The Rolerra School of Magic Apprentice branch in Oxdale was situated east of the town, some distance from the Harper mansion. Traveling there, Jack could take his time to observe the town in the early dawn.
Oxdale was in the season of frost and humidity, with a thin layer of fog covering the morning. The houses were built from red bricks, burned from a type of clay mixed with fire essence from the Blackpon volcano north of town. These bricks retained heat through mana essence activation, keeping the houses warm. In normal conditions, they could also prevent heat from escaping.
People were beginning to open their stalls as Jack's cart passed by. They greeted him with smiles and curious glances through their windows. He smiled and waved back. Some who had known the Harper young master from earlier days questioned his newfound friendliness.
The cart slowly made its way to the busiest part of town. Here, shops and stalls were open day and night, and the streets were always crowded with the sounds of greeting and bargaining. People sold vegetables, fruits, treats, and other consumables, and the rolling wheels of noble carts and wagons filled with goods added to the din.
Passing the central square, Jack noticed its structure resembled that of his household garden. At the center stood a statue of King Marcus Festus of Omivell, surrounded by rings of flowers above a small lake about twenty meters in diameter. Four passages led to the foot of the statue.
Opposite the passages, across the road, were the headquarters of the town's most important institutions: the Magic Society, Adventurer Society, Medical Center, and the Bank of Omivell. These buildings occupied a large chunk of the area surrounding the lake, highlighting their significance in Oxdale's administration.
The road to the eastern side of town was lined with armory and equipment stores for adventurers and mercenaries. The back alleys echoed with the sounds of hammering, anvils, and metal.
Finally, the Rolerra School building appeared. It was three stories tall, constructed in a U shape, with the middle ground used for student practice and training. To showcase its importance, the school rejected the common red brick in favor of natural granite, the same material used in central buildings and the Harper mansion. The outer gate was made of fireproof wood, a rare material that only grew near volcanoes, making it extremely hard to collect. With its high fire essence content, teachers could create a wall of magic fire for defense if needed.
Edward dropped Jack off in front of the gate and walked down with him.
"Would you need my company?" Edward asked.
Jack gave Edward a wide-eyed look. "What, do I really look like the type who can't take care of himself?"
The butler eyed him skeptically, barely restraining a nod.
"Go back home, Edward!" Jack frowned. "Or perhaps getting some shots in the local tavern would be just fine."
Before Edward could respond, Jack waved goodbye and headed for the school.
Jack followed the gravel path to the bottom of the U-shape to meet the principal and discuss his reinstatement. Along the way, curious eyes focused on him. Some who recognized him started chattering, but he paid them no attention. The only thing he noticed was their dark blue robes adorned with class badges. He was aware that he could no longer fit his old robes; his body had developed during his coma, but his class status had not. Instead of joining his peers in the senior class, he would have to take the junior class, filled with nine-year-olds who would probably be crying and whining all day.
A chill ran down his spine at the thought. He immediately began searching for a solution, as such a disgrace would be unacceptable for a Grand Sage, even if sharing a class with slightly older children was hardly an improvement.
"Well, when life gives you lemons..." Jack muttered to himself, opening the door to the principal's office.
Principal Meinhard Honingman stood by the window, looking down at the schoolyard. He was tall and lanky, with neatly trimmed hair. Like the students, Meinhard wore a black robe, but his was embellished with delicate golden lines and the Rolerra symbol of a simplified sun with shining beams.
On the table, three pens floated and wiggled over papers, which replaced themselves once their content had been checked. The walls were lined with two massive, ceiling-high bookshelves. Jack estimated them to be around five meters tall, but it was no problem for someone with the principal's mana manipulation capability. Jack knew Meinhard had reached the final level of the Crusader rank, the highest in Oxdale.
In front of the left shelf, a raven perched on a moving lamp, its eyes fixed on Jack as he approached the table. Somebody in his household was watching, perhaps his father, though he doubted it.
"Jack Corvus, welcome back. Your return is truly a miracle, and your family, as well as the Magic Society, would like to hear more about it," Meinhard said without turning around.
"I could tell you everything if the raven weren't here," Jack replied.
This time, the principal turned to look at him, sizing him up. His new robe subtly sparkled with light as he moved. His wrinkled face frowned, and his gray eyes squinted at Jack, scrutinizing.
"You seem much more daring after your awakening."
"Do you want to know why?" Jack responded, unfazed.
Surprised, Meinhard replaced his solemn expression with one of interest. "Then I can't hear it today," he said, pointing at the raven. "That thing is more powerful than I am."
"I can see that."
"You?" Meinhard raised an eyebrow.
Jack took a step closer. "And that will be the basis for something I would like to request."
"And what is that?"
"I want to attend the older class."
Meinhard burst out laughing, then sat down. "You can't even feel or manipulate your mana right—" Meinhard quickly fell silent as he felt the mana flow around Jack.
His eyes widened. As the principal, he knew about Jack's background and circumstances. The Harper couple had always sought his help for Jack's low magic affinity, but his power was insignificant compared to the greatness of the Dessotor Empire. If the aristocracy and the Grand Duke were helpless, his power could only do so much.
Despite everything, a miracle stood before him: Jack, returned from soul deficiency. At seven, Jack had been the worst junior class student due to his resentful attitude. Even if he had worked hard, the best he could have achieved was mediocrity. He could never have manipulated mana so skillfully as he did now. His speed, fluency, and skill were almost near perfection.
Before Meinhard could speak, Jack acted. He folded two fingers and fired an invisible bullet straight at the raven. A whizzing sound filled the air, the flame went out, but the raven seemed barely startled. It stretched its neck as if trying to get a better look at Jack, its eyes flickering with a deep, dark light.
Jack smirked at the raven and turned back to Meinhard. "I think I am qualified to attend the senior class, don't you?"
Meinhard was still processing Jack's action, not only because of the audacity of attacking the supervising mascot but also because of the accomplished mana-compressing technique he had just performed. It wasn't an issue for Meinhard himself, but he couldn't think of anyone in the senior class capable of replicating that. The shot, if concentrated a bit more, could pierce an unawakened child's chest. All this from a boy who had just emerged from a coma two weeks ago.
The principal's eyes lit up like the raven's, and a smile crept onto his lips. "You will have to do some extra studying and homework from other subjects."
Meinhard grabbed a pen and waved for a piece of paper to fly out of the drawer. He quickly wrote something and let the paper fly away. It dashed behind Jack and disappeared upon touching the door.
"I will personally take you to class," Meinhard said, putting a hand on Jack's shoulder.
Jack understood the principal's wink.
The two left, leaving behind the raven, its eyes never straying from Jack's back. It screeched, then burned itself in a black flame, leaving no trace of ash.