" Song Rina " The teacher called.
Rina got up obediently.
In fact, awakening is not something that one experiences while conscious.
They lie down in a specific bed with the blessed tree's leaf or branch, depending whether you are in a village or city, and come out when a specific amount of time has passed.
However, citizens of the capital have access to the Blessed tree itself.
You pay gold to lie under it, more gold you can pay, more time you can stay, more clear you are on your talent.
However, the key point here is talent lies with the genes. Just because a random nobody spent a year underneath the blessed tree does not mean he could awaken as a sage.
In the first place, you have to hold the potential to become a sage.
Thus, with her limited talent, this leaf was enough to awaken her.
In her last life, she did not know what her magic talent was until the time she died.
This time around, she probed her magic core as soon as she walked out.
It felt hollow.
Hollow ?
Hollow like space ?
What the ?
Rina suddenly felt lucky she never found out what her talent was. Otherwise, she would have been thrown out of the royal academy instantly.
Usually, one will think having a space is the most useful for a life in the capital.
However, it is not the case.
The space is only useful if it is of a certain size.
Like at least a five foot five room.
Her pitiful one x one feet space ? it's not even worth shit, given people pay money to buy manure.
Rina sighed.
Her original plan was to join a mages guild or merchant guild directly after the awakening. Now, both of those choices are not possible.
She would have to figure out a new way to live.
The war did not start in a day.
The monster invasion of the frontier villages was the first of the problems. Some countries lost little, while others lost their entire grain for the year.
Thus, few of the countries invaded others, to obtain food. Yet others, who were friends of these little countries, who were one reason short for inciting war, joined in happily.
Slowly, the situation evolved to global war.
Rina has seen the royal family in person.
They are not blood sucking monsters. They are worse. They are incompetent.
Thus, the real demons in the court have nothing to do but think about how to suck the blood of its citizens all day.
Royal archives have let her know of a thousand secrets, which she could take advantage of.
That is how she knew she could do many things, joining the royal academy will only make her a canon fodder, no matter how high she rises.
Edam arrived at her side after finishing his awakening.
" What are we doing next ? " he asked her eagerly.
" There is no we. I helped you out as best as I can. In future, you will repay this debt when you understand how much I helped you. " Rina told him.
Edam is really a man of few words.
He stayed silent by her side, not too near, not too far.
Once all the students were awakened, they were led into the next room.
This is where they receive their forms for admission to the royal academy.
Rina and Edam have already taken their forms. So, they went to find a seat first.
Just as they sat, one of the girls in the first row screamed.
Abbey Smith was the first person to take the form. It seems she filled it out immediately.
As soon as she did, her appearance changed.
Abbey, who had green eyes, fair skin and wavy brown hair changed in a moment into a girl twice the weight, freckles skin with pimples, and dirty blond hair that looked like they have never known hair care.
The girl who screamed was the one who sat besides Abbey.
Abbey still did not know her appearance had changed.
She was still writing the application earnestly.
As the commotion grew, the teacher came back.
The girl also stopped screaming, and sat back down with embarrassment.
" Abbey Smith, go see the principal. " The teacher told her sternly.
Any sort of disguisement, cosmetic or otherwise is forbidden at school.
Edam's face changed upon seeing that.
He understood if not for Rina's help, it would be him in the position of Abbey.
However, unlike Abbey, he would be beheaded or transferred to prison that sees no light when they find he is half demon.
He looked at Rina in shock. After some time, he came to.
" Thank you. " Edam whispered softly.
At this time, Abbey has come back to the class, looking all dejected. She must have been given the lecture of her life.
" Attention ! Attention ! " the principal knocked the duster on the podium.
All the students calmed down and looked at him.
" I suppose all of you have taken the royal academy admission forms, correct ? " He asked.
" Yes, sir. " They all answered in unison.
" Good. All of you play with your magic, and figure out what you want to do in the future. Fill out the admission form when you figure out. All the students are allowed to choose a level zero skill. I strongly advise against choosing the level zero skill, for you will receive far better skills, as well as two more skill slots when you get admitted into Royal academy, as long as you have not chosen a skill beforehand.
Moreover, it is not possible to remove a zero level skill, at the same time, it is also not possible to add on more skills with the skill augmenting as long as you have a zero level skill.
Do you all understand ? " The teacher asked.
Everyone answered yes.
" Is there anyone who wants to choose the zero level skill ? " The teacher asked.
Rina stood up immediately.
" Song Rina ?!!!! " The teacher asked in shock.
" Why in the world would you choose this skill, young lady ? Your grades are one of the best, even if you do not find your magic speciality, you stand a chance of getting better skills at the royal academy. The school will not pay for removal of zero level skill, nor will it help you with skill augmenting provided you choose it. Are you sure you want to do this, Rina ? " The teacher asked.
" I am sure, Teacher. " Rina answered.
" Hey .. But opening the skill array just for you alone is a bit … " The teacher scratched his head.
Rina did not back down.
The teacher was not wrong.
The skill array has a limited number of uses. Once it's used up, it will take a long time for a new one to arrive, even if one does not consider the sanctioning issues.
Moreover, every student who joins the royal academy with zero level skill is counted as bad performance of a principal.
So, he is trying to guilt trip her into rejecting the skill.
Edam stood up along with her.
" What is it with you, Edam Forest ? " the principal snarled at him.
" I also want a level zero skill. " Edam answered.
The principal glared at him.
" Both of you have a bright future at the royal academy. Why do you want to ruin it by going in with a skill that would drag you down ? " the principal asked balefully.
Rina was silent.
Edam was silent too.
The principal was silent.
A minute passed.
Rina was sure if she prolonged it any longer, the principal would just throw his hands up and run away.
" Can we go and get the skill now, Sir ? " She asked respectfully.
" You ! I have seen many students, but none as talented yet blind as you. Do you think as a principal who has guided so many students towards the light, I would wrong you ? Why can't you take my advice on this matter ? " The principal shouted at them.
The entire class was looking at them in shock.
Rina frowned.
" Does the school not have any zero level skills, but ask this question to fool us, sir ? Did those skills get embezzled away ? " Rina asked with suspicion written all over her.
" You ! You ! How dare you accuse me of such things ! I am all for your own good, yet, you repay so badly ! Come ! Get those skills in here. Let her see with her own eyes how many zero level skills there are and how useless they will be for her future. This girl ! she can't understand the kindness that is given to her. " he grumbled at her, as the teacher with zero level skills walked in.
The principal was not wrong.
There are definitely enough for a class and more.
The skills like small marbles. They are laid out in front of her.
[ Google search ]
[ Another world information finding mechanism which takes a billion mana to activate. ]
[ Amazon shop ]
[ Another world equivalent exchange mechanism which takes a billion mana to activate. ]
…
[ Naver miscellaneous ]
[ Another world information finding and equivalent exchange takes a billion mana to activate ]
Almost all the skills are similar.
Finally, Rina picked up a marble.
" I will activate this skill, sir. " She told the principal, whose triumphant face turned in to one that looked like it ate shit.