Robin maintained his new routine for two weeks. Nightly hunts in the dungeons. Daily quests during the day. Careful management of his public persona, showing gradual improvement, nothing too dramatic.
His stats had climbed steadily:
┏━━━━━━━[ Host Profile ]━━━━━━━┓
│ Name: Robin Stark
│ Level: 5
│ EXP: 445/500- 89%
│
│ Core Attributes:
│ STR Strength 9
│ AGI Agility 7
│ END Endurance 7
│ DEX Dexterity 8
│
│ HP: 62/62
│ Stamina: 45/45
│ Mana: 32/105
┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
Almost level 6. His mana was still too low to use Time Echo, but that would change soon. The seal was degrading with each level, 74% strength now, down from 80% when he'd started.
Four more levels until I can attempt removal. Then everything changes.
Robin was in the training yard, the public one this time, not his secret locations. He needed to maintain visibility. Let servants see him exercising. Give the Duke's spies something to report.
He was running laps around the yard's perimeter. His breathing was steady, controlled. His legs moved with an efficiency that would have been impossible two months ago.
A bell rang from the main castle. The formal summons bell. Calling the household to the great hall.
What now?
Robin slowed to a stop. Wiped sweat from his face. Made his way toward the castle with the stream of servants and minor family members.
The great hall was already filling when he arrived. Nobles in fine clothing. Servants lining the walls. Guards at attention.
At the head of the hall sat Duke Aldric Stark on his throne-like chair. To his right stood Marcus, the golden heir, looking proud and confident. To his left, Leo, trying to match his older brother's bearing and failing.
Robin found a spot near the back. Unobtrusive. Easy to observe from without being noticed.
The Duke raised his hand. Silence fell.
"I have called you here to announce a matter of great importance to House Stark," the Duke began, his voice carrying through the hall. "A matter concerning the future of our bloodline."
Robin's mind was already analyzing. Formal announcement. All household present. This is significant.
"My second son, Leo, has come of age," the Duke continued. His hand rested on Leo's shoulder. "He has trained diligently in the arts of war and leadership. He has proven himself worthy of the Stark name."
Leo's chest puffed slightly. Robin resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Get to the point.
"Therefore," the Duke said, "I am pleased to announce that Leo Stark will be departing for the Royal Military Academy in the capital. He will join the ranks of Valderra's finest warriors in training, and bring honor to House Stark."
The hall erupted in applause. Nobles congratulated the Duke. Servants bowed respectfully.
Robin stood perfectly still, his mind racing.
The Royal Military Academy. The RMA.
Justin had attended the Academy in his previous life. It was where common-born soldiers could rise through pure skill. Where nobles trained to become officers. Where the kingdom's future military elite were forged.
And more importantly, it was a way out of Winterfell.
The Duke was still speaking. "Leo will depart in three weeks' time. He will be accompanied by a suitable retinue and provided with the finest equipment House Stark can offer."
Of course. The favored son got everything. Resources. Support. The family name backing him fully.
The Academy. That's the key.
Robin's perspective shifted. He'd been focused on immediate goals, grinding levels, unlocking skills, surviving his family's neglect. But the Academy represented something bigger.
Opportunity.
At the Academy, he could train properly. Access to real weapons, real training, real opponents. No more hunting rats in dungeons. Real combat experience against human opponents.
And most importantly, distance from the Duke's surveillance. At the Academy, he'd be just another student. Anonymous. Free to grow stronger without constant observation.
I need to get there.
But how? The Duke would never voluntarily send Robin. The cursed child attending the kingdom's premier military academy? Absurd. Embarrassing.
I'll have to force his hand.
The announcement continued. Details about Leo's departure. Well-wishes from various nobles. Political niceties that Robin ignored.
His mind was already planning. Calculating. Running scenarios.
The Academy has entrance exams. Written tests, mana aptitude assessment, combat trials.
Robin knew the format. Justin had taken those exams. Passed them with distinction despite having no formal training.
If I can pass the exams, the Duke can't refuse to let me attend. It would be too public. Too embarrassing to deny his own son admission after passing the requirements.
