When Kence and Calter entered the gates of the Magic Academy the other students were pointing at Calter while giving him harsh remarks. They know that Calter is a 'trash' and he was humiliated yesterday. They all felt disdainful at him. He barely knows how to use magic but he accepted a Magic Duel with someone more talented than him
"Youn-- B-Big Brother, don't bother with them. For me you are amazing!" Kence said as he thought that Calter will feel bad with all the harsh words thrown at him. However, in fact it was actually the opposite. For Calter all these students are weak mages, it was only a matter of time before he gained sufficient strength to make all these people kneel down on him
He can't be bothered to feel hurt from the words coming from 'ants' "My Kence is so sweet, don't worry, I'm fine" Calter patted Kence's head and played with his hair. The latter immediately felt better and become comfortable, he's like an adorable puppy that was being pet by his owner
The academy was actually a place filled with magic towers. The towers has a lot of room to grow magic plants and beast that is used for all sorts of things. Whether it be alchemy, formations, experiments etcetera.
Actually, to call it Magic Towers was not befitting. These towers doesn't have the function of a real one. Aside from having denser mana inside and has rooms for almost everything a mage will require, overall it was just like a normal tower
The two went to a black tower with gloomy atmosphere. The headmaster of this tower is a Dark Type Mage, just like Calter. The dark mana inside was a bit more than two times denser than outside. Its appearance looked as if it came straight from a Halloween movie
Kence was actually not a student in the academy but merely an assistant or slave of a student. He will assist Calter to everything he wants and need
When they entered the tower the students were more hostile as they feel like their magic branch lose a great deal amount of face because of Calter. They didn't bother to try hiding their anger and disdain at all
Calter don't care about them but Kence was uncomfortable and its making him feel quite helpless. He can't wait for the time when he has enough strength to make all these mages pay for their actions
Along the way Kence was feeling confuse at where they were going. They were not going to where the magic lectures held or the task that students need to do everyday
After about ten minutes walking they went into a room with a large door. There were a lot of students inside yet they didn't made any noise. The room was actually a big library. Although there were lot of books there than the other libraries in the Magic Tower but they were mostly low leveled and only for Magic Apprentice. The lowest and weakest kind of mages out there
The students didn't even noticed Calter entering the library as they were all busy comprehending the knowledge inside those books. They passed rows and rows of shelves containing hundreds of books and they stopped in a rather isolated corner of the library
The other shelves all contained books about dark type magics as this is a magic tower of a Dark Type Magician. Only a small part of it contained general knowledge about magic itself and other magic attributes. The students mostly focus on their respective element but who knows when a different type of magic would come in handy?
Even then, these kinds of books were mostly ignored by Magic Apprentices. Calter went to look at the book he needed there while Kence was tailing behind him. He stopped and took a blue colored book and handed it to Kence
Kence read the title of the book and it says "Introduction to Ice Magic" he knitted his eyebrows and looked at Calter in confusion
"I want you to learn magic too. Read that book and I will help you comprehend what you don't understand" Calter's memories were still not complete but he still has a lot of elementary magic knowledge with him. He can confidently said that he knows a lot about Ice Magic than any Magic Apprentices in this low level academy
"B-but I'm suppose to help you in your chores You-- B-Big Brother" Kence tried to put the book back but Calter stopped him and looked solemnly at the former. "I know you want to help but you can do that if you are stronger okay? You need to learn magic yourself if you really want to help me"
Kence had a rather complicated expression on his face as Calter's words made a lot of sense. Calter knew Kence like the back of his hand, he knew how his mind works. Seeing that Kence took the book with him he knew his plan worked
Calter took his student badge and put it in the book. The book and badge glowed a bit and Kence can now take the book. The badge serves as an identity token and the academy will know that it was Calter who borrowed the book
----
Calter was currently in a botanical garden room filled with various dark colored plants. He was holding a watering can that was full of black colored liquid rich with darkness mana. It will make the plants to grow more healthy and with higher quality
All of the students were assigned a task that they need to do every day. In return, they can attend the lesson from the professors and also get paid with Magic Crystals. They can also use some of the facilities in the Magic Tower
High levelled and powerful Nobles won't let their clan members do this kind of chores but Calter's Clan was in a great decline. They can't afford to waste money to Calter who is a trash that's why to pay for the academy's tuition fee he has to do this kind of stuff
Kence was currently sitting in the side, he wants to help his Young Master but Calter refused and told him to just read and comprehend Ice Magic. He was actually quite talented too and is a good beginner
The atmosphere inside the botanical room was peaceful and serene. It would make a good painting if not for how creepy and gloomy the place is.
