The Academy For The Aces: BOOK 1 OF THE ACE SERIES

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Prince Andrew glanced at Faith briefly, his sapphire eyes cold and distant. Inwardly, he felt a pang of annoyance at the intrusion of having a roommate. He valued his privacy greatly and didn't welcome the idea of sharing his personal space. Nevertheless, he remained silent for a moment, carefully guarding his emotions, as he was accustomed to doing.

Then, in a calm but resolute tone, he responded, "Holmes, huh? Well, I suppose we're stuck with each other as roommates then." The words carried an undertone of discontent, revealing his initial reluctance to the arrangement.

On the other hand, Faith noticed the subtle signs of his discomfort. Despite being aware of his indifference, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of sympathy for him. "I'm not too happy with the arrangements either, Your Highness," she scoffed lightly, trying to break the ice. She sensed that he needed some reassurance, even if he was unwilling to admit it.

"That's fine," Prince Andrew replied, trying to maintain his composure. "I won't be here most of the time, so you have the entire room to yourself." His response was a mixture of detachment and a desire to assert his need for solitude.

Faith's curiosity was piqued by his statement, as she wondered why he spent so much time away from their shared room. "Why's that?" she asked, genuinely curious about his reasons.

"What's it to you, Holmes?" he deadpanned, giving her a condescending look that was meant to keep her at a distance. His voice had a hint of irritation as if he resented her inquisitiveness.

Feeling a bit taken aback by his sharp reply, Faith sensed that there was more to his behavior than met the eye. As he exited the room without another word, she couldn't help but wonder about the walls he had erected around himself. Despite his apparent indifference, she sensed that Prince Andrew's guarded exterior hid a deeper complexity that she was determined to understand.

As Faith began settling into her new "home," she noticed that Onion had, indeed, taken care of her luggage, neatly arranging it by her bed. She walked over to her suitcase and began unpacking, carefully placing her clothes in the closet. On the mahogany desk, she caught sight of her timetable, which she presumed was placed there before her arrival. It included all her classes, professors, as well as her assigned partner for each class.

With a mixture of excitement and apprehension, Faith realized that her time at The Academy For The Aces was just beginning, and something within her couldn't wait to uncover the mysteries that awaited her in this extraordinary place.

"To our new students, your classes officially begin tomorrow. So take this time to become familiarized," Madame Lavigne's voice echoed through the speakers.

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"So Faith, your roommate is my brother," Antheia said.

Since the palace and the academy collaborate closely together, Antheia was quite familiar with the academy and decided to give Faith a tour. However, someone else wanted to tag along, Daiyu Cao.

Daiyu Cao came from a long line of illustrious ancestors, and none more renowned than her great ancestor, the legendary Chinese general Cao Cao. Throughout history, tales of his strategic brilliance and fearless leadership echoed across generations, solidifying the Cao family's legacy as a symbol of strength and nobility.

As the only daughter in her family, Daiyu faced expectations that weighed heavily on her young shoulders. The Cao lineage had always been predominantly male, with sons groomed to carry on the family's martial traditions and wield the revered Jinlei, a sacred sword that held the spirit of General Cao Cao himself. Passed down from father to son, the sword represented the embodiment of their lineage's martial prowess.

"I'm guessing gossip is quite prevalent here?" Faith said, sighing at Antheia's questions.

"No, more like... process of elimination," Daiyu interjected.

"Look, I know Andrew can be a bit... stand-offish, but he's not the worst roommate. I mean, imagine if you had to live with Onion!" Antheia chuckled, and Faith wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"Fair enough. What about you, Antheia? Your roommate, that is," Faith said, clarifying, "the redhead with the glasses?"

"His name is Malcolm; his grandfather is Thomas Edison. He's a bit quirky but he's nice. I like him. Not like that I mean, you know..." Antheia responded, stumbling on her words.

"We get it, Princess," Daiyu said with a smile.

"What about you, Daiyu? Who's your roommate?" Faith questioned.

"His name is Romeo Wyllt; apparently, his Uncle is Mryddin Wyllt," Daiyu answered.

"Myrddin? As in Merlin! The great and wise wizard," Antheia grinned, her eyes filled with excitement.

"Yes, indeed," Daiyu said, 0He's alright, though Rhaegal is something I ought to get used to," Daiyu continued.

"Rhaegal?" Both Antheia and Faith questioned.

"His pet dragon," Daiyu clarified, slightly amused.

"I know this school is quite large, but certainly not big enough to host a dragon," Antheia stated, "where does he keep it?" Antheia goes on to the question.

"She's not as grand and majestic as you imagine, Princess. She's quite small, like a dog," Daiyu responded, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Impressive," Antheia mused, her eyes then averted to an opened door up ahead, and a wide smile appeared on her face. "The archives!" Antheia excitedly said as she walked towards it, both Daiyu and Faith looked at each other slightly confused by Antheia's excitement but followed after her anyway.

The academy's archive was no typical archive; it was vast, with lanes seeming endless and hundreds of books covering the shelves. Ladders were leaned against shelves where books were unreachable. Faith wondered how long it would take her to read every single one but knew that was almost... impossible.

"Are you sure this is the archives? It looks more like a giant library," Faith asked, her voice bouncing against the walls.

"Oh, this is no ordinary archive," Antheia chimed, "this place holds records of wars, accomplishments of students from the academy, legends, and the history of different abilities," Antheia explained.

"Wow, that's impressive, but my intuition tells me that we're not allowed here," Faith said in a questioning tone, and Antheia nervously laughed.

"Because we're not?" She responded, both Daiyu and Faith glaring at her.

"Okay, I'm out. I refuse to be expelled on the first day," Faith replied, then proceeded to the exit.

"I second that," Daiyu added.

"That's too bad; there's a book here that may shed some light on Sherlock's disappearance," Antheia said, which instantly made Faith stop in her tracks.

"What?" Faith answered.