《WILD MAGE》 PROLOGUE Chapter 13: 1-6 And so the Goddess said, ¡°Punishment befalls the sinners whose tongues savored thou. Satisfying thou may be, evil grants false largess. Forgiveness comes to those whose desires are used in mine name. I say to all, mercy I shall bestow upon servants whom carry thy blood for the common good. Hence fear not, children of mine, thou shall rest in mine arms on thy final day.¡± Her touch lingered on his cheeks as they slid off. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Alwin Foster stands in front of Lord Zaeru¡¯s statue in the darkness. If it weren¡¯t for the single candle light on the mahogany table, then the priest wouldn¡¯t be able to appreciate his God¡¯s features. On top of a stone pedestal is Lord Zaeru, the God of Khythia. Lord Zaeru had the face of a man far older than Alwin Foster. The sculptor skillfully chiseled intricate details, from the number of wrinkles on Lord Zaeru¡¯s forehead to the strands of the long beard cascading down and reaching the floor. His hands were spread open, capturing his loving and generous character while also encompassing his wisdom and power. Alwin Foster couldn¡¯t be any prouder of serving his God. There were nights like this one where Alwin Foster couldn¡¯t succumb to the slumber. He¡¯d wake in the middle of the night, think about the day¡¯s events and evening¡¯s routine prayers, but he couldn¡¯t fall asleep. To find tranquility in the cool nights, Alwin Foster would often visit the Zaeruen Chapel near his home. He¡¯d light a candle on the table in front of the statue, then clasp his hands together as he silently prays on one of the front pews. He¡¯d convey his gratitude, his unworthy requests of asking for another beautiful day when he wakes once more. The candle shines upon the God¡¯s eyes, and Alwin Foster is just a shadow in his presence. However, something felt off about this night. Alwin Foster¡¯s heart is heavy and his stomach is curling uncomfortably. He prayed and prayed for peace of mind in everyone¡¯s hearts. Whatever terrible thing was going on, he begged for it to stop. Someone and somewhere out there in the world is suffering, and Alwin Foster could only pray. But perhaps, this was his God¡¯s sign. There was a reason he was awake to be here. The chapel¡¯s doors suddenly burst open and Alwin Foster jumps at the noise. The cold wind sweeps into the room and blows the candle off. He turns to see a shadow like him, a silhouette of an unsteady man. From what he can see from afar, it seems that the man is in robes. He hears him taking deep and heavy breaths as he stumbles his way further in the chapel. Clearly he was injured. ¡°What happened!?¡± Alwin Foster quickly walks over to the stranger and catches him before he could fall over. Alwin¡¯s left hand accidentally brushed against the man¡¯s stomach as he caught him, feeling a sticky and wet texture coat his fingers. The injured man¡¯s body slumps against his own and he feels the liquid soaking his clothes. ¡°You are severely injured!¡± Alwin assists the man to sit on the nearby pew in the middle of the chapel. The stranger groans as his body settles on the wood. ¡°I will call for a healer, please hold on!¡± Whoever this stranger is, innocently injured or not, Alwin believes that they had the right to be saved and face life once more. But before Alwin could dash out the chapel and call for the village¡¯s healers, the injured man grabbed his wrist and held on tight. Alwin gasped at what strength the man had left.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Are you¡­a priest?¡± He asked, coughing. ¡°I have to go¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Alwin freezes at the broken tone. ¡°Please answer me.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Do not call for a healer.¡± He lets go of Alwin¡¯s wrist, his posture relaxing as he leans back on the pew. ¡°Why? You will lose your life at this rate.¡± ¡°I choose to breathe my last here after I confess.¡± ¡°...¡± At those words, Alwin Foster¡¯s own posture shifts into calmer disposition. He frowns as his eyes soften. He believes that he understands the man¡¯s intentions; he wishes for a final confession before he returns to the God¡¯s side. Alwin is silent for a moment before he straightens up by the man¡¯s side, then looks up to stare at the shadow of Lord Zaeru. ¡°I respect your wishes.¡± He says as he hears the man take in a sharp breath. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Whenever you are ready.¡± Alwin closes his eyes. ¡°Won¡¯t you¡­light a candle?¡± ¡°I am not allowed to see the confessor¡¯s face as it would violate Zaeruen¡¯s Seal and your right to privacy.¡± The man chuckles, tired and crumbled. ¡°I¡­understand.¡± The priest is quiet. He understands that they have started, and Father Alwin Foster will wait until he finishes his part. He isn¡¯t familiar with Zaeruen ways, but he doesn¡¯t find it unpleasant so far. ¡°To be honest Father, I¡¯m not religious at all. I do not believe in the existence of Gods or Goddesses.¡± He admits with an amused tone that was directed at himself, ¡°But I¡¯m a desperate and pathetic man who couldn¡¯t find anywhere else to run to but here.¡± He wasn¡¯t really sure why he was here in the first place. He wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted someone to forgive him, even if it meant just one person in the world. He also felt like he was cheating because out of all the people he chose it was a priest, of a different religion no less. Then it hit him when he barged through the chapel doors. It was now that he realized that he needed a witness. He feels that he does not deserve mercy. If not forgiveness, then someone who will listen to him at least. To listen to his story and his desires. ¡°I doubt the intentions of the divine.¡± He adds, but shakes his head and sighs. ¡°So I am here to talk to you¡­Whether some god out there shows me mercy or not, or whether you personally forgive me or not¡­it does not matter¡­as long as¡­even if it means¡­that only one person in the world will know¡­and I will face the consequences¡­¡± He rests his hands over the bleeding wound on his stomach. ¡°Father, I have committed countless sins¡­my hands¡­my body¡­is drenched in blood¡­my beliefs became a cruelty to many¡­and I do not shred a single regret for what I have done¡­but¡­at the same time¡­my actions haunt me¡­¡± It pierces through his skin and claws at his heart. The same claws gripped his heart and the pain wouldn¡¯t subside as it didn¡¯t hold enough strength to crush his heart. It made him realize that he didn¡¯t have much time left. ¡°And that¡¯s it¡­¡± The confessor ends with a cough. ¡°...What do you hope to get out of this confession?