It was another day, another new corridor for Ethan to travel through the academy, which was, and still is, a tangled, intricate castle of corridors.
He, Frenith, and Morana proceeded down the long corridor, which was almost empty of students despite it being breakfast time, following Zev Nethar, a member of the Black Disciplinary Elite.
It was clear that they were headed to the Elite Headquarters, the headquarters of the Academy's top disciplinary boys.
Ethan noticed Morana's concern, an expression he had never seen on her face before, while Frenith's calmness in a situation like this confused him.
Zev Nethar, a tall third-year student, led them confidently to the doorway of the Senior Discipline Club room.
The stately room was decorated with a huge table, and in one corner were fraternity portraits and drawings of the fraternity, which smelled strongly of wax.
There were only two members of the club inside, and Ethan, Freneth, and Morana immediately recognized them. They appeared to be longtime members.
They got up and introduced themselves.
The first, with long green hair the color of pale grass, introduced himself as Oren, son of Ciel, from the spice country in the northwestern part of the kingdom.
The second, shorter than Zev and Oren, but with sharp, striking features, introduced himself as Val ben Iris, from the same region as Oren.
All three felt a little relieved and respectfully introduced themselves as well. Zev sat in a chair near the currently absent leader's chair.
Zev said that their presence here was not in vain, that they might not be aware of the reason, but he would explain it clearly if possible.
He told them that in recent years there has been a significant drop in applications to join the Disciplinary Elite, which has directly affected the group's performance.
This year in particular, he explained, there was a severe shortage of students wanting to join.
Freneth, the son of the House of Versil, quickly asked a question based on his familiarity with the members of the elite.
He asked why they had been called here.
Zev replied that what he was thinking was correct, and if he wanted to be honest, he and the Discipline Squad leader had a discussion about their inclusion in the Elite.
They were not chosen by chance, but rather a deliberate decision, as they had recently been observed to assess their skills and abilities, with the hope of utilizing them in the service of the Council.
This is how Ziv made his offer.
Morana finally spoke up, now with some understanding, explaining that she had been feeling like she was being watched and thought she was being followed by a deranged person.
Zev gently apologized, emphasizing that their surveillance was necessary, and that their abilities had slightly exceeded expectations.
Zev explained that it was Ms. Leona who originally nominated them to this club, and to the Commander personally.
Zev finished his presentation, explaining that the decision is now up to them, and that they are not being asked to join by force. But the truth is that the team desperately needs middle schoolers to bolster its ranks.
He initially thought that once he brought them here and presented them with the options, they would surely refuse. The benefits of joining the Discipline Club are not many, and it may even distract them from their schoolwork and burden them with responsibility.
Unexpectedly, Morana was quick to accept the heavy offer, explaining honestly that she had been waiting for this opportunity for quite some time. When Lady Leona would visit her in the lands of Olympus, she would tell her stories of her years as a guard in the Discipline Club and her ability to keep things under control. Morana was looking forward to following in her footsteps, so she immediately agreed.
Zev smiled with relief.
As for Frenith, he paused for a moment, lost in thought. It wasn't something he had planned, but he was used to choosing what was best for himself, no matter what. As much as he hated being compared to his brothers, those around him always expected him to follow the same path. His father had built a clear path for them, and most of his siblings had joined the Academy's silver elite.
Still, Frenith weighed the decision, nodded his head in agreement, and said something that only those closest to him could hear.
Zev was thrilled, a talent from House Versil joining the elite was something special.
Only Ethan, the last individual, remained.
At one glance, it was clear that his refusal had nothing to do with not appreciating the offer, but for deeper reasons. His older brother was already here, held a prestigious position in the disciplinary elite, and was a role model.
But his lack of control over mana and magic made him hesitate, fearing that he would disgrace his family name. Although he is undergoing treatment that might solve his issue, he doesn't know if it will work. This made him inclined to refuse.
At that moment, they were interrupted by a sudden entrance.
He walked through the clubhouse door without permission, sat in the captain's chair confidently, and then confessed that he knew Ethan's older brother, Henry.
It was Fedregon, the leader of the disciplinary elite.
He looked older, though he was in his late teens, bearing the last vestiges of maturity. His hair was dark brown, like Zev and Val's, but slightly darker.
Fedregon admitted that he wouldn't have made it to the position had it not been for an offer from Henry himself, when he was at the end of his first year. Henry was in his third year, serving as a deputy, just as Zev is doing now.
Ethan knew that fact from the pictures of his brother hanging on the wall, along with those who helped build this great club.
