Getting a blank check from someone as wealthy and powerful as the Duke of Alluria, guaranteed to be cashed by an influential Archmage like Tholm, was a heady thing.

For a moment, Nick wondered how far he could push it. Could he ask for a Prestige-tier treasure? He was sure the castle’s vaults would contain something he could use, and that would surely help him reach new heights.

Perhaps he could even try asking for a nominal position that would bring him fame and money. He knew for certain that several minor nobles relied more on the Duke’s generosity than their own fiefs, and although it might cause some scandal initially, it would ensure lifelong security.

But at the end of the day, he didn’t want to be tied down, or he would have settled back in Floria. No, what he needed was a helping hand during a tough time, and he knew for a fact he would need it sometime soon.

So he put aside dreams of legendary weapons he could dismantle or steady income streams that would let him wander around the world endlessly, and did the practical thing.

“One day, in the not-too-distant future, I’m going to ask you for a favor," he said confidently and saw the Duke blink in surprise at the odd request. “It won’t be anything dishonorable, but it will require you to wield your influence to protect me for some time.”

Tholm chuckled softly, entertained by his boldness, as the Duke took a moment to consider his words before finally agreeing. “As long as it is for a righteous reason, I shall shield you even from the Royal Court.”

Nick smiled.

There were additional matters to discuss afterward, as the Duke reaffirmed his control over the investigation and had all present swear they would keep the facts secret until everything was settled. But, since the main issues had been dealt with—like how he’d get a visit soon from someone to handle his auction refund and the sale of the thunderhoofs—Nick quickly lost interest.

Soon, he was teleported back to the Tower, and Tholm dismissed him to attend to his other apprentices, who had noticed their absence and had several questions.

Not wanting to get caught up in that kind of talk, Nick slipped out of the room and took the elevator to the eleventh floor, where he knew most students liked to hang out.

He hadn’t really tried to befriend his classmates, preferring to spend his free time studying and experimenting. But after the tense few days he’d experienced, he felt he could use a little relaxation before getting back to the grind.

Well, that, and I’m expecting an unfriendly visit soon, and it would be rude to deny them access by holing up on the seventy-seventh floor.

It was still fairly early in the morning, and since it was a rest day today, most students were still asleep. However, as expected, he saw a few familiar faces in the lounge.

“Ho there,” he called, plopping himself down on a sofa.

Bellamy blearily looked up from his tome on what appeared to be magic circle trigonometry, groaning, “How are you so energetic? I’ve barely managed to read a page, and you look like you’ve been up for hours.”

“That’s because he has,” Eona replied, not bothering to look up from her own book. Its cover featured a burning torch, and the title of “Utility Magics and All One Needs for Adventuring” made it clear she was expanding her repertoire into daily-life spells.

She was the second strongest in her first year, so it made sense that she was preparing for some action. The others just wouldn’t give her the challenge she needed to keep growing, and while diligent, Eona never struck him as the kind to spend weeks holed up in a dark room, experimenting.

“How do you know that?” He asked, curious.

“Your boots are dirty and scuffed. There’s no dirt in the Tower except in the greenhouses on the twenty-second floor, and you’ve never shown an interest in nature magic.” She replied, and he hummed, impressed.

“You’d make a killing as a detective,” he commented, earning a barely audible snort.

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“Yeah, if my career as a Battle Mage falls apart, I’ll have something to fall back on.”

“Ugh,” Bellamy groaned, putting his head on his book, “you two talk too much. I don’t know how you do it, Nick. Eona barely exchanges two words with the others.”

A faint blush threatened to stain her cheeks, but she ruthlessly suppressed it with the grit of a hardened general. “Do not talk nonsense, Bellamy. If you have all this free time, you can start reading your treatise on stone construct formations and make your golem more resistant. If I remember correctly, they can’t seem to take one good hit from me, and I doubt you’d fare better against Nick.”

Nick exhaled in amusement and leaned back, watching the two argue back and forth. He wasn’t exactly the typical teenager, he knew, but then again, neither were these two, and they seemed to get along just fine. Tim would usually join them, but it was still early, and he only needed a couple of witnesses for what was about to happen.

I have the sale of the matriarch to handle tomorrow, followed shortly by the auction, but the upcoming problems have been managed. That is, if the Duke keeps his word and does his job properly this time.

Maybe it was unkind of him to blame the man. The infiltration of Alluria was a major operation that had been going on for quite some time, planned by some very clever minds.

It wasn’t like he could expect the Duke to patrol the streets himself and inspect every building he came across to make sure no funny business was happening.

But in the end, the responsibility rests with him. He’s the ruler, and just as he gains the wealth and prestige that come with the title, so does he have to bear the blame.