¡± Alwin asks. ¡°Punishment.¡± He answers firmly. ¡°If the divine exists, then let me be brutally condemned for eternity.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I survive, then let me be punished by all and face what I deserve. So father¡­If I somehow survive¡­¡± ¡°I am not allowed to take you to the authorities.¡± ¡°Heh, is that your Zaeruen rule or something? What if it were a part of my last will?¡± ¡°...Then I shall respect your wishes and do as you will.¡± After hearing those words, He couldn¡¯t help but smile as his heavy eyes came to a close. He¡¯s sure he doesn¡¯t have any time left, the world is beginning to slip away and he can barely hear the rest of Alwin¡¯s words or formulate a coherent thought in his head. He mutters out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Outside the chapel, the dark clouds that blanketed the moon make way. The moonlight shines through the stained glass of the chapel. Light illuminated the church and shone an array of colors upon the confessor, shrouding over his body that slumped on the pew. What could anyone make out from his face? It¡¯s crimson all over, parts of his skin burnt and peeled off. There was barely any hair left, those left are sticking out of his rough and melted scalp. His lips are wet with red, sliding down his chin and dripping on the brown robes. Blood oozed out the side of his body, coating the wooden seat and dripping down the marble floor. The priest dared not to look at what was left of the man and kept his eyes on the ground, watching his shoes slowly dip into a red sea. VOLUME 1 | CHAPTER 1 - Under Gray Skies The sky was covered with a heavy gray cloth, and no matter how hard the wind stirred, it could not tear open a crack to meet the sun. The old, dark fences on the road are even more monotonous, cutting the light gray scene in the distance into long strips. The road was surrounded by mountains and forests. Two individuals leaned on the fence silently. One was a young teen in what appeared to be a school uniform with an intricate symbol on the left chest area, and an older man beside the teen that seemed to be in an unfavorable condition. The teen had never seen anyone with eyebags as dark and large as the older man¡¯s. The man who looks to be in forties is wearing what appeared to be some sort of military uniform. He has a coat to keep him warm, brown pants, and worn-out boots. Across them was a carriage driver fussing over the broken carriage wheel. The elderly driver is muttering about the mess. He walked over to the back of the carriage and rummaged through a wooden chest. The young one had no idea in carriage maintenance, so he placed his attention on the stranger beside him. The stranger didn¡¯t seem trapped by the eerily silent situation at all. He took out a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his long coat. Lionel Wesholm, who was thinking about how to break the awkward atmosphere, was distressed. ¡°Uh¡­You¡¯ve been standing here for quite a while, huh?¡± ¡°...¡± Great, Lionel, just great. The stranger had been there for quite a while, he assumes. He was already there by the fence and witnessed their carriage break down. ¡°Do you want a ride?¡± ¡°...¡± Okay, not much of a talker. ¡°That uniform¡­¡± The stranger suddenly spoke. Lionel snapped out of his thoughts and quickly faced the stranger, smiling out of politeness. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re from Wisiria Magic Academy.¡± ¡°Yes sir, I¡¯m a transfer student to be exact. It¡¯s my first day actually, but¡­as you can see¡­¡± Lionel¡¯s smile turns weak when his eyes land on the carriage. ¡°I see.¡± The stranger replied simply, but continued with another question, ¡°Do you know what the school is like?¡± What''s it like? Lionel answers easily, ¡°It¡¯s one of the most prestigious magic schools in the continent. Not many have the opportunity to attend such a school, let alone enter its grounds without being a student or staff. The Academy is well known for its students immediately entering the military upon graduation. Oh, and despite their reputation of being devoted followers of Goddess Adineas, they welcome anyone¡­well, as long as someone can get in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± His questioner smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve done your research.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lionel smiles sheepishly and scratches the back of his neck. ¡°I prefer to know what kind of school I¡¯m getting myself into.¡± ¡°Hm, and why is that?¡± ¡°I want to be a great mage, so I hoped to get into a school that can offer many opportunities to its students. Through research, I found that Wisiria is the school that aligns with my goal.¡± ¡°A great mage, huh¡­¡± He grew silent once more and puffed out a smoke from his mouth. A few seconds later, he asks another question. ¡°How did you get in? Enrollment period should be over by now¡­¡± ¡°I got a scholarship.¡± ¡°A scholarship¡­¡± The stranger trails off. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Lionel chuckles, ¡°I know, unbelievable, right? I think it¡¯s a little bit late to get a scholarship and suddenly transfer schools at this time of the year.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Okay, it¡¯s back to square one in Awkward City¡­ ¡°Are you aware of the Psychological Mana Output Development Experiment by Dr. Auguste Gault? It was inspired by Hess Helminger¡¯s Operational Youth Mana Experiment.¡± ¡°...