“Wait! What do you mean by that?" Ethan said as he ran before his sister, prompting her to suddenly stop.

  He looked her up and down yet saw no jest in her expression. She was perfectly serious. However, the mere thought of someone like him being ordered to the front lines was outrageous. While he had been trained somewhat in the way of the sword, compared to those who could wield magic through their spirits, it was inconsequential on the battlefield.

  Seeing his distraught expression, Gloria couldn't help but chuckle, which only exacerbated Ethan's confusion. He almost felt like walking away, seeking a path that might enable him to avoid such an outcome. However, Gloria's words stopped him before he did so.

  “Relax. It’s not what you think,” she said. “While the Dean wants you as far away from the Academy until the rumours die down and the investigation is concluded, she wouldn’t send a mere librarian to fight on the front lines. Despite what Father may say, you are still a Lancaster, and she took this into consideration.”

  While this did alleviate some of his fears, Ethan couldn't help but find this whole thing convoluted. If they merely wanted him to lay low, he could simply hide away within the Endless Library. With its scale, if he intended not to be found, then only one entity could truly discover him.

  Gloria could see the frown on his face yet chose to ignore it. Instead, she resumed her walk toward the depths of the Academy, followed shortly after by Ethan. He knew the path well, as it led to the main entrance to the Endless Library.

  “What will I be tasked to do?” Ethan finally asked after putting his thoughts in order.

  "Let's start at the beginning," she said before explaining the reasons for this expedition.

  She spoke of the increase in activity near the Devil's Horns and the failure of the nearby garrison to keep it in check. She also spoke of the perceived threat of the other nations bordering the Imperium awaiting a single act of weakness to begin their invasion.

  Ethan had read many books in the Endless Library and was fully aware of the Imperium's history of conquest. This had left a legacy of fear in the nearby nations, prompting a coalition to rise numerous times to keep them in check.

  Those coalitions rose and fell as the Imperium expanded its border, resulting in abundant resentment in the defeated parties. Even worse was the method they used to subdue these people.

  At the time, led by the First Emperor's ambition, the Imperium took pragmatic but short-term measures to pacify the defeated nations and bring them to the fold. Back then, the Imperium was newly born and weak, surrounded on all sides by more ancient and established nations. To compete, the Imperium became militaristic, focusing on power but mostly magic as its foundation.

  While the First Emperor's goal was to build a strong nation that could stand against the giant that surrounded it, he was deemed a warmonger by future generations. It didn't help that conquered nations were forcefully squashed, their own cultures erased, to better integrate them into the fold. Even now, after over a thousand years, many do not remember that their ancestors once battled against the Imperium.

  Looking back on it, this policy was right for the time, yet some people never forgot. They let that resentment flourish over many generations, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to let it all erupt and consume the Imperium whole. And, the time was almost upon them.

  For generations now, the Imperium had been on a slow decline. They basked in the sweet nectar of victory for much too long that they had forgotten the urgency these large nations of yore had once given them. They had become complacent. Even now, many within the populace didn't believe that the Imperium could ever fall. They thought it was forever.

  However, Ethan wasn't that naive. While the Imperium had survived more than a millennium, and many nations that once opposed it were already long gone, this was but a speck of dust against the endless flow of history. Compared to the entire length of time humans have existed, the length of the Imperium's existence wouldn't even be a percent. They were all insignificant.

  "So what's my role in all this?" Ethan asked, bored of the long and tedious explanation of what he was already vaguely aware of. Even if some things were novel, he didn't possess much interest as it seemingly had nothing to do with him.

  "You'll be going there for support," Gloria said dismissively. "This expedition is meant as a test—at test for the soon-to-be graduates, but also the Academy itself. The Archon wishes to know if the Academy's teaching style is a boon to the Nation's military or a waste of resources. The results of this experiment might even affect the Academy's future funding."

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “The Emperor authorized this?” Ethan asked, bewildered.

  From what he remembered, every Emperor had always been wary of the power wielded by the Magisters, but the Archon in particular. As a neutral party, the Academy had always been seen as a way to balance the two authorities.

  Each Emperor granted the Academy autonomy of its land within the Capital, and in exchange, the Academy would support the crown against the encroachment of the Magistrate. While any system had its flaws, this had worked thus far, yet now it seemed the current Emperor had some doubts as to the Academy's allegiance.

  I don’t blame him, Ethan thought. For generations, those who walked these halls—be it the students or the faculty—have always been mages. It wouldn't be a stretch to believe they might lean toward the Magistrate. The only thing holding this fragile balance is the Dean's overt aversion against the Archon. I can't even imagine what would happen if she were to ever disappear.

  The mere thought brought a shiver to Ethan's back. Even as one of the Lancasters, the thought of someone whose presence kept the power balance in check felt almost unreal.

