In the evening I was sitting in our room and browsing the book. I started with the part about necromancy, out of curiosity. There were multiple ways those powers could be used, based on the core size. Necromancers could be part of a small unit and reinforce the infantry. Someone with a low core might be accompanied by a few fighters. The group would stay close to the front and raise a small number of undead.

A more powerful necromancer usually got a better bodyguard and the option to stay further back. Apparently a larger core was required for long distance raising. A grand mage, or even arch mage, could be the centre of an army. With a lot of personnel dedicated to keep them safe and support the undead. Like long range artillery magic or crowd control magic were used to weaken the enemy for the undead horde.

That meant Helena would certainly fit if she became an artillery mage. But she liked her versatility with some close combat fighting. Then again, she would have that even if she officially trained as an artillery mage.

"Hey, if you go artillery you could support my undead army." I said. I was sitting on the bed and Helena walked over and sat next to me.

"That was the plan all along." Helena replied. "My ice magic will help your undead army. One day I will unleash blizzards! The undead won't freeze, especially enhanced with your water affinity."

"Sure, I meant as a specialisation though. You could go for the artillery classes." I replied, while resting my head on her shoulder.

"I am not sure… It's a shame that spellblades use so much of their core. I would like to be your bodyguard too." Helena said while petting my ears.

"Well, you can always go with artillery and take additional classes for close combat. Or maybe there is something in the special forces. I think they are more flexible." I mused.

"Have you checked that section yet?" Helena asked.

"Not really." I replied. "Do you think they will station us together? If our classes fit. I would like to have Cassie and Skadi around as well."

"We are still three years away from that. I think it depends on politics. But I am not obligated to serve, after graduation. I could just become your maid." She teased.

I lifted my head from her shoulder and looked at her smirking face. "Did Hatsumi put you up to that?"

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"No. But I would look great in a maid uniform." She replied.

I tried to look annoyed but my blush might have destroyed the look.

"Skadi will have to serve, if she goes spellblade." I changed the topic.

"Sure, she would make a great bodyguard. If we keep the royals on our side they might let her stick around." Helena replied.

At that moment our door opened and Hatsumi entered. She was carrying a bag of laundry.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Generally the academy staff took care of such things.

"I am helping the academy maids a bit! Only occasionally, when I have time. But they are teaching me things, like laundry." She replied.

I had promised to help her become a better maid. So far I had not taught her much though, only some etiquette. I had not considered that she would care about laundry.

"Hatsumi, we were just talking about specialisations. Are you going for something too?" Helena asked.

"Well, I am Koyuki's servant, not a true student. I will be in her classes, mostly. But I am training with Skadi because we both have blood magic. Through her I can get tank or bodyguard lessons." Hatsumi replied.

"I suppose. I am not sure if there is something to cover the flexibility I want while staying by Koyuki's side." Helena said.

"Hey, special forces might have something. They require extensive training but I found an operative where they want people with range and melee skills and not a spellblade. Says it needs extensive exams and you have to get special permission…" I frowned as I looked at the book. It was kind of vague.

"That sounds like a spy, or an infiltrator. Spellblade runes are hard to hide." Hatsumi suggested.

"Probably not what they would put in a necromancer's unit." I mused.

"Oh, they would certainly put people like that in your unit, just not your friends." Hatsumi replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The easiest way to deal with a necromancer is assassination. That does not only apply to the enemy army. If the royals, or any nobles, feared you they would put someone close, to ensure they could deal with you." Hatsumi stated.

"That is why I would be wary of any bodyguard that I don't know well. That is also why I have you, Nyx, Skadi, Helena,.." I replied.

"An actual bodyguard would be an obvious way to control you. A maid, a cook, a driver, a scribe,... There are a lot of positions for an assassin to hide. But it could also be an artillery mage. Someone you would not expect to be trained for close quarter combat." Hatsumi pointed out.

I had not thought about it that way.

"Helena, I think you should become an artillery mage." Hatsumi suggested.

"Why?" Helena asked.

"Because you have a lot of close combat training already. You can further train with me and Skadi. With your circulation technique you will outperform any normal mage in melee. If you mostly train outside of the official lessons it would be less obvious. You would be one of Koyuki's defenders but enemies would easily underestimate you. Further, you have performed joint castings with Koyuki. If you become a great artillery ice mage, and are able to joint cast with her, it would be really hard to argue you should be separated." Hatsumi reasoned.

"Huh. You mean I should pretend to go all in on artillery." Helena pondered the idea.

"You would be Koyuki's special agent, in a way. A bodyguard hiding in plain sight." Hatsumi replied, with a smile.

"That does sound cool." I admitted. Hatsumi was quite devious. I guess she spent a lot of time reading at night since she was sleeping less than a living creature. Unlike Nyx. Who was sleeping a lot.

"I think I like the idea. What sort of artillery mages are there?" Helena asked while taking the book from my lap.

We spent some more time reading the book, then we called it a night. It had been a good first day of the new school year.

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