A commotion at the entrance of the floor caught his attention, and Nick saw two older apprentices, probably in their early twenties, storm into the student lounge, clearly searching for someone.

Though he’d only visited a few times himself, Nick knew enough about this place to realize their presence was quite unusual.

It wasn’t exactly that they were forbidden from accessing this floor, but older mages generally didn’t interact much with the newer recruits, especially outside of class, and there was an unspoken agreement to leave them their space to decompress away from the strict expectations placed on them.

So it was no surprise when the few people in the lounge craned their necks to watch the two storming around, until they finally reached where Nick was sitting with his friends.

“See, I told you he’d be here. There is no way he’s actually Tholm’s favorite.” One of the two, a blonde young man with a poor attempt at a goatee and hooded green eyes, spat as he glared down at Nick, while the other, a larger and taller guy with enough of a gut to give Lasazar a run for his money and arms thick enough to outmass Nick’s legs, nodded along.

“It makes more sense. That crafty old man wouldn’t send a favorite of his on a suicide mission like that. He had to know we’d retaliate, and used a sacrificial pawn.”

By this point, they had become the center of the entire room’s attention, and Nick had no trouble imagining that the whole Tower would know about this confrontation before lunchtime.

He would have been surprised by how boldly they talked about him, and more importantly, Tholm, but his mentor had warned him this was likely to happen.

He was also given the opportunity to be accompanied by Raphael for the upcoming days. As Tholm's senior apprentice, Raphael had greater protection and would make anyone think twice before attacking him.

But Nick hadn’t accepted his offer. Not because he doubted Raphael’s strength to handle these two. He had seen what the other could do in the artificing field, and translating that into battle would make him a formidable opponent. Nick simply preferred to fight his own battles, and doing so himself would let him settle this before it became really troublesome.

“Gentlemen,” he called, interrupting the back and forth. “I understand you are here for me, then?”

The blonde sneered but replied affirmatively, “Yes, we are. You should have known better than to sneak attack our fellows, no matter what the history between you might have been.”

“Is that how you see it, or how you’ve been told it?” he asked, curious. He’d known retaliation from Archmage Hone’s side would come. The man couldn’t handle it directly, not after all the trouble Nick had gone to ensure it was seen as a matter between apprentices, but it was interesting to see that he’d found the oldest, meanest guys who could still technically pass muster, and had only given them the bare bones of the actual matter.

But then again, that’s pretty clever. If he wanted to escalate, he could have dealt with Tholm directly. The fact that I only beat up his son and his friends, instead of seriously injuring them, means he has to hold back his response to what could be seen as an inter-apprentice feud. He’s stretching the definition by using these guys, but it will still be seen as something beneath the notice of the Archmages.

“I was told you were a smartass,” the beefier guy said, eyes narrowing. “But you are treading on dangerous grounds. You won’t get away unscathed anyway, but if you are polite and apologize properly, we might let you walk back to your master.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Eona suddenly said, snapping her book shut and standing up. Her eyes burned with anger, and her tall stature made her appear imposing, despite the age difference. “What do you think you’re doing, threatening a first-year apprentice like that?!”

They looked at each other before the blonde answered, “Girl, stay out of this. As far as we know, this guy acted alone last night when he ambushed our fellow apprentices, but the way you’re acting makes me think he might not have been.”

“Actually, it would make sense for him to have accomplices, right?” The other mocked him, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he looked at Eona and Bellamy. “It’s crazy to think a shrimp like him could beat four older mages, no matter how much they might have skipped off their training lately.”

Bellamy groaned, running a hand down his face, and muttered a curse under his breath.

“You guys should stay here,” Nick said as he stood up. “I seem to have some business with these gentlemen. I should be back before anyone else wakes up.”

It took a moment for his implications to sink in for the two older apprentices, but when they understood, their anger turned cold and vicious. “Let’s get a move on, then,” the blonde said, turning around and marching back toward the elevator. “I have reserved a dueling room for us. No one will disturb us, I assure you.”

Nick tried to follow, only to realize Eona and Bellamy weren't staying put. He turned back to repeat his earlier request, but stopped when he saw the expressions on their faces.

“Don’t be stupid, Nicholas. It doesn’t behoove you," Eona grunted as she passed by him. When he turned to the more reasonable of the two, he only received a shrug. “Hey, if it’s any consolation, we were implicated the moment they saw you with us. This way, at least we’ll get a show.”

Despite his reluctance to involve them, Nick smirked. Yeah, they would get a show, alright.

I’m going to make it clear to Hone that messing with me comes at a very, very high cost. He might be able to erase me from existence if he chose to, but he’s just as limited in his actions as Tholm was when he sent me off. And any apprentice he sends my way will face the same fate.