Clear blue skies, a soft breeze blowing through the opened window of the carriage I was riding with my parents of this world.
Boy I am glad not to have motion sickness because of these carriages, they're unstable and shakes quite often. But father seems to be using magic passively to make our journey a bit more comfortable.
As to the place were headed, right in the center of the city of Eblan, was the Preparatory School for gifted children. Wether they have talent for swordplay, magic, or simply offsprings of some nobles and aristocrats, this is where they get brought up until they are old enough for their first stage awakening and transfer to a bigger academy.
The awakening that I experienced when I was a baby was just like a simple measurement of potential. I have eight elements since birth which was clearly unprecedented, and father understood the risks it have so our family decided to keep it a secret.
I might be forced to become either a hero or a lab rat if ever I was found out immediately. So until I have enough power to protect myself, I have to keep this secret safe.
Going back to where I was earlier, today is my first day going to the preparatory school. I have to study basics of everything here for 5 years. Since the earliest age where signs of awakening show up was 10 or 11 years old.
Mother and Father even fought for who gets to accompany me for my first day at school because there seems to be a battle that's going to happen later.
[Ammon, remember to enjoy your time at school alright dear? Don't just study all the time, I will be very happy if you get yourself some nice friends alright?]
[Ha, what are you worrying about my love, our son will surely be surrounded by admirers and everyone would love to befriend him sooner or later! Rest easy, isn't that right Ammon?]
As I was silently watching the city views from the open window beside me, my parents bickered once more.
[Mhm.]
I just hummed as an answer to them because it's getting hard to hide my excitement at this point.
I really feel that we're almost there since there are more and more other carriages trotting besides ours going to the same direction.
Mother and Father both looked at me for a while and went talking to each other quietly, leaving me to enjoy the city views peacefully.
While I was leaning my head on my arm while looking outside the window, the carriage on our side entered my vision fully. Then I noticed someone staring at me through another opened window.
The person was a girl with clear amber-like eyes and reddish hair. She was looking straight to me that I didn't even notice with my heightened senses I fortified with magic.
I tilted my head when our eyes met but she just kept staring right at me. I waved my right hand which she followed with her eyes but after that she returned to staring right at me. What's this girl's deal.
I tried to ignore her stare since I think she's harmless and tried to go back enjoying the views of the city, but her stares are like boring holes into my being I can't continue my sight seeing peacefully. Should I try glaring at her? My colleagues back in earth said my glare is scary.
Nah, it's just a kid. I shouldn't pick a fight with kids.
But still… Her stare is totally uncomfortable.
I just ignored the peculiar girl staring at me until we reached the School Premises, which took quite a huge mental toll on me. But when our carriage finally went and lined up with the other carriages entering the gate, I was freed from the eyes of that girl.
[Father, are we going to be a team in the coming battle?]
I turned to my parents once my enthusiasm returned as I realized we really are so close to the school at this point.
[Oh, dear what kind of battle are you picturing in your mind? Surely you didn't think you'd have to fight with the other children with swords and magic don't you?]
Mother looked more amused than surprised at my remark which leaved me dumbstruck.
I tilted my head a bit as if showing them 'what? Really? No battle? What do you mean?'
[Son, there aren't other children like you yet in this school you know. Not every household has such a genius like you. Most of the kids might know a thing or two with swords but almost everyone still can't control their element-based beginner magic.]
Father raised his hand and rubbed his temple, while I tilted my head a little bit as more as I could.
Does that mean we're not going to fight in matches? What's the point of my excitement then? I wanted to test out my strength in this fantasy world for Pete's sake!
[Honey, surely there are only a few or maybe none among the children here can handle your abilities now. But the battle we are heading to is concerned to your future.]
[From how you go on in your journey someday will start from here son. Because in every royal preparatory school resides a 'Matabil', the oracle of jobs.]
Eh? So jobs are a thing in this world? F*ck me I only asked for magical theories and other study related books from father and sister I literally have not one fairytale for children in all of my possessions.
[But don't worry dear, the oracle of jobs will only reveal your main Job and sub-class. The whole system was made better centuries ago by the second hero to help the future generations develop. Your job will rely on what you are innately capable of, in other words, your Job can be the result of your hard work, not only your talents. That's why institutions such as schools were made two hundred years ago by another hero, to help save those who despaired from their jobs.]
[Mom, is there a living hero in our continent right now?]
[Of course not dear, heroes only emerge during times of chaos and crisis. Only then should we wish of a hero to descend upon our lands. The last hero was summoned thirty years ago when your father was still but a tiny child.]
[Hah, your great grandfather was the one who taught the hero the way of the adventurer son! You should be proud! Of all the noble households there are, the hero chose to be close with the Venturas.]
Hooo… Well I guess my job would be wizard or something, the skillsets I have been training with my sister was purely magical and for practical usage. My excitement returned quite a bit after hearing their words, I became nervous too. They said it isn't random but what if a God or something messes with me and gives me a trash job?
