The next part was smooth sailing. While on the way to buying the plot for himself, he had already registered himself as one of the citizens of Vallin, with Komin as the insurer, and thus the required documents and verification didn't take much time. The lease was done for the next 1,000 years, and he could renew it at the same price after 1,000 years.
Aric thanked Komin for the help. The permission to move in would take a day or so, which was fine with Aric as he would need to get back to his home, too. He had everything sorted in both worlds now.
Time for the next step.
------
1 and a half years later.
Distant Wind City.
Aric had grown quite taller for his age. He was 15 this year, and now he finally had the chance to get admitted into a magic school. The admissions for different magic schools were different. There were different criteria for different magic schools. Since there were different magical elements, there were magical schools based on elements alone. The known magical elements were air, water, fire, earth, lightning, light, and darkness. These were the most well-known elements.
But over the past year, he had conversed with Gopher a lot. They had spoken at length about the different elements. Most of the people around would only have an affinity for one element in their lifetime, and the levels of affinity would determine what kind of school would allow them to join. In one of these lengthy talks about the world around them, Gopher had spoken of a story about a huge war that had happened between humans and the "other monsters."
And affinity wouldn't be the only criterion. There were other branches of schools, too. There were beast-taming schools, magical artifact-creating schools, herbology schools, and medical schools.
Aric thought the schools recruiting would accept students free of cost, but there was nothing like that in this world. The novels he had read were a huge scam. The magic schools here operated the same way universities do on Earth.
For admission, parents needed to pay money to let their children study. Some with great affinity got scholarships, while others had to pay a massive amount of money, depending on the schools. Recruiters visited various cities around the country and even neighboring countries to recruit students who fit their profile.
For recruitment, the schools normally banded together and arrived at different cities to start their process, staying in each city for roughly a week. It was time for Distant Wind City. Aric was all ready to go for the recruitment when he heard Gopher's knock on the door.
"Aric, are you ready? Come out even if you're not. They don't care what attire you wear. It's your talent they will see."
It was Alden who opened the door and let Gopher walk in. Aric pretended he was getting ready, though he was just customizing his suit to fit his needs.
"You look fine, lad," Gopher said, though his voice held a teasing edge. "But remember, they won't be impressed by your clothes. It's what you have inside that matters." Today was the day Aric had been preparing for—the day that could determine his future. He might have a great life on Earth and in the interstellar universe, and if he tried, he would be great in this world too by being rich and influential.
But he would rather have his own power. After all, everybody had a fascination with magic, and he did too. Gopher had already called a carriage, and both of them sat opposite each other. Alden's sister had been praying the whole day so that Aric would get selected.
Though Alden couldn't understand how Aric was able to do "magic" before, he was happy to support him. Alden was sure Aric would be accepted at a great school since he secretly idolized Aric.
"I'll be home soon, and maybe we'll have to move to a different place in a few days," Aric had said before leaving Alden and his sister. This made both siblings very happy.
Soon, they reached the city square, which looked like a fair was going on. Large tents were being built all over the square, and each tent had a flag on top that fluttered in the wind. The snow had finally vanished from the rooftops and the leaves, but the cold wind could still be felt on their faces. Everyone was wearing warm clothes, but none of them looked tired or annoyed about showing up in this tough weather.
Parents had shown up with their children. Aric could see rich men arriving with their children and also poor villagers from neighboring areas. This was truly a huge gathering, something Aric hadn't seen even in other festivals held in the city.
"I forgot this is your first time here. I told you to accompany me last year," Gopher said when he saw the amazement on Aric's face.
"Children... designed to supplant them... make them end." Aric's mind was revolving around those quotes as he saw the people here, and he murmured the quote. It was weird because he himself was a child here and was being hypocritical.
"What did you say?" Gopher asked. His extrasensory sense of hearing picked up the murmur.
"Nothing. You know, it can be annoying sometimes having you around." This wasn't the first time Aric was subjected to Gopher's super senses.
"And that is why magic divides people. I hope you get accepted into my school with a scholarship," Gopher replied.
"But I heard your school doesn't have a good reputation," Aric teased. This was true, as Gopher himself had once told him when he was drunk at Aric's place, drinking alcohol he had brought from Vallin City—something Komin had gifted him while he visited his new home in the capital.
"Who said that? I will kill them with my own hands." Gopher reacted.
"You said that." Aric replied.
"I have never spoken those kind of rubbish words."
----
Read 20+ chapters ahead on my p@treon.com/thelightedghost