The snow had just stopped, leaving a cascade of white covering the entire streets as far as the eye could see. There were very few people in the streets, mainly students residing in the row dorms of the academy. Among these dorms stood one that appeared larger and more luxurious than the rest.
Inside the luxurious dorm...
William breathed in the cold air, a gleeful yet silly smile adorning his face, tinted with a reddish hue.
"Young master," suddenly, he heard a gentle, feminine voice from behind him, accompanied by a cold touch that made his already flushed face even more embarrassed.
"Agatha, you didn't have to do-"
"It's my choice, young master, and I love you," Agatha whispered into his ear as she hugged him tighter, causing William to reel against her soft body and curves that tickled his back.
William nodded, his smile growing sillier.
If one were to look behind the two under the blanket on the bed, they would notice stains of blood. The two golden-haired boys and the red-haired girl were both naked, revealing the events that had transpired in that room.
As Agatha held William close, her gaze wandered to him from the corner of her eye, and in that moment, her eyes gleamed with an indescribable intensity.
"It must be his first time, and it's mine as well. I will surely gain more cultivation resources now. If I stick by him, the resources will be enough for me to reach tier one wizard. And if I rely on him, maybe I could even become the first lady of the village after he becomes the village leader," thoughts cascaded through Agatha's mind like a rushing river.
Despite feeling disoriented by Lucas and his goons attempting to force their way through her, and even succumbing momentarily to despair, witnessing the golden-haired boy come to her rescue like a knight in shining armour ignited a rush of emotions within her.
Like a damsel in distress although Agatha didn't see him saving her.
Agatha thought that she had found her first love with how powerful he was and the terrifying potential William was...
"He will surely love me after I gave my innocence to him..." Agatha murmured with a chuckle, her voice barely audible as she wrestled with conflicting emotions. Deep down, beneath her facade of confidence and ambition, a seed of doubt sprouted, gnawing at her conscience for plotting against her saviour to gain more power.
"I am doing this to survive, that's right I am only doing this to survive." She repeated the words like a mantra, trying to quell the rising tide of guilt within her.
"What are you thinking?" William's gentle voice interrupted her internal turmoil as he tenderly brushed strands of hair back behind her ears.
"Huh, who could that be?" William asked, surprise evident in his tone. He was initially astonished to learn he had come second despite almost half the time of the competition being wasted by Walter, but it was even more shocking that someone had managed to surpass him by such a wide margin.
"In that case, Jack?" William ventured.
"No, young master," Angel replied, shaking her head, prompting a curious raise of William's brows.
"Then who?" William inquired, his interest piqued.
"Aur," Angel answered casually.
"What!?" William's surprise was evident in his exclamation.
His loud outburst echoed through the otherwise silent surroundings, drawing the attention of numerous amused onlookers.
Embarrassed, William flashed a sheepish smile and scratched his head.
Just then, Noah interjected, "The fraction selection begins."
As Noah spoke, the focus of everyone's gaze shifted to him, temporarily ignoring William.
Observing this, William breathed a sigh of relief.
"Firstly, starting from next year, there won't be any classes. Special classes will be mandatory, and students will be permitted to undertake various missions," Noah announced.
The students remained silent, absorbing Noah's words without interruption, prompting a nod of approval from him.
"Students, based on your rankings, you will now choose your fractions. Choose wisely, as the missions assigned to you will be completed alongside five to ten other members of your fraction."
Some students' eyes flickered as they observed the elders present, seated on their throne-like chairs with stoic expressions. However, one chair remained entirely empty, sparking various speculations among the students.
Noah continued, "Remember, once you choose your faction, you will be bound to both its benefits and disadvantages. It's highly unlikely that you'll be able to change fractions for the rest of your life. This decision will determine your opportunity for advancement."