No no no, I shouldn't think badly of the Gods of this world, they have been very good to me since I was small. And there is no such thing as a trash job, only trash humans. Yes, even a normal job is good. Please Gods let my job be a normal one.
But still what kind of fight were they so serious about?
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[HAH! My magnificent son is a future 'Magic Blacksmith'! Unlike some tree hugger there who have a weed kissing son!]
[How sad must my son be to be near such ungraceful minions that the only redeeming features they have are hitting mana with hammers. His job as a 'Spirit Herbalist' is a great honor for our ancestors! My wife will cry in joy when she hears of it!]
My face fell after listening to the other parents in our back. I'm starting to wonder now if dwarves and elves are also in bad terms in this world, or if it's just the two old men in the back.
Apparently, the 'Matabil' announces the main job and tells the child his second job or 'sub-class' in his mind. For others to see it, they need to be checked by someone who mastered 'Status Check' or have an appraising related job.
Inside the great hall, we the kids are sitting upon the center waiting for our name to be called. Those who got their turns will approach the 'Matabil' which will shout our job after we put our hands inside its ears. It looks like a very badly tortured bunny stuffed toy, but well, to be honest it would've been better If it was a hat and it shouts your house name.
Well maybe they are related… I wonder if I could pull a sword out of there someday…
[Monica Salvatin Batiste.]
It's a catgirl child this time. There are a few beastmen among us kids here but she looks almost human except for the cat-ears and her tail. I remember Bland telling me about their difference, but it just sounded like highschool genetics so I really forgot most of what he said.
[Guardian Knight.]
Woah, that small cat girl is gonna become a cat tank…
My past weeb can't help imagining it.
[Oli Alf Fortessa.]
Ohhh, it's that silent twerp's turn now. Maybe she'd get holy knight or something, Bland was a 'Master Fencer' while Seri was a 'Holy Priest'. Dad said that uncle Bland, being the silent man he is, after their first meeting in a Church for an escort mission when they were adventurers suddenly knelt and asked for Seri's hand in marriage.
A great man of surprises is uncle Bland's true identity.
['Divine Job: Valkyrie']
Murmurs suddenly coursed through the parents and other kids. Well Oli did hit the Jackpot, the 'Matabil' announced a Divine Job title. Her usually blank expression vanished too, her ears are glowing red and she can't control her lips to hide her smile.
But uncle Bland is still uncle Bland, so bland as usual.
[Lady Mariano Hefprasse.]
Ohh, it's the weird staring girl's turn. She's not even looking at anyone and just walked straight up front and plugged her hands inside the 'Matabil'.
[מקור הכאוס : רברסארי]
What in heavens did the 'Matabil' say again? What the hell are those texts floating around her?
The crowd turned silent, everyone was confused, but the girl just went and pulled her hand out and went back to her seat. The parents behind us were beginning to buzz like bees but the teachers were starting to turn pale, they don't seem to know what's happening either.
But one old looking teacher raised his hand and simply said continue to everyone.
Nobody understood what the hell was happening or what just happened, but the little girl called next simple stood up unaware of her surroundings yet and went to get her Job revealed.
An hour later the Job announcing for the girls finished and currently its us boys turn now.
[James Clark Gardeen.]
A tall boy with round glasses two seats beside me stood up and walked up to the middle where the 'Matabil' is. He looks so uninterested in everything because of his eyes, its half-closed and he's not even walking fast. I betcha this guy is a genius just like Sh*k*maru.
['Divine Job: Hellish Schemer']
In contrast to when Oli's job was announced, instead of murmurs, the crowd gasped instead.
A man suddenly shouted while jumping in joy.
[MY YOUNG MASTER DID IT! HE DIDN'T DIDSAPPOINT THE FAMILY NAME HE HAS! NO ONE IS GOING TO LOOK DOWN ON US NOW!]
Huh? What's that job? What's divine about scheming? Is he gonna cheat some Gods or demons or something? I activated my body enhancement magic to listen to the prep school's staff in the front.
[That's two divine jobs just now, what is going on?]
[Quickly report this to the grandmaster, its too unusual. One divine job a year is rare enough, sometimes we don't even get a child with a divine Job. Then the curious case of that red-haired child too. This must be reported posthaste.]
Hmm. One of the beastmen with spots stood up and left the great hall immediately after the oldest looking among them said that.
I did say that the guy is a genius… I didn't think he'd be too much of a genius.
I was lost in thought for a moment and forgot to deactivate my magic, when suddenly my eyes met with a red fox hiding behind the faculty's seats. It was tilting its head sideways, which was for me, an absolutely cute thing. But the fox didn't clearly fit in the picture doesn't it.
We were staring at each other for a few seconds, when I deactivated my magical enhancement it disappeared, but I did not turn my head in another direction. I activated my enhancement once more and the fox reappeared in my vision.
So it was a familiar or a magical being of this school after all.
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[Oya… How curious is this. What a precious gem from a mound of pretty stones…]
Inside a smoke filled room, littered with books and grimoires was a figure laying sideways down a sofa filled with cushions.
[How bright will it shine once polished I wonder… How curious indeed.]