With Seraline being the last student to become a disciple, the Live Examination finally came to a close. Without a doubt, it left the impression of being the most eventful Live Examination in Takerth Academy's history. Even without Magnus's presence, it was nearly unheard of for so many raw talents to be among the first-year students.
"You did it!" The moment Velis stepped out of the Academy Arena, she heard someone shout from behind her. Turning around, she spotted Tascen running toward her with his arms wide open, crashing into her and pulling her into a hug with a big grin on his face.
"My cousin is officially a disciple of Takerth Academy! Just wait until we get home—Father and Uncle are going to lose it!" Feeling as if the life was being squeezed out of her, Velis tried to push Tascen away, speaking through labored breaths.
"Too tight. let go..." Eventually, Tascen loosened his grip, allowing Velis to take in deep breaths before she looked up at him.
"You need to learn how to control your strength," she said, causing Tascen to shrug as he replied.
"How can you expect me to control myself when you got chosen as a disciple? Seriously, this is the best news ever!"
"Yeah, I guess," Velis responded, her enthusiasm clearly not matching her cousin's. She was still in shock that she was even chosen in the first place. It felt unreal to her, and maybe that was why she didn't feel excited—just nervous. What if she messed things up or didn't meet her new master's expectations? These worries clouded her mind, and noticing that, Tascen frowned slightly.
"Oh, come on, how are you not excited about this? This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you and our family, and you got it!" Hearing that, Velis let out another sigh.
"Yeah... I guess. For now, let's just get home and report back to Lord Talvek." Seeing her attitude, Tascen's own enthusiasm dimmed a bit as they started to walk side by side.
"You know, Father is always asking me to get you to call him Uncle instead of Lord Talvek all the time," Tascen stated with a slightly pleading expression.
"It would be rude of me otherwise," Velis replied straightforwardly.
"Oh, you know that's not the point!" Tascen shot back.
As their conversation continued, many of the other students who were part of factions mimicked their actions. Those who seemed most excited were members of factions whose leaders or fellow members had been chosen as disciples. Even if they weren't chosen as disciples themselves, it was still good news for their families.
With their children already collaborating, it would be easy for their families to extend that connection beyond the academy. The family whose child had secured Takerth Academy's support would naturally become the focal point, with the other families rallying around them, offering their support in any way they could, helping them rise.
And as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats.
On the other hand, those who didn't gain anything from the Live Examination were going home with lowered heads and rigid expressions. Even though their families had sent them here to learn, it didn't change the fact that it was their duty to join or create a faction that would gain Takerth Academy's support. The failure to do so would now rest solely on their shoulders when they reported back.
As for those in the middle ground, it was the students who had been chosen as disciples who seemed the most calm. They weren't overly excited, anxious, or downtrodden; it was more like this was the expected result for many of them. It was a certain level of confidence one could only have if they were a genius who knew their capabilities.
Or, in Seraline's case, a genius raised with strict discipline.
"Ah! I still can't believe it! Three! Three of our faction members were taken on as disciples. I mean, I saw Cain coming, obviously, but I definitely didn't expect him to be chosen by one of the academy's council members! And sure, Seraline made sense after she pulled off Weapon Unity like that, but even Luden got chosen! There's no other faction that can match that!" Syrna's excitement was practically bubbling over as she walked with the group.
"Can you calm down?" Sylas said to his sister. He had been pretty surprised too, but his excitement dulled in comparison to his sisters. This was nearly the third time she'd gushed over how well the Live Examination had gone for them in the last twenty minutes alone.
Luden, catching the latter half of Syrna's words, raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, you didn't expect me to be chosen as a disciple?"
Syrna froze, her excitement crashing as she looked at Luden with a slightly nervous expression.
"Uh... I didn't mean it like that. It's just, you know... you never really showed off your abilities, so..." Luden chuckled, understanding what she meant.
"I suppose that's true. Most people only considered me a threat because of my family's track record but didn't know my actual capabilities, so it makes sense you didn't know what to expect," Luden said, with Syrna nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, exactly; that's what I meant." Listening to the two, Blair couldn't help but roll his eyes internally. It was obvious Luden had been hiding his abilities on purpose to create this effect. Anything he said to suggest otherwise was just a convenient little lie to cover that up.
"In any case, this calls for a celebration. My family is planning to host a gala in honor of our success, and of course, all of you will be invited." There was definitely cause for celebration, so no one disagreed with the idea.
A gala, huh? I'm guessing I'm not getting invited as Magnus, so I'll have to go as Cain. Dammit, they'll probably have a bunch of food there too.
Magnus couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed at the idea. So much delicious food, yet he'd have to wear a mask the entire time, making it hard for him to eat.
Hmm, maybe I could do what I did last time at the Faction Meeting and take some food with me. If I bring Celia, we could probably carry quite a bit. No wait, they would definitely recognize her. Hmm, maybe I can convince her to wear a mask and dress a bit differently then? Though it might be weird if the only other person Cain has ever shown up with wears a mask just like he does. People might think my persona is part of some weird cult.
