19697 The 1st Summer

The journey back home was… picturesque. We overpaid for a boat to carry us back north, almost fell asleep in a corner like two curled-up puppies, and just stared. I was exhausted, and Val wasn't doing much better.

Still, when we sailed onto the open lake, seeing the gentle sunlight playing on the serene waves… We were at peace. Even the burning ruins of the once-prosperous Mythralis couldn't ruin the mood.

For early winter, the weather was mighty fine. And that's exactly why the overly violent storm clouds stood out like a sore thumb. A Martha classic, albeit there was no guarantee.

So I shot a trail of blue fire into the air as a signal not many would recognize.

And that's how we made it back home… A little anticlimactic, but I definitely preferred it that way. No dangerous journey back home, no mighty foes, or valiant battles… Even the pair of shadows most likely lived because I received no notification about their deaths.

A shame, really, however, I cannot care whatsoever. I'm so done with action and things danger-related for at least a week.

"Wait… This isn't right." Victor is eyeing me like I've grown a second head. "You… both of you! How?!"

Now we're back in the Academy, walking in snow, dressed warm and pretty. We only had the chance to spend the last afternoon at home, decompressing and pampered by Mom and Dad, as it was written. News of the events hasn't yet reached the wider public, so we didn't run our mouths either.

For the greater good.

"Only five levels? What was that about catching up?" I'm smug as hell because their previous mockery has now come to bite them back.

"No, no, no, this can't be right. We killed stuff the entire time." Even Kayla's endless rainfall of words is stunted.

"You went to the banquet, right?" Even August is quite chatty today.

"No more banquets for the next decade, I fear." Valka shrugs, playing along nicely. "Mythrais has been completely leveled."

Those faces… priceless. Of course, we do explain in wide strokes what went down, more or less. The part about infiltrating a tower, freeing a spirit, massacring researchers, and all that excess adventure is only for me and Val to preserve in our minds.

It was ugly, and it was necessary.

Still, the second trimester is already in full swing, we've barely settled back in our dorms, and there are still classes ahead of us, in bulk. And then there's Melana… I bet she'll have a heap of questions as well.

"Anyway, I'll get going." I say, a little bored with talking already. It's one of my least favorite activities.

And I'm hungry.

"Leaving already? Where?" The green-haired simpleton tilts her head like I did back in the day. Although in her case it still looks somehow cute…

"Have a guess…" Victor huffs and waves me off.

In reality, there are two strong contenders. And both of them are scheduled to take up my afternoon, so he's not wrong. The first stop is the cafeteria, obviously, because nothing works without proper fuel.

Compared to the delicacies back at the banquet, home-cooked food, or even Valka's… creations, this stuff is bland. Still, it offers the growly monster its tribute cheap and fast.

After that, to the workshop go, I must.

It's been ages since I last indulged in my hobby properly without rushing anywhere. Not to mention all those inventions I came across on the exhibit and other crazy stuff… I'd have to be a moron to let this opportunity slip.

I've made this trip dozens, if not a hundred times already, from the dorm to the sanctuary of creativity. Furnaces seething, workdesks bustling with activity, ideas thrown left and right… Yes! It's colorful, exciting, and chaotic, just like inside my head.

The reception is empty, but that does happen every now and then. We're not big on formalities or hospitality. Those who need something better speak fast and the rest has nothing to do here…

But as it turns out, it's not just the reception that lacks life. Only a handful of students, doing stuff with the usual heat and passion… Oh, why am I even putting it nicely? It's empty, depressingly so. I get it, it's the first day, people are still settling back in, eating, unpacking, whatever, but this feels so… gray.

"Eh, I'll still pen down some ideas anyway." I take some paper and plop down at a table. "There were those temperature controlling accessories, but that's a bit useless for me, and the same for the artificial wings… Besides, I doubt those things would last more than a minute. Those spyglasses were interesting, though!"

"Returning with interesting ideas, you have. Precious, the young mind, it is." My dear, senile gnomish mentor sneaks up on me. Or at least he tried to.

"I've been to Mythralis and saw a bunch of curious inscriptions. I'm trying to imitate them." I explain.

