After getting his things, Sunless got in the PTV with Bin right behind him.
For a transport of Song, it was subtle and unremarkable, but that's exactly what they wanted.
It was still luxurious, but it seemed like they were a normal legacy family, not the Song Clan.
The journey was filled with silence, a comfortable one, the driver was a Master that served Song for as long as Sunless remembered.
In fact… It was the one that brought him to the Song Manor after he was adopted… The one that was with Ki Song.
The driver noticed Sunny's realization and just smiled, a proud one, he was mute, but there was nothing to say.
Sunless smiled back, and they finally arrived at the academy.
A true fortress, but nothing compared to his home.
As he was about to get out of the PTV…
"Thank you, for everything…"
Seeing the driver reminded him of how far he went, from the outskirts to the heir of Song…
He said that to everyone, to Bin, for being his sister, for the driver, and for his mother who was certainly watching hin.
Beastmaster grabbed his hand as he got out.
He turned.
"Before you go there… To the Dream Realm…
We'll go see Rain."
Sunless opened his mouth in surprise, then smiled softly.
"Thank you sis."
—
Getting close to the gate, Sunless looked at his communicator to recheck all the things he needed to know, classes, inspections, and the recent news.
He needed to pretend he was just another legacy.
The reason was simple. Song had too many enemies so he was only going to be revealed as a Song when he became Awakened, then, he would be out of the Dream Realm, with the protection of his family.
With that in mind, he didn't want to stand out, it would be even worse with his flaw… And 'that girl'...
Sunless looked down, he always had so many questions behind what happened to her father. If… his mother really needed to do that…
The story always seemed incomplete to him, he knew the reasons, but the logic was twisted, like it didn't match.
He got out of his thoughts and arrived at the gate, as he was about to enter, a PTV of the government arrived.
Two women got out of it, one, a tall and pale, with short black hair and icy blue eyes, wearing the government uniform with two stars on it. A Master, and not any Master at that.
The other, almost the same height as him, with white hair, grey eyes. She wore a government tracksuit. A sleeper.
The tall one was finishing talking to the white haired girl.
"So princess, I suggest you…"
The Master stopped as she noticed my presence.
"Hey there boy~
Almost didn't noticed you."
She spoke with a mature, smooth voice.
"I'll take that as a compliment Master Jet…"
He knew of Soul Reaper Jet, a Master that even Saints did not want to fight, one of those few was Howl, surprisingly. Just went to show the danger Jet posed.
"Oho, you know me? What an honour. Being recognized by the Prince Sunless of Song~"
She said smugly.
The girl beside her, who seemed to not pay attention, wanting to listen to her music on her headphones, froze and snapped her head at Sunless.
"Tsk, don't say that out loud… How did you know?"
'This was just great, not even 10 minutes in and my cover is already blown…'
"Don't worry, just a few people in the academy know, I knew thanks to a certain proud teacher that couldn't contain himself."
Jet answered playfully.
'By Spell's sake, teacher Jin!'
"Hpm… I just hope the girl beside you doesn't tell everyone…"
Sunless looked at the silver haired girl that was staring at me with an unreadable expression.
Jet turned her head to the sleeper.
"Oh, her? She's royalty, just like you."
Sunless flinched, then looked at the girl that was still staring.
'That's even worse…'
"She's Nephis, of the Immortal Flame Clan."
—
Master Jet gave a few more hints to Nephis and then the girl entered the academy, still staring at him as she did.
Sunless didn't enter, Soul Reaper wanted to talk.
"What do you want?"
He still tried to be polite, but a dry and annoyed voice came out of his mouth.
"I just have two questions. I heard all the children of Ki Song are orphans from the outskirts… Is that true?"
Her tone was filled with humor
"Most of them, yes."
"All other children are girls, are you the only boy? Why are you-"
"That's three questions. And yes, I am the only boy."
Internally, Sunless let out a breath of relief, that was close.
"Alright, alright… Sorry, I was merely curious…"
"Because you are from the outskirts too?"
