The Classroom #6

Sitting in a hidden corner of the library, Arthur enjoyed a full-length table all to himself.

Surrounded by bookshelves, a floating lantern stayed stationary as it was tethered by a spot monopolizing a hidden AC unit.

"Now this is life! It's about four in the afternoon and closing hours are at nine– I will have this place all to myself for five hours." He beamed.

Shoving the content of his bag onto the desk, he stacked them by subject.

"History, Bio-alchemy, Ciphering, Combat theory and Magic theory— five primary subjects in total. Tomorrow, the two elective subjects will be introduced to give way for club recruitments today."

"But I'm already done with signing up for clubs so I have free time."

Arthur pulled a comfortable chair closer to the table and stared at the pads of paper, pencil case, and textbooks.

"Time to advance the homework for the week. By sacrificing a few hours on the first day of the week, it leaves me the remaining four days to do what I need."

His brain and body worked separately, working simultaneously on homework and on chartering plans.

"Magi-Alchemy club will be an extension of Bio-Alchemy."

His pencil scribbled profusely on the textbook's questions.

"Because Bio-Alchemy mainly discusses the terms and theoretical knowledge for seven years, hands-on experience is sparse, and would best be gained in the Magi-Alchemy club– focuses on hands-on experience."

"After getting a certificate on passing both clubs, they equal to a junior license on purchasing goods legally, and in bulk."

He closed the history textbook shut and set it aside, moving on to the next one.

"If I graduate either early, a certificate of either gives me the ability to purchase goods in small quantities."

"By learning both, I instantly get the ability to create potions, but I require both to sell legally and for the procurement of any patent."

"Damn it, it broke again." he cursed, sharpening the dulled pencil, before resuming.

"The Book reading Library club is pretty straightforward. If the game and this world are anywhere similar, there are magic grimoires, ancient textbooks, and spell scrolls to find in this enormous library."

Neatly stacking the three large books into a neat stack, Arthur straightened out the desk to form a clean workplace.

Getting up from the chair and stretching his tired limbs, Arthur sighed content with his progress.

"A month's worth of homework done in three hours! My arm hurts!"

Spinning to stretch the tired backbones, He could hear them crack.

Crk– crk–

"Much better."

He exited his small cubby hole and glanced around the large room. The large clock told the time, seven in the evening.

"The last club is the Marksmanship Club. The minor marksmanship club was dwarfed by the Archery Club because bows were more popular."

"The Marksmanship club is led by an Earl, Mark Brown, son of Brown Firearms. Inc."

"By the end of it, you can receive a legitimate license to purchase a gun, from the corporation, regardless of class."

Arthur's finger glided across the spines of books as he passed by, still unable to spot the book.

He massaged his temples and racked his brains for the appearance of the book.

"Look for a thick, old book that is incredibly worn and a bit weather-beaten."

Arthur sighed, looking around. " I need to find this specific book— in a library this big – I only have two hours."

"It's a book about Ancient runes or Scripture-Magic. End-game level stuff."

Arthur stealthily sprints through the library and into the magic Aisle. His brain ran overtime, piecing together all the clues hinted in the game.

"Not here."

"Every human can use magic, but one can only learn the four basic elements– Fire, Water, Wind, Earth."

"Not here either."

"Talent, hard work and inborn gifts greatly affect the magician's caliber."

"Damn it, not here either."

"However, Magic power can be filtered and purified into pure, element-less power. Channeling this pure energy into the runic tongue– one can wield the power of all six elements."

"elements… elements… What was the next part? I can't remember."

Arthur looped around the magic section, without finding the book. His steps staggered and faltered slightly, requiring him to lean on the shelf for balance.

"My vision is starting to blur. Crap, I'm hungry, I completely ignored dinner."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Arthur sighed a long sigh. "Since I skipped dinner, I feel exhausted and am unable to think."

"Let's go over it one last time." He muttered the lines again, even remembering the last part that he forgot.

"...one can hold the power of all six elements– but this power…" his eyes widened, he finally remembered the last part. "... Only appears when the need for it arises, only during the time of the greatest foe one has ever faced."

