***
Back In The Present
Ignotus blinked a few tis and then exhaled.
"Yeah... that part was really tough. But hey... at least I got the rank up."
Ding!
The system chid in right on cue.
—
[Root Rune: Luck (Rank 4)]
[Second Rune: Wise Fool (Rank 4)]
[Third Rune: Fortune’s Wheel (Rank 4)]
[Fourth Rune: Living Ligature (Rank 5)]
—
He stared at the glowing text for a while.
Then suddenly his eyebrow rose.
"Oh."
A beat later, Eris’ voice echoed in his head, mirroring him perfectly:
’Oh.’
They both knew.
"Wait... wasn’t that today?"
The Academy attack.
Right.
The starting event was supposed to co true today. Technically, yesterday had been the match that had lit the fire, where all the students had gotten shoved into a beginner dungeon to survive for a day...
What the Demons took as a signal.
Of course, Ignotus had skipped the Dive, so he didn’t know how they had taken it as a signal exactly, but he didn’t care for the specifics.
And it was only natural that he didn’t participate. Why would he roll around in the mud with children when he had better things to do? Like nearly getting crushed by a cave and a Cyclops?
Still...
His path was nothing like what he expected. Perhaps due to Gaia’s constant yapping about the stories she read, he had expected so shared beginner bonding to co his way, a cute mont, or so dramatic unity between cohort mbers, perhaps.
Ignotus had none of that.
It was weirdly disorienting, honestly.
But then again, that just ant he was exactly living up to the Title Stranger.
The title had to an sothing, and in this case, it ant a true anomaly.
"Yeah, yeah..."
He dragged a hand through his long hair.
"Today, the Academy gets attacked."
He didn’t know the exact details. Again, it was the start of what led to the Third Stratum’s Fall, but he wasn’t exactly worried about that in his past life, too busy protecting himself.
All he DID know was that the Demon who attacked the Academy was supposed to be Judas, the sa guy Ignotus killed during the very first Colosseum Trial.
So the enemy would be different now, unknown and unpredictable.
His informants had already whispered about unusual activity around the Academy’s periter, i.e., odd movents, Divinity fluctuations, and cloaked figures out of place.
Suspicious to anyone looking for them.
It was almost enough to make him regret killing Judas... ’almost,’ after all—
’Better the devil we know than an unknown variable that could throw everything into chaos.’
He chuckled at Her words.
Yeah. Too late. That ship sailed the mont his sword went through the guy’s neck...
Ignotus wasn’t perfect, and this reminded him not to be reckless even when dealing with seemingly easy matters.
Or maybe he did the right thing, and he was just complaining since the Demons were finally upon them... the pressure influencing his thinking.
"Oh well. Either way, it’s no use crying over spilled milk."
He already had the upper hand anyway, as he knew how the attackers would enter the Academy.
Their little trick and its consequences were what sparked the Great House War, or at least what later beca known as such. A ’spark’ Ignotus had absolutely no interest in being a part of.
Too bad Fate had other plans.
...
Ignotus walked through the gates of Saint Academy just as the bells tolled morning attendance. Students were shuffling in groups, gossiping loudly, so yawning, and so running late.
He made his way toward the main lecture halls, and there—right outside the large pillared entrance—stood his people.
His certainly unusual, loud, and chaotic people. Gaia. Her guard, Nora. Lykos, his First Sword. Ulv, his Second Sword. r and Aur, sothing close to stragglers, not entirely in nor out.
They each greeted him in their own, very on-brand way, but of course, Gaia was the first to step forward, a warm smile softening her face.
"Welco back."
Nora glared as she usually did. Lykos scoffed with crossed arms, and Ulv gave a small bow that said all that was needed to be said, while r waved both arms like an excited child.
"Ignotus~!"
Aur simply nodded, looking like she approved or disapproved... it was hard to tell.
Ignotus chuckled and lifted a hand lazily.
"Thanks for the warm welco."
It was oddly wholeso and a little funny.
They all acted surprisingly normal, like they weren’t about to walk straight into one of the most dangerous battles of their lives.
But perhaps they saw that as a problem for future them. Because present ’them?’ Especially Ignotus? He was just happy everyone was still breathing.
"Lord Ignotus..."
Ulv leaned in slightly, his eyes settling on Ignotus.
"Are you absolutely certain that we shouldn’t bring Grom and the rest first? A Demon attack on an Academy isn’t exactly a small-scale brawl. Having a platoon of seasoned Runebearers behind us would make this a lot less... irritating."
Ignotus shook his head, shifting his shoulders to get his cloak sitting just right.
