Walking to the academy buildings , Elesa noticed that John is the only one without a Horse carriage, so she suggested to him.
Elesa: hey master, If you want, I could get you a Horse carriage better than the other's, just give me the word and I'll…
John: no, This will draw attention to us, which I don't want, at least not yet.
While walking, John remembered something very important.
John: Elesa, I almost forgot, but do you have a way to pay for the study expenses?
Elesa: oh, what is that? Is my poor master asking me for money?
She said in a sarcastic tone, while John looked a little annoyed.
John: if you don't have the money just say that.
Elesa: I do have the money, and I will not hesitate on helping my master.
Elesa then summons a bag of gold coins with her black magic, John looks annoyed that the furry creature sitting on his shoulder is richer than him.
Elesa: here you go master, and Don't forget my favor to you.
John:(now I'm regretting asking her for money)
At the academy's payment office, The girl in charge of receiving the money looked surprised by the amount of gold coins she saw, John thought that the money wasn't enough.
John: is there something wrong? If the money isn't enough I can get more.
The girl in charge: no no no.no!!! It's not that, it's just this money is more than enough to cover all your study years in the academy, I just can't find how to get you anything for the rest of it... hmmm, how about I give you the Key to the deluxe room in the student dormitory?
John: hmmm, I don't see a problem with that, I'll take it.
The girl in charge: great, I'll go to get you the keys, just wait for a moment.
After a few minutes, the girl in charge came back with a little box that looks precious, when she opened it, a golden key seems to be inside, the girl in charge gave John the key and wished for him to enjoy it.
Next, John had to attend the new student welcome party, As he walked through the hallways, something caught John's eyes, a girl with a long silver hair and golden dead eyes, when he walked beside her elesa asked.
Elesa: master did you see that?
John: I know, I've already noticed, Life seems to have disappeared from her eyes.
Elesa: do you want to do something about that?
John: I won't help anyone If it's not useful for me.
In the hall where the welcoming party was, for John it was exactly like his first time as Leon, it was just the principal talking and welcoming the new students, but there's something different from his last time.
When the principal Thorne ended his speech is the point where John remembered, the principal said that he is welcoming the students From the scholarship batch for poor families.
Principal Thorne: and in the end I'd like to welcome for the scholarship of the poor families students, it's an honor to have you all here.
John:(no something is wrong, when did this place turned it's face for the poor children? You can hide it from the others but not from me, even if it's for a second I saw that look on his face, it's the same look he gave to me when I came here as Leon, something is not right about that "scholarship for the poor families" and I think I found a place to start my revenge from)
After that, John and elesa Headed back to the Student dormitory, he got shocked when he saw the room that girl in charge gave him.
John: wow this room is really big, it even has its own bathroom, it's way better than my old room, hey did you hear me? Elesa?
Elesa got her eyes on something beautiful From her perspective,A luxurious bed made from feathers of the endangered Conma bird, elesa quickly jumped on the bed with a happy and relaxed expression on her cat face.
Elesa: is this haven? A luxurious bed made from feathers of the endangered Conma bird, It's like sleeping on a cloud.
John: I think you're overreacting. It looks like a normal bed to me, but it's bigger.
Elesa: You're just a superficial person. Sometimes you have to see things from a different perspective.
John: you mean as a cat?
Elesa: especially as a cat.
John lets out a sigh, ignoring elesa who was laying happily on the bed.
At night, John started reading an explanatory brochure about the grant.
John:(This booklet seems normal, but there's one part that caught my attention, it's About ready-made works for scholarship students, for others it seems like a good deal, sending their children To study in a reputable academy at a low price, but I know what kind of man principal Thorne is, he wouldn't give a good deal like this without a price, there's a bad smell coming out of it and I'll need more time and evidence to know what is going on under this thing called a grant, for now I should Play it safe and move in the shadows).
[In the next morning]
John started preparing for his first class of the year as John shon, while Elesa was sleeping on the bed in her cat form.
