Extra's Guide to Surviving a Dark Fantasy World-Chapter 69: The Talk-1

"They are building a new campus and a new city in the middle of the occupied ground in the Wailing Hollows. From there, students will go on to support the main forces from the background." Uncle Mordek spoke in a low voice.

"I have heard a lot of things about the new curriculum son, I don’t have all the details but from what I have heard, it’s... brutal." He continued.

"Not only are they putting the children in the center of a war zone, they are also going to put them through hell so they can act as useful assets."

This... I had no idea how to reply to this; Uncle Mordek had always had a high tolerance for such things. If even he was saying it was brutal, then..."

"How are they even recruiting students if things are this bad?" I couldn’t help but ask.

Uncle Mordek chuckled. "Believe it or not, admissions rates have never been this high, especially among the noble houses."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, for one, they have reduced the admission criteria threshold from the third stage of body refinement to only the second stage of body refinement."

"Second, participating in the initiative while studying in the academy at the same time isn’t without its merit. Once they graduate, every student’s personal record and scores combined with their contribution would be counted to give them a straight promotion in the alliance’s military."

"Alliance’s military structure has often regarded itself as a neutral organization, always staying away from the matter of noble houses, even going so far as to avoid recruiting the scions of noble houses. This, however, initiative has provided nobility the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the military as the higher-ranking officers. Your sister is participating for the same reason as well."

Hearing about Ashe, I couldn’t help but shift my seat uncomfortably. Yeah, right, she was going to be there as well.

"Uncle, I understand your concern, but... I still want to go." The entire thing honestly seemed horrible by the way Uncle was describing it, but I still had to go. Even though the plot had heavily derailed from the original, there was a good chance that the protagonist was still going to be there.

Listening to my answer, Uncle Mordek let out a heavy sigh. "You don’t understand the complete picture, son, the academy... it is dangerous for normal students, yes. But for you-"

"There are going to be people in there, dangerous people who are going to aim for anything with Valdrin blood running through their veins. Normally, it isn’t a big deal since you also have Valdrin’s surname protecting you. Except you don’t have it anymore."

"People are going to come after me?" I asked, confused.

Uncle Mordek nodded somberly.

"Think about it, son, once the military is finished with their business, who do you think is going to take control over this new land?"

I suddenly paused as I heard him. That was a great question; why hadn’t I thought of that?

"Wailing Hollows share a border with House Valdrin and House Serenth territories," I spoke, a wave of realization washing over my mind.

Is that also why he was here? I looked at my Uncle.

"So what you are saying is that the academy is going to act as a battleground for House Valdrin and House Serenth? And I would most likely get caught up in it without House Valdrin trying to back me up?"

Uncle Mordek nodded with a heavy gaze.

"You should already know it, but I can’t protect you from their son. Even letting you stay here with me is a big problem. If I support you anymore, then it would seem like I am directly disrespecting your father, the head of House Valdrin’s wishes."

Damn it, this was a problem. I internally cursed while analyzing the situation as deeply as I could.

I wasn’t worried because House Valdrin was going to fight against House Serenth or that I was going to end up in the middle of it. I was worried because I knew who the House Serenth representative was going to be in the academy.

Seylith Serenth, the first prince of House Serenth, was perhaps the most dangerous guy I had read about in the ’Echoes of Fallen.’ That guy was a straight-up psychopath, the kind who would kill an entire litter of puppies and then joke about it in front of his friends.

Even though I possibly had one of the strongest bloodlines in the entire world, I was still only at the first stage of body refinement, the second stage if we count on my ascending.

That guy, if I remember correctly, was already at the first stage of Essence Gathering, a whole major realm above me.

My original plan had been to avoid and stay away from the guy until I acquired enough strength, and sure, I might have some ways to deal with him but if he was going to start gunning for me since the very start...

I closed my eyes and immediately took a breath. Once I was done, I looked straight into my uncle’s eyes. "I still want to go, uncle."

Uncle Mordek sighed. "And what if it told you your fiancé was going to be there?"

I raised my eyes in surprise.

"That’s right. I got the news just this morning, but it seems like they found Aria Nyrith in the Wastes last night, which is not too far away from where I found you, actually." He narrowed his eyes.

"She is most likely to attend the academy as well. If I remember correctly, that girl couldn’t stand the sight of you, even before that incident. What do you think she will do when she finds you sitting beside her in her classroom without the help of your House? You know how crafty that girl is; she will bury you in some ditch, and no one would be the wiser."

"Wha- why are you trying to scare me so bad? Since the start of the conversation... it’s like you don’t want me to attend the academy."