《Magicapita》 Chapter 1: The Story Has Just Begun Money was power. Capital was magical. Income was cultivation. In the world of Alaria, the most powerful cultivators of magic were the rich. Or rather, the rich were the most powerful cultivators. They owned most of the capital, amassing astronomical amounts of wealth and, thus, magical power. The richer they grew, the more mana they accumulated in the depths of their body. The more mana they accumulated, the more powerful their magic was. The result? A world with extraordinary inequality that beggared belief. Not only were the poorest of the poor entirely desperate in a civilization that was hostile and predatory to them economically, but they were also entirely barren. Entirely barren of magic, that was. The rich were the strongest. The poor were the weakest. The former lived lavish and luxurious lives on magiyachts and magimansions of unimaginable splendor simply by virtue of owning immense magicapita that bestowed upon them godly power. The latter, on the other hand, struggled to survive. They toiled away in the slums, scraping together leftover food from restaurants, diners, bakeries, and just about anywhere they could get food from. Shelter was limited to abandoned warehouses, decrepit homes, or any standing structure with a roof over its head. Life was not only a struggle; it was a struggle without end. A struggle without hope. The poorest struggled for as long as they lived, which often was not too long due to how dangerous the streets could be. Be it assault, robberies, or gang violence, it was all too easy to lose one¡¯s life. The unhealthy living conditions and lifestyle, with very little access to healthcare, certainly didn¡¯t help with life expectancy either. It was a life with almost no escape. And thus, very few dreamed of escape. Very few genuinely harbored any hope of escaping poverty. And why would they? It would be nothing short of a miracle for most of them. An overwhelming majority of them were unemployable and uneducated. They possessed no skill or knowledge whatsoever, magical or otherwise, and they were often deficient in reading comprehension and basic arithmetics. Due to being unable to afford any housing, they lived in slummy neighborhoods that were far from any avenue of opportunity. There was simply no way out of poverty or the suffering that came with it. And yet, there were those scant few who dreamed of escaping the abyss. There were those who dared to hope for a better life. There were those who yearned for more. Despite the endless hurdles and tribulations that the very world of Alaria seemed to thrust upon them to impede their paths, they still strove to reach for the light, dedicating everything they had to lift themselves out of the pits of poverty. C? was one of them. For as long as he could remember, he yearned to lead a better life; it was all he had ever striven for in this godforsaken world. He had slogged for much of his life to achieve this humble goal, going above and beyond to uplift himself from the depths of poverty through any and all means possible. In his school days, he was perhaps the one and only student in a class of miscreants in an underfunded school in a poor district who dedicated his everything to academics. It finally paid off when he got accepted into a decent college and yet, his trials and tribulations had only just begun. Education at the college level was not free in the Democratic Republic of Elendir. He was not exceptional enough, despite his greatest efforts, to get a scholarship. Additionally, his background in one of the most slummy and crime-ridden districts in the city destroyed his chances of getting a loan. Banks took one look at him and his high-risk, sub-prime profile and sneered at him before ushering him out of the establishment. Not only did it take working forty hours a week as a waiter to be able to afford the tuition fees for his bachelor¡¯s degree in magicommerce, but he also needed to walk two hours on foot every day because he couldn¡¯t afford housing in the posh district of the City of Colohen where his college and job were. It was a grueling and painful part of his life that had him cursing the unfairness of the world around him, and yet, he gritted his teeth and forged on. He studied like a madman even as many of his college peers partied, smoked weed, and generally exhibited behavior that was unconducive to their future success. He endured the oppression in day-to-day life that came with being poor in a wealthier district and thus entirely devoid of mana. Those who were richer could instantly sense that he had no magic, and that instantly altered the dynamics of his interactions with anybody else in the entire district. He was poor. And thus, he was weak. And he knew better than anyone what happened to the weak in this godforsaken world. And yet, he endured. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He endured the angry customers who vented their frustrations and twisted power fantasies on him by exerting their mana. He endured bullies in college who came from rich and wealthy families and had more mana handed to them on a silver spoon than he had ever even seen in his entire life. He endured everything that the world threw at him. He endured all of it even as his hatred for the world around him festered. Hatred for this predatory world. Hatred for a world that was hostile to the weak and the poor. Hatred for a world that hated him. He endured and continued to work hard in college to get good grades to jump start what would hopefully be a lucrative career. And it finally paid off. His efforts eventually culminated three years later when he successfully graduated from his college with a degree in commerce. And yet, it was only when he landed a job as an assistant manager at a local food chain that he was able to obtain a salary that allowed him to eventually afford to rent the smallest of apartment rooms in the district. His plan was to accrue experience before applying for more lucrative positions in more profitable corporations, to continue grinding even harder as he worked up the corporate ladder. And it was only from then on, at the age of twenty-one, that his life began getting better. For the first time, he slept on beds that might as well have been that of royalty compared to the kind of places where he had taken shelter for most of his life. He ate healthy and even good food, at least compared to his diet in the past, and generally lived a more livable life that didn¡¯t push him to his very limit, both physically and mentally. Most of the income he made went into living expenses, but with each passing month, he managed to accrue some savings, meager as they were. And for the first time in his life, he meaningfully experienced the power of mana. With each leenar, the magicurrency of Elendir he earned, he felt mana filling up his mind. The more magicapita he accumulated, the more magical power he gained. It was the first time that he had ever experienced such power in his entire life. And yet, he wasn¡¯t able to use it, for he had no magic at his disposal. He didn¡¯t know how to apply this power that had begun filling his entire mind. He would need to master magic at a magicademy and learn to harness the power of mana. And yet, it wasn¡¯t even the best part of his new life. ¡°That would be me.¡± The cheerful voice of a woman behind him on his magiscooter drew his attention. ¡°With a life as shitty as yours, I am surely the best thing that has ever happened to you. Definitely a solid competitor. Top three at a bare minimum. I think I have a solid shot for gold.¡± A smirk cracked at the edge of C?¡¯s mouth. ¡°I mean, if the only way you can win is if you have no competition¡­¡± He chuckled as he felt a smack atop his helmet. ¡°Now then, back to recounting the past, Lilia.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, because I need yet another overdramatized retelling of your life.¡± Her tone was sarcastic and mischievous. ¡°Ah, but therein lies your mistake. You see, it¡¯s not you who needs it, but rather¡­¡± He turned to catch a glimpse of his girlfriend behind him. ¡°It¡¯s me who does. After all, how can I appreciate what I have now if I forget what I didn¡¯t have then?¡± His tone was sincere. Until he met his girlfriend, he had a permanent scowl on his resting face. He lived life with a lot of resentment and anger toward the world around him. In the wealthier district that he lived in, he was surrounded by people who were born with more magicapita than everything he had to struggle for. Why were they born into a well-off family when he was born into a hellhole with filth and dirt? Why did they get everything for free when he bled in order to get even a fraction of what they had? Perhaps other people would have eventually moved on with a helpless resignation, but not C?. He wasn¡¯t able to move on. He wasn¡¯t able to accept it. At least, not before he met Lilia. Her arms around his waist tightened as she rested her head on his back affectionately. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to get all philosophical on me, you know. Let¡¯s go home. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be late to the Selvigs tomorrow.¡± C? smirked at her well-hidden embarrassment. He found her shy discomfort towards his heartfelt expression to be one of the many adorable parts of her that he loved with all his heart. It was fun watching her melt into a puddle of embarrassment each time he opened his heart to her. He looked forward to saving up enough money with her and eventually getting married to her. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he truly looked forward to what the future held. ¡°Maybe this world isn¡¯t so bad after all.¡± A faint whisper escaped him as he drove his magiscooter forward once the traffic lights turned green. And that was when everything went downhill. BEEEP!!! His eyes widened with horror as a truck came barreling down from his side, running a red light. Its white headlights blinded him even as time slowed down to crawl in his mind. Out of nowhere, he came to stare death in the eyes. Out of nowhere, a moment of peace and serenity had suddenly turned into one of terror and despair. And yet, he was all but powerless to stop it. BANG!!! The truck crashed into his magiscooter in a devastating collision. The ear-rending mourn of crumpling metal echoed through the air even as the sheer impact ravaged the scooter and the two people atop it, sending them hurtling across the magitar roads. One moment, they were simply out for an evening ride. The very next, their mangled bodies were skidding across the road. Their bodies bled profusely through countless wounds. Broken bones. Torn muscles. Ruptured internal organs. Raw agony was the last thing C? experienced, even as the world was consumed by the darkness of his unconscious mind. His eyes closed as he lost consciousness. And then, an eternity passed. Or, at least, what felt like an eternity of darkness. Until, of course, it finally ended. His eyes slowly opened as he finally woke up. The first thing he felt was discomfort. His vision was blurred beyond comprehension. The sterile scent of a hospital lingered in the air while the muddled noise of footsteps and murmurs reached his ears. The pleasant sensation of a soft, warm cloth covered his entire body. It was not enough to mask the fact that his body certainly felt different. And yet, unbeknownst to him, it was not his body that had changed the most. No. It was his mind. Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t experience the dazed confusion that was to be expected, considering the traumatic injury that he had suffered. No. Instead, a deep sense of clarity unlike anything he had ever experienced in his entire life, permeated his entire mind. As though a deep fog impeded his vision, his entire life had suddenly lifted, revealing a landscape as far as the eye could see. He felt like he was able to think in dimensions and directions he didn¡¯t even know existed. And that was why he knew. That was why the gravity of what had happened clicked in his mind from the moment he woke up. He knew what had happened. He knew what he had lost. He couldn¡¯t have known. And yet, he knew. He gritted his teeth as his expression contorted with guttural grief. A single whisper escaped him even as his voice quivered with an abyss of emotional turmoil. ¡°Why?¡± And thus passed what would go on to become one of the most defining moments of his entire life. A moment that would define not only his future but the future of the entire world as well. A future unlike anything he could have ever imagined. The story of C? had only just begun. Chapter 2: A Tainted Gift ¡°Mr. C?.¡± The doctor¡¯s tone was gentle and disarming. ¡°I am Doctor Dane, the doctor assigned to your care and recovery.¡± Within five minutes of his awakening, C? was visited by a doctor and a team of nurses who immediately began tending to him. They stole glances at him with hints of disbelief and incredulity, as if they were looking at a ghost. And they were. C?¡¯s expression was ghostly. Dark. Eerie. A deep abyss of emotional turmoil lingered in the depths of his gray eyes. It weighed down on the atmosphere. ¡°¡­Mr. C?.¡± Doctor Dane¡¯s tone grew even softer as he tried to coax a response from C?. ¡°Are you¡­ having trouble understanding or hearing what I¡¯m saying?¡± The doctor gestured towards his ear as a hint of concern appeared on his face. C?¡¯s gray eyes shifted to the doctor with a piercing gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and wide open. A perilous intensity lurked in their depths, sending chills across the doctor¡¯s skin. A single whisper escaped C?. ¡°Lilia.¡± The air grew heavy. It grew heavy under the weight of the emotions that boiled in the depths of his soul. Sorrow. Misery. Despair. And amid all of them, hope. The faint light of hope still lingered in the depths of his gray eyes. The doctor hesitated. ¡°Mr. C?... I must insist that we first confirm your condition and state of mind¡ª¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± The doctor winced. It was but a whisper. And yet, it was sharp. It cut through the well-meaning words of the concerned doctor. ¡°¡­Mr. C?, we must confirm your state of mind and the neurological function of your mind. Please allow us to perform the necessary tests to verify¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± The edge in his whisper grew more intense. The tension in the air rose as C?¡¯s fierce gaze pierced deep into the depths of Doctor Dane¡¯s concerned gaze. The doctor heaved a deep breath as his demeanor changed. It grew more solemn. Serious. ¡°Mr. C?¡­¡± The brief hint of hesitation in his eyes was suppressed. ¡°I regret to inform you that Miss Lilia Mandal passed away thirty-six hours after the unfortunate accident. You have my deepest condolences.¡± C? trembled. He shook as an endless amount of sorrow and grief crushed his heart. He knew. He didn¡¯t know how he knew. But he knew in the depths of his heart. And yet, the agony he felt in the depths of his soul was as painful as could be. Too painful. His breathing halted, choked by emotion, as his heart palpitated uncertainly. His eyes rolled backward, earning an alarmed grimace from the doctor. ¡°Patient is going into shock!¡± He immediately held C? down as he lifted his patient¡¯s legs while a nurse hurriedly performed the medical protocols to administer the required first aid. The doctor pulled out a wand from his robes, one littered with strange symbols that glowed with mana. He pointed the wand at C?, murmuring a strange incantation. ¡°??????? ?????????.¡± A profound and ephemeral light enveloped his entire body. Magic. The gentle and warm light of the healing magic stabilized C? as he lost consciousness. And once more, he returned to darkness. This time, it didn¡¯t seem to last as long as it had the last time. It wasn¡¯t long before C? opened his eyes once more. For the first time for as long as he could remember, tears fell out of his eyes. He had hoped that all of it was just a long nightmare. One that would end the moment he got up. Perhaps he would wake up with Lilia by his side. But reality coldly doused his desperate hopes. She was gone. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She was gone forever. He would have to live a life with her absence. He would have to live in a world without her. A maelstrom of grief, sorrow, misery, and despair bore down on the depths of his heart. ¡°Mr. C?.¡± The familiar old doctor slowly walked before him with an expression of concern. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± C?¡¯s eyes slowly turned to the doctor beside him. A single whisper escaped him. ¡°¡­Why?¡± The doctor was at a loss for words. ¡°Why did she have to go?¡± The old doctor¡¯s expression grew sympathetic. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for your loss, Mr. C?.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± His tone grew more piercing. ¡°Why did she have to go?¡± His gray eyes grew more forceful. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save her?¡± The doctor shook his head helplessly. ¡°We tried our best, Mr. C?. I was in charge of both of you as my patients. She had suffered particularly severe damage to her liver, lungs, and kidneys. Far beyond what she or we could have healed with ordinary means.¡± ¡°Magic.¡± A sharp retort struck back. The doctor regarded him with a hint of remorse. An expert magical healer could indeed heal the wounds that the doctor described. Usually, hospitals had at least one of them on standby and on call to administer their services specifically for cases like this. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to inform you that she¡­ didn¡¯t qualify for magical treatment.¡± C?¡¯s eyes sharpened with a piercing gaze. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t qualify?¡± The doctor¡¯s eyes grew more sullen. ¡°The hospital¡¯s magical treatment approval panel judged that she didn¡¯t have enough magicapita for the treatment.¡± It was at that moment that hints of old, forgotten rage at the world began resurfacing from their slumber within him. He despised the way the world worked from the bottom of his heart. And now, a mind-numbing amount of fury erupted from the depths of his heart, fueled by the grief of his loss. ¡°They let her die because¡­ she wasn¡¯t wealthy enough?¡± A chilling whisper escaped him. ¡°¡­Her insurance didn¡¯t cover healing magic, either, I¡¯m afraid.¡± The doctor heaved a helpless sigh. ¡°Emergency aid doesn¡¯t cover healing magic. I did my best to treat her as well as I could, but I don¡¯t have the healing magic needed to heal ruptured and dying internal organs.¡± ¡°So¡­ the hospital could have saved her, but didn¡¯t.¡± Cold wrath boiled in the undertone of his whisper. The air tingled. The atmosphere grew electric. ¡°Where is her body?¡± His whisper quivered with grief and rage. ¡°I wish to see her. I wish to see her right now.¡± ¡°Mr. C?¡­¡± The doctor hesitated. ¡°Please calm down. What I need to inform you isn¡¯t going to be easy to digest.¡± C?¡¯s chilling gaze shifted to the doctor silently. ¡°I was going to inform you last time, but¡­¡± the doctor¡¯s expression grew grim. ¡°Mr. C?, you have been in a coma for the past six months.¡± C?¡¯s pupils quivered with shock as his expression crumbled with horror. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Not only was your body gravely injured, but our tests and scans showed that you had suffered some brain damage as well,¡± he explained patiently. ¡°Frankly, after the first three months, we were almost entirely certain that you would never wake up ever again. That was why we were deeply and urgently concerned about your neurological state of mind before we answered your questions.¡± He stared at the doctor with stunned horror. ¡°Breathe, Mr. C?. It won¡¯t do you any good to fall back into shock.¡± The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder. It was only at that moment that C? realized that he hadn¡¯t inhaled for almost half a minute, immediately gasping for air. ¡°Six months¡­?¡± His eyes widened with horror. ¡°What about Lilia¡­?¡± He turned to the doctor with a fearful expression. The doctor lowered his head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid that, in accordance with protocol, the hospital has disposed of her cadaver. The hospital¡­ disposes of unclaimed bodies after six months.¡± Pure fury and rage bubbled up from within the depths of C?¡¯s heart. The sheer wrath that erupted within him distorted his expression with vengeance, unlike anything the doctor had ever seen. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for everything that you have suffered through, Mr. C?.¡± The doctor lowered his head lightly. ¡°But I must insist that you let us conduct our cognitive, motor, and sensory neurological tests so that we can identify potential disorders or lapses in your ability and function as early as possible and treat and potentially even heal them as soon as possible.¡± C? wasn¡¯t even listening. He didn¡¯t even hear a word the man uttered. His gaze grew vacant. His eyes grew hollow. His body grew limp. His expression grew empty. He might as well have been a corpse. ¡°¡­How would Lilia feel if she saw you abandon yourself like this?¡± C? stirred. As though her name was the key to earning his undivided attention. Like a magic spell. ¡°¡­It would break her heart.¡± A whisper escaped him as a tear fell from his eyes. And that was when the full weight of her death truly hit him. Doctor Dane patted his shoulder as he broke down, sobbing uncontrollably at the loss of the person he loved the most. Tears fell from his eyes. They fell more that day than they ever had in his entire life. He had never been an emotive or an expressive person, having learned the importance of not projecting anything other than steely stoicism after all the years he had spent on the streets and the slums. And yet, today, a dam broke. A dam that held back an avalanche of emotion. He broke down with a flood of emotions for the rest of the day in a long-awaited cathartic release of grief and sorrow. By the time he calmed down the next day, it was only because his body physically couldn¡¯t cry any more. His eyes were so bloodshot that they were light red across the entirety of their corneas. His face was a mess, completely disheveled and unsightly after the tears that he had shed. He was exhausted at the depths of his soul. And yet, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the doctor¡¯s words. ¡°¡­Please conduct your tests.¡± ¡°We will get to just that immediately.¡± Doctor Dane smiled with a hint of relief. ¡°We have detected troubling signs, so we will administer particularly extensive and challenging tests to truly discern whether or not cognitive impairment has occurred or not.¡± Immediately, Doctor Dane and a nurse got to work as they subjected him to a variety of neuropsychological tests that measured the countless parameters through which the functions of the mind could be inferred. They administered tests measuring verbal, quantitative, and deductive cognition to truly investigate in detail whether or not his cognition was impaired or not. They measured his sensory acuity, fine hand-eye coordination, and motor skills to also verify the other avenues of neuromotor impairment. They expected to find at least some impairment and loss. They hadn¡¯t told him yet, because of very valid concerns about his mental state and whether it would trigger another state of shock, but the fact of the matter was that his cranium had been deeply injured in the accident. So much so that the hospital had essentially written off any chance of recovery from this particular patient but were still obligated to keep him in care as part of his right to emergency care. The fact that he woke up alone was miraculous enough. To be entirely free of any cognitive impairment would be even more shocking. Yet, what their tests revealed was far beyond anything they could have ever even begun to fathom. He displayed extraordinary cognitive function. He showcased an impressive amount of verbal intelligence while his quantitative, qualitative, and deductive reasoning were truly incredible. However, the most extraordinary avenue of cognitive function was his creativity. He displayed a truly otherworldly degree of creativity on the preliminary divergent thinking test that they administered. ¡°This¡­¡± Doctor Dane widened his eyes with bewilderment as he read through the results of the cognitive tests. ¡°This is¡­¡± He understood what he was looking at. ¡°Acquired Savant Syndrome.¡± An extraordinarily rare condition where a non-disabled person developed extraordinary aptitude in a particular domain or field after a brain injury or neurological disorder. For the first time in his entire career, Doctor Dane had run into a patient who genuinely possessed Acquired Savant Syndrome. An unimaginable boon. An unimaginable boon that came after an unimaginable price. Chapter 3: Naive Desperation for Justice The diagnosis of Acquired Savant Syndrome was truly a shocking one. One that none of them could have ever imagined. And yet, as they continued extensively testing him with a battery of neurocognitive tests, the results became exceedingly clear. C? had come to develop a truly impressive aptitude in several cognitive parameters, particularly in the trait of divergent thinking. It was difficult to understate how rare the condition was. In the entirety of the world of Alaria, there were less than a hundred known recorded cases of Acquired Savant Syndrome. It was so astronomically rare that less than one in a million people who experienced some kind of neurological disorder or brain injury of any kind were diagnosed with Acquired Savant Syndrome. ¡°Don¡¯t you see, Mr. C??!¡± Doctor Dane exclaimed with an excited expression. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle! You have been blessed!¡± Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get the reaction that he sought. His patient barely stirred at the otherwise stunning revelations. It couldn¡¯t be helped. It hadn¡¯t even been a day since he had woken up six months after an accident that killed his lover. The grief and sorrow were still fresh in his mind. It still consumed him. The doctor heaved a sigh, putting a hand on his patient¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mr. C?, I know that you are hurting inside¡­ but you have been blessed with an extraordinarily rare gift. This gift can help you in any and all ventures. It will be a source of great power for you for the rest of your life!¡± C?¡¯s cold gaze shifted towards the doctor. ¡°¡­Will it bring everything that I have lost?¡± The doctor flinched at the frost in his words. ¡°Will it allow me to fix the past?¡± His voice was frosty. ¡°Will it allow me to travel back in time and heal her when the hospital refused to?¡± His voice sparkled with anger. Already, his grief had become fuel for his rage and hatred for the way things had unfolded. So much so that he wasn¡¯t even able to appreciate the gift that he had inadvertently received after losing the one person he loved with all his heart. ¡°Will it allow me to mourn before the hospital disposed of her like she was a piece of garbage?¡± he growled. The doctor shook his head helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. C?. I truly am.¡± The man¡¯s heartfelt remorse for something that wasn¡¯t even his fault made C? feel a hint of guilt and regret. Doctor Dane didn¡¯t deserve to be subjected to his emotional turmoil when he was simply expressing heartfelt concern and care. ¡°No¡­¡± C? shook his head as his voice quivered with emotion. ¡°¡­I should be the one saying that.¡± He gazed at the doctor with soft eyes. ¡°Thank you for doing everything you could to save Lilia.¡± Gratitude could be heard in the depths of his voice. ¡°Thank you for saving my life,¡± he continued. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± The doctor smiled warmly at C?. ¡°I was just doing my duty as a doctor, young man. You have nothing to thank me for. I only wish I had the healing magic needed to save Miss Mandal.¡± True regret could be heard in his voice. Unfortunately, even if he had possessed that power, he would undoubtedly have been sucked into the system. The cold, cruel system that would let an innocent person die just because they weren¡¯t wealthy enough to be worth saving. Even if he had had the power to save Lilia, he would have been unable to help her whatsoever. Cold fury, unlike anything C? had ever felt before, chilled in the depths of his heart as his gray eyes grew eerily perilous. It took every ounce of self-control to stop himself from quivering with wrath. ¡°Mr. C?¡­¡± Doctor Dane hesitated. ¡°We have yet to talk about the rest of your condition and your diagnosis. You have been through a terrible accident and our primary concern after you woke up was ensuring that your neurocognitive parameters were just alright. And now that we have confirmed that you have fortunately not only not received any impairment, I think it¡¯s time we brief you on the rest of your condition. Your physical condition.¡± They had been the most concerned about his mind when he woke up from a coma of six months, but that didn¡¯t mean that his physical body was entirely unscathed. Most certainly not. ¡°This is going to be important, so please pay attention, Mr. C?.¡± What followed was a long list of injuries, conditions, and wounds that he had suffered as a result of the accident. A myriad of broken bones, damaged internal organs, muscle tears, large swathes of lost skin and flesh, and a multitude of other more minor conditions. Thankfully, six months had already passed since the accident, giving his body time to heal the worst of it under the care of Doctor Dane and the nurses. The scars on his body and across his face revealed that he had truly suffered a brutal and devastating accident. Scar tissue streaked across the entirety of his skin and flesh. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°We have deployed some basic healing magic to slow down muscle atrophy and nourish your body just enough to ensure that there is no severe permanent impairment of sorts. However, it will still take time before you fully heal,¡± the doctor explained. ¡°Unfortunately, this also comes with an extensive list of supplements, some medication, physiotherapy, and lots of rest. Additionally¡­¡± The doctor continued droning on and on about important pointers, notes, and a multitude of dos and don¡¯ts. The accident had ravaged his entire body, leaving so many health complications that it took an hour for the doctor to fully finish communicating everything he needed to C? about how to look after himself in the aftermath of the accident. ¡°¡­In general, do not push your system and your health too far,¡± Doctor Dane warned. ¡°You have not and will not fully return to the condition that you were in prior to the crash; it is best that you do not stress or strain yourself too much for the rest of your life.¡± The severe tone of the doctor¡¯s warning conveyed the importance of his prescriptions. And yet, C? couldn¡¯t even bring himself to feel the slightest sense of severity. Did it even matter? ¡°We have monitored your condition and have deemed you fit for discharge,¡± Doctor Dane continued. And yet, his expression was severe. ¡°Good luck, Mr. C?. It won¡¯t be easy. I have¡­ tried my best to minimize the burden.¡± His tone was grave. C? didn¡¯t understand at that time. He only understood when he was officially discharged as a patient and was presented the bill for any and all medical expenditures that had gone into his treatment over the past six months. ¡°7,800,000 leenars¡­?¡± C?¡¯s expression crumpled with darkness as he read through the long tabulated bill that detailed the extensive list of medical goods and services that he had consumed while in a coma. ¡°Are you¡­ serious?¡± The nation of Elendir merely recognized the right to emergency aid. Not the right to free emergency aid, unfortunately. What especially boiled his blood was that the bill included the cost of Lilia¡¯s healthcare as well as the cost of disposing of her body. ¡°Correct, Mr. C?,¡± the man replied with a cold voice as he adjusted his glasses. ¡°You may pay through cash or make a magital payment, if you please.¡± C?¡¯s stared at the man before with grave reckoning. ¡°And if I don¡¯t have the money to make the payment¡­?¡± ¡°I am afraid that we will have to charge you with debt defaulting,¡± the administrative executive¡¯s voice grew even colder. ¡°At which time you will be ordered by the court of Colohen to pay the mandated amount plus an additional amount in compensation for our legal expenditure. If you are unable to make the payment then, your assets will be seized and liquidated as compensation. And if you are unable to make the payment even with your seized assets, then¡­¡± His tone grew chilling. ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid we will have no choice but to demand the courts to have you compensate our damages with manual labor under a court-ordered slave contract.¡± It was at that moment that all the grief and sorrow that boiled within his heart fully turned into hatred. Pure loathing unlike anything C? had ever experienced before boiled in the depths of his heart. Slavery was not outlawed in the nation of Elendir. It was not outlawed anywhere in the entire world, in fact. It had simply become a judicial instrument of remuneration and compensation in the event that a party could not uphold a monetary or financial obligation in any given contractual or legal transaction. A power exclusively held by the judiciary of most governments around the world. Having always lived below his means, he never expected to even come anywhere near facing this much-feared judicial sentencing that he had actively stayed away from his entire life. It was a truly horrible fate. The mere threat of it sent shivers down his back. ¡°Do I need to make the payment all at once?¡± He gritted his teeth, struggling to rein in his wrath. ¡°Of course not.¡± The executive¡¯s voice grew more relaxed. ¡°It will be treated like an open-ended loan. You will need to pay interest, at a rate of about three-point-five percent, on the principal or the remaining amount until you have fully paid back every ounce of money. For a principal of 7,800,000 leenars, that should be about¡­¡± The man pulled out a calculator. ¡°Two-hundred and seventy-three-thousand leenars per annum,¡± C? correctly stated, even as sought to keep his emotions in check. The executive raised an eyebrow with a momentary hint of surprise. ¡°¡­Precisely.¡± He pulled out a form and a contract from his briefcase before placing them before C?. ¡°Fill in the details and sign there at the bottom, and our business will be complete.