"How many?" Jack asked while walking down the stairs.
Shia looked back at him, "What's that?"
"How many children in Manakai class?"
"Did Templeton not tell you?"
"Um... No?"
"Good, it's because I told him not to."
"Why?"
"Because... there is only one."
"One? That's too low, right?"
"Do you know why I came to you?"
"You wanted additional faculty."
"Well, the truth is this academy does not have Manakai professors, nor students."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a less common path, you should know, right?"
"But I never knew the path was this untaken."
"How do I teach?" Jack spoke his mind, the doubt gnawing away in his mind made its way out. "I've never attended an academy."
"You look at a book, read it and explain it."
"You're a bad teacher."
"What do you mean, just follow my steps and you'll be the perfect teacher in no time."
"..."
"Oh, here is your pin," Shia pulled out a pin, a black moon with a golden rim which brought near Jack's left chest and CLICK. It automatically stuck to it, a magnet hidden on the jacket.
"Fancy," Jack looked at it.
"What subjects am i teaching here?"
"You can handle the basics and the major subject Path of Manakai, right? What was your field?"
"I major in Architecture, Gamemaster and Arcanism, but I'm also proficient in Herbalism, Bond and Runesmith. I know some basics of Animancy and Necromancy and since I am Manakai, I also know the Martial Path."
Fields are paths Mages and Manakai choose. They can choose from the nine paths laid out in front of them.
Shia's mouth fell agape, "I major in Arcanism and I know some Bond, and a bit of Runesmith, but I wasn't able to focus on that many."
"But don't they teach all the subjects at the academy, I always thought I was behind."
"Behind?! You know every field there is. Mages rarely focus on more than two fields, but you... you know it all."
"But my teacher was even better than me, he knew everything, compared to him I'm second rate."
"Your teacher?"
"Yep, my master, teacher, my everything."
"Anyways, I'll be assigning you all the classes."
"All the classes, I'm not that good with Necromancy or Anima—"
"Shush, you just have to do it, I believe in you."
Jack felt warmth blooming in him, the words impacting him. Although Shia muttered those words as an encouraging chatter, they had more than the desired outcome on Jack.
"Thanks," Jack said.
"It's nothing to be that thankful for," Shia said, "are you really a goldfish like Templeton said?"
"Aren't you having a bit too much fun Miss Shia," Jack replied.
"I am," Shia bumped her shoulder with Jack's, "Jack."
Jack slightly moved by the sudden bump, grabs on to the rail, regaining his balance, "That feels weird."
"What?"
"Jack, It's been long since someone has called me that," Jack replied, but his posture straight, despite the drop in his voice.
"Better get used to it, just as calling me Shia."
ACHOO
Is someone talking about me? Jack thought as he recovered.
_________________________
"Hey, what are you doing?" a girl called out to Finn, her voice reaching his ears.
"Um," Finn puzzled at the sudden call took a moment before replying, "I was just looking around."
"Oh, me too," the girl replied walking over towards him.
Nexarion had a well set out colour code. The mage class had white coloured suits with a silver pin showing the moon, while the Martial class had the exact opposite. They donned black with a golden pin of the sun.
"My name's Aileen," the girl replied putting forward her right hand, "what's yours?"
"Finn replies with a smile, "Finn, Finn Zen Tenebrion," shaking her hand.
"Oh, are you also a noble?" the girl asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"No, I'm just a commoner, sorry to disappoint you," Finn slowly let go of her hand.
"What's there to disappoint, don't worry I'm not one of those who hate commoners," Aileen waved her hand.
"That's good to know," Finn smiled back. Nobles, while most of them don't like commoners not everyone is like that.
"Do you want to look around with me, there is still half an hour before the inauguration ceremony."
"Sure I'm free."
"Got any friends yet?"
"No, I don't know anyone here."
"Oh, you're the special admission, aren't you?"
"How'd you know?"
"Most of the children here went for classes at schools together before joining Nexarion, and you being the only who doesn't know makes you the special admission," Aileen proudly presented.
"That's some insight, but yes I am one of the special admissions."
"So you never learned anything beforehand?"
"My grandfather was also a knight, he taught me a lot of things."
"Oh, homeschooled, I also learned magic theory from my dad, he would always sit down and teach me no matter what work he had."
"That seems like a responsible dad, you're a noble?"
"Oh, where are my manners, my name is Aileen Seqia."
"Seqia, as in..." Finn said sheepishly.
"Oh, yes we're not a popular County, but yes I am the daughter of a Count," Aileen said, her voice brimming with confidence, not arrogance.
Finn sensing her confidence proposes, "Do you want to spar for a second?"
"Here?" Aileen raised an eyebrow.
"Like you said, we have a lot of time before the ceremony."
"I'm all up for it, but you don't want to soil your clothes, you'll most likely be called up there to speak the oath, since you're one of the special admissions."
"Oh, I forgot about that, maybe another time."
"Yeah, I'm also looking forward to it."
"Is the blue natural?" Aileen asked, grabbing a small strand of the blue hair hidden beneath.
