"Ahem! We should go to sleep," said Alvin, totally trying to run away from the conversation.
Linfel was still curious, though. "Who is she? Why would a student of your academy be out here carrying the investigation about the boat? Is it normal for you guys?"
Alvin was happy that the wisp changed the topic away from his 'intentions.' "Oh, right! Felia, tell them."
Felia glanced at Alvin, not liking to be used as a scapegoat. Yet, he is her master, after all. "Fine... The Magus Academy has a credit system of points. The government, in order to try to make it as fair as possible for all students regardless of background, created it a long time ago. It's called AMC, a simple abbreviation for Academy Magic Currency."
Linfel couldn't help but comment. "I see that you guys truly like to do a lot of abbreviations in this world, no? And their full names are usually very simple."
Felia shook her head. "Actually, it is the opposite. Sure, we used simple names, but that's only when we want to talk about a topic in a general concept. For example, the MCOM is the abbreviation of Magic Communication Device. However, Alvin's MCOM's name is a lot more complicated than that."
Alvin then showed it to the Wisp.
-Tarzis Magical Signal Spectrum Model H2RT0, version 7.845b-
"That's... a very long name indeed..." The Wisp immediately understood why using some simple general names was better. "Let's just keep the MCOM and the others."
Felia then returned to the main topic: "Anyway, the academy's credit system definitely has a bigger name, but let's just ignore it. Everyone just uses the general name AMC, Academy Credit Currency. No point in using anything else. This system is made so that anyone can get access to the various important facilities of the academy. Not only that, but just your time living there will also require AMC, like accommodations and food."
Alvin continued from there. "In my case, I use most of my AMC to acquire resources for my Magus training. Simply put, Medium Grade Yellow Stones. They are definitely much better than the Low-Grade ones. It goes without saying I would use higher-level ones if I had access to them. Unfortunately, I don't make enough to afford training with those types."
Felia took Alvin's MCOM and accessed the Academy's Student Website. There, she navigated until she reached the AMC tasks. "Here is a list of the several tasks you can take to acquire AMC."
Linfel looked through the list and could see countless tasks. There were things very menial, like a simple cleaning, worth a single AMC, to more important things like helping with research, investigations, collection of special items, etc. Naturally, those ones were worth a lot more.
"Hum?" Linfel noticed one thing when going through the list. "Many of these tasks are marked in gray. Why? There are some marked in red, too."
"Look at the stars on their side," Felia asked. Linfel took a look and waited for her to continue. "Each star represents the required level as a Magus or Familiar. For example, the tasks marked with two stars require Level Two Maguses or Familiars. Three Stars, naturally, Level Three Maguses or Familiars so on and so forth."
She then pointed at the red tasks. Some had one and a half stars, while others had two stars. "These marked in red are taking into consideration Master's Level. He can attempt to complete these tasks, but he must be aware they will be much harder at his actual level."
Linfel understood. "I see... that basically means Alvin is too weak."
Alvin's mouth twitched a little. "Alright, I know I'm nothing impressive, but do you need to say it like that?"
Linfel got confused. "Is there a better way to call someone weak? Oh! How about incapable?"
Alvin wanted to cry, not because of the wisp's words but because he knew the wisp wasn't trying to make fun of him. Linfel was totally speaking seriously, which hurt much more. "Just... I'm still growing up."
Linfel finally understood. "Humans prefer to say they are growing up instead of being weak. Noted."
'That wasn't it at all!' Alvin screamed in his mind.
Felia smiled and just continued. "So, the gray tasks refer to tasks my master can not take since he doesn't have the necessary level. For example, look at this task here."
Linfel paid attention to the task Felia pointed out.
-Magus help necessary for the investigation of a Magus related incident in Toval City: Three Stars. Details will be provided on-site. AMC Reward: 2500.-
"What about it?" Linfel asked.
"It's this type of task that probably brought Master's future wife to his house today," Felia explained.
"I see..." Linfel and Lucau nodded together.
Alvin almost coughed out blood. "What the hell?! Since when did she become my future wife?! And why are Father and Linfel just agreeing to that?! Do you fucking know the difference between us?!"
Linfel didn't see the problem there. "It is normal where I came from for everyone to look for the best possible partners to carry on their genes. That girl seemed to have very good genes, which explains your interest in procreating with her. I don't see the problem in there."
"Pro-procreating????!!!!" Alvin's mind wandered a bit.
*Pah!*
Yet, his father slapped the back of his head, returning him to reality. "Stop thinking like that."
Ignoring Lucau and Alvin's antics, Linfel asked something else. "Usually, what kind of tasks do you get?"
"What else? We always take the One Stars Tasks," Felia answered while shrugging her shoulders.
Yet, Linfel saw an issue. "But..." He looked at the One Stars tasks, and pretty much all of them had the word 'taken' on them. Only very few related to menial tasks were available. Not to mention, their payment was really low, something around 10 AMC each. "Is this enough?"
Alvin, who was back to himself, rubbed the back of his head while explaining, "Simply put, I take a lot of those during the month. It is very hard to get access to higher-paying One Star tasks."
Seeing Felia and Alvin's dejected expression, it became obvious there was a reason for that. "Why?"