¡± C? clenched his fist as deep consternation flashed in his eyes. The air grew tense under the weight of the fiery emotions that boiled within him. He wanted to strangle the man then and there. He wanted to rain down on him an onslaught of blows, pummeling him to a pulp. And yet, he couldn¡¯t. He was too weak. The man was brimming with mana. He was rich. As long as he gained even basic proficiency in any field of magic with even the slightest relevance in combat, he would be able to effortlessly dominate C? then and there. C? was almost entirely devoid of mana at the moment. A blood-curdling reminder that he had lost all his magicapita. The small, congested, and poorly maintained apartment that he had rented was gone. The scooter he owned and painstakingly bought to make his daily commute was also gone. The meager savings in his bank account was also gone. He had almost certainly lost his job, having been absent for half a year. Judging by how little mana he had left, he had lost almost everything he owned. He was so lacking in mana that even the administrative executive before him knew with a single disdainful and contemptuous glance that he was too poor to pay off the debt that he owed the hospital. He felt like he was being squeezed of everything he owned. It wasn¡¯t enough that he lost Lilia? Did he have to lose everything he owned, too? Just how much would this world take from him? Years of hard work, a frugal lifestyle, and steely perseverance had allowed him to lift himself up from abject poverty into something resembling a decent lifestyle. And all of that was robbed from him in the blink of an eye. STEP C? walked out of the hospital after signing the papers and undertaking a deep burden of debt. He found himself beholding the world around him for what felt like the first time in an eternity. The lifeless array of skyscrapers owned by massive corporations littered the downtown. A dark and desolate world. A world that trampled over the poor and weak. He gritted his teeth as he clenched his fists. Pure grief and rage boiled in the depths of his eyes. He truly hated this world from the bottom of his heart. And yet, there was the slightest glimmer of hope amidst the fury and hatred in his gray eyes. From the moment he stepped out of the hospital, there was one and only one thing that he cared about. The man who crashed into them with a truck. C? would ensure that he got what he deserved. ¡°Justice¡­¡± A whisper escaped him as his expression hardened with chilling vengeance. ¡°Justice for Lilia.¡± Little did he realize just how naive his sentiment was at the time. - Chapter 4: Destroy and Create ¡°I¡¯m afraid that this case has already been investigated and closed, Mr. C?.¡± C? gritted his teeth. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It has been six months since your accident. This case has already been investigated,¡± the police superintendent before him replied sternly. ¡°We have investigated the accident and have come to the conclusion that no crime was committed.¡± C?¡¯s expression cracked with rage. ¡°No crime? That truck ran a red light! He crashed into us and killed a person!¡± ¡°Mr. C?, the records of our investigation suggest that it was you who ran the red light,¡± the police superintendent retorted coldly. ¡°We have multiple witness testimonies that it was you who recklessly drove into the road of ongoing traffic.¡± C? clenched his fist with cold wrath. Testimonies that he ran headfirst into traffic? Bullshit. His memory had gotten exponentially better after he was diagnosed with his Acquired Savant Syndrome. He was able to recreate the memory with perfection in his mind in three dimensions, as excruciatingly painful as it was. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± C? glared at the superintendent with a murderous expression. ¡°He was the one who ran headfirst into traffic. I urge you to do the right thing. You must charge the driver with manslaughter.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, young man,¡± the officer growled. ¡°If anything, we ought to charge you with reckless endangerment and manslaughter for killing a beautiful young woman.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t investigate this case properly and bring justice to Lilia¡­¡± C?¡¯s tone grew menacing. ¡°Then I will have to take legal actio¡ª!¡± In the blink of an eye, the man¡¯s arm surged forward, glowing with magic as he lifted C? up by the collar. ¡°Listen to me, you little shit,¡± he growled. ¡°You have the gall to threaten me after I took the effort to look into your case and break the truth to you nicely and gently? I¡¯ll fucking kill you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re no officer of the law¡­¡± C? squeezed out with an expression of fury. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re just a pathetic, corrupt police officer¡­¡± The police officer¡¯s expression bristled with rage as he dragged C? out of his office with one hand despite all the stares the commotion drew, before literally throwing him out of the police station. ¡°Don¡¯t ever come back here,¡± he growled, before returning to his office. ¡°I will beat you to a pulp if I ever see your face again.¡± C? gritted his teeth, grimacing as he got up from the pavement, immune to the puzzled looks he got from onlookers and passersby. And yet, not a single person stepped to help him. They had all seen what had just happened to him and by whom. None of them wanted to risk getting involved with someone on the other side of law enforcement. They simply moved on with their day, averting their gaze. Pure anger boiled in the depths of C?¡¯s eyes as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. The virulent intensity of the hatred that erupted in his heart exceeded anything he had ever felt in his entire life. His emotional turmoil only grew increasingly tumultuous. He struggled to rein in the ferocious hostility that emerged from the very core of his being. A deep abhorrence that lurked in the depths of his eyes. He hated everything. He always had. But in that moment, the sheer depth of malevolence he harbored against the entire world was so immense that it was palpable in every fiber of his being. He wanted to burn the world down. He felt a maddening urge to tear it down brick by brick with his own two hands. He yearned to do to the world what it had done to him. For what it had done to him his entire life. It wasn¡¯t enough that his father was gone and his mother died when he was born, causing him to be thrust into a broken foster care system from which he had run away many times. It wasn¡¯t enough that he was born with less than nothing to his name. It wasn¡¯t enough that he had been almost entirely barren of mana his entire life. It wasn¡¯t enough that he was born in the slums, spending much of his life struggling just to survive. It wasn¡¯t enough that he had spent his life clawing out of his way from the abyss of the streets, desperately trying to obtain something resembling a normal life. And now after everything he had overcome with a ferocious perseverance and determination, the world robbed him of everything he had ever worked hard to obtain. It robbed him of the one person that he had come to love with all his life. It robbed him of a life that he had gone through hell to build. It robbed him of justice for her death. In what was just a blink of an eye to him, he had been robbed of everything and left with crippling debt. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± he squeezed out with rage and hatred. ¡°Damn it all¡­!¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. If only he had the power to change it all. If only he had the power to change the entire world. If only he had the power to set ablaze the entire world and mold a new one from its ashes. If only he had the power to tear down this world brick by brick and build a new one from the rubble. If only he had the power to do the world what it had done to him so that it would never do it to anybody else. And that was when it hit him. That was when a thundering realization struck him. His eyes widened as time slowed down to a crawl in his eyes. ¡°¡®If only I had the power¡­?¡¯¡± A stunned whisper escaped him. ¡°¡­What if I could?¡± Wealth was power. Magical power. If he wanted the power to change the world then¡­ ¡°I just need to acquire it.¡± It was precisely at that moment that he came to understand. It was exactly then that he comprehended. An epiphany exploded in the depths of his mind. Enlightenment dawned upon his very soul. The doctors had never managed to pinpoint precisely what field or domain he had Acquired Savant Syndrome for. And now, C? knew. He felt his mind expanding into a myriad of different dimensions of thought as he found the direction in which his Acquired Savant Syndrome had expanded his aptitude and talent for. ¡°Cultivating power¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Cultivating wealth. Cultivating magic.¡± In the blink of an eye, his mindscape brimmed with an ocean of ideas. An inferno of imagination and creativity almost spontaneously erupted from within his mind, generating immense potential for creating wealth unlike anything he could have ever imagined before. An entirely new world of possibilities that he had been blind to before was now waiting for him. ¡°I just need to cultivate the power that I need to tear this world and build a new world for myself.¡± Had anybody else paid heed to what the crazy man lying on the road was murmuring to himself, they would have concluded that he had lost his mind. Tearing down this world and building a new one? Only a delusional fool could have possibly uttered such nonsense with complete seriousness. Any sane man would have instantly realized how mind-bogglingly and astronomically difficult even a tiny portion of the objective was. And yet. C?¡¯s eyes flared with a menacing intensity. He was serious. Dead serious. He understood just how maddeningly difficult it truly was. And yet¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± A whisper escaped him. In a world ruled by the powerful, only by becoming the strongest cultivator could he possibly change the world. Only by becoming the most powerful man in the world could he possibly tear down the existing evil order and replace it by building a better one in its place. And thus, while lying on the pavement outside a police station, he spontaneously carved a new goal onto his heart. ¡°I will become the most powerful man in the world.¡± His tone was laced with a fierce determination. ¡°I will become the richest man in the world.¡± His expression steeled with ferocious willpower. ¡°I will become rich and strong enough to tear down this entire world and forge a new one in its place.¡± It was the oath of a madman. A mission that he had already decided to dedicate his entire life to. Had anybody else gone through what he did, they would not have chosen to go down this path of madness. And indeed, of the countless people who had been abused and tortured by the malice of the establishment like C? had, none of them had sworn an oath to change the world. They too harbored deep resentment and anger towards the existing order. Yet, none of them had even considered, for even the slightest moment, that they could possibly destroy it. None of them had even conceived of even the slightest notion that they could not only destroy it, but could also build a better world. And why would they? It was beyond crazy. It was beyond maniacal. It was beyond lunatic. Language was too limited to fully convey just how nonsensically delusional such a thought was. It took a broken man with a broken brain. It took endless malevolence, hatred, and anger against the entire world to stare at it in its entirety and decide to raze it until there was nothing left and raise a new world where the old one had been. By the time his mental state stabilized and cooled down, it had changed. It had changed at its very root. For most of his life, he had lived with just one goal. To live a life worth living. Born in the slums, he would often walk past wealthier districts and neighborhoods with a dreamy look of envy. Spacious, clean streets and sidewalks. Luscious gardens and immense greenery. Large homes. An abundance magicars and magimobiles. He could almost smell the sheer amount of collective mana in all the magicapita in the air. The residents walked around with a sense of safety and wellbeing that he yearned to have. He had just achieved the very inception of that life before the world cruelly robbed him of his dream and the person he had come to love with all his heart. And thus, his goal had changed. He was not content with a ¡®good¡¯ life. His ambitions had come to swallow up the entire world. He would change the entire world. That was his new goal. STEP By the time he got up from the ground, he looked completely unhinged. Many would say he was. And yet, he was also entirely serious about the mind-bogglingly difficult and lunatic goal he had set for himself. ¡°How do I cultivate all that power? How do I cultivate all that money?¡± That was where the sheer impossibility of his quest was. He needed to not only gain enough money to be the richest man in the entire world, he also needed to gain enough wealth and power to single-handedly overcome the forces that sought to maintain the tyranny of the existing world order. Only then would he have gained enough power to create a new world from the ashes of the old one. A flicker of madness lit up in his eyes as his mind conjured a myriad of ideas through which he could possibly cultivate all the money he needed. ¡°Regardless of how I do it, it most certainly is not going to be through the salary of an assistant manager.¡± That was certain. No one had ever become a rich powerhouse of a tycoon with a salaried income. In fact, no one had ever joined the richest class of trillionels, people with a net worth of a trillion standard units in any given magicurrency, through labor income¡ªthat was, income earned through labor. There was only one way to become truly rich and powerful. ¡°Capital income.¡± Income by virtue of magicapita. The richest of the richest grew rich by virtue of ownership. Ownership of equity, bonds, resources, credit, intellectual property, financial instruments, and other forms of magicapita yielded much greater income than fixed salaries ever could. ¡°If I wanted to become the richest¡­¡± The intensity in C?¡¯s eyes grew. ¡°Then I need to cultivate capital income, not labor income.¡± It was easier said than done. And yet, C? was entirely prepared to do everything it took to cultivate all the capital income it took to become the richest of the richest, no matter how much time it took him. Chapter 5: The Path of Success The capital-labor divide was one of the greatest drivers of inequality in the world of Alaria. Most of a nation¡¯s growth in gross domestic product went to capital income that was mostly concentrated in the hands of the rich as opposed to labor income which was what the working class and the poor earned. Dividends, profits, interest, and rents rose far faster and greater than fixed salaries which required active pressuring and continuous performance for even the possibility of a reluctant bump. C? was crystal clear that labor income could never help him reach his impossible goal. The only way he could get to where he wanted to was by ownership of magicapita; capital which bestowed its mana to its owner. He needed to have capital income and lots of it. And that obviously begged the question. ¡°How do I get my hands on all the capital income I need?¡± Simply getting one¡¯s hands on capital income was not the hard part; that could easily be done by purchasing equity on the Elendir Stock Exchange. The issue was that he needed to own a lot of magicapita that yielded a lot of income to eventually give him the power he needed. Enough to be the richest and thus the most powerful man in the world. Purchasing all of that on a public stock exchange would require him to already own all the money that he was looking for in the first place. ¡°How in the world am I supposed to get my hands on all the massive amounts of magicapita I need?¡± C?¡¯s eyes narrowed. Very few people had ever achieved even a fraction of the impossible goal he had set for himself. The handful of the most powerful and rich people in the world. That begged the question. ¡°How did they get their hands on all their magicapita?¡± That was easy to answer. ¡°Luck. Inheritance. Success.¡± C? could rule out the first two pretty firmly. His mother had died giving birth to him and he hadn¡¯t the faintest fathoming who his father was; he had absolutely no inheritance whatsoever. His life, on the other hand, felt like the world had conspired to play a sick game to test just how much misfortune it could stuff inside one person before they broke. He could not count on luck or inheritance to get him to the top of the world. That left just one other option. ¡°Success.¡± Some of the single most wealthiest people in the world obtained their wealth through commercial success. They started what were initially small businesses before those small businesses went on to become the largest magicorporations in the world. Simply by retaining ownership of most of the company, they obtained absolutely gigantic amounts of magicapita in the form of extraordinarily precious equity. If he was going to become the richest and most powerful person in the world to then tear it down and create a new world without injustice and inequality, then this was the only path forward. He would need to endeavor on commercial ventures in the hopes that he would eventually be able to hit it big. The very thought of it stimulated his mind. His imagination flared out of control, dreaming up countless visions and possibilities emerged in his mind that offered a multitude of paths that he could potentially walk to eventually achieve his goal of becoming the most powerful man in the world. There was just one problem. ¡°Even the cheapest possibilities require at least some financial stability and venture capital.¡± In the past twenty four hours after his discharge from the hospital, he had gotten a good grasp on his current circumstances. His job was long gone, obviously. There was a good chance that the diner that he used to work at would welcome him to his own position once more. His little flat room was also long gone, having received no rent, it most certainly wouldn¡¯t remain registered to his name. He was sure that his misanthrope of a landlord had disposed of all his personal belongings as well. He could feel the lack of mana in his mana core, indicating that he had lost all his savings too. The bank had most likely claimed his savings to cover his student loans. Thus, at the moment, the only magicapita he owned was his clothes, the cash in his wallet and, of course, his sovereign ownership over his body and his skillset. The debt he had undertaken most likely canceled that as well, resulting in almost no mana in his mind. Aside from that, he had nothing. He had absolutely no way of starting a commercial venture or start-up of any kind. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. On top of that, he was in debt for not just his own medical bills but also for Lilia¡¯s, a fact that truly enraged and festered the hatred that lingered in his heart. ¡°I need a job immediately to start paying off that loan. I don¡¯t want to end up as a slave.¡± As much as he disliked it, he would need to go back to working a job for the time being. He simply did not have the prerequisites to start on a venture. ¡°Back to struggling just to survive and save once more.¡± A scowl emerged on his face at the very thought of it. He had done it shortly after graduating high school when he applied for college. Commuting across districts on his cycle was truly tiring, but alas, it was something that he would need to do again until he had enough money to live comfortably. And thus, it began. The struggle of a lifetime. He knew that it would be tough. He knew that it would be the most difficult thing he had ever set out to do. Perhaps one of the most difficult things that anyone had set out to do. But, he didn¡¯t intend to fail. For now, his primary goal was to secure his most basic needs. ¡°I need food and shelter.¡± Both required money. Money that he didn¡¯t have. ¡°Food can be handled, but shelter¡­¡± His expression grew complicated. ¡°It¡¯s a luxury that I can¡¯t afford for now. I need alternatives.¡± There were no such things as homeless shelters in Elendir. The city and the country didn¡¯t give a damn about the homeless. Not only did they not give care, but they even designed cities with the express purpose of deterring homeless people from taking shelters. Hostile architecture was designed to prevent the homeless from being able to take shelter on benches, or vents. Often armed with inhumane means of preventing homeless people from being able to even rest. ¡°I¡¯d sleep in a bag on the streets¡­¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°If not for the fact that I¡¯d get caught and locked up by the police.¡± Elendir actively spent taxpayer leenars to drive away the homeless who occupied the streets at night, all to ensure that the pristine image of the city was not sullied. Even the citizens of the more posh districts would go out of their way to report homeless people so that the streets could be entirely cleansed of them. That cut out simply living outside. ¡°My old employer¡­¡± C? murmured to himself. ¡°Would she let me sleep in the storage room at night?¡± He had been employed at a family-run restaurant for several years before his accident and coma. They were among the few people who had ever treated him kindly. ¡°Maybe¡­ just maybe¡­¡± C? dared to hope. ¡°Mrs. Selvig would let me sleep there for the time being.¡± That was how desperate his quest for shelter had gotten. That was his only hope at finding shelter in the middle districts of the City of Colohen. This was the only way he could avoid returning to the slums. It wasn¡¯t too long back before he returned to the diner that formerly employed him with the hopes of obtaining a job and free shelter. He wound up finding himself in the office of his former employer, shocking the woman where she sat. ¡°C?¡­?¡± An elder woman with red hair and green eyes arose from her seat in her office. ¡°Is that you¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Selvig.¡± His tone softened a little. ¡°I have returned.¡± She walked over to him with a dropped jaw, as if she was beholding a ghost. ¡°You¡­ You woke up?¡± ¡°Very recently.¡± C? nodded gently. She arrived before him with a painful expression, wincing as she touched the scars that ran across his face and down his body. ¡°They told me that you, that she¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± C?¡¯s expression crumbled with grief. Mrs. Selvig heaved a shaky sigh as she shook her head with regret. ¡°¡­What can I do for you, C??¡± ¡°I was hoping that you could provide me with my old job, Mrs. Selvig,¡± C? softly explained. ¡°If you are able to do this for me, I will be eternally grateful to you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You have worked at Selvig¡¯s Ristorante for six years! We would love to have you back.¡± A smile cracked at the edge of his mouth for the first time in six months. He had worked at Selvig¡¯s Ristorante ever since he got into college, trying to pay off his student loan debt as a waiter. After he graduated with a degree in commerce, he became a manager for the company. He wouldn¡¯t have made it if not for the kind couple running a thriving family-owned business. ¡°One last thing, and I¡¯m really sorry for imposing on you,¡± he continued with a hint of guilt. ¡°I hope that you will let me sleep in the storage room tonight, I¡­¡± His voice faltered. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have anywhere else to go.¡± She winced. ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible. Let me show you.¡± And she did. C?¡¯s eyes widened with surprise as the once spacious storage room of the diner was now entirely filled with all kinds of baggage and boxes, leaving almost no room for him. ¡°What happened¡­?¡± ¡°Supplies that we had purchased with a loan to expand our business. It was an idea we came up with to capitalize on the completion of the magical carriage system a few blocks away,¡± she replied with a hint of melancholy. ¡°Unfortunately¡­ our venture failed. Shortly after you were gone, our revenue suddenly plummeted. Customers started eating less for each meal and our revenues per customer fell significantly. Not only were we unable to scale our business, but we are also falling back on the monthly interest payments on the business loan that we took out.¡± C? frowned with a hint of surprise. ¡°Business isn¡¯t¡­ going well?¡± ¡°We are barely able to make ends meet with the heavy interest and falling income.¡± She heaved a sigh. ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you, C?. We are seriously considering selling the business and the plot in a few months. I don¡¯t know if we will be able to provide you with a job in the future. But you can work here for as long as we are able to keep things afloat.¡± C?¡¯s expression fell with severity. He could hear the pain in her voice. He hated to see the few people he cared about suffer from the cruel realities that the world thrust on them. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you spend the night at our home?¡± she wondered with a concerned expression. ¡°No, I cannot possibly impose on you and your family more given the burdens that you are already facing.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°I will manage. I promise. Thank you for the job. I will see you tomorrow at the same time.¡± Despite her strongest insistence, he refused her offer to stay at her home. He knew that things were probably a lot worse for them than she let on. He merely accepted the little bit of cash that she gave him for basic necessities. If he couldn¡¯t stay at the restaurant, then there was only one place left to go. The Colohen Slums. Chapter 6: The Colohen Slums C? would be returning to the place that he had called home for much of his life. He gritted his teeth at the thought, clenching his fists. ¡°Damn it, I swore I would never return there.¡± And yet, he had no choice but to head back to the Colohen Slums. On foot. His eyes flared with hatred and rage as he took one last look at the police station behind him, before he set out walking in the direction of the outer districts of the city. He would not have been able to make the journey in less than a day if not for the fact that he was closer to the Colohen Slums than he was to the central districts of Colohen City. And even then, walking dozens of kilometers after being discharged from the hospital was truly testing. Even if muscle atrophy had been prevented with healing magic, his body hadn¡¯t seen any activity in half a year. He wheezed and stumbled through town unsteadily as passersby steered clear of him, entirely unwilling to be near what appeared to be a drunkard. The cityscape changed as he got closer and closer to the Colohen Slums on the outskirts of the city. The buildings grew shorter and smaller as their infrastructure lost their extravagance and ostentatious splendor. Most notedly, they lost their magic. The enchanted structures lost their magic the further he went away from the center and to the outskirts as the magical runes that could be spotted across their surfaces appeared less and less prominent. The residential areas became increasingly more common and frequent as he traveled past districts on his journey to the outskirts. Simultaneously, the residential communities rapidly grew less lavish and luxurious the closer and closer he got home. Homes and streets alike quickly grew smaller and smaller and magimobiles followed suit. The sidewalks were dirty and littered with piles of garbage bags. The further and further he went towards the slums of the city, the state of the civilization grew ever bleaker and more desolate at a grim rate. As did the people who lived there. One could almost measure the growing gloom in the eyes of the people in districts further away from the city center. Elendir was not kind to those who didn¡¯t have money and power, which was most people in the nation. A large proportion of its people were living paycheck to paycheck, barely able to sustain a living. C? was even worse off than them. He wheezed and stumbled about as he struggled to make his way to the outskirts of the city. Barely having gotten his hands on some water and some cheap food at a restaurant to sustain his needs, he finally reached his destination after many hours of walking. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± he panted as he fell to his knees, drenched in sweat. ¡°Finally¡­¡± He had arrived. The Colohen Slums. A fetid and putrid odor lingered in the air, courtesy of the open sewer that hadn¡¯t been maintained in many years. The narrowing road might as well not exist, having been eroded over the span of many years. The infrastructure was decrepit and rotten. The congested array of crumbling homes and makeshift huts and torn tents amidst the ill-maintained and overgrown flora was suffocating. Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from many different parts of the district. That was the telltale sign of the Collohen Slums. These districts were disconnected from the magigrid, the network of mana that flowed through the overwhelming majority of districts, supplying mana to homes and other infrastructure that was part of the public sector. The Colohen Slums were entirely barren of the magigrid. They couldn¡¯t even turn a light bulb on due to the absence of the magigrid that supplied the needed energy. Hence, the only source of light and warmth were fires that polluted the air with smoke. The very air was unhealthy and toxic. And yet, all of it was all too familiar to C?. He had spent most of his life in this place, after all. He had spent most of his life trying to get out of this place. Only for the world to rob him of everything he had ever cultivated, sending him back to the slums. ¡°Damn it all.¡± He gritted his teeth as he walked right into the slums. The familiar sights, orders, and general vibes of the Colohen Slums resurfaced old instincts and habits that he had begun to shed in his time away from the slums. The slums were a dangerous place. These districts were almost entirely abandoned by the city¡¯s police department as a result of the absence of a magigrid, taxpayer funds, and any merits in policing an area that the mayor perceived as too much of a liability to spend any magicapita on. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. One was generally not protected by the law in these regions as a result. C? kept his head low and his pace quick, tucking his hands in his pockets, and keeping his gaze fixed on the path ahead of him. He walked with purpose, as though he had somewhere to be and was running late. It was to ensure he didn¡¯t project uncertainty. There were people who were constantly on the lookout for licks¡ªeasy targets to rob. He also averted eye contact with many individuals he saw in his peripheral vision. Staring at people could be regarded as a sign of aggression that could easily get him in a lot of trouble. There was no point in potentially antagonizing an entire gang. Living in the slums meant living in a state of constant alertness. Being able to study people from the corner of one¡¯s eyes without directly looking at them. Being able to project deterrence in the way one carried oneself. Being able to navigate not just the district but also the people living there. This was where he was going to live for the foreseeable future, where he would be living until he had enough money to afford a flat with some roommates in some of the posher districts of the city. He navigated the familiar and desolate landscape of the slums, keeping to himself entirely as he looked for places of shelter that weren¡¯t already occupied. CLACK¡­ He found an old deserted hut with no signs of recent utility amid a sea of other homes and huts. A simple inspection revealed almost nothing of value aside from pieces of junk, half a broken cot, and a window or two. ¡°Good enough, for now.¡± C? quickly found some abandoned scraps of cloth, making makeshift curtains to give himself some privacy. He tried binding the door to its frame with some crumbling fabric and rope. It was hardly secure, but anyone forcing their way through would most likely wake him up. Or so he hoped. Even though he had lived his entire life in the slums, it didn¡¯t mean he was perfectly safe and fine in this environment. The slums could be especially dangerous to those who were perceived to be outsiders. Thankfully, he took that into account with the sweat-drenched and dirty clothes he had on after a long journey on foot to the Colohen Slums. ¡°None of this would be a problem if I still had my mana,¡± he muttered. ¡°None of this would be a problem if I knew how to cast magic.¡± With the power of magic, the slums would be entirely benign. Almost none of the people in the slums knew how to cast magic and wield mana. Hell, even if they did know, it wouldn¡¯t have even mattered for they had no mana in the first place. Not even he did, and he had spent a few years of his life as a part of the very lowest echelon of low middle class. Magic was an extraordinarily precious and powerful field that gave one immense power. Naturally, it was not something that would be disseminated far and wide. As far as he knew, only a minority of human civilization had gained mastery of magic. It was mostly the upper middle class and the rich. They possessed the wealth needed to purchase the magic that they needed or wanted, which made them among the majority of people who cast magic It was possible to get one¡¯s hands on magic by virtue of state authorization. Joining the government, via any branch, department, or organization, opened up an actual possibility of learning magic. Law enforcement, and the military in particular, was able to get its hands on magic far easier than others. The private sector also offered opportunities to learn magic of course. There were institutions, academies, and even colleges that offered courses that imparted magic knowledge and skill to its students, producing a stable influx of witches and wizards into the economy. The magic they learned was labor magic, which was hyper-specialized for their particular occupations. This included applications in medicine, information magitechnology, magitronics, and other important fields. And yet, these young mages still accounted for a small portion of the populace. Up until very recently, C? had very little interest in magic. For most of his life, his only goal was to live simply. It was a goal that didn¡¯t require magic. All he had once wanted was to live in peace, sleep comfortably, eat decent healthy food, and breathe clean air. He wanted to live without having to spend every second of every day alert for dangers and risks. Now, however, his maddening ambitions had subsumed the entire world. ¡°I need magic.¡± A fierce light appeared in his eyes. ¡°I need the power of magic if I want to destroy this world and build a new one in its place.¡± It wasn¡¯t just enough to become rich and thus have a lot of mana. It wasn¡¯t enough to blindly accrue vast swathes of money. No. He needed to master how to deploy it in combat. Otherwise, there was no point in becoming the richest and most powerful man in the world. ¡°My path to the top of the world starts tomorrow.¡± He closed his eyes that had already grown heavy with drowsiness. And thus, he simply fell asleep. Despite having slept for six months in a row, he fell asleep like a baby. His body was so exhausted from the sheer emotional and physical exertion that he fell asleep the moment his eyes closed. Unfortunately, he had underestimated how much he stood out despite his familiarity with the Colohen Slums. That was a mistake. STEP¡­ STEP¡­ STEP¡­ His eyes slowly opened as he was woken up by noise. The noise of someone rustling around in his new makeshift home. His eyes widened as he shot to his feet. SPLAT ¡°Ah!¡± C? grimaced as a blade slashed his skin, leaving a light cut behind as the boy who wielded it darted out of the hut as fast as he could with a handful of the cash that C? had gotten from Mrs. Selvig. ¡°Dammit, fucking thief!¡± C? cursed, rushing after the boy. By the time he got out, however, the boy had long gone. He gritted his teeth with frustration. Yet, he wasn¡¯t surprised. Theft was the most common crime in the slums and also the easiest to get away with. One needed to be a very light sleeper to make it in the slums, and that was a habit that C? had unlearned after moving away from the slums. He had also been extremely exhausted last night, causing him to fall asleep much earlier than he normally would, and sleep much heavier than he used to during his time living in the slums. ¡°Dammit.¡± He spat on the cut, before tying it up with a cloth. ¡°Brilliant way to start the day.