"Fuck, that part would've been nice to remember. I wouldn't even be able to find it, because it's still a time of peace."

Arthur facepalmed himself, feeling like an idiot for desperately looking. "This learning experience is why information is key."

"The time the Heroine acquired Scripture-magic was at the end of seventh-year– Facing her greatest foe yet, near the end of the game."

Arthur inhaled a large gulp of air– "the powers used by the Heroine to kill…"

–but then realization struck. "... the villainess…Ellis Simmons."

The realization was mortifying, even as he left the library and walked to the dormitory.

Entering the room, George was asleep beside a pile of books, snoring loudly, and David soundly slept.

"He must've done the homework and passed out." Arthur smiled, trying to distract himself from the terrible realization.

Looking at his mattress on the floor, it had a small takeout box meal. "How thoughtful of them."

"It's about nine in the evening. I have three hours to kill, what should I do…"

Looking out the window, there was a small crow with Violet eyes, and the presence of a human, the aura surrounding the bird was radiating a distinct gaze– much like a certain old lady.

"Messenger familiar, high-class wind magic. It's definitely the principal."

Opening the window and setting his food on the sill, he opened it and started eating.

"Hey little guy, want some?" Arthur kindly offered food on his paper fork.

The bird flew to his window and transformed into a small note.

Arthur grumbled in his head, stabbing his food.

"I knew it. What does she want?"

Opening the small note, it was a simple message.

"'Meet me in the principal's office– The principal.'''

"Alright then. I need to finish this first."

In the office of magical books, the principal lost connection with her familiar.

"Hmmm, how interesting. He definitely noticed a human presence, and the movement of magic was active."

The principal stroked her chin, reminiscing about the movement of power between his arms.

"The use of magic for mages could be quite difficult, strenuous, and voluntarily thought of at first, especially at that age."

She took the smoking pipe and had a large intake.

"However, when they reach a certain point both in theoretical and practical experience– the movement of magic within their bodies would be involuntary, even preemptive."

She exhaled, watching the large cloud of smoke slowly filter out of the air.

"By then, they were no longer students, but proper mages."

Putting away the vice, and setting her appearance straight.

"Who are you, Arthur Haile?" she questioned

Arthur finished his food and exited through the open window, closing it after him. "We're not going down today, we're going up."

Slowly scaling up the building, He climbed to the ninth floor and onto the roof.

"Phew! It's cold up here, luckily thanks to Ellis, it's bearable." He said, appreciating the warm cloak, and adjusting the collar to protect his neck from the cold.

It was a nobleman's cloak and it had large collars and long flowing sides that reached Arthur's thighs. It was thick but light, durable yet thin, discreet yet fabulous– it was of great quality.

Arthur sighed at the clothing he had underneath it. The dark casual clothing he had in that contradicted the style, even if it mimicked the color.

He started to run across the rooftop, his cloak flowing behind him– jumping, vaulting, and flipping across the rooftops, even

"I hid my winnings before I entered the academy, perhaps I could go shopping after my meeting with the Principal."

Arthur looked up at the central piece of the academy, a building that challenged the heights of skyscrapers and the glamour of the Royal Palace.

"There should be an elevator inside, but it's past curfew, they'd never let me through."

Looking up at the building, Arthur sighed. "Thirty floors, it's just thirty floors from here…"

He peeked down the ledge. "...and forty-floors to the ground."

Turning off his brain, Arthur begins to scale the castle walls.

"Luckily, there is no magic in place that can detect me so I can take my time."

The principal paced around her office. Wondering where he was, he should've been here by now.

"Did he ignore my invitation entirely?"

Knock knock

The principal turned to her window. "There is no feasible– oh there he is."

Arthur was outside her window, knocking.

She promptly opened the window. "My, I certainly did not expect this."

Arthur entered the office, slightly shivering from the cold.

"Why is your office so high up?!"

"Why aren't you taking the lift!?"

"It's past curfew! They won't let me in!"

"Fair point."

The principal magically levitates a seat in front of her desk and motions for him to sit.

"Have a seat, we need to have a much-needed chat."

"Sure."

The principal sat at her desk looking at Arthur from across from her.

