"I'm sorry, Father Matthew, but I'm not planning to join the Church of Light either," Bairon replied resolutely. "I want to travel with Evelyn, hoping we might find a cure along the way."
The very reason Greyscale is deemed incurable is that even the Church of Light, with its top-notch Chanting Magi across the continent, remains powerless against it.
Bairon had already inquired, and he noted that Matthew had used the word "perhaps".
If there was a cure for Greyscale in the Röntgen Continent, it'd likely be tucked away in some unknown corner.
"If you are in pursuit of a clue to cure Greyscale, I'd recommend a place," spoke the previously silent red-robed magus.
"Olga, you know of a place that can cure Greyscale?" Ajani asked, taken aback.
She was well aware that Greyscale was considered incurable.
"I'm not certain, Miss," Olga, the red-robed magus, responded, "But Lord Stewart could make a trip to San Sorus. There resides a person who has completely recovered from Greyscale. Perhaps she could provide some valuable insights."
"You're not deceiving me?" Bairon's body tensed.
"Olga never lies," Ajani interjected.
But then she appeared perplexed herself. "Yet, I've never heard of a Greyscale survivor in San Sorus."
"That's because she would be 96 years old this year," Olga clarified. "She's a commoner, so Lord Stewart, I'd advise you to set out promptly."
For a commoner, 96 was an age when any sleep could be the last.
"I will. Thank you, Magus Olga!" Bairon expressed his gratitude earnestly, then turned to depart.
Olga seemed sincere, and he had no apparent motive to deceive.
"Miss..." Olga murmured to Ajani, casting her a significant glance.
"What?" Ajani looked puzzled for a moment, but realization soon dawned on her. "Bairon, wait up!"
"Is there something else, Miss Ajani?" Bairon inquired.
Ajani chuckled, "Since you're planning to leave the magus guild and have no intention of joining the Church of Light, perhaps there's a more fitting place for you."
"Where might that be?" Bairon inquired.
Ajani responded, "The Magus Academy in San Sorus!"
"Magus Academy?" Bairon echoed, surprise evident in his voice.
In San Sorus, besides the magus guild and the Church of Light, there is yet another magus faction called the "Provincial Alliance Magus Academy", commonly shortened to "Magus Academy."
The establishment of the Magus Academy is an intriguing tale.
In the Röntgen Continent, the magi hold unparalleled sway over the course of warfare.
They are the singular force that dictates the ebb and flow of battles.
As such, the Provincial Alliance decreed that once a citizen awakens their magus abilities, they must register with the magus guild.
When called upon during times of military conflict, every registered magus is obligated to heed the "Conscription" and join the alliance's war efforts.
However, not long after this law was enacted, the topmost governing body of the Provincial Alliance, the "Citizens Assembly Hall," recognized a significant flaw in their system.
The magi partaking in the war were supplied solely by the magus guild, effectively placing the most potent military force of the alliance under the guild's control.
In a bid to circumvent a potential future crisis, the Citizens Assembly Hall urgently established a new magus entity—the Magus Academy.
This institution, fully funded by the Citizens Assembly Hall, consisted only of students and teachers.
Its guiding ethos was to better cultivate exceptional magi for the alliance.
As a result, both students and faculty were exempt from the Conscription.
This freedom from the threat of being drafted into warfare, however, came with a drawback: the academy's environment was not conducive to training Battle Magi.
"If you head there now, you'll be right in time for their autumn admissions event. Given your capabilities, I believe you'd have no trouble passing the entrance exam," Ajani remarked.
"Thank you, I'll give it some thought," Bairon replied gratefully.
The benefit of being exempt from Conscription was particularly appealing to Bairon, as neither he nor Evelyn wished to be separated.
However, being a student at the academy also had its disadvantages.
He couldn't earn money as a Battle Magus anymore, which meant that while in San Sorus, Bairon might need to dip into his savings.
He had heard that the cost of living in San Sorus was rather steep.
A sudden anxiety gripped Bairon.
"Bairon!" Ajani called out to him, producing two items and handing them over.
One was the Level 4 mana core he had seen previously, and the other was a pure gold brooch bearing the emblem of a soaring eagle.
