‎Alexander walked out of his room and stood on the balcony, breathing the fresh morning air. He leaned his arms against the railing as the maids prepared the table and the tea for him in the background. He looked at the vast greenery, the forest, the vast fields, the hills, and the mountains, everything was visible from where he stood.

‎"Young Master, your father is on his way to join your morning routine," a butler said as he lowered his head to Alexander.

‎"Yes, thank you, Sullivan. Have you eaten your breakfast?" Alexander asked as he turned around, walking toward the table as he looked at the old man in black Butler attire.

‎"Yes, I have, Young Master. Thank you for asking," Sullivan smiled warmly as he lowered his head once again before he excused himself.

‎Alexander thanked all the maids who had prepared the table for him. He watched them all leave, leaving him alone in this beautiful weather and scenery. He then heard the door into his room being opened, and slowly he got up from his seat to greet his father. However, to his surprise, he saw someone walking behind his father, Marina Valier the Sorceress twin.

‎"Father? Why is Lady Marina here?" Alexander looked at his father, a man with slick back black hair and a magnificent mustache.

‎The family head of the Ravenshroud, the Prince of Neva. The man who owned the biggest land and army compared to any powerful family and nation. The man who was said to be the face of West Neva, Nicholas Ravenshroud.

‎"I know you'd be surprised, and it has something to do with the letter you sent to me, Alex," Nicholas said as he walked to the table and watched Alexander pull the chair for him. "I'm still shocked about your decision, Alex. This is something that we need to discuss in person," he added as he sat down.

‎Alexander took a deep breath as he looked at his father and then at Marina. He knew there was no going back, so he pulled the chair for Marina and lowered his head to her.

‎Marina sat across from Nicholas and beside Alexander. She didn't say a word and just enjoyed her tea and the scenery around her.

‎Nicholas pulled the opened letter from his pocket, looking at it for a moment before he put it on the table. That letter was the letter that Alexander sent to him a few days ago, a request letter.

‎"You want to go to Central Neva to be with Lady Aurelia, why?" Nicholas asked, staring into Alexander's eyes with curiosity. "I have expected a lot of things that you would ask of me from the moment you knew the situation here, but I didn't expect this one at all," he added, crossing his arms and one hand twirling his mustache.

‎Nicholas sighed and took a sip of his tea as he looked at the distance. He thought for a moment, to think of the right words to use to his son.

‎"You wanted to go there after you heard the news about the Angelis family and the Holy Nation. I know that you're close with Lady Aurelia, but why do you want to be involved in her affair, Alex? I can't fathom why you would go that far, and even request a dozen Green Shroud units just for her," Nicholas asked, his hands clasped on the table as he stared at Alexander.

‎Alexander cleared his throat as he took a shuddering breath and looked at the breakfast on the table in front of him.

"Father, this isn't about friendship or about being opportunistic. The bond that we all have even after we leave the academy, something that we have sworn in our hearts. It's complicated, father, this is something that all the six of us want, a revolution," Alexander answered, not knowing how to put it in the right word and hoping that his father would understand.

"A revolution?" Nicholas raised his brows and crossed his arms. "You did mention that you had an amazing time in the academy even though you decided to draw from it not long after. What's this revolution you mentioned, my son?" He asked with a serious expression.

Nicholas knew that Alexander was a bright kid, too bright and too analytic about things he learned. Something did change his son into a man that seemed to see things differently, to seek understanding from every different perspective rather than from one. He remembered that Alexander had mentioned Rasmus and his methods and ways of thinking that were both unorthodox and dangerous.

"It's about our wish to rebuild everything from nothing. To reshape this fragile world because of the broken system. We all knew that one day something like this would happen the moment the fragile peace was broken, knew that big wars would break at any time," Alexander answered with a serious expression. "We want to make the world into a world with so little flaws, the flaws that can be fixed without having to spill any blood or to put a blade on each other's back for their own safety."

"Father, I know that I'm being naive in a way, for being too optimistic, but I know that I'm not alone in this. There are people like me who want this, and we all have steeled our hearts, a silent promise with each other that we will walk this path together, the six of us," Alexander said, staring into Nicholas' eyes with determination. "I don't mind it at all if you can't lend me the Green Shroud units, I will still go to Central Neva to be with Lady Aurelia, to fulfill my promise, to show her that I'm in this with her," he added.

Nicholas could see the conviction in Alexander's eyes, it was his proudest moment to see his son stand up for what he believed in. It reminded him of his younger self when he pursued what he believed in, making a name for himself and getting recognition from his peers.

"I can't give you what you want, Alex. Not because I don't want to lend you the Green Shroud units, but because we need them here, to protect our land from the demonic beasts," Nicholas said as he shook his head, and saw no reaction from Alexander. "But Lady Marina is here because she will be following you to Central Neva, to assist you there," he revealed as he looked at Marina and gave her a nod.

Alexander was shocked when he found out that Marina was going to join him. He slowly turned his head to look at Marina, confused and curious why she would join him when the situation in West Neva wasn't even that much better than in Central Neva. He couldn't believe that his father had given him permission to go so easily.

"My sister said that she was fond of Count Blackheart, and said that he could be the answer to our current crisis. I would like meet him in person, perhaps to learn about him as well," Marina said and took a sip of her tea, her red puffy hair like an ember when it basked in the morning sun.

"Lady Marina, Count Rasmus isn't someone that you should learn..." Alexander said with a serious expression. "He's not your ordinary person, no, he's dangerous that you might regret trying to get close to him," he warned.

Marin smiled as she took a sip of her tea, smiling and staring into the distance.

"I know, my twin sister also said the same thing, but she told me that he wasn't the type who would push you into the corner if you weren't trying to push him in the first place. So, I won't try to push him, I just want to understand him," Marina answered as she looked at Alexander. "Am I wrong?" She asked with her brows raised.

Alexander thought for a moment and knew that Marina was right, and only so few people knew about that. Everyone only saw him as dangerous, and he would warn others too because people tend to challenge him and his way of thinking. He knew that all to well because he spent months as his student, and knew that Rasmus could be an extraordinary person that he had ever met when it came to knowledge and wisdom.

"Yes, that's right. Count Rasmus is an extraordinary person. He never disrespected people's beliefs and views about the world. He never called everyone naive or wrong. He never dismissed everyone's belief and chose to understand them first before he argued. He was someone you can trust with your doubt and secret, not giving you what you want to hear but gives you what to think and to consider," Alexander answered with a smile on his face with a blank stare on his food.

"Perfect, then that's not a problem if I joined you. After all, I do want to fight these so-called leaders of the demon forces, the ones that my sister couldn't even defeat," Marina said with a grin on her face.

Alexander knew that he wouldn't be any of the help to Aurelia since he wasn't good enough to even fight a single demon. However, he believed that his brain would help Aurelia in treading the path she desired, and he would do anything to make it happen.

"Alex, if I didn't give you a permission to go, what would you do?" Nicholas asked as he took a sip of his tea.

"I would still leave to be by Lady Aurelia's side," Alexander answered.

"Even if I would threaten you with losing your last name?" Nicholas asked with his brows raised.

"Yes, I would still leave because I knew that one day I would tread my own path just like Lady Aurelia," Alexander answered and nodded without hesitation. "I know what I need to do in this life, father. I'm not asking you respect it, but I want you to watch me either I fail or succeed," he stared his father in the eye.

Nicholas smiled as he gave a nod with understanding.

"Go, and be free," Nicholas said as he put his hand on Alexander's shoulder gripping it tightly and shook it gently.

Alexander smiled as he nodded with determination.