How To Survive A Calamity

The initial problem of the training hall was much lesser in the grand scheme of things.

It was actually something that could more or less be easily resolved if I was willing to take some risk.

Knowing all of the conjectures I've reached today with Meta, if I went ahead to use a higher leveled facility, the academy will certainly place some certain level of minor interest and attention to my actions.

In fact, they most likely were already closely watching me without me knowing.

Thinking so, I shuddered lightly and looked around the inside of my room.

...Meta said there weren't any surveillance devices or methods in the dorms, but now I found that strangely hard to believe.

On the other hand, it could also do me well to come out with my true strength. It will be more advantageous of me to do so.

There was a reason why each and every cadet was ranked, and why everyone wanted to have a higher rank too.

The higher ranks came with certain privileges that we lower ranked and unlucky cadets could only dream off.

One of them was the wider number of rights and opportunities.

For example, I heard from Adrienne that the top 15 numbered cadets have specialised, and private training facilities and high-level equipment inbuilt in their rooms.

Since the dorms weren't monitored or under surveillance like the general training halls, the private training facilities meant that the privileged cadet could train to their limits, and reveal all sorts of secret or family techniques without prying eyes.

That was the main reason Aegis action didn't have surveillance in the dorms; it was because ofthe big and powerful families who had secrets, like ancestral techniques or abilities, which couldn't be revealed no matter what.

So while I had to be constantly cautious about those watching me in the training hall, I couldn't display the full extent of my ability and train to my heart content.

While the privileged bastards could do just that and more.

"No then, wouldn't it be actually better if I really just came out then?" In dark realisation, I whined as I dried my body.

Well, I was already beginning to plan to do so to an extent.

But of course I'll have to hide a few cards to myself. I'll reveal only enough to show promise for Aegis to invest into me as a prospect.

I stood by my bed and reached for my communicator.

This things that was bizarrely like a phone stood out sorely to someone like me, in an unlikely world like this.

I still couldn't get used to seeing something this close to a phone like this...

I mean, I knew Aethoria had a baffling blend of time periods and settings similar to earth, and ever since I left my family's territory, I recently discovered once more that the world is actually more advanced than I thought.

But still, it was almost strange.

Dismissing my thoughts, and casually tossing away my communicator, I was prepared to head for bed with nothing else left to do. When all of a sudden, I heard a knock from the other side of my door.

"What? Who could it be at this time of the night?"

It was hours past curfew by this time, there weren't many cadets who would be roaming around this late, so this visitor was definitely unexpected.

In the end, there was only a single presence I could sense from behind.

-Click!

"Yes? Who is it...?"

I pushed open the door cautiously, just slightly enough to peek out.

"Apologies for coming out this late, good sir..." There was a middle aged man with folding wrinkles around his eyes, wearing a blue uniform and a face cap of the same colour.

In his hands, he held a large cardboard box, and wore a smile as he looked at me.

I glanced down at the box.

"Mail? Ah...!"

The man smiled as I voiced a sound of realisation.

"Yes. You have this delivered to you. You are Victor Bright, yes?"

That was right. I remembered I was expecting a mail from home, with some some things I left behind or forgot back home.

"Yes, that's me. Thank you."

I retrieved the cardboard box from the delivery man's and sent him off before returning back inside.

"Oof. I almost forgot about this."

Placing the box down before me, I sheepishly scratched the side of my face.

It wasn't an understatement to say, it escaped my mind with everything that was suddenly happening.

"But really, what the hell did the family put inside of this thing? My whole room?"

The size of this thing was crazy.

How was I supposed to arrange and sort through all of it today?!

"No one said anything had to put it all away though, right?" Yes, yes, indeed.

Why do I have to go through the unnecessary trouble of scattering the items inside, into the dorm. Wouldn't it be better if all the things I might look for were just in the box?

Nodding inwardly, I decided to first of all go through its content, before putting the cardboard box away at a corner of my bed.

'I can just arrange it later...' I lazily thought.

The first thing that caught my eye inside the box was a pristine white envelope sitted at the top over all other things.

"A letter...?"

And apparently, it was from Adrianne.

I glanced at my communicator, "Why didn't she just send me a text?"

