Chapter 43: Caste System and Factions

The cafeteria of the academy was overflowing with new students. A table in the far corner of the cafeteria, divided into different sections, was taken by five young people.

The free food in the Circle's cafeteria was far below average in taste. Criticized even by beggars, they had to have Credits, the academy's currency, to avoid eating the food.

In the Circle, the rules of the jungle apply. To survive in the pervasive harshly enforced caste system, they had to stick to the rules of the jungle.

Alexander looked at the food in front of him. There was a delicious vegetable soup with hot fumes, sliced salmon, a large plate of rice, and an acidic drink. He would have had to eat shitty food if it hadn't been for the fact that, as new students, they could get free food for a while.

Bryce had his hands folded on the table. His big eyes were sparkling, staring intently at the fish in Alexander's chopsticks. Alexander had good looks and above-average intelligence. His talent was average compared to the Circle, but outside the Circle, he could be considered quite talented.

Alexander's eyes began to sparkle as he put the fish in his mouth. His lips curled as his pupils slowly dilated.

Seeing him like this, Bryce started to smile.

"Is it delicious?"

"Very much, I haven't had such a good fish for a long time."

"It must have been hard for you."

"Not really, you get used to it."

The Ambrose Family was one of the earldoms of the Kingdom of Merikh. It was a great dynasty with dozens of guilds under their command and a large number of mines. Bryce enrolled in the Circle as the third child of this family.

He entered the Faculty of Military Sciences because he was going to join the army when he grew up and not take over the family. His family didn't need a wizard, they needed a commander to lead the troops. Bryce Ambrose was just that.

Bryce frowned when Alexander continued to eat. He waited for a while, but Alexander continued to eat without saying anything. Finally, he couldn't stand it and opened his mouth.

"Do you know why I invited you?"

Alexander's hand paused.

"No?"

Bryce sighed and continued.

"Do you think the Circle is just a place to study?"

"Does an academy need another reason to be established?"

"Yes. Which of the families that send their heirs here do not have the resources of the academy? Why do you think the Merikh Kingdom, the Icarus Family, etc. send their heirs here when they can train them themselves?"

"Suitable conditions for training, staff specialized in different fields and facilities that they cannot provide themselves?"

"Absolutely! Perhaps the most appealing part of the Circle is that it is home to thousands of geniuses and opportunities. Elysium and the world's leading geniuses under one roof. Think of it this way: The Kingdom of Merikh is one of the most powerful kingdoms on Earth, but it can't reach Elysium. It misses the opportunities and geniuses hidden there. The same is true for the Icarus Family. And the Circle..."

"It connects the two sides. Got it!"

Alexander shook his head, downed his drink in one gulp, and leaned back.

"So, what do you want from me?"

"Join the Eternal Ones. You will receive a monthly salary based on your contributions, and upon graduation, a commission as a major in the armies of the Kingdom of Merikh or Lavinia... If you prove your loyalty to us, we will give you an apartment in South City."

"Eternal Ones?"

Bryce's face soured.

"You don't know that either?"

"I've said it before, I'm an insignificant child of an insignificant company, I don't know much about the Circle."

"Now listen to me carefully, Alexander. If you want to survive at the Circle, you need to understand its system. The Circle's unwritten rules divide the students into four tiers. The slaves who are oppressed by everyone, the unremarkable commoners, the skilled and talented aristocrats, the kings who reign above all..."

Circle was an academy that did not interfere with students and teachers, except for some things. That's why this huge academy city was home to ten different student unions. These unions were made up of students who came together for political or very different purposes.

The Eternal Ones As Merikh looked out for the interests of Lavinia and organizations around the world, her conflicts with rival Bloodline grew by the day.

The 'Enchanted Circle', formed by skilled wizards to outmaneuver martial artists and protect wizards,

The 'High Moon Brotherhood', a group of martial artists formed to counter the Enchanted Circle,

The 'Bloodline' was a powerful alliance of aristocrats from Elysium against the Eternal Ones.

The 'Sky Robe' patronized all the information guilds in the Circle and the flow of information in the city was completely under their control. Although they ranked fourth among the Big Four, their power could not be underestimated.

The 'Constellations', formed by merchants and businessmen, managed more than 70% of all trade in the city and dominated the real estate market.

'The Union', where Earthlings acted in unity, was the second of the Big Four. Their influence was not limited to the city. They even had a large number of people in the academy.

The 'Phoenix Order', made up of Elysiumites, was ranked first among the Big Four. As the war between them and The Union grew, many people died. The biggest reason for the growing war between the realms was their absolute rejection of Earthlings.

The 'Dragon Riders', the beast-humans who followed the Dragonian Family of Dragon blood, were powerful enough to take on the Big Four. The Dragonian Family, with Dragon blood, was a unique family on Elysium and even on Earth. That's why they were seen as the last hope of the monster humans.

And finally, there was the 'King's Suite', a control committee with only a hundred members, which only kings could join, and which all the kings in the Circle had to join. It was the only group directly controlled by the academy and the only group with the authority to directly influence the academy.

Bryce must have been tired of telling them all, for he leaned back and downed a glass of water in one gulp. Alexander had finished his meal and was wiping his mouth. He seemed to understand what Bryce had said.

"Each group has its own policies and system. When you join some groups, you can't join other groups, and some groups are different. If you join the Eternal Ones, you can join the High Moon Brotherhood. Even though you are at a low rank for now, I'm sure you will rise in the future."

The Circle was now an arena where great battles were being fought. The battles between the factions were at their height. Alexander's ranking was not very high, but it was not low either. Moreover, he was in the Facülty of Military Science.

Bryce was determined to recruit him. If he could get Alexander to join his team, his influence in his class would grow a little more. The 1-1 class would be one step closer to belonging to the Eternal Ones. And Bryce would move up in rank for doing so.

Because Alexander was a martial artist and an earthling, he was automatically counted in the High Moon Brotherhood and The Union. He just had to go and register.

Bryce looked nervously at Alexander's stupid face.

"How about giving me some time to think?"

After placing the napkin on his desk, Alexander picked up his tray and left the table. Bryce tried to grab him from behind but failed.

"Wait!"

...

When Alexander threw his tray in the trash, Bryce managed to catch him. He grabbed him by the shoulders and twisted him hard. There was anger and pride in his eyes.

"Whatever happens, Alexander, you have nowhere else to go but the Eternal Ones! This is my final offer to you! Accept it now or be reduced to slave status!"

Slaves were students of no value in this academy. Not because they were incompetent or stupid. It was just that they stepped on the wrong foot. So they were targeted by bullies and driven to suicide.

Alexander's enslavement meant the end of his school life.

Realizing this Alexander grabbed Bryce's hand and pushed him away with a smile.

"Alright, I'll join the Eternal Ones."