Aria

The next day, Yu Xinxue arrived at the classroom. Looking at the students below, who were either sprawled over their desks asleep or lounging with their legs crossed and staring absentmindedly at the ceiling, she said nothing.

This was normal. As long as they did not fall behind in their Soul Power cultivation, she did not concern herself much with anything else.

She swept her gaze around the room and suddenly felt that something was off. It seemed... something was missing.

"Vidal... where are Amon, Yan Jin, and Lei Yin? Where did the three of them go?"

Having found the source of the odd feeling, Yu Xinxue asked Vidal.

"Them... well, Yan Jin's stomach is feeling a little unwell, so Lei Yin went to take care of her. As for Amon, he's probably at the Library." Vidal scratched his cheek with his index finger and answered somewhat sheepishly.

It was their first official day of enrollment, their first class, yet not a single one of the three had shown up. That was indeed rather hard to justify.

Yu Xinxue frowned, a trace of anger rising in her heart, but she said nothing further. She walked up to the podium and began the lesson.

Amon crossed the smooth flagstone path, passed through an arched gate, and entered the expansive Library.

After showing his student ID to the administrator at the entrance, he headed straight for the second floor.

As the largest institution of learning in Northland Province, Northland Advanced Soul Master Academy naturally possessed a collection that a small school like Icewind Primary Soul Master Academy could not compare with.

The first floor of the Library was a reading area, filled with rows of benches and tables. The second floor was the true book repository, where neatly arranged shelves were packed with all kinds of books.

The surrounding walls had also been fashioned into bookshelves, stretching all the way up to the domed ceiling.

Looking at the books placed dozens of meters overhead, Amon clicked his tongue. "Without some tricks, you can't even get a book down."

With a soft chuckle, he used the ability of his External Soul Bone to condense his Soul Power into the shape of a hand. He controlled it as it stretched upward, taking down a thick red-covered book from the highest shelf.

Sub-Dragon Maid?

He had originally assumed that the higher a book was placed, and the harder it was to obtain, the more valuable its contents would be.

But after flipping through it briefly, he expressionlessly returned it to its original place.

The book spoke only of romance, not cultivation.

A soft chuckle sounded behind him.

Amon turned around and saw a blonde girl. Her aqua-blue eyes were as beautiful as gemstones, her features exquisite, and her voice as sweet as silver bells.

"Sorry, sorry, I just couldn't help myself... Was it unexpected? I've seen plenty of students rack their brains trying to take down the books from the highest shelves, only to end up with strange looks on their faces." The girl apologized with a light laugh.

"You're very familiar with this place," Amon said in a certain tone.

"Yes. I enjoy reading. Finding a quiet corner, reading an interesting book, and savoring the joy of wandering through an ocean of knowledge—those are the things I've done most over my six years at the academy," the blonde girl said in her bell-like voice.

"Six years?"

"Yes. Oh, I don't think I've introduced myself yet. My name is Aria, and I'm a student in Year Three, Class Four." She lifted her skirt slightly and dipped into a small curtsy, performing a lady's greeting.

"Amon, a freshman in Year Three, Class One." Amon's lips curved slightly as he smiled.

Among the four captains Vidal had told him to watch out for—the ones who would become their future opponents in the Internal Selection Tournament—her name had been included.

"You like reading? As it happens, I like reading too, though not out of interest or hobby. I simply want to understand the knowledge within. It can help me go farther. Do you think that makes me a little too utilitarian?"

"On the contrary, I rather like people like you. You're very genuine... I think we'll get along well. Are there any books you're looking for? Perhaps I can offer you some suggestions." Aria smiled faintly.

After a brief pause, she added, "I imagine you'll also be taking part in the Internal Selection Tournament, right? I recently read two books that should give you some inspiration. They are Self-Cultivation of a Leader and Obeying the Captain's Orders."

"Are there any books about social relationships? Back when I was at the primary academy, I read a sentence that left a very deep impression on me and benefited me greatly." Amon raised his right hand and adjusted his Monocle.

"What sentence?"

"Honor can be sold, as long as the price is right."

Aria paused slightly before her smile returned. "That's a very interesting line... If you enjoy that sort of book, you can check the fifth bookshelf from the back. Since fewer people read those, they're placed farther back."

"Thank you." Amon nodded.

"See you around, Amon. If anyone gives you trouble, or you run into a problem you can't solve, you can try coming to me." Aria gave him a brilliant smile.

"I will." Amon smiled back.

As he watched Aria leave, some of the information Vidal had given him about her surfaced in Amon's mind.

Aria Fekris, eldest daughter of Marquis Fekris. Gifted and intelligent, her Martial Soul was a multicolored book. It was said that she had taken a powerful Soul Saint as her master when she was very young, but that Soul Saint was extremely mysterious and had never shown himself.

Within Heaven Dou's noble hierarchy, marquis was already the highest rank directly under the imperial family. Above it were only the kings of the four great kingdoms and the grand duke of a duchy.

There were also some honorary dukes, but they held no fiefs and possessed no real authority.

The Fekris Family was one of the foremost great families in all of Northland. It was one of Northland Academy's board members and held considerable influence among the academy's upper ranks.

Though her background was formidable, her disadvantage was equally obvious: she was a girl. Unless there were special circumstances, Marquis Fekris would not designate her as his heir.

The more outstanding she became, the more she would be targeted by her brothers. Under such circumstances, the power she could mobilize was extremely limited.

"Interesting..." Amon murmured with a low laugh.

In Aria's eyes, he had seen ambition and unwillingness.

She was a woman who longed to break free from Fate, a woman who pursued authority and power.

Yan Jin brought Lei Yin to a barbecue restaurant in the northern part of Northland City.

"Hehehe, the old man gave us lots of money, so let's go have a huge meal... When we entered the city, I could already smell the barbecue here. I've been looking forward to it the whole time."

She beamed brightly, revealing two rows of pearly white teeth.

"But, Sister, didn't you tell Vidal that your stomach was unwell?" Lei Yin asked helplessly. He had worried about her for quite a while because of that.

"That's right! My stomach hurts because it's hungry. That counts as being unwell too!" Yan Jin answered righteously, hands on her hips.

Lei Yin opened his mouth, but for a moment, he did not know how to refute her.

"Is this really okay? Skipping class on the first day of school?" he asked worriedly. "Won't Teacher Yu scold us when we go back?"

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. If it were really inappropriate, Amon would have come out to stop us already."

"Mr. Amon knows too? Weren't we sneaking out?"

Yan Jin suddenly gave him a meaningful smile. "What makes you think our little tricks could fool him?"