Reborn as the bastard son of a Duke

Chapter 40: Announcement


Oblivious to what was transpiring while he was training, Adam was still in the personal training area, busy practicing how to channel his affinity better.

Although Sam could use the system to help him with everything, he didn't want to rely on it too much—to the point where he'd become useless without it.

A few hours went by as he continued practicing, and thanks to his physique, Adam was able to make progress.

"Okay, that's enough for today."

Emily's voice cut through his concentration, snapping him out of his trance.

"But master, I haven't—"

"Yeah, I didn't expect you to master it on the first try, no matter how much of a genius you are. But you've made more progress than I expected."

Adam couldn't help but feel disappointed. He had expected to master it effortlessly thanks to his cheats, but things didn't go as he hoped.

'I guess I can't just master mana control in a few hours, but at least I can channel it way better than before now,' he thought to himself.

Emily noticed his expression and gave a small smile before it quickly disappeared. She approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't sweat it, kid. It's only your first day at the academy, so I don't expect you to master mana overnight."

She chuckled and walked toward the cabin, leaving Adam alone for a few moments before returning, holding a small pill.

"Here, take this."

"What's this?" Adam asked as he took the pill and a book.

"That pill will give you extra mana to help with your breakthrough. You're still at the peak of D-rank awakened—impressive, I'll admit—but that's not enough."

Adam looked at the pill in his hand and clenched it tightly.

"Thank you, master."

Emily smiled softly. "It's nothing. A master is supposed to spoil their student. Now, it's time to go—it's almost morning."

After saying that, she snapped her fingers again. Dark mist began to swirl around them, swallowing them whole, and in just a few moments, they were back at the academy's training grounds.

"And we're back. Go to your room and get some rest. Seraphim will give you an announcement in class today."

Adam looked at her with a skeptical expression, confused. 'What announcement?' he thought.

"Judging by that look, you're confused. Don't worry—you didn't miss anything. Only the higher-ups know, but you'll hear it from Seraphim soon enough."

Adam nodded as she disappeared into the shadows again, leaving him alone in the training grounds.

"Phew, that was something. And this pill… I'll use it another time. For now, I need to rest."

Adam said as he placed the pill into his inventory and went back to his dorm on the top floor. He used his key card to open the door, where he was greeted by Alfred:

{ Welcome back, Master. Had a good first day? }

"Hello, Alfred. Yeah, the classes weren't that bad—I learned a lot. Anyway, set an alarm for 7 a.m."

{ Okay, Master Adam. }

Adam nodded and headed to his room. After taking a quick shower, he went to bed.

"I haven't checked my status for a while… Status."

---

Host: Adam

Race: Dragon

Age: 15

Level: 5 [0/1,000]

Class: Dragon Sovereign

Rank: D+

Talent: EX

Physique: Dragon God Physique

Affinity: Space, Ice

Title: Bastard Son, Dragon Sovereign

HP: 2,000/2,000

MP: 2,000/2,000

[STATS]

Strength: 200

Speed: 200

Stamina: 200

Constitution: 200

Intelligence: 200

Free Stat Points: 140

[CLASS SKILLS]

Dragon Sovereign's Swordsmanship (D/EX rank – Passive)

Dragon Sovereign's Mana Cultivation (S rank – First of Four Pieces)

[SKILLS]

Dragonis Swordsmanship (D rank – Passive)

Regeneration (S rank – Passive)

Dragon Transformation (S rank – Active)

Dragon Roar (S rank – Active)

Dragon Breath (A rank – Active)

Partial Transformation (A rank – Active)

Sovereign Aura (S rank – Passive/Active)

Space Slash (D rank – Active)

Collapse (S rank – Active)

[INVENTORY]

Sword of Bahamut (D rank – Growth Type Weapon)

Dragon Sovereign Armor (D rank – Growth Type Armor)

---

"Hmm, nothing changed much, and I've pretty much balanced out all my stats."

Adam stared at the transparent blue screen hovering in front of him before dismissing it with a thought. It vanished, and he soon drifted off to sleep.

{ Master, it's time to wake up. }

Adam heard Alfred's alarm and got up, stretching his body before yawning. After showering and putting on his academy uniform, he stepped outside, where Duke and Selena were waiting.

"Hey bro, ready for the second day?" Duke asked.

"Well, I gotta be, don't I?" Adam said with a slight chuckle.

"Good morning, Adam," Selena greeted.

