"We can do it within a month, just for you, Young Master Forger."
"But you didn't get me to tier 5, would you?" Jason snorted and turned to Warden. "Brother, you would do it for me. I am so—"
"No need to be sentimental. We are, after all, supposed to make a guild together. Can't let the Guild Master have anything less than the best, can we?"
With a little more talk, they came out of the building. Thankfully, the annoying Walt guy wasn't there to irritate them anymore.
"By the way, why is everyone calling you Young Master and such?" Warden asked out of his curiosity. "Are you from secretly some heir to some noble house?"
"Something like that," Jason said, clenching his jaw. "It's not really a secret, though I don't want people to like me just o suck up to my father."
"Who is your father?"
"You don't know?" Jason asked.
"You forget I'm not from around here," Warden said. "Regardless, if you don't want to explain, there was no need for that."
"Nah, it's alright," Jason said. "My father is actually the Governor of this City, his position is only lower than the Emperor, perhaps."
Warden raised an eyebrow, didn't even think it would be this big even though he guessed Jason to have some influential father. The guy certainly didn't give the vibe of a rich and lavish upbringing. "I guess they have a reason to call you young master."
"For the love of gods, please don't call me that," Jason said, almost begging. "I really hate when people look at me as just a means to get to my father. Thankfully, you're not like that."
"How do you know?" Warden smiled. "What if I secretly know all this and made this friendship with you to get to your father?"
Like the other day, he joined in the training after giving instructions. He couldn't allow himself to be immersed in the training, as he had to supervise the students. Fortunately, he had already marked the earnest ones and the cheater bunch of the class, which helped keep track of their drills.
He also pondered creating a rivalry among them to keep them on track. A small tournament might help with that. A thought for later.
"Alright, the class is dismissed," Arden said. "As always, they were welcome to train more."
And as always none of the students remained after recovering from sore muscles and exhaustion.
I need to make them more interested in the training, he thought as he exercised with the eight-weight bags. While credit points might encourage them, he had to use the carrot method meticulously to get the best results.
After training alone in the gymnasium, Warden sprinted on the ground while still wearing the weight bags. A few students from upper classes were there, some sparring, and some exercising, but it was mostly empty. They used more of the indoor facilities. Warden decided he would check them today.
There were still a couple of hours before sundown, and he was mostly free through the night — the perfect time to check on what the academy had to offer.
As he ran on the tracks, a familiar figure came to his side. June, with her ethereal beauty, her bright silver hair laying on her shoulders, literally glowing in the sun.
Warden didn't think he had seen a woman more beautiful than her, but then again, he only had memories of less than a couple of weeks. Still, that didn't take away anything from her face. Of course, Elder Vess might possess a different kind of charm, but that was something else that didn't attract him all that much, to be honest.
It appears she was waiting there for him. As when he rounded the corner, she called, "Can you give me some of your time?"
Warden had only run six laps so far, his clothes wet and heavy from all the exercises and weights on his person. Yet, he stopped. "Anything for you, my lady," he said with extra formality, almost bowing, "though I think it's something we better discuss after I refresh myself."
"It will only take a couple of minutes," she said, ignoring his attempt at flirtation. "It is about the dungeon diving that's coming up in a week."
"I am all ears," Warden said, standing a few paces across from her.