Adrian's first week at the academy passed quietly.
He attended classes, practiced swordsmanship, and spent most evenings in the library.
Several students considered him unremarkable.
Some remembered his family's declining status.
Others simply didn't care.
Adrian preferred it that way.
During a history lecture, Professor Alden discussed the ancient kingdoms.
"The continent was once divided among seven major powers," he explained. "Each was ruled by a bloodline descended from an ancient being."
Adrian listened carefully.
The seven bloodlines included dragon descendants, divine descendants, elemental families, and several ancient beast lineages.
According to the professor, some bloodlines had disappeared entirely.
Adrian wrote that information down.
After class, he approached the professor.
"Professor, are there records of extinct bloodlines?"
"Many. Why do you ask?"
"I'm interested in ancient history."
Professor Alden adjusted his glasses.
"Then visit the restricted archive. There are several records you may find interesting."
Adrian thanked him.
That afternoon, he visited the library's archive section.
He found references to the ancient knight houses.
One record mentioned a forgotten inheritance located in the northern mountains.
The description was incomplete.
An abandoned watchtower.
A sealed chamber.
A knight whose name had been erased from history.
Adrian copied the location into his notebook.
He didn't know whether the information was accurate.
But forgotten inheritances were precisely the kind of opportunities he needed.
He returned to his room.
The system remained silent.
Adrian stared at the map.
"Not yet."
He wasn't strong enough to explore the northern mountains.
But he could prepare.
He began collecting information about the region.
For now, knowledge was his greatest weapon.