"You've uncovered the conspiracy of the Sailport Magus Tower Chief Steward's collaboration with the Dark Magus and even managed to defeat one," Ajani began.
"However, since you've left the magus guild, I won't add this to your contribution tally. Consider this Level 4 mana core as your reward for this endeavor."
"As for this golden brooch, it's a token of my trust. Present it to my mentor, Professor Barbara, who specializes in botanical magic. She knows quite a few unique magi within the academy. Perhaps one of them might have a solution to Greyscale," Ajani continued. "Think of it as a belated apology for my tardiness today."
"Thank you!" Bairon accepted both items gratefully.
The Level 4 mana core was of use in the Dark Tower world, and the golden brooch could help Evelyn—Bairon had no reason to refuse either.
With Bairon's departure, the duel was declared over.
Council members, merchants, and magi tried to crowd around the Son of White Tower to shower praises, but all were sent packing by Ajani's sharp gaze.
"Thank you, Uncle Olga!" Ajani said.
"No need for thanks. Before we left, Mr. Phillip instructed me to take good care of you," Olga replied, then shook his head, adding, "However, Ajani, recruiting Bairon might not be a wise decision."
"Oh? Why's that?" Ajani inquired.
"I can't pinpoint it exactly, but his control over Mindergy reminds me of someone," Olga said, glancing at the three icicles still present on the dueling ground.
Despite the hot weather, the icicles showed no sign of melting.
It wasn't merely a spell artifact that a perfect Magic Circuit could create—it required a fine-tuned control over Mindergy.
Ajani, driven by curiosity, asked, "Who did he remind you of?"
Glancing at the spell sword at his waist, Olga responded, "The founder of the Battle Magus path, the last sword bearer of the Elf Queen, Charlotte·Isabella."
Ajani's eyes widened in astonishment. "That's impossible! The Elf kingdom fell nearly three thousand years ago."
"It's just a passing resemblance," Olga said, lost in thought.
"Esteemed Son of White Tower, Sailport Magus Tower welcomes you," greeted an elderly magus, around seventy years old, clad in a green robe. With a face crinkled in lines of age, he approached Ajani with a warm smile.
Ajani, puzzled, asked, "Who might you be?"
"I am Harper·Dumont. According to the magus guild's regulations, whenever there's a vacancy for the Chief Steward position in any Magus Tower, the eldest qualified magus of that tower assumes the role of Chief Steward until a formal one is dispatched from the White Tower," Harper declared with evident pride, "I am that eldest qualified magus from Magus Tower!"
"You're right on time; I was looking for you," Ajani said.
With humility, Harper replied, "I am at your service, Son of White Tower."
...
It wasn't long after Bairon arrived home when Father Matthew and Councilman William came to visit.
Moreover, they came bearing gifts.
Matthew presented six vials of medicine that would delay the progression of Greyscale—a gift representing the entire stock of the Church of Light.
On the other hand, William offered a promissory note worth five thousand gold coins, along with two first-class ship tickets.
"These are the most immediate tickets available. If they were to depart now, the ship and its passengers would have to spend the night at sea," William explained as he produced the ship tickets, clarifying why the ticket time was marked for seven in the morning the next day.
"Thank you both for your generosity!" Bairon said with a smile.
The priest and the councilman had chosen their gifts astutely, providing precisely what Bairon urgently needed.
As Bairon accepted the gifts, both Matthew and William exchanged pleased glances.
Though Bairon was preparing to leave Sailport, building a friendship with a potential future Master Battle Magus was beneficial for anyone.
Additionally, the gifts served as an olive branch, mending any lingering disagreements.
After all, they had once been closely seated next to Rueel.
"Mr. Stewart, Sailport will forever remember your contributions. Should your journey ever turn challenging, please consider this town as your haven," William said earnestly.
"I will," Bairon replied, and then closed the door.
"Your performance was a bit over the top, Councilman," Matthew remarked, feeling a tad embarrassed on William's behalf.
Then, a sudden thought struck him, "You aren't planning to arrange a marriage between Miss Anna and Bairon, are you?!"