¡± He glanced at the dark sky that had begun lighting in the horizon. Dawn had arrived. His second day since waking up from his coma. The first day in his journey to fulfilling his dream of becoming the most powerful man in all of Elendir. - Chapter 7: Analysis and Diagnosis He handled the wound as well as he could, before preparing for his first day of work. Using part of what little cash he had left, he first purchased a little bit of water and food from a local shack in the slums. He tried freshening himself, washing himself with what little water he had left after quenching his thirst. This kind of lifestyle was unpleasantly nostalgic. He has lived most of his life in this fashion, for the most part. Clean water was a precious resource in the slums; it needed to be rationed and used carefully. Old habits started to return after he started to shake the rust off. Eventually, he was fully prepared for the next day of work. He left the slums two hours before his shift began. He needed to walk a good distance to reach the closest outer district of the City of Colohen and catch the city magibus that would take him all the way to the thirty-fifth district, where Selvig¡¯s Ristorante was located. He knew exactly when he needed to leave by to arrive at work on schedule. Courtesy of having done just that for years. The journey back to the thirty-fifth district was one that reversed the decay of civilization. The deeper into the city they moved, the greater civilization grew, reaching its former splendor that deigned not to grace the poorer residents of the city living in the outer half. The morning rush of the people heading to work clogged up the roads, lengthening the already long journey even more. It was only when he saw the flying magitrains ascending and descending in the sky that he knew was close to his destination. It was two hours before he finally reached Selvig¡¯s Ristorante on foot after deboarding the bus. The moment he arrived at the restaurant, he immediately noticed several things. ¡°There¡¯s an insane rush for this hour.¡± He frowned upon noting the large number of people that occupied every single seat in the open-aired diner. Back when he used to work here, there normally hadn¡¯t been that many people at this hour. It was most certainly a pleasant change, nonetheless. More customers were generally a good thing. Thus, it begged the question. ¡°Why are revenues plummeting?¡± He didn¡¯t understand. Yet, it was his second observation that shed light on the mystery of his first observation. ¡°They¡¯re ordering lent or cochil¡­¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up at the realization. Lent and cochil were extremely popular warm beverages fashioned from different magical plant species. The former was brewed by boiling magical lent leaves and the latter by boiling cochil beans, resulting in two flavor profiles that had taken the world by storm for many centuries. More importantly, he wasn¡¯t able to spot a single dish on the table. Of course, it was entirely possible that people didn¡¯t eat heavy meals in the early morning, yet C? kept the intriguing observation in his mind. He immediately headed to Mrs. Selvig¡¯s office where she sat, crunching numbers on the restaurant¡¯s accounts with an expression of concern. ¡°Ah, C? my boy.¡± She got up. ¡°You¡¯ve come just on time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to get started on a good day of work, Mrs. Selvig.¡± C? nodded, keeping his expression schooled and composed. He didn¡¯t want to scare her with an angered scowl at the rotten day he was already having, not to mention the rotten life. ¡°Good, my dear. I will introduce you to the new staff later. For now, why don¡¯t you start by managing the supply deliveries? We¡¯re running low on cantleberries and mandeligs, additionally, we need more¡­¡± She rattled off some more requirements in rapid succession. ¡°Ah, that was too much to remember, let me note it down for you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± C? reassured her. ¡°I remember every word.¡± He quickly assumed his former seat in a stall at the register¡¯s counter. Immediately, he jumped into work. From checking up on impending supplies and inventory management to billing meals, observing staff, and maintaining the accounts of the restaurant¡¯s revenue, he soon found his old tempo. Simultaneously, he continued studying the customers that ate at the place, making several more observations on them. All of them were dressed in semi-formal attire, clearly en route to work. That wasn¡¯t all. C? detected a faint hint of impatience in their conduct. He noticed that, in particular, they glanced at their magiwatches frequently. The crowd was large, and yet the customers left as quickly as they came, barely finishing a cup of coffee, if that. They didn¡¯t order a single dish, as if it simply wasn¡¯t worth their money. C? initially suspected that this was simply a morning matter. Surely, by lunch, people would order more solid food. Unfortunately, he was largely wrong. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Some customers certainly did have lunch, filling their bellies well and good with a long and slow meal. Most, however, didn¡¯t. They simply consumed a beverage before heading out in a hurry. The occasional person ordered an appetizer, but left the food half-eaten, as if they didn¡¯t even find it worth finishing despite having paid for it. It was a bizarre situation, and yet he understood what the problem actually looked like. They had gained an influx of customers, but for some reason that translated into lower revenues and fewer substantial orders. An entire day passed as he did his job while simultaneously observing the restaurant silently. He stuck around even after his shift ended, waiting until after the customers were finally done coming in. It was only after closing the shop did the Selvigs finally complete the formalities, quickly introducing him to the staff and registering him as a formal employee. ¡°C?, my boy.¡± Darren Selvig emerged from the restaurant kitchen, putting his chef¡¯s hat away as he regarded C? with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you after so long. My¡­ condolences for what happened.¡± The man loved eating food as much as he loved cooking it, having developed a paunch over the years. It was in sharp contrast to his wife Keela Selvig who was still as thin and fit as ever. The couple still glowed with warmth despite the cold blizzard that reality had thrust upon them. It wasn¡¯t too long before the three of them peered at the magiputer with a hint of anxiety. The screen of the enchanted artifact lit up with mana as C? navigated through the data stored within it. ¡°Four hundred and sixty customers in total¡­¡± C? murmured aloud. ¡°seventy thousand leenars in total across the entire day.¡± Instantly, their expressions darkened. That was half of what they needed. ¡°Dammit¡­¡± Mr. Selvig gritted his teeth. ¡°This is too little. At this rate¡­¡± ¡°Maybe we need to spend more money on advertisements or improving food quality,¡± Mrs. Selvig mentioned with a hint of anxiety. ¡°I did notice that the few people who ate their food didn¡¯t finish it.¡± ¡°Hmph, my food is excellent,¡± the man grunted with a hint of indignation. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because we don¡¯t have enough staff catering to our customers. Or perhaps the ambience. We haven¡¯t refurbished the place in a while.¡± ¡°No.¡± C?¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°The problem is more fundamental. You have an enormous number of people coming in. They even take the time to read the long and extensive menu, but they still order only beverages. If the problem was the quality of your business, you would not have had such a large crowd of people entering.¡± The two of them stared at him with a hint of realization. C? shook his head inwardly. They were great people and good at their jobs within the business, but they didn¡¯t have a single bone of commercial acumen in them. His gaze shifted back to the enchanted device. His mind stirred as it computed all the observations he had made across the entire day with the results of the first day. Inferences upon inferences flooded his mind as it tried to worm its way to the underlying truth. He sensed he wasn¡¯t far. ¡°¡­Give me some more time,¡± he said with a stoic tone. ¡°I have an idea of what is happening. I just need a little bit more time to fully understand the big picture.¡± The two glanced at each other with a complicated expression. ¡°C?¡­ we have been seriously considering shutting down this restaurant and moving to a less popular district where the cost of living is cheaper.¡± ¡°Just give me a few days, and I promise that you won¡¯t regret it,¡± he vowed. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± His tone was steely with determination. His eyes flared with willpower. Intense emotional turmoil lingered deep within him. They simply stared at him for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ changed,¡± Mrs. Selvig murmured. ¡°I felt it when you came in yesterday, but¡­ what happened to you?¡± His expression crumpled with intense rage for just a moment before he closed his eyes, suppressing it within him. A single word escaped him. ¡°Everything.¡± It took them aback. Mr. Selvig placed a hand on C?¡¯s shoulder with a hint of concern. ¡°I know you have¡­ suffered a lot, but if you ever need anyone to talk to, we¡¯re here.¡± C? nodded. ¡°As for the restaurant¡­¡± The man leaned back up with grim melancholy. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think we have any other choice, my boy. This¡­ has been happening for six months now. We have tried everything. Doubling the cooks. Increasing the cuisine range. Advertising. It¡­ hasn¡¯t helped.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, we¡¯re close to retiring age anyway. We¡¯ll just have to suck it up and¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± C?¡¯s tone contained a sharp edge. One that stung. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± He almost glared at Mr. Selvig. ¡°You can¡¯t shut this place down.¡± The air tingled. The atmosphere grew electric. ¡°All good things must come to an end, C?.¡± The man¡¯s tone grew heavy. ¡°You can¡¯t work here your entire life. Why are you so against it?¡± A hint of endless grief within C?¡¯s heart bubbled up to his face. ¡°You can¡¯t shut this place down because¡­ this is the place where I met Lilia.¡± The moment the words escaped him, a flood of memories washed through his mind. From the first moment they had met when he had been a simple waiter in the restaurant to the familiarity that had grown between them over the many months that she had visited the restaurant twice a day¡­ The growing conversations that they had come to have and her mirthful laughter at his awkward attempts to flirt with her. And their first date in this very restaurant. The Selvigs had put his tab on the house due to the fact that he was too poor to afford paying for the meal that he had treated her. This place meant a lot to him. ¡°I won¡¯t allow¡­¡± A whisper escaped him. ¡°I won¡¯t allow this place to shut down.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡­¡± Mrs. Selvig teared up as she pulled him into a deep hug. ¡°You are such a sweet boy.¡± Mr. Selvig¡¯s expression grew profoundly melancholic. It wasn¡¯t as though he was particularly happy about shutting the restaurant that he had started with his wife. In many ways, this restaurant was like the child that they had never had. It broke his heart to have to consider shutting it down. It had taken him months of financial straits to actually overcome his repulsion to the idea, and he still hated himself for the fact that he had accepted the possibility of shutting down his restaurant. C?¡¯s words simply rubbed salt in his wounds, but they also reignited a spark of his will to do what it took. ¡°C?¡­ you really think you can fix this?¡± the man asked with a solemn tone. In that moment, C? understood that he was being given a chance. Perhaps the final chance for a place that held a lot of memories for him. ¡°I will.¡± His voice was one of intense determination and willpower. The couple exchanged glances before turning back to C?. ¡°Then, we will let you give it a shot.¡± They felt strange changing their minds on some of the most important decisions and placing their trust in a young man who promised to fix their problems. And yet, their instincts told them they were right to trust him. Chapter 8: The Meatbun Having earned their trust, C?¡¯s determination surged as he went all out, trying to identify the problem with the restaurant over the next few days. The capacity for thought he had gained due to his Acquired Savant Syndrome was put to good use as he dedicated all of it for the sake of figuring out what was wrong. First, he continued observing the customers that patronized the restaurant, cataloguing all of them mentally. Over the span of a week, he started focusing on patterns that were continuously recurring while he pondered the possibilities for why the restaurant was struggling to earn despite the influx of customers. And one by one, he ruled out possibilities. The first possibility he ruled out was food quality. Selvig¡¯s Ristorante had great reviews on the maginet as far as food quality went, and having worked in the restaurant for years now, he knew that the food Mr. Selvig cooked was beyond phenomenal. Over the span of twenty years, they had come to grow a popular local brand thanks to the phenomenal taste of their food. All it took was tasting a bit of their food to verify that it had not only not gotten worse, but had also gotten better¡ªthe Selvigs had put in the effort to improve the quality of their food in hopes that it would bring more customers. Another possibility C? ruled out was lowered spending thresholds. Interest rates were low and the economy was doing fine. Additionally, the custom-tailored suits and expensive magical artifacts of the majority of customers who limited themselves to purchasing beverages indicated that their spending threshold on food was probably not low. He could also rule out environmental factors, as they were entirely willing to consume beverages. Thus, it begged the question. ¡°Why are there almost no sales for any of the food items?¡± That was when he remembered one of the very earliest observations he had made. One that he had made when he entered the restaurant on his very first day. One that had slipped his entire mind. ¡°None of them remained for more than fifteen minutes.¡± Realization dawned on C?. It was not something that people normally kept track of, but C? did. Not a single one of the customers stuck around for longer than ten minutes. Was that a coincidence? C? recalled what Mrs. Selvig had told him a few days ago when she met him for the first time after his accident. It was an idea we came up with to capitalize on the completion of the flying magitrain system a few blocks away. ¡°Flying magitrain system¡­ fifteen minute time cap¡­¡± C? murmured as his eyes lit up with understanding. ¡°This¡­ this might be it.¡± He immediately darted to the manager¡¯s office. ¡°Mrs. Selvig!¡± The elder woman was taken aback by his enthusiastic calls, the wrinkles on her face accentuating with her frown. ¡°What is it, my boy?¡± ¡°How long is the wait for the flying magitrain system between landing and take-off?¡± he asked with optimism in his voice. She frowned at the mundane question that had apparently gotten him so worked up. Yet, she didn¡¯t deny him the answer. ¡°Fifteen minutes, why do you ask?¡± ¡°That must be it,¡± C? declared. ¡°Your customers¡­ they¡¯re not buying your food because the time it takes for it to be prepared and eaten exceeds their waiting time. Your restaurant is a proper diner where large quantities of food are prepared freshly from scratch. However, if each customer is capped at fifteen minutes, then they can¡¯t order your food and make it in time.¡± She fell into thought as she contemplated this possibility for the first time. ¡°You hoped to expand because you had predicted that the arrival of the flying magitrain system would bring you more customers, and you were right,¡± C? informed her with an energetic tone. ¡°However, you miscalculated because you didn¡¯t account for the shift in the nature of consumer demand. Demand for restaurants in this particular locality did indeed increase, but that was demand for fast and convenient food. Not a wholesome diner that serves wonderful fresh food that takes quite some time.¡± ¡°That¡­ makes sense,¡± she realized. ¡°Goodness, when you put all of it together like that, it really is that simple, isn¡¯t it? Silly us.¡± In reality, it was simple because C? explained simply. Sifting through the keen observations and systematically exploring and refuting each possibility all within the span of a few days was something that very few people would have naturally gone out of their way to do without any prompting of any sort. ¡°What do we do¡­?¡± Mrs. Selvig murmured to herself, concerned. ¡°If we had known this before, then we could have comfortably handled it. But now¡­¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She feared it was too late. They were this close to shutting down the entire place. She didn¡¯t know if it was possible to turn things around this late in the game when they had already undertaken a lot of magical debt that was starting to suffocate them already. ¡°Everything can be fixed.¡± C?¡¯s voice firmly cut through her thoughts, drawing her attention. ¡°Just give me a chance to come up with a solution.¡± She gazed at him with a complex expression, before heaving a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this problem can be fixed at this point, C?. Frankly, we have already taken as many risks as we are able to with our previous business loan. So, unless your plans are entirely devoid of any monetary expenses, then¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t an easy condition to adhere to. And yet, it wasn¡¯t enough to deter him. ¡°I have a vision for the future of the restaurant, a vision where we overcome this problem and all your financial problems are fixed,¡± C? calmly informed her. ¡°I believe that this vision can be achieved. However, I¡¯ll let the two of you be the judge of that. All I ask is that you give me a chance to present my vision to the two of you.¡± Mrs. Selvig gazed deeply into his steely gray eyes. A smile cracked at the edge of her mouth. ¡°I thought you had changed, but you haven¡¯t.¡± A bittersweet smile emerged on her face. ¡°Your eyes still have the same drive and fire they had six years ago when you came into our restaurant determined to get a part-time job.¡± C?¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Back then, you hired me as a waiter even though you didn¡¯t need one, all because you didn¡¯t have the heart to turn me away. Now, I wish to repay that favor by helping you when you need it the most.¡± Her smile grew warm. ¡°Oh, you sweet boy. I don¡¯t know what the future holds for us, C?. But I promise that we will give your vision for the future of our restaurant serious consideration.¡± C? nodded seriously. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask for.¡± And thus, he got to work and fleshed out his own vision. It wasn¡¯t easy completing all of it on a short schedule when he knew that the Selvigs were seriously considering shutting down the restaurant that very month. Coming up with an elaborate and rigorous business strategy within the span of a single day or two to present a compelling and effective vision for the future was not easy. And yet, he did it. What surprised even him was that the most time-consuming part was not the actual brainstorming and detail-fleshing sessions. The most time-consuming part was actually creating the physical presentation that would allow the Selvigs to comprehend his vision as easily as possible. The actual solution itself was not nearly as difficult as he had expected. He understood why this was the case. ¡°My Acquired Savant Syndrome.¡± It changed the way he thought about business and commerce. A field that he had chosen to get a degree in only because it had the lowest barrier of entry. And even then, he had never been a remarkable student nor had he demonstrated an innate talent or knack for business or commerce. And yet, after he had been diagnosed with his Acquired Savant Syndrome, the very way that he thought about business and commerce had been changed at its very root. He felt that when he pondered about what was possible, it was as though his mind expanded to become a microcosm unto itself. A microcosm of ideas, possibilities, chances, and potential. He was flooded with creativity and imagination. So much so that it took effort to bring himself back down to Alaria. And by the time he came down, he had already discovered the solution. Now, the only task left was to convince the Selvig couple. ¡°And that is precisely what I¡¯m endeavoring to do in this little presentation,¡± C? informed the two of them. They sat before him, their curious expressions laced with optimism and skepticism. They had a lot of affection for C?, but it was truly difficult for them to get their hopes up after six months of plummeting revenue despite all the measures that they had taken. As much as they liked C?, they weren¡¯t necessarily convinced that he was capable of solving all their problems. ¡°In order to convince you of my solution to the problem of plummeting sales,¡± C? began, ¡°I will begin by fleshing out the entirety of the problem in a more thorough fashion.¡± He flipped the first sheet on his little presentation stand, presenting a graph that plotted the restaurant¡¯s revenues over the past six months versus customer visits. It also featured a graph of monthly expenditure, which had increased ever since they had taken out a business loan for a failed venture, resulting in heavy interest rates that they were just barely managing to pay off. And lastly, it featured expenditure that was increasingly becoming a liability on the balance sheets. Much of the raw ingredients and other wholesale food supplies that they were accustomed to purchasing had begun sitting in their inventory as their food sales dropped. Many of the cooks and chefs that they had hired were also becoming a burden due to falling food orders and falling revenue. ¡°These are all the problems and liabilities that the restaurant is facing,¡± C? explained. ¡°The liabilities are certainly problematic, but they are not the central problem. The most important problem that requires a very fundamental solution is this.¡± He tapped on the graph of growing customer visits versus falling revenues. ¡°This requires a very fundamental shift. It requires a new rehashed business strategy that thoroughly addresses the most central reason for falling revenue¡ªthe food preparation time.¡± He shifted to the next page which featured a bar graph for the dozens of food items that the restaurant supplied and how long, roughly, each took to prepare. The fifteen-minute mark was marked with a horizontal line. Not a single one of the items that the restaurant offered could be prepared within fifteen minutes, save for beverages that were now the most ordered item on the menu because the customers knew that it could be prepared very rapidly. ¡°This needs to change,¡± C? announced. ¡°That is a fundamental and inescapable conclusion and unless you have some revolutionary way to halve the food preparation time, then the solution that I¡¯m about to prepare is the only solution.¡± He took out a magical quill, ruthlessly crossing out each and every one of the dozens of items on the menu. All except for one. Mr. Selvig¡¯s eyes widened with shock. ¡°You want to get rid of all the food items from my kitchen except for the meat bun?!¡± The air tingled with tension. The man was not pleased by this. ¡°These are recipes that I learned from my mother! These are recipes that I have worked on for years to improve! You want to just get rid of them?!¡± The atmosphere boiled tumultuously as Mr. Selvig lost his temper at the radical changes that C? was proposing. Chapter 9: Commencing the Plan of Action Despite having angered Mr. Selvig, C? remained calm even. Mrs. Selvig tried calming her husband down with a concerned expression. ¡°Mr. Selvig, I understand that you are attached to the recipes,¡± C? began. ¡°But if you give me a chance, I¡¯d like to convince you of the merits of my reasoning.¡± The man regained some composure due to C?¡¯s calm tone and demeanor, yet the indignantly knit eyebrows remained furrowed as he folded his arms. ¡°The reasoning for my choice is rather simple,¡± C? explained with an erudite tone. ¡°As you can see, the meat bun is the only dish that is closest to being prepared within fifteen minutes.¡± He tapped on its bar graph, sitting at just slightly above fifteen minutes. ¡°Of all the dishes in the entirety of the menu of the restaurant, this dish is the only dish that can potentially fulfill the condition of being prepared within fifteen minutes,¡± C? continued. ¡°And the easiest, simplest, most cost-effective, and most revenue-positive way of bringing it within the required timeframe is to get rid of all the other dishes and make this dish your one and only item.¡± He turned towards Mr. C? with clear eyes. ¡°By getting rid of all the other dishes, the time needed to prepare this one dish will reduce significantly due to a drastically reduced preparatory load which allows for greater preparations into this one dish. Furthermore, with just one dish, you can begin preparing it even before the orders come.¡± There would only be one dish to order, after all. This would drastically reduce the time needed to serve the dish to a customer that ordered the dish. ¡°By my estimates¡­¡± C? flipped the sheet to the next one that displayed a before-and-after preparatory timeframe. ¡°The meat bun can potentially be prepared anywhere within five and seven minutes with the changes that I have proposed.¡± Mrs. Selvig¡¯s eyes lit up with a hint of optimism while Mr. Selvig stirred in his seat thoughtfully. ¡°Furthermore, if we are also able to supply special packaging that will make it convenient for our clients to eat it while moving without getting their hands dirty, then we will further increase the appeal of restaurant¡¯s food,¡± C? explained as he highlighted several design concepts that he had worked on to convey an idea of what he had in mind. ¡°Those aren¡¯t the only benefits,¡± C? continued, moving to the next page. ¡°There are several other additional merits and benefits to this proposed plan such as¡­¡± He tapped on several graphs and pie charts. ¡°¡­Lowered supplies costs, lowered labor costs, lower storage and inventory consumption, and lower food waste.¡± This was something that was truly attractive to both Selvigs. With revenue tanking and interest payments on their bad loan also sitting on top of all their other expenditures, the prospect of drastically cutting costs without compromising revenue was music to their ears. ¡°From the customer¡¯s perspective, the diversity of the food on the menu is not a positive,¡± C? explained. ¡°Your customer dynamics have changed. Ever since the flying magitrain system came in, your closest and greatest customer influx has been people traveling from the City of Colohen to other cities. These people are just looking for a quick and convenient meal.¡± He flipped to the next page, which featured a report on the sales of real estate in the entire district. ¡°Many of the closest residential homes have been sold by their former owners when prices for real estate in this district spiked due to being close to the new flying magitrain system,¡± C? pointed out. ¡°This means that many of your oldest regular customers are simply no longer around, as I¡¯m sure you have noticed. Your consumer market dynamics have changed and you will need to change if you wish to remain competitive.¡± His words truly struck a chord with them. They might not have liked some of the changes that C? was proposing, but after having heard his clear and objective rationales for them, they could not deny that they were the most logical and rational options. And yet, human beings were not rational creatures. ¡°C?¡­¡± Mr. Selvig shook his head. ¡°There are some things I just can¡¯t compromise on. These recipes¡­ They mean a lot to me. They are the only thing I have left of my mother after I came back from the army.¡± The man was a veteran who had spent several years serving in the Elendir military. He had lost his mother during that time period. ¡°Those dishes that you plan to scrap are dishes of love. They were recipes of my childhood, dishes that hold a dear place in my heart.¡± His tone grew melancholic. ¡°I cannot replace all of them with something as trivial as a meat bun.¡± A profound smile appeared on C?¡¯s face. ¡°That trivial meat bun was my salvation.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Mr. Selvig¡¯s eyes widened at his powerful words. C?¡¯s bittersweet smile deepened as his mind revisited an endless ocean of memories. ¡°You probably never realized it, but that dish that you call trivial is one of the warmest memories I harbor after leaving the slums. I remember how you would prepare it for me often after I came to visit the store after school. I remember how much love you put into it just for me.¡± Mr. Selvig¡¯s expression softened as he recalled those old days. ¡°Hmph, you remember something so insignificant¡­¡± ¡°It was everything to me. I still remember savoring the juicy and tasty flavors of the meat. I still remember how soft and warm the bun used to be.¡± C? closed his eyes as his powerful imagination manifested the dish and its taste in his mind. ¡°That meat bun is not trivial, Mr. Selvig.¡± He opened his eyes, directing a powerful gaze at the man. ¡°It holds a special place in my heart. And it has the power to win over everybody who gives it a chance. All I¡¯m asking is that you give it a chance.¡± Mr. Selvig heaved a soft sigh, smiling at C? with a hint of resignation. ¡°Since when did you gain such a silver tongue?¡± C? smiled wryly, maintaining his silence. Mr. Selvig sighed again. ¡°Even if I agree to this plan, C?, we don¡¯t have the capital needed to make such deep and sweeping changes in business strategy this late in the game. We are already on our final legs when it comes to this restaurant. We can¡¯t take any more business loans, either. Not until we have paid off our existing obligations.¡± That was indeed a stumbling block. The fact of the matter was that everything needed magicapita. They simply didn¡¯t have the money to change their business model much without eating deep into their retirement savings. ¡°Then¡­¡± C?¡¯s voice grew more determined. ¡°Let me take the loan. While I won¡¯t be eligible to take a large amount, we won¡¯t need a large amount for the changes that I have proposed, as not all of them require money. I should be able to secure enough to fully complete all the changes to the restaurant.¡± This time it was Mrs. Selvig who objected. ¡°Absolutely not! You are too young to be taking such debts on your shoulder for a business that isn¡¯t even yours. We cannot allow you to undertake our financial burdens!¡± C? smiled at her with heartfelt warmth. ¡°You saved me when I needed it the most. Now, allow me to repay the favor to you.¡± Mr. Selvig interjected before his wife could shoot him down again. ¡°I am willing to accept on one condition.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°You will gain half the ownership of the restaurant and half of the profits,¡± he declared. C?¡¯s eyes widened at that suggestion. ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Mr. Selvig replied, smiling at him. ¡°This restaurant is dying, and if your plan succeeds, then it will live only thanks to you. You will have given it a second life by investing your money into it. You will have gained moral rights to the outcomes of the restaurant. It is perfectly fair and just.¡± Mrs. Selvig¡¯s eyes lit up as she too realized that her husband¡¯s suggestion was actually good. ¡°I think¡­ you are just right, Daren!¡± C? stared at the elderly couple that gazed at him expectantly, breaking into yet another smile. He didn¡¯t know he could still feel such warmth after everything that had happened to him. ¡°Then, I accept your offer.¡± C?¡¯s eyes grew determined. ¡°I will apply for a business loan that will help us change this restaurant¡¯s business strategy in return for partial ownership over the company.¡± ¡°Oh my dear boy¡­ Welcome to the family business!¡± Mrs. Selvig pulled him in for a warm hug. C? grinned. ¡°Thank you for having me. I have no doubt that we will be able to revive the restaurant and make it a hit.¡± He was truly enthusiastic about joining the Selvig restaurant as part owner. He hadn¡¯t expected that Mr. Selvig would make such a fair counter-offer without batting down his offer, ensuring that it was a win-win. What C? was doing was truly risky and dangerous, but he truly harbored a profound level of confidence in his plan. When he closed his eyes he could very vividly imagine the success as though he was experiencing it in the present. Ever since he woke up in the hospital, his capacity for imagination had grown greater and greater, allowing him to picture anything he desired with astounding detail and clarity. The more vividly he could picture them, the more certain he grew of them. That was why he was extremely certain about the success of this restaurant that held a special place in his heart. ¡°Well.¡± His clear gray eyes opened, directing a determined gaze at the old couple. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, then let¡¯s begin with this plan starting tomorrow.¡± And they did. The very next day, C? applied for a small business loan. The Selvigs even bumped his income up so that he would be eligible for a larger sum. A week later, his application was approved and he got his hands on a loan of five million leenars, which was most certainly a hefty lump sum of money. And thus, C? was made partner in Selvig¡¯s Ristorante while all those funds were immediately dumped into reshaping the business model. C? even began managing the supply chain of necessary ingredients, negotiating deals with suppliers to cancel existing supply contracts with agricultural suppliers for ingredients that were no longer necessary. Simultaneously, he redirected the partial cash-backs that he was able to get and the loan funds to bumping supplies needed for mass-producing meat buns. They also commissioned the purchase of additional culinary magitechnology needed to increase the production of meat buns from the kitchen. Additionally, they also commissioned artists and merchants to acquire the production of special meat bun wrappers that allowed them to be consumed without dirtying one¡¯s hands or spilling food around. They even commissioned posters and a new restaurant board featuring a light meat bun logo. Naturally, this took time. Time that they could just barely afford, thanks to the loan that C? had taken, keeping the place afloat despite their falling revenues. They needed to pay their waiters and waitresses, as well as their cooks, their salary in order to keep them around while the restaurant underwent its transformation. The transformation was far from smooth, of course. There were plenty of small complications that arose all the time. On the supply side, plenty of suppliers refused to cancel an existing contract. There were also delays from the artists making the billboards and posters and delays in the supplies of culinary magical artifacts that were needed to produce meat buns in a short amount of time. And yet, not only did the original plan account for these complications, C?¡¯s divergent thinking and imagination allowed him to overcome them with creative solutions, successfully overcoming every single roadblock. Chapter 10: Magic ¡°Here you go, lad.