The following morning, Alan and his companions found themselves in the classroom for
"History of Relic Castle."
Their instructor, Master Reiner, appeared youthful compared to other Masters, with a radiant glow that hinted at his prime years. His blonde hair added to his vibrant appearance, while his light spectacles lent an air of intelligence as he clumsily arranged his stack of binders on the teacher's platform.
As was customary in every classroom, the wall behind the platform featured a distinctive etching of the exterior structure of Relic Castle, with some windows magnified and other details sketched in caricature. With a resounding thud, Master Reiner placed his binder on the platform and began addressing the class.
"So I hope all pupils of Luna and Solis are present here. Let me start with my introduction, I am Master Reiner Holdhearth, and I will be teaching you about every aspect of the Relic Castle," announced Master Reiner as he began his lecture.
Alan attentively absorbed the information etched on the wall, depicting a caricature of Relic Castle.
"Without further ado," Master Reiner continued, using a nearby stool to reach a better height. He opened the first binder from the stack and adjusted his glasses before delving into the topic.
"Relic Castle, as the legend goes, came into existence just after the disappearance of King Roiran and his mighty castle. According to belief, Relic Castle houses different types of monsters and unlimited resources, some of which possess almost magical properties, such as healing potions and hysteria flowers."
As Master Reiner flipped through the pages of his binder, Alan scribbled furiously, surprising his friends and drawing the attention of others in the class.
Alan recognized that unraveling the mysteries of Pompeii required understanding the secrets held within the Relic Castle. With determination, he continued taking notes as Master Reiner elaborated on the subject.
"At the same time when the Elders were experimenting with Marks, the Elites of Pompeii organized survey parties tasked with uncovering the secrets of the towering mystery at the heart of Pompeii," Master Reiner explained. "However, only a few returned from these initial expeditions, and those who did return had their sanity torn away from them. It was then that the Elites decided to train individuals with powerful marks, both mentally and physically, for expeditions into the Relic Castle."
Master Reiner paused briefly before continuing, "This decision proved beneficial, as the return rate of researchers increased. They brought back valuable knowledge of the castle's unique ecosystem, its having own sun and multiple moons, and creatures unlike any seen before. Most importantly, they returned with treasure and promises of even more within the Relic Castle."
"This gave rise to a new occupation: Raiders. To support this endeavor, the Elites established academies and training institutions, including our very own Chronos Wielder's Academy, the second such institution in all of Pompeii, established shortly after the Roiran Church School.
The knowledge acquired from the early Raiders came to us in the form of words, experiences, and poorly drawn sketches of the environment and creatures within the Relic Castle. Unfortunately, skilled artists sent inside either never returned or lost their connection with humanity. As a result, we rely on detailed explanations and accounts from the skillful high-class Raiders.
We will briefly discuss these accounts today and delve deeper into them in future classes," Master Reiner concluded as he closed the first binder and reached for the second, ready to continue the lesson.
"From what we've just discussed, we lack any interior map of the Relic Castle," Master Reiner explained, capturing the attention of every pupil.
"Most Raiders rely on passed information or instinct to find the gate leading to the next floor. According to early Raider descriptions, the castle is at least 100 floors high, with each floor almost as vast as a small town. They contain rare resources and treasures, guarded by otherworldly creatures."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before continuing.
"Legend has it that whoever reaches the hundredth floor and defeats the otherworldly creature residing there will be granted immortality."
The mention of this legend sparked fascination in the eyes of every pupil, prompting Master Reiner to smile knowingly. "This aspiration is one of the biggest reasons why almost every individual in Pompeii aspires to become the best Raider possible, in hopes of reaching the 100th floor and having their wish granted."
Master Reiner closed the second binder and moved on to the third, delving deeper into the mysteries of the Relic Castle.
"If we talk about the environment inside the Relic Castle, it's one of the biggest enigmas to us," he explained. "Each floor holds different terrain, environment, atmosphere, and water cycles. It's as magical as it comes."
Alan's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of the mystical environments of the Relic Castle. His hand moved faster as he scribbled down every word from Master Reiner's mouth, the rush of curiosity almost transporting him back to his training days.
