The news of Ralth beating the Snake Gang quickly spread throughout the airship like wildfire, traveling from cabin to cabin, whispered in hallways, and discussed over meals. The metal corridors buzzed with excitement as apprentices gathered in small groups, their voices animated as they shared what they had heard.
"Did you hear? Someone finally dealt with the bastard Rayliegh and his filthy gang!" a young apprentice with curly brown hair exclaimed to his friends as they sat huddled in a corner of the dining hall.
"Good riddance," another replied, sipping from a metal cup. "Thankfully, they'll no longer be a problem to us."
After hearing the news, the apprentices talked about it constantly. Most of them were happy that Rayliegh was dealt with. The bullying and harassment had affected many of them, creating an atmosphere of fear aboard the airship. The girls who had been violated by Rayliegh gathered in their shared quarters, their faces bright with relief.
"I can finally walk to the bathroom without looking over my shoulder," one said, her voice trembling slightly.
"We should celebrate tonight," another suggested, and they broke into cheers that echoed down the metal hallway.
But none of this had anything to do with Ralth. The commotion and celebration were distant concerns to him, like rain falling on a roof high above his head. Only power mattered to him.
Ralth was sitting in room 225 at this time, a small chamber with just enough space for a bed, a desk, and two stools. The walls were bare except for a small round window that showed the clouds outside. The room felt cool and damp from the high altitude. Ralth was recovering his Mana while leisurely looking at the nobles in front of him. He could feel the Mana slowly filling him up again, like water filling a cup.
"Would you like to introduce yourselves, friends?" Ralth asked calmly, his voice steady and un-intimidated despite being surrounded by nobles of great stature. He sat on the wooden stool, his back straight, his hands resting on his knees, curious what the nobles wanted from him.
Charlotte stood nervously beside him, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. She kept glancing between Ralth and the nobles, clearly amazed that these important people were standing in this tiny room they shared.
Ralth was of humble origin and did not know how anything about the nobles in the kingdom (with the exception of Baron Gessian), nor did he know how to tell one noble family from another. Their fancy clothes and confident postures all looked the same to him. But Charlotte knew all of them by heart. Her father had made sure she memorized the noble families, their crests, their lands, and their importance.
The people in front of him were all descendants of the great nobles of the Relves Kingdom. Under normal circumstances, even Charlotte's father, a wealthy merchant, would have had to pay a huge price just to see them, let alone speak with them directly. These were people who could change the fate of towns and villages with a simple order.
"Let me go first," a voice broke the silence.
A tall, handsome blond man stepped forward and sat down opposite Ralth. His hair was the color of wheat fields in summer, and his blue eyes were clear and sharp. His clothes were simple but made of material so fine that it seemed to flow like water when he moved. A small silver pin in the shape of a hawk held his cloak at his shoulder.
"My name is Kevran Eltor, and I'm here to invite you, Ralth, to join our alliance," he said with a smile that seemed well practiced but also very sincere at the same time.
"The Eltor family!" Charlotte exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. Her voice came out higher than she intended, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, embarrassed by her outburst.
The Eltor family was the most prominent aristocratic family in the Relves Kingdom. Everyone knew their name and their power. The family's direct fiefdoms and the territories of its vassals accounted for a quarter of the Relves Kingdom. Their banner flew over countless castles, towns, and farms. Their soldiers were the best equipped in the land, and their treasury was said to be a bottomless pit.
Among the people, the history of the Eltor family rising from small traders to great nobles was something that countless merchants yearned for. It was a story told to ambitious children: how, generations ago, a clever trader had saved the king's life and been rewarded with land and title. Through smart marriages, good investments, and loyal service to the crown, the family had risen higher and higher until they stood just below the royal family itself.
Ralth held his chin and thought calmly, "It seems this guy is an important person."
His tone was even, showing neither excitement nor awe. To him, these nobles were just other passengers on the airship. No matter how powerful the Eltor family was, they were only powerful in the Relves Kingdom. On this airship sailing through the clouds, there was no distinction between high and low, only strong and weak, life and death.
Passing the exam meant life, failing meant death. The nobles' gold and land would not help them against a monster's claws or a rival's spell.