¡± Lionel suddenly felt uneasy. Why did the conversation suddenly shift into an unethical human experiment? Dr. Hess Helminger was an infamous mage and alchemist in the past. Despite being a weak mage, he was renowned for his potion brewery and creation of effective mana potions that help mages advance in their spellcasting. However, as time passed by, it was discovered that Helminger used harmful ingredients that cause deterioration, hallucinations and other negative symptoms. Potion production stopped, he was captured by the Guardian Council and he was taken in by the Sorcerer''s Court for investigation. He managed to weasel his way out of the law by feigning innocence and providing evidence of his unawareness of the side effects of the potion as the prototypes didn¡¯t have such results. Several more court shenanigans that Lionel didn¡¯t understand happened. Evidence here, evidence there, persuasive speech, witnesses, and whatever else Lionel can¡¯t remember took place. Personally, if Lionel was the judge, he¡¯d have slammed the hammer and sent the man off to chains forever. Because if that happened, then the Hess Helminger¡¯s Experiment wouldn¡¯t have happened. Helminger¡¯s Experiment involved the use of his potions again. The consumers this time are younger children from ages seven to fifteen. Sickeningly enough, parents of these children volunteered to let their children participate in the experiment. It¡¯s unbelievable to many at first, for parents insane enough to do this to their own flesh and blood. Unfortunately, there really are such people in the world. The mad alchemist had targeted ambitious and desperate parents with children that weren¡¯t exactly talented in magic. That was what all the children had in common. They had low mana, low mana output and overall weak mana structure. To conduct his study, Helminger created a variety of his potions and had the children test each new creation. Those who had gotten sick even after several testings are considered failures and sent back to their families. Those who managed to tolerate his potions stayed. At the end, Helminger was able to formulate and brew a mana potion so effective that it had amplified the children¡¯s mana by tenfold and the side effects were less. This was his weapon, a weapon that could revolutionize his country¡¯s next generation into becoming mages of war. Who would need to train anymore? Who would need to spend years and years of effort to only gain fruitless results? After conducting this experiment, the children would engage in combat with naturally talented children outside of the experiment. This one week experiment presented the following results¡­ The children were free to go back home and test their new strength on the field. Helminger anonymously arranged a magic duel in the guise of a friendly sparring match with famous nobles and their children. All matches ended in a bloodbath. Helminger¡¯s children winning each one. Lionel remembered how he was about to throw up as he read the newspaper article regarding the match results. The only good thing was that no one had died, but Lionel uses the word ¡®good¡¯ loosely. The nobles¡¯ children were traumatized, crippled, and mute. Helminger escaped after the matches. As for Helminger¡¯s children, they were detained and sent to a juvenile facility to recover. The children and parents were questioned as to how their children were able to perform such advanced spells and have great amounts of mana. They were silent. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Until they managed to crack one of the more arrogant children. That one child¡­always spoke of gaining power and a new future with the use of alchemy. Though that child spoke very maturely, it didn¡¯t change the fact that a child is still a child. His caretakers managed to gain information by playing into the child¡¯s hands. They would agree with everything he said, help him plan his escape and make him feel heard. It took time, but he confessed to Helminger¡¯s deeds. Immediately after confession, mages were sent to track down Helminger and put him behind bars. They find him in a completely impoverished area of their city, offering potions to the people. ¡°You have condemned the weak.¡± Were his last words before his capture. Needless to say, Helminger was detained and he didn¡¯t put up a fight. He remained silent throughout the whole court session and he was given a life sentence. He passed in prison and all of his papers and studies are locked in the Alchemy Council¡¯s archives. Dr. Hess Helminger¡¯s Experiment was quite familiar to Lionel. Though he wanted to pursue the path of being a mage, alchemy studies didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and when someone studied Alchemy, Helminger¡¯s name is not one to be unheard. But¡­What exactly is the Psychological Mana Output Development Experiment? Since it''s inspired by the Helminger¡¯s Experiment, then does it have anything to do with potions? Brainwashing children into becoming power greedy? Mental Development? Or does it include all of that? This is the first Lionel has ever heard of it. Lionel answers, ¡°I¡¯m not aware of that.¡± The man answers his curiosity, ¡°It¡¯s a lesser known experiment and kept under wraps by the council. Dr. Auguste Gault preferred to keep his research confidential. It wasn¡¯t until the later years were his papers discovered, but he had also gone missing. Everything else is gone, just his papers remain.¡± ¡°...¡± Lionel remains silent, which only urges the stranger to continue. ¡°The PMOD Experiment was conducted on three groups of children of ages from two to seven years old.¡± ¡°Two to seven?!¡± Lionel gasps in shock. This experiment includes two year olds? Lionel doesn¡¯t mean to weigh the negativity with age, what affected him was the fact that even younger children were involved. Nobody deserves to go through cruel experiments. Though Lionel hasn¡¯t even heard what the PMOD experiment is all about, the fact that it was inspired by Helminger''s work is already enough to tell him that it wasn¡¯t good. ¡°In this age group, children begin to learn but struggle with logic and tend to be self-centered. That¡¯s perfectly normal since they¡¯re in the phase of developing and in the process of trying to figure out how the world works.¡± ¡°And why did Dr. Gault chose this stage in particular?¡± Lionel couldn¡¯t help but become engaged in this conversation. Though it still felt odd to be suddenly talking about this in the middle of the road. His question is answered, ¡°Because of how the children think at this stage. To explain further¡­The three groups were also labeled. The first group is Affirmation, the second group is Indifference, and the third group is Negation. Each group had six children, adding up to a total of twenty-four guinea pigs.¡± The last phrase made Lionel flinch. To call them guinea pigs was sick¡­But that was an unfortunate fact for these children. ¡°The mechanics are simple. Dr. Gault and his team of three would give children the same task. Once the children are finished performing their task, they will be given feedback. However, their feedback will remain the same regardless of the results of the task. The Affirmation group will receive positive feedback, the Negation group will receive negative feedback. And the Indifference group¡­is also known as the Neglected Group, meaning, they won¡¯t receive any feedback.