  It's a wonder how this nation managed to last this long, Ethan thought as he shook his head, but then he was quickly brought back to reality, and one thing his sister had mentioned remained stuck in his mind.

  “What do you mean ‘support?’ Am I going there as mental support, or what? Do I just cheer for them on the sideline?” he said with a deep frown, yet Gloria couldn’t help but roll her eyes, noticing the dumb smile creeping on his lips.

  Without much of a warning, she slapped the back of his head using an open hand, and although she didn’t use much force, Ethan still felt as if his eyes threatened to fly out of his orbits. He felt a sharp pain on the bone as the wave of the strike travelled through his skull, but it lasted just a mere moment before being replaced with a dull ache that lingered for much longer. Despite it all, Ethan didn’t regret letting those words escape his mouth.

  Seeing their interaction from the side, Amelia couldn't help but laugh. A giggle escaped her mouth, but she caught herself quickly. Just as Gloria turned to face her with a slight frown, Amelia had already turned to face ahead.

  At first glance, there seemed to be no expression on her face, yet Gloria could clearly see the vestige of a smile creeping back up on her lips as she desperately tried to end it. Gloria sighed as she turned back toward Ethan, only for Amelia to finally liberate her restricted breath.

  “You fool, do you think an army marches on hopes and dreams?" Gloria scoffed. "The Dean wants someone reliable in charge of logistics. Aren't you supposed to be good with numbers?"

  "An army? These spoiled children?" Ethan exclaimed, eyes wide open. "I've seen dogs be smarter and more disciplined than they are. Are you sure the Archon doesn't just want to rid herself of potential competition?"

  "And, how are you better than them?" his sister said as she stopped her strides, looking him dead in the eyes. Ethan could feel his legs grow slightly weak, yet he didn't back down, sustaining her stare as she added, "Weren't you the one that disappeared for over two weeks, only to be found passed out on the forest floor? I didn't even want to ask as I want to respect your privacy, but this involves more than just you and me. What were you even doing at that time?"

  This was the moment he dreaded most. Despite thinking of many possible scenarios, nothing convincing had come to mind. All of it seemed like mere excuses were they to come out of his mouth. He could barely keep his hands from shaking and he felt a large mass stuck in his throat as his mouth became slightly dry, but despite it all, Ethan didn’t avert his gaze, merely looking deep into his sister’s eyes filled with boundless confidence.

  The world remained still as Gloria waited for an answer, yet Ethan had none to give. He couldn't very well come out and admit what he had been up to, and out of respect for the only one in his family who still thought of him, he couldn't lie to her, however much he wanted to. Besides, he knew she would see through any lies he tried to spin and, therefore, chose silence as the best course of action.

  Amelia remained to the side, suddenly interested in the various characters and historical moments carved into the stone of a large pillar rising to the ceiling. It depicted a scene that happened so long ago that almost no records of it still existed, and those that remained were written in a language long dead. Many such vestiges could still be found throughout the Academy, yet none who remained knew the full extent of their significance.

  As for Gloria, she waited patiently, but even her patience was limited. This was a game of attrition against a man she knew would fold sooner or later. However, for the first time in maybe his entire life, Ethan had chosen to stand up to her, and this fact couldn't help but make her slightly proud, but also frustrated, and maybe also a little sad. However, her expression betrayed none of it. She remained as stoic as always, never showing weakness, but she chose to relent, this time only.

  "Forget it," she said as she resumed her walk. "As for your post, you'll be tasked with overseeing inventory and logistics for this campaign. Anything the soldiers require will be yours to acquire; you'll have two weeks to prepare."

  "That's not nearly enough!" Ethan exclaimed as many problems popped into his head.

  "It's good to know you're not thinking of refusing and that you seriously considered it," Gloria replied with a devious smile.

  “Of course, I never had a choice,” Ethan said, resigned to his fate. “This is sanctioned by the army, right? We all know the punishment for desertion...”

  “Indeed,” Gloria laughed. “But don't worry. Do you really think the Academy would thrust such a responsibility on a mere apprentice librarian? The Academy already has its own supply chain. Your job is only akin to liaison to the front lines."

  "So, I need to ensure the pampered lords and ladies aren't lacking anything? A glorified babysitter, you mean..."

  "No. That would be my job," Gloria said, yet her tone did not suggest she was joking. In fact, she seemed dead serious. Ethan couldn't help but be taken aback as he began to stare at his sister, mouth slightly agape.

  “Did I forget to tell you?” she added as she turned to face him just as she reached the majestic decorated double door that led to the Endless Library. “I’m the one tasked with supervising this operation. Glad to be working with you, Quartermaster Lancaster.”

  The last thing Ethan saw was the slight mischievous smile on his sister's lips as she pushed open the door and disappeared beyond the blackness of its threshold.