"Thank you, Principal," Felicia replied. She gratefully bowed her head.
"Can I know more about this Imperial Magus Gathering?" Henry asked.
The Principal took out a map from under his desk and showed it to the duo.
"This is the map of the Empire. We are this tiny corner. There are 36 kingdoms under the rule of the Imperial Family. It pains me to say this, but we're not even in the middle of the pack."
The Principal frowned upon saying those words. He sighed and visibly aged.
The Treesap Kingdom was located at the southern tip of the Empire. It was somewhat expansive, but it was not the biggest. When one looked at its shape, one would be reminded of a tree.
The city nearby was not even close to the Royal Capital. For political reasons, the two were on the opposite sides of the kingdom.
"What about the other representatives?" Henry asked, curious about his opponents.
"We have a concrete idea for one of them, but most of them are still deciding. I suggest you aim to reach the High-class, and it will be enough," the Principal answered.
Henry rubbed his chin and nodded his head. The High-class was not that hard for him. First, he needed to confirm the strength of a High-class magus in this era.
"Where are we going to live?" Henry asked as he stood up. Felicia did the same.
"Conrad will guide you. He's outside already."
"Conrad?"
Henry repeated the name the Principal said and walked out of the office.
A familiar face was standing there, looking them up and down.
"Cockad?"
"Con-rad!" Conrad shuddered after hearing Henry's words.
He had never heard someone mishear his name before. It made him confused and irritated seeing Henry.
Henry awkwardly coughed and followed behind Conrad with Felicia. The trio was silent. Conrad was still seething from the insult and wasn't in the temper to speak with them.
They exited another entrance of the Principal Tower and arrived before a building complex made of red bricks. Green-robed students were scattered around as they socialized with each other.
Their attention was immediately on Henry and Felicia.
"Sir Conrad, the Entrance Exam finished already?" a nearby student asked.
"No. These two are made students by the Principal," Conrad replied and walked past that student.
"Principal?"
Curiosity filled the faces of the students. Some were looking at Henry, but a lot more were looking at Felicia. They could tell that she was old.
(Is she the Principal's mistress?)
(These two look alike… I think you're right.)
The crowd buzzed with rumors. Conrad's words were unspecific and left many to their imaginations.
With Conrad's magus class, he could hear what they were discussing with each other, but he didn't correct them. He was more than happy that a nasty rumor started between them and the Principal.
Henry could guess from the looks given to him about what they were thinking. He lightly shook his head in disappointment. Conrad was harboring a grudge for him.
Conrad led them to a room on the fifth floor of the building complex. There was barely any person up there. The stairs to reach this floor were too much for most students to cope with.
After unlocking the door and throwing the key to Henry, Conrad immediately left. He didn't make any effort to hide his dislike for the two.
"Cockad…" Henry muttered and looked at the spot where Cockad was standing at earlier.
"Master, you're going to annoy him more."
"It's not my fault I misheard his name."
Henry shrugged and picked on his nose. He entered the apartment room with his first disciple.
The days passed swiftly. The rumors of the Principal and the duo spread far and wide in the academy. They had also heard that Henry's talent was high, and that he had a powerful master.
Most students called bullshit and still believed in the rumor that they were related to the Principal.
As the person caught in the crossfire, the Principal didn't deny nor confirm the rumors.
The two celebrities were enjoying their time in the academy's apartment. Henry taught Felicia magic in his free time, and he would conjure various magic spells to stimulate the mana in his hands.
It wouldn't be long till Henry could break through and reach the Low-class.
The week entirely passed, and their first day arrived.
It was early in the morning. Dew condensed on the grass and shrubs.
Henry and Felicia were led by a senior student to an open podium at the west side of the academy campus.
There were about three hundred students present. All of which were from the previous week's Entrance Exam.
As soon as they saw the two arrive, their eyes flickered with hostility. They almost couldn't enter the academy.
The butterflies reacted differently after Henry made them scatter. Those who had a butterfly might not get one, and those who didn't could get one.
Thus, a lot of the people here were enraged at Henry.
The person who hated him the most was none other than the son of the mayor. He previously had three butterflies but only got one afterward!
His pride was shattered, and the benefits he should have gotten were given to someone else!
Henry ignored them. Felicia didn't dare to look back, and she stared ahead. She could feel their hostility, and that made a country bumpkin like her feel meek and weak.
They waited for a while before a Magus Teacher walked up the platform. It was a she.
A short and well-endowed woman looked around the new students of the academy. She smiled a bit when her gaze passed Henry.
"Welcome to the Treesap Kingdom's Royal Magic Academy! Call me Ma'am Judy. I will teach all of you bastards how to start becoming magi. Those of you who are already one, be patient as I will have a class specifically for you!"
Clamors rang in the students. Many were amazed, excited, and insulted. They all had mixed feelings, but overall, it was a positive reaction.
"Let me call on the best student of this batch!"
Judy's gaze landed on Henry, followed by the eyes of the other new students.