class can't proceed."

The blonde executive grimaced. "B-But it could be delayed by hours getting someone else capable to handle the task."

"Then we'll have to cancel the course for today and the Academy will simply have the advance given to the Guild to compensate for the losses sustained by holding the class today be returned."

"Sounds like someone is about to get fired for costing the guild a lot of money and embarrassing them in front of the nobility for his mistake.," Lola chimed in from his earpiece. "Your classmates probably won't like that though. Speaking up which…"

"Professor," a new voice cut into the conversation as Lola trailed off in his ear. Eyes turned to see that it was Angelica Redgrave, standing with her arms crossed as she interjected herself into the conversation. "Forgive me, but I couldn't help but overhear the class might be canceled today?"

"It's an unfortunate situation, Lady Redgrave," Professor Monica stated. "The Guild failed to have someone sweep ahead of the class to keep the monster population within an acceptable range, which would potentially endanger several of the students."

The man's eyes widened as the red gaze of the woman possessing the name of the Ducal family turned her attention to him. "The group we normally would have sent were unable to field their usual team due to complications. However, this individual is registered as a higher-ranked Adventurer and should be more than capable."

That same gaze fell onto Leon. "His Highness and several others, including myself, are looking forward to the course today. If you are capable, I would consider it a personal favor if you could accomplish this take on their behalf."

"With all due respect, Lady Redgrave," he said calmly while meeting her gaze. "I'm not leaving my classmate on their own when I am not obligated to do so in a situation that would endanger her. More so if the situation is as dangerous as he is making it out to be."

The rejection was met with a raised brow. Then she drew herself upright and crossed her arms. "I see. Then I will see to it that she is taken care of as a part of my group. Or do you doubt my words and capability to ensure the well-being of a fellow student when they are under my protection?"

He honestly did, considering everything he knew about her from the games. Even the way she had phrased that as a rejection now would be a personal slight against her honor was something she pulled to Olivia in one of the earlier cutscenes. And he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of obeying because she tried to pull rank on him like every other woman barring two in this place…

Tap. Tap. Tap.

He turned away from her upon feeling the tapping on his pauldrons to see Olivia there. She gestured from herself to Lady Redgrave and then signed the motions that she would go with her. He wasn't exactly a fan of the thought, but then she held up her notepad that said:

I am looking forward to going inside too.

"…Fine then." Leon resignedly turned back to the ducal daughter. "I'll leave her in your care, and trust you'll treat her with the consideration of one befitting a guest in attendance at the behest of the Queen."

And with that parting shot, he went off towards the entrance to clean up the guild's mess.