¡± Mr. Selvig threw a book at C? one day. ¡°Woah¡­¡± C? caught it, perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± Mr. Selvig grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a book about magic.¡± C? shook where he stood as eyes widened with shock. ¡°What¡­?¡± He turned the book slowly to its front with quaking hands. Faded as the title¡¯s magiprinted lettering was, it was still very legible. [The Foundations of Magic] ¡°You had mentioned in our talks in the past few months that you wanted to learn magic, right?¡± the older man said. ¡°Well, there you go. That was the guide that I managed to sneak with me when I was discharged from the magic corps. This was before the Twilight Rebellion many years ago, so security was quite lax back then. You won¡¯t be able to get your hands on something this special these days.¡± C? understood the value of this book more than anyone else. Although everybody possessed some tiny speck of mana at bare minimum, most people didn¡¯t know how to wield magic. It was a godly power of the elite, wielded by only a small portion of the human population. Any and all knowledge of magic was special. It was not something that you could get through open public channels. On top of that, its spread was controlled by the magical association and was even partially regulated by the Ministry of Magical Affairs of the Elendir government in accordance with the provisions of the Magical Rules and Regulations Act of 1016. That was why getting his hands on this book was nothing short of a boon for C?. ¡°Mr. Selvig¡­¡± His eyes flashed with pure gratitude. ¡°How can I even begin to repay you for¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, lad.¡± Mr. Selvig shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t just give it to you out of interest. I also gave it to you out of concern.¡± C? stiffened. ¡°¡­Whatever could you be talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play stupid with me, lad,¡± the old man snorted. ¡°You may have fooled my wife, but I was in the army. You can¡¯t hide those wounds from me.¡± His eyes swept over C?, noting well-hidden bruises, cuts, and wounds. ¡°¡­This is from the slums in the past few months, isn¡¯t it?¡± C?¡¯s expression grew grim. After his return to the slums months ago, he had failed to blend in and keep himself out of danger. While old instincts and habits for his safety and concern returned, he simply wasn¡¯t as adept at living in this environment like he had been prior to the five years spent away from there. Partly because he had wanted to actively unlearn all those habits. Why would he want to sleep lightly in order to wake up at the blink of an eye to danger when he could sleep deeply in a safe and secure home? The same was true for a lot of different habits that he had cultivated and then actively unlearned. And now, that decision had come back to bite him in the ass. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ll be able to learn with just the foundations, but¡­ I know you¡¯ve changed a lot after you woke up. You¡¯ve gotten sharper. And your mind¡­ you¡¯ve grown so much brighter than before,¡± Mr. Selvig remarked. ¡°I have a feeling that¡­ we might see a surprise. It¡¯s a pity that there¡¯s no one to teach you, though.¡± ¡°What about you and Mrs. Selvig¡­?¡± C? wondered aloud. ¡°I have seen you use magic, even if only on very small stuff, from time to time. You used to be in the military, too! Can¡¯t you teach me magic?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t touched that stuff since before you were born, C?. Not since I started this restaurant. We can barely do the most basic stuff, but if you¡¯re serious about your ambition to learn magic, then inheriting our many, many flaws will be bad for you. It will be best if you find yourself a teacher. You could even enter some of the magicademies around the nation if you truly wanted to.¡± C? wasn¡¯t too optimistic about that. Magicademies were notoriously difficult to get into. They were usually very expensive, and often came with some strings attached if he successfully gained a scholarship. There was no such thing as a free lunch; nobody would just foot the bill to produce a mage without anything in return. Scholarships were usually accompanied with decade-long work contracts from whichever party offered to foot the bill. Even banks that offered student loans for magicademies demanded magical labor for highly extended periods in return. If he applied to the national universities that were among the most prestigious in the entire nation, he would need to commit to extensive periods of governmental services. The only other hope was being taken on by a Mage as an apprentice, but that was even more unlikely. ¡°Well, you can think about it in the future.¡± The elder man shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere until this project of transforming the restaurant is complete.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. C? nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. Thankfully, we¡¯re in the final stretch. Just another two weeks, and we will be done. Though, there is plenty of work to be done even after. I suppose for now I will have to be content with just this book.¡± ¡°As long as you get that, have at it.¡± C? did just that. He excitedly finished his work for the day, managing supplies of food ingredients, art, posters, while tracking customer activity. And when he was finally done for the day, he quickly buried himself in the book with alacrity. [Introduction] [Magic. A power that allows one¡¯s imagination and willpower to bend reality. A tremendous power that has come to shape the modern world with its titanic impact on human civilization. In this book, we will explore the foundations of magic not just as a phenomenon, but also as a vast field of human pursuit. We will explore the many ways that magic can be categorized based on operations, requirements, and applications, among other things. We will also explore the fundamental laws of governing magic and later even introduce the tenets of mana cultivation. This book will only explore the basics and foundations and is not meant to serve as a means to actually master magic at all¡­] C? impatiently swept to the first chapter, unwilling to read the boring drawl in the introduction. [Chapter one: The Fundamental Phenomenon of Magic] [In this chapter, we will explore the very core phenomenon underlying all magic without exception. To do that, we must first uncover the very nature of reality itself. All reality is comprised of two fundamental aspects: Form and Physicality. Form refers to the information that describes any given phenomena while physicality refers to the existential substance that operates in accordance to the information of the form. Any without both is not real and is not subject to causality. Magic is the process of warping reality by creating the form of the magic, known as eidos, in the mind through imagination and memory and imbuing the eidos with mana, which serves as physicality, through the force of willpower. The convergence of eidos and mana results in the birth of reality known as magic.] C?¡¯s eyes widened with shock at this simple but stunning revelation. ¡°Form and physicality¡­¡± His tone betrayed the wonder that hid beneath it. ¡°Magic is truly magical.¡± His face lit up with amazement. Thus far, his drive to learn magic had always been entirely because he deemed it a necessary tool for his quest to destroy and rebuild the world as he saw fit. And yet, comprehending magic for the first time ignited a different fire from within him. One of passion. ¡°I¡­¡± A faint whisper escaped him. ¡°I want to learn magic.¡± Simultaneously, the grief, hatred, and anger he felt at the world erupted within his newfound passion. ¡°I need to learn magic.¡± His gray eyes flared with an intensity that he kept hidden from the Selvigs. And yet, he now found himself thrilled at the prospects of having learned it. ¡°More¡­¡± A hungry murmur escaped. ¡°I need more.¡± The next chapter moved on to a topic that very naturally followed the first chapter. [Mastery of Eidos] [As explained in the first chapter, the eidos is the information detailing the form of magic, dictating how the magic will manifest, interact, and appear in reality. The actual information exists exclusively within the mind as a three-dimensional image overlapping with the real world and can be created in many, many ways. Let us explore some of them in this chapter¡­] C?¡¯s eyes lit up as the second chapter of Foundations of Magic explored the various ways in which mages created the eidos. A lot of forms of eidos mastery boiled down to memory. Strongly associating an eidos with a particular external trigger such as a magical circle constructed out of runes linked to special images in the caster¡¯s mind or incantations associated with said trigger that one say aloud to trigger an associated memory. C? grew fascinated that one could even create eidos with a pattern of body movements! ¡°Wow¡­¡± he whispered in fascination. ¡°Mages are so incredible for inventing so many creative ways to create form for their magic. But¡­ why not just create the eidos out of pure imagination and thought?¡± Visualizing extremely vivid, clear, and detailed images had become child¡¯s play for him ever since he woke up in the hospital. It helped with creating his plan for the restaurant, fleshing out the details, and foreseeing unforeseeable problems. ¡°Maybe it doesn¡¯t work if you create it out of imagination or thought?¡± He frowned as he read on. Much to his surprise, as if anticipating his questions, the book readily supplied the answer. [Creating eidos out of imagination and thought alone is almost impossible simply because of how extraordinarily difficult it is. While one might think that it is simply easy to visualize things in one¡¯s head and have them materialize in the real world with mana, in reality, visualizing detailed and clear images with the level of precision and consistency needed for it to serve as an eidos through pure imagination on the spot is extremely difficult to do. The average person cannot even begin to visualize high-definition three-dimensional eidos with a lot of information contained in them limited to vague blurs and flashes that are fleeting and do not last very long. Ultimately, is it too difficult for the conscious mind to be able to visualize the level of detail and the amount of information needed to constitute an eidos through spontaneous imagination and thought alone.] C? frowned. ¡°Really? Too difficult?¡± He had gained a decent amount of mana in his body in the past few months thanks to having come to own magicapita in the form of currency from his salary and his loan in addition to profits of the restaurant. ¡°I wonder if I can¡­¡± He turned to a sheet of paper at his desk. As he gazed at it, his imagination overlapped his vision, picturing it burning. He exerted himself, closing his eyes as he visualized even the finest details of the magic. He could see how the fire enveloped the paper, burning it as it turned the white paper black, as it curled and began crumbling. He visualized with immense detail how the plumes of smoke erupted from the fire. He pictured, with deep clarity, the flickering and glowing form of the flame consuming the paper. And it was just that, an empty image in his mind. ¡°It needs physicality¡­¡± he realized. ¡°It needs mana.¡± He recalled what the book had told him. ¡°Imbuing eidos with mana through the force of willpower.¡± His eyes flared with determination as he let both his burning determination to master magic and his newfound passion for it drive the mana within his body to the empty form of the flame consuming the paper. What followed shook him. FWOOSH! The paper burst into fire as the quivering flames burned it to ash. Just as he had imagined. Chapter 11: The Inception of the Comeback C? shot away from the fire, shocked. The fire immediately disappeared once his concentration was disrupted by his startling success. ¡°I thought it was supposed to be impossible¡­¡± he murmured. And yet, that wasn¡¯t the most shocking part. He gazed at his hands with an amazed expression. ¡°Did I¡­ just cast magic?¡± A bewildered laugh escaped him as he took in the moment. He hadn¡¯t even thought it would work, let alone be that easy. His expression grew mixed with exhilaration and confusion. He was thrilled it worked, but he was confused about why it worked. ¡°Wait.¡± He froze. ¡°Can it be that my Acquired Savant Syndrome is equally applicable to the field of wielding magic as it is to the field of cultivating mana?¡± His imagination allowed him to become extraordinarily effective at finding creative business strategies and ideas to achieve commercial success, at least better than before, but that same imagination was also extremely useful in magic. ¡°Is that why I¡¯m able to do what the book says is impossible?¡± C?¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he fell back into thought. ¡°Let me finish going through what it has to say in this regard.¡± [¡­And yet, while it is truly extremely difficult, it is not impossible. There have been extraordinarily gifted geniuses in the long history of magic that are known to have gained a tremendous power of imagination. And their magic is known as pure magic due to the fact that its form is created spontaneously with imagination. Their magic is purely as they envisioned and desired it, giving them endless versatility and flexibility and endless potential in magical pursuit.] He stared at the paragraph, frozen. He was almost afraid to connect the dots and put two and two together. But the truth demanded to be acknowledged. ¡°I¡­¡± A whisper escaped him. ¡°I¡¯m a pure mage?¡± It was difficult for him to parse this as the actual truth. Even though he uttered the words, they refused to ingrain themselves in his mind. Even as his exhilaration rose, so did his skepticism and confusion. Was he getting it all wrong? Was he misunderstanding the plain explanation that described precisely what he did as impossible? ¡°No¡­¡± A hint of certainty entered his eyes. ¡°This is all real. I am¡­ a pure mage.¡± His tone was as profound as the expression of surreality on his face as he gazed at his hands with shock. What ultimately tilted him in favor of accepting this as the truth was the ease with which he had cast his first magical spell. He knew that if magic was this easy for everybody, it would be universal. If it was this easy to burn something with a simple thought, the world would be very, very different. That rationale, in addition to his medical condition explaining why he was different from the rest, made it easier for him to accept this shocking reality as the truth. And yet, his reaction was bittersweet. ¡°This power came from Lilia¡¯s death.¡± His eyes grew melancholic. ¡°She would have been so excited to see this.¡± A bitter smile emerged on his face. ¡°This power¡­ as wonderful as it is, if I could exchange it to get her back¡­¡± He would have taken that deal in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, reality didn¡¯t accept the barter system. She was not coming back even if it was somehow possible for him to give away the gift he had gotten upon her death. ¡°No, this power is mine, and I will use it to burn this world down.¡± Pure fury blazed in the depths of his eyes. ¡°I will burn it down and build a new one in its place.¡± ¡°C?, my boy?¡± Mrs. Selvig¡¯s concerned voice reached him from her office, startling him. ¡°Is something burning? I smell smoke. Did Darren light the kitchen on fire?¡± ¡°Ah, no, Mrs. Selvig,¡± he replied with a lighter tone, hiding his emotions from her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± He quickly disposed of the burned paper and continued reading his book. He grew deeply paranoid of anybody learning of this shocking revelation. He represented a tremendous potential for profit as well a tremendous potential threat to many people if they found out about his talent. It was best that he kept his pure magic a secret, at least until he was strong enough to protect himself from the consequences. ¡°No, it would be good to keep it a secret for as long as possible.¡± His eyes narrowed with determination. ¡°My ultimate ambition is to overturn the world. I will undoubtedly face a lot of enemies who will do everything in their power to stop me. Knowing this will make it likelier that I will succumb to the resistance that surely awaits me.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. And thus, he vowed to keep it a secret from everyone, including the Selvigs. This knowledge could potentially be dangerous for them to even know. After everything that they had done for him, the least he could do was ensure that they didn¡¯t suffer due to their association with him. Thus, his study of magic continued over the next few days as he learnt about magic as a phenomenon, a field, and an industry. [Magic is a wide and diverse field with many applications and industries centered around it. Some of the largest industries centered around magic are artificing, healing, alchemy, enchantment, and combat magic. In this chapter, we will explore some of these fields of magic and gain a basic understanding of how they work.] C?¡¯s eyes lit up when he studied the many different fields of magic that the book lightly delved into with fun infographics. [Artificers forged artifacts with great magical power, while healers healed wounds and often diseases. Alchemists were masters of change, able to change materials into more desirable and valued substances. Enchanters gave ordinary objects magical properties, as a service.] ¡°Wow¡­¡± he murmured, immersed in thought. ¡°I always knew the bare basics of these fields, but I never fully understood how these fields actually worked. This¡­ this is truly special and incredible.¡± And thus, he spent his days learning the fundamentals of magic. However, what consumed his time the most was the restaurant. At the moment, it was the most important thing in his life. If he failed in this venture, picking himself up from the debt that he had incurred would be extraordinarily difficult. It would take years and drain away his life and his energy, making the odds of him achieving his goal extremely low. That was why he ensured that, as fascinating and amazing magic was, he didn¡¯t let it distract him from focusing on the success of the restaurant. What they were attempting to do¡ªchanging the very identity of the restaurant to keep up with the drastic changes in the consumer market dynamics¡ªwas very ambitious. They were in the final stretch of the changes in their operations, logistics, and supply chains. This was when C? had to really step up, take responsibility for his plan, and ensure that everything smoothly went on track as was planned. It wasn¡¯t just his life on the line. The future of the Selvigs was also on the line. It was one thing if he failed and suffered the consequences; it was another if it hurt the people to whom he had sold his dream to. And thus, he worked his ass off, ensuring that absolutely nothing went wrong. And thanks to his diligence, nothing did. The first piece of the puzzle to fall in place was the supply chains. He had finally settled the old suppliers with pretty decent cash-backs while securing the necessary ingredients for producing a massive number of meat buns each day. Then, he secured the restaurant title board while also getting his hands on the necessary posters advertising the soon-to-be sole dish on the menu, barring beverages. Additionally, he secured the purchases of additional kitchen magical artifacts needed. He also tirelessly followed up on the disposable container supplies that would allow the meat bun to be eaten conveniently anywhere without getting the floor or one¡¯s hands dirty. And thus, after two weeks, the day finally arrived. The day of the rebirth of Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante. ¡°Is everything in place?¡± Mrs. Selvig¡¯s voice was anxious. ¡°Did we forget anything?¡± ¡°Hah, don¡¯t worry, dear.¡± Mr. Selvig tightened his apron while donning his toque. ¡°Everything will be just fine.¡± His tone was confident and certain. In the past two months, he had truly warmed up to the changes that had come to the restaurant. Perhaps it was because he was moved by C?¡¯s dedication, perhaps it was because he had truly come to see the vision and buy into it as well. Regardless, his eyes blazed with determination. ¡°The restaurant will open in a few more minutes, let¡¯s start with the first batch.¡± The cooks of his team nodded firmly, having been well-prepped on the new kitchen protocols that Mr. Selvig had put in place. C? did one last survey of the posters, little boards, and the new restaurant boards around the place while making sure the waiters were aware of their new roles. And then it was time. FLIP The sign outside the restaurant door was turned, displaying ¡®OPEN¡¯ prominently while the blinds were also opened. The air tingled. It tingled with anticipation. There was a nervous energy in the air. They waited. And waited. Each minute weighed down on them, stretching out longer than it ever had before. From the window, the first flying magical train of the day could clearly be seen arriving from the City of Notenborg landed in the very next block from the restaurant. And that was when they knew. That was when they knew that the rush would begin. Within minutes, a batch of impatient customers entered the restaurant, hastily ordering the beverages that they were most accustomed to. Yet this time, things were different. ¡°Good morning, sir,¡± a waitress of the restaurant greeted a customer warmly, holding a tray with a plate and a wrapped meat bun, ¡°we would like to offer you a complementary meat bun, our newest specialty. Prepared in just eight minutes, you can have a light, delicious, convenient meal anywhere you go!¡± ¡°Good morning, madam. Please enjoy our complementary meat bun¡­¡± ¡°Good morning, sir¡­¡± The waiters and waitresses, having been instructed and trained on what to do, immediately took the first batch of freshly cooked meat buns to the customers, drawing their interest with the mouth-watering hunger scent of the hot dishes. It hadn¡¯t been an easy decision to offer a free meat bun to each customer on the first day so that they could get a taste of the dish without worrying if it was worth buying. ¡°But are you sure that it is worth the costs?¡± Mrs. Selvig asked as she paced back and forth in her office. ¡°Maybe this is too much of an expenditure?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the chartered accountant between the two of us, Mrs. Selvig,¡± C? remarked stoically. ¡°You handled the finances yourself, and I¡¯m sure you know that we can just barely afford it with the loan combined with the restaurant revenue.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± She heaved a stressed sigh. ¡°But I¡¯m just very tense about this whole thing¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about it, Mrs. Selvig,¡± he reassured her as he gazed through the unidirectional windows. ¡°The moment they take a bite of the meat buns, they will fall in love with it.¡± His eyes softened. ¡°Just as I did.¡± And he was right. The two of them watched as the customers lit up and chewed their first bite, relishing and savoring the juicy and deep taste of the ground, spiced meat with the warm and fluffy bread. Their bodies straightened as they felt the warmth of the freshly baked meat buns spreading through their entire body. A small smile briefly cracked at the edge of C? mouth at the collective response from the customers. Selvig¡¯s Ristorante had begun its comeback! Chapter 12: Lesser of Evils The customers took to the meat buns quite well, based on what he could gauge from their reactions. The dish was filling but not too heavy. On top of that, it left a warm sense of satisfaction. He was speaking from many years of experience. That was why he was confident that this one dish alone was good enough to capture impatient but hungry travelers. Especially when one factored in the quick time and the convenient packaging. C? spent the first day personally overseeing the register as he watched the customers comfortably finish their food well before the magical flying train departed from the station. Those that didn¡¯t simply paid the bill and took their meat buns with them without any concern of getting their hands dirty or spilling food in the train. Seeing the sheer number of meat buns that they were giving out for free caused him to wince, but it was worth it as a marketing strategy. If this was a brand-new restaurant opening for the first time, this would have been unnecessary. However, since the customer base had already established a routine and a habit of only purchasing beverages from the restaurant, he had deemed it necessary and worth the expense to break that monotony with a free offer that could change their customers¡¯ purchasing habits. And thus, an entire day passed as C? observed customer reactions and maintained a tally of the free buns they gave away. He also kept track of what proportion of meat buns was finished inside the restaurant and what was taken with the customers when they left. Simultaneously, he kept track of what proportion of customers ordered a second meat bun, which was chargeable, after the first free sample. Additionally, he recorded how much time after the initial arrival of the train were people willing to eat or take the meat buns. He also kept track of customer demographics, and what proportion of people who ordered a beverage also took a meat bun. For any ordinary person, keeping track of so many different variables and parameters would have been impossible, but C? was not overwhelmed even in the slightest. His mind was smoothly able to keep up with everything that he wanted to observe and record without any strain, mistakes, or delay. And thus, when the day ended, he had collected all the data that he wanted. ¡°We gave out nearly a thousand meat buns on the first day alone,¡± C? murmured with an amazed expression. ¡°And sold nearly three hundred to people who wanted a second.¡± The profit margins on the meat bun were solid. Thus, these numbers ended up bumping their daily revenue. ¡°But the expense of all those free samples will definitely cancel out any positive cash flow from the sold meat buns, won¡¯t it?¡± Mrs. Selvig muttered with a mixed tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure things will be different tomorrow when we sell the meatbuns without any of the freebies.¡± Mr. Selvig¡¯s expression lit up as he read through the numbers that C? tallied up. ¡°The fact that so many people were willing to eat it, even if for free, means that there is an appetite for what we are offering!¡± He turned to C? with a grin. ¡°¡­Just like you said.¡± A smile cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°Yes, it is a very optimistic result. Tomorrow¡¯s results will be especially telling.¡± And thus, they were even more eager the very next day as the store opened while the chefs and cooks got to work churning out meat buns even before the magical train could fully land on the tracks next block. The waiters and waitresses were ready for the first wave of customers that entered the restaurant. ¡°Good morning, sir. Would you like a beverage? We would also recommend our new exclusive meat bun item.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The man¡¯s eyes lit up as he recalled the delicious dish that he had had yesterday. ¡°In that case, I would like to order one.¡± Across the restaurant, many others also grew inclined to order a meat bun. Some customers even went so far as to order two or three. A healthy flow of orders reached the kitchen and within minutes were served. It was a special kind of delight for customers to receive fresh, hot food within five minutes of ordering it. This was especially the case for the impatient customers who were worried about getting late. They could very effortlessly take their food with them, prompting them to order even more to take with them to have at later times. Not even C? could resist smiling after seeing how well the sales were doing by noon. It appeared that his attempt to shock customers out of their beverage-exclusive inertia was worth the effort that went into it. Things were going great, considering that it was just the second day of the launch of their new business strategy, and their revenue had already hit a nine-month high before the day was even over, culminating in a wonderful revenue by the end of the day. Even C? had to admit the results were quite impressive. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Three hundred thousand leenars,¡± C? announced in a composed voice. ¡°Just over four times the average daily revenue in the past nine months.¡± An excited celebration erupted amid the staff and the Selvigs, while C? allowed himself a smile at the celebration over the fruits of their labor. More than his own financial circumstances, he was happy that he fulfilled his promise to the Selvigs and salvaged their restaurant. He purposely hid the chilling cold that had developed in his eyes ever since he had woken up from his coma. He hid that side of him in the presence of the Selvigs while expressing the few embers of warmth he had within him. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, C?.¡± They gazed at him with warm affection, pulling him into a group hug. The gesture lit up a small, warm smile at the edge of his mouth. ¡°We accomplished this together.¡± His tone was gentle while his gaze softened. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have been able to do this without everybody doing their best.¡± ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re being too humble, lad!¡± Mr. Selvig slapped him on the back with a wide grin. ¡°All of this, this was your brainchild, this was your money, this was your idea! This restaurant would be closed if not for you!¡± Mr. Selvig didn¡¯t hide just how pleased he was at the highly optimistic results of their strategy. There was no doubt that the man had been under a tremendous amount of pressure in the past few months. He was undoubtedly harboring hope that C?¡¯s business strategy would help the restaurant thrive, and yet he couldn¡¯t help but be extremely nervous. Ultimately, the reason that they had decided to trust C? was partly because of sentimentality. That realization had given Selvigs a lot stress and tension about how things unfold. ¡°How can we ever thank you, dear boy?¡± Mrs. Selvig hugged him dearly and affectionately. ¡°You already have, Mrs. Selvig,¡± he replied gently. ¡°Please don¡¯t feel indebted to me.¡± ¡°Time for a celebration!¡± Mr. Selvig brought food that he had especially prepared for everybody. ¡°Everybody, eat up! It¡¯s on the house!¡± A cheer erupted from the staff as they indulged themselves in Mr. Selvig¡¯s wonderful food. C? indulged himself, too. He ate the food, spoke with the staff and the couple, and even took the effort to wear a warm smile. And yet, while he was happy for the Selvigs, he himself knew that this was merely a drop in the bucket for his own personal ambition to change the world. The income he would gain by virtue of being part-owner of the restaurant was an extraordinarily small portion of the wealth he would need in order to change the world. And yet, he had successfully taken the first step. And thus, after the party was over and everybody left home, C? fell into thought. ¡°Now what?¡± With the success of the restaurant largely obtained, he would obtain a decent cash flow that would allow him to pay interest on his medical and business loans, while simultaneously chipping away at the principal. It meant that he was reliably out of the financial red. Now, he could focus on the long term. ¡°Once I pay off more and more of the principal of my loans, then I will have more magicapita to start out on new commercial ventures.¡± His eyes sharpened with determination. ¡°Additionally, I need to master magic. If I¡¯m to accomplish a goal as nonsensically absurd as destroying this world and building a new one in its place, then I will need to master all kinds of magic to aid me in that goal, and to protect me from those who seek to hunt me.¡± C? was not willing to simply be a rich boy who entrusted his safety to bodyguards. Guards could be compromised, and everybody had a price. He would need to become a force unto himself without even the slightest weakness. And thus, his two life agendas were already laid out firmly. Cultivate magic. Master magic. Individually, these were full-time fields by themselves that one could spend an entire lifetime pursuing. C? intended to reach the pinnacle of both. ¡°With that established, I need to flesh out my plans for both agendas and iron out the details.¡± His tone grew pensive. ¡°For cultivating magicapita, I can now begin accessing ideas that had a higher magicapita barrier of entry. With the steady income from the restaurant, I can start new businesses that will earn me money and eventually get me to the top.¡± Ever since he had made his decision to cultivate magicapita, his mind would constantly be flooded with all kinds of ideas on how he could make money. Now, he would be able to seriously consider and execute a larger proportion of those ideas. ¡°I will have to spend a serious session jotting them all out and eventually focusing on one of them; it¡¯s not something I can just decide on the spot here,¡± he mused knowingly. ¡°As for my second agenda, mastering magic, it doesn¡¯t have as wide an array of choices.¡± The very first option on his mind was, of course, the straightforward option of magicademies. Magicademies didn¡¯t have age limits, although an overwhelming majority of mages who enrolled were quite young. He was quite certain he wouldn¡¯t stand out too much at the age of twenty-three. There was only one problem. ¡°Even now, I don¡¯t have anywhere near the amount of money needed to pay for the education and training.¡± His gray eyes narrowed. ¡°Which means I will need to get a scholarship.¡± He knew he could easily get one if he wanted. After all, there was only one criterion to be eligible for a scholarship for magicademies. ¡°Magical aptitude.¡± He knew he was shining in that domain, even if he had resolved to hide his pure mage status to increase the chances of overcoming those who opposed him in his path to his ultimate objective. His Acquired Savant Syndrome granted him immense cognition, particularly so in the case of his imagination and divergent thinking. ¡°The issue is that scholarships come with many strings attached.¡± National magicademies demanded decade-long contracts with the government. Private magicademies also did just that, but with the shareholders and stakeholders of the given magicademy. If he chose to go with either of these options, he would be forced to serve the government or corporations or some millionel or billionel. He despised all of them. ¡°The other options are not pleasant, either,¡± he tutted with a displeased expression. ¡°The Mage Association will also not let me learn magic for free, either. They, too, will have me work my ass off.¡± And yet, as much as he would have loved to pay the fees, he knew that that was a dream in the short term. ¡°So¡­¡± His eyes flared with wrath and hatred. ¡°I have no choice but to choose the lesser of many evils, I suppose.¡± Chapter 13: An Idea What the lesser of many evils was in this case was not easy to decide. ¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to work for the wealthy,¡± he grumbled inwardly. ¡°Those bastards are half the reason why I want to burn this world down. I will get hefty wages and a luxurious lifestyle, but I have already long decided that labor income will not help me become truly rich. And I don¡¯t care for luxury.¡± For many mages, being employed by a rich family, clan, or individuals was the dream. Not C?. He didn¡¯t care for luxury. ¡°Whatever I choose, it must aid in my two agendas and my ultimate goal.