Anything coming out of this man's mouth is worth gold. He's wise, in an odd, enigmatic way, and can point out the right path even when he's wrong… Yeah, I don't understand how that works either.

"Hm, curious adventure, you must've had. But doing what you enjoy, you are not." The gnome leaves me be.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Copy, create… not the same." He answers and disappears between the shelves.

Copy? I'm just trying to… recreate. Yeah, I'm just looking for ways to make… the same thing. Damn, that's not even copying, it's worse. I'm counterfeiting.

"Damn, this sucks." I slump back and groan.

I know utilizing what I've learned isn't prohibited; ideas are meant to be shared and improved. And there is some excitement in trying to piece a puzzle together after a single look… Although I gotta admit, I'm only here to make sure nothing I've learned will be forgotten.

"And that sounds like homework." I sigh. "Okay, Master Nybert, I'll bite. What do you have in store?"

Rarely does he bother to go around and talk just for the sake of chit-chat. In essence, he's still a gnome, and efficiency is what they desire, knowledge, and also… a challenge.

"A very curious material, I have." He returns shortly. "Not very useful I this stone I find, but maybe you…"

He places an opaque shard on the table, about the size of my fist, and unassuming. With Mana Perception, however, I discover something much more outstanding about it… Like the fact that it is brimming with mana, space mana at that.

"Interesting. What does it do?" I pick it up and look a little closer. Imbuing it with magic does little; it doesn't seem too hard or precious. "Is it a spatial ring ingredient?"

"Clever." The professor nods, then places another stone beside the first. "Two halves, these are. Watch!"

He gently taps one, and both visibly resonate.

"Incredible." I lean even closer, as if that'd change anything. I see no mana-link between the two, or any sort of strong connection. "How?"

Asking questions is not shameful when the purpose is to learn. And being stubborn to do everything by myself is just plain stupid when the answer is in arm's reach.

"Synchron crystal, this material is called. Mostly used as a mana catalyst, as you've guessed. Although they are considered garbage in terms of quality." He answers. "Still, interesting properties, it has."

Wait, wait, wait, you just talked properly. Don't brush over it like nothing happened, I'm sure I heard it.

"Uh-hum. What else can it do?"

"That's all." The gnome answers without a hint of embarrassment.

But of course… Well, it's not like I can expect every mineral and crystal to explode splendidly or do unthinkable wonders with mana. Even things people mostly find rubbish can become useful in one way or another. That's what inventing things is all about. That was supposed to be the essence of the banquet as well…

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Does it also work with heat and mana?" I keep asking since I'm already a little invested.

"Yes, but weakening with distance, the connection does."

So even mana? I guess it could be used as a sort of mana transfer device to share the juice between mages. Then again, plain old Hadron crystals are much better for that purpose.

"Resonance, huh?" I tap my chin.

Earth magic uses resonance to create quakes and such, and even wind magic can… Wind magic to create sound. Sound is vibration in the end.

I grab one and hold it close to my mouth while grabbing the other tightly in my fist. And after taking a deep breath, I shout. Without any warning, everyone else in the room basically jumps out of their skin. I do get some nasty glares, which is common when one causes a ruckus in the workshop, but…

I could feel it, the vibrations.

"Experimenting already?" Nylbert asks, frowning and rubbing his ear. "A unique approach you have. Any success?"

"Maybe…" I mutter.

Turning sound into vibration might be doable, but the other way around… The inscriptions I'd need to use probably don't even exist yet. What sounds most symbols usually make are all either pre-recorded or just random noise assembled by dumb mana.

"But to get something concrete…" I think out loud.

"That spark in your eyes…" The professor smiles in his cute elevated chair. "Great creation you will make, I have no doubts." He hops off like someone who did their part. "But practicing more, you must, to widen your horizon. This place, leave!"

Huh?

"Are you kicking me out?" I ask fearfully.

"Yes!" The professor nods. "Too much theory, too little practice. Conflict you have, and thus returning to the basics, you must."

I'm getting a little pissed by his way of speach already. Especially since he did slip up and talk normally.

