(Steven"s POV)Rayna: "Academy City, this is it."
As it turns out, I"m already heading out to yet another place I know very little of; Esnia"s Mage"s Academy.
Madelyn: "Anything we should know?"
Rayna: "There"s a population of 13,000 and everyone is affiliated with the Academy one way or the other."
It"s really not the kind of city I was expecting. It"s more of a campus! The map Madelyn has shows dorms, cla.s.srooms, offices, and other minor things like stores.
Madelyn: "You"re not going to say anything, Steven?"
Steven: "No, this quest of yours came as a surprise to me. I didn"t think we"d be back to work so soon."
Lilith: "Really? I was expecting it."
Rayna: "As did I."
They"re not the ones that recently got out of a coma!
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
Madelyn: "To the Headmistress" office."
Being a Mage"s Academy, I expected to see something similar to the one in Everhand; it"s really the opposite. Some buildings look really old, made of stone and wood. It also seemed like they didn"t have much in terms of a budget as some of the roads were waving between dirt and loose cobble. Still, they appeared to have been keeping up with the times, the main road was paved and the newer buildings were more brick than wood.
The Headmistress" office was one of those buildings, linked to the much smaller Administration building. We didn"t have a hard time looking and we got in pretty easily. The interior was brand new, from the waxed wood to the oak wood chairs.
Stoic Student: "Oh, I"m sorry, but you can"t disturb the Headmistress. She is busy with all the disturbances going around."
Our destination was guarded by an Elf, a kind I never had seen before. He was a Wood Elf! His skin was tanned, ears short like mine but still pointed, dark brown hair that"s neatly trimmed, bushy eyebrows, and has a slight stubble going for him. His build seemed average and looked as tall as Madelyn, at 5"5".
Madelyn: "We were asked to arrive."
All she had to do was show him a stamped envelope.
Stoic Student: "Oh, I apologize, please follow me."
After that, we were pretty much in the office. It was small but there really is no complaining after we got to see what the Academy was like beforehand.
The office was dimly lit with candles; a single desk and bookshelf occupied the room. There was a figure sitting in the chair, but since the lit candles were by the door, we had a tough time seeing her face.
Headmistress: "Maxime, who are these people you"ve brought into my office?"
Maxime: "Apologies, ma"am, but these are the people you have requested aid from."
Headmistress: "Oh? I didn"t expect to see you so soon. You are excused, Maxime."
The Headmistress lights the candles on her desk and we"re able to get a better look at her. Another Wood Elf, she was at least in her late 30"s and her style really shows that she"s in charge. Her hair was neatly tied into a bun and hid a good portion of her ears. She had dark green eyes like an emerald and neatly trimmed eyebrows. Her clothes seemed more traditional with a cap sleeve bodice, full-length skirt, and a waist-length, long sleeve chemise, going for a black and red color scheme.
Steven: "Headmistress, we have come to aid you as requested. I am Auxiliary Steven Omeo…"
I went through everyone and their rank. Madelyn and I were Auxiliaries, the grunts of Twilight; Young Mi and Lilith became Scholars, apprentices in the study of arcane magic; Rayna was the highest rank among us at Loremaster, both leader and master of magic.
Steven: "…And, this is Loremaster Rayna Ifearnan."
Headmistress: "You honor me with your presence, Loremaster."
Rayna: "As you honor mine, Headmistress."
Although her rank and Twilight"s rules demand that we refer to Rayna by rank, she would rather have us continue being informal with her as we"ve been doing. Having to call her "Rayna" is hard enough already; I know her as Mei!
The Headmistress went on about the issues that plague the academy. By the sounds of it, all the problems were coming from a group of former students and delinquents gone psychotic. Mayer Hofer was the leader, and undoubtedly the worst that comes around. He"s smart, cunning, and charming in all the worst ways possible! Currently, the known members of this "group" included: Saxton Lowe, Geralda Fuchs, and Sophie Fertig, all just as f.u.c.ked in the head.
They"ve already done a.s.sault, theft, mugging, and even killed a guard.
Headmistress: "If they outnumber you, your only hope is to run."
Steven: "If I"m running, it"ll be right at them."
Headmistress: "I suggest you all settle in before getting to work. Steven, Madelyn, and Lilith, you"ll pose as students. You"ll be sharing dorms with each other. Rayna, I believe I can set you up as a teacher. And Young Mi, you"re a scholar, I believe you"ll find yourself at home as the librarian. You"ll both be sharing an employee dorm, is that fine?"
Young Mi: "It is, madame."
Rayna: "Yes, Headmistress."
Headmistress: "Good, then Maxime will show you to your rooms. He"ll be outside and waiting."
It was late in the day to be doing any kind of work so we all agreed to start tomorrow. Maxime was straight to the point and took us directly to mine, Lilith"s and Madelyn"s dorm first.
It was in the older buildings but our room was pretty much new. The floors were smoothed stone and the walls were made of wood panels. Everything was still lit by candles instead of magic. It kind of reminded me of Rayna"s room in Mageia Tower minus the kitchen and stained gla.s.s; it just looks timeless.
There was a bed for each of us and I"m already liking it!
Steven: "Hey, this isn"t too bad!"
Madelyn: "It"s like the inns but better!"
Maxime: "You all will share this dorm for the night. Please, make yourselves at home. Tomorrow"s a Sunday but the Headmistress might still want you in the morning."
Rayna: "Goodnight, Steven."
Steven: "Goodnight, Rayna, Young Mi "
Maxime leaves with Rayna and Young Mi, leaving us three to go over our experience.
Madelyn: "Doesn"t this all sound a little out there."
Lilith: "How so?"
Madelyn: "We came because weird things were happening and involved magic, now, we"re hunting a group of bandits?"
Steven: "Maybe they"ve made developments?"
Lilith: "It can be a mix of things; it should be next to impossible to affect the blooming of a Fairy."
Again with the Fairies? Small little creatures that look like Elves, made of magic, and have control over nature itself. I really want to meet one of them and get to know them.
Steven: "And what about fairies?"
Lilith: "They"re blessed by the Creator."
Steven: "Creator? G.o.d? Wait, I thought each element had their own G.o.d."
Lilith: "Well, Nekomatas have a G.o.d of War, but do you worship him? How about the Goblin G.o.d of Fortune? Demons have their own religion as the Elves, Nekomatas, and even Goblins do!"
Steven: "Alright, just… let"s go back to what you were saying."
Lilith: "They"re blessed. So, it can"t be them, the group."
Madelyn: "So, it has to be something stronger…"
Of course, there"s another enemy lurking in the shadows. It"s never simple!
I already want this day to end so I can just finish this and go home. When I laid down on the bed, I was met with a premium comfort as if I was still at Fang"s lodge in Zheng De Meinu.
Steven: "Ahh~ the beds."
They both sit and lay on their beds, having been touched by an amazing bed really relaxed us.
Madelyn: "It"s not a Serta iComfort but it sure does feel like home!"
Lilith: "It feels like I"m in my room in Shi De Emo."
Madelyn: "Are you going to sleep like that, Steven?"
I was lying sideways on the bed with my legs dropping down to the floor. Really, any position I lay in feels like it"s perfect.
Steven: "I don"t care as long as I can sleep."