-Thump!

Immediately, my heart skipped a powerful beat and I felt cold.

"Shit!"

My results...

By this time, I was sure my family had already gotten wind of my assessment and ranking.

The person I feared the most from flipping out over it, was Adrianne who spent most of the last year 'training' me and tutoring me back at home...

And now I come up as the bottom ranked cadet of the first years.

Not one of the lowest, but the very last.

"H-haaaa..."

It was with an uneasy heart, did I tear the envelope open and went through the letter.

—"Dear, brother. I hope this letter meets you well..."

Gulp!

"Dear, sister, I'm more worried about when it leaves!"

The letter went on. But contrary to what I expected, Adrianne's reaction was more subtle than.

No, it wasn't just 'subtle'. It was completely different.

—"Vic? Are you okay? I heard about what happened, how are you doing? Your big sister is worried about you; father and mother are too. Vic... You haven't written to us since.

We heard about the result of your Evaluation, are you alright? Victor, your big sister is there for you no matter what, remember that. We'll understand if you...if you decide to drop out of the academy. We'll support you throughout whatever you want to do..."

The first half of the letter went on in a much different way than i was expecting. I read the letter with an odd expression with a mix of confusion.

"So..." I scratched the back of my head.

"She's not mad...?" With obviously no one else in the room but me, I said at myself. It was as if to make it more believable.

"This... This is unexpected." To be honest, I was expecting an ear full.

But Adrianne and the rest of my family were more concerned about how I was faring emotionally after hearing about my Talent evaluation. They weren't paying attention to my bottom place ranking at all.

I skimmed through the rest of the letter, with a little daze.

—"Here are the things you left behind at home. Knowing you, I know you might still want to stubbornly continue so I still sent them anyway. It will be very insensitive for someone like me to say, I can understand how you might feel, but I want you to know that no matter what happens, or what decision you decide to take from here, I will always support you. I'm on your side, Vic — then, now, and ever.

... that is also why, I brought you a present..."

"Sis... Sniff-sniff."

Ah, my cute older sister has grown so bold and sweeter with words...

Damn, I was expecting a scolding. My Evaluation was definitely a pain and annoying, but it wasn't like I felt depressed or bad about it, so all of this much love and support from my family almost makes me feel bad.

Like it was all kind of wasted on someone like me.

"But what's this about a present?"

The answer was on the next paragraph of the letter as I continued.

—"There's a first year banquet right, right?-"

"No way."

I froze.

'I-it can't be...' my exoression slowly fell as I looked at the letter.

—"Hehe... I bought you a suit!"

It was sthen I noticed the first thing I could see in the box aside from the letter, was a smaller cardboard box. And in it, was probably the present Adrienne left for me.

Ah yes, the banquet. It wasn't like I forgot about it, but I just really wasn't paying it much regard or anything like that.

As the only son to a small noble household, I grew up attending a few banquets and similar socials like this back when I was younger.

I honestly found banquets and party's suffocating. Both in this life, and back on Earth, actually. I didn't hate them, but I didn't like them either.

Since I also didn't have any particular thoughts of the incoming banquet, and I also didn't gave a good outfit, I was already thinking I'd just skip it and train instead.

So Adrianne's sudden gift was completely unexpected to me.

—"The Academy can be a tough place with lots of different characters, where talent and skills rule the top of the hierarchy. Vic, if there's anybody, anyone who ever tried to bother you, or lay a single finger on your hair, I'll make sure they'll pay for harming my little brother."

As always, Adrienne knew well how to potray her bloodlust through her letters. I felt my skin crawl, and my back drenched lightly for that paragraph.

But at the same time, I was also glad.

The letter didn't last too long after that, as she slowly concluded.

—"You should write back home so we can know how well you're doing. Also, include your communicator address so I can easily reach you more quickly than through letters."

Ah.

I was wondering Adrianne didn't just send a message through the communicator, I really hadn't shared contacts with my sister.

.

[A/N: hey, guys, it's finally that time. I'll be going back to go premium after this. And thanks to all those who have supported me this far, and i hope you continue to do so, if you can. 20Ps bonus Chapter will be out soon. Thank you.]n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om