¡± ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s inspired by Helminger¡¯s manipulation of the children and parents?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­However, Gault¡¯s experiment isn¡¯t as simple as Helminger¡¯s brainwashing. To explain further, even if a child from the Affirmation Group wasn¡¯t able to do their task well, they will still receive praise and affirmation for their actions. Even if a child from the Negation Group does it perfectly, they will still be chastised and denied.¡± And no matter what the Indiffirence group does, they will be ignored¡­ ¡°To add, their performance and feedback are done in the same room. So all of the children can see the reactions of the evaluators.¡± Realization clicks in Lionel''s mind. Not only will the results cause psychological problems, but social problems as well. The stranger also realized that Lionel caught up quickly and was able to deduce the results of the experiment. ¡°This experiment was conducted for one whole year.¡± ¡°...¡± Lionel¡¯s jaw dropped and his eyes widened. ¡°The PMOD experiment had three stages. First four months is the first set, the second four months is the second set and so on. The first set was¡­calm. The tasks were easy to complete and the feedback was limited to verbal feedback only.¡± Hearing this, Lionel had the idea that every four months, the stage would get even more difficult. It could only possibly mean that. ¡°As¡­time goes by, the tasks get difficult and feedback also gets¡­worse¡­?¡± The stranger makes a noise of agreement. ¡°Exactly. The second set¡¯s tasks involved doing stuff like cleaning and organization, more on physical tasks. The feedback included verbal and physical conduct. Children would receive hugs and other affectionate acts, or¡­physical abuse.¡± And Lionel¡¯s heart sank. Knowing that this is the cruel feedback for the kids, it could only mean that physical abuse wasn¡¯t the worst Dr. Gault and his people could do. ¡°The third set moved on with academics and activities you can experience in a normal mage school. The feedback¡­Reward and Punishment.¡± The stranger sighs, as if he was contemplating whether he should continue or not. In the end, he continues, ¡°The kids would get material rewards and the like. The rest, would receive punishments¡­They could be physical abuse, labor, isolation, humiliation, and¡­the Affirmation Group had the right to ask anything from the Negation Group, and the Negation Group had no right to refuse¡­In the end, the Indifference Group remains neglected, treated as if they do not exist.¡± ¡°What is the purpose of this inhumane study!?¡± Lionel snapped, ¡°The children¡­The kids from the Affirmation Group would only feel more entitled and self-absorbed. Even if they were wrong, they were praised! That would only warp their sense of what¡¯s actually right and wrong. The Negation Group are traumatized and have psychological scars. And the neglected group will also experience the same and develop behavioral issues. Yes, they¡¯re kids, but this experience will be stuck with them for the rest of their lives! Depending on how they are raised once they were finished with the experiment, there''s a possibility that none of them recovered!¡± ¡°Exactly, you¡¯ve perfectly explained the results of the experiment and how it affected the children. This also raised unhealthy and unstable competitiveness between them, which only made things worse¡­Everyday they would think¡­¡¯What did I do wrong here?¡¯, ¡®What did that group have that we don¡¯t have?¡¯ , ¡®I did it the exact same way as they did, but why am I getting punished?¡¯ , ¡®Do I even exist?¡¯ , ¡®What should I make the loser do for me?¡¯...They were manipulated to think that way. The purpose? To see how different reactions affect a person, would the mana output be affected by emotions? how it will remain with them for as long as they live and what they would do. That¡¯s the purpose.¡± The stranger took a heavy drag before sighing. ¡°But there¡¯s one more thing.¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s more?!¡± ¡°Helminger.¡± ¡°...¡± The stranger looked at the sky briefly before taking another drag. The smoke envelops them in an uncomfortable silence that the stranger soon breaks. ¡°The Negation and Indifference group were given an ultimatum. Would they be willing to do whatever it takes to take revenge? To gain power no matter the cause? Would they be willing to endure the effects of a potion their bodies may reject?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°They were given Helminger¡¯s potion.¡± ¡°...¡± Lionel is speechless. Truly, history had its dark events. It is obvious that this caused trauma to the kids, especially the negative group. To think that this is happening to children¡­And Helminger¡¯s Potion. How were they able to produce such a poison? ¡°According to his final paper, only a few were able to fully ingest Helminger¡¯s potion safely without many side effects. They were given the opportunity to duel with the Affirmation Group and obviously won. And so, the Affirmation Group also took Helminger¡¯s potion in retaliation after Gault reveals the truth to them. They would do anything to reach the top and drag each other down. And so, the third set has officially ended. Gault claims to have freed the children, there were no casualties other than physical injuries.¡± Other than physical injuries? What about psychological injuries? Lionel feels his stomach curl in an unsettling way. Something wants to jump out his throat, something heavy lies in his chest and it feels hard to breathe despite his lungs being perfectly healthy. Is it the smoke he inhales? Is it the reminder of the graphic photographs of the results of Helminger¡¯s work? Lionel feels this to be overdramatic, but he wishes he could bash his head on the ground and forget everything. The stranger is silent, he didn¡¯t have anything further to add. It was probably his way of letting the information sink into Lionel¡¯s head. The results could lead from one thing to another. What if it caused the kids to snap and hurt somebody after release? Worse, become a murderer in the future.There was also a possibility that one of them committed suicide after¡­There¡¯s so many things that might¡¯ve happened¡­and it probably did¡­ Could the tragedies presented in some newspaper articles be related to this? It was hard to tell¡­ In the end, Lionel picked out one question from the rest of the hundred questions in his mind. ¡°Sir¡­Why are you telling me all this?