Chapter 318: Reasons, Loyalty & Grave Mark

There was silence in Simon’s room for a few seconds before Simon broke the silence.

"I guess I deserve a reward for reigniting the flames of revenge in your heart."

Akaza’s lips twitched behind his mask.

"You’re not even worried about the fact that I plan on having my revenge on you. I will betray you if the conditions are right."

Simon laughed softly while shaking his head.

"Well, the truth is that you won’t be able to achieve your revenge because my own flames of revenge and desire to reach the peak of power is comparable to a thousand suns."

"It is why I do what I can and must to achieve what I want."

"How could your pitiful candle flame of revenge and ambition be comparable to mine?"

The air became frigid cold and Akaza could swear that he saw a raging black sun in Simon’s eyes.

He was baffled and stunned.

Two seconds later, everything went back to normal.

Simon tilted his head slightly and smiled.

"So you see, you won’t be able to achieve your revenge because I’ll always be stronger than you and I’ll always be ahead of you."

He shrugged nonchalantly.

"And if you want to achieve your revenge, work harder. Cause why you’re crawling, walking, or running... I’m flying."

Simon chuckled.

"As for the betrayal. Well, you won’t be the first or second to betray me, and neither will you be the last. Besides, I know that you’ll be dissatisfied if you have your revenge by stabbing me in the back."

"So, I’m not so worried about your betrayal, Akaza."

Akaza left eye twitched at Simon’s words, and he couldn’t retort them because they were the truth.

If he was planning on having his revenge on Simon, it would be through a one on one battle and not by attacking him from behind like an assassin or by stabbing him in the back.

However, it still felt somehow knowing that the person you tell you’re going to betray and get revenge on, is not bothered in the slightest.

"Tch."

He clicked his tongue in annoyance and frustration, and Simon chuckled softly.

"By the way, now I know that a fraction of your story, I understand why you’re here and I know that some other Initiates might have the same reason as you."

"However, do you know any other reason or reasons why other demons would choose to come to the Shadowgrave Academy when they already have a strong background or when other schools suit them more."

Akaza scratched his head with a finger as he pondered on this question briefly.

"Well, there are so many reasons honestly, and I can’t know all. But I know some."

Simon nodded and listened with curiosity in his eyes.

"One of the reasons, and this reason is actually common. Some are sent to the Shadowgrave Academy as punishment and because they are failures in their families or the organization they came from."

"Some might have committed a crime or offended an influential person in their family, and they were sent to the Shadowgrave Clan as punishment."

"While for some, they were thrown into the academy to either survive and prove themselves or die quietly as the trash that they are."

Simon’s gaze flickered with a myriad thoughts.

This was something he had thought of in the past, and it was not surprising to him.

"Some Initiates chose to enter the Shadowgrave Academy instead of any other academy. Some were chosen by the clan itself."

Simon tilted his head, and though he had the urge to tell Akaza that he asked about Initates with elite backgrounds and not ordinary backgrounds.

’Wait... I guess the academy can also choose some demons with elite backgrounds. For example, if it’s known that a demon awakens the shadow element.’

’Hmm.’

While Simon had these thoughts, Akaza continued.

"Some are here as a political insurance policy."

This time around, Simon was lost.

"Political insurance policy?"

Akaza nodded.

"Some families send their children to the Shadowgrave Clan as backups. For example, if their main heir dies, the Shadowgrave trained child takes over so that there won’t be chaos in the kingdom, clan, or tribe."

"Basically, they create a public heir and a shadow heir."

Simon’s eyes widened in disbelief and surprise.

This was... ingenious to him, and he could not help but wonder which tribe, clan, kingdom, or organization was doing such a thing.

In fact, his thoughts went deeper than what Akaza said.

’If the public heir doesn’t die, the shadow heir can be a hidden powerful figure to ensure that their family remains stable.’

’But...what of loyalty? Who is the shadow heir loyal to?’

Simon furrowed his brows in thought.

"And for some, it’s because they have no choice but to send their children to the clan. Some have an agreement with the clan after all."

Simon nodded in understanding, then he asked another question that bothered him.

"Then what about loyalty?"

"How does an initiate with a family or organization choose which organization he should be loyal to?"

"The Shadowgrave Academy is after all not an academy alone but a clan."

Akaza immediately pointed at Simon’s right hand.

Simon frowned in confusion, then his eyes widened slightly in realization.

"The Grave Mark." Akaza said.

"The Shadowgrave Clan does not force any of its members to choose between clans. If a demon wants to go back to their clan, they can go back."

"But, if the clan needs that demon or if the clan has a mission for that demon, the Grave Mark ensures that the demon does the mission or the bidding of the demon."

Simon frowned.

"But what if the demon does not want to do the mission or the bidding of the clan?"

Akaza chuckled. "Then the clan would hunt and kill the demon. I don’t think there has ever been a demon who would refuse to do the clan’s bidding or mission and has survived to this day."

"Everybody that comes to the Shadowgrave Clan knows this. Once you get your Grave Mark, you have no choice but to do the clan’s bidding unless you have a valid reason which the clan would have to accept."

"Or...unless you have a death wish."