¡± This, he was clear about. Serving the wealthy wouldn¡¯t necessarily help him earn more capital income from commercial ventures, not without selling his soul to them by having them become his personal investor. On top of that, the kinds of jobs that mages serving the wealthy engaged in were often not rich in experience. They were there to entertain the wealthy or help them get richer, even the magetants, also known as combat mages, under them saw the least amount of action. C? was simply not inclined to go this route. ¡°Serving magicorporations also sucks.¡± The conditions were similar to serving wealthy families and rich individuals except even less personal and still ultimately served in the interests of their profit. On top of that, the work would be highly monotonous. ¡°Serving the government or the Elendir Mage Association are the two options left in that regard.¡± He snorted. ¡°Not as bad as the rich, I suppose. Still, I may not have to make a choice right away.¡± An overwhelming majority of magicademies were exclusively national or private. ¡°Except for the thirteen Elendir Institutes of Magic across the entire nation.¡± Even someone like him who had spent most of his life in the slums and had had no interest in mastering magic previously was aware of the Elendir Institutes of Magic. Far and away the most prestigious institution in the entire world with thirteen highly coveted branches across the entire nation. They were joint initiatives of the mage association, the government, many power blocs and interest groups, and many wealthy families. Together, they created the most well-funded and resourceful institutes that produced some of the most skilled mages in the entire nation, while also employing some of the most skilled mages as professors and trainers. It took him only a little bit of research on the maginet for C? to find out that it offered a scholarship as well, with an open-ended contract offer. The decade of service would not change, but he could choose between the many patrons, investors, and stakeholders of the institute. Mages graduating from the institutes were so valued that they were often even auctioned as many parties would bid to be their scholarship contractor. ¡°This institute would guarantee my skills and allow me to choose between the government and the mage association as my scholarship contractor after I¡¯m done with graduation,¡± he mused. ¡°I will be in a much better position to make a difference. And I will know more about it.¡± And thus, his plan for the second of two agendas, mastering magic, was decided. ¡°Now, I just need to consider all my options for cultivating magicapita when I get back ¡®home.¡¯¡± His expression curdled at the thought of living in the slums once more. Although he could book a hotel thanks to the success of his business strategy, he knew that it was prudent to wait and ensure that the success of the restaurant was consistent before he spent money more liberally. When he reached his shabby little hut in the Colohen Slums, his only wish was to be left alone as he brainstormed ideas. And yet, the Colohen Slums didn¡¯t appear to be amenable that night. ¡°Hehehe, look who finally came back.¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t the lick.¡± ¡°I like that jacket you got on. I¡¯m sure it will look better on me, you little shit.¡± C?¡¯s eyes narrowed as he glanced behind him from the corner of his eyes. His eyes blazed with cold hatred and anger. The cuts, bruises, and other wounds he had suffered over the past few months were because he had failed to entirely adapt back to the Colohen Slums in time. And once he was targeted one time, he would be targeted another time. And another. And another. Until the local community all knew that he was an easy target because he had no friends or allies, and everybody else was picking on him. It didn¡¯t help that everybody knew he worked a job outside of the odd errands of the slums. Thus, he was a prime target for robbing. More than anything he was an outsider. ¡°What the hell do you maggots want?¡± C?¡¯s voice was overflowing with contemptuous hatred. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Hatred so intense that it tainted the clear gray of his eyes with malevolent darkness. A hatred for the slums that had been cultivated his entire life. It sent chills across the skins of the three men who had cornered him at his run-down hut. And yet, they couldn¡¯t show it. How you were perceived was everything in the slums. If they were perceived to be weak, then they would end up becoming the next lick of the local slum community. THUD! The man at the center grabbed C? by the collar, slamming him into the wall of his little hut. ¡°Don¡¯t talk shit to me, you little bitch.¡± His tone grew dangerous. ¡°I will kill you. You understand?¡± C? scoffed with derision. ¡°Your breath stinks. Fuck off. Or get down on your knees and suck my¡ª¡± FLICK FLICK C?¡¯s cold gaze shifted to the knives that the other two drew from their worn-down belts. ¡°You went and did it now.¡± The man¡¯s expression was distorted with bloodlust. ¡°You just had to run your mouth, didn¡¯t you?¡± His right hand left C?¡¯s collar, reaching for his own blade. ¡°If you¡¯d just shut up and obediently listened, you would not lose your life today.¡± FLICK His grin grew gruesome as he drew his own knife. ¡°Any last words?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then die.¡± His eyes flared with sadism as his knife flew towards C?¡¯s heart. And yet, it never reached. FWOOOSH! Spontaneously, the man combusted, consumed by an enormous fire that enveloped his body. ¡°AAARRRGGHHHHHRRARHGRHRGHRR!!!¡± His gruesome howl gave the other two goosebumps as they simply watched with horror as he was burned alive. By the time they started running, it was too late. ¡°Sorry.¡± C?¡¯s words were cold. ¡°But I can¡¯t spare any witnesses.¡± His chilling expression never changed a shade as he watched both of them burn alive. It wasn¡¯t until they stopped screaming that he finally released the flames. He heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I already tried the igniting magic once before.¡± Ordinarily, one time was far, far from enough for any mage to be able to use a spell like that in practice. But with C?, even once yielded him enough experience to know what to expect. He could construct eidos from pure imagination and thought, after all. He glanced at the three corpses with cold apathy before his gaze shifted to his hands. He didn¡¯t feel even the slightest hint of remorse, emotion, or guilt at having killed three people. Perhaps it was because they were going to kill him had he not done what he did. Perhaps it was because people like them were part of why he had come to hate the slums his entire life. Regardless, he simply didn¡¯t feel anything despite burning three people alive. His gaze swept around his surroundings carefully, unable to sense any presence. Unfortunately, as unreliable as relying on his senses to detect any potential witnesses was, he didn¡¯t have any better method at the moment. Thankfully, just witnessing him setting people on fire without incantation or a magical circle was not proof that he was engaging in pure magic, considering that enchanted items and artifacts were capable of replicating what he had just done. Thus, his secret was far, far from revealed, even if the whole world saw him light them ablaze. That was the only reason that he was not too worried if someone had seen him. ¡°Tsk, I need to get out of the slums as soon as possible.¡± The slums were deeply unpleasant to live in. The moment the success of Selvig¡¯s Ristorante was proven to be long-lived, he was more than content leaving the place and shifting to a better place to live. He refused to remain in this shit hole of a place with absolutely no future and no potential. He had always known his entire life that this place would always hold him back and never let him achieve his dreams. ¡°Now¡­¡± He heaved a sigh. ¡°Time to brainstorm for commercial ventures that can allow me to accrue more wealth and more capital income.¡± With the income that he was projected to get from partial ownership over the restaurant, he needed to start filtering out business ideas whose venture capital he could afford. The very moment he did, his mind was flooded with a myriad of ideas that he could pursue, from targeting different market segments, targeting different industries from those that sold essential goods and services to luxury industries. Dozens, hundreds, thousands of ideas erupted in his mind as he considered them. His imagination ran wild with possibilities even as he parsed all of them. ¡°Tsk, this is unsustainable,¡± he tutted. ¡°I should further rank them by reward/risk ratio.¡± Unfortunately, this was where his knowledge was starting to show its limits; he didn¡¯t have a good understanding of a lot of industries. ¡°Then, I should focus exclusively on industries that I have knowledge, exposure, and experience with.¡± There was no point in starting off in areas that he had absolutely no foundation in. It was better to focus on industries and markets that he was familiar with before expanding into unfamiliar territory. That erased a lot of the many ideas that had surged within his vivid imagination, leaving some clear favorites ranking at the top of his list of ideas. ¡°The food industry.¡± This was a no-brainer. Of all the industries he was most familiar with, the food industry was probably at the top of the list. He was, of course, a consumer of food like every person was, and he had many years of experience of working at a popular family-run restaurant. He was also the most confident in working in that industry due to his success at turning around the dying Selvig¡¯s Ristorante and changing its destiny. However, there were issues. ¡°The food industry often has a very high barrier of entry and a low ceiling.¡± Starting restaurants was expensive, but also had very clear limits in terms of revenue potential. It was not something that had tremendous potential to yield him great profits and meaningfully help him reach his ultimate goal. Long-term scalability was important to him for his goal, and wasn¡¯t a condition that the restaurant industry was known for. Thus, he was not inclined to invest a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into creating his own restaurant. CRACK CRACK CRACK¡­ He snapped out of his reverie at the unsteady cracking sounds from the walls. Moments later, the structure began collapsing on him, leaving him precious few moments to jump out of the way. BOOM! C? barely managed to jump out of the crumbling shack in time, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the falling rubble. That was what fundamentally drove him to do what he was doing with the strongest. ¡°Goddammit!¡± he cursed, gasping for breath. ¡°I totally forgot that this was the condition of real estate in the slums!¡± No construction company bothered entering the slums due to the extremely low purchasing power of the residents of the slums. All construction services were done by incompetent, unskilled workers for short change, or by the residents themselves. ¡°It was already pretty old and shabby, but I didn¡¯t think it was anywhere near crumbling. That guy shoving me into the wall must have been the final straw.¡± He scowled, getting up as he dusted himself. ¡°I guess I should thank him for having done that, huh? If it collapsed after I fell asleep, I would be dead. Tsk, I would be willing to pay hard cash to be able to sleep at night without worrying that a building is going to fall on top of me¡ª!¡± He froze as a sudden idea popped into his head. ¡°Willing to pay hard cash¡­¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°...This might just work.¡± Chapter 14: Plans for the Future His mind flashed back to the words that he had just uttered. ¡°I would be willing to pay solid cash to be able to sleep at night safely without worrying about a building collapsing on me¡­?¡± His eyes lit up with realization. If he was willing to, then surely a lot of people in the slums would be willing to as well. In fact, while the purchasing power of the residents of the slums was the lowest in the entire nation, the one thing that they were willing to spend money on was some modicum of shelter to protect them from the elements. That meant that there was demand. ¡°More importantly¡­¡± he realized. ¡°Uncontested demand.¡± Demand for something as essential as safety was stable, for this was a basic necessity. Thus, he could infer that this demand was most likely subject to minimal market risk, for not being crushed by bricks would rank quite highly on the list of demands. ¡°And despite there being stable uncontested demand and low risk, there is absolutely no supply.¡± He gazed around at the decrepit and run-down buildings that were endlessly plastered with make-shift scaffolding and paltry and weak support set up by unskilled and incompetent workers. Because of the absence of high-quality construction companies, erected buildings were inherently unstable. Modern civil engineering leveraged magitechnology to construct safe and secure buildings¡ªmagitechnology that the slums lacked due to the absence of the magigrid that supplied usable magical energy to the inner districts of the city. Thus, already unskilled and incompetent workers¡ªwho were at most employed in some small-time construction company in districts close to the slums¡ªwere forced to construct buildings without any magical construction capital. All of these severely impaired the quality of the end product. This was especially the case as civil regulation, zoning laws, and other safety protocols simply weren¡¯t enforced in the slums. What further reduced the standards of quality to even more dire levels was the limited purchasing power that residents of the slums had, due to how abysmally poor they were. The result? An epidemic of low-quality, highly unsafe, and unstable buildings. A large portion of the buildings crumbled within eighteen months of construction. C? recalled memories of old where he had had some close calls during his early life in the slums, although none nearly as close as the near-death experience he had just experienced. ¡°There is a tremendous untapped and uncontested demand for safe housing that is also cheap while also being good enough to protect people from extreme weather,¡± C? concluded. ¡°Demand that nobody is able to harness. Demand that nobody has thought to harness.¡± There was a reason that no major construction company extended their services to this particular market segment due to its low purchasing power. It was an assumed fact that people in the slums were obviously too poor to possibly afford the construction services of registered companies. After, construction had a high cost of production. Almost every single person in the industry avoided catering to slum residents. They all believed without even the slightest hint of skepticism that there was no market for construction services in the slums. And yet, C? was different. The extraordinary imagination and divergent thinking bestowed by his Acquired Savant Syndrome allowed him to consider possibilities that nobody else before him had. ¡°High cost of production¡­¡± His eyes gleamed with excitement as a multitude of solutions emerged in his mind. ¡°But does that really need to be the case?¡± His mind was flooded with plenty of possibilities. Unfortunately, this matter was outside purely commercial knowledge. He would need to gain intimate familiarity with the production process of construction and become aware of everything that was possible. ¡°But, from what I understand, it shouldn¡¯t be impossible to sell housing that is simultaneously sturdy enough to protect residents from the extreme climate and weather of Elendir while also having a low cost of production,¡± he murmured. ¡°I just need to do some research into the matter.¡± Plenty of research into the matter. If he did choose to explore this route, there was no doubt in his mind that it was not something that he would be able to whip together in just the span of a few days the way he had with the meat bun business strategy for Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante. ¡°Also, unless I¡¯m planning to entirely exclude magic entirely, then I will probably need to get into a magicademy like I have always been planning.¡± After all, learning important details about magic was not easy. And the truly important matters were confidential or classified. Ever since the Twilight Rebellion, the state had begun clamping down the secrets of magic, ensuring that it was not rampant and unregulated. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Well, that has always been the plan from the very start.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not aiming for just any magicademy; I¡¯m aiming for the best.¡± The Elendir Institute of Magic. ¡°Thankfully, there¡¯s one branch in the City of Colohen,¡± he recalled. ¡°There I can pursue the idea that I came up with and explore the possibilities to tap into the demand for safe housing in the slums.¡± He could also explore avenues in the food industry where he could leverage his experiences to try and create a business that had greater scalability than an individual restaurant. There were also several other sectors and markets that he had his eyes on for potential commercial ventures. All of these would take a lot of time to research extensively before he could even begin to flesh out the business model, and later the business strategy. All of these were aimed with the goal of serving as steps in the ladder to his ambition of becoming the richest and, thus, the most powerful man in the world. ¡°I suppose my schedule for the foreseeable future is set,¡± he noted with a sense of finality. ¡°Business research. Preparation for getting into the Elendir Institute of Magic. And making sure that Selvig¡¯s Ristorante¡¯s success is stable.¡± Together these were surely going to consume every inch of his free time. Each was a full-time job by itself. Even with his enhanced productivity post-coma, he would still have his hands full. And thus, his grind began. Over the next few months, he spent his days focusing on exactly these three things. Watching the growth of the restaurant and ensuring that it was stable took over most of his time. It was still his job. More importantly, he had a commitment and a promise to keep. While the absence of the powerful cash flow would hurt, what would hurt even more was failing to honor his word to the Selvigs and watching them put down their restaurant, uproot their life, and move away. That was why he made sure that his two agendas of cultivating magic and mastering magic did not draw him away from his duty to the old couple that he regarded as an aunt and uncle. Thankfully, his business strategy worked seamlessly. To such an extent that even he found it difficult to believe. Even with good business strategies, there were always all kinds of bumps and challenges that threatened success, but C? realized that he had foreseen each and every single one of them. The precision and accuracy of the outcome that he had envisioned in his mind were so high that he had already not only predicted the problems but also solved them ahead of time. And thus, Selvig¡¯s Ristorante¡¯s daily revenue shattered not only anything that they had accomplished in the past year but was also approaching some of their all-time highs. Business was thriving, and C? used it to pay for not only the business loans that he had taken for the business but also the medical loans that had been thrusted on him. This was a sigh of relief to him. He had absolutely no interest in turning into a slave for some rich prick or corporation. Outside of working at the restaurant, he researched the Elendir Institute of Magic and how he could wind up enrolling in the institute and mastering magic to the greatest extent he possibly could. ¡°There are four broad programs¡­¡± he mumbled as he scrolled through the information on the magical screen. ¡°The Apprentice Program. Senior Program. Master Program. I suppose I would have no choice but to start at the Apprentice Program.¡± The names of the programs corresponded with the first three ranks of mages. Apprentice mages. Senior mages. Master Mages. He winced when he read that the average age of Apprentices was eighteen. ¡°Tsk, I will have to sit with a bunch of kids? Give me a break¡­¡± At the age of twenty-two, his proclivity to view teenagers as slightly older than babies had already begun to set in, contributing to his displeasure to have to be in a program with children. On top of that, it shocked him to know that despite being younger than him, there were particularly gifted teenagers who were already in the Senior Program. ¡°Wild¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°And as for people my age¡­¡± Much to his dismay, they were all in the Senior Programme, and upon graduation would be considered Senior Mages. Knowing how far he was behind his peers made him feel a hint of self-consciousness, before he shook it off with a sigh. ¡°My situation is different from theirs.¡± When he thought about what he was actually capable of, He was able to shrug off any thoughts of inferiority. He had an extraordinary gift, one that had certainly come at a terrible price, but one that would give him the power to achieve even the nigh impossible dream that he harbored. More importantly, he was relieved to know that there were no age limits to the Apprentice Program from what he could find from the maginet. There was only one parameter that the Elendir Institute of Magic or any magicademy was concerned about. ¡°Aptitude.¡± Specifically, magical aptitude. Those footing the enormous bill of a scholarship were most concerned whether that investment was likely to yield dividends in the form of a contracted mage working for ten years for them afterward. The highest predictor of a successful investment was magical talent. In the case of magic, it amounted to the two fundamental halves of magic; form and physicality. Eidos and mana. The magical aptitude test was a nationwide aptitude test held by the government that any registered citizen or immigrant could apply for. It gave results and a ranking that magicademies across the entire nation used to determine which students to accept and reject. ¡°As long as I get a high rank in the top thousand, there should be no chance that I fail.¡± Each institute only accepted a thousand students each year for the Apprentice program, balanced out by a thousand students graduating each year. As long as he bagged the highest of ranks, he would get what he wanted. At the same time, he needed to ensure that he didn¡¯t perform too well, especially in regards to eidos. If he displayed his revolutionary talent in this regard to its fullest, then he would face an absurd amount of pressure, as many parties would stop at nothing to get their hands on him. Including using unsavory methods. ¡°I need to do just well enough to ensure that the attention works in my favor but not too much that it would erode my agency due to their greed or paranoia.¡± What was the optimal result that tread that thin line? He stirred in deep thought before shrugging. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just aim for rank one.¡± Each year yielded a rank one student, and he knew that they had nothing to fear. Their futures were particularly bright, and he had never heard of any stories of their rank turning into a source of danger for them. ¡°I just need to make sure that I don¡¯t break any records.¡± Chapter 15: Testing Limits In the following months, he researched the Elendir Institute of Magic and prepared for its next intake season. In addition, he also researched the other of his two primary agendas. Cultivating magic. His goal was not just to become one of the most powerful mages, but also the most powerful cultivator. Those were not the same. Cultivators were those who dedicated their lives to cultivating magicapita while mages dedicated their lives to mastering magic. Although many were both, most people leaned one way or another. Businessmen would sometimes rather employ competent mages and assign them wealth under their names and in their ownership to make them more powerful. These businessmen sometimes had no aptitude for magic or simply had no interest in pursuing it at later stages in their lives with what meager aptitude they might have. However, most businessmen did end up dabbling in magic and becoming mages, even if they were low-ranked mages often. Not C?. If he wanted to become not just the most powerful person in the world but also gain enough power to singlehandedly rewrite the world, he would need to become the greatest cultivator and the greatest mage by far. And thus, another massive chunk of his free time was dedicated to studying the ideas that he had come up with. Specifically, he wanted to explore the cost of production of housing construction services and judge how feasible it was to tap into the demand for safe housing in the slums. Unfortunately, even the slightest bit of research showed that he had underestimated how large the gap was. He had underestimated how much it cost to build even the smallest of housing units in accordance with the regulation set by the Board of Civil Regulations under the Ministry of Domestic Affairs. Building even the smallest of housing units required more money than pretty much any of the poorest of poor working people in the slums could even dream to afford. This was especially the case when the slums were disconnected from the magigrid. ¡°No wonder the construction industry universally stays the hell away from the slums,¡± C? muttered. ¡°What an impossible task.¡± And yet, he continued visualizing countless concepts, ideas, and possibilities to overcome this hurdle. He imagined possibilities where the construction process did not require the slums to be connected to the magigrid. He came up with concepts where the end product simply didn¡¯t require an enormous supply of raw materials. He also brainstormed ways to reduce the required input of capital and labor. ¡°Tsk, I will need to do more research.¡± That was expected, of course. No commercial venture could be commenced within merely a few months of the initial conception of the idea. C? had just merely identified untapped demand and immense uncontested potential. As long as he found a way to make his idea work, he would be able to harness a large amount of demand. After all, thirteen percent of the population of Elendir lived in slums. That was a tremendous amount of cumulative demand even if the purchasing power of each individual poor person living in the slums was minimal. ¡°This is an opportunity worth pursuing,¡± he concluded. ¡°I¡¯m probably the only one with personal experience in the matter who has ever considered this opportunity. I doubt anybody else considering it has ever had a building fall on them due to its unstable structure.¡± In order to identify the most feasible possibilities out of all the options that he had conjured up, he would need to sift away the implausible from the probable. This was how he spent another chunk of his time after work. And yet, his most enjoyable activity was, of course, learning more about magic. Across the span of a few months, it remained his favorite way to spend his time. [Mana Conductors] [Mana conductors allow mana to flow to form with less resistance by reducing mana resistance. Magic cast with mana conductors is more than an order of magnitude more powerful than magic cast without mana conductors due to their high mana conductivity. These are materials and substances that were generally mana-rich by virtue of having been part of highly valued magicapita or having been part of powerful living monsters with great mana. Alternatively, some substances develop conductivity over sustained exposure to magic. In the modern era, it has long become the norm for mages to own and wield mana conductors such as wands, staffs, scepters. Some mana conductors even take the form of conventional weapons such as spears and swords and are usually used by warrimages. Some more obscure forms include clothing, rings, and other trinkets.] C?¡¯s eyes lit up at the illustrations of the mana conductors in the Foundations of Magic. ¡°Beautiful.¡± He instantly felt the need to get his hands on one. Even though he hadn¡¯t learned how to use magic in any comprehensive way, he felt a profoundly deep urge to secure a powerful wand for himself. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He had always known that mages carried wands with them, although he had never understood why. It was fascinating to know that the reason was something that was so technical. ¡°But isn¡¯t mana supposed to be formless and thus not real or immaterial?¡± C? frowned with a hint of confusion. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be interacting with things in the first place. Not without an eidos.¡± Unfortunately, the book¡¯s explanation and coverage was extremely surface-level; it didn¡¯t bother such details. ¡°If I want to learn more about this, I will have to enter the Elendir Institute of Magic, I suppose.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Tsk, I can¡¯t wait for the next seasonal intake of freshmen.¡± Outside of engrossing himself in the Foundations of Magic, he also couldn¡¯t stop himself from practicing magic discreetly in the slums. He had enough sense to know that he shouldn¡¯t practice pure magic in places with people around, thus he remained isolated in some of the remote spots in the Colohen Slums. He would spend hours practicing any magical phenomena that he could think of. He would set things on fire. He would levitate things. He would crush things. He found that he was able to perform these tasks with ease. ¡°People can¡¯t even do this much? Really?¡± He frowned, scratching his head. How difficult was it to visualize an object floating with pure imagination? In reality, he had simply forgotten what his internal mindscape looked like. After all, this was not something that people were conscious of. However, while most people¡¯s imaginations were hazy, blurry, inconsistent, and ever-changing, he was able to accurately visualize all three-dimensional phenomena with such detail, clarity, and consistency that it was effectively the same as a normal person studying an object in real life. ¡°Well, sucks to be them I guess.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I, for one, will not let this brand-new talent go to waste. I should practice and hone this ability as much as possible.¡± And he did. Between preparing for enrollment and researching construction, he also devoted a lot of time to honing his magic with basic tasks. He explored his limits, of which he had plenty. ¡°Even with pure magic, I have no idea how the fields of enchantment, artificing, divination, and alchemy work,¡± he realized. ¡°Just pure magic isn¡¯t enough to get me started in these fields.¡± From that, he could deduce that these fields applied magic in a way that had greater prerequisites beyond just magical aptitude. Of course, with the divergent thinking he had gained due to his accident, it was possible that he could eventually find a way to pursue these fields on his own. But he decided against doing that. ¡°There is no point in recreating the wheel.¡± Thus, he stopped trying to test whether he could and instead began exploring other limits of his pure magic. ¡°¡­Range is another limit,¡± he deduced as he concentrated hard on a rock ten meters away from him in the abandoned shack that he found himself in. ¡°It gets harder and harder to cast magic directly on things further and further away.¡± He was sure that had he had a wand, he would have been able to do much more. But for now, he could only steadily focus on growing and breaking past his limits. The more he explored, the more he learned not just about what he couldn¡¯t do, but also about what he could. ¡°I can conjure all kinds of objects.¡± From rocks, magicars, and even people. WHOOSH His eyes grew melancholic with grief as he conjured an indistinguishably real clone of Lilia. Everything from her touch, her warmth, her scent, and even her mirthful mannerisms. It only caused him pain. ¡°Huff¡­¡± He dispelled the manifestation, leaving him all alone once more. ¡°What the hell am I doing?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Focus on the future. Don¡¯t get shackled by the past.¡± And yet, it was easier said than done. At least, trying to keep her manifestation active for as long as he could taught him more about his limits. ¡°Manifestations are temporary.¡± He gazed at his hands. ¡°And they consume continuous energy each second. They cannot be turned into permanent fixtures in reality.¡± He had noticed that some things were harder to conjure than others. Things like rocks, sand, or fire were fairly easy. However, when he tried conjuring manifestations of dragons or phoenixes, he realised that they consumed greater amounts of mana than, say, sand that weighed as much. ¡°Truly bizarre¡­¡± he remarked. ¡°I should thoroughly explore and inquire more into the nature of magic and consolidate my questions and doubts for the Elendir Institute of Magic.¡± And he proceeded to do just that. A few months rolled by before the fateful day arrived. Centers around the entire nation opened up, setting up testing counters that would measure aptitude for form and physicality. It was one of the most lively parts of the year, for magic was the most powerful force in the entire world. The results of this exam would make and break dreams across the entire world. Each year, a flood of countless excited and anxious teenagers would flood the testing centers to measure their aptitude for magic. Most of them would end up heartbroken. The rare, blessed percentage of them that ended up discovering a viable path to realizing their dream would go on to enroll in some magicademy or the other, and eventually become proud wielders of magic. Magical aptitude wasn¡¯t particularly genetic or biological, although that certainly played a role. At the same time it had limited scope for growth through training without an extravagant investment of aptitude growth resources. Furthermore, those that didn¡¯t score high enough collectively weren¡¯t necessarily unable to use magic; it just meant that their aptitude was too low for magicademies to bother investing in them. This was simply a crushing realization to many. To be able to take a step towards their dreams only to learn they¡¯re not worth investing in. To watch their peers master the godly power of magic and stand above the magicless weaklings of the world. The nation effectively ground to a standstill when the magical aptitude test came around. ¡°C?, here¡¯s a little lunch that Darren prepared for you!¡± Mrs. Selvig came rushing to him with a little lunch box. ¡°He prepared some meat buns for you. Be sure to eat them when you¡¯re hungry.¡± C? accepted her gift gratefully. He was as calm and composed as she was nervous. He had already figured out exactly how well he must perform to nail the top rank without drawing unwanted attention to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my boy, I¡¯m sure that you will do just fine,¡± Mrs. Selvig told him, reassuring herself more than anyone else. A smile cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Selvig.¡± And just like that, he was off. Chapter 16: Extravagant Welcome The air and atmosphere across the entirety of the City of Colohen were electric and exciting that morning. Just stepping outside Selvig¡¯s Ristorante exposed him to the tingling anticipation that had captured the entire country. Today was a day that an enormous number of people had waited for their entire lives. One had to be at least sixteen to take magic aptitude tests. It was believed that prior to the age of sixteen, any magic aptitude a person might have had was still in too much flux to reliably determine their potential as a mage. It was a day that would leave its mark on the lives of all those who took the test. For C?, however, it was just the first step. ¡®I will get into the Elendir Institute of Magic,¡¯ his eyes narrowed with determination, ¡®and master magic to the greatest degree that I possibly can with the best of resources, the best of professors and teachers, and the best of learning environments.