Severin began working the next day.
With Julius, they went to the Admin building to sell what they acquired from the dungeon.
In total, he made about twenty thousand gold, which was about twenty thousand dollars if Severin was using the currencies back on Earth.
And immediately, he used half of it to buy a piece of land in the Field Zone.
Although the Academy didn’t actually call it buying, he already had the authority to own land. What he was just paying for was a permit.
Severin knew otherwise.
The Academy treated the Houses as milk cows.
They gave them pasture to roam and free food, and in return, they took their milk. In a way, it was a win-win.
The next step was to look for builders to start building something on it.
Severin went for the cheapest, and they began to build what he knew was only a temporary House building, but he wanted something on the Field Zone to mark his presence.
Two days later, they stood in front of it.
"Well, not bad," Julius adjusted his glasses as he stared up at the house.
It was made of wood, just four walls with the inside divided into office-like space.
Severin pointed to the large land beside it. "Now we can train to our heart’s content."
Ethan snorted. "This is what you called us for, Julius? This? Well, I’m glad I’m not part of your House. I’ve seen stables better than this."
Derrick grimaced. "It’s not bad? I mean, other Houses’ buildings are like castles, but they absolutely have a humbling beginning like this. Or not."
"Ah... well," Celia said.
Severin understood them. Even he had given it the same look, but as Derrick said, it was a humbling beginning.
Inside had been furnished with the cheapest furniture he could buy.
"So why did you call us here?" Ethan asked.
They were sitting around a long table and chairs.
"We are here to talk about the dungeon," Julius said.
Severin nodded. "Derrick and Ethan, you guys are not officially part of my House, but you work for it, so I will treat you as part of the House."
’.....I will still have to force them to join somehow....’
"The dungeon is the first for this House, and I considered it a success. We got what we wanted—resources—and even now, people talk about the House name in the Academy. We were the only House to come out without a scratch."
"We were nearly done in, though," Celia pointed out, showing her healed hands.
"If not for that S-rank guy, we’d be dead," Ethan said solemnly. The near brush with death had humbled him somehow.
"And we’re not even in a better position. Those that were behind it might target us now," Julius said.
Derrick gritted his teeth and his eyes flashed. "We did a lot of work while you were conveniently away."
Severin frowned. Time to dig into them, see how much Lucas affected them. "That’s because you guys were lacking in strength."
The room went still. Eyes sharpened and turned toward him.
Wait, what?
Even Julius—his eyes sharpened and gleamed.
But it was Derrick that responded. He exploded. He stood up from his place and pointed at Severin. "A weak guy like you is telling us how we are lacking in strength? Isn’t that just too ironic?"
Celia nodded, eyes flashing. "House leader, that’s too much. We are strong and you are weak. It’s not your place to tell us that we are lacking in strength."
Julius grimaced. "I’m sorry, Severin, but what you said is absolute bullshit. Lacking in strength? From you? That’s just—"
Ethan only gritted his teeth, but he didn’t say anything.
Severin let them.
He didn’t say anything and just let them rant.
Especially Derrick. He went on about how Severin was away during the dungeon raid instead of helping, and he came back with only a bump on the head?
"Have you forgotten you are a weakling, Severin?"
Derrick looked like someone who was looking for a fight, his muscles flexing and his eyes bulging.
Julius looked at Severin sharply. "I’ll advise you to take your words back, House leader."
And then, when Severin didn’t reply, they fell into an uncomfortable, tension-filled silence, with most of them glaring at him.
Only Julius now looked at him with curiosity. He’d spent enough time with Severin to know that he must have something planned with what he was saying, but he couldn’t figure it out.
"Why take back what is only the truth? I am weak, I accept. So, are you telling me you guys are weaklings as well?"
Wait, what? The expression on all of them changed.
"I have never disagreed with anyone that called me weak, but you guys—do you want to remain the way you are until someone comes to rescue you?"
They shifted. Who would have thought that Severin would make the conversation go that kind of way?
"You lack strength," Severin repeated again.
And now, since they couldn’t fault his logic and they knew it for themselves, they accepted, but it still didn’t sit well with them. Severin saw it in their eyes.
"As compensation for the dungeon, I have gifts for you guys."
Severin brought out four pieces of paper and then he gave the four of them each one.
"Celia, your offensive power is admirable, but you lack speed. There’s no use having such firepower if you can’t reach the enemy. I’ve written down some techniques for you to try out."
Celia scanned through it and her face lit up. "I’ve never really thought of this before. Thank you."
"Ethan, you are the strongest and yet the most predictable. Your attacks are too simple and avoidable if the opponent keeps their distance from you and attacks from afar."
Ethan’s brows knitted as he read his paper. "Is this really possible?"
"Yes. If you move your gravity power like that, you will be able to create gravity bullets."
Ethan’s hand tightened and his face hardened. "Well, is that all? Thank you. I have somewhere to be."
He stood up, but Severin called him back.
"I bought four spaces in the training center. It’s registered under the House. You can pick," Severin said casually.
Ethan didn’t say anything as he walked out.
"Derrick, you are too stiff. You need to be more flexible. Those are stretching techniques—putting weight and even tearing and healing some certain muscles..."