"And your suggestion?" C'mon, he's a gnome, being secretive is wasteful, just present me with what books to read and symbols to practice, it's not that complicated.

"Work it is!" He declares proudly. "Search for a master, you must!"

Is this the apprenticeship Rona had talked about? I knew it was something mandatory to see how well a student can perform in a real environment. None of these near-infinite resources, top-notch tools, and teachers are always at the ready… Like the difference between sparing and mortal combat.

"Uhm, can I not?" It sounds like a hassle. The professor throws me an unamused glance and keeps staring. "Capacity for another teacher, I have not." I try negotiating in his own language.

Instead of getting into a lengthy argument, however, the gnome only points towards the door and smiles.

"You've gotta be kidding me." I sigh and get my stuff. Arguing is pointless, and if I'm looking for a quiet space to write and theorize, the library or my room will do just as fine…

Of course, that's not what's on my mind.

Do I have too little practice? It never hurts to sketch up inscriptions a little faster, sure, but it's not like I'm slow. And the small mistakes I can correct with my Skill, so… With that said, I do spend almost every moment in the workshop perfecting ideas instead of practicing things over and over.

And my proficiency when it comes to the Flow is straight garbage.

"But this isn't like running, doing it over and over won't make that big of a change. Right?" I mutter under my nose, walking absentmindedly.

"It does." A student passing by answers.

"Are you-" I turn back and find Ben. "Oh, hi."

"Long time no see, Eli, what were you… Just what did you do this time?" He asks.

Judging by the confusion in his eyes, he just checked my level. We're the same age, but he's almost two dozen levels behind, and I can't see that changing anytime soon.

"Socializing." I answer curtly. "But what did you mean by that?"

By the looks of it, my answer wasn't too convincing, but he doesn't get hung up on that. "You know, practice makes perfect. I bet you didn't just become a deadly mage by playing tag."

I mean, it did play a role to be fair…

"How did it work out for you? The apprenticeship?" I ask and nod towards a nearby bench.

We sit and Ben begins to tell me his story. Common blacksmith stuff, hammering techniques, temperature, and all the other delicacies I know little about. Initiall,y it sounds like he's going nowhere with it, but somehow that's exactly his point.

"You shed the unnecessary, dumb mistakes and hammer out the imperfections." He explains with passion in his words and an excited glimmer in his eyes. "Building habits is important, but perfecting them is really hard, believe me."

"But my Skills-"

"Your Skills can only help." He interrupts, rolling his eyes. "Fixing your mistakes takes time, and stopping even for a second to ponder on the next step also takes time. In my cas,e it's important because the metal could begin to cool and deform, but for you…"

For me, there's much more at stake.

"So you say I should give it a shot?" I finally resigned and admit defeat, something few can force me to do.

Ben smiles and gives me a cheeky shrug. "Better lose some time now than when it matters, no?"

Right.

"Any recommendations?"

"Hm, since shadows are shallow, they're not the best for proper gear enhancing…" The boy stood up and began to pace up and down. "Know your appetite, it can't be anything too high-class or expensive either… Maybe try Pierre's Shack."

What a charming name. "Do they serve garbage wine and garlic bread?" I ask sarcastically.

"Not quite." Ben chuckles. "They sell basic necessities and cheap inscriptions, mostly for commoners. Duds won't cost a limb and the owner is… friendly."

I didn't like that pause. The entire suggestion sounds simply too enticing and without a catch. And there's always a catch.

"Now, I gotta go!" My workshop pal decides to abandon me. "Don't rush it and look for a place you like. Every shop needs a talented inscriptionist." His wiseass words of advice bounce off me like arrows from Val.

I just want to get this over with and mess around with the funky symbols.

Now, I still have a few options to enjoy today, although none of them are too enticing. The Den should be pretty empty around this time, the library is… the library, and sleeping in the middle of the day is just plain boring.

I could also go to the arena and look for a spicy duel; nevertheless, I've had my fill with trouble for a while.

"I guess I'll look for work then." I push myself up and sigh. "Never imagined that sentence leaving my mouth…"

A few coins are rattling in my purse, so visiting the town might not be such a bad idea, actually. Especially since I got Martha to quadruple my allowance and send Valka a separate stipend of her own.