As Magnus's thoughts drifted to how much food he could stash by the end of the gala, Seraline spoke to Luden, "I have no issue celebrating, but I need to report back to my family first."
Her words seemed to trigger the twins and Blair's memories as well.
"Oh right, yeah, we need to report to our families about this too."
"Same here."
Luden nodded and said, "That's fine. The month's almost over anyway, so we're planning for the 10th next month, during our next break. By then, our new rankings should be out as well, so there will be even more reason to celebrate."
Everyone agreed with that, and with the date set, they split up to report the results of the Live Examination to their families. In the end, the only ones left walking together were Magnus and Luden.
"Don't you need to report back to your family as well?" Magnus asked.
"Of course I do, but I'm in no rush," Luden responded casually, then elaborated. "I already told my family we were practically guaranteed to win. So before that, there are some things I need to handle first." Magnus was a bit puzzled by what Luden meant, but it clicked when he followed Luden's intent gaze. Standing off to the side of the path leading back to the dorm building was none other than Jalud.
It seemed like Jalud had been waiting there silently for a while, only opening his eyes when Magnus and Luden approached. As they neared, Jalud was the first to speak, making his intentions clear.
"I'm here to keep our promise," he stated, his eyes locked onto Magnus. There was an intensity in his gaze that wasn't anger or envy—more like acknowledgment, the kind that lights a fire under you and pushes you to go further than you ever thought possible.
"Good to know you're a man of your word. I'll leave the two of you alone," Magnus said, shooting a glance at Luden, who nodded in agreement. Even if it was Magnus who made the deal, this was Luden's faction, and Magnus had no idea how to handle Jalud, so he decided to take the opportunity to slip away.
But just as he did, he heard Jalud say one last thing: "I hope you know I don't plan on letting things stay like this."
Those words made Magnus glance back as Jalud continued, "If I'm going to be in this faction, then I'm aiming for the number one spot, so be prepared for a rematch."
Those words had unbridled conviction, carried by the same confidence and assurance Jalud always encompassed himself with. Magnus smirked slightly under his mask as he nodded and said, "Sure, anytime."
It was a genuine offer from Magnus. After all, aside from perhaps Luden, there was practically no other student in the academy who could give Magnus a real challenge at this point. So, with that matter settled, Magnus found himself alone as he headed back to the dorm, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.
Finally, things are starting to take shape. The Live Examination is over, and Luden's working to uphold his end of the deal. I have Eveline in my corner now, and with her and Celia, I actually have two people I can genuinely talk to about glitches and researching them—no offense, Basker.
[It's fine, Master.]
Oh, and I can't forget about the Major General. If his new deal meets all my requirements, I could end up working alongside the Batis Kingdom's military. In that kind of situation, after I graduate, I'd essentially have backing from one of the Ten Great Magic Academies, the military, and members of the nobility.
If anything ever went wrong with one of them, he would still have other paths to follow just in case. Even Magnus had to give himself a silent pat on the back for managing to pull something like that off.
For now, though, it's time to take a nice warm bath and let my worries fade away.
Just thinking about it caused Magnus to let out a relaxed sigh as he found an opportunity to slip off his mask before arriving at the dorm building. He had planned to go straight up to his room, but suddenly Vira, who was working at the reception desk, called out to him with a friendly smile.
"Excuse me, Magnus, may I speak to you for a moment?"
Vira rarely bothered students aside from greetings and goodbyes, so Magnus walked over, curious, and asked, "What is it?"
"I'm sorry to bother you, especially right after the Live Examination ended, but a little while ago, I received a notice from the guards at the entrance that someone has requested to meet with you. Normally, such a request would be denied immediately; however, the guards insisted that it might be an emergency and that you should meet with them."
Hearing this, Magnus frowned slightly. He knew the guards fairly well, and he hung out with them every once in a while, so his mind didn't linger on why they wanted him to meet someone, but rather who and what kind of emergency this could be. As if reading his mind, Vira spoke up.
"The guards didn't manage to get the visitor to explain the emergency. She insisted that she needed to talk to you first."
Catching that last part, Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"She?"
Vira nodded.
"That's right. Although she didn't give many details about the emergency, the guards did manage to get her to reveal her identity, which we verified. It seems she's a maid from Major General Arbarth's manor. I was told you're familiar with him." Magnus gave Vira an absent nod as he thought to himself.
She's from the Major General's manor? Could Arbarth have sent her? No, it doesn't make sense for him to send a maid. But what could she be doing here? Aside from Celia, hardly any of the maids ever talked to me, let alone come to me with their emergencies.
"Hmm, where is she now?" Magnus asked.
"We had her escorted to one of the waiting rooms in the dorm building. If this is all some big misunderstanding, we can have her removed right away, and ban her from stepping foot in the Upper City again, as well as press charges." Hearing such a harsh punishment being casually suggested, Magnus was stunned for a second before shaking his head.