Kevran was not surprised by Charlotte's reaction—he had seen it many times before when people recognized his family name. But he was a little surprised by Ralth's indifference. Most commoners would be falling over themselves to please him, but this apprentice looked at him with calm, steady eyes.
Judging from Ralth's reaction, his noble status and his prominent family were of little use here. The rules of the world below did not apply in the clouds.
This gave Kevran a headache, but he also felt more admiration in his heart. He respected those who saw could so quickly adjust their mindset to one of a Magus. Not everyone could quickly change the mindset they had had for their entire life up to this point. Someone who could become a Magus apprentice so quickly must be extraordinary, able to adapt to new realities.
After thinking for a moment, Kevran decided to show a bit of weakness first. It was a tactic he had rarely ever needed to use, but he sensed that pride would get him nowhere with Ralth.
"Compared to the Magi, the Eltor family is just a group of mortals with a little bit of power," he admitted, spreading his hands in a gesture of honesty.
Ralth smiled. It seemed that Kevran was a sensible man who understood the new world they were entering. A world where the power of one's magic, not noble blood, determined one's worth.
"So Master Kevran, how strong is your organization? What position can I have in your organization? What benefits can I get from your organization?" Ralth asked directly.
Ralth had no interest in engaging in verbal battles with the nobles, no patience for the dance of words and hints that the upper classes used. His questions went straight to the point, addressing the key to any potential cooperation. He wanted facts, not flattery.
This directness made Kevran, who was used to negotiating with nobility through hints and subtle suggestions, at a loss for how to respond for a moment. In noble circles, such bluntness would be considered rude, but Kevran was smart enough to adapt.
"This...I think..hmm" Kevran hesitated, his brain working rapidly, trying to articulate the answer in an organized manner that would impress Ralth without revealing too much.
But due to this brief delay, someone answered for him.
"Peas—Ralth, I think you should take a longer-term view," a voice interrupted from behind Kevran.
Behind Kevran, a red-haired noble suddenly spoke up. He had been standing with the others, but now he pushed forward, eager to be heard.
The red-haired nobleman was stout with a greasy face and small eyes that darted around the room. His clothes were fine but too tight, straining against his belly. Although he tried to speak in a gentle manner, smoothing his words with practiced charm, he could not hide his aristocratic stench at all—it was obvious he looked down on Ralth from the bottom of his heart. His smile didn't reach his eyes, which remained cold and calculating.
"Joining us is an opportunity for you. Our organization is full of nobles, you would have the chance to mingle with the upper class, leaving your lower life behind" the fat red-haired man said proudly, puffing out his chest. His hands gestured grandly, as if presenting Ralth with a great gift. "As long as you join us, you could even become a member of the nobility if you work hard enough."
As soon as the fat man said this, Kevran knew that things were going to go wrong. He winced slightly, a small movement that only someone watching closely would notice. He shot a warning glance at the red-haired noble, but the damage was already done.
Would a man who didn't even care about the Eltor family care about a noble status that would be useless in the future? Kevran thought. I'm afraid that even if they promised him a dukedom, he would refuse it without hesitation. This wasn't about titles; it was about survival.
Sure enough, after hearing what the fat man said, Ralth immediately burst into laughter. It wasn't a polite chuckle but a full, hearty laugh that filled the small room.
"Hahahaha, Kevran, did you hear that? Your follower offered me a noble title, a freaking noble title." Ralth said through his laughter, wiping a tear from his eye.
Ralth looked at the group of nobles behind Kevran with sarcasm. Although these people looked peaceful on the surface, with their fine clothes and practiced smiles, they could not hide the disgust they had for him deep in their bones. He could see it in the way their eyes never quite met his, in the slight tension in their postures, as if they might be contaminated by standing too close to him.
On the contrary, Kevran, who came from the most prominent family,had really humbled himself and sincerely tried to recruit him into the group. That, at least, seemed genuine.
"I have to say one thing. I come from the great Ribyh family. The Eltor family doesn't have the power to make me be Kevran's follower," the fat red-haired man explained with a serious face, as if this was a very important matter that Ralth should understand.