Alvin, Linfel, and Felia returned to their room. There, Linfel told them about the new job he got with the Vaxwel Research Company. "So, during the five-week days, I'll get 1000 Academy Credits to help them test the runes in their projects. Only the weekends I won't get anything since they don't work at that time."
Alvin couldn't help but take a deep and cold breath. "1000! I was looking into the missions that usually Rank A Classes take, and they would give an average of 500 Academy Credits each. Some give more, but those ones are usually taken straight away by Rank A Students. The fact a task worth 500 Academy Credits reached Rank C was already a surprise. And yet, not only did you land this job, you even got to be paid double daily. It was supposed to be a one-day task!"
Linfel smiled in response. "Yes, I'm aware of my luck. But then again, this specific task was open for more than just one student. There were a lot of maguses and familiars that appeared for the test. Five of them were selected, me included. It's just that I was the only one to get this special treatment. The others would only work on the scheduled task for today and their tasks would be finished."
"So... you will get 5000 Academy Credits per week, and that doesn't even count the 100 you get every night at Aelua..." Alvin saw some hope in there. "In that case, we have no need for Field Exams anymore, right?"
Linfel narrowed his ethereal eyes. "Are you being paid 1000 Academy Credits per day?"
"Well... no?" Alvin looked away.
"I already gave you some help last week with Academy Credits. You don't really expect me to now pay for your training, right?" Linfel increased the pressure.
"Of course not!" Alvin continued to avoid Linfel's eyes. "I... I can make Academy Credits with the tasks in the Missions Hall. Today, I did another one and got 200 Academy Credits!"
"That's nowhere near enough for your expenditure, and you know that," Linfel rebuked. "Stop the bullshit, and let's start today's training. At the end of this week, we are going back to the Field Exam. Besides, I need as many Academy Credits as possible."
"Why?" Felia asked on the side. Linfel was already doing a lot.
"Why? Isn't that obvious?" Linfel asked back. "5700 Academy Credits per week; that's what I can do without the Field Exams. Now... how much is a single Low-Grade Red Magic Stone? 500 Academy Credits! 500!!! An entire week would give me enough for only eleven stones! That's way too little!"
Felia got confused. "But the energy inside is too powerful for you, no? You can't even use them."
"For now," Linfel spoke. "What about after I become Level Two? Then the Yellow Magic Energy will not be enough anymore. I should try to accumulate as much as I can. Think about the future, not only the present."
Alvin and Felia nodded. "That's true."
"Okay, let's start." Linfel quickly connected with Felia and Alvin, took a bunch of Yellow Magic Stones Alvin bought, and began to clean the energy until it became Low-Grade Red Magic Energy.
As he sent the Magic Energy to their Cores, he noticed something. "Oh! Look at that! Both of you are already starting to show signs of transformation in your Cores."
Alvin nodded, feeling happy. "I noticed it too today during the task from the Missions Hall. My Magic Energy is a lot more condensed."
"Same for me," Felia agreed. "It made things a lot easier."
Linfel continued to transfer the energy and commented. "From the looks of it, you won't need the ten years you talked back in your Father's home. In at most two months, you two should reach Level Two. Truly, Red Magic Energy makes a huge difference compared to the Yellow Magic Energy you were using before."
Linfel continued his work for the next three to four hours until Felia and Alvin's cores got saturated. Finally, he decided to leave when Alvin suddenly stopped him. "Wait, Linfel."
Linfel looked back. "Hum?"
"Aelua sent me a message today," Alvin explained. "She said that you are absorbing and integration to your Core an extremely impure Yellow Magic Energy. But because you are independent, you can do whatever you want. She was worried that it would affect your future."
"Oh!" Linfel smiled in response. Aelua might have gone to talk to Alvin on his back, but he could tell she did it out of concern for him. "Well, you should know the truth behind this matter."
Alvin nodded, not feeling worried at all. "Yes. I'm just telling you because she will probably inquire about it. It matters little to you how much a source of Magic Energy is contaminated since you can clean it all. In any case, I told her that I was also helpless and couldn't stop you and whatever. So, you know if she asks about it."
"Good! Thanks!" Linfel nodded and left. As for Alvin, he was once again dead tired and went to sleep as Felia deactivated herself.
Back in Aelua's research building, Linfel looked at the Magic Energy Receptors from the pillars. "Another bountiful night ahead. Such a beautiful sight."
"Wait, Linfel!" Aelua quickly came out. "Did Alvin talk to you?"
Linfel nodded. "Yes, but he wasn't able to change my mind, and believe me, he tried." Well, that was a blatant lie. "I will still take this Magic Energy."
"Sigh..." Aelua felt helpless. "Fine. But, if you feel any disconfort, come look for me straight away. We have equipment in the Academy capable of helping Familiars with Magic Energy intoxication issues. They are expensive to use, but you ar worth it."
Linfel knew about those. Even though the Low-Grade Magic Stones were considered usable, they weren't completely safe. One could see that since Linfel got rid of 90% of their Magic Energy during the cleaning process. Once in a while, familiars and maguses get too many impurities and must clean their cores, which is an arduous and expensive process. 'Not my problem, though. Hahaha!'
And with that cheerful thought, Linfel started to separate the Magic Energy before using the remaining energy for his own integration as always.
This kind of process continued during the week. Work at Vaxwel Facility, help Alvin and Felia, go back to Aelua, pass by the Floating Blades Faction, repeat. And so, the end of the week arrived. Naturally, the next Field Exam was there too.