"Huh… I guess Divine Seer also talked about me."
She smirked.
"Hm… Is that all?"
"Yes, just one more thing."
Sunless sighed.
"Yes?"
"I am pretty sure your sisters and mother told you all about what you should do, so I am not gonna bother you with it…
Just… Good luck… I hope we see each other again."
"... Thanks…"
Sunless entered the Academy.
Jet stood for a few seconds… Wondering why she said that, and why she felt that she was supposed to know more about that boy…
—-
The interview was stressful, Sunless had to use every ounce of his mental strength to combat his flaw. Since the normal staff only knew he was a legacy, they had more specific questions.
Thank the Gods the director came in and took over, he let him go not long after.
Sunless got into his room, it was small and mundane compared to his personal room, but it didn't matter.
After settling in, he went to the main hall. There were a lot of people, groups already forming, powerful legacies talking with each other, people from big families trying to fit in, and finally those considered 'dead', those from the outskirts, poor families or with weak aspects.
Sunless didn't care, since he wasn't hungry, he leaned against a wall and began to observe all there, who could be useful, who could survive…
And who could be an assassin sent to kill him.
It would be naive to think that Valor didn't know that the great son of Song was going to the Dream Realm this year, an insult to their intelligence network.
If he knew that the daughter of Immortal Flame was here, Valor also knew, and if they knew that, they knew about Sunless.
So, he looked at all of them, until he saw a girl in the corner alone looking at him. She had long, blonde hair, a slender body and had a glassy look in her eyes. Then he noticed that she wasn't looking at him, she was looking at nothing, because she was blind.
No one could survive the First Nightmare being blind, so it was her flaw.
'That's why she's alone, that flaw is…
Way more than just crippling.'
And he was complaining about his…
As he looked through the hall, a commotion started, everyone was now looking at a big screen in the center, a list of the students showing the rank based on strength.
It had been updated, now, two more names were put on it…
Both at the top.
1st- Changing Star - Nephis.
2nd- Sunless.
3rd- Caster Han Li.
"... What?"
Sunless was not the only one to have a True name in the First Nightmare it seems, the daughter of Immortal Flame also did. But to reveal that now? Did she not hear Soul Reaper Jet? Well, it didn't change much for him.
Talking about her, she was in a seat, not caring about anything that was happening and that everyone was looking at her.
But she wasn't the only one that was getting attention.
Sunless got out of the hall as soon as people started looking at him.
'Not dealing with this s*it.'
He would already have to deal with attention when he was revealed as an Awakened, so he won't now.
But his peace was destroyed as a voice called out for him.
"Hey!"
Sunless sighed, and turned, it was a boy his age, he had tan skin and brown hair.
"What? I am not in the mood for small talk."
"I am Caster, scion of the Han Li Clan. I-"
"I know who you are, what do you want?"
Sunless knew of Caster, he would be a failure as an informant if he didn't, the famous scion that is the pride of Han Li…
Arrogant scion. A powerful aspect doesn't make you invencible, the Spell makes sure of that.
"Very well then, so I will make myself clear, she is my target, not yours."
Sunless looked at Caster with a blank expression, but inside, he was angry.
'Fool, exposing yourself to the enemy like this… When Song doesn't even want to kill Immortal Flame.'
"Hmp, what makes you think I want to kill her?"
Caster's face contorted with anger.
"Don't take me as a fool!"
'I already do.'
Sunless thought with humor
"I know that the Song Clan sent an agent too, you are merely not using your real name to try to fool me. So, who are you underneath?"
If Caster had chosen different words, he would have what he wanted, but he didn't.
"I am a outskirts rat."
"Wha-"
"I came from the sewers of humanity."
Caster's face was a mask of bewirderment.
"Call me an assassin, or an impure scion that was adopted, I don't care.
Just know, the Song domain does not wish for the Immortal Flame's destruction."
Sunless left, not caring if Caster responded.
He did not fail to notice the shadow of a person listening to their conversation.