Chapter 544: Loren Vance
Loren Vance had always lived in the illusion of superiority.
From the moment he first entered the gates of Moonsprings Academy, he had been treated not as a student, but as an heir. The Vance Guild—his guild—was the only platinum-ranked guild in the city, making them untouchable in both status and influence. And Moonsprings, being more of a business hub than a martial domain, idolized wealth and background more than merit or rank. In a place where merchant families ruled with coin and status, Loren had grown up with everyone bowing their heads long before he earned it.
Even the academy professors, many of whom could crush him in a duel, referred to him with forced politeness. Why wouldn’t they? His father, Virgil Vance, an S-ranked guild master, practically funded the entire institution. Moonsprings Academy—while considered prestigious within the city—wasn’t even in the top hundred academies in Edolas. Yet within its walls, Loren strutted like a dragon among ducks, never once realizing he was just a pond fish who had never glimpsed the ocean.
He reminded many of Professor William in temperament—entitled, arrogant, and unwilling to acknowledge those without noble bloodlines or famed crests. But Loren’s delusion went even deeper. He believed that power should serve status, not the other way around. And now, for the first time, that belief was being shaken.
When he was deployed to the Delta Outpost—allegedly to gain experience in real warfare—Loren expected to be celebrated. After all, he was the only platinum-guild heir in the region, surely deserving of a captain’s rank or higher. But instead, he was assigned a mere soldier’s role. That humiliation stung even more when he learned that Hiro, someone who was from a gold-graded guild, had been appointed as a squad captain.
Hiro Ernest. The name alone irked him.
To Loren, Hiro was a nobody from nowhere. And yet, people followed him—respected him. What’s worse, the ones doing so weren’t just some nameless foot soldiers; they were Sylvia Mavis, and Lisa Kyelpas—scions of families with backgrounds equal or superior to his. Even Zion Maxwell, from a rising house, followed Hiro’s orders without complaint.
It was insulting. How could they not be embarrassed? How could they willingly serve under someone whose bloodline hadn’t even held prominence for a decade?
That’s when Loren’s twisted logic took root.
In his mind, Hiro wasn’t the problem. The others were simply misunderstanding the hierarchy. They were following military protocol, nothing more. If Loren could publicly humiliate Hiro—show them that status still reigned supreme—they would surely reconsider their loyalty. Perhaps, they’d even thank him. And if he impressed them enough, the daughters of the Diamond-ranked Mavis and Kyelpas families might remember his name favorably. He’d secure future ties. Favors. Influence.