"Yes, it is, " Finn fidgeted nervously under the sudden closeness.
"Were you born with it?" Aileen gasped in amazement, her brown hair falling forward. "Black and blue?"
"No, I'm not sure why, but my hair was pretty short until last week, but after trying out this cultivation technique, my hair grew super long along with a few blue strands."
Aileen took a step back pulling the rogue strand back, "Blue? It's quite a strange colour, unlike black, white, brown and red, other colours are all part of bloodlines, you must have some hidden bloodline."
"You're saying this is something connected to my bloodline?"
"Yep, what other reason do you think is there?"
"Maybe a side effect of the cultivation? There are known cases, right?"
"Who gave you the cultivation technique?"
"This nice old man I met a week ago."
"His hair is also blue?"
The two walked past a tall girl, Aileen shining a smile. Finn did not notice the interaction.
"He's a redhead, and the only strands I saw were white."
"Now that's confusing, I can't be sure until I see it for myself."
"Maybe I'll introduce you to the old man later."
"Alright."
"What field are you majoring in—"
"Shush, Finn you see that girl?" Aileen pointed towards a lone girl sitting on a bench, her uniform similar to her's but it's colour grey.
"She's... who?"
"That's Nichole Avery, the student who chose Manakai this year."
"How do you know that?"
"I'm not some spoiled rich girl, I walk into the dark alleyways at night."
"You know if you think deep, that has many different meanings."
Aileen winced at the words, "That was not my intention."
"So what did you hear about her?"
"One of the biggest rumors was her talent is A-Rank."
"Why? Was there any moment of revealing?"
"Not quite, it's because of her sponsor."
"Who is it?"
"Laurent Thorne."
Finn recognised the surname, Jonathan Thorne. He knew the name Laurent was owned by someone who had hurt Jack.
Finn replied, maintaining composure, "Laurent, huh?"
"I also heard rumors of the useless son of the Thorne family joining Nexarion," Aileen quietly whispered into Finn's ears.
Useless! Old man you have quite the reputation. Finn sighed in defeat, "Aileen, calm down, but that was the redhead I was talking about."
"Huh?"
_________________________
"Princess," Wyge asked, her voice a gentle whisper, "I have to do something, can I take my leave?"
Daniela replied, "You have something to do?"
"Yes, it's important."
"Alright, goodbye."
"Goodbye princess."
...
"It seems Thaddeus took Gabriel with him, what do I do now."
"Status window," Daniela spoke out, while she traversed through the academy ground.
The grounds were marvelous with stone pathways laid out neatly, while bushes and Ruberis trees were placed along the edges, benches places neatly like in a park.
"The beauty sure is breathtaking, but why isn't this thing coming?"
"Oh, wait, wasn't it... Character info," sparks flared a blue screen manifesting in front of her.
_________________________
MISSIONS
FORM FAVORABLE RELATIONS WITH THE FACULTY
MEET EDION RICK
_________________________
Really, that's all! The missions when I came to the world were even more stupider.
"These are things I'll most likely do on my own, but what happens when I do complete missions?"
A distant conversation could be heard, "Was his hair also blue?"
"Huh, isn't that Finn?" Daniela looked to her side the two passing by her as they continued their conversation.
The girl who was with Finn, dropped a smile as she walked off.
Finn is also pretty strange, I remember him being pretty docile, wasn't he?
She looked at the duo, the distance between them increasing, but Daniela decides to follow the two.
The two stopped, the girl pointing at another girl sitting on a bench, before turning to Finn and continuing their conversation.
Daniela looks at the girl who sat at the bench alone, her grey uniform screaming attention.
Daniela placed a finger on her chin, Grey? Isn't that Nichole?
Like how Mages and Martial artists had white and black respectively, the Manakai class had their colour inbetween the two; grey.
Wouldn't hurt to talk to her, right?
The duo walks off straight past Nichole who was on the bench.
Daniela decides to talk to Nichole. As she got closer, she notices the girls hands fidgeting.
"Hey, are you alright?" Daniela asked, sitting beside her.
"Who are you?" the girl asked, resolute yet not unkind.
"Oh, no need to be up on your guard, I'm just your senior, the name's Daniela."
"Sorry for my rudeness, my name is Nichole, Nichole Avery."
"Hey there Nichole, so what's eating you away?"
"I'm alone in my class, and I've heard my teacher is some rude and obnoxious guy who did some bad things," Nichole spoke about her worries, yet a small smile remained.
I can't imagine the Jonathan I saw the other day being obnoxious and rude, he was like this big panda, both physically and mentally.
"Do you really believe all that nonsense?" Daniela leaned back.
"Not quite, Nexarion has quite the reputation for the best staff, yet I..." Nichole paused, her smile faltering, "to make it worse I'm the only one in my class."
"Don't worry you'll do fine, besides you'll have fun without even realising it," Daniela smiled.
ALL STUDENTS GATHER IN THE FRONT GROUNDS
An announcement echoed the vast grounds.
"Shall we go, Nichole?" Daniela stood up, extending her hands over.
"Yes."
_________________________