"Still won't stop me from gambling, though." I begin to walk, enjoying the chilly winter weather and the snow crunching under my feet.

I'd be lying if I said it isn't reassuring to be back in Sereban, and this island in particular. We did kill some people… Strong people who might not be so simple to replace, and people who might have loved ones thirsting for vengeance.

At the same time, it's wild that I felt similarly safe back in Mythralis, and the entire place went up in flames in mere minutes. It was safe, then it was not…

The campus grounds are oddly quiet, but once I arrive at the small town built to serve the student population, that feeling changes in an instant. It's almost like stepping through a gate between different worlds…

People earning their living here are already in full swing, making preparations to welcome the generous and wealthy. New decoration, new clothes line-up, and seasonal delicacies all around, welcoming the season of death and peace.

Sounds a little ominous, but it's still my favorite… eh, second favorite season. Once a girl of the seas, always a girl of the seas.

Finding proper shops dabbling in inscriptions is dead easy now that I move around with a purpose other than wasting my money. From supplies to jewelry, and clothes and useless crap I can't even imagine, everything can be bought around here and everything can be made a little more expensive with a few fancay mana lines.

The thing is, pretty isn't what I'm striving for through my craft. My work isn't meant to be easily sellable – although that wouldn't hurt to be fair… No, my work is practical, unique, and still with its own cutesy blemishes.

Ben forgot to mention where exactly this 'Pierre's Shack' can be found, but that's no biggie. I have a mouth, I can ask. Maybe it's the way I carry myself, coupled with the place I'm looking for, but the faces of every adult I ask make me want to punch them.

"Yes, I'm a commoner, yes, I'm not made of gold, so what?" I grumble, finally finding the spot.

The shop looks decent, maintained well, and built with tasteful modesty in mind. I don't actually care much, actually. The pay, customers, the work itself… This is like those awful classes everyone wants to ditch with minimal effort.

A gentle chime announces my entry.

The man – Pierre, if my clairvoyant abilities are still top-notch – is half asleep behind the counter. A quick look around the shop gives me a positive feeling about the environment. Moderately packed shelves, showcasing quality goods and none of the fancy garbage that's basically a scam wrapped into inscriptions.

"Hey!" I speak up.

The man twitches like lightning struck him, which would've been my second option if he kept dozing off.

"Yeah? Ah, customer!" He perks up. "How can I help?"

Gentle, friendly, but reserved for his tender human age. At first glance, he has the personality of a doormat; however, that alone would not be enough for a business to survive on this island.

"I need work. Professor Nybert said my technique is lacking, and this place has been recommended for the apprenticeship." I shatter his hopes, unwilling to part with my coin.

"Oh, is that so?" He lies back down on the desk. "Fine, the pay is modest, but you can doodle around all you want."

"Wait, really?" I ask. This was too easy. "What about my responsibilities, my quota, and rules?"

No… too easy is always the worst.

"Then let's do this the hard way…" The man scratches his head and looks me in the eye." My humble name is Pierre Fermat, and I'll hereby accept you as my apprentice. Happy, little Mage?" His tone is flat and unconvincing.

What's wrong with being a Mage?

"No, we're not doing that!" I put my foot down. "I'm here to learn and to learn this craft properly! You might think that because I'm a combatant first, I'm just trying to sail through my mandatory tasks comfortably… But then you're wrong. Really fucking wrong!"

A cold smile crests his face. "Can't say I've heard that before… The Academy will pay me one way or the other to house their precious students, so I don't mind, but if you're truly determined, then words won't be enough."

"I'm fine with that!"

Maybe I should pick another place while I can. Ben must've been out of his mind to recommend this loony instead of a prestigious place, thinking the same as this bastard. Why is it so hard to believe I do this because I enjoy it?

"So?" Pierre asks.

"So what?" I cross my arms.

"Name, please. And what you're here to accomplish, perhaps."

"Elyssia." I step up to the desk, right in his face. "And I will make things the world has never seen before!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.