[ Attention: A recruit has arrived at the Heavenly Magic Academy. ]
'I wonder who is it this time.', Eluard put on the Mask of the Magus and teleported to the 2nd floor in the lobby.
According to the system, as the academy master, he had the right to be anywhere anytime inside the academy premises. With the map navigation, he could oversee who was in the rooms in real-time.
Since the academy was still deserted, he could only see himself for now.
…
Emi peeked inside the lobby with her curious eyes, "Scary…", wagging her tail behind.
She had seen the spectacular sight from the entrance and she was instantly awed, piquing her interest to investigate further.
"He-hello…", she cowered while speaking to the air.
"Ah, another guest.", Eluard started his usual greeting.
"Who are you? Are you the one that teleported me here?", Emi stuttered. The robe was mystifying, amplified by the mask's peculiar appearance and Eluard's disposition. Emi was unsure of whether he was a friend or foe.
"And what if I am?", Eluard replied while receiving the information about Emi.
[ Name: Emi Moon ]
[ Age: 13 Years Old (32.5 in human years) ]
[ Race: Demi-human (Humanoid felines) ]
[ Status: Isolated ]
[ Affiliation: None ]
[ Magic Power: N/A ]
[ Magic Root: Natural Restorative Magic Root (Legendary) ]
[ Magic Aptitude: 8.2/10 (Apprentice Mage) ]
[ Magic Affinity: Nature (Earth + Wood + Water) ]
'Another legendary magic root?', Eluard squinted his eyes. This luck was definitely off the charts.
[ Natural Restorative Magic Root (Legendary) ]
[ As long as one strand of the magic root remains in the user, it will restore itself over time. ]
[ Additional Effect: Improves effectiveness of healing spells by 400%. ]
[ Additional Effect: Earth, Water, or Wood-based magic spells increased effectiveness by 200%. ]
[ Additional Effect: Adversal Remedy ]
[ The user can heal the wounds of another's magic root at the cost of their magical cultivation ]
Based on the prompts shown to him, Eluard concluded that this little girl's magic root was almost on par with Lucan. However, she would still be on the losing end should Lucan's tempo remain uninterrupted.
But her specialty did not rely on offense but was more on healing herself and the others. Her adversal remedy could help a lot of people whose magic roots were damaged.
Eluard was about to ask the system regarding Emi's age when the latter kowtowed and begged to him, "Senior, please help me and my sister. I-I know that it sounds preposterous from me but she-… she is everything I only have! I-I wouldn't have lived in this world without her care…"
Her pitiful voice softened Eluard's heart. However, just as much as he wanted to help, he wasn't in any condition to lend a hand either. Looking at how desperate the young girl with cat ears begged to him, he was irritated deep inside.
[ Special Task 2: A Little Girl's Request (Timed Task) ]
[ One of your recruits has asked for your help. In order to admit the recruit to the academy, their wishes must first be fulfilled. Time duration: 30 minutes. Failure to finish within the designated timer will incur losses. ]
'Fulfilled? System, are you joking with me right now?'
Forget about bandits, maybe even a grown-ass man could mess him up many times over. Now, he was administered with an almost impossible task.
[ Due to the host's neglectable cultivation, the system will gift the host with temporary power in order to accomplish the special task ]
[ Temporary Power: Adept Wizard (Full Ring) has been applied ]
[ Universal magical affinity temporarily applied ]
[ Various magical spells temporarily imbued inside host's memory. ]
[ Rewards: 2 students enrolled in the Heavenly Magic Academy, Temporary Power Scroll (Random) x 2 ]
[ Failure: No new student enrolled in the Heavenly Magic Academy. Negative reputation. ]
[ Note: All temporary powers applied will be removed after finishing the special task. ]
Eluard could feel his head lightening as a large amount of data flowed into his brain. Offensive spells, summoning spells, and all other spells were implanted into it.
'System, isn't this an overkill?', he thought that the system was a little bit cautious.
[ All preparatory cautions must be exercised, dear host. ]
Eluard nodded at this, 'Ah system, you're the best system ever!', flattering it nonstop with his sugar-coated words. He stared back at Emi who was still kowtowing down below.
'But why 2? Is it her sister you're going to include too?', Eluard pondered. Furthermore, the task gave him limited to prepare. He had to move fast.
"Little girl, I may be able to help you in your affairs, but you should know that my assistance is…"
Emi cut him off and proactively approached, "Senior, I will be forever grateful for your help! Senior is running an academy, right? I-I can help senior tidy things up here seeing how deserted it is…"
Eluard waved her off. His actions worried Emi, thinking that she wasn't enough for the said task.
"I don't want you working here, little girl. I want you as a student."
