Alister stood before the massive wooden doors of the headmaster's office, his things already packed into a small stuffed bag he had on his back. He didn't have much to begin with, and it didn't look like he would be leaving with much either.
'I wonder what he wants to talk to me about.' Alister thought as he proceeded to knock on the door.
"Come in." The headmaster's response came, calling Alister in.
"Pardon me." Alister said as he proceeded to open the door and stepped into the office. His eyes were greeted by a scene that he was all too familiar with.
Alister took a small look around, noticing some changes in the office. The usually cluttered desk was now carefully organized, and the shelves that usually held a collection of scrolls and trinkets now had on them a few well-chosen artifacts. The air seemed quieter, more calmer than he remembered.
His eyes drifted back to Magister Vance, who stood near the window, gazing out with a thoughtful expression. Alister cleared his throat. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
Magister turned slowly, letting out a deep sigh. "First, I owe you an apology, Alister," he began, his voice filled with regret. "My granddaughter, Yanzi... her attitude towards you was uncalled for."
Alister's frowned slightly as he mutterd. "Yanzi..."
"Yes," Magister continued, moving away from the window and seating himself behind the large oak desk. "She takes after her father, in more ways than I intended. You see, when I was younger, I taught her father that only results matter. Talent ranks, achievements, status—they were all that counted." He shook his head, a shadow of guilt crossing his face. "Her father was born with a D-rank talent. Despite his best efforts, he always felt inadequate because of that. It seems he passed that belief onto Yanzi."
Magister sighed again, his gaze drifting back to the view outside. "I realize now, perhaps too late, that I've contributed to that mindset. And for that, I am sorry."
Alister listened quietly, absorbing the weight of the headmaster's words. The brief silence that followed was thick with unspoken words.
"Is that why you called me here, sir?" Alister asked, breaking the silence with a calm but steady voice.
Magister turned to face him, his eyes searching Alister's as he noticed the boy tilted his head downwards, avoiding eye contact. He paused, choosing his words carefully. "No, Alister. I called you here because I need to understand something. Why did you turn down Anya's offer? With the money she promised, you could have helped your sister and secured your footing, even if you were expelled from the guild later. At least then, things wouldn't seem so bleak for you."
Alister sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the question. "I'm not one to second-guess my decisions, Headmaster. I'm sure you know that about me." He lifted his head, locking his gaze wath Magister's, firmly. "It might seem foolish to everyone else, and perhaps it is. But right now, I have my reasons for saying no."
Alister Momentarily glanced besides himself.
[21:06:33 remaining for quest completion.]
Gazing at the system window he thought, 'I have to understand what this system is. If the failure penalty for the quest is as real as it seems, then I can't let myself die and leave Miyu behind.'
'Joining the guild would mean I would have to get registered, have a guild member uniform made for me, and be given accommodation. A day could easily pass with all those events.'
'There is a chance this might really just be a talent window error and that I'm making a very big mistake, but knowing what could happen on the slight possibility it is real, then I have no other option.'
Magister studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly, a look of understanding in his eyes. "Very well, Alister. I respect your choice. Just remember, the path you walk may be harder, but it is yours to choose."
Alister nodded in return. "Thank you, sir."
Just as Alister was about to leave, Magister called out to him. "Wait, Alister," he said, rising from his seat and walking toward him. Placing a hand on Alister's shoulder, he continued, "Hold out your palm."
Puzzled, Alister did as he was told. Magister placed a Union credit card in his hand. "The pin is the numbers that correspond with the letters of your name," he explained. "Although this isn't as much as what Anya offered, this card holds 40,000 Union credits. You should be able to get some basic equipment and support yourself for a while."
Alister's eyes widened in surprise. "I can't accept this sir," he said, shaking his head.
Magister tapped his shoulder gently. "Don't be so stubborn, Alister. Just say thank you. We both know you barely have any Union credits because you spend most of it on your sister. Take care of yourself once in a while."
Alister's stern expression softened into a grateful smile. "Thank you, sir," he said earnestly. "I'll make good use of it."
"Good." Magister simply replied with a smile.
With a nod, Alister turned to leave. As he closed the door behind him, Magister stroked his beard thoughtfully, murmuring to himself, "I hope that boy finds happiness for both himself and his sister. It's sad, but this is all an old man like me can do."