"Outdoor training?" Ian asked, looking completely confused. "I thought we would just be sparring down here, or maybe you were going to teach me a new technique or something. But outside? What is even out there?"

​Isaac also stared quietly at Vincent, waiting to hear what he meant by that.

​"Well, yesterday, when I was thinking about how to actually train you, I had an idea. The best way to teach you is through real experience," Vincent said. "And there is no better way to train you guys than throwing you into the wild, outside fighting mutant beasts and surviving."

​"At first, I thought it would be too dangerous since you would be alone, so I threw the idea to the back of my mind. But when Isaac approached me this morning wanting to join you... how could I let you guys down? So, the idea is back on track again," Vincent said, chuckling loudly.

​"That is why I’m late. I was haggling with the Family Head to see if you guys could go, and he finally agreed, I even wanted to add Adam but he seems to be sensitive at that and he should join if he ever heals," he added.

’Are you for real and wanted to add Adam who is sick’ Isaac thought

​"But still... outside?" Ian repeated, still unsure.

​"I figured if you stayed here and practiced by always swinging a sword aimlessly, you wouldn’t make any progress. I kinda saw you training yesterday, and I’m pretty sure you are completely untalented with a sword..." he said, staring at Ian to see if he understood. "So you have to go out into the forest. Maybe, by chance, you will figure out what weapon you are actually talented in."

​"So where exactly are we going to be training, then?" Isaac asked.

​"It’s not training, per se. It is more like adventuring."

​"What?" both boys said almost at the same time.

​"Well, since you will be fighting beasts anyway, why don’t you guys get paid for it?" Vincent said. "There is an Adventurer Guild in Wiltshire town, located in the Wilson Family’s barony. Go there and get registered. After that, you should at least raise your ranks to C-Rank."

​"The way you are saying it, telling us we should get registered... should I assume that you are not coming with us, then?" Isaac asked, narrowing his eyes.

​"I wanted to, but I really can’t," Vincent said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "You see, with Adam’s birthday approaching, I’m kinda busy."

​"Adam’s birthday is in exactly eight days," Isaac pointed out.

​"Yes, so you have eight days. No, make that seven days, since you should arrive back here the day before the party," Vincent said.

​"Seven days to raise our rank all the way to C-Rank? That is kind of harsh, don’t you think?" Isaac said calmly.

​"Don’t look down on yourselves, guys! With your strengths, I know you can easily do it," Vincent said, trying to cheer them up.

​"I’m not looking down on ourselves. I just know Ian can do it. As for me, I’m not at that level of strength yet," Isaac replied.

​"Don’t worry, results are all that matter there. Even if Ian is the one doing all the fighting in your team, your rank will also increase too," Vincent said, already turning to head outside.

​"I think you should get going right now. I prepared everything for you. It is all in the carriage waiting outside for you guys." Just after finishing that sentence, Vincent suddenly dashed out the heavy iron door, leaving them completely alone in the room.

​"Tsk, he just ran away just like that," Isaac said with a sigh. Then he glanced over at Ian on the stone platform, who was murmuring something to himself.

​"I have no talent in the sword... no talent... no talent in the sword..." Ian murmured, staring blankly ahead.

​’For real? Is that what he is still thinking about? It must have hurt his pride that much to be told he has no talent with a sword,’ Isaac thought, looking at Ian with a bit of disbelief.

​"Don’t let what Vincent said get you down, Ian. If you were talented with a sword, you would have become an Aura User a long time ago," Isaac said to Ian bluntly.

​"Sigh... I guess you are right," Ian said, letting out a heavy breath.

​’I am right. I just can’t believe you didn’t think of that yourself,’ Isaac thought internally. ’Did you think you just magically changed into somebody else or something?’

​"We should get going, too. We don’t want to be late and arrive at the town at night," Ian said, shaking off his bad mood and heading towards the door.

​Comberton County - Silverkeep City

​Inside the massive Comberton Family estate in Silverkeep City, a man with brown hair wearing a long robe was walking slowly down the hallway. He was sweating heavily and acted like he really didn’t want to go where he was going at all.

​’The Count’s son was just murdered at the Academy, and nobody knows anything,’ Bellick thought nervously. ’I even used that stupid forbidden time spell to see who could have the guts to do such a stupid thing. But all I saw were those commoners who died with him, bringing him a potion. Tsk, I wasted my lifespan for nothing.’

​Just as he finally arrived at the end of the hall, he didn’t even have to knock. The heavy door suddenly opened all on its own, and he slowly walked inside.

​Inside the room, there was a young man with stark white hair sitting near the large window, wearing a black sleeping gown.

​"Seeing you arrive back this early, it means you did not bring me any good news at all," Count David Comberton said coldly.

​"..." Bellick just stayed completely silent, looking down at the floor. He didn’t say anything. ’He seems not angry at all. This is very different from what I thought. I thought maybe he would go on a bloody rampage.’

​"There is no need for you to make that kind of terrified expression, Bellick," David said with a chilling smile. "Although I’m touched that you are angry that someone killed my son, there is no need for you to show that much emotion for those ’life bags’."

​The moment he said the words ’life bags’, Bellick’s heart skipped a beat. ’I still can’t get used to him calling his own children that word, though.’

​"But still, for someone to have the gall to kill one of my children, they must either be completely insane or just plain stupid," David said, looking out the window and watching two of his other children happily playing outside in the courtyard. "Tell me exactly what happened."

​Bellick then started explaining everything he saw at the Academy through his time spell. He included the moment Preston and his friends entered the room, making sure not to miss a single word.

​"Mmmmm, I see. This will be very troublesome. The real killer used the stupidity of those commoners and killed them all with the Devil’s Cage potion. The killer must have planned this out for a very long time," David said calmly.

​Then he slowly glanced back at Bellick, who was still looking down at his feet. "What did you do with those commoner families that raised such stupid children?" he asked.

​"Derrick and Vanessa went to deal with them, so there is no need for you to be troubled with them at all," Bellick answered quickly.

​"You sent those two to just deal with weak commoners? Isn’t that a bit of an overkill, even for you?" David said, raising a single eyebrow.

​"No, it’s not, my Lord. They have to be made into perfect examples if other commoner families want their children to be involved with yours..." Bellick said, still refusing to look up.

​"They say I’m the vicious one out there in this kingdom, but you..." David paused, chuckling darkly. "...are on another level of being heartless. To kill a whole family, even along with all their relatives and friends."

​’You are putting words in my mouth, my Lord. I didn’t say anything about killing their relatives and friends! Now I am going to have to tell Derrick and Vanessa to actually do it,’ Bellick thought, suppressing a groan.

​"I should get going, my Lord. I didn’t finish the full investigation of that school, and I still need to search the black markets of Suncrown City near the academy. Maybe I can find some clues there."

​"Yeah... yeah," David said, casually waving his hand to dismiss him. "Thank you for finding the time to visit this humble noble." He smiled at him again.

​"Just don’t be too rough and make too much noise in that city. You do know I don’t get along with the other Counts in the kingdom. I just don’t want any extra trouble these days," David added as a final warning.

​"I completely understand, my Lord," Bellick said, bowing deeply.

​’Phew... at least he didn’t violently lash out,’ Bellick thought with immense relief.