"Morning, Selena. Hope you had a good night?"

"Well, besides my body being sore from the sparring matches, I'd say it was pretty good," she replied with a smile.

"That's good. Let's head to class before we're late. You don't wanna get chewed out by Professor Seraphim, huh, Duke?"

When Duke heard that, a shiver ran down his spine, and he started moving first.

"You're right—let's go!"

Duke rushed off ahead, with Adam and Selena following behind. They reached the classroom in no time.

Upon arrival, the other students of Class S were already there, chatting. They glanced at the door when it opened, seeing Adam, Selena, and Duke walk in.

They took their seats and chatted briefly before Professor Seraphim entered the room.

"Good morning, class. For today's lesson, we'll continue from where we left off—but before we begin, there's an announcement I have to make."

When Adam heard the word announcement, he recalled what Emily had said earlier. 'I wonder what it's about…'

Seraphim gestured for them to look at the board as she channeled mana into a blue crystal. The crystal levitated and glowed, projecting words onto the whiteboard:

Inter-Racial Competition

"There will be an inter-racial competition in a few months, after your midterm exams. This event happens every ten years," she began.

"The peace we hold is fragile. Many forces seek to sever this alliance. Some people believe peace makes us weak—that only cowards value it." She paused to let the words sink in.

"This competition helps strengthen our alliance and allows each races to showcase their prodigies. But I'll be honest—the human continent hasn't made much progress."

"We've lost many times because we lack real experience. Most humans don't awaken bloodlines or physiques, and above all, we aren't unified."

"We fight among ourselves. Prideful nobles cripple promising commoners due to a false sense of superiority. That's why the academy's criteria are strict. You'll learn more as time goes on—but for now, let's focus on our lesson."

As the crystal's glow faded, it floated down into her hand, and she tucked it away before beginning the day's lesson.

The class continued as usual, practicing how to channel and control mana more effectively. By the end, everyone had improved, able to maintain the flow for longer than before.

"You've improved, as expected of the elite class," Seraphim said. "Keep practicing—there will be a test next week, and it will affect your rankings."

Gasps filled the room.

"A test!? We just started yesterday!" Duke complained.

Seraphim smiled faintly. "This is Silford Academy. Adapt, or be consumed. Class dismissed."

She closed her book with a loud thud and left without another word.

As soon as she left, the room buzzed with complaints.

"Damn, a test!? I'm not even good at studying!" Duke groaned.

"I doubt it'll be written," Adam said. "It's probably about mana control, but we should still prepare."

"I'll ask my sister later," Selena offered. "She's a graduate of the academy. She'll know."

When Duke heard that, he sighed in relief.

"Yeah, I heard she's coming back to the capital this week. She's been on a mission for months—it'll be good to see her. Come with us, Adam! It's been a while since you last saw her, right?"

Adam thought for a moment. "Sure, why not? I'm free on the weekend."

Selena and Duke exchanged excited glances—it had been a long time since they hung out together. Then Selena remembered something.

"Oh yeah, our second brother will also be there. You should probably avoid him—he's never liked you."

"Hmph, that jerk," Duke muttered. "He always tried to belittle you when you visited the palace with your ex-family. He's always favored the Marquis's family… still looks down on commoners."

"Don't worry, guys. I'll be fine—and I'll try not to cause too much trouble," Adam said with a chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

But his thoughts were different. 'When it comes down to it, I doubt things will proceed smoothly.'

After class ended, the group was just about to leave when a familiar voice called out behind them.

"Hey, you three—mind if we talk for a moment?"

Adam turned and blinked in surprise. Grace Amberfrost was walking toward them, her usual confident stride carrying a hint of hesitation this time.

"Uh, sure," Adam replied, eyeing her skeptically. "What can we do for you?"

"Well…" Grace hesitated, fiddling with a strand of her hair. She wasn't used to this kind of conversation, but she forced the words out anyway. "I just wanted to ask if you'd… spar with me sometimes. And maybe help me study, too?"

For a moment, silence hung between them. All three just stared at her, mouths slightly open as if they'd fall off, as if they'd misheard what she said.

They blinked once. Twice. Three times.

Duke slapped himself lightly on the cheek to check if he was dreaming. Selena looked like she'd just seen a bulldog try to act like a poodle. And Adam—Adam could barely believe that the prideful and ambitious Grace Amberfrost was asking them for help.

"What!?" they all shouted at the same time.

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