"So?" Principal Meinhard asked as they walked down the school's corridor. "Still feeling dizzy?"
Jack massaged his temples, hoping to alleviate the ache from over-channeling his mana. The chaos during the regulating process had exhausted him more than he had anticipated. Two weeks of training, and still not enough.
"Your father will surely hear about the incident, but..." Meinhard stopped, seeing the bright pair of eyes staring at him as if the boy had seen through his thoughts.
"That action was just a warning!" Jack said. "I owe them nothing. They won't pay any attention to a sickly child like me. The value of the answer to the condition of soul deficiency isn't worth their respect. The Corvus family has enough resources to research it, and they won't find it worth spending on an outcast like me, am I right?"
Meinhard nodded, guiding Jack to take a left turn. "I really want to know how your Spirit aspect has become so adept, and I'm not even sure if I should question you."
Jack contemplated before speaking. "I could tell you, but I have conditions."
Jack understood that Meinhard was a friend of his father, Abraham. He had always tried to support the family and figure out Jack's condition. Considering this, Jack found himself willing to share his experience with Meinhard, but he knew better than to do so without obtaining some benefit.
Meinhard scratched his chin, pondering. "I need to hear about your conditions first."
"I want to consult some material in the library, especially the limited access documents."
"Wow, little one, you've just asked for something beyond my authority!" Meinhard chuckled.
To access the limited documents, one had to be a school teacher. The more restricted the information, the higher the teacher's rank. Moreover, a teacher could only be qualified by the town council, including the principal, the mayor, and the four headmasters of the four grand institutions' branches. This strictness was due to the teachers' potential for causing significant damage and the political landscape, which forbade any faction from having an overwhelming number of representatives.
"You can't provide it, neither can I," Jack shrugged.
"You..."
"Besides, when you figure out what has happened to me, you'll undoubtedly want to dig deeper."
Meinhard scratched his chin again, searching for any strand of beard, despite having shaved that morning. They stopped before a closed class door. Through the glass window, Jack saw the empty tables.
"I forgot," Meinhard exclaimed, without any hint of guilt, "today is the senior class field trip. The instructors must have taken the students outside for some monster fighting."
"You're an Arcanist, aren't you?" Jack asked, seemingly off-topic.
"Good observation, Jack," Meinhard smiled.
"So, can you levitate me back to your office or somewhere to rest? The crow must be gone by now. I don't think I can stay on my feet much longer."
Meinhard's ability to effortlessly control objects was no ordinary mana manipulation. Jack had noticed his utilization of air elements, a known trait of Arcanists. This became more evident when Meinhard boiled water for tea with fire from his hands.
"It seems you don't need to join the senior class to understand the factions," Meinhard remarked, handing Jack a cup of tea. He then produced a small hexagonal crystal from his robe pocket, holding it above the steaming cup. Tiny particles fell from the crystal, dissolving into the tea.
"You don't have enough strength to absorb the whole crystal," Meinhard said. "A bit of shaving will do. Now, drink!"
Jack took a sip, feeling a wave of energy spread through his body, relaxing him completely. The dizziness faded away, but Jack realized this exhaustion might become a frequent occurrence.
"The tea doesn't work?" Meinhard asked, frowning.
"No, I'm fine now, professor," Jack replied.
"Shall we begin, then?" Meinhard couldn't hide his excitement.
Jack quickly prepared himself, not wanting to waste the principal's time. He shared his story, focusing on his second world, ignoring Earth as it seemed too distant. He explained his Spirit condition, the knowledge gained from his "dream," and how the training exercises had proven effective. He mentioned the sphere, the mastermind behind everything, and how it had enhanced his brain, allowing him to memorize vast amounts of information, indirectly affecting his spirit aspect.
The principal listened intently, letting Jack finish without interruption. He had many questions but knew it was time for Jack to go home.
"And that is why I must gain access to the library," Jack concluded. "I don't believe my case is exceptional in this world."
Meinhard nodded. "And the clue is individuals who suddenly changed or became powerful and knowledgeable without clear explanations, right?"
"Exactly," Jack said. "The sphere changed something in each individual. My transformation might not be complete yet."
"And why is that?" Meinhard leaned closer.
"I appreciate your immediate trust, but I think you've realized there's more behind all this. Have you encountered similar cases?"
Meinhard burst out laughing, then leaned back on his couch, eyes distant. "During my research on your condition, a friend told me her daughter had a similar experience."
Jack's heart raced, his excitement barely contained. He had been right. The sphere had revealed that the souls in World No. 146 had all returned to the true world. The opportunity he sought existed. His desire to find his companions and friends overflowed.
"This is the information you've been waiting for, isn't it?" Meinhard said. "But meeting those people is difficult. They live outside this continent."
Jack nodded, understanding he wasn't yet old enough to ask for forbidden information. "I won't ask too much, but do you have a solution to my request?"
Meinhard stood and walked to the shelves. "I could let you read all the materials in my office, both from the shelves and the library," he said. "But no one should see you holding any forbidden titles. As for information regarding similar individuals, we'll have private exchanges. Deal?"
Jack stood, bowing to the principal. "Thank you for the deal!"
"You shouldn't act like such an old man, Jack."
"I'm older than you," Jack retorted.
Meinhard waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to respond.
After Jack left, Meinhard returned to his desk, his eyes falling on the spot where the raven had been. A spark lingered above the lamp.
"Watch him closely, Meinhard!"
The voice crackled like thunder in Meinhard's ears, making him almost as dizzy as Jack.
"Yes, sir," Meinhard whimpered.
Only then did the fire truly vanish.