Most of the time and for most people, a woman and a man in the same room alone can only mean one thing.
Things change when it comes to Isaac. Many were the nights he had spent with Rebecca, alone talking in the woods without anything ever happening.
Betina timidly watched Isaac walk over to one of the sofas and sit down and did not know what to do.
She had grown up surrounded by aristocrats, mages, and scholars. She knew very well what the protocol dictated in a situation from master to apprentice.
However, what should she do in the presence of an elf? What's more, an Elven Archmage?
Isaac sensed her embarrassment and frankly he didn't know what to do himself. He was not very good at social interactions, moreover with a total stranger.
As a result, a strange silence settled in the room with Isaac sitting staring into space out the window and Betina watching her feet, still standing.
Several minutes passed during which no word was spoken. The longest minutes of Isaac's life, time seemed to have slowed down to such an extent that he just wanted to teleport.
Just as he was about to do so, the living room door suddenly opened and two people entered.
- "Rebecca, Artiel! You are right on time" Isaac exclaimed with joy.
A person he knew to get him out of this impasse, what a joy.
The two apprentices smiled and bowed their heads slightly in the direction of Betina who did the same. After this short greeting, Rebecca began to strike up a conversation.
To tell the truth, both of them had been listening behind the doors for several minutes. They had decided to wait and see what would happen. Rebecca was curious about her master's tastes, but alas, Betina did not seem to be enough to his liking.
- "Good evening, I'm Rebecca Frya, apprentice mage. Nice to meet you" she said simply to Betina.
Immediately, the young woman nodded and answered.
- "Nice to meet you, Betina Loanburg, apprentice mage. Nice to meet you too."
Rebecca came to nudge Artiel standing next to her to indicate to him to introduce himself which he did immediately.
- "Artiel… hi?" he replied in an uncertain tone.
Rebecca sighed and rolled her eyes slightly before ignoring Artiel's goofy smile and turned to Isaac.
Immediately, the latter cleared his throat.
- "Betina has been chosen to guide us and show us around the city by Zachary. I hope you will get along, especially if you are going to join the Royal Academy" he said before turning to Betina.
The young woman nodded.
- "I suggest you rest this evening and tomorrow we can go to visit the Academy and the School of Arms in the Lower Town if that suits you?" she proposed, looking at the people around.
Isaac approved of the idea, although he would have liked to start with the Library, the Academy was nonetheless interesting.
Rebecca for her part nodded at the idea of seeing the famous Magic Academy she had dreamed of so much as a child. She had never seen it, not even in painting, only in writing in the many tales Rita had written of her adventures.
The Magic Academy was by far the only building that had interested Rebecca. She couldn't wait to visit it.
As for Artiel, the young man was only interested in the famous School of Arms. He had no idea what it was, but the name made him want to see it.
Seeing the positive reaction from his apprentices, Isaac nodded before frowning slightly. He came to look around the room and down the hall behind Rebecca, looking for someone.
- "Where is Iracuz?" Isaac asked, looking around for him. "Didn't he come with you?"
Rebecca laughed lightly which piqued Isaac's curiosity. So, she motioned for them to follow her and together they all left the room and entered the hallways.
After several turns and a few doors, the small group entered what appeared to be a small office with books lined up on shelves all over the place.
At the end was a bay window beyond which was a small interior open-air garden filled with plants of all kinds. In the center had been built a small glass greenhouse in which Iracuz was located.
Isaac came up and narrowed his eyes slightly to see what he was doing and raised an eyebrow in understanding.
- "Potions?" he asked to confirm.
Rebecca nodded and came and took one of the books from the shelf, opened it, and showed it to Isaac.
It was a book covering the basics of making simple potions. From homemade remedies to weak poisons, the book seemed to be about a bit of everything.
- "He discovered it while visiting the mansion and decided to try a recipe, then another. He is on the fifteenth I believe" said Rebecca, putting the book in its place.
- "He seems to like it" Artiel commented.
Isaac could only nod. Iracuz seemed totally focused on what he was doing, it looked like Isaac during a magical experiment.
The way he handled the instruments and ingredients he had around him was quite interesting to observe. He looked like he was juggling with the vials.
What's more, despite the late hour, he didn't seem to be tired. Was it a sign? Regardless, Isaac decided not to disturb him and started to leave the room.
He himself didn't like it when someone disturbed him in his research, he wasn't going to do what he didn't like to be done to him.
- "We're going to have a long day tomorrow, especially in the evening we'll have a special training session."