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The stranger doesn¡¯t even look at Lionel, but at the gray sky as smoke escapes from between his lips. ¡°Because you¡¯re a transfer student.¡± ¡°What does that mean¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me, sir! There¡¯s not much I can do for the carriage but¡­¡± The carriage driver grabs their attention. The driver was waving at Lionel, then moved on to collect a saddle from the extra trunk of the carriage. Lionel looked at the stranger and back at the driver. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t keep him waiting.¡± The older said, gesturing at the driver now cinching the saddle onto the horse. ¡°Wait, what did you mean by me being a transfer student?¡± ¡°Sir? Who are you talking to?¡± The driver asked, disconnecting the shafts from the horse''s harness. ¡°Huh!?¡± Lionel looked at the driver in pure disbelief and confusion, then he gasped when he looked back at where the stranger leaned, but he was gone. Lionel doesn¡¯t know how to describe it, but it felt like a storm hammering down on him. Small incoherent noises left the teen¡¯s mouth and his hands trembled. Was he hallucinating? Did he fall asleep or something? Lionel snaps back to reality when he feels something cold and wet crash into his face. It¡¯s raining¡­ Though he couldn¡¯t clearly register it was raining, he was more focused on the missing stranger. He looked around, trying to find any trace of the older man but to no avail. When the driver calls again, Lionel finally rushes to the horse prepared. The driver apologized for their unfortunate predicament. The driver now has to guide him to Wisiria through horseback. Fortunately, Lionel knows how to ride a horse and their journey finally continues. He looked behind, still in a state of shock. What happened? Who was I talking to? VOLUME 1 | CHAPTER 2 - The Transfer Student ¡°Fear is the essence of survival and the proof of the will to live.¡± Those words were quoted by a woman with short, brown hair. The woman is wearing a casual red tunic, paired with dark brown formal pants. The woman in her fifties scanned the lecture hall from the row at the very top to the bottom. She then asked, ¡°This quote is from¡­?¡± She paused, making it obvious that she wanted one of her students to answer. Suddenly, all the students tapped on their desks. Their simultaneous tap made it sound like an aggressive slam. A beam of light briefly emits from one of the tables. Every single student in the room wore the same uniform neatly. A black blazer that has pockets located near the hem, layered over a white blouse or shirt, and finished with a grey necktie at the front. The common dress code that boys wear dark pants and girls wear dark skirts were implemented in this institution. Other than this, each student wore a black collar, the light yet heavy material snug against their necks. There wasn¡¯t a single thing out of place. The teacher calls the student¡¯s name. ¡°Claudia Bellerose.¡± A tall female student with long, auburn-colored hair stood up. Her own onyx gaze meets the teacher¡¯s as she answers with confidence. ¡°Royal Mage Nicholas Kayser.¡± ¡°Correct, well done Ms. Rose.¡± The teacher briefly went to her desk to jot something down in her notepad before continuing the discussion. She clasps her own hands together as she asks the following question, ¡°Can someone expand on the quote¡¯s context and significance?¡± Once again, all students tapped on their desk, hitting the small, circular button on the upper left corner of their desks. Once again, a small beam of light emits from the table. ¡°Kaius Marx.¡± The teacher calls. This time, a young man stood up. He had messy dark hair tied to a low ponytail and bright blue eyes. Despite having such light-colored eyes that match the sky on a fine sunny day, it contrasted with the dark circles under his eyes. ¡°Fear is the essence of survival and the proof of the will to live.¡± He repeats, ¡°Fear is humanity¡¯s vital emotion of survival as it acts as our response to detect and avoid threats, find solutions to those threats and encourage us to be more secure.¡± ¡°Thank you Mr. Marx, that¡¯s a good answer.¡± The teacher turns to her desk again, writing on her notepad. ¡°Now, for my next question. Grab a piece of paper and write down your answer with a minimum of six hundred words. Make sure to finish it in fifteen minutes.¡± As soon as the teacher mentioned paper, every single student withdrew a piece of paper and pen from underneath their desks, revealing that each desk had a drawer. Before the teacher revealed her question, she shared a few words of encouragement. ¡°We¡¯re doing great everybody. Last week, nobody failed to write the minimum word requirement under the time limit and nobody submitted any redundant ideas. This week, let¡¯s aim higher!¡± The teacher snapped their finger and an illusionary hourglass appeared on the desk. ¡°Here is the question. What makes fear powerful?¡± She snapped her fingers again and the sand in the top of the glass began to sink. Everyone is absorbed in their own work, not a single student batted an eye nor moved their head. They wrote nonstop, the sound of their pens scratching the paper and the wood underneath becomes a white noise. Fifteen. Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve. Eleven. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Five. Four. Three. Two. Two minutes are left. CREEEAAAKK¡­.. All of the sudden, the door at the very back creaks open. The teacher was the only one to investigate the cause of the opening door. A tall man in a dark cloak peeks their head in, their face hidden by the hood of his cloak. It was one of the Academy¡¯s guards. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Thorn?¡± The guard looks at the male student who answered one of the teacher¡¯s questions before. ¡°The headmaster would like to excuse Kaius Marx,¡± Then he looks at the female student, ¡°And Claudia Bellerose.¡± The teacher nods and calls out their names, ¡°Claudia Bellerose and Kaius Marx, you two are excused. There is no need to submit your work.¡± The two students didn¡¯t stop writing. They didn¡¯t need to finish their work since they were excused by the Headmaster himself. In this case, they would receive the exact passing mark or grade. However, Claudia and Kaius didn¡¯t seem too keen on the idea. Claudia added three more sentences while Kaius worked on the conclusion of his work. A few seconds later, they stood at the same time and walked down the classroom, placing their papers on the teacher¡¯s desk. ¡°Kindly pardon my absence, Mrs. Dewitt.