The Tales of Draconic Warlock

As usual, I was ranked first just like in the first year. Malia kept her second rank as before. The other ranks shuffled a lot.

I mean it should. Many of the students in the class have gone to the secret realm. Whatever they gained in that realm, should have changed their power status.

The ranks changed, especially of the students that were in the top twenty-five. The others, I have no idea. I don't remember most of them. They are from other classes, who came into the class after the first-year exam or because there were five vacancies that appeared after the secret realm.

Things were going very well. The rumors about the students' deaths were causing a small stir though.

There were no interactions with other academies as of yet and the first-year students who entered this year have nothing to our year students. Whether we die at the hands of monsters or other students has nothing to do with them.

So they were relatively calm.

The seniors were away. So not many have heard these rumours.

They are intelligent enough to survive for long outside without the academy's or family's protection. So they won't believe the rumours easily, I hope. If they do so, clashes are bound to happen sooner than later.

I hope that they aren't dumb to believe everything they hear.

If they do so, then the academy would definitely check into the deaths. Anyway, I have nothing to fear.

Dorian killed two students, and I killed Dorian. have no idea who the other two were and how they were killed. Though I should have a recording of those student deaths, I was not going to waste my time or resources to look for someone I had nothing to do with.

I didn't check and I don't intend to do so in the future either.

If the academy comes to me about Dorian's death, I can just show the evidence I collected. I'll show them what Dorian did in the secret realm and what he did in the academy too.

The trouble would then turn towards William and he would be expelled from the academy.

What I wanted was his death, without anyone suspecting that I was the culprit. Many see that I have yet to reach Tier-2 and am two years younger than William.

My family don't have a rich background similar to the Rutgurds and their house ranks above us in nobility.

So even if I kill him, I could get away without raising suspicions.

It would be problematic if the academy looked into Dorian's death. It means I have to show the role of William in this conspiracy would come to light. If anything happens to him afterwards, I would be suspect number one.

As I said before, though I have Status Disguise skill, there are skills that can see through such skills. The only reason why that doesn't happen frequently is because those skills are rare and the cost on a person's mind is very high.

Without high INT or MP, it is not easy to use those skills.

If William dies after that, his family might hire someone to see if I had anything to do with it or they may even make me their target without any evidence. Such a hassle.

Whether I get rid of him or not, there are troubles waiting for me at every corner due to that family. I should get rid of that problem forever, and leave no residue.

Heh, anyway, I should concentrate on my family first. There are people who are willing to kill me and my direct family. Let's find these bastards and clean the family. I would need a safe place to live. If my own family had such problems dwelling inside, there would be no safe space for me.

After the monthly exam was over, I left the academy and reached the capital.

Winter City, I am coming.

---

As soon as I returned home, my mother and sisters appeared and hugged me at the same time.

They didn't say anything but hugged me tightly. As the youngest child, they see me as a child even at this point. I understand that no matter how much I grow, I would be a child in the eyes of my mother but these girls are treating me as a child.

It's okay for Eritrea as there was a huge age gap between us but why was my second sister treating me as a child too? She was not that older than me. She just graduated as I entered the academy.

Though I felt this embarrassing and unnecessary, I didn't say that.

"I miss you too", I said to them.

I am not looking for an early grave. I have no idea but these girls are quick to lose temper. Sometimes it makes me wonder which ones of us five are boys and which are girls.

It looks like they may have gotten Mother's temper and I know how much she tortures my father whenever he angers her. So I never dared to cause trouble with my mother or sisters.

They greeted me too.

"We missed you too, little brother".

"I missed my little boy", my mother said as she rubbed my head.

I shook, "Mother I am not a child anymore".

Those three just chuckled and let me go.

After my mother and sisters came my brothers. It has been too long since I last saw them.

Unlike the ladies, who squished me, we brothers gave a small hug. It was more than enough to understand what each other was conveying.

My father just tapped on my shoulder. Unlike others, it has been just three weeks since we last saw each other.

"Magnus, quickly go freshen up. The feast is almost ready", my mother said to me.

I nodded and left them.