Fedregon made it clear that Ethan's inclusion wouldn't stop at the curse of his bad blood. True, his blood prevented him from controlling magic as he should, and in a way he didn't want to, but his sword skills, drawn from the ancient family of Vermouth, were solid and solid enough to make a difference.
Fedregon stood his ground, and emphasized that he would love to see boys like them join him in the club, especially since this was his last year at the academy.
The words came out of Ethan's mouth with difficulty, but they were decisive. He managed to control his voice and declared his agreement to join, to obey, and to perform the duties that would be assigned to him in the coming periods.
This is how Zev secured their names on the new induction list. He seemed satisfied, and Oren was visibly pleased.
Val, who didn't like the fact that the three had joined without any test as he had done in the past, told them in a sharp tone that he would test them in the coming days.
Fedregon nodded to Zev, gesturing for him to present the service uniforms worn by all those who had served and were serving in the Black Disciplinary Elite.
The uniform was made of black noble thread and had a majestic, martial feel to it, befitting the status of those who belonged to this council.
When Ethan and the others put it on, they felt a special reverence, as if the weight of responsibility had been attached to their backs in an instant.
They then chanted the club's motto and pledged:
"To maintain order ... to provide deterrence ... in defense of the Academy and its dignity."
In the evening of the same day, after a meeting at the Discipline Club in the afternoon, with the sun lingering on the horizon, Ethan could only find himself trying on his new uniform in the room. There, in a warm corner in the winter cold, Nachtwolf sat enjoying his nap.
Ethan pats himself on the back, smiling to himself:
"Nachtwolf is as lazy as ever, despite his noticeable increase in size... Maybe it's time for a little walk in the West Garden, near the Ragineria Bridge."
It seemed to him that Nachtwolf was now about the size of a giant hound and even a little bigger, but Ethan was certain that horned wolves could grow even bigger, up to the size of a full horse.
He donned his black uniform, picked up the family's heavy sword, hung it on the belt near his waist, and stepped out when Nachtwolf resolved to accompany him. Despite his usual laziness, the big wolf was an avid outdoorsman, so he skipped enthusiastically and made a bit of a mess before they left.
In the huge corridor, the wolf wandered back and forth, eagerly darting back and forth, scaring a number of students and professors, though some tried to stop him. However, once they noticed the Discipline Club logo on Ethan's shoulder, they recognized this large mountain wolf as a companion for his course.
Nachtwolf is a wolf with a danger rating of four red stars when mature. But they are also dangerous even in the learning phase, making their presence unsettling and unchecked.
Some were intimidated by the duo of Ethan and Nachtwolf, which seemed both majestic and unsettling.
Ethan's destination was clear: Aurelia's office, via the usual corridor. There, he encountered the young maid he was used to meeting.
"'Chel' greeted as Ethan passed her, and the large wolf stopped beside her, feeling her iron hand and her right foot as well. It seemed strange to Nachtwolf...
How could cold iron resemble a beautiful woman's body so much?
When he inquired further, Chell casually explained that Aurelia may have now reached the North Gate, on her way to the Shit Coast village below.
for Arthur and a sum of money.
Ethan barely remembered his promise to himself to meet Arthur, who had been expelled from the academy after being suspected of an incident during the Crimson Moon Festival.
Ethan headed off immediately, after thanking the maid sincerely.
She was four winters older than him, but he had always felt a special affection for her, and he let her continue her service in the corridor.
When he arrived, he realized that it wouldn't take more than a six-minute walk, especially since Nachtwolf was so fast.
He found the young Dr. Aurelia cursing the transportation delays at this end of the gate.
In a moment of inattention, Ethan greeted with a sudden voice.
Aurelia was surprised by his presence, the large wolf accompanying him, and even his black uniform, and realized that he had joined the disciplinary committee.
The Dr. congratulated him sincerely, stating that she had never expected him to join the field.
Ethan explained with a smile that it all happened so quickly, since he was thrust into this path without planning.
Ethan knew she was on her way to meet Arthur, and told her that he, too, was trying to meet him, taking advantage of her free day.
She almost asked him how he managed to get out of the academy, but his black uniform answered her questions.
So there you have it, one of the perks of the Disciplinary Committee... freedom of movement.
A one-horse carriage arrived, despite the large size of the trailer.
But the steam engine installed in the wagon was taking the load off the horse, a strange mix of old and new.
Ethan explained in a quiet tone:
"Maybe... "I'm really going to need to meet Arthur