"So far, this kid suddenly woke up at midnight and creepily decided to sit down in the middle of a bridge while shouting randomly. Then at morning he broke into the Royal School..." one of guards who was still tailing Oisin mentioned, "I really think he has some problems."
"Think of it the other way, I sense danger from his actions," the second guard added, "Perhaps at night he was talking with an invisible devil and today he is here to steal something from the Royal School..."
"No way...!" the first guard could not help but be surprised, "We will have to report this to the Saint!"
...
Oisin was taking a stroll in the garden. It was class time, so no one would be there to see him. When a teacher came in the classroom a while later, he sneaked back into his earlier position, eavesdropping diligently.
...
Yamiri was not in the class. He headed out to see his Master right away. In the hallway, he met a staff of Royal School.
"You need a clerk?" he asked, nonchalantly.
"Why, you want to volunteer?" the staff replied with a smile as he was yawning in his lazy arm chair, drinking something green with delight.
"No, but someone would like to. He is behind my classroom's windows at the moment. You should surprise him from the back," Yamiri finished, and turned his body to go back to his original destination. As though his duty here was done.
"...Interesting," the staff gave an affirmative response.
It did not take Yamiri too long to find Master Marman. He was in the battleground, instructing some of his students to fight more efficiently. He went ahead and greeted him.
"It's a beautiful day, Master."
The master looked back and was pleasantly surprised to see him, "Aha, so you have come. You must be the son of Sir Gonzages?"
"That is right," he answered, "I have only come today because I heard you're looking for me."
"Yes I was looking for you," he replied, "Complains have reached me that you possess an artifact," Marman furrowed his eyes. The conversation turned serious within a matter of seconds.
Yamiri frowned, "That is right. However I never used it in the academy, or around. Why would you take actions against it?"
"Because you're a threat," Marman answered bluntly, "Even if you're the son of Sir Gonzages, you cannot be allowed to be in Royal School if you possess an artifact with you."
"How unfortunate."
Yamiri looked down and acted as though he was thinking of something.
"Then I will only come in the academy in exam season. Will that be alright?"
"..." Marman was astonished, "Can't you simply leave your artifact for a while? You will ruin your entire academic career because of it?"
"I'm afraid master. What if wolves in sheep's clothing steal it when I am not looking after it?"
"..." Master did not oppose him, but he was largely disappointed, "It must be a precious artifact then."
"Yes it is," Yamiri confirmed, "Do not be displeased Master, I'll continue my education in one way or another. Then, I shall take my leave."
Marman watched as the boy in grey robe walked away. It seemed as though he felt not the slightest regret to be having to leave this prestigious academy.
"He is problematic... abnormal."
...
"Indeed! So there are essentially five types of adventurers. Warrior, Archer, Mage, Priest and Gearmancer," another Master was teaching in the class.
"I think their roles should be obvious from the name itself. Warriors fight, archers shoot, mages do magic, priests heal and bless, and gearmancers fix and repair your weapons, create traps, navigate and all that."
Oisin seemed to have understood what all that meant sitting with his leg crossed, sincerely focused under the window. He only knew about adventurers from local stories, although, obviously, adventure was amongst the most popular professions in that age.
Unfortunately it was largely restricted for lowly people like Oisin.
"Hmm… I still have no idea about how artifacts work though. Doing classes like this is not effective enough…" Oisin let out a sigh, feeling the recipe still hidden inside himself.
As he turned around for a second time, to look at the beautiful sky up above, Oisin discovered a middle-aged man who had a cup of a strange-looking drink on his right hand staring at him.
"Want to work as a clerk?"
"How much will you pay me?" Oisin did not even feel the need to think about anything else while answering that question.
"Say… 20 silver coins a week. You will clean all the floors and do my laundry."
"Deal." Oisin's eyes almost sparkled as he thought gratefully, 'God really is paving the way for me…"
"Alright," said the man while drinking his green drink lazily, "When are you going to start?"
"I can start right now."
"Good. Follow me." the man proceeded to walked towards a gate inside the apartment. Oisin did not think of a lot and quietly followed the man.
Twenty coins a week was a lot for Oisin. His monthly budget had never crossed thirty silver coins. Things were going too well for the last few days.
'Too creepily well… Like a calm before storm…' he thought, expressions mixed, not knowing if he should be more concerned than happy then.
"Did you happen to choose me for any specific reason?" Oisin asked as the two walked.
"Yamiri recommended you. I thought you had connections with him…?"
"Oh," he was pleasantly surprised to have heard the name so soon again, "Yes, I know him."
The short response clarified a lot of things. And so did Oisin's suspicion rise. Never would he trust a 'benefactor'.
When the noble let Oisin and his brother run way freely from him, he was angry. Oisin expected to be too valuable to be disposed of like that, although from the noble's side, it was pure mercy.
To Oisin, that was a sign of his own weakness. He wanted to fight his way in, not be granted a victory. Oisin would be more than glad if the middle-aged man randomly decided to choose him to become a clerk, but a strange man had helped him taking pity on him.
This is not Oisin's ego.
This is Oisin's weakness.
If he was strong, Yamiri would not help him.