"Each floor of the Relic Castle boasts different types of monuments and structures, unlike anything seen in Pompeii," Master Reiner continued. "Raiders claim that the aura and structure of these monuments exude divinity."
"And as if that wasn't enough," Master Reiner added with a hint of wonder, "higher floors even have their own suns and moons, some with multiple in a single sky, further adding to the mysticism of the Relic Castle."
Master Reiner closed the present binder and began flipping through the pages of the binder below as he continued his lecture.
"When we talk about creatures, there are many different types that reside in the Relic Castle," he explained.
"At the lower floors, you'll encounter weaker creatures such as fairies and imps, which are more mischievous than dangerous. However, as you ascend the floors, the creatures become increasingly sturdy and ferocious. Once you reach a decade of floors, a giant lord of monsters guards the gate towards the next set of floors. Upon defeating this lord, they reveal the treasure they were guarding. With each ascending floor, the worth and value of these treasures increase."
"As you all know, the Crimson Army of our institution has successfully slain the lord of the monsters at floor forty, thus advancing to the next level," Master Reiner continued.
"I will provide you with a booklet containing a list of identified monsters and lords after class. You can use this for further study of the Relic Castle."
Finishing his discussion, Master Reiner moved on to the last binder, his voice tinged with tiredness but still filled with enthusiasm.
"And lastly, we come to the windows," he began, addressing the curious students before him.
"As you may have noticed, after certain intervals of height, there are windows in the Relic Castle. Some of them even emit waterfall, mist or smog. According to reports from Raiders, these windows begin appearing from level 11. After every decade of floors, every first floor after those contains a window, totaling to 9. However, many of these windows remain untouched by Raiders, with only four discovered thus far."
"But what's truly fascinating about these windows is that, regardless of the height you climb, nobody has been able to see or enter through them," Master Reiner explained, his tone becoming more animated.
"There seems to be some form of barrier surrounding these windows, protecting them from foreign interference. Raiders have capitalized on this phenomenon, utilizing the windows to send information and treasures without the need to descend from the castle and continue their expeditions."
—-thuomphhhh——
The piercing interval horn resonated once more throughout the Academy, signaling the end of the class. Master Reiner, before descending from the stool, addressed the students, "Here," he placed a stack of booklets on his platform.
"Please take one of these booklets. As I mentioned earlier, they contain additional information on the topics we discussed today. They can help you further understand the subject if you wish to expand your knowledge after class."
With that, Master Reiner collected his binder and clumsily made his way out of the class, followed by the other students. As they exited the classroom, Alan examined the booklet provided by Master Reiner, holding it alongside his notes with a mild smile and curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
Aurelia jumped in front of him, peering down at his notes, and remarked, "Oh, look at that! Alan writes like a scholar."
Hearing Aurelia's comment, Armis glanced at Alan's notes and added,
"Yes, you're right. Alan has nice handwriting."
"I try to write my notes cleanly," Alan replied modestly. "You never know when the information might come in handy."
Aurelia teased Alan, "Well, I guess we all know who's going to enjoy sessions with Master Reiner!"
With a playful smile, Aurelia headed towards the Food Hall, Lyco, already waiting impatiently, complained loudly,
"Hurry up already, I'm starving!"
"Yeah, yeah, you glutton!" Armis laughed, joining Lyco as he called out to Alan. "Come on, Alan!"
Still absorbed in his notes and eager to absorb as much information as possible, Alan increased his pace, following the group toward the Food Hall.
In the Food Hall, Alan was engrossed in reading the booklet given by Master Reiner, fascinated by the descriptions of monsters and environments within it.
Some of them he recognized from his survey missions in other parts of the world, where he had come across cultural and folklore documents. Although different to some degree, there were similarities in the descriptions. Lost in thought, Alan pondered a question about whether any of his friends had ever seen a monster themselves. Glancing at Armis, Aurelia, and Lyco, who were deep in conversation while eating, Alan decided to pose the question aloud.
"A question if you guys don't mind," Alan asked.
"Sure, Alan, ask away," Armis encouraged.
"Has any of you seen any monsters with your own eyes?"
For a moment, Armis, Aurelia, and Lyco exchanged blank stares, as if contemplating each other's answers. Then Aurelia shook her head, followed by Lyco, and finally, Armis lowered his gaze and spoke up.