John: wake up elesa, we're going to be late.
Elesa: mmhhm, it's your class, so what does it have to do with me?
She said that with a sleepy voice and face, but suddenly John carried her and put it her on his shoulder.
John: because for the others you are my cat elesa, and I need someone I can trust to be beside me.
Elesa: Arrggghhh, your doing this to tease me right?
John: a little.
While John was leaving his room door, elesa looked at the bed from behind and a little tear on her eye.
Elesa:(don't worry luxurious bed I'll be back soon, just let me finish helping my stupid master).
In the way to the classroom with elesa in the hallway, John couldn't help but notice some students acting a little strange, like wearing rings that have some sort of devil marks, and some offering books with the same Mark. In the classroom John sat on his desk and then elesa whispered in his ear without letting anyone notice.
Elesa: master how about using that? I think it's a good time to use it.
John: yeah I think your right.
His red eyes started to glow a little Revealing one of the skills of the arcane arts that use the eyes as a radar.
John: I can see and feel the people Within a hundred feet of me, every move, I can see it even if I can't see who's behind the Walls, I still can feel them.
Elesa: With enough practice, you will be able to sense those around you miles away.
John: that's Right, it's actually a useful skill.
Then a girl with a Pink hair and emerald eyes came to John's desk.
????: hi there I noticed you in the welcoming party and I wanted to talk to you.
John looked at her with a Cold expression.
John: and who are you?
Magalie lithblom: oh excuse me I forgot to introduce myself, I'm magalie lithblom, I'm in the same year as you.
John: John shon, now what do you want from me?
Magalie: oh, straight to the point, I like that, here's the thing. there's something happening with the scholarships of the poor families, and I noticed your reaction to it in the welcoming party.
John: please get to the point.
Magalie: okay here's the thing, how about we work together, I'm pretty sure you have something in your mind about it...
John: I think you're mistaken, I don't see anything unusual about that grant, so get the illusion about working together out of your mind.
Magalie seems a little disappointed with John answer, but she smile and left.
Magalie: well if there's nothing I can do to convince you to work with me, I suppose that I have to accept your rejection.
After that magalie leave to go sit on her desk, elesa started to talk about that pink hair girl who just left.
Elesa: I don't know why but This girl's looks don't make me feel comfortable, master, be careful when you're near her.
John: I know, this girl was able to know what I'm thinking about by just one look, she's dangerous.
After that the class begins, it was the same as his first time as Leon, in the end of the class, a group of three students wearing a white outfit version of the academy's uniform, John quickly realized who those students are, Thay are the highest ranking students in Victoria academy, number 7, Lona galler, number 8, Arnold shrain, number 9, cohly anaiza.
John:(these outfits, I never thought of seeing them again, and as the rules say the high ranking students should be replaced every year or at least change their numbers, these three are new, wait what about number 10? I think they haven't chose one yet).
The high ranking students start explaining the academy rules for the new students, at the end.
Lona: just as a reminder, the friendly competition between new students will start in the afternoon, I hope all of you to have a great day.
After that the high ranking students left the classroom, the students after that start leaving the class, but John already got his eyes on someone.
John: elesa did you..
Elesa: yes I already noticed that guy, let's follow him.
In the hallway John uses his arcane arts To hide his presence.
John: it seems like he's heading to the library, but Why?
In the library the guy checksIf anyone followed him, then Opens a secret passage between the shelves not knowing that the two who followed him watch every move.
In the dark John found a room that has a summoning circle on it's floor and the same devil marks from before, while watching from afar elesa seems to recognized that mark.
Elesa: wait, you must be kidding me.
John: what's wrong?
Elesa: I can recognize this Mark wherever I go, this Mark belong to the demon who was responsible for cleaning my shoes, I faired him long time ago, so that's what he was doing all this time?.
John looked at her with a side eye, not believing what he just heard.
John: it's hard to believe that the demon they try to summon is just a butler.