He lit up a cigarette and channeled magic around himself for warmth.

"That's the stuff." He sighed happily, letting his exhausted limbs rest. "What did you want to talk about?"

The principal just set her elbows on her desk, intertwining her fingers, hiding her face behind her hands, and staring seriously.

"I will be frank with you, Arthur. You are dangerous."

Arthur puffed. "I'll gladly take that as a compliment."

"How old were you when you awakened magic?"

Arthur settled their gazes, almost clashing in the air.

"I was only five when my hands first burst into flames."

"Don't lie to me, magic is only awakened on the tenth birthday."

Arthur shrugged. "Mine surely did. Why do you ask?" He rolled his eyes.

The principal removed her glasses to reveal her sapphire eyes. Her blue, soul-piercing eyes.

"Because the Luster of your magic power defies the laws of the world!

Arthur stared at her eyes, marveling at their abilities.

"Eye of the Appraiser, a unique and rare genetic mutation that allows the bearer to see magic power within objects or people in brilliant colors, like the Luster of gemstones."

"Then tell me, what color is my magic power?"

The principal frowned, crossing her arm and leaning into her chair.

His magic power flowed around his body, with the color of blood-red sapphires and the reflectiveness of steel grey Hematite. There were no other colors visible.

"Fire and Earth– those are your magical elements. You were born only with two elements."

"That's correct."

"That's impossible!"

Arthur got up from his seat and started to walk in a small circuit, staring around the room.

The principal got up and walked beside him.

"Every human is born with the ability to learn every magic element– except the arcane elements, of course– but occasionally! an incredibly rare few are born, once every century, and they can only tap into specific elements." She started to explain, her eyes not leaving him.

"You seriously can't be–"

Arthur nodded, understanding where she was getting up. "I am aware. They are called Specialists."

He turned to the Principal, who made her way behind him.

"Back in the previous eras, this would be seen as a disadvantage— only until the second Empress displayed the power of a water specialist, saving the entire country from the great famine."

She nodded as well. "Putting aside the history lesson, my point still stands. You are incredibly dangerous."

Arthur turned to her, his gaze was strong and blank.

"Answer me truthfully, is it because I'm a dual-specialist? A rare, never foreseen once-in-a-century enigma? Or because I'm not noble?"

The principal clicked her tongue. "It's not because of your origin–

"Answer me truthfully– I said. So let me ask you again, am I Incredibly dangerous because of my talent? Or my origins?"

The principal stayed silent.

"Honestly, I can't blame her for thinking about that. I have no house, no biological parents– I have no strings attached."

"Mark Brown was the inventor of firearms. The purpose of his invention was to cheaply mass produce a weapon that can be effective in everyone's hands."

The principal lowered her head slightly, knowing he was right. "You're correct…"

"But he and his family were plucked from the city and promoted to a noble, his invention was heavily sanctioned and regulated— completely doing the exact opposite of what he wanted. I read that on a vintage newspaper collector shop."

"I met his great-grandson today and he wasn't exactly the noble type, he was very spirited, headstrong, protective of his friends, and was overall nothing compared to the posh nobles. He was a good kid, an embodiment of someone like Mark Brown."

"So let me ask you one last time– are you planning on pacifying me too? I have no plans to serve anyone but myself."

The principal looked up with fury in her eyes. Her wand was unleashed. "You watch your mouth– how arrogant! You're nothing but an urchin!"

His cigarette was pointed to her forehead, dead center, and magic power was gathered into small shapes, a spike, and a disc.

They were In a stalemate, neither flinching under the other until she realized she was not holding her wand.

"I'm sure you know what a conjured metal projectile– propelled by condensed explosion magic can do to a training spear."

Her wand was just an ornamental stick, as Arthur swiped it with chopsticks earlier.

"You honestly thought I'd enter into a room with the most powerful person in this place? No chance in hell."

"W-Wait.."

"Are you curious as to what it could do to a human head? I surely am. "

"...."

"Now the main point has been settled, let's discuss proper business now shall we?"

Disarmed and at a disadvantage, She sighed, sitting down.

"It's good to know that we've come to a mutual understanding."