¡¯ A lot of people would consider their lives set just by getting accepted into the Elendir Institute of Magic. C? was not among them. His ultimate goal was so absurdly difficult that even the prospect of getting into the best magicademy in the entire nation didn¡¯t increase his odds of succeeding by any noticeable degree. And yet, it was indeed the best path to success that he viably had at his disposal. ¡°Thankfully, I don¡¯t have to go too far for the test.¡± Each district had its own center, and C? did not have to walk more than a several kilometers before he reached one. He didn¡¯t even need a map. He just followed the crowd. By the time he got there, the size of the crowd far exceeded anything he had expected. ¡°I¡¯m so nervous~¡± ¡°Hah, I¡¯m definitely going to get into the top one percent! Both my parents are mages!¡± ¡°Move! The most important day of my life is here, and you fellows are blocking me!¡± C? heaved a sigh of exhaustion at the sight of all the excited teenagers swarming the magic aptitude testing center and counters. Thankfully, more than a dozen testing counters had been set up precisely in anticipation of this. It wasn¡¯t until an hour later that he finally got his turn. ¡°Please step forward and present your ID,¡± the man at the counter instructed with a stern expression. His robes were that of a mage. In his hand was a wand, ready to be wielded at the drop of a hat should the need arise. An apprentice mage. This was perhaps the first time that C? had seen a mage up close. C? adhered to his instructions, stepping before the little testing podium. Before him was a table with two orbs glowing with magic. The left one glowed with a myriad of colorful dancing lights, while the other was simply transparent, almost invisibly so. ¡°First, we shall test your mental aptitude for magic.¡± That was the public name for the aptitude for eidos. ¡°Place your hand on the orb to your left and construct the most vivid image you are able to out of pure imagination,¡± instructed the apprentice mage proctoring his test. ¡°Do not rely on memory; the orb will be able to detect it.¡± C? closed his eyes before doing just as he had practiced for the last few months. The task itself was not difficult. The real challenge was performing just poorly enough to be considered an average rank one candidate but not so poorly that he fell below rank one. However, having extensively dug up exactly how well those who ranked at the very top performed, he was able to know precisely how much to suppress his mind. After all, the sheer amount of cultural and civilizational craze over magic meant that there was no lack of documentation on the matter. He pictured a random landscape image, the kind that people were most accustomed to drawing. But he specifically went out of his way to get rid of most of the resolution, most of the detail. He purposely made it just a little inconsistent, blurry, and hazy while reducing it to two dimensions instead of three. He needed to constrain an overwhelming majority of his imaginative capacity. And even then, the result shook not just the proctors but also everybody else who had come to participate. The orb glowed with a blinding light brighter than any other that day, sending a wave of shock across all test takers, proctors, and security personnel. And then, a number larger than any other lit up above the orb. [255,145,659] For a moment, everyone was frozen. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Not a single person could move. They simply stared at the number in shock. And then, all hell broke loose. ¡°WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!¡± ¡°NINE DIGITS?! NINE?!¡± ¡°Wait a minute, that¡¯s higher than last year¡¯s top score! This guy¡­ He¡¯s going to nail number one!¡± C? heaved a sigh, removing his hand as he gazed at the jaw-dropped proctor. It took a moment for the poor man to remember that he had a duty to do. ¡°A-Ah, next!¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the mana aptitude test!¡± This was a measure of how much willpower one possessed. For mana could only be moved with willpower alone. ¡°Please, kindly place your hand on the orb for as long as you are able to.¡± The proctor¡¯s attitude grew more respectful. C? did as instructed, placing his hand on the orb. The very moment he did, he felt an instinctive urge to pull it away. One that kept growing stronger and stronger by the second. And yet, he resisted it rather easily. An entire minute passed. ¡°One minute!¡± ¡°That¡¯s really impressive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard your hand will reflexively move by the one-minute stage, and he doesn¡¯t even seem to be struggling¡­!¡± A wave of murmurs washed across the crowd. The spectators grew more boisterous by the time two minutes had passed. ¡°Huff¡­¡± C? heaved a sigh of exhaustion, lifting his hand away from the orb. ¡°Two minutes and thirteen seconds¡­!¡± The proctor gaped at the hourglass with shock as though skeptical of the simple device. He scrambled to print out the results before stamping the paper firmly. ¡°Applicant C-Caa?¡± ¡°Cash.¡± C?¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Forgive me. I shall be sure to remember it!¡± It was an odd thing to say to a stranger. C? simply grabbed his test results and departed wordlessly. The crowd of stunned teenagers and young adults automatically parted as he walked past them with a composed gait, heading towards the exit even though he knew that he would not be able to leave easily. The moment he emerged from the shocked crowd of applicants, C? was instantly surrounded by scouting agents from various private and public magicademies. ¡°Mr. C?, I am a scouting agent of the National Magicademy of Elendir. I would like to invite you to join our magicademy!¡± ¡°Pay no heed to that ancient university and instead join our Holy Nest of Magic!¡± ¡°Join our St. Rogers Acade¡ª¡± ¡°Get out of my way.¡± C?¡¯s cold voice effortlessly cut through paltry attempts. Although the application process for magicademies was separate from the test-taking, it was a well-known fact that magicademies would begin fighting for the best applicants at the centers. The best applicants were deeply precious, for they would go on to become some of the most powerful mages, and these were among the most potent and precious assets of not just the various power blocs and interest groups of the nation but also the nation itself on the world stage. Thus, magicademies adhered to the saying, ¡®the early bird gets the worm.¡¯ Of course, C? wasn¡¯t interested in the second-rate or even first-rate magicademies that had sent their grubby little scouts across the entire city or perhaps even nation. No, he was only interested in the very best of the best. RUMBLE¡­ Chills crawled across the skins of the many people gathered there as an oppressive magical aura weighed down on them. It suffocated them. The very fabric of the world began curving as space and time were bent. Before him, a hole bore through reality. Not a single person could maintain their composure as they witnessed a pinnacle in magic. ¡°Gate magic¡­!¡± A shocked whisper escaped C?. Gate magic was a famous and powerful kind of magic, one that C? had run into very early on in his research into magic. It was a specialized application of space-time magic, which, in and of itself, was already an extremely advanced field of magic. It was magic that connected two distant locations through space and time via a gate, allowing vast distances to be crossed in the blink of an eye. C? watched as the gate grew larger and larger before stabilizing. The pitch-black circle gradually lit up, featuring what was one of the most grand and extravagant campuses that C? had ever beheld in his entire life. An enormous stretch of ostentatious and extravagant buildings and facilities stretched farther than the eye could see. It was what those who yearned to become a mage dreamed of seeing when they entered their magicademies. And yet, it was a sight that very few people had the privilege of beholding and even fewer had the privilege of attending. This was the Elendir Institute of Magic. And yet, what drew C?¡¯s attention was the man who stood at the gate on the other side. He wore a luxurious business suit perfectly tailored to his body. His hair was combed to perfection. His chest was puffed. His chin was raised. His smile was confident and proud. ¡°Good morning, Mr. C?.¡± His tone was courteous. ¡°I am Executive Neiman Niles of the Colohen Branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic. On behalf of the Elendir Institute of Magic, I would like to invite you to discuss our offer to you as well as your prospects of joining us.¡± A wave of murmurs broke out amid the envious applicants. The other scouts gritted their teeth and clenched their fists. They were hardly under-dressed or inadequate by any means, but before the sheer gravitas of the man before them who essentially had the same job as them, they couldn¡¯t help but feel profoundly lacking. A small smile cracked at the edge of C?¡¯s face. This was what he had been waiting for. Every year, the top scorers of the magical aptitude test earned the honor of witnessing an extravagant and flashy invitation from the Elendir Institute of Magic. Moreover, no two entrances were the same. The institute switched up its act every year as if to convey the endless mastery of magic that its faculty possessed. Was it fancy and over the top? Certainly. And yet, it only increased the craze for the institute. ¡°I am deeply grateful and honored by your invitation,¡± C? replied respectfully. ¡°I accept your invitation and look forward to discussing my future at this esteemed institute.¡± With that, he stepped through the gate, instantaneously entering the magicademy campus and leaving the testing center behind. WHOOSH And just like that, the gate disappeared behind him. ¡°Welcome to the Colohen branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic, Mr. C?.¡± Executive Neiman graced him with a perfunctory smile. ¡°Congratulations on your score. I can assure you that you have a bright future ahead of you. At the Elendir Institute of Magic, we only accept the best of the best, and you stand among the cream of the crop. Come, let us discuss the many opportunities that await you in our academy.¡± Chapter 17: Fleshing out the Future And just like that, he had taken the first step in his long journey to master magic. Just standing in the enormously spacious campus of the Elendir Institute of Magic gave him chills of anticipation. The extravagant, vast buildings brimmed with more magical energy than C? had ever felt in his entire life. It tingled on his skin, sending shivers down his spine. The infrastructure itself was a series of artifacts and enchanted items created by some of the most powerful civil artificers and enchanters in the entire nation. These measures strengthened not just the security but offered a wide variety of magical effects and utilities that aided with the objective of producing knowledgeable and competent mages. ¡°Please, come this way.¡± Executive Neiman¡¯s tone was polite. ¡°We can guide you with a tour around our campus another day, but for now, let us discuss the important matters first.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± To C?, a tour was hardly as interesting as coming to an understanding of the arrangements of his education and training at the Elendir Institute of Magic. As he traveled across the campus, he caught glimpses of many students and apprentice mages. Some were simply reading in the sprawling gardens. Others were practicing magic in authorized magical spaces. Many simply flew about the campus in what C? saw as magical frolicking. He couldn¡¯t even blame them. Many of them were still excitable adolescents, after all. The notion of flying freely in the sky was extremely thrilling to any normal person, let alone teenagers with sparkles in their eyes. C? would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t eager to learn how to fly. Although he had lightly hovered above ground in his exploration over the limits of magic, he had not truly attempted to fly. For one, it would attract too much attention. Nobody would miss a flying person in the sky, especially in the densely populated Colohen Slums. Additionally, it was too risky. If he messed up, he could potentially die. He was not arrogant enough to believe that he could do no wrong just because he had been blessed with the extraordinarily powerful and rare gift of pure magic. Eventually, they entered the main building at the very center of the vast campus. Executive Neiman led C? into his personal office before gesturing at the luxurious sofas in the center of the room. ¡°Please, Mr. C?, have a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As they settled themselves, maids placed cups of hot tea before them. ¡°Now then, Mr. C?,¡± Executive Neiman began after having a sip of his tea. ¡°Allow me to reaffirm, we are most impressed by your magical aptitude, and would like to offer you a sincere invitation to join our magicademy. May I confirm your interest in accepting our offer should it suit your needs?¡± ¡°Most certainly,¡± C? replied with a composed tone. ¡°My goal is to master magic. As long as the Elendir Institute of Magic is the best path to it¡ªas it surely is¡ªthen I¡¯m more than eager to join this magicademy.¡± ¡°Mastering magic is indeed an admirable ambition.¡± Executive Neiman nodded with a hint of approval. ¡°Rest assured, our magicademy is certainly the most optimal path to that goal. With your aptitude, you are brimming with potential that only our institute is equipped to help you fully manifest and realize. In your particular case, it has come to my attention that you do not possess a background in magic that I would expect of someone of your age and magical aptitude. This is indeed highly unusual, but not unheard of. However, it also means that you will have to start at the basics with our Apprentice Program.¡± ¡°I am aware that I will have to start from scratch,¡± C? explained. ¡°I am also aware that this is highly unusual for someone of my age. If you must know, I have spent most of my life in¡­ impoverished districts. And thus, my exposure to society and civilization was warped and limited. Thus, I did not take a magical aptitude test at sixteen. It is unfortunate that I didn¡¯t; my life would have been different had I learned of magical aptitude.¡± ¡°Your circumstances and background are indeed unfortunate,¡± Executive Neiman said sympathetically. ¡°Rest assured that this will not impede your studentship or your scholarship in any way. While other magicademies are imperfect and flawed in this regard, at the Elendir Institute of Magic, the only thing that matters¡­¡± His smile grew reassuring. ¡°Is merit. Of which you have plenty.¡± ¡°That is indeed a relief to hear, Mr. Neiman.¡± C? nodded. ¡°I have experienced¡­ less than welcome reactions and treatment in my life when people learn of my background. Putting aside my fellow students, I¡¯m pleased to hear that the Elendir Institute of Magic prioritizes merit.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We are strictly meritocratic in our system and staff,¡± Executive Neiman confidently reaffirmed. ¡°Now, having confirmed that you will be entering the Apprentice Program, let us talk about the fees of our education.¡± C? smiled helplessly. ¡°I did read the amount specified for each year of the Apprentice Program¡­ I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have the magicapita to fund my own education.¡± ¡°Please do not concern yourself with the fees, Mr. C?.¡± Executive Neiman was eager to dispel his doubts. ¡°We have commission-contract scholarship schemes precisely to ensure that those with merit and aptitude may gain the opportunities they deserve. With the talent you have demonstrated, we will grant you a scholarship covering any and all expenses you may have that are academic or academic-adjacent. It will also cover, within a certain limit, any other discretionary spending that you deem necessary.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up at his words. This was exactly what he had been aiming for and expecting. This was why he knew he could viably aim for the top magicademy in the entire nation without having to worry about the mind-boggling entry fees. ¡°A decade-long contract of magical labor, in accordance with magical labor laws of course, will be the bond of the scholarship after you graduate,¡± Executive Neiman helpfully explained. ¡°You will be contracted to one of the many investors, patrons, beneficiaries, and donors of our prestigious institute. If you are worried about being forced into magical labor that you are unwilling to, then rest assured that you are able to choose one of the many stakeholders of our great magicademy whose donations will fund your education. You will also be entitled to some say on the nature of the magical labor you will be expected to complete based on your specializations and so on and so forth.¡± C? nodded with deep enthusiasm. ¡°Perfect.¡± This was exactly why he had sought the Elendir Institute of Magic in addition to its quality of magical education and training. By the time his candidature ended, he would have more flexibility and actual choice to pick which power bloc and interest group he wanted to be contracted to. ¡°Additionally, you can also choose to be contracted with the Elendir Institute of Magic itself.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°I can complete a decade of labor at the behest of the institute itself?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± The executive nodded. ¡°Usually, this sometimes happens with the most desirable graduates, those that have performed tremendously well and are likely to go on to become Archmages. Getting their hands on a potential master mage is an extraordinarily juicy opportunity. The demand for the very top graduates is high enough that they can get away with being contracted to the university itself. They are thus not beholden to any single stakeholder. By contracting with our institute, we can essentially serve as a broker between you and our stakeholders. It maximizes exposure to many more parties than exclusively contracting with one of them.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± C? tried to hide his growing interest. ¡°This way they can maintain autonomy and independence.¡± ¡°Indeed. Of course, not all top graduates choose this route. There is also merit in going exclusive. You can extract more benefits from one party if you exclusively contract with them,¡± Executive Neiman continued patiently. ¡°Regardless, there are plenty of options and you hardly need to make a decision immediately. This is relevant only after you graduate from the Apprentice Program or, more likely, the Senior Program.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± C? replied. ¡°Still, I was not aware of the possibility that you mentioned just now. That does sound more attractive to me¡­¡± If he went for this option, then it meant he wouldn¡¯t have to choose among the four broader groups of corporations, the wealthy, the Mage Association, and the government. He could have access to all of them without being beholden to any of them. His income would be less, but he had already long dismissed labor income as a desirable form of income. ¡°You can pore over it more extensively after you have joined our magicademy,¡± Executive Neiman went on affably. ¡°Another pertinent point to be aware of is that as a scholarship student, you will be expected to undertake some magical labor after you complete the Apprentice Program.¡± C? frowned. ¡°Does that apply even if I join the Senior Program in the same magicademy?¡± ¡°The scholarship programs for the Apprentice Program and the Senior Program are separate,¡± Executive Neiman replied. ¡°And, naturally, the scholarship labor contracts are also separate. If you succeed in getting into our Senior program, then a delay may be permitted, but, generally, it is recommended to commence the fulfillment of some of your indebted labor prior to leaving the Elendir Institute of Magic.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± C? fell into thought. ¡°I see. Well even that is a matter for the future. There is no point in making a decision this early when I haven¡¯t even started my day in the Elendir Institute of Magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Executive Neiman smiled. ¡°Frankly, there isn¡¯t too much that demands your immediate attention and thought since you are entering the Apprentice Program. Most of the curriculums are mandatory and focus on the fundamentals of magic. It will be quite some time before you will run into an elective where you must make choices and choose a path forward within the vast and diverse fields of magic. Until then, you will be following a relatively fixed path and your most important priority will be to ensure that you are able to keep up.¡± C? nodded. ¡°I understand. I think I have gained preliminary clarity of my time in the Elendir Institute of Magic. I¡¯m sure that I can cover the details in my own personal time. However, I must ask because this wasn¡¯t something that I was able to find in my research on the maginet: how flexible is the Institute when it comes to extra-academic activities? Specifically, will the Elendir Institute of Magic allow the simultaneous pursuit of cultivation outside?¡± ¡°Of course it does.¡± The Executive smiled. ¡°Cultivation goes hand in hand with magic. You need to cultivate magicapita, which means you need income. The Elendir Institute of Magic also serves as a broker in the market for magic, allowing you to earn income from commission for your magical services.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t mean income from magical labor,¡± C? explained. ¡°I was referring to entrepreneurial commercial ventures.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say I have ever heard of a student pursuing business,¡± Executive Neiman confessed. ¡°Regardless, the institute merely demands a high attendance rate for mandatory courses and that your examination and test results remain above a certain mark. As long as you fulfill those conditions, you are entirely free to pursue any other activities in your spare time, including any and all business ventures.¡± A smile cracked at the edge of C?¡¯s mouth. ¡°Thank you, that was exactly what I was hoping to hear.¡± Chapter 18: Clarifications If he didn¡¯t have the freedom to cultivate the magicapita, then he would rather have gone to another magicademy. Thankfully, the only thing that the Institute cared about was results. And C? was confident that he could provide results. The two of them continued to discuss tangentially relevant topics to the two of them. One of the other things that C? was concerned about was how prevalent classist discrimination would be against him. The executive had already confirmed that the school system would be meritocratic, but that didn¡¯t mean that C?¡¯s fellow peers would embody the spirit of giving him the respect that he deserved based on merit. ¡°¡­I unfortunately cannot speak on behalf of students that have yet to have joined. There are always good and bad students.¡± Executive Neiman¡¯s tone was careful. ¡°However, I can assure you that the school strictly enforces our rules against discrimination regardless of the background of the perpetrator or the target. We do everything in our power to suppress such behavior. Additionally¡­¡± C? narrowed his eyes as the executive continued. ¡®In other words, the school doesn¡¯t endorse it, but such behaviors do happen.¡¯ This was what he was able to infer from the Executive¡¯s behavior. He refused to believe that the man before him didn¡¯t have a clear understanding of what student dynamics were on campus. Thus, the fact that he insisted he could not say most likely meant that the answer was not pleasant or was something that the executive feared would cause C? to reconsider going to the Elendir Institute of Magic. Of course, C? had no intention of reconsidering. This was the optimal path to achieving his goals. He just wanted to be prepared for dealing with any potential discrimination he was confident he was going to face. The reason was simple. The people of the slums were viewed as the scum of the world by those who lived in more posh districts of the Colohen City. They were viewed as violent crooks who could not be trusted by a lot of people, unfortunately. The worst part was that there was an element of truth amid the prejudice. There was a reason that C? slept with one eye open or used to be able to before he unlearned that habit. And yet, that didn¡¯t make it any better. Of course, on a day-to-day basis, C? didn¡¯t experience any disdain, but anytime anybody learned about his background, they were instantly wary. He was even refused his tuition loans purely on the basis of his background, and only after he resided in the middling districts of Colohen City, did he finally be deemed eligible for one. As for his fellow students in the yet-to-commence academic year of the Elendir Institute of Magic, while there were plenty who were going to be of a more humble background with less arrogance and ego at their profile, there were also certainly going to be plenty of rich kids from wealthy families. In fact, despite constituting a minute proportion of the total population, the rich accounted for at least half the population of the Elendir Institute of Magic, despite the magical aptitude test being an unavoidable barrier to entry to the institute. This was because magical aptitude was not an immutable trait. It could be improved. There were mages, magical resources, and fields of highly advanced magic that could improve magical aptitude. Of course, these were avenues only available to the rich. It was why all businessmen who hit it big financially and cultivated a lot of mana suddenly gained the power to pursue magic despite being well into the latter half of their lives, with some even going on to become powerful archmages by the time they were senior citizens. In this world, power was absolute. Even if it didn¡¯t seem that way on the surface to certain unsuspecting civilians. C? had no doubt that he was going to share his year with some powerful students who would undoubtedly look into his background as the top scorer. There was no telling what his interactions with them would look like when they learned that he was from the slums. Even in school and college, he faced some degree of social isolation due to his background. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how much he would face if he joined the magicademy with a bunch of rich students from prestigious and powerful families. He would be hapless in front of those students if not for the Institute aggressively pursuing meritocracy and equality. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Soon enough, their conversation came to an end as C? clarified some surrounding doubts that he had about the institution while trying to sound out more information from the man sitting before him. Regardless, his decision hadn¡¯t changed by the end of the discussion. ¡°Then, if I have clarified all your doubts and answered all your questions, would you like to proceed with signing the registration form and signing the scholarship contract?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°We can seal the deal right here and now?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Executive Neiman replied with a confident smile. ¡°Normally, you¡¯d have to enter through the normal channels, but for the very top-most scorers, you are entitled to take some liberties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± C? replied with a nod. ¡°Then, let us proceed with the process.¡± ¡°As you wish, Mr. C?.¡± It wasn¡¯t too long before an assistant entered the office with the necessary documentation, placing it in front of C?. ¡°Most of my details are already filled.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been too long since I did the test.¡± Executive Neiman bore a proud smile. ¡°We employ fine diviners, many of whom have graduated from this institute. What would take other institutes days or even weeks to learn, we can learn in under an hour.¡± That was indeed impressive. C? grew more intrigued and interested in the field of divination. He was certain that he would need to master it to accomplish his ultimate goal of destroying the current world order and building a better one. Knowledge was power. Intelligence wars were just as important as physical wars and, since the advent of the maginet, were arguably more important than physical wars in some circumstances. He put his thoughts on the matter as he verified to ensure that the details were accurate before skimming through the scholarship contract. He didn¡¯t feel shame in spending more than an hour pouring over every detail in the contract, making sure that there was absolutely nothing that he had missed. Thankfully, the contract was exceeding clear and straightforward with absolutely no attempt to obfuscate any hidden clause or term in the fine print, stretching no more than five pages with terms and conditions. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± He finally nodded with satisfaction over his scrupulous and tedious inspection of the contract. ¡°Let¡¯s go forward then.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Executive Neiman supplied him with a pen. C? quickly signed the registration form and the contract. And thus, the deal was sealed. Executive Neiman stood up with a bright smile. ¡°Once again, welcome to the Elendir Institute of Magic.¡± ¡°Thank you for the welcome as well as the aid that you have provided me,¡± C? thanked him with a composed tone. ¡°I look forward to my stay in the Elendir Institute of Magic.¡± They briefly discussed the transfer and the housing facilities. ¡°As was mentioned in the contract, housing will only be available to you shortly before the academic year begins a month from now,¡± he explained. ¡°Thus, you can only transfer a day before, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± C? simply replied. ¡°And this¡­¡± he gestured to an assistant who entered the room with a case, ¡°is your issued ID card.¡± Opening the case revealed a shiny golden-silver-black card mentioning his details as well as student ID number. The mana emanating from the card stunned caused a realization to dawn on him. ¡°This¡­ this is an enchanted item?¡± Executive Neiman¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°Indeed, to think you have this level of mana sensitivity. That¡¯s quite promising.¡± C? narrowed his eyes as he studied the enchanted ID card. ¡°Don¡¯t be so suspicious, Mr. C?.¡± He heaved a sigh. ¡°They are enchanted to serve as proof identification for some of the magically automated facilities in the school. You won¡¯t be able to use many of them without your ID card.¡± C? stirred at his words. His suspicion on the ID card didn¡¯t entirely subside. And yet, it wasn¡¯t like he had much of a choice. ¡°Thank you.¡± And thus, upon the acquisition of the ID card, his business in the magicademy was over. ¡°Farewell, Mr. C?. We look forward to your journey in our Institute.¡± Thankfully, they were sensible enough to offer him a ride home, allowing him to experience what it felt like to sit in a luxury magicar for the first time in his life. He heaved a tired sigh as he relished in the luxurious couches of the car, gazing at the noon sky with a thoughtful expression. ¡°It¡¯s been a significant day.¡± His plan to do his best to get rank one without being too excessive in his display of talent and potential has succeeded. He was indeed treated very well and special by virtue of his aptitude. But it was clear that he hadn¡¯t crossed a limit beyond which he would be entirely unable to handle the attention that he received. More importantly, his goal to get into the Elendir Institute of Magic and register for the Apprentice Program had also been achieved. The Elendir Institute of Magic produced the most excellent mages in the entire nation, so his second agenda of mastering magic was going all well and fine. His first agenda of cultivating magic was still in research mode over the span of the past two months. There was so much to learn before he could even begin to get started. However, he had managed to narrow down the possibilities with which he could tap into the latent housing demand in the slums across the entire nation. ¡°Besides, whatever the solution will be, it will most likely involve magic.¡± This meant that he would need to learn more about it in the magicademy. He would find relevant experts in the esteemed staff and practicing professionals in the senior students. On top of that, after entering the Institute, he could also get connected to the alumni of the Institute, which could potentially help him. Whatever services or goods he wanted to sell, it would require some magical research and development into the product well before he was ready to pursue this business idea. This would undoubtedly require people beyond him as he was too far from that point himself, having yet to attend even a single class of the Apprentice Program. ¡°Additionally, talking with the experts in a particular field relevant to solving the housing crisis in the slums will help me understand what ideas are most viable, realistic, and most profitable.¡± Thus, getting into the Elendir Institute of Magic was also a step forward toward his agenda of getting as much magicapita as possible, along with his second agenda of mastering magic. And by fulfilling these agendas, he was moving closer to his ultimate ambition of changing the world. And thus, in the following month, he prepared himself for his life at the Elendir Institute of Magic. Not only did he do additional research on what his life was going to be like, but he also tried to identify candidates who could help him with his business ideas. After all, having formally become a registered student, he was able to gain access to his account on the online magisite, allowing him to learn more than was possible through the publicly available data. The news of his success in the test and admission to the esteemed Elendir Institute of Magic came as a stunning yet wonderful surprise to the Selvigs, who wished him all the best for his future in the field of magic. And thus, a month passed, and it was time. It was time to take another major step towards realizing his ultimate ambition. Chapter 19: Targeted Hostility ¡°We¡¯re so proud of you, C?,¡± Mrs. Selvig hugged him tightly while Mr. Selvig patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You are truly special, C?.¡± His words were solemn. ¡°From helping us overcome the crisis with the restaurant and now getting into the top magicademy in the entire nation. You are truly incredible. I¡¯m sure that you will achieve great things.¡± C? allowed himself a true smile. ¡°Thank you. Thank you both for everything.¡± ¡°We should be the ones thanking you.¡± Mr. Selvig smiled warmly at him. ¡°Now, you go and make sure that you make the best of this wonderful opportunity.¡± ¡°I will. Then¡­¡± C? regarded both of them one more time. ¡°Goodbye, I will be sure to visit and call frequently.