Elesa: hey you can believe that if you want, but the important thing now is do you want to stop them?
With his Red Sharp eyes glowing and an evil smirk on his face John has other plans for this.
John: no, let's leave them, they'll come in handy in another time, for now let's continue with the grant.
In the hallway John asked elesa a question.
John: elesa, If I entered a fight with that demon, who would win?
Elesa: for humans even the lower ranking demons can cause a trouble for them, but if it's you who's fighting then I wouldn't worry about you.
A winning smile appears on John's face.
John: that's all what I needed to hear.
After that John headed to the fighting hall where the new students already started.
Elesa: hmph, those students proving to me how weak humans can be.
John: well I think you see that from a demon queen perspective, not a normal person's perspective.
Elesa: of course how else I would see the world.
John:(sigh, Why do I even try. After looking at the Match schedule it seems like my opponent is called Zach breskint, his body is bigger than mine, I can take him down Easliy, but I don't want to get some unnecessary attention so I'll act normal).
After a few battles between the students, it's finally John's turn, elesa preferred sleeping than to watch, so she stayed on one of the seats in the amphitheater, in the fighting arena John and Zach look at each other with challenging eyes.
Zach: I didn't know they let brats like you to fight.
John: well this place is full of surprise (I think I'm going to play with him a little)
With the starting bell, Zack rushes towards John and starts throwing blows with his wooden sword, but John dodges them all, as if he knows where Zack will strike.
in the amphitheater a guy wearing the high ranking students outfit look at the fighting arena with a hint of excitement in his voice.
????: hmmm this black hair guy seem interesting.
In the fight, Zack has already reached his limit while John looks like he hasn't put in any effort with one last attack Zack launches towards him but John gets out of his way at the last moment causing Zack to leave the ring which means John wins.
Zach: no I can't lose like that.
John: winner takes all, and loser must fall.
Zach: mark my words. this fight didn't end here, I'll be back and make you take back those words.
Zach left the fighting arena with an upset expression, in that moment the guy who was watching entered the arena.
????: nice fight there, you really have a talent to use swords.
John turns to find a blonde haired guy with a blue eyes and the high ranking students outfit.
John: sorry but who are you?
Aldric silverthorn: oh pardon me I forgot to introduce myself, I'm aldric silverthorn.
John:(aldric silverthorn? I know this guy, seven years ago A severe winter blew through the village where I lived. No one could leave their homes at that time, and when everyone thought that our situation was over, we were surprised by the arrival of aid in the middle of the storm, it was the silverthorn family, he and his father came there to be sure everyone is okay. He's wearing the high ranking students outfit, I remember seeing his face in the welcoming party, did they choose him to join them?)
I'm John, John shon.
Aldric: nice to meet you John, I wanted to ask you for something and I hope you accept it.
John: I can't promise you anything but I'll try.
Aldric: then can we fight? I noticed you fighting and I wanted to go for a friendly match with you, so what do you say?
John looked at the wooden sword in his hand and after a moment.
John: sure I don't see a problem with that(this is a good chance to see how much stronger I got)
Aldric: great, let's start then.
John and Aldric retreated to their places in the ring, students began to come to see the fight, when the starting bell rang they advanced towards each other but as the match went on they both began to feel suspicious about each other.
Aldric:(this guy, his eyes seems to know where my sword is going next, even when he seems to have hard time dodging it I can see that he's doing it on purpose).
John:(this guiy sword moves so heavily, it's like he doesn't want to hurt me, but he also dosen't want to reveal it)
Aldric and John:(There is no doubt about it, this guy is holding back).
John put some distance between himself and Aldric, but then a golden aura appears around aldric.
Aldric:(there's only one way to make him use his power, and it's by putting his life on the line)
Aldrick rushes towards John, and a golden aura covers his wooden sword, but in a sudden moment something unexpected happened, making aldric stop.
John threw his wooden sword on the ground.
John: I surrender.