A new morning came to the Lower ss and Combat ss though the two clusters of students have a bit of difference when they wake up.


    "Morning!"


    "Hey care to remove your feet on my face!"


    The boy''s tent sounded chaotic and everyone outside could see their silhouette while they yed amongst themselves.


    "What the hell are they even doing" said Matilda while gripping the knife in her hand.


    "Maybe you should put down the knife first" Arabe told her afraid that the knife in her hand may fly somewhere.


    While the boys continued their bickering and the girls prepared their breakfast thebat ss on the other hand wasn''t about to sleep even for a second. Their minds keep them awake as they rey the events that happened to them. Anxiety then crept into their hearts as their experience of almost dying made them doubtful about their capabilities.


    However, amidst their gloomy morning, the Lower ss students were bustling with noise as if they came on this ind for a simple camping vacation.


    "I envy those fools" Jarren grumpily said while breaking a branch to prepare the fire, that way they could finally prepare their breakfast.


    "Well you know what they say Jarren, ignorance a bliss, I am certain those fools would cry and even pee their pants once they encounter a pack of beasts" Jlughed a bit as he said that.


    "You two are quite delusional aren''t you?" while the two boys talk Meldi their girl ssmate suddenly interrupts their talk.


    "What are saying Mel?" asked Jarren confused as to why their ssmate looked angry at them.


    "What am I saying? Seriously you two may I remind you that yesterday the so-called fools you are referring to saved our ss! And they didn''t pee their pants....you did!" she said while her eyes locked on Jl.


    "I suggest you reflect on your actions yesterday before you speak about others" she added before setting the pile of branches on fire. The mes began to burst abruptly creating sparks that left the two almost burned.


    "What the!"


    "Hey!"


    Her sudden firing action made the two boys jolted since they didn''t expect her to make such a move. Not minding their reactions Meldi went to Samantha whose eyes stared at the chaotic yet joyous atmosphere of the other ss.


    "Something wrong pres?" she asked worried since her expression wasn''t the usual one she always has. Sure at times she can be seen being confused or frustrated but it was never this bad. Samantha''s expression was nk the same as her eyes, there wasn''t any kind of emotion on her face though her body trembled a bit. As if she was under the constant pressure of something.


    So to calm her down she decides to help her out.


    In the next second Samantha could feel Meldie closer to her and it was like she wasforting her as she wrapped her body around her. Without speaking a word, she pulled her arms around her gently as if hugging her tightly. The hug that Meldi gave to her counteracted the nausea that Samantha felt.


    As her warmth spread, a voice spoke though it was barely audible, "Take a breath"  Meldi said gently to her.


    "You have done so much since yesterday, all you have to do is recall the lessons we learned and take everything step by step. It''s not about perfection, it''s about the teamwork and dedication we could give to aplish the task"


    Samantha sighed, the rapid breaths she had been taking gradually bing deeper and slower much like her tightening muscles beginning to rx. The noise in her head subsided at least for a fraction of an hour.


    "I''m scared," she confessed, then she buried her face into Mia''s shoulder. It seems being a leader wasn''t as easy as she thought. Facing a ferocious pack of magical wolves incites fear inside the head of the thirteen-year-old girl. However despite all her troubles, she could not show it due to her position as the ss leader, she was after all the strongest among all her ssmates.


    If she ever crumbled no one can shoulder the responsibility she has.


    "Being scared is okay," Meldi answered and gently turned Samantha towards her to look into her eyes. "It means you can still improve, you still have the potential to grow stronger! Trust yourself as I trust you"


    Meldi looked Samantha in the eyes and saw the light flick on which she thought was off for good. Knowing her friend is back a gentle smile escapes from her lips.


    "You believe in me?" asked her friend so dly she answered.


    "Oh course" Mia smiled at her friend and leader.


    "Alright then let''s go and gather everyone"  Samantha managed to say although her spirit seemed to have deted a little. The echo of Meldi''s encouragement was still in her ears so she took a deep breath and stood before the camp filled with anxious students.


    "Well it seems those kids don''t need our help anymore"


    "Alicia, did you actually eavesdrop on their camp?"


    "I was just worried weren''t you keeping them protected as well"


    Apollo went silent due to her words making the girl in front of him chuckle.


    "Quit it" he just said making Alicia shake her head. "Alright I will stop"


    Finding her teasing a bit embarrassing Apollo decides to change the topic.


    "So care to tell me what did the emperor ask you to do"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Hmmm" an amused humming came from Alicia which made Apollo expect that his question would be answered.


    "It''s about Excalibur"


    "What?" Apollo was a bit taken aback he had thought that the emperor would put the search on hold and focused on the church however it would seem he hadn''t.


    "Augustus believed that the church could be behind the sword''s disappearance"


    Apollo remained silent though his mind was filled with theories that could have connected the dots of the conspiracy behind the sword''s whereabouts.


    "Apollo" Alicia called


    "Yes?" he answered shifting his attention towards her.


    "All of this, don''t you think it all connects towards a single individual?" her question however causes the boy to think of a specific person.


    "Nero" he said causing Alicia to nod her head.


    "Only a member of the imperial family can lift the sword"


    "But Nero wasn''t even born when the War of Faith happened"


    "Are you sure?"


    "What!"


    Apollo almost chokes on the juice he is drinking however Alicia doesn''t show any signs of stopping instead she continues.


    "I started searching in the halls of the imperial pce including the ces the sword previously used, I searched including his ce. And there I noticed something"


    Her voice was unusually cold causing Apollo to realize how mad she was.


    "Just what did she discover?" he wondered so he didn''t voice any of his thoughts and continued listening.


    "Tell me how many brothers the previous emperor had and what was their names?" she asked instead making Apollo confused.


    "The previous emperor?"


    "Yes"


    Apollo thought hard and remembered all three brothers of the previous emperor. However, he remembered a particr brother that made him ask Alicia.


    "Are you trying to point this conversation towards the imperial prince udius?"


    Alicia nodded making Apollo feel a sudden chill.


    "You are not thinking that..." At that moment the boy''s heart rate rapidly raised making him feel nervous.


    "Your guess is correct, though it''s my hypothesis, I believe that the brother of Augustus which we all know as Nero, is none other than udius"


    "Alicia, do you have any evidence to support that?"


    "Currently all I have is the fact that the scent of udius is somehow simr to Nero"


    "Wasn''t it because all the members of the imperial house share the same scent?"


    Alicia gave a look to Apollo making the boy question his own words.


    "Did I say something wrong?" he thought so while tracing his words.


    "Apollo the scent I am referring to is not the one that the body gives off" Her voice became even colder so unknowingly Apollo gulped.


    "It''s not the body that produces the odour.....it was the soul, so tell me, Apollo, was there any reason for a soul to share amon trait with someone?"


    Though skeptical of her reasoning he can''t deny the fact that she has a point.


    "Question, how did you manage to pick up their scent when Nero no longer stayed inside the imperial pce while udius existed 300 years ago?"


    "Alicia?"


    Somehow that question was only answered with an ear-piercing silence.


    "I think I need to go on patrol," she said while evading Apollo''s question.


    "Hold on who told you to run away!"


    As he was about to catch her the two strongest individuals in the area felt a sudden gaze that left their body tense and ready to fight.


    "Everyone!" Apollo called the entire ss causing their joyous atmosphere to be reced by tension.


    "Now where are you" the boy just said as he lifted his de ready to fight.