After Calter finished watering the plants he went to sit on Kence's side. "Hey, how is it?" Although he wants and will protect Kence with all his might but if something unexpected happened, he wants Kence to have some fighting capability himself. He's paranoid that something bad will happen that will once again take Kence away from him
He can't let that happen, and even until now, everything felt so unreal to him. "I-I think it's quite okay?" Kence answered in a question like manner. It was like he understood most of the book's context but he was not sure that he can do it or what he understood is right
"Just remember the key to Ice Magic is its coldness. If its cold enough it will freeze and seal everything and be harder than even metals" Kence nodded his head and pondered Calter's words
"I'll just get my pay and we'll head home. I will help you become a mage" Calter stood up and hold out his hand to help Kence in standing up. Kence looked at his hand for a few minutes and was wondering why his Young Master changed greatly. It was like he became a better person. But, well it wasn't bad though. He actually like the new Young Master of his, he seems dependable and is very kind to him
"B-but don't you need to attend class?" Calter rolled his eyes. He would just get really bored if he attended any of those class. He don't need to learn elementary level magic. "Don't ask too many questions, let's go now" Calter then pulled Kence's hand to make him stand
The soft flesh on his hand made Calter to gulped down a mouthful of saliva and he slightly squeezed Kence's hand to feel it more. The latter was oblivious and didn't found anything wrong and just stood up like what Calter wants
They exited the room and went to the cashier to get Calter's pay check while the students along the way were judging him. He got five Magic Crystals as his payment. For ordinary people this money can already buy them a few days worth of food but to a Magician and a Noble it was just like a spare change
The two went back to their Clan and along the way they saw Calter's parents. The Patriarch and Madame of Spernix Clan just ignored their good for nothing son, they didn't even threw him a single glance. They were too disappointed to their child that was the only hope of their clan but didn't live up to their expectations
Calter actually didn't care if his parents love him or not. If they will only love him if he showed accomplishments then he don't need their love.
He ordered the servants to make food for him and Kence first
The two ate joyfully before heading into an open space big enough to practice magic
"Let's get started" Calter said and Kence nodded his head seriously. He wants to become stronger to protect his Young Master, he will make sure to do everything he can for that
"Now, close your eyes and try spreading your senses around" Kence did as what was told to him and closed his eyes to spread his senses
"You should see little particles in the air, those are manas. Try using your mind to control the ones that gave you the feeling of ice and let it enter your body"
A few seconds passed without anything happening but Kence was continuously calming himself even though it was a bit ineffective. This was his first time and it was perfectly natural that he need quite a bit of time to have some progress but he was eager to have progress for his young master
"Always be calm and don't ever panic. Just make yourself free and spread your sense to see the manas"
Kence did as he was told and soon a few mana particles slowly entered his body. It was a pitiful amount though and was still not enough to make an elemental seed
Elemental Seed!
One needs to form one to become a Magic Apprentice, it is the core of their magic. Any spell you learn will make you to be able to make a magic mark around the Elemental Seed, strengthening it in the process. The stronger the seed is the more power your spells will have! It is also the crystallization of one's magical knowledge
Magic-users who rely on Elemental Seed is called a Mage! The most common of Mages out there. As Magic advanced, there would naturally be variation like the Witches or Warlocks
"Continue absorbing mana until you can form your Elemental Seed" Calter said before training too
For now, all he needs to do is to either absorb mana or make a Magic Mark. He already knew a lot of spells but making a Magic Mark of the spell will boost its power!
Making the Magic Mark itself is not hard, the hard part is learning the spell itself. If one doesn't know how the essence behind the spell, they will never be able to make a Magic Mark
"[Dark Magic: Darkness Ball!]" The mana inside Calter's body condenses in front of his arm and in just a second a black ball made from darkness mana was generated on his palm
"Tsk tsk, to actually require a second to activate a Rank 0 Level 1 Spell, just how low did I fell?" For a Magic Apprentice Level 1 like Calter activating a spell in just a second will make him a monstrous genius that haven't seen in years. But this Calter was actually this dissatisfied, if other people heard this, they would surely be angered to death