¡± And thus, he soon departed in a magicar provided by the magicademy, transporting him to the Elendir Institute of Magic. He had donned a crisp T-shirt with an over-shirt and new jeans to boot. Mrs. Selvig had insisted on taking him shopping, buying him a whole slew of clothing that he didn¡¯t have prior. He heaved a deep breath. He had to admit, he was a little nervous about his first day at the magicademy. It was going to be a massive culture shock for him. His schools and college were humble, and he simply had very little exposure to extravagance. In fact, he found the lifestyles of even those who weren¡¯t even considered rich to be ostentatious. The Elendir Institute of Magic was far beyond anything he had ever experienced before. With an enormous campus that spanned an entire district at the center of the City of Colohen, it was the largest academic campus along with its twelve other peers in different cities around the entire world. So much so that C? could see it even before he arrived. The giant walls of the magicademy that brimmed with mana were truly heavy in their presence. So much so that they drew the eyes of everybody who passed by them in the streets. It didn¡¯t matter if one was busy commuting to work or engrossed in their own matters, they still stole longing glances at the magnificent campus that sparkled before them, reminding many of them of the dream that they harbored for much of their life. On this particular day, the Institute was brimming with activity. Numerous magicars, both private and that of the magicademy, were in flux into and out of the magicademy. Countless freshmen wore expressions of excitement and nervousness. C? observed them and how they interacted with each other while the magicars parked in the institute''s parking lot. His observations yielded several subtle nuances that one wouldn¡¯t learn by reading material on the maginet about the Elendir Institute of Magic. First, he noted that even before the academic year began, many of the freshmen were not only familiar with each other but had also formed groups and little cliques with each other. Many other students acted the way one would expect students to act on the first day of school: self-conscious, nervous, and excited. There were notable differences between the two groups. Those who already had familiarity with some of their peers and formed groups and cliques came in their own private luxury magicars and were often escorted by butlers, maids, and even slaves. Their appearances were professionally groomed, and the clothes they wore, while not necessarily loud, spoke to the class they came from. ¡°I see¡­¡± Realization dawned on C?. ¡°The students of the wealthy class have most certainly had more exposure to each other compared to those of the middle class.¡± Many students were in the same position as C?, not having a single acquaintance, much less a friend, among their fellow peers. After all, what were the odds that any ordinary person who wasn¡¯t rich would make the Elendir Institute of Magic? C? heaved a sigh as he left the magicar, obtaining his luggage in the vehicle as inconspicuously as he could. He failed. He didn¡¯t know whether it was because the scars from his accident running down his face and neck were extremely eye-drawing. He wasn¡¯t sure if it helped people remember his appearance. Regardless, people stopped and stared at him alike. ¡°Look¡­¡± ¡°Rank number two¡­¡± ¡°He scored the highest aptitude after Lady Lisha¡­¡± The wealthier students began murmuring to each other amid their cliques while the ordinary students stole pointed glances from him. Suddenly, he drew attention from everybody around him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He simply took his luggage and moved on, impassively ignoring all the attention that he had inadvertently garnered even as he walked among the scattered crowds of students heading into the expansive campus. Right upon entry, there was a massive board highlighting the results of the magic aptitude test. It highlighted the rank one candidate in the entire nation, Lisha Pyrosche. A picture featuring her elegant, groomed appearance, enhancing her natural beauty, was plastered above the rest. Her blazing red eyes and smooth, curly red hair caused the picture to be even more eye-drawing than usual. Right below her at rank two was none other than C? himself. His picture was smaller and the same as the following eight rank holders of the top ten. His picture, however, was just as eye-drawing as rank number one simply due to how distinct his scars were. They warped the texture and the surface of his face, running down his neck. The injury that had given him those scars had even caused the color of his right eye to be a lot lighter of a shade iof gray than his other. Admittedly, he didn¡¯t have the most approachable aesthetics in the world. More importantly, he had been quite surprised when he didn¡¯t end up raking rank one despite scoring solidly high even among previous rank one scores. Lisha Flamesworth had scored an extraordinarily high score that put her solidly in the realm of being a prodigious genius of magic, the likes of which had the potential to become an extraordinary asset to the entirety of the nation of Elendir. Her score made her prone to attracting a dangerous amount of attention. She had been approached by the government, the mage association, and other even foreign powers from nations much, much more powerful than Elendir. The kind that C? had purposely massively held back his prowess as a pure mage to avoid attracting because he didn¡¯t have the power to withstand it, and also because hiding his power would ensure that he would be more likely to overcome the forces that stood in his way. He schooled his expression to prevent the envy he felt in his heart when gazing at her. Even though he didn¡¯t have the power to withstand the dangerous attention he was experiencing, she did. After all, she was the heir to a powerful magical family, the Pyrosche Family. A family blessed with the talent of fire magic and an extensive history of producing powerful fire mages. Her family was not only extremely wealthy and politically influential, but it was also extremely authoritative, with many of its members occupying important positions in not just the mage association but also the government and the military. She was blessed with tremendous talent, allowing her to flaunt her gifts all she wanted without experiencing any adverse consequences. C?, on the other hand, had to hide most of his gifts, at least half, due to the absence of power. Unfortunately, such was life. It was never fair. He heaved a sigh and moved on even as he simply drew more attention from his peers and his academic seniors. ¡°A filthy slum mongrel like you does not belong in this esteemed institute.¡± The air grew tense as everybody froze. C?¡¯s eyes sharpened as he glanced at the source of the loud and bold male voice that had boomed from behind him. Five adolescent boys glared at him with contempt and derision. Their luxuriously well-groomed attire and appearances spoke to their background, as did the little crests of their respective families shining on the chests of their shirts. C? recognized only one of them at the very center of the little clique. A young man with sharp green eyes and flowing brown hair. Silian Syvester. He had scored rank five on the magic aptitude test. While his family was not among the richest or even in the billionel net worth, it was certainly extremely rich and powerful nonetheless. More importantly, the hostility in his eyes made it abundantly clear that he detested scoring lower than a ¡®filthy slum mongrel¡¯ like C?. C? simply turned away and kept walking. Making friends wasn¡¯t why he had joined the magicademy and escalating an antagonistic relationship by losing his temper and starting a fight was also a sub-optimal outcome. He didn¡¯t care to argue with a sixteen-year-old boy about the relevance of his background to his attendance at this academy. Unfortunately, Silian didn¡¯t have the maturity to let things go. Then again, if he did, he wouldn¡¯t have caused such a scene in the first place. ¡°You worthless mongrel, you dare turn your back on me?¡± C? felt a hint of danger as the boy drew his wand, pointing it at C? aggressively while evoking a rapid incantation. ¡°???? ?? ?? ???????? ??¡ª!¡± C? moved on pure reflex, he turned back, lunging at the boy with a swift charge as his kick flew faster than he could complete his incantation. POW! In a smooth motion, his kick knocked the wand out of his hand, disarming him of his magical conductor sabotaging his incantation with the shock it caused him. Cold fury flared in C?¡¯s eyes as he suppressed the urge to whale on the kid and beat him black and blue. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to fear the consequences of his family taking action against their son getting assaulted, even if he deserved every bit of it. And yet, that moment of hesitation slowed him down as Silian¡¯s lackeys leaped away, drawing their own wands and rapidly evoking their own incantations. C?¡¯s expression grew severe as he crushed the urge to deploy pure magic against them. No matter how slight, it would not be missed. He knew that all of this was being monitored and surveilled by the Divination Corps of the magicademy. If he showed his true power, the secret would be spilled forever. And thus, he took a calculated risk. He simply leaped away defensively while their incantations were completed and their spells activated. A beam of light. A wave of darkness. A bolt of lightning. A spike of earth. WHOOSH! They surged towards him, threatening to kill him. And yet, they didn¡¯t. BANG! C?¡¯s widened as a magical shield of water spontaneously emerged before him out of nowhere, protecting him from the attack. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± A powerful feminine voice from behind the four boys effortlessly cut through the tension in the air. The four boys froze as chills crawled across their skin at the tremendously powerful aura that erupted from behind them. Her attire was comprised of a multi-layered raiment and a lengthy robe checkered with glowing runes, magically floating off the ground while she descended upon it. A glowing ring armed with mana crystals conspicuously occupied her ring finger. A master mage. A professor of the Elendir Institute of Magic. One that C? recognized. The wrinkles on her skin deepened under the disapproving glare she directed towards Silian and his cronies. ¡°Unauthorized magic from a freshman apprentice is strictly prohibited,¡± her elder tone was scalding. ¡°Not as much as lethal assault is, however.¡± Sillian gritted his teeth but lowered his head with a hint of fear under the heavy gaze of her powerful eyes. The other four boys shuddered as she swept her attention to each of them individually. ¡°If you were under the impression that your actions would be without consequences because of your background¡­¡± she continued with a strict tone. ¡°Or because it was the first day of your arrival to our magicademy, then I¡¯m afraid you are mistaken.¡± Chapter 20: Admiring Peers C? heaved a sigh of relief while the master mage professor chewed out his attackers in front of everyone. He had taken a calculated risk that he wasn¡¯t in any actual danger. Among the many, many things that this magicademy was praised for was its ability to keep its students safe from themselves and one another. Students who first entered a magicademy did not possess the discipline of a professional in regulating their power and acting in a way that was befitting of the immense power that they had begun wielding. This meant that they would often use magic trivially and dangerously. Thus, it was up to the magicademies to ensure that these juvenile and immature magelings didn¡¯t suffer adversely as a result of their own psychological inadequacies. And this was something that the Elendir Institute of Magic was extremely good at. The esteemed professor intervened just in time to ensure that he didn¡¯t suffer one bit whatsoever. ¡°¡­And you, Mr. C?,¡± her tone softened as she turned towards the victim. ¡°Are you alright? Did you perhaps suffer an injury that I might have missed?¡± ¡°No, Professor Melinda,¡± he replied with an earnest tone. ¡°Thanks to your timely intervention, I managed to come away unscathed.¡± ¡°That is good to hear¡­¡± She nodded lightly before directing her gaze at everybody else. ¡°What are all of you gaping at? Kindly head to your dormitories immediately and sort out other logistics. This day is meant to adjust, not to stand around and jeer at drama. Off you go!¡± She shooed the other students, who immediately rushed away from the scene. Very soon, it was just C? and the five offenders. She turned back to the five of them, who wore ugly expressions but didn¡¯t dare to utter a word in defiance. The Elendir Institute of Magic was not a place where any individual party or entity could throw its weight around. Because the magicademy was a joint venture of the wealthy private class, the elite magicorporate class, the government, the mage association, and other power blocs. No individual stakeholder possessed the ability to throw their weight around. Thus, if they wanted to avoid a suspension or, worse, an expulsion, they could only pray and hope for the best. Professor Melinda studied them with a sharp gaze. ¡°¡­Since this is your first time, I will let you off with a warning and merely a penalty of ten credits for each of you.¡± Their faces contorted with a mixture of relief and regret. Relief that they weren¡¯t suspended. Regret that they lost ten credits before they could even earn a single one. A bare minimum number of credits was needed to pass the Apprentice Program and become a certified apprentice mage. And now, they had been set back before the race even began. ¡°Should such an incident happen a second time, you will be expelled from the magicademy,¡± Professor Melinda sternly stated. ¡°Is that clear?¡± They nodded vigorously, finally having satisfied the elder professor. ¡°Off you go then.¡± The five boys scurried away even as Silian threw C? a dirty look as he ran away from the area that was now empty, devoid of any person. ¡°Not a single apology¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Tsk, these wealthy brats.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Professor,¡± C? pacified her irritation. ¡°They are merely hot-headed adolescents sheltered away in their pampered life. Boys of their age tend to be juvenile and immature, so it isn¡¯t particularly surprising.¡± She directed an approving gaze at him as her expression nodded. ¡°That is remarkably level-headed and sober. You have been able to set your emotions on being attacked aside and are able to understand what happened from a more rational point of view. That is good. That is what the world seeks from its mages. As someone with gifted magic aptitude, you will come to wield great power over many years. And with that power comes corresponding responsibility.¡± C? nodded. ¡°I will ensure that I act in a manner that is befitting mage.¡± ¡°That is reassuring to hear.¡± She nodded encouragingly. ¡°I hope you will keep that attitude with you even as you grow to have more power. Note that nobody wants to work with mages known to be unstable. For the very power for which they were sought becomes volatile in their hands. Now then, off you go as well. You have a lot to do.¡± C? thanked her once before bidding her farewell and heading off to the apprentice dormitories. Although, he genuinely disliked the notion of living in the same dormitories with other teenagers, he knew he didn¡¯t have a choice, not until he graduated from the Apprentice program. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As much as he would have loved to have kept a low profile amid the students, he only drew more attention to himself. People murmured and whispered about the incident that had happened upon the arrival of freshmen to the academy. He heaved a sigh as he finally made his way to the Institute dormitories that housed all students. It was a massive complex of buildings that spanned a large distance, with different blocs for different programs divided between the two sexes. The housing amenities and facilities were known to be far beyond ordinary, and for C?, who had lived in the slums for most of his life and in the past half year, it was nothing short of luxurious. Not only were the dormitories equipped with top-notch housing quarters and amenities, it was also equipped with swimming pools, gyms, and even a walking park that ran around the entire complex. To say that it was extravagant was an understatement. The Elendir Institute of Magic went above and beyond to justify the sheer amount of tuition fees that they demanded. Of course, they also received government funding, corporate sponsorship, and rich-class funding, which undoubtedly funded the extreme expenditure into the luxury of the housing quarters. And even as he made his way to his dormitory block and room, he could feel the stairs of students, affluent and middle-class alike, staring at him with a poorly hidden gaze, whispering and murmuring to each other. Their eyes reflected anywhere between contempt and disgust to amazement and admiration. The former, naturally, were comprised of wealthy students. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t make it his problem after learning of the punishment that was inflicted upon the boys who picked a fight with him and found themselves with negative ten credits even before the semester started. Those who gazed at him with amazement and admiration, on the other hand, were not just of a humbler background but were also a little less reserved in his approach to them. ¡°Mr. C?, sorry for bothering you, but you were so cool when you kicked that wand out of that arrogant Sillian¡¯s hand!¡± ¡°You must be a great fighter!¡± ¡°And you scored the top score in our branch on the magic aptitude test. So amazing.¡± Several of his fellow apprentice freshmen mustered the courage to reach out to him when they spotted him. Two boys and one girl, clothed in ordinary semi-formal attire. ¡°¡­¡± C? simply gazed at them with a stoic gaze, unsure how to respond. Their demeanor and body language reflected their nervousness and anxiety. Part of it was definitely the nerves of their first day arriving at the Elendir Institute of Magic, undoubtedly. However, another part of it definitely was how intimidating C?¡¯s appearance and presence were. The scars that ran across his face and his skin added a hint of menacing peril to his presence. Additionally, his unnervingly right eye, whose gray was a lot lighter than that of the pupil of his left eye, made his impassive gaze a lot more chilling than it would have otherwise been. They nervously shifted where they stood while C? simply gazed at them. ¡°Thanks.¡± His tone was casual while his gaze softened, earning a smile from the three kids. ¡°And who might the three of you be?¡± He tried not to speak to them like an adult speaking to children, especially when they were in the same program. He wasn¡¯t shameless to patronize them when he had absolutely nothing to justify such an attitude to them. ¡°My name is Kelton.¡± The tall one grinned while his brown eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. ¡°I was really impressed by how swiftly you disarmed Sillian so smoothly and swiftly. My goal is to become a magetant, you see.¡± C? could tell from his body language that he had been in many fights. This was a skill he had picked up in his life in the slums, identifying who could and was willing to fight was nothing short of a survival skill in the slums. ¡°My name is Natana,¡± the girl smiled sweetly. ¡°As for me, my goal is to become an artificer, you see. My father owns a blacksmith shop, you see. My goal is to inherit it when I graduate and elevate the business.¡± The light calluses on her hands told him as much. ¡°My name is Sorenon.¡± The other boy smiled sheepishly, adjusting his glasses. ¡°I have not decided what kind of mage I want to be.¡± ¡°The apprentice program is meant to serve as the foundation upon which you decide what path you wish to follow,¡± C? calmly replied. ¡°While it is good to have clarity this early, it is not a necessity and not something you should let bother you.¡± ¡°Thanks, my family and my counselor have told me as much, but I¡¯m still so tense about it.¡± ¡°A man should become a magetant.¡± Kelton asserted, slapping the smaller boy on his back. ¡°Don¡¯t you dream of wielding great power to defeat your enemies?¡± ¡°What enemies¡­?¡± Sorenon muttered, adjusting his glasses. ¡°Combat magic is the riskiest field. You might die, you know?¡± ¡°Hah! Don¡¯t be a coward.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any interest in fighting. I will probably pursue something like divination or alchemy.¡± C? simply listened patiently as the three of them discussed their future in magic. They were very different from him when he was their age. Their demeanor and body language spoke of optimism and enthusiasm, distinctly different from the desperation and resentment that he was filled with. They spoke of lofty ambitions, of pursuing their goals in magic to achieve great success, while he had simply hoped for a decent life. ¡°What about you, Mr. C?? What are you aiming to become?¡± C? stirred where he stood as his attention returned to the three teenagers standing before him. ¡°¡­My goal is to master magic.¡± They raised their eyebrows at his bold statement. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ambitious,¡± Sorenon remarked. ¡°Magic is an extremely vast and diverse field, you know? The only people in the world who can claim to have mastered it are the vaunted and legendary magi of the world. Does that mean your goal is to become a magus?¡± Magus. This was the title given to the highest rank of mages in the entire world. They were mages who stood at the very pinnacle of the magic said to possess godly power the likes of which the world had never seen before. ¡°If your goal was always to master magic¡­¡± Natana carefully spoke. ¡°Then, why did you enroll into a magicademy so late?¡± C? stirred at her question. ¡°Ah¡­ sorry, that was an insensitive question,¡± she nervously apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have your personal reasons and circumstances.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± C? shook his head lightly. ¡°It¡¯s a reasonable question, considering that I¡¯m six years older than the average freshman of the apprentice program. The answer is rather simple. I simply didn¡¯t harbor any such grand ambition or desire for magic when I was younger. I hadn¡¯t even taken the magic aptitude test for this reason. This ambition of mine is somewhat recent.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have any desire for magic when you were younger?¡± Kelton asked with a stunned expression. ¡°But¡­ everybody has a desire for magic! Especially when they are young!¡± C? wasn¡¯t surprised that he wasn¡¯t able to even parse that someone might have never cared for magic. What these kids had likely taken for granted their entire lives was what C? had desperately dreamed of having for most of his life. They couldn¡¯t even imagine what it was like to live in such shitty conditions that even a normal life was nothing short of paradise. Chapter 21: The History of Magic They gazed at him with astonishment, unable to understand why he hadn¡¯t come to harbor a profound fascination for magic as a child and why he hadn¡¯t taken a magic aptitude test earlier at the age of sixteen. ¡°Pursuing magic¡­¡± A soft murmur escaped him, ¡°¡­felt like trying to chase a distant different world altogether. It felt as ridiculous as trying to reach for the Sun.¡± That was how far people from the slums were from magic. They were even disconnected from the magigrid, living a life without magitechnology. They didn¡¯t even understand exactly what it was that they were missing; it was entirely out of their cognizance. The three of them didn¡¯t look like they understood what he meant. ¡°I see¡­¡± Natana murmured with uncertainty. ¡°That sounds tough. But then, how did you come about to develop an interest in magic at this point, if I might inquire?¡± It was a reasonable question. One generally did not develop such a grand ambition of mastering magic well after entering adulthood, after all. Especially not before getting one¡¯s magic aptitude checked. The goal of mastering magic was something that only opened up after one had a very good magic aptitude. ¡°¡­the reason is very personal to me,¡± C? replied calmly. ¡°I require mastering magic to fulfill an even greater goal.¡± For a moment, the three of them were silent. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry for probing into your personal circumstances,¡± she apologized frantically. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± C?¡¯s smile was perfunctory. ¡°Now then, I should be getting to my dorm room already. I have yet to get there, you see. I have already been delayed earlier with the matter regarding Silian.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ we¡¯re sorry for delaying you then.¡± He bade them goodbye, leaving them goodbye as he headed over to his assigned dorm room. He wasn¡¯t particularly interested in making friends. But he especially wasn¡¯t interested in making friends with a bunch of kids six years his junior. His goal was simple with the magicademy was especially simple. ¡®To master as much magic as possible as quickly as possible.¡¯ He narrowed his eyes. ¡®Secondarily, I need to continue my research on tapping into untapped consumer demand for safe and stable housing in the slums in this magicademy.¡¯ Having reaffirmed his goals for having joined the Elendir Institute of Magic, he quickly reached his dorm room amid the crowd of excited freshmen students in the magicademy. ¡°Woah¡­¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up as he entered his dorm room, appreciating the luxury. It was vastly more luxurious than living in a shabby hut in the slums. In fact, C? realized that it was actually the single most luxurious housing unit that he had ever resided in his entire life. The best living conditions he had previously lived in was in his old apartment at the edge of District sixty-six, the same district as the Selvigs home and restaurant. And they paled in comparison to the dorm rooms of the Elendir Institute of Magic. He already had a good understanding of the kind of luxury that awaited him in the Institute thanks to the brochures they had on the maginet that offered rather precise details into the housing units and amenities that freshmen of the Apprentice Program would receive. His dorm room featured a rather lavish bedroom, a separate study, a toilet featuring a shower and a bathtub, and a kitchen, and even a spacious living room and a balcony. ¡°This feels excessive now that I¡¯m actually looking at how big the dorm room is¡­¡± C? muttered. ¡°It¡¯s closer to a luxury suite than a freshman dormitory¡­¡± Additionally, each dorm room was allocated to a single person; the very concept of roommates, which was ubiquitous in most magicademies, was a foreign concept in the Elendir Institute of Magic. This is what set the institute apart from its competitors. As a joint venture between all the power blocks and interest groups in the nation, the institute was absolutely loaded to the very brim with funds. It probably didn¡¯t spend more on housing as a part of its budget than other magicademies. However, its total budget was so enormous that the same proportion was still more than an order of magnitude greater than many other magicademies. He just shrugged lightly, closing the door behind him as he shut the door behind him setting his suitcase in his bedroom while he familiarized himself with his new home. The rest of the day was spent simply adjusting, physically and psychologically. The academic year of the Elendir Institute of Magic wouldn¡¯t commence until three days after the transfers were complete. Because there were only thirteen institutes in the entire nation that selected the most gifted students across the entire nation, many of them transferred would be traveling across the entire nation. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. There were even some immigrants from poorer nations surrounding Elendir like the Clementine Kingdom and the Raylouen Federation. The more ambitious magical talents would often aim to enter the Elendir Institute of Magic if they were good enough, entering the Elendir Institute of Magic on a student visa. Elendir, of course, welcomed foreign talents with open arms. Each talent was a precious resource that could go on to become a powerful asset for the country. This was especially the case when the scholarship contracts that they were thrust with were much more demanding than those that natives like himself would have to bear. Regardless, he appreciated the time. It allowed him to feel better in his new environment. He felt the itch to practice his pure magic, but he was not foolish enough to do so within the campus, right under the nose of so many powerful people. Privacy was promised according to the registration form and contract that he had signed, however he simply didn¡¯t trust the people of the Institute to actually honor that promise. There was a good chance that they actually had a discrete means of spying on the students. His eyes lit up as he spotted the textbooks that he would need for the Apprentice Program on a shelf in the study as he explored his dorm. ¡°Finally¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Proper textbooks.¡± While he appreciated the Foundations of Magic book that he had gotten from Mr. Selvig, it ultimately only brushed over the surface of the topics that it delved into. These textbooks, on the other hand, were meant to help him become a certified apprentice mage. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that there are no electives in the apprentice program as his eyes skimmed across the various books neatly arranged on the shelf. The order of their arrangement was even in accordance with his academic curriculum as a part of the apprentice program. He immediately scrutinized the books for his first semester, books that he would begin studying very soon. [Introduction to Eidos Theory] [Introduction to Mana Mechanics] [Introduction to Conjuration] [Introduction to the Magical Supernatural] ¡­ Not a single one of them didn¡¯t begin with ¡®introduction to¡­¡¯ It made sense, of course. The apprentice program was mean to produce a mage, even if only that of the apprentice rank, from a complete stranger to magic. One book of the first semester caught his eye more than others. [History of Magic] It was perhaps the least relevant to his goals and agendas or his newfound passion for magic as a hobby he never had, yet he found himself growing profoundly curious about it nonetheless. He realized that despite living in this world for twenty-two years, he was still entirely in the dark about the extensive history of magic. Of course, it was lightly touched upon in school, which he certainly paid attention to, but in hindsight, it was clearly a watered-down and diluted recounting of history. He plucked the book from the bookshelf before sitting at his study, immediately burying himself in the introduction. [Magic, as a phenomenon, predates modern civilization. The earliest records of magic are dated to six thousand years ago in the ancient Illisvilia Kingdom, modern Lenea, when Queen Sirraria quelled an apocalyptic storm said to have been conjured by the ancient god of calamities, Arroj. A storm that threatened to destroy the Illisvilia Kingdom. This historical event is detailed not just in the records found in the ruins of the Illisvilia Kingdom but also in personal accounts and reports of its citizens found in the ancient library thought to be a part of the nation. It is even mentioned in records found in ruins of ancient kingdoms surrounding the Illisvilia Kingdom. Additionally, the topographical and climatic effects of her magic are also found in the geography of the modern Lenea Empire. Additionally, the claim of her performing such a grand feat is credible as Queen Sirraria was then the absolute monarch of the Illisvilia Kingdom, owning the entire ancient nation and bestowing upon her tremendous mana. It is the earliest credible occurrence of magic. Since then, magic has appeared more frequently in history. They were exceedingly scant in the millennia that followed, with extremely few mages appearing each century in the entire world who would often go on to be worshiped as a god or feared as demons. These mages were what we now know today as pure mages.] C?¡¯s eyes lit up with intrigue and wonder. It was fascinating and exhilarating to know that for many millennia, magic was exclusively limited to pure mages like himself. It reaffirmed just how significant the blood-stained blessing he had gained with his accident was. [For a long time, magic was seen as a divine power that very few human beings were blessed with. It was viewed as something that only one person in the entire world was blessed with every generation or two. This all changed a thousand years ago when Magus Merlin sparked the Awakening of Magic. Merlin formulated what is now known as the Memory Model of Eidos, which allowed many ordinary human beings to cast magic as long as they persevered with great effort for many years. While this wasn¡¯t attainable for the entirety of the population, it still opened up a power that was viewed as divine and exclusive to a significant proportion of the population. The Memory Model of Eidos eventually led to the birth of many mages across the entire world, giving birth to the Age of Magic. In the past thousand years, the world has changed drastically compared to all the eons before it, as magic has only grown increasingly pervasive and ubiquitous across human civilization. Magic began developing as a field as magical knowledge, skill, and growth resources only continued growing exponentially over the span of nine hundred years after the Awakening of Magic. And then, a hundred years ago, came an explosive development that allowed for magic to spread from a limited minority of human beings to most of human civilization. The Magindustrial Revolution. The ability to engage in the mass production of magical goods and services and distribute them over great distances changed the world forever and is still changing the world with each passing year. Although even today, magic as a field is still limited to a small minority of people, magitechnology has spread to an overwhelming majority of human civilization, drastically improving quality of life and the sophistication of humanity as a species. In this course, History of Magic, we will explore the three broad phases of magic, the Pure Ages, the Age of Magic, and the Magindustrial Revolution, across this entire book and study the many events that have defined human civilization as it is today.] C?¡¯s eyes lit up with deep interest and wonder as he continued learning about the history of magic and its impact on the world. The book explored both macro and micro perspectives of history, giving C? a better insight than he possessed before. Although he was aware that magic had been around for quite some time in the world, he understood the broader picture of how magic had slowly integrated itself into the history of the world. Although it wasn¡¯t directly relevant to his goal, he still found the information to be quite informative and enriching for his perspective of the world and the place that magic occupied in it. Chapter 22: The Two Tracks of Magical Training C? indulged in fulfilling his desire to learn more about magic. From understanding its history to understanding more about the magical industry and magic as a field. He skimmed through his courses, understanding in greater detail what the progression of magic mastery would be like. The progression of magic mastery in the apprentice program could be divided into two separate categories meant to tackle eidos and mana mastery. After all, these were the fundamental halves of magic as a phenomenon and were the basis upon which mages would be evaluated and tested. ¡°Eidos mastery begins with a theoretical understanding of the Memory Model of Eidos invented by Merlin,¡± C? noted with an intrigued expression. ¡°Followed by practical training into learning to create eidos using memory as a crutch.