Isaac stopped at the door and turned with a long smile decorating his face.
- "I have something to show you" he finally said before disappearing into the hallway.
Rebecca and Artiel felt their blood swirl and a shiver rose up their spine. They had a bad feeling.
Seeing the reaction of the two apprentices, Betina hardly seemed to be comfortable imagining what those famous special "practices" were and refrained from asking the question.
Everyone therefore decided to go to bed, and they split up to go to their room, leaving Iracuz alone in his small laboratory with a book in front of him open on a page titled: "Elixir de Senteur Rosée."
The next morning, Isaac and his apprentices met in the entrance hall before starting their visit with Betina.
As they left the mansion, they were greeted by a golden coach and several guards escorting them.
Initially a little reluctant to get into a vehicle normally reserved for Nobles, Rebecca, Artiel and Iracuz got in when Isaac warned them that they would not move from here unless they were getting in. After a short time, they all headed for the gates of the Upper Town.
The trip only took about fifteen minutes during which Betina hastened to tell them some information.
- "When you speak to a practitioner of magic of a higher rank than you, call him by his title or Excellence" she said to Rebecca. "That's the basic polite phrase."
Rebecca was seated in front of the young woman and listened attentively to what she said to her.
Despite her stoic, calm face, her mind was in total panic. She didn't know what to do or how to behave around Nobles, moreover in front of Betina who was technically a noble.
- "The Magical Academy was originally founded by the Archmage of the Court at the time. In order to maintain a certain form of neutrality and allow practitioners of magic to study in peace, a very strict regulation is imposed" She began by saying before opening a small book that she took out of her sleeve.
The book was mundane, the cover was nothing fancy, and the binding was simple. Yet, as soon as Betina took it out, Isaac was immediately curious by the strange magical marks, invisible to the naked eye but clearly visible with his mana vision.
Seeing Isaac's sudden interest, Betina smiled.
- "Your Excellency cannot be fooled" she said, laughing slightly. "This book is given to every student of the Magic Academy; it contains the rules as well as information about the Academy but its main function is identification."
- "Identification?" Rebecca asked, a little curious and not seeming to understand what was going on.
Betina then came to put her finger on the blanket and then indicated her eyes which took on a slightly bluish tint.
Rebecca understood and immediately activated her mana vision before finally realizing what was happening. The book had been enchanted.
- "Each book is unique and has a signature that identifies each student. To enter, it is necessary to have his book, otherwise you will never pass the barrier that surrounds the Academy" then announced Betina.
A barrier? The word immediately intrigued Isaac. What type of barrier? How was it built and fed? So many questions he was going to ask when he got there.
- "When we arrive, you will receive special badges which will give you temporary access to the premises. Except for you, Excellency" she said finally looking at Isaac.
The latter looked at her strangely, unable to understand what she meant by that before remembering what Zachary had given him the day before.
He took out the small pendant he had put around his neck from under his clothes to which Betina nodded.
- "This item allows you to access the entire Academy in every nook and cranny" she announced.
- "All of it?" Isaac asked, a little surprised.
He understood that he had been allowed access to most parts of the capital, but the entire Academy? Even the places that are supposed to be secret?
- "I don't know the details, but that's what Master Kol told me" she replied simply.
Isaac contented himself with that answer and asked no further questions. After all, Betina was just an apprentice, she probably couldn't answer a question like, "Do I have access to the treasure vault?"
While Isaac was thinking on his own, a thought came to Betina's mind and reminded her of something.
- "It reminds me. Master Kol informed me that the Master Mages organized a small test for you" she announced.
- "A test?" Isaac asked, raising an eyebrow.
Betina nodded positively before continuing.
- "To validate your Archmage title, you must pass a test. It will be held when we arrive there, Master Kol should join us just before to attend as well."
Isaac slowly leaned back in his seat and began to think about what Betina had just said.
Although Zachary had previously warned him that a test would take place in the future to confirm his Archmage position, it was a bit too impromptu and quick.
This was probably related to the creation of the land of Isaac. By upholding his status as Grand Archmage, the Church would most certainly drop the charges against him.
However, that would not make the problem disappear under their hands, namely: the domes of protection may fall.
After all, Isaac did not want to be responsible in any way for the destruction of a magical construction with centuries of history.
Once this whole thing is settled, Isaac was planning to help them fix the energy harvesting system. Of course, taking the opportunity to learn more about these famous domes and how they work.