There is a reason for everything, but there are nonsensical things that can happen for the sake of happening.

"Why are you here?"

He isn't supposed to be here at this time, especially on this day.

My mind trembles as I ask myself a multitude of questions. It makes no sense when I've received reports of his death, reports of his ability to move stripped from him.

So how?

"Brother, how are you alive?"

His eyes showed resolve, not weakness, they showed voracity, not meekness.

"I have thought your offer over, there is no other way."

He opened his palm and revealed a blue spark, his eyes glowing the same color as he did so.

"I will be Prince again."

[…]

I shouldn't involve myself with him, nor any of the others with strong fates. Those who have strong fates like conquering a country, or slaying a dragon will drag others with them.

Callus Von Afrecht would take those with fates like inheriting the title of Marquis or pulling out the Holy Sword into his fold, having them be in all sorts of danger until he finally slew the Demon King.

It was that thought that drove me to save Oskar, one with a fate to die.

I don't know what will come from this, whether his fate is great or miserably small, he will owe me a favor.

The only difficulty now that I face is the fate of my own.

Like Callus, who has the fate to save the world, or Oskar who was destined to die.

What kind of fate was meant for me, if any?

"I have finished my task, Priest Andrei. I have granted mercy to 12, and 5 have been saved as ordained by the Lord."

His white robes were stained with blood, he must have been attending to patients himself today.

"Well done, you've done exceptional work here today. You will be most useful on the frontlines."

"I appreciate your kind words, Priest."

"You are dismissed, as of today, I decree you as a Healer."

With that title in hand, I'd be able to learn more from a true healer's repertoire.

"So you've done it first then."

Priscilla stared at me as she spoke, her eyes wide.

"My hands still tremble every time, and my dreams are filled with their faces."

She must have begun to reach the limits of what her mind would tolerate.

"Yet somehow, every single day without fail, you seem so rested. You don't look like you've seen what's inside those rooms, what they're going through."

She's going to be mentally unstable soon.

"Is there something wrong with you? Or…or is it me?"

"It's-"

"It's only normal that you would be shaken by such a thing."

As I began to respond, Neville appeared from nowhere and interrupted. He caressed her shaking hands as he said this.

His naturally baggy eyes made him look tired, and though it wasn't obvious, he added a slight shake to his own hands.

"I too, am troubled, which is why I've begun to pray to the Lord. In this turmoil, I had forgotten to do such a simple thing, and yet! When I pray, I feel the Lord speaking to me, telling me that what I do is in his name."

Priscilla's eyes are filled with disgust, it's obvious to see even from here. But no matter what, there was an ally in front of her, who appeared to be experiencing the same things as her, and was offering an easy solution to that problem.

She would not resist.

"The Lord tells me what I am doing is right."

Such an easy solution.

I turn and leave, making my way to the door.

Priest Andrei walks alongside me, and looking back as he does, utters words only I can hear.

"That is why they are not healers, if not for this war, they never would be. One who cannot act without others will only burn down one day, and the other, who lives to manipulate others will only cause discord. It pains me that I will soon need to give them the same title you have."

He places a small pendant in my hand, one with the symbol of an elk upon it.

"Know this, you are a true healer. This is only given to those who have truly passed all requirements to become a healer, you will recognize others who are equally qualified wearing the same pendant as you."

I felt the chains of the necklace slide around in my hands as I unraveled it, placing it around my neck.

"Thank you, Priest Andrei."

"No, it is an honor you have earned yourself."

Priest Andrei waved goodbye before heading back into the Church. 

There was something like this for the soldier route as well, those who passed the test fully would obtain a sword with a proper guard and leather sheath, while those who were only qualified to be foot soldiers would obtain a rusty spear or something similar to a Dao, a short weapon only meant for chopping.

These are all just pieces of status to obtain.

I also saw this pendant around Professor Marietta's neck, the results will be finalized before the week is out. Those with the pendant will most likely be learning something different from those without.

Offensive Magic will be granted to us, if this was a test of self-control and personality, then the only ones to learn offensive magic will be those with a stable mind.

Then this pendant will be a way to tell between those who are qualified…and dangerous.

This academy, although the exam included people who used swords, magic, and other forms of combat, was split into different sections.

I am part of the healer faction, which is one-fifth of the school. The other sections include the Swordsmen Faction, the Special Division, and Unknowns. Additionally, due to special circumstances, the Magic Tower has set up a base here which replaces what was once the Magic faction.

Of those five factions, each has a leader.

Marietta is just under the Church in terms of command, she works directly under the superintendent.

Well…she did work under him before becoming superintendent herself. I'm not exactly sure why or how but from what I've heard, the previous superintendent disappeared without a word and Marietta became superintendent.

What frightened me was the name of the previous superintendent, the name of someone who once had an extraordinarily strong fate, tied by name, and the only one of his kind.

Vlad, the Vampire King.

He's someone Callus will have to fight later down the line, but Vlad as far as I know was recognized as a brilliant professor and kind soul.

So why would he become the vile Impaler?

It doesn't make sense.

I opened the door to the classroom, where Professor Marietta sat, teaching her afternoon class.

"Hello Duri, what brings you here?"

The other students all stared, I could feel their eyes through the mask. 

It was obvious that she knew why I was here, her eyes landed not on my mask when I entered, but on the pendant. In a world where status is everything, she would have been looking at the necks of other healers, searching for the sign of competence every single day since she received hers.

"I have become a Healer, I would like to advance to the Restoration and Advanced Studies class."

She stared a while longer at the pendant before opening the desk and taking out a piece of parchment, stamping the mark of the superintendent into the wax that laid upon it.

"I think this class would suit you more."

'Healer's Introduction to Restoration and the Combative Arts.'

I was correct.

"I appreciate the opportunity, Professor, I gladly accept."

Every time I met her eyes, I would get goosebumps. My hairs would stand up on end, and I would feel an inexplicable sense of fear where there should be none.

The feeling of being prey.

The feeling of having your mind pried open with a knife and fork. The feeling of being hunted not for nourishment, but for the sake of sating a different need.

This is a status effect from a higher monster, she's enforcing this effect on me on purpose.

Vlad wasn't born a Vampire, he became a Vampire through infection, and the only thing that can create a Vampire with the power of a King is the only one of its kind.

The Progenitor, Marietta Durnett.

Why are you exposing yourself to me? What is it that you seek to gain?

"Very good, you are dismissed."

My body trembled walking out, and even though she didn't look at me, I felt her gaze upon me until I closed the door.

I had found a Vampire, the strongest one at that, it's an opportunity to cure my leprosy.

Yet…this feeling of fear won't go away, I can't think like I'm used to. 

In my mind, there was only one thought that made any sense at all.

This Vampire is not a cure, only danger, only there to split my mind apart and take whatever parts are there for use. Those fangs will not serve to turn me into kin, they will be used to make me into a soulless husk.

The leprosy is completely different from zombification, I feel as if I'm drifting in and out of a trance. Between myself, and Duri. 

The result of Noctum Swordsmanship, the result of this leprosy. 

Those fangs would only propel this disease to its final stage.

I hugged myself, my arms trembling as I did.

I would not become undead of the lowest order, I would not become a being wherein my mind is not my own.

"I will not become a ghoul."

I must find a way to direct her interest towards something else before I'm made into an abomination.