Isabe was in a frenzy after being accepted into the First Battalion. She quickly moved on to the hall. When she finally pleted the entry process and received her equipment, the girl noticed that the two boys were no lohere with her.

  She couldn’t find them anywhere in the dormitory of the First Battalion.

  "Were they assigo the Sed Battalion?" she wondered. Oliver was likely, especially since he was nameless, and most still had a lingering prejudice against them.

  "But An? That didn’t make sehe girl pondered. She had seen him being called to receive his battalion, but she couldn't remember whie An had beeo.

  It wasn’t typical for someone affiliated to a House to end up in the Sed Battalion, especially if their evaluations were good.

  While the girl was still mulling over the boys' whereabouts, she reached the front of the First Battalion building. It was east of the isnd, opposite the Sed Battalion's buildings. Its access was limited; only students carrying the First Battalion's insignia could pass through its entrance.

  Looking at the stru, it was much rger than she had imagined. She had heard of others who had e to this base, but still, at first sight, it was impressive. The building appeared to be carved straight from stos walls were white as marble but with a metallic shine. Moreover, the structure reminded her of the Senate building. She wasn’t an Heiress, so she had never seen the Senate from the inside. But it was exactly how she thought it would be.

  The First Battalion would not give the recruits a. Among the notices Isabe received was the news of her introductory css on the very same day. The girl sat in the lobby, waiting for her first css to begin, but she wasn't the only cadet in that lobby.

  Several roups of girls and boys were spread around the room, many of whom knew each other from before the Academy. All the cadets wore an insignia with an ‘I’ on their chests to symbolize the battalion they beloo. However, even with the emblem and uniform, it ossible to notice adors that differentiated the levels among the nobility, frs to even decorated hairstyles among boys and girls.

  Isabe alsnized some students, havihem at rge events among the Houses; however, her House wasn’t as strong on this side of the p. Many saw De Luca as a less important noble house, restricted to food produ ior 55.

  "Be! Hey Be!"

  From across the lobby, a girl waved her arms with all her might to catch Isabe’s attention.

  "Astrid!" Isabe spoke upon notig the girl.

  Also, for the first time, she noticed that almost everyone in the lobby was looking at the two of them. She wasn’t shy, but seeing so many iial people paying attention to her steps intimidated her.

  As she approached Astrid, Isabe finally got a sed look at the girl. Astrid had growhe ten years they had known each other; her red hair was shihan ever, but there were new scars on her fad arms. It was a result of her House's training. The Freya House was known for produg exceptional Rangers, with a training regime that could daunt even the Academy.

  However, Raraining wasn’t a gmorous subject, so it wasn’t one of the most sought-after Houses. Like De Luca House, both had a necessary impa the Empire but without attrag attention from other nobles.

  "Whiitory are you in? I tried to find you yesterday," Isabe said as she tried to pull her friend to the er of the lobby.

  "I think I'm in the north wing; my room is the farthest away." Astrid frowned as she pined about the roements. Little did they know that the Sed Battalio in cramped bunk beds.

  While the two were catg up on how each other was doing and how things were in each House, a otion began to form in the lobby. Several students were still seated in chairs, but most gathered he door.

  Both girls stretched to see what was happening, and after standing on tiptoes, they finally caught sight of it. Among the rows of cadets, one person stood out from the rest. A young man who looked just a few years older than them. However, his cold and rigid gaze gave the impression that he had much more experiehan anyone in that hall. His serious expression surveyed each student in the hall, and with a slight nod, it was the motivatioudents o ehe .

  But not before the girls took a look at his attire. Like the other captains, he wore a standard uniform of the h Army, but his was slightly different. Instead of the dark green of the others, it was bd adorned with gold buttons and an emblem of a lion with eagle wings around it. This was the symbol of the Sehe captain was an Heir.

  The two girls looked at each other; having a teacher like this was rare. The Heir of a House was destio participate in the Senate, one of the Empire's highest political circles. For someone like this to be at the Academy, they would have chosen it rather than being forced, as most Houses’ members were.

  No wohe students quickly began to cluster to ehe . Isabe and Astrid joihe crowd, walking down the long corridor to the . But just before entering, Isabe bumped into a wall.

  "Ouch! Hey!" She noticed she had bumped shoulders with a boy. She felt Astrid pull her arm before she could pin or say anything.

  "Oops, sorry. My friend wasn’t paying attention." Astrid spoke while looking at the boy in front of her, shaking her head apologetically.

  ‘Boy’ was a simplistic way to describe what the two saw, as hardly anyone would guess he was a cadet. Uher nobles, he had a pletely shaved head, with a symbol tattooed on the sides: “41-01.” o him were two other boys with simirly shaved heads and tattoos. But what was most frightening was their size. The height and muscles of the three were unhuman, and their faces, devoid of expression, instilled fear in anyone who crossed their path.

  The boy didn’t spare a sed, returning to face forward and heading to one of the seats.

  "Fuck …" Astrid said quietly as she began to breathe normally again.

  Isabe didn’t know who the boys were, but she had learned from her life among the Houses that many powerful people never appeared in the spotlight, and judging by Astrid’s rea, these were some of them.

  Astrid held one of Isabe's arms, pullio a seat farther ba the room. The two sat side by side, with Isabe looking attentively at her friend, waiting for an expnation about what had just happened.

  "The triplets on steroids. Don’t mess with them; among all the craziest Houses I’ve seen, they’re defihe worst." Astrid began to speak more quietly as she poio two rows ahead. Her face clearly showed the disgust she felt for the boys.

  Isabe had never seen her friend speak about ah such disdain. She had seen others with prejudice against the Nameless, but to another House, it retty rare.

  "Why?" Isabe asked.

  "They’re from House Astor," Astrid answered as if it arent.

  "… and? Should that mean something?" Isabe, still fused, asked once more.

  "What have they been teag ior 55?!" Astrid replied incredulously, trying to trol her tone.

  "Astor is responsible for Human Farms. These things are mass-produced there, and I’m not talking about ing." Astrid tinued expining while avoiding gazing at the boys.

  Isabe’s face went through various emotions as she imagined what a Human Farm could be and what it meant to have sent one of their ‘products’ to participate in the Academy.

  "I-I … imagine," Isabe ented.

  "So listen when I say you won’t want to mess with them. The Astors are so brutal that they make the Orks look cute…" Before she could tinue her sentence, a book hit Astrid squarely in the face.

  "It’s disrespectful not to listen to the professor in css, but beyond that, talking crosses all limits. Lady Freya, pay attention; I’m about to start the introductory css!" The young captain looked seriously at the two girls, who were caught up in their versation and hadn’t noticed a teacher was trying to start his lesson.

  "I’ll start again! I am Captain Scipio from House Sforza, and I will be responsible for the First Battalion. This will be the special introductory css for the First Battalion." The professor started his expnation.

  Scipio turned back to look at the girls. “So, please pay close attention.”

  GCLopes