It was risky. Taking the exams meant revealing his capabilities publicly. The Duke would know Robin was far more capable than he pretended.
But it was also inevitable. Robin couldn't stay hidden in Winterfell forever. Eventually, he'd need to step onto a larger stage.
Better to do it on my terms. When I'm ready.
The announcement ended. The crowd began to disperse. Robin remained still, thinking.
Three weeks until Leo departed. The Academy's entrance exams were held quarterly. Leo would be taking the autumn examination.
Which means I have three weeks to prepare. Three weeks to reach level 10 if possible. Three weeks to create an opening.
Robin made his way back to his room. His mind was already shifting gears, planning.
He'd need to accelerate his training. Push harder in the dungeons. Maybe take on tougher enemies, find if there were any F+ or even E-rank creatures lurking in the deeper sections.
And he'd need to create a scenario where attending the Academy seemed not just possible, but necessary.
A public challenge. Something the Duke can't ignore.
Robin thought about Leo. About his brother's arrogance. His need to prove superiority.
If I can engineer a situation where Leo challenges me publicly... where refusing would seem cowardly...
It was risky. But everything was risky now.
Robin pulled up his quest log:
┏━━━━━━━[ Active Missions ]━━━━━━━┓
│ → Survive to Academy Age
│ ├─ Time Remaining: 1095 days
│ ├─ Progress: 10%
│ └─ Reward: Academy Admission
│
│ → NEW: Secure Academy Entrance
│ ├─ Time Limit: 21 days
│ ├─ Method: Pass entrance exams
│ └─ Reward: Freedom from Stark Manor
┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
The system had updated automatically. It recognized the opportunity.
Twenty-one days.
Robin could work with that.
That evening, during the dinner he saw this family, Robin observed his family carefully.
The Duke sat at the head of the table, pleased with his announcement. Marcus discussed Academy politics with his father, he'd graduated a year ago and maintained connections.
Leo was insufferable. Bragging about the Academy. About the training he'd receive. About the glory he'd win.
"Of course, not everyone is suited for the Academy," Leo said loudly, "It takes real strength. Real talent. Not everyone has what it takes."
Robin kept his expression neutral.
Keep talking, brother. Keep underestimating me.
"The entrance exams are quite rigorous," Marcus added. "Combat trials especially. They put you against captured beasts. F-rank usually, but occasionally something stronger if you're unlucky."
"I'm not worried," Leo said confidently. "I've been training for this my whole life."
No, you've been playing at training. There's a difference.
Robin left in silence. Let the conversation flow around him. Invisible again.
Perfect.
Robin returned to his room. But he didn't sleep. He sat on his bed, planning.
Three weeks. I need to be undeniable by then.
That meant reaching at least level 7. Preferably level 8. His mana capacity needed to increase enough to use Time Echo at least once, that alone would be a massive advantage.
And his weapon mastery needed to reach at least rank D. Higher if possible.
Accelerated training. Every night in the dungeons. Push harder. Hunt stronger enemies.
Robin thought about the deeper sections of the dungeon he'd avoided. The areas where sounds suggested larger, more dangerous creatures lurked.
Time to explore. Time to find real challenges.
He also needed to study. The written exam covered military history and strategy. Justin's knowledge would carry him through most of it, but he should review. Make sure his answers seemed believable for a ten-year-old.
And I need to engineer the confrontation with Leo. Make it public. Make it impossible for the Duke to refuse.
Robin smiled in the darkness.
The Duke had just given him the perfect opportunity. By announcing Leo's Academy admission publicly, he'd created a stage.
Now Robin just needed to step onto it.
Three weeks. Then everything changes.
He lay back on his bed, mind racing with plans and calculations.
The cursed child was about to stop hiding.
And when he emerged, the family that had abandoned him would realize their mistake.
Too late. Far too late.
Robin closed his eyes. But sleep didn't come for hours.
His mind was too busy planning his escape. His transformation. His ascension.
The Academy was the key to everything.
And Robin Stark was going to kick that door open whether his family wanted him to or not.
Three weeks, he thought one final time before sleep claimed him.
Just three weeks until I leave this prison behind.
And start building something they'll never see coming.