Chapter 4 : Chapter 4
Chapter 4. Each One’s Choice
The seven boys and girls looked at one another, and the atmosphere grew momentarily stiff.
Among them, three students wearing academy uniforms that had been washed until they were nearly white stepped forward without hesitation and bowed.
“Your Highness, we are willing to sign a master–servant contract to offer our utmost loyalty!”
Behind William, Tos nodded silently.
These three children were perceptive. They understood that although a master–servant contract was a form of restraint, it was also the most direct declaration of allegiance. Once signed, they would be bound to the prince with no path of retreat.
William looked into their determined eyes and nodded.
“Very well. You will enter the palace with me today.”
He then turned his gaze toward the remaining four.
These four boys and girls were dressed elegantly, and there was a certain restraint typical of noble children in their expressions. Hesitation was written clearly across their faces.
The blond boy at the front stepped forward. His tone was respectful, yet firm.
“Your Highness, this matter concerns our families. We must return and seek the opinions of our elders. Please forgive us.”
William was not surprised. He nodded faintly.
“That is only proper.”
He waved his hand, signaling that they could leave.
The four felt as if they had been granted amnesty. They hurriedly bowed before turning to leave.
Yet when they reached the doorway, their steps slowed slightly. Clearly, regret had already begun to creep into their hearts.
Becoming a prince’s attendant meant stepping directly into the core of power.
If William were someday granted the title of prince and established his own domain, they would become his founding retainers. Opportunities like this might never appear again once missed.
But when they tried to turn back and say something, the court knights standing outside blocked their path.
“His Highness has given his order. Gentlemen and ladies, please return.”
The knight’s tone was calm, yet carried unquestionable authority.
The four could only grit their teeth and leave.
Inside the reception room, William’s gaze fell upon the three boys who had remained.
He took three scrolls from Tos and placed them on the table.
“Once you sign these contracts, you will receive my full support in resources—magic scrolls, swordsmanship manuals, and guidance from renowned teachers. Whatever you need, I can provide.”
He paused, looking at their tense expressions before adding,
“As long as your loyalty never wavers, this contract will be no more than a piece of paper. But if you harbor other intentions…”
Before he could finish, the three of them spoke in unison.
“For the rest of our lives, we will follow Your Highness without hesitation and never harbor disloyalty!”
They picked up the quill pens and signed their names on the scrolls without the slightest hesitation.
Golden magical patterns lit up across the parchment, then vanished in an instant.
The master–servant contract had taken effect.
Seeing the unwavering light in their eyes, a faint smile finally appeared at the corner of William’s lips.
“From today onward, you belong to me.”
“Tos, take them to make preparations. They will return to the palace with me shortly.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The three boys followed Tos out of the reception room. Sunlight fell upon them, as if gilding their figures with a layer of gold.
They knew that from the moment they had written their names, their destinies had been completely transformed.
Now the reception room was empty except for William.
His fingertips lightly tapped against the table.
Three absolutely loyal individuals with Legendary aptitude, together with A’gu and Ling from the auction house—this would be the foundation of his first group.
The road ahead was long, but at least he was no longer alone.
Outside the window, the sunlight was warm. The bell tower of the Royal Academy rang out with a distant chime, like a prelude announcing the beginning of something new.
The moment the dismissal bell rang, the corridors of the Royal Academy were instantly flooded with students pouring out of their classrooms.
When they saw the three figures walking behind Knight Tos, the noise immediately quieted. Countless gazes focused on them—some filled with surprise, some with envy, and some with undisguised jealousy.
“Isn’t that Kyle? He was actually chosen!” a boy in commoner clothing blurted out, his voice brimming with excitement.
Someone beside him immediately sneered.
“Stop boasting. You know him?”
“If you don’t believe me, just wait! When he comes over, I will call his name and you will see!”
The murmurs buzzed like a disturbed hive of bees.
The noble students wore complicated expressions as they looked at the three commoners whom they normally towered over.
Now those same commoners walked behind a court knight and were about to enter the royal palace. The feeling in their chests was like having a stone lodged there.
“I never expected His Highness to choose three commoners…”
“So what if they are commoners?”
A short-haired girl immediately retorted.
“In His Highness’s eyes, only ability matters. Unlike you people, who rely only on your families!”
The crowd soon began arguing.
Some envied the three for “ascending to the heavens in a single step.”
Others spoke bitterly, saying it was nothing more than luck.
Yet more people watched the backs of Kyle and the others with a trace of yearning in their eyes.
It turned out that commoners truly did have a chance to approach the center of power.
At first, Kyle and the other two felt somewhat restrained under so many staring eyes, their faces growing warm. But soon they straightened their backs.
Kyle, especially, could not help the slight upward curl of his lips.
Inside his heart burned something like a flame.
From now on, he would no longer be that poor boy who could not even afford magic materials.
Knight Tos walked at the front. Though his face showed no expression as he listened to the murmurs behind him, inwardly he nodded.
These children did not yet understand that becoming a prince’s attendant meant far more than simply changing one’s status.
Only after they entered the royal palace and witnessed how true power operated would they understand what today’s step truly meant.
He glanced sideways at the tense backs of the three boys and said calmly,
“Keep up. Go pack your belongings quickly. His Highness is still waiting.”
Kyle and the others immediately composed themselves and hurried after him.
The murmurs in the corridor were left far behind. Sunlight streamed through the windows and cast long shadows beneath their feet, as if marking a road that led toward an unknown yet promising future.
Half an hour later, the royal carriage waited outside the academy gates.
Its open door resembled the mouth of a great beast, waiting to swallow these youths whose fates were about to be rewritten.
Knight Tos opened the door and gestured for them to enter.
“Get in. From this moment on, remember your identities.”
The three took deep breaths before climbing into the carriage one after another.
The instant the door closed, the noise outside was completely cut off. Only their slightly hurried breathing remained.
They knew that an entirely new world was slowly unfolding before them.
Meanwhile, William had been escorted by the vice principal into his office.
Two boys were already waiting inside.
“Your Highness,” Elton said with a smile, “these two are my sons. Please see what you think of them.”
William looked at the two youths.
One possessed the aptitude of a Gold Mage, while the other had the aptitude of a Sky Knight. Either could be accepted—or not.
He had to consider the cost of investment.
As long as the five people he had already selected received sufficient supporting resources, their strength would grow rapidly. After all, he could see their aptitude clearly, so his investments would not be wasted.
Even if one of the five proved disappointing, the worst outcome would still be a breakthrough to the level of a Sky Knight.