There wasn’t much for Ashton to do after they had dinner. And as usual, Ashton ate his food away from everyone else. He didn’t show it in public, but although, as days passed he was becoming more and more like werewolves and lowing understanding them more and more, he still detested them. Especially after what those twins and other nobles tried to pull. 

Ashton couldn’t believe that he even thought that the Gruntas would be any different than the other noble brats. After all, all of them were peas in a pod. However, their absurd way of thinking had filled Ashton’s head with a plan and a resolve to make the second round a memorable one for them. 

‘According to the schedule given to us, the second phase will begin in about a week.’ Ashton thought to himself while he played around with the system, ‘That should be enough time for me to come up with something.’

Since Ashton’s plan of staying lowkey had already been thrown out of the window, he no longer saw a reason to hold back against the others. If they wanted to make him the centre of attention, then so be it. He wasn’t going to do just that but carefully.

He couldn’t just openly declare war against the nobles. The shit didn’t work like that. He had to be sneaky and with the things he obtained today, it should be a bit easier. 

‘Let’s see what I have…’ Ashton thought as he opened his inventory, ‘Using the twin blade is out of the question. Which leaves me with the Bony whip as my only weapon. Nemean Hide is a top tier armour so I don’t need to worry about protecting my chest.’

However, those were the only two pieces of equipment he had. He needed proper gears to protect the rest of his body as well as a weapon that could be used in short range. The whip was an excellent weapon.

Unlike anything, Ashton had wielded before. But using it freely and in short-range combat was a bit troublesome. That was the reason why Ashton kept using the whip to increase his manoeuvrability while dealing damage to his targets with his limbs. 

‘Thankfully, I have money that I can use to solve that problem easily. The only problem is… I don’t know where to spend it.’

It was his first time ever having some money, so he didn’t exactly know how to bargain and stuff like that. The way he was now, his biggest worry was that he would end up getting ripped off if he were to go to the market by himself. 

He already knew a lot of vendors would try to wrong him, especially after seeing the king of money he had. So he decided it was better if someone were to accompany him while he did what he had to

‘As much as I’d hate to ask the mistress for help. I don’t think I have any other choice. Hmm… maybe I should try asking Disha. Then, either way, she would have to take permission from the mistress before doing anything.’

One way or the other the mistress was going to know what he was planning to do. So he decided it was better for him to be the one to give her the news…

‘I’ll think about it tomorrow. For now, I’ll just sleep- oh come on!’

Knock… knock…

After fighting for the better part of the day, it was obvious that Ashton was tired. But it seemed someone didn’t want him to have any sort of rest. 

Ashton opened the door and there stood the mistress along with the human slave couple. The slaves appeared to be in a much better condition now that their wounds have been treated and their bellies well fed. The only thing which remained to be seen was why the heck were they there?

“Did you need something, mistress?”

Ashton wanted to be as cold with her as he was before, but after seeing what the mistress was capable of doing, he chose not to. Who knew when her head would flip over and she would start beating the living hell out of him just because she felt like that.

The mistress turned towards the slaves and they immediately went down on their knees. 

“We are at your service, Lord Ashton.”

“Eh? The hell are they spouting now? Me, a lord?” 

“Of course, you’re a lord. Just like the others in the academy.” The mistress said before walking inside his room and making herself comfortable on the bed, “You did not expect me to send a member of my family to the academy without an escort, did you?”

“But this… isn’t this a bit excessive? I mean why would I even need servants there in the first-“

“You seem to be mistaken. I wasn’t asking whether or not you want to take them with you. I was merely stating that you will be accompanied by them. Is that understood?” The mistress said with a certain finality in her voice.

Ashton bit his tongue. He knew exactly why the Mistress was doing that. She needed someone to keep an eye on him and even if these slaves were supposed to be his ‘escorts’, they were more like informants keeping an eye on him in her stead. 

Also, since the slaves were saved by the mistress, it was a given that they would have an undying loyalty towards her. As a result, if they end up accompanying him, he would certainly have more than enough trouble to level up his other genes without raising suspicion.

In other words… he was fcked for good. It was a rule for the escorts to accompany their Lords and Ladies everywhere. Even in the academy. The classes and the dorms were included in this.

“Now that you have been acquainted, we shall take our leave,” Mistress mumbled as the humans got back to their feet and left after her. Leaving Ashton alone in his room.

‘I have to think of a way to get them off my back… at least during the night.’

Nighttime was essentially the only time when he could hunt and level up as a vampire and an undead. This being able to roam freely was an absolute necessity for him. Ashton wracked his brains for some time, thinking of ways to get rid of them… 

Then an idea hit him. He quickly opened the rules and regulations of the academy and there it was… written in golden letters. A way for him to get rid of the slaves from tracing his every step. 

“Looks like I will have to hold back during the second round of the exam…. guess I don’t have any other choice.”