"No, it's fine; I want to meet her. Can you take me to her?"
"Of course, right away. Just follow me," Vira responded with a small nod and bow.
Instead of housing dormitories, the first floor of the dorm building consisted mostly of the lobby and a large communal space for students, designed with various seating areas. Some were spacious enough to accommodate entire factions, while others were a bit smaller, perfect for small groups of friends to talk.
On either side of the space, instead of walls, large folding glass doors stretched along either side, almost indistinguishable from windows. Not only did they let in natural light, giving the area a pleasant ambiance, but when opened, they provided access to paths leading down to the lake. But beyond that, at the very back of the building, one would find yet another area, this one having multiple doors.
Though they weren't used very often, each door led to a waiting room. Vira led him straight to the one where his 'guest' awaited before saying, "I'll be waiting out here if you need anything."
Magnus nodded as he opened the door and walked in. As expected, the room maintained the typical grandeur of the dorm building. Even though there were only two sets of couches separated by a table in the center, the other decorations, such as the elegantly large vase in the corner, made it clear how much money was spent on these rooms, even if they were rarely used.
Sitting down with a slightly anxious expression was a woman with short, curly hazelnut hair, wearing a mostly brown dress with blue Juliet sleeves. Despite its neat appearance, after seeing how some nobles dressed outside of Takerth Academy, Magnus could tell she was from the Lower City. The moment she heard the door open, she raised her head and spotted Magnus, a hint of hope appearing in her silver-like gaze.
Almost instantly, Magnus's memory clicked as he called out, "Tola?"
Hearing her name, Tola looked a bit surprised before giving a weak smile and saying, "I'm surprised you remember me."
While part of that was due to Magnus's nearly flawless memory, it was also because Tola and Celia were close friends. Back when he stayed at the Major General's Manor, aside from himself, Celia likely spent the most time with Tola out of all her friends there. E ven after leaving the manor, she would come up occasionally in conversation whenever Celia and Magnus were just chatting.
There's also the fact that out of all the maids who spent their time watching me from afar, she did the most.
It was hard to describe, but if he had to put it one way or another, it sometimes felt like she had been undressing him with her eyes, even at times when he was already shirtless. All of this gave Magnus a fairly solid grasp of Tola's personality, which made him wonder why she looked so haggard right now. It was clear she had been running; her normally well-maintained hair was disheveled, and her clothes needed to be straightened out.
"What are you doing here?" Magnus asked as he took a seat opposite her.
"Look, before I explain anything, I have to ask. Have you... seen Celia lately? Like, has she been staying here with you or something?" Her voice sounded almost pleading, but Magnus shook his head.
"No. Actually, I haven't seen her in a while now. I sent her to pick something up for me a few days ago, but she never came back, so I assumed she was busy with work." Those words seemed to dash whatever hope Tola had, as the light in her eyes dimmed and she lowered her head.
"Oh no..." Sensing that something was seriously wrong, Magnus decided to press her.
"Tola, what is this about? What's going on with Celia?" Tola didn't answer right away, as if she was struggling to find the right words before finally blurting it out.
"Celia's... gone missing. She hasn't been showing up to work, and her house has been empty every time I've checked. I think maybe..." Tola hesitated, as if saying it out loud would make it real, but Magnus pressed her further.
"What is it?"
"I- I think she might have been kidnapped. Lately, the number of people going missing in Arlcliff City has been rising, so much so that it's become common news. There are rumors that traffickers are involved, but so far, the city guards haven't found anything." Magnus's expression turned deadpan as he absorbed Tola's words.
Celia? Kidnapped? But how- who-
Possibilities began swirling in Magnus's mind, each one worse than the last. Meanwhile, Tola looked as if she were on the verge of a breakdown, muttering to herself.
"She had to be here... If she's not here, then..." Seeing her spiral seemed to help Magnus realize he was doing the same as he clenched his fist. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his head and spoke firmly.
"Tola, I want you to wait for me outside the academy's entrance." She didn't seem to hear him, still muttering to herself, so Magnus raised his voice.
"Tola!" His sharp tone snapped her out of it, and she looked up, startled.
"Huh?"
"Just breathe and relax, okay?" Magnus said, holding her gaze.
"But... how can I relax? What if Celia's..." The thought alone made her voice catch.
"Don't worry, I'll find her. This is Takerth Academy, after all. All you need to do is wait for me outside the academy's entrance, okay?" Magnus's voice was surprisingly reassuring, and remembering that she was in Takerth Academy, a place that groomed mages capable of magic, Tola felt her heart-clenching worry ease ever so slightly and nodded.
"O-Okay, I'll wait."
"Good. Vira will escort you out." After saying that, Magnus stood up and left the room, telling Vira to take Tola to the academy entrance as he passed by, before immediately heading toward the stairs. He had no clue where Celia was or when she had gone missing, so searching for her himself would be pointless.
But those kinds of limitations won't apply to an Archmage.