Emi was shocked, "Student? But senior, I do not even know if I have a magic root inside me…"
"Step inside that room on your left and the truth will be shown upon you.", Eluard gestured. The door on the left opened revealing what was inside.
According to the system, it was called the Pool of Revelations.
It was a highly regarded magic artifact of the Heavenly Magic Academy because whoever enters the pool will be sent off to their dreams. The pool had only one use, to reveal the talents of a person who bathed in it.
To prove the pool's validity, their details, even the most obscured ones, would be presented in front of their eyes. Nothing could persuade the mind unless you show to them their deepest thoughts that none could ever hope to know.
Of course, Eluard wouldn't be able to know what was shown inside. The pool was an artifact he never owned in the first place, and even if he did, he wasn't a busybody to meddle in the secret affairs of others.
Magic stones flooded the bottom of the pool, glistening in sky-blue color. Its gleam didn't hurt the eyes of those who stared upon it. Above the pool was a hole wide enough to let in the light and cover its entirety.
Eluard thought that this was a perfect situation in showcasing the usability of the Pool of Revelations. Sooner or later, recruits would pour in the academy's doorstep and those with doubts would be awakened in reality once they bathed in the pool.
Emi slowly entered the room and curiously looked at the pool in front of her. She was instantly awestruck by how beautiful the pool was and the ambiance it brought.
Eluard waved his hand and removed all the dirt and mud Emi accumulated during the past days. Emi was grateful and bowed to him.
The pool exuded a refreshing aura that eased the worries in Emi's heart. She took her first steps in the pool and noticed that the water didn't drench her clothes or skin. Stepping on the stones wasn't as painful as she thought it would be.
Rather, it was just like her stepping over the soft carpet in the lobby barefooted.
As she treaded deeper, the stones below increased in luminosity until a bright light flashed in her eyes and knocked her out.
Emi woke up and found herself standing in a closed room with three pedestals in front of her with a book on the top of each one. A pillar of light shone upon them, making them look like holy scriptures of religious faith.
There was a board behind the pedestals and Emi could see everything about her in detail.
Her real name, her age, affiliation, dark secrets, etc.
This persuaded her that the senior before was honest to her. After all, not many knew what her real name was, and some other intriguing information on the board.
Glancing through the pedestals, an excitement surged in Emi's heart.
She approached the first one and she was shocked to know that she actually had a legendary magic root. The hands holding the book trembled in joy.
"I-I can't believe it… That senior didn't lie to me…", tears welled up in her eyes. She closed the book and went ahead to read the remaining two.
One described her magical aptitude and the other, her magic affinity. Once finished, a flash of light blinded her and she returned back to reality.
Eluard stared at the unconscious Emi floating in the pool with her face up. The closed eyes abruptly opened.
Emi looked around and found the senior floating in the air in front of her. She greeted him with more respect now, "Senior, can I really enroll here as a student of the academy?"
"Why not? But before that…", Eluard created two teleportation magic circles for him and Emi, "We should save your sister first."
…
Volcanic Grassy Plain.
"Crap, that little girl escaped! What do we tell our boss now?", one of the poachers worried.
Their boss wasn't one to tolerate mistakes like this, particularly if their gains were that massive should they have been able to capture a demi-human like Emi.
"Forget it, we'll just have to do with what we have. Let's go back to the caravan. Our catch is still big this time.", said another burly man.
When they left the area, Eluard, on his robe and mask form, together with Emi, blurred into vision and followed the tail of the poachers.
"Senior, the-they are the ones who harmed my sister! I think they are called human poachers! They kidnap people like us and then sell us to bad people!", Emi clutched and Eluard's robes.
'Human poachers?', Eluard was dumbfounded. To think that even in this other world, poaching was also practiced. Furthermore, they seemed to have increased their scale by involving demi-humans like the little cat girl beside him.
The slithered eyes in his mask glowed in red, releasing a murderous aura in his surroundings. Emi shivered in place but followed Eluard despite her fear.
"I see, follow me.", they blurred out of vision. Eluard always despised these kinds of people who couldn't manage to mind their own business.
Now that he was given a chance to mess with them, he was going to return the favor in place of the other beings that were implicated by them.
After a few minutes of walking, the poachers got out of the forest and ran to a nearby road. There were a few metal cages dragged by horses and a few carriages on the front and back.
They were greeted by a muscular and stern-looking bald man that had a scar on his left eye.
"Where's the girl? Why did you come back here without it?", his rough voice reprimanded the three of them.
"Boss, she escaped and we didn't know where she went.", one of them replied with a downcast look on his face.
"Useless! Do you know how priceless that little girl was? Look at her sister, she's gorgeous and that one was mighty gorgeous than her! You dimwits can't even capture a little girl! What purpose do you serve here then?!"