"Detective, now that we've resolved the incident caused by the poet-level relic and helped you address the troubles surrounding the death of your predecessor, let's return to our original discussion."
The blue-eyed doctor sitting in the single armchair glanced at Shade.
"What do you think of St. Byrence Comprehensive Academy now?"
Since the awakening time for a thaumaturgist is limited to 72 hours, both the Orthodox Churches and the three major academies mainly recruit from within their core believers or affiliated industries, which makes observation easier. However, they don't mind bringing in fresh blood unconnected to their forces, though training those individuals differs from training the trustworthy ones with innate talents."
"Could you explain what happens to ordinary people like us, who have nothing to do with the occult, after we join the church or an academy?"
Shade thought for a moment, chewing over the meaning in the doctor's words, sensing that it would be normal not to gain complete trust.
"Of course. For the Orthodox Churches, non-devout thaumaturgists are not allowed to leave their diocese within the first ten years of employment, and the support they receive from the church will also be limited. It takes at least 20 years for the church to fully trust them.
For the three academies, the conditions are a bit more complex. We use a correspondence course to train those with talent but without a background in the occult.
All external students must accept correspondence-based education, meaning they can't directly access the academy itself, nor can they physically enter the institution. Based on location, these external thaumaturgists are divided into small groups of 3 to 7 people. When a group has at least one sixth-ring thaumaturgist, one fifth-ring, and one fourth-ring thaumaturgist, and the group exceeds five members, the entire group can pass the final test and enter the academy properly. It must be the entire group—no one can be left behind. This ensures that the group monitors and supports each other."
The doctor explained, and Shade raised an eyebrow.
"If I join St. Byrence Comprehensive Academy..."
Doctor Schneider nodded, confirming Shade's guess as he pointed at himself.
"Then my group will once again have five thaumaturgists. Right now, we only have four. I can't provide specific information about the others until you join, but I promise we won't test you for formal admission until you've reached at least three rings. After all, we're still far from meeting all the requirements."
This was why Bill Schneider had been so enthusiastic about guiding Shade to join the academy—finding "wild" talents was incredibly rare, perhaps only slightly less difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.
Seeing Shade still lost in thought, the doctor continued.
"Mr. Hamilton, I am quite satisfied with you—your background, your origins, and your attitude toward the occult. When we encountered that gruesome scene earlier, the mixture of your hesitation and feigned composure was impressive. Please consider my proposal carefully; the conditions here are favorable."
"Why are the Orthodox Churches and the academies so... cautious with people like us?"
Shade still hesitated, and as an outsider who had just arrived in this world, it was hard for him to easily trust others.
"You haven't become a thaumaturgist yet, so you don't understand how dangerous this world is. The world is like a mad ocean, and the world of ordinary people is merely a small island. Thaumaturgists can delve into the depths of that ocean, gaining more, but they also risk losing their sanity, becoming twisted by the whispers of evil entities and the malice of nature. Even though we have 'another self' to help resist these influences, self-trained thaumaturgists without early guidance are more likely to make a single misstep and completely lose control. That would be a terrifying sight."
The doctor explained cautiously, not daring to reveal too much. Shade sensed that perhaps this world's structure wasn't just about steam and occult knowledge—it might involve elements of agnosticism or even Lovecraftian principles.
"So, is it possible to become a thaumaturgist naturally, without any guidance or training?"
Shade asked again.
"Absolutely not. You don't understand what being a thaumaturgist entails. We mentioned earlier that thaumaturgists must awaken within 72 hours. If left unguided, many things can happen. Most likely, they will go mad; some will die; and in rare cases, they may turn into strange, horrifying things—mounds of flesh, screaming spirits, the sort of terrifying entities you can barely imagine, the kind that would haunt your nightmares."
After hearing the doctor's words, Shade fully grasped the current situation. He sat up straight and summarized.
"I don't have much time. I must decide quickly. And if I refuse to join St. Byrence Comprehensive Academy, you won't let me leave with today's memories, will you?"
Shade looked directly at the doctor. The blue-eyed doctor carefully nodded.
"I explained earlier that students of the three major academies conceal their identities within Orthodox Church territories. Yes, if you refuse, I will have to use methods I'd rather not discuss to erase your memory. I specialize in emotional and dream manipulation, so I am also quite adept at altering memories. Of course, this is because you're still an ordinary person—it wouldn't be as easy if you were already a thaumaturgist."
Shade didn't take the doctor's words as a threat. He understood that these precautions were for self-preservation. Shade knew no one should have to accommodate him.
"And if you erase my memory, I won't remember the 72-hour limitation..."
Shade analyzed further.
"Exactly. I think the Tobesk Psychiatric Hospital might have a new guest soon. But don't worry—I've got connections in all of Tobesk's mental institutions... Just kidding, detective. We can relax a bit."
The doctor assessed cautiously.
"I won't force you to choose St. Byrence Comprehensive Academy, but as adults, we must all bear the consequences of our choices. And, compared to the Church, becoming a correspondence thaumaturgist actually grants more freedom. Someone like you, who's not a believer, would be cared for within the Church's system, but you'd also lose your freedom."
"Correspondence thaumaturgists, on the other hand, only need to pass the exams each semester, earn the required credits, complete practical assignments, and avoid criminal acts like murder or arson. The academy doesn't care much about what we do otherwise."
"Now, do you see the difference between academy thaumaturgists and those from the Church?"
"Yes, I do."
Shade nodded, agreeing that, from what the doctor had said, the academy system indeed seemed more advantageous.
"The three great thaumaturgical academies are: St. Byrence Comprehensive Academy, which excels at containing and utilizing relics; Zarathwitt Academy, which focuses on the development of element runes, essentially the magic of stories; and Cirkserious Higher Medical Academy, which is good at everything, but especially excels at alchemy.
Mr. Hamilton, this is not just my opportunity—it's yours as well. Being admitted into the thaumaturgist training system through formal channels, instead of through cults or secret societies... do you know how rare this opportunity is?"
The doctor spoke again, and his profession made him very persuasive.
Though Shade was hesitant, as an outsider from another world in his twenties, he had his own judgment.
"So, how can you prove that everything you've said so far is true? All of the information I have comes from you."
Shade asked seriously.
Although he was skeptical of the doctor, Bill Schneider was pleased—this indicated the young man was interested.
"I can request a poet-level (5th-level) relic from the academy to prove what I've said. However, once I do that, the academy will know I've found a new talent. They won't force you to enroll, but they will record your identity. So, do you want to come into contact with the poet-level relic, 'The Dream of St. Byrence Comprehensive Academy'?"
"Can I... think about it? Give me two hours—no, one hour. I want to carefully consider everything that's happened today."
The sheer amount of information overwhelmed Shade, making it impossible to decide immediately. However, he was inclined to trust the doctor, which was why he asked for time to think.
"Of course. For an ordinary person, this is a lot to take in. You can think here, or leave for a while. I happen to have some small matters to attend to myself, so shall we meet here at...?"
The doctor looked at the clock in the corner of the room, the pendulum encased behind a glass panel, with a heart-shaped metal piece hanging below.
"Two o'clock this afternoon?"
"That's fine. I'll stay here."
Shade replied. Where he thought made no difference. If the doctor intended to harm him, the asylum earlier would have been the perfect place to do it.
"If you remain here, I can show you some academy recruitment materials that can't be taken outside. I'll be back after I've handled my tasks. If you need anything, just ask Mrs. Cara."
Mrs. Cara was the middle-aged maid who had served tea earlier.