"I have…"
"Really?!" Lyco and Aurelia reacted simultaneously.
"Would you mind sharing it with me, Armis?" Alan followed up with a gaze filled with piqued curiosity.
"Yeah, why not. It was ab—"
"Hey, they're having a duel in the Arena!"
Before Armis could finish his sentence, a voice echoed in the Food Hall from the entrance. Alan and the others turned to see a crowd of students running somewhere.
Noticing the commotion, Aurelia exclaimed, "Hey, look, I think someone is having a duel! Let's go watch."
Without waiting for their friends, Aurelia and Lyco dashed out of the Food Hall, leaving their plates behind and disappearing into the crowd.
Alan looked at Armis, who paused mid-sentence, with a disappointed yet amused smile. "I guess my question can wait…"
Before following Aurelia and Lyco toward the arena with Armis.
Alan and Armis pushed through the tightly packed crowd, the atmosphere reminiscent of The Physical Trials. Eventually, they reached Aurelia and Lyco, who were jumping with excitement.
"Yeah! Send him flying!" Aurelia cheered, caught up in the intensity of the duel.
Alan stood beside her, his eyes fixed on the spectacle unfolding before them. As Armis joined the group, they witnessed two students in the black uniforms of the academy locked in combat.
One, a tall and bulky figure with blood dripping from a wound on his head, knelt on the ground, preparing to rise. His opponent, a frizzy-haired guy with an average build but a determined expression, charged at him with a red bandana tied around his head.
The frizzy-haired student wasted no time in launching a relentless assault on his adversary. With a surge of adrenaline, he swung his heavy iron staff, sending the bulky student flying into the wall with a resounding crash. The crowd erupted into cheers as the victorious student stood triumphantly over his fallen opponent.
The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting "Marion! Marion! Marion!" in unison as the victorious combatant emerged triumphant. Marion approached his defeated opponent and, placing his foot on the man's face, delivered a decisive blow.
"Stay away from my woman," Marion declared sternly before landing a forceful kick, emphasizing his point with a resounding, "You got it?!"
Observing the spectacle, Alan turned to the excited Aurelia, his curiosity piqued.
"What was this duel about?"
Aurelia's voice brimmed with enthusiasm as she explained, her gaze shifting from Alan to Marion, who emerged from the arena with his arm around a beautiful girl.
"The bald guy dared to hit on Marion's girl. When Marion intervened, the bald guy challenged him for her affection, and Marion absolutely trashed him!"
Alan's curiosity piqued as he observed Marion basking in the adulation of the crowd before leaving the arena. Turning to his friends with a puzzled expression, he inquired,
"So, are they allowed to fight like that on Academy grounds?"
"Absolutely," Lyco chimed in with a lengthy explanation.
"It's one of the privileges granted by our institution. The Chronos Wielders Academy follows the early rules set by the Elders of Pompeii, who believed that strength dictated ownership. Here, anyone can challenge another for anything. If the challenge is accepted and you emerge victorious, your opponent is bound by the laws of the Church of Roiran."
As Lyco finished his explanation, Alan's mind buzzed with curiosity about the ancient rules dictated by the elders. He couldn't resist muttering to himself as he caught sight of Morian disappearing into the corridor, his silhouette briefly outlined by Leo's presence. "Early Rules... say, who is this Morian?"
Aurelia, seizing the opportunity, leaped onto Alan's back, her arms draped around him as she answered his question.
"Oh, you don't know about Morian? He's none other than the champion of last year's Founding Festival."
Before Alan could respond, he pondered aloud, "So, does that mean he's a qualified Raider?"
Aurelia nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah! But he's back for this year's festival."
Alan found her response intriguing, but his attention was diverted when he noticed Armis's halfway sad and frustrated reaction to Aurelia's excitement over Marion.
Armis took a step forward, leaving the group behind as he called out,
"Hey! Alan, come on! It's almost time for our next class."
Amused by Armis's childlike behavior, Alan chuckled and replied, "Yeah, you're right."
He followed the group towards their classroom, the gate of which was etched with the words "Art of Raiding."