¡± The two said simultaneously. They return to their seats for a brief moment, they carefully try not to bump into their seatmates and push their chairs back into their desk as they had rushed to submit their work first. They finally make their way to the stairs to reach the back of their classroom and towards the exit.. Once they left the lecture hall, they followed Mr. Thorn from a distance. Kaius whispered with a blank look, ¡°What do you think we¡¯re called in for?¡± Claudia shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know. You didn¡¯t do anything, did you?¡± Kaius raised his eyebrow, ¡°Me? Me? I would die before I actually break a rule.¡± Claudia rolled her eyes, ¡°Did you offend anyone?¡± Kaius sighs, ¡°I would¡¯ve been dead on the first day.¡± ¡°Stop talking like that. That attracts bad energy.¡± Kaius looks at Claudia in disbelief. ¡°Well, what about you? Did you do something?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t automatically assume it¡¯s something bad.¡± ¡°Hey, you did it to me first.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A smirk appeared on Claudia¡¯s face and it was Kaius¡¯s turn to roll his eyes. The two were escorted to the headmaster¡¯s office. Mr. Thorn opened the doors for them, entering first. Claudia and Kaius wait for Mr. Thorn to completely enter and move aside for the headmaster to see them. Claudia and Kaius stood upright, hands to their side. ¡°Good afternoon Headmaster.¡± They¡¯ve already noticed a teen sitting in front of the headmaster. He wore the same uniform as them, but the two Wisiria students do not recognize him. He had ashy ice blue hair that was combed neatly and crimson eyes. ¡°Good afternoon, Bellarose and Marx.¡± The elderly headmaster smiled. Has his wrinkles increased since the last time? Claudia couldn¡¯t help but think. Everytime she sees the headmaster, his face looks older and older, but remains active and cheerful as ever. She¡¯s surprised that he hasn¡¯t gone bald yet or even found any visible white hair. Though she also wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the headmaster was drinking an anti-aging potion or casting a spell. ¡°As you can see, we have a new student.¡± Claudia and Kaius looked closely at the teen, they attempted to remember if they¡¯ve ever seen a face like his. Is Wisiria Middle School letting him advance to high school? Have we seen someone like him there? The headmaster fortunately explains further, answering his students¡¯ curiosity. ¡°He is our first transfer and scholarship student. I¡¯ve chosen the two of you to guide him and enlighten him about our esteemed institution. Please treat him well, he is our first scholarship student after all.¡± It took almost everything they had in them to refrain from reacting physically. Kaius and Claudia¡¯s faces remain neutral, at least they hope it did. Not only was this new student the first one with a scholarship, but he was also the first transfer student they have. Wisiria has been around for years and there was never a single student like him before. Kaius briefly glances at the collar wrapped around the newbie¡¯s neck. ¡°...¡± The new student rose from his seat and introduced himself, ¡°My name is Lionel Wesholm. As the headmaster said, I¡¯m here on scholarship. I¡¯m a first-year student. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you two.¡± Claudia was the first to greet him. ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Lionel. My name is Claudia Bellarose, a third-year student.¡± Kaius follows through easily, ¡°And my name is Kaius Marx, also a third-year student.¡± The pair presented their perfectionary smiles. They even offered their right hand to Lionel, initiating a friendly handshake. The Headmaster¡¯s smile grew bigger and he stood up from his desk, moving to stand by Lionel¡¯s side and pat him on the back. ¡°Welcome to Wisiria, Wesholm. I know you¡¯ll do wonderful here.¡± ¡°Thank you headmaster.¡± Lionel replies. ¡°Now go on you three.¡± The headmaster ushered them out of his office, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted your teachers for the rest of your classes this afternoon. During this time while the students are busy, the two of you can tour Wesholm around the campus and help him settle down.¡± The headmaster snapped his finger and Mr. Thorn approached Kaius, handing the student a piece of paper. Kaius didn¡¯t look at it, instead, he put it inside his pocket. The pair bid their farewells to their headmaster, followed by Lionel. This ends their exchange neatly and the pair silently guide Lionel out the office. Claudia secretly glances at one of the vases in the office, which displayed the reflection of the smiling headmaster. Right¡­Something¡¯s obviously going on. VOLUME 1 | CHAPTER 3 - You Made A Mistake Once the three of them were far from the Headmaster¡¯s office, Kaius suddenly stopped on his tracks and let out the most haggard exhale that Lionel has ever heard in his life. It was like Kaius was gasping for air after being submerged in water for too long. Claudia crosses her arms and raises a brow at Kaius, frowning. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lionel asks, reaching out his right hand to rub Kaius¡¯s back, but Kaius takes one step back. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kaius replied, though he doesn¡¯t seem like it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, new guy.¡± Claudia says with a smile. Her eyes curve in a way that also shows amusement, which made Lionel feel somewhat uneasy. ¡°He¡¯s just nervous about meeting you. You must be really incredible to be able to transfer here this time of year.¡± ¡°Oh¡­Not really.¡± Lionel replies, the reply makes Claudia chuckle softly. She comes closer to Lionel, inches away. ¡°Don¡¯t be so humble, indulge my curiosity.¡± She said almost too sweetly, ¡°How did you do in your previous school? What kind of awards did you get? How¡¯s your magic? It must amazing¡ª¡± Kaius suddenly came up from behind, gently pushing Lionel forward with his hands. Lionel flinches in surprise, turning his head to Kaius with both eyebrows raised. An awkward laugh left the dark haired mage¡¯s mouth as he interjected, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t waste any more time. We only have two hours left to give our new friend, Lionel, a tour.