The Exalted Prince Lives Again

"I will also remove all sorts of surveillance placed over you by different factions and my own mother."

"..."

The room went silent.

Lucien was taken aback.

For someone like Lucien, freedom was something that had a higher priority than their own life.

And this offer was really tempting.

But it didn't make any sense.

"Why are you going this far just to recruit me?" Lucien squinted his eyes.

Why was he going this far?

"You already said you are going to remove the surveillance from me. If not to track me and dig about me, what could you possibly gain out of this?"

He was confused.

Edric lacked nothing.

There was nothing that Lucien could possibly give in exchange for Edric.

"You have changed, Lucien," Edric started, leaning back onto his chair, his voice distant.

"I know you already know one of the people who were keeping tabs on you."

That was true.

He often noticed one particular cadet from the class 1{D} 'stumbling' across him and visiting his class whenever there was no professor.

He just ignored him because most of the time, he had nothing to hide.

"You changed a lot after your visit to Solstice." He spoke, then added, "A lot mature, sharper and… weird. It's like you are someone else entirely."

Lucien's blood ran cold.

But he didn't even flinch on the outside.

"We even doubted that you were a Marionette after the visit."

Lucien relaxed.

They were way off.

"Father personally tested your blood for that, and you were safe."

Edric's voice made Lucien shiver.

He knew this was entirely possible, but he didn't like the fact that it really did.

He had to get stronger if he wanted to prevent anything like this from happening again.

This was not a good feeling to have.

His attention went back to Edric, who was looking straight into his eyes, "You are dangerous right now, Lucien. Like a predator. Corner it and it would retaliate even harder."

"So, you just want to keep me closer to look over me?" Lucien guessed, "Instead of doing this sneakily, you are resorting to recruiting me, so you can keep me closer."

"Indeed," Edric accepted, "As they say, keep your friends close, and your rivals closer."

"It's enemies." Lucien corrected.

"We aren't enemies, Lucien," Edric rebuked calmly, a smile forming on his face, "We are merely two individuals who are forced in this competition."

Lucien looked at him deadpan, not saying anything for a few seconds.

Finally, he nodded his head and said with a chuckle, "I guess you are right."

He didn't believe in this one bit.

But nothing would hurt by pretending.

The room went completely silent.

Lucien leaned back on his chair and started pondering.

He was weighing the pros and cons of this deal.

In all honesty, this wasn't half bad.

Since factions weren't official in the academy, they couldn't enforce unlawful rules or conditions on him.

They probably had a few meetings and goals they wanted to achieve.

Most likely socializing and unity.

And Lucien wouldn't have to do much either.

He made up his mind.

"Deal." He agreed.

Grace's face lit up, happy that the family was in this together.

Sure, it was a deal, but they were together nonetheless.

She blew a kiss towards Edric, who reciprocated the gesture, despite Lucien being there.

Ugh!

Lucien couldn't bear to look at that.

"Let's sign the binding contract, then," Lucien mentioned, changing the topic immediately.

Negotiations were done, and now, he just needed security.

"Contract?" Edric looked at him, acting confused, "Aren't we family?"

"..."

Was this guy serious?

"Pfft." Edric just laughed out loud, but Lucien's face remained stern. "I was merely jesting, Lucien. Why is your face so serious?"

"..."

Lucien still kept his silence, making the laugh a bit awkward.

"Wait a minute," He opened a drawer and took out a peculiar, thick paper and an old-fashioned quill.

The quill's tip was rather sharp, which he used to puncture his thumb and draw out a single drop of blood.

After that, he started scribbling something on the paper with the same quill.

A few seconds later, he put the quill back and slid the paper to Lucien.

"Read and confirm."

Lucien first checked the paper, in case it was rigged or fake.

It was not.

Then he started reading the few clauses it contained, and he was done in a few minutes.

He bit his tongue, and made it bleed, "May the contract breaker be damned to core shattering."

He spoke as he dropped the blood over the paper.

The paper started glowing with an ethereal purple glow, and Lucien felt a slight tug in his heart.

The paper stopped glowing, signifying that the contract was sealed.

Clap!

"Congratulations," Edric clapped once, his tone happy, "You are now officially a member of Cythos' Elitist faction, and the first-year representative."

Lucien frowned immediately, rebuked, "That wasn't in the contract."

"It wasn't," Edric answered, "But here in the faction, social standing is everything. And you are currently the highest in social standing of the first-year Cadets."

"Isn't that Michael?" Lucien replied, since the backing Michael had was far bigger than just a single nation.

"Michael Fonseca?" Edric asked to confirm.

Lucien nodded.

"Michael Fonseca's family is from the Solstice. He would be scouted by the Solstice's High Society faction, just like the second year's Princess." Edric answered matter-of-factly.

Lucien bobbed his head in affirmation.

There was no way these two factions would ever recruit another nation's residents.

"It's time for me to leave," Lucien stated, standing up from the chair without Edric's permission.

The business was done there.

He walked towards the door and opened it, only to find a few people waiting outside.

All of them immediately shifted their gazes towards the person coming outside.

Lucien could feel that some of the gazes were hostile, while most were curious.

A burly guy with dark-brown hair and black eyes was particularly hostile towards him.

Lucien couldn't even recognize him, though.

He wondered if the hostility was because of Edric.

The room was soundproof, so nobody knew what transpired inside.

The gazes were oppressive, as if trying to get him to lower his.

But Lucien didn't budge.

He stared back at them, not even flinching.

Lucien entered the elevator, and the gaze still lingered.

He turned around as the door closed.

He made sure to remember every face present there.

They all belonged to the Student Council.

The group of the most powerful and influential Cadets of the Academy.