"Come take a seat, you both." The Baroness welcomed them with a smile.

Different, everything was just different from what Eddra remembered. His mother did not summon him in her study immediately, she took a day before could she asked for his attendance. Compared to the past, where she was supposedly serious, his mother presently had a joyful aura written on her face.

As they took a seat on the couch in front of their mother"s, Everette was the first one to speak between him and Eddra, "... Mother, I won"t change my mind..."

"What"s... even in your mind...?" Eddra thought to himself, immediately shifting his head when he heard Everette"s words.

"Brother, I will join the military--"

"What? Why?" Eddra scrunched up his face, his eyes widen from the unexpected choice his brother had.

Everette, his second brother, was more of a weakling than Eddra himself. Although Eddra knew Everette might have taken few sword practices and archery training, his current skills would just be a laughing stock to the military, especially to the general leader, who was known to bully newcomers without the slightest care at their status ranking.

"You haven"t even bruised your sword practice mentor the slightest when sparring, and you"re telling me you want to enter the military? You"re much weaker than an infant," was Eddra rejoined.

"Eddra," Eve called his name, "If we desire the King and the Crown Prince to favor our family, we need to send someone to join the military," he noted.

"... Yes, those two." A muscle in Eddra"s jaw twitched.

It was that d.a.m.n King who did not want to forfeit his throne for his crowned son, and the Crown Prince who was known to be the traitor for selling knowledge from his nation to the other. Why would Eddra even wish for these stupid b.a.s.t.a.r.ds to notice his family? They were the ones who caused and started the war 27 years ago!

Recollecting the information he had gathered from his 3 years in the military, the King was, that day, too old to reign the kingdom. In his fear for the traitor that he might be the first one to lay his hands to the King, he a.s.signed the royal commander to gather enforcements hiddenly and kill the traitor prince.

Eddra and the other soldiers might have been able to kill the prince from the base of Demelza they had conquered, however, it was clear that the traitor was simply bait from Demelza. And thus far, by the chaotic feud of the royal family, it resulted in Eddra"s death and the other thousands of soldiers.

"No, you are not joining." Eddra"s tone was stern that it shattered his second brother"s spats.

"... But, brother..."

"No. Both of us are enrolling in an academy. No talkbacks." Eddra claimed, moving his vision to their mother sitting still in front of them.

When he heard no replies to the young man, his mother b.u.t.ted in. "I was right to bring you along with your brother, Eve. Please, I do not want you both to be involved in the military. If one of you partic.i.p.ated, I don"t know what is about to happen to me."

Understanding her words, an image forcedly flashed in Eddra"s mind. It was none other than his mother yelling and wanting to beat the general knight who escorted Eddra away their residence.

"Surely you don"t, Mother..."

"All is good. I had reached the dean last month already, only your answer is what I am waiting for, Ed. And since you accept it--" she clasped her hands together-- "the uniform will be delivered tomorrow!"

Afterward, their mother then stood and made her way on her desk. "Eve... Do not weight your father"s problem on your shoulder," she gently mumbled, still audible for their ears.

Opening a drawer under her desk, she rummaged in her hand as if she was looking for something. "And you, my dear eldest, shall never-- do not even think of being a soldier, or befriend the royal family."

"... It is what I am doing," he wandered to himself since the royal family was much more complicated to handle.

"... Here." Eddra failed to notice his mother showing a pen on her hand and sat again on her seat on the couch before them. "It is once your father"s possession. I was told to give this to you if you were to enter an academy. I guess it is to motivate you for studying, my child."

She reached to Eddra"s hand and gave it to him. With a smile on her lips, she dismissed the two children. "Now go, it is late already. Gale will escort you two."

Feeling the pen on his grip, Eddra"s hand was itchy to store the new item in the [Inventory] he had acquired from her mother.