¡± Kaius gestures to the long hallway, ¡°Be prepared Lionel, our campus is pretty big. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you get lost for the first few days.¡± Claudia glances at her watch on her left wrist. ¡°Ah, right. Let¡¯s go then.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start with the classroom, that¡¯s one of the very important areas you need to familiarize yourself with early.¡± As they walk through the halls, Kaius asks, ¡°Did they tell you about the collar?¡± Lionel¡¯s fingers brush against the metallic material coiled around his neck. ¡°Kind of? They said it was for security purposes. They told me that you two would explain it more to me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kaius mutters. Claudia is the first to reveal the purpose of the collar, ¡°It¡¯s a mana blocker collar.¡± Lionel gasps, ¡°So that¡¯s why my mana felt all weird.¡± Kaius continues, ¡°It¡¯s a safety precaution for staff and students. The school doesn¡¯t want any unsavory unauthorized fights involving magic to break out. We can only use magic in our classes that involve the use of magic, a teacher will temporarily disable the spell in the collar at that time.¡± ¡°I see, I see¡­¡± So cautious¡­ The pair of seniors lead Lionel to one of the empty classrooms. Lionel examined the room in awe, it¡¯s incredibly spacious. Six desks in each aisle or lane, left and right, stairs to travel between the lanes and a single desk at the bottom of the classroom with a curved blackboard on the wall. Claudia walks towards the nearest desk and ushered Lionel to follow. The desk was made of wood, smoothly clean and expertly carved. However, a button caught Lionel¡¯s attention, which was located on the upper left corner of the desk. The small button was the size of a ring. His gaze was perceived by Claudia, who explains, ¡°That¡¯s a signal. If you want to answer, then you have to press that.¡± Kaius pipes in, ¡°Oh, and you can¡¯t ask any questions unless the lecturer tells you it¡¯s time to ask for questions.¡± Claudia gives Kaius a sudden look before returning her attention to Lionel. ¡°Classroom rules are simple. I¡¯m sure you already know the basics like no cheating and stuff. But here¡¯s what¡¯s different here. Signal if you want to answer, ask questions when it¡¯s time, you¡¯re not allowed to leave for bathroom breaks, do not interrupt or make noises, and there is no possible way to be excused from the classroom unless it¡¯s an emergency or if the headmaster asks for it.¡± Lionel nods understandingly, ¡°Noted.¡± ¡°Good, do you wanna add anything more, Kaius?¡± Claudia asks, placing her hands on her hips. Kaius shakes his head. ¡°Okay, now we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s move to the entrance hall.¡± Shouldn¡¯t that be where we started the tour? Lionel thought, maybe they just wanted to get the nearest place over with¡­but¡­ Lionel pushes his thoughts aside and follows his seniors out the room. The rest of the tour was simple and quick. They moved from one room to another as Kaius and Claudia explained very swiftly yet comprehensible. Every single room is what Lionel also expected them to be, there was nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing he can consider noteworthy is the large stone statue of Goddess Adineas in the middle of the entrance hall. The statue depicted her kneeling on a circular platform with a large cloth draped over her head and body. Her eyes could not be seen due to the cloth, but everyone could see her curved up lips and sharp nose. She had wrapped her arms around herself and feathered wings sprouted from her back. Her neck, wrists, and ankles had thorns around, those parts also had some stone chipped off as if to emphasize the damage of the thorns. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s Kaius¡¯s turn.¡± Claudia said, crossing her arms as she sent a look to her classmate. ¡°What she means is that it¡¯s time to go to the dormitory.¡± Kaius explains. ¡°And I can get back to class.¡± Claudia said with a grin. She dashes off somewhere into the halls, not giving them a chance to say goodbye or anything. The scholarship student could hear Kaius curse under his breath. Lionel noticed something about the two students. She really seemed desperate to join a class, the two of them actually. Everytime they passed by a classroom, they seemed fidgety and tense, like they were itching to join one. Nevertheless, Lionel is impressed by their dedication to attend classes. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head to the dorm.¡± Kaius said, and Lionel followed him out the institution. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°When do you start classes?¡± Kaius suddenly asks as they travel through the large courtyard. The courtyard is vast with a stone fountain in the middle that Lionel couldn¡¯t quite observe. He was trailing behind Kaius who was walking quickly. ¡°The headmaster told me that I¡¯ll start tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good, you have a bit of time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You gotta catch up with your class as soon as you can.¡± Kaius answers, looking over his shoulder to meet Lionel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Your textbooks should be in your dorm I believe. Make sure to scan it and study as much as you can. That¡¯s my advice for you.¡± ¡°Thank¡­you?¡± Lionel understood where Kaius was coming from. Since he¡¯s a bit late, of course Lionel had to catch up. Whether Kaius tells him or not, he had already decided to do some self-study. What made Lionel puzzled is the fact that Kaius emphasizes this with a firm tone. ¡°Good.¡± They finally enter the Male Dormitory and Kaius leads the new student to the second floor. ¡°What¡¯s your room number?¡± ¡°Zero-four-three.¡± ¡°This way then.¡± They walk through the halls, turning around a few corners and finally reaching Lionel¡¯s dorm room. With a silver key, Lionel unlocks the door with a click. The pair enters and the room is revealed. It was a simple dorm room that anyone would expect a dorm room to look like. There was a bed against the wall with dark green sheets, a desk on the other side with stacks of textbooks, a window with closed, dark green curtains, a closet, a bedside table and another door on the side which presumably leads to the bathroom. ¡°And this is your room. Make yourself at home.¡± ¡°This is really nice.