¡± The fundamental underlying principle of the Memory Model of Eidos was that memory could allow the mind to create what imagination alone couldn¡¯t. The mind could better recollect what it had seen many times, what it couldn¡¯t entirely imagine from scratch. The modern implementation of this model amounted to an intricate and complex system of universal triggers associated with templates of eidos that were taught to all students identically. ¡°A language¡­¡± C? realized with interest. ¡°A language of magic.¡± It even had a name. [Magia.] Magia was a universal language of eidos comprised of its own unique set of sounds and runes that were universally taught to be associated with the same eidos. By ensuring that all students were taught the exact same triggers to be associated with the exact same memories, they had essentially created a language that allowed for the communication of eidos. It allowed for the mass distribution and circulation of magic. If one developed a spell and wanted to teach, share, or sell it to others, then one needed only to inscribe the magical circle inscribed with runes or write down the incantation corresponding to the eidos that he wanted to share. Then, others merely needed to concentrate fully and ¡®read¡¯ the magic circle or incantation and that would allow others to create the eidos that he wanted to sell. It functioned identically to how normal language did with conveying normal information, conveying instead eidos information. For some reason, C? found this knowledge to be extremely thrilling. ¡°Magia, runes, magic circles¡­¡± his eyes lit up with a glint of excitement. He truly looked forward to eidos mastery training. This was despite the fact that he didn¡¯t need it as a pure mage. In fact, it was because he was a pure mage who couldn¡¯t afford to reveal his pure magic that he was eager to learn master Magia and the Memory Model of Eidos. ¡®This way, I can use my magic under the guise of the Memory Model of Eidos,¡¯ he mused inwardly. ¡®The more I know on paper, the more pure magic I can use without drawing suspicion.¡¯ This was a powerful incentive for him to master Magia as a trigger for creating eidos. He also looked just as forward to mastering mana. Mana mastery worked simply by perseverance-oriented training to cultivate greater willpower, drive, and mental force to draw upon mana. The more one went through, the more power one could wield. This allowed one to harness greater amounts of mana at any given moment. In other words, even if one was the richest man in the world, it was worthless unless one built up the ability to move all that colossal mana within one¡¯s mana core. Since the Age of Magic, an entire field of psychology had been developed around what was the best way to train mana manipulation. A system of training centered around cultivating willpower had been refined over the years. ¡°The Drive-Anchor Method introduced by Magus Morgan le Fey.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°To center one¡¯s drive around an objective or agenda that you resonate the most with emotionally.¡± Scientifically, it was proven to yield the best results time in and time out in all manners of experiments, surveys, and trials. It was thought to be more effective due to willpower being consolidated and harnessed around a goal. The goal offered direction and drive, allowing for greater growth of willpower through persistence training. It was one of the most testing parts of being a mage and was one of the reasons that ascending up the ranks was so difficult. An apprentice mage needed to be above certain thresholds of both Magia mastery and mana manipulation. The conditions only got harsher and harsher for senior and master mages, and C? couldn¡¯t even imagine how harsh the conditions for archmages and magi were. These mages had surely reached a realm of magical prowess that C? probably couldn¡¯t even imagine. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. C? couldn¡¯t wait to touch these echelons of magic, not just because it was useful to his goal but also out of pure passion for magic. ¡®Which brings me to my next matter to settle.¡¯ His eyes sharpened with fierce determination. ¡®I need to find a way to ensure that I waste as little time as possible in my progression.¡¯ The average time needed to pass the apprentice program was four years. Thankfully, the highest-ranking students in the apprentice program were able to complete the program much sooner. The same could be said for the wealthier students who had the resources needed to commence their magical training even before entering the apprentice program. C? recalled how silian and his cronies could wield magic, bit slowly before taking even a single class of magic. The wealth gap could compensate for talent immensely, it appeared. ¡®Still, it means that I won¡¯t draw any attention to myself if I finish this program as soon as I possibly can.¡¯ Having started at magic six years too late, he didn¡¯t intend to waste even a single month longer in the apprentice program than he needed to. He could immediately start grinding and make use of his pure magic to aim for the quickest possible completion of the apprentice program possible. Still, that was to be seen after the program officially started; he still had a few more days of freedom before that happened. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± his demeanor grew serious as he recalled what he had been waiting to do after he got admitted to the magicademy. ¡°It¡¯s time to begin doing some manual digging with my new identity as a topper Elendir Institute student.¡± His pursuit of magic was also one of two agendas aimed at fulfilling his ultimate goal of destroying and rebuilding the world. ¡®Now that I have become a student of this magicademy, it is time to leverage that identity in the direction of pursuing my business ideas.¡¯ His demeanor hardened with determination. ¡®I have already learned as much as I possibly could through online research on the maginet. But the issue is that the information I seek is relatively niche.¡¯ His next business goal was centered around tapping into untapped housing demand in the Colohen Slums. While it was relatively novel, it was not an absolutely unheard-of idea. There had been some scant initiatives in the past, both private and federal to tap into demand in the slums, that were largely unsuccessful and since abandoned. He wanted to understand why these initiatives failed from the perspective of an insider. He also wanted to speak to experts in fields that intersected with both the housing industry and the slums. There were insights that only those with experience and exposure to this particular niche had. Even those that failed to make any progress would be able to give him the knowledge that he wouldn¡¯t find in any book or in any article online on the maginet. The more he learned about the failures of the past, the better he could ensure that he wouldn¡¯t make the same mistakes. This vastly increased his probability of coming up with a business that was profitable. He wanted to squeeze as much wisdom from the failures of the past as possible and use it as a stepping stone for his success. This phase was one of the most time-consuming and tricky phases of a novel business such as this. C? was in no hurry to rush into formally registering a business with the government and put together a half-baked product in half a year. Any idiot could get this done. But if he wanted his business to genuinely achieve the kind of success he hoped it would, he would need to make sure that he had formulated a crystal clear business strategy that was most optimal for generating revenue. Before, he was just a man from the slums. Now, he had a more respectable identity with a brilliant performance on the magic aptitude test. With this background and profile, people would be much more inclined to take his requests for a meeting seriously. ¡°Thankfully, I know exactly who I need to meet.¡± He had done his research into this little niche to understand who he needed to speak to so that he could immediately contact them the moment he got into the magicademy and got the credentials that he sought. His goal was not only to meet with people but also to hopefully find someone in this little niche not only to offer him their insights and experience as well as to potentially find a business partner of sorts. He suspected that he might not be able to pursue this business by himself. What he was aiming for wasn¡¯t simply a small-scale bakery or restaurant that could potentially be run by himself. He was looking to enter a vast market with weak consumer spending, requiring an immense volume of sales to make a worthwhile profit. This was very difficult when he was in the magicademy training hard in his magic. Thus, he was ideally looking for a business partner with whom he could share much of the more time and energy-consuming parts of the business. ¡°Ideally, this will be a party that is already in the broader housing unit industry,¡± C? noted. ¡°Convincing someone who isn¡¯t already in this business to partake in it is unrealistic. I might even have to partner with an existing housing development company.¡± This would involve taking his idea after it was fleshed out well enough to be compelling enough, forming a company around it, or directly partnering with a housing development company that would take care of the manufacturing and distribution. ¡°I would also lose control over much of the entire matter, but it would lessen my burden. Though I would also lose much of my total revenue,¡± he heaved a sigh. He wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to make this trade-off. How was he going to become rich and powerful enough to destroy the existing world order and build a better one if he kept ceding so much control over his ideas? On the other hand, gaining mastery over magic was just as important. Simply monetary and political power alone would not allow him to destroy the existing world order. The magicademy was timebound, and his business idea was not under any time pressure of any kind whatsoever. Thus, logic would dictate that he ought to spend more time on his magic mastery while diverting less attention to ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, I suppose. Oh well, for now, this is not what I should be focusing on.¡± What he needed to focus on was nailing his business strategy to be one that would yield profitable success. It was only when he had absolute clarity with it, as he did with the changes to Selvig¡¯s Ristorante, that he then made a better decision on whether he wanted to pursue this as a solo venture where he started a company centered around this business. ¡°The nature of the business strategy will matter a lot,¡± C? realized. ¡°If it¡¯s too divergent from industry norms, then I won¡¯t be able to outsource the operations to other companies. Hm, maybe I should factor that in when fleshing out the business strategy.¡± Regardless, that, too, was something he ought to leave until after he fleshed out his solution to fulfill the housing demand in the slums. Chapter 23: A Story and Offer ¡°I must admit, I didn¡¯t expect that a student of the Elendir Institute of Magic would approach me about an old business of mine, hahaha,¡± the middle-aged man seated opposite C? laughed nervously. ¡°As I mentioned over the phone, Mr. Norton,¡± C? began with a polite tone. ¡°I am interested in the niche of cheap, small, and low-end housing units that are mana-independent. I was hoping to understand your perspective and your experience in this sector.¡± ¡°¡­I am surprised that a student of magic from such a nationally prestigious nation would be this interested in such a niche topic,¡± the short man readjusted his glasses with a surprised expression. He was clearly a little unnerved by C?. The cafe that they had chosen to meet in was classy but had smaller tables that reduced the distance between the two people sitting opposite each other. C?¡¯s face was menacing, with scars running from his face down his neck from his accident nearly a year ago. His right eye was a significantly lighter shade of gray, partially blending in with his iris, leading his appearance to be even more creepy. On top of that, the reserved severity that lingered in his gray eyes was intimidating to the average person. His hardened demeanor and body language made it difficult to relax around him. Norton would be scared to learn that this was after C? had made some effort to be less unapproachable. ¡°I am interested because I intend to enter this field and industry, you see,¡± C? replied with an impassive tone. ¡°Understanding those who have experience with this manner of housing is important to me.¡± ¡°Oh? Do you wish to become an artificer and enchanter specializing in mini-housing units?¡± Mr Norton readjusted his glasses with lit eyes. ¡°Not quite, no. Although I do intend to brush up on this niche of magic, I do not intend to specialize in it,¡± C? explained patiently. ¡°Rather, I seek to enter this field as a businessman rather than a mage.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Mr. Norton did a double-take as surprise took over his nervousness. ¡°You¡ªa student of the Elendir Institute of Magic, that too he who got rank two on the magic aptitude test¡ªwant to start a business?¡± ¡°Why the surprise?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°You speak as though no mage has ever started a company.¡± ¡°¡­Well, at the very least, I don¡¯t think I know of any mage that started a business that wasn¡¯t centered around selling their magical services,¡± Mr. Norton pointed out with an absorbed expression. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure there are at least a few, but they are unusual, to say the least. Mages eventually enter business, and those who become wealthy eventually enter magic.¡± This was a known trend. As long as one went deeper into either, they would eventually dabble in the other field. After all, the benefits of mastering magic were vastly greater the more magicapita one had. And the benefits of earning more money were vastly greater the more magic one mastered. ¡°Regardless, I hope you can enlighten me on your past business endeavors,¡± C? redirected the conversation. ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Norton managed to relax a little. ¡°Well, as you know, I founded Norton Housings ten years ago. My rationale was to create small, almost portable housing units that would alleviate the high demand for urban housing at the time. After all, at the time, the regulatory impedance to the conventional housing industry was absurdly high.¡± ¡°¡­You mean the red tape surrounding the construction of housing units like houses and apartments?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°Correct,¡± Mr. Norton nodded thoughtfully as he recollected memories of old. ¡°Back then, the civil and magical regulatory standards of the former Housing Regulatory Act were so absurdly high and difficult to meet that you would think it was impossible to achieve. This increased the cost of production and reduced supply, causing real estate prices to be absurdly high. I cannot stress how absurdly expensive housing was back then.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± C? murmured with an intrigued expression. He didn¡¯t have an intuition about that. He was still living in the Colohen Slums back then, the sorry excuse of a housing market that never adhered to regulations in the first place. ¡°It took almost three years to get all the necessary permits, which meant that each housing project needed to be planned many years in advance,¡± he heaved an exasperated sigh. ¡°All those irritating district-level, city-level, and central-level permits that we needed to get from different disjointed governmental regulatory bodies, each with their own protocols and whatnot. Construction companies used to have management teams just to deal with the bureaucracy alone. It was truly frustrating.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°That does sound excruciatingly painful,¡± C? mused with a hint of sympathy. ¡°That must have made conventional housing a torturous industry. I¡¯m assuming that you came up with your idea to tap into the growing demand for alternatives?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Mr. Norton nodded, readjusting his glasses. ¡°I used to work as a senior manager of a construction company back then and almost had mental breakdowns because of how frustrating this process used to be. However, it also helped me understand that there was a growing demand for alternatives at the time. And hence, I came with mini-housing units that were categorized differently and were subject to far fewer regulations due to being too small previously to have caused any government to regulate it.¡± ¡°¡­I see,¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding. ¡°Not only would it being a mini-housing unit cause its cost to be much lower, it being under-regulated would drastically lower the cost of production even more. So you thought to fulfill the demand for housing through this vastly cheaper option. That¡¯s¡­ genius.¡± It was a very good business strategy, the kind that C? would come up with himself. C? glanced at the short middle-aged man with a new look of respect. He was unassuming in his appearance but was definitely a good businessman. ¡°Please¡­¡± A self-deprecating smile emerged on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes of regard. After all¡­¡± His expression fell even further. ¡°After all, my business failed miserably, and the company went into bankruptcy. I just barely managed to avoid a slave contract.¡± The man shivered lightly at the thought of the old memory. ¡°But why¡­¡± A faint murmur escaped C?. ¡°Why did the company fail? Your business strategy seems very sound on paper. Was it an operational failure? A marketing failure? Or was it¡ª¡± ¡°It was none of that.¡± His tone was melancholic. He heaved a sigh. ¡°Frankly, everything was in order. I¡­ I even conservatively estimated that we would make billions of leenars. But, you see, Norton Housings'' initial price offering, its IPO, occurred just a week before the new Mischel Administration came into power in the government. The Mischel Government¡­ abolished the old Housing Regulatory Act and introduced the modern Civil Liberalization Act that, is still in effect at the moment. This legislative maneuver changed everything.¡± C? simply remained silent as the man narrated his story with a sorrowful tone. ¡°You see¡­¡± Mr. Norton continued. ¡°The Civil Liberalization Act revolutionized the housing sector. It got rid of the tedious, convoluted, and complex maze of bureaucratic red tape and instead opened up a straightforward path.¡± He sipped his cochil drink. ¡°It streamlined and centralized all permit application protocols, making it elementarily simple to get permits. It abolished the scattered, messy set of independent regulatory bodies into a single Central Elendir Housing Board that handled all things permit-related. It liberalized outdated suffocating housing criteria that hadn¡¯t changed since the dawn of the Magindustrial Revolution. A permit that took almost three years now took less than three months.¡± C?¡¯s expression grew more grave. ¡°That destroyed the root cause of supply-side inflationary pressures on housing costs, allowing for swift supply of housing within a year or two of the regulations. It also must have destroyed demand for alternative housing like Norton Housings.¡± ¡°Yes, it was good for the nation but bad for my company, but you see, that wasn¡¯t the final nail in the coffin,¡± he shook his head. ¡°After all, eliminating the root cause would ensure that the problem wouldn¡¯t exacerbate, but it wouldn¡¯t undo all the existing damage in a short timeframe. Or so I thought. Unfortunately for me, the Mischel Government went even further. It subsidized housing with a bill of nearly five hundred billion lennars, causing the supply to skyrocket.¡± A defeated expression appeared on his face. ¡°Who in the world would want to buy alternative mini-housing units in such a situation? Nobody. And thus, my company died, revenue plummeted, and its valuation. I filed for bankruptcy, and the dissolution of the company along with the salary of my current jobs barely covered the debt financing that we had undertaken, expecting high revenue.¡± He shook his head. ¡°And I¡¯ve been working in the same job for the past decade since. A decent job at a conventional housing company.¡± He finally returned all his attention back to C?. ¡°A pathetic story, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s why I¡¯m not worthy of being gazed at with that kind of regard.¡± The air grew solemn as he finally completed narrating his story. His expression had grown even more sullen. His short frame had slouched over. ¡°I do not think your story is pathetic.¡± C?¡¯s firm voice stirred the middle-aged man. Yet, he simply smiled melancholically. ¡°Thank you. Thank you for trying to comfort me, but I¡¯m not so weak that I need to be protected from the plain truth.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this to protect you from the truth. A failure is hardly pathetic. If that were the case, then every single human being to have ever existed is pathetic, including me.¡± This time, he didn¡¯t appear to dismiss C?¡¯s words as gentle comfort. ¡°N-Now that I think about it,¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This is the first time I have ever gone this in-depth into the story of my past. I¡­ inadvertently ended up getting caught in the past and opened up so candidly to a stranger. Forgive me. I unnecessarily burdened you with my venting.¡± He grew flustered and nervous as he realized how much he had borne his heart to a stranger. That, too, someone as intimidating and scary as C? was. Yet, there was something about the man and the topic itself that caused him to reveal the pain that he hid in his heart. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± C?¡¯s tone was uncharacteristically gentle. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Your candor has helped me gain insights that I didn¡¯t have before. I am deeply grateful that you have been this candid with me about the past. The emotion that you have shown has confirmed something that I first suspected when you told me your story.¡± C?¡¯s powerful gaze fixed itself on the man before him. ¡°Mr. Norton, I would like to invite you to join my business venture into the mini-housing units sector.¡± Norton shook where he sat as his eyes widened with shock. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°As I have already mentioned, mini-housing units as a technological paradigm is the most optimal way of tapping into the untapped latent housing demand in the slums,¡¯ C? remarked. ¡°I would like to invite an expert such as yourself on board this project as an owner or an employee and lend your expertise to this business endeavor of mine. Rest assured, I will ensure that you are perfectly well-compensated, more so than your current job. On top of that, you will have the opportunity to relive your dream.¡± Mr. Norton stared at C? with a bewildered expression and a shocked gaze. ¡°¡­What?¡± Chapter 24: Business Strategy He gazed at C? like he had spoken an alien language. On the other hand, C? simply stared at the man with a solemn expression. He didn¡¯t simply make that offer out of nowhere. As someone who was aiming to become the richest person in the entire world, he couldn¡¯t afford to spend all his time on a single business, and it was unlikely that one business, especially a business whose targeted market was extremely poor, was impossible for it to get him even remotely all the way there. In other words, he needed a person to whom he could leave the micromanagement of all the operations but also someone whom he could trust to dedicate themselves to the business the way he would. He had thought that finding such a person would not only be very difficult but would also be very time-consuming. ¡®I wouldn''t say I''ve hit the lottery... but I have found an optimistic option.¡¯ A smile cracked at the edge of C?¡¯s mouth. Feidin Norton was a very plain and unremarkable man on his appearance, but when he spoke about his business and his business strategy, there was a faint remaining ember of passion. Even though he tried to play it off a little cooler, C? could tell that the fall of his company and his business was still a very raw wound even to this day after many years. The average person would not hold such emotion to an event so long ago. It took a truly ferocious passion for its embers to still be alive many years later after the company¡¯s fall. ¡°¡­Is this your idea of a joke?¡± Mr. Norton laughed nervously as he readjusted his glasses with a flustered expression. ¡°I am entirely serious,¡± C? replied with a firm tone. ¡°I intend to open a business whose business strategy is centered around mini-housing units, which you have great skill and experience with as a manager, a civil engineer, and a CEO. You have the skill, you have the passion, and you have a fitting temperament.¡± The man simply stared at Rui as his expression only grew more bewildered. What C? had failed to mention was that this was a man without any financial dependents. He was unmarried and didn¡¯t have a family that relied on him, which was something that C? found desirable. His business idea was novel and unique enough that it fell into the risky category. People with familial obligations would not want to partake in this project. ¡°¡­You really are a strange person, Mr. C?,¡± Mr. Norton replied with a flustered smile. ¡°¡­I already have a job, you know? A job where I have made gains with salary hikes over the years, you know?¡± ¡°I am aware of that,¡± C? replied. ¡°I will provide you with a salary on par with the one that you have now unless you¡¯re interested in equity as remuneration.¡± ¡°¡­Do you have the magicapita needed for that?¡± Mr. Norton raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are in your early twenties, correct? And you just entered the apprentice program his year, which means you have no skill as a mage. How do you intend to fund a project like this?¡± His questions were pertinent. The flustered nervousness had all but gone when the conversation turned towards the minutiae of his business venture. C? immediately understood that he was being tested. Not that Mr. Norton would immediately jump to join his business if C? passed his test, but C? would have, at the very least, considered it if he didn¡¯t flunk the test on the spot. ¡°There are several avenues of getting the necessary venture capital,¡± C? replied with a composed and confident tone. ¡°For one, I am a part owner of a now successful family restaurant. Additionally, as a student of the Elendir Institute of Magic, business loans will come far easier to me than they ever did before. I can easily get a loan to fund the start of my business with minimum collateral. On top of that, as rank on the magic aptitude test, I have the attention of people in high places.¡± Mr. Norton stirred at his words as he fell into thought with an interested expression. He realized that C?¡¯s plan was more grounded in reality than he had expected. He wasn¡¯t unrealistic about his sources of venture capital. Indeed, he would be able to get all the debt he needed as a student of the Elendir Institute of Magic. ¡°¡­And how do you intend to run this business?¡± Mr. Norton raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you think you can run a business successfully just by winging it?¡± ¡°I have a degree in commerce.¡± ¡°¡­I see, you¡¯re not as out of your depth as I feared,¡± Mr. Norton murmured. ¡°Still, a degree is one thing, but it is only a basic first step in the world of business. In fact, it isn¡¯t even strictly necessary. There are plenty of wealthy businessmen who have absolutely no business background who have hit it big and plenty of businessmen with multiple degrees that failed miserably.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I revived the family-run restaurant that I mentioned with an entirely original business strategy,¡± C? replied without the slightest bit of hesitation. ¡°Additionally, I have several years of experience working there prior.¡± ¡°¡­The former is certainly a credit if it is true,¡± Mr. Norton replied thoughtfully as he readjusted his glasses. ¡°That being said, the food industry is very detached from the niche that you are pursuing. Your experience doesn¡¯t translate there very well.¡± C? sipped his lent drink as he fell into thought. ¡®I can¡¯t tell him that my Acquired Savant Syndrome amplifies my imagination and divergent thinking to such a degree that not only do I have a flood of possibilities in my mind for my business strategy, but I can flesh out the most likely scenarios with great accuracy and precision and work towards realizing it.¡¯ It was the reason that Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante had made such a smooth comeback despite how poor their situation was. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± C? lied. ¡°I am indeed not the most equipped to lead a business venture in terms of experience. But that hardly disqualifies me as someone who can lead it to success. Additionally, if you do choose to join my company, your experience will be able to compensate for my lack thereof. Additionally¡­¡± He stirred his cup. ¡°While I don¡¯t have experience leading a business, I do have experience with the target market segment: the slums. I can assure you that I probably understand the slums better than anybody else in the business world. After all¡­¡± C?¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of peril. ¡°I have lived there for most of my life.¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s eyes widened with a stunned expression as his nervousness returned. C? wasn¡¯t surprised. He was far too used to the dangerous reputation of the slums dripping down back to him. There was a good chance that this piece of information would make Mr. Norton entirely unwilling to join his business venture. ¡°I see¡­¡± he managed to squeeze out. ¡°In that regard yes, you do have relevant experience in the slums. Still, aiming for the slums, hm? It certainly is novel and radical, business-wise; there is a reason that businesses avoid the slums entirely.¡± ¡°I am aware there is a huge safety problem,¡± C? nodded. ¡°Additionally, demand for goods and services is, well, very low due to very little purchasing power.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s expression grew confused. ¡°You are aware of that and still want to target the slums for your mini-housing goods? This seems like an absurd decision to me. I am curious why you have decided to go with the least profitable market segment of Elendir. Please explain the business model and business strategy for the commercial venture you have in mind.¡± ¡°¡­Very well,¡± C? leaned forward as he began explaining the entirety of his business model to Mr. Norton in a straightforward and concise manner.¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s eyes lit up with fascination as he listened on to C?¡¯s explanation for why he had made the decision that he had made. It was only after C? was done that he finally made a remark on the matter. ¡°I see¡­¡± his tone was engrossed. ¡°I was aware that the slums had poor housing, But I hadn¡¯t realized that it was that dangerous. Your idea seemed nonsensical to me when you first mentioned it, but now that you have explained the rationale behind it, it¡¯s actually genius. Still, there are several doubts I have in regards to this business strategy that you have in mind that I¡¯d like you to clarify, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind at all,¡± C? replied with a small smile. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Well, firstly, if the conventional housing units are unsafe, then surely tents are a convenient alternative that the residents of the slums would use in such a situation,¡± Mr. Norton pointed out with a keen expression. ¡°With their low purchasing power, they would much rather move to tents than something like mini-housing units, right? Wouldn¡¯t that bust your business model?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a valid point of skepticism,¡± C? nodded understandingly. ¡°However, there is a reason that the people of the slums bother with housing at all rather than just going with tents. After all, your rationale would apply even more to building huts and the like. That reason is rather simple. Tents are insufficient against the elements.¡± He sipped his cochil drink before continuing. ¡°As you well know, Elendir and Colohen can have very extreme weather. When it rains, it often floods. This is especially true in the slums with a decrepit drainage system. A normal tent cannot deal with that. When it snows, the problem is similar. Additionally, our nation has powerful winds and storms, a tent is sorely lacking to protect them from that. Each season has extreme elements that tents simply cannot deal with.¡± C? continued. ¡°The point of shelter is to protect one from elements, after all. ¡°That¡¯s why the less poor of the slums still have scraps of a hut put together that can withstand the bare minimum. Thus, tents are not a replacement, even if they are used to a certain extent.¡± Mr. Norton digested his explanation with a slow nod. ¡°I see, that does make sense. A tent would not be sufficient to even qualify as shelter in this nation, barring some places here and there. Then¡­¡± He leaned forward with greater interest. ¡°For my second doubt. Even if there is demand, the fact of the matter is that the people of the slums are very poor and will not pay more than peanuts per housing unit. How in the world do you intend to make a profit?¡± ¡°That has indeed been the most difficult part of planning this commercial venture,¡± C? replied. ¡°However, I believe my solution addresses that well enough. In order to explain the business strategy for making a profit per sale, I will first begin by touching up on the business strategy of conventional real estate before drawing a comparison to my business strategy.¡± Mr. Norton nodded with a curious expression as C? began. ¡°The conventional housing construction company focuses on high prices per unit with high-profit margins with a majority of the cost of production going into raw materials and labor,¡± C? began. ¡°They offer spacious units with a bare minimum amount of space that we would consider ¡®fit for human living.¡¯ You can walk, exercise, and move around in normal houses and homes, and that causes the material cost to go up. It is precisely for this reason that this business strategy is impossible to be profitable in the slums, which have very low purchasing power.¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°My old mini-housing unit products from Norton Housings would still fall in this category, by the way.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± C? continued. ¡°My business strategy, on the other hand, focuses on getting rid of the biggest two expenditures in the cost of production. Specifically, the material and labor costs. I intend to sell units much smaller than even mini-housing units and instead sell micro-housing units that are just a little larger than tents with a more defined structure. By getting rid of the space offering and the labor and material costs that come with it. It is possible to produce safe housing units that are also able to protect people from the elements.¡± Chapter 25: Progress ¡°By getting rid of ninety-five percent of the material and labor cost, I am able to reduce the cost of production to a point so low that at least the least poor people living in the slums are able to afford it,