"No. They’ve got work to do. If I bring everyone here to babysit , who’s going to make sure the manor doesn’t get sold for scrap while I’m away? They’re better off planting our banner."
With those words, he looked at the high spires of the Academy, his mind drifting back to the day he’d actually made those assignnts.
***
One Month Ago...
"Watch the buckle, please. I like my skin where it is."
Ignotus muttered as a young maid bowed her head frantically, her fingers trembling as she tightened the leather straps of his chestplate.
He was standing in the center of his new master suite, his arms outstretched.
Standing against the far wall was his inner circle. First among them was Felix, who looked like he still hadn’t gotten used to his new Head Butler attire. Grom, who looked massive and slightly uncomfortable in polished plate.
Last were the three forr rcenaries and the seven guards he’d poached from the wolves. Squad leaders now, all stood at stiff attention.
"Hm."
Ignotus glanced at Felix through the mirror.
The man was unusually still, his eyes fixed on a spot on the floor.
"Felix. Why are you so quiet? Is the ’Head Butler’ title too heavy for you? It looks like you’re going to pass out. If you are, make sure to do it on the hardwood, not the rug. It’s easier to clean."
Felix was startled out of his trance.
"I..."
He let out a small, breathless chuckle.
"I apologize, my Lord. It’s just been so sudden. One day I’m praying the soup isn’t watered down so that bastard doesn’t smash my head in, and the next... I’m running a House’s staff. It feels unreal. I can’t help but think I don’t deserve any of this."
Ignotus signaled the maid to stop.
"You may leave."
He turned around and stared directly at Felix.
"I suggest you stop right there and think about what you’re saying. If you truly feel inadequate, then you’re saying I’m an idiot who makes bad decisions. You’re doubting my judgnt."
Ignotus took a step closer, his gray eyes narrowing.
"Doubting is sothing I’d kill for. It’s a very dangerous habit. So, if you love your life and you’d like to keep breathing, stop doubting yourself. Because if you doubt yourself, you’re calling a failure. Clear?"
In the back of his mind, Eris’s laughter rang out.
’Oh, how sweet~. "Believe in yourself, or I’ll murder you." You really are a romantic, my little Calamity.’
’Shut up, it’s efficient.’
Ignotus thought back while Felix stared at him, his brain seemingly stalling for several seconds as he struggled to process the... threat-spiration. But it didn’t take too long for his back to straighten as a frantic, wide-eyed look of realization hit him.
"T-Thank you for acknowledging as the best butler in the realm, my Lord! I will not fail your divine wisdom!"
Felix bowed so fast his forehead almost hit his knees.
"Ugh..."
Ignotus groaned, and the squad leaders of his work-in-progress platoon started snickering, Grom being the loudest of them.
"Okay, okay, I didn’t say all that. Don’t make it weird."
Ignotus waved Felix off and turned his attention to Grom and the others.
"How about you lot? Do you have any issues with the job? You’re used to wandering around, taking contracts, and sleeping in ditches. Now I’m asking you to stay put. Sure, it’s a place none of you expected to ever step foot in, but still, it’s the exact opposite of your usual lifestyle. I’m sure you’ve got sothing to say."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Surprisingly, they said nothing, not even a peep from Grom.
Shrugging at their silence, Ignotus walked over to the window and looked out over the grounds of what was now House Calamity.
"I need people who can plant my banner here and make it stay. I need you to be an extension of when I’m not around. People should look at you and feel like I’m still standing right behind them, holding a very sharp sword. Can you handle that? Being my bannern?"
Those words seed to be chosen very carefully, omitting a certain word, sothing they saw as uncharacteristic of Ignotus. But it was sothing that Eris expected... Ignotus’s hatred for soldiers wasn’t exactly subtle.
All of his people would henceforth be an extension of him, in essence, his bannern.
"Yes, my Lord!"
Grom didn’t hesitate and dropped to one knee, the heavy thud of his armor echoing in the room.
"I’d be honored, my Lord!"
The three forr rcenaries and the seven forr guards followed suit instantly, their movents synchronized, much like earlier.
"We’d be more than honored, my Lord!"
Grom crashed a clenched fist over his heart.
"House Calamity is our ho. We’ll hold it until the ground opens up and our hearts stop beating."
Ignotus looked at the kneeling n and felt a rare, small tug of satisfaction in his chest.
"I’m trusting you all with this."
Felix nervously chuckled.
"Oh, that’s a strong thing to say, especially from you."
"It’s good that you feel that weight..."
Ignotus’s smile widened just a fraction.
"Then welco to your new ho."
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