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kaius then adds, ¡°Dormitory rules are simple. Curfew is ten in the evening and students caught outside their dorms will be penalized, students are not allowed to enter other dormitories other than their own, so you can¡¯t enter the girls dormitory and they can¡¯t enter ours, clean up after yourself especially during meals, and do not keep harmful tools or substances in your room. The school¡¯s security sometimes does surprise room inspections, so make sure to clean up and stuff.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you, Kaius.¡± ¡°No problem¡­¡± Kaius glances at the textbooks then returns his attention to Lionel. ¡°Before I leave, can I ask you some things first?¡± ¡°Uh, sure, what do you want to know?¡± ¡°Are you a follower of Adineas?¡± ¡°Oh, that. No, I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t have a religion actually. Is that bad?¡± Lionel asks, frowning. Once again, from what he had researched, most of Wisiria¡¯s student population are followers of Adineas. He wasn¡¯t sure how authentic that information was. ¡°No, it¡¯s not bad.¡± Kaius shakes his head, ¡°I¡¯m the same.¡± ¡°Oh okay, why did you ask?¡± ¡°If you were, I would let you know about the mandatory service they do every morning.¡± Kaius explains as he walks over to the window, sliding the curtains open. Lionel follows him, looking out the window and seeing the courtyard. ¡°There¡¯s a chapel nearby. They wake up around dawn to pray together and stuff like that. There¡¯s also a night ceremony they do at the end of every month. I don¡¯t know much about that though.¡± ¡°So what do students with different religions or those with none do?¡± ¡°They either pray on their own or do nothing.¡± ¡°Whew, I was worried there was gonna be some discriminatory or isolation stuff here¡­¡± Lionel breathes a sigh of relief. ¡°...¡± ¡°Kaius? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kaius looks around the room before pulling Lionel towards the bathroom. ¡°Kaius?!¡± With an overly cheery tone, Kaius says, ¡°Let me show you the bathroom next! The faucet can get a bit crazy!¡± They barge into the bathroom and that¡¯s when Kaius finally lets Lionel go. Lionel watches Kaius turn on the faucet of the bath with a gaping mouth as he rubs his wrist. A rush of loud, running water bursts out the faucet and into the bathtub, making it a little hard to hear anything else. ¡°Hey, what are you¡ª¡± Before Lionel could question the third-year¡¯s actions, Kaius pressed his index finger against his own lips, warning Lionel to be quiet. Fortunately for Kaius, the newbie followed. He gestures for Lionel to approach with his right hand. Kaius whispers, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lionel whispers back, ¡°Huh? What do you mean? I came here to study, what else?¡± ¡°You made a mistake.¡± The third year¡¯s expression has completely changed and it baffled Lionel further, it even frightened him. Kaius¡¯s entire body was trembling, like he was ready to burst or break down. His eyes go wide and his irises shrink, and he takes sharp breaths. ¡°Kaius, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± Lionel was more concerned than confused now. ¡°You made a mistake.¡± Kaius repeated. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Shit, we don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Kaius, you¡¯re freaking me out. Can you just explain?¡± ¡°The school, it¡¯s¡­the people, they¡ª¡± Not knowing where to start, Kaius ruffled his hair, ruining and messing with the hair tie of his ponytail. The tub is also almost filled. ¡°Just mind your business for now. Don¡¯t do anything impulsive and keep to yourself. Don¡¯t accept any challenges.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Just listen to me if you want to survive.¡± ¡°...¡± What? Survive? Survive what? Kaius leans closer as his whispers almost fall into silence, ¡°Next time.¡± Lionel tries to comprehend Kaius¡¯s words. Is he just stressed about how difficult the lessons are? Survive the classes? Survive what?! Finally, Kaius turns the tub off and scratches at the skin beneath his collar. ¡°Classes¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°Kaius?¡± Kaius suddenly smiles brightly at Lionel, causing Lionel to get a whiplash from what he assumes to be bipolar in the flesh. The shift in mood is briefly overwhelming as Kaius shakes Lionel¡¯s hand again. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Lionel. If you have any questions, feel free to approach and ask me! For now, I must return to classes!¡± And with that, Kaius quickly leaves Lionel in his bathroom and walks out the room. The new student wanted to chase him to ask more questions, but it was impossible since Kaius didn¡¯t have any intention of responding anymore. He had left Lionel even more confused and he didn¡¯t like it one bit. What did Kaius mean by all of that? What was with the sudden mood change? Was Kaius bipolar? Did he have a split personality or something? Lionel couldn¡¯t figure it out. One thing is for sure, something was off about this school now. Lionel notices the mirror above the sink in the bathroom. He stares at his reflection and his eyes drift to the black collar. The fingers of his right hand press against the metal, tugging it, twisting it, scratching it and tugging it again. The headmaster personally put it on him when he arrived at the gates. He was a little concerned about it at first, but once he mentioned security, Lionel put it at the back of his head. When he found it was a mana blocker, it made sense. Back in his previous school, a lot of rebellious and delinquent mages broke out into fights every now and then. A lot of other schools have fights like those as well. Mana blockers were a thing there too, but there was a lot of backlash with the use of mana blocking as some perceived it as taking away the rights of mage or something like that as Lionel recalls. Anyways, there were a lot of arguments regarding mana blockers, whose magic should get blocked, when and where, then overprotective family members would butt in, threaten to sue them or something, there was a lot of complicated stuff happening that Lionel couldn¡¯t quite grasp due to how troubling it sounded. Lionel personally didn¡¯t mind if his mana was blocked for such security and safety purposes, as long as there was guarantee that they would be free from the block when needed. But at the pit of his stomach, he felt that there was something that didn¡¯t seem right¡­ Well, Kaius did say ¡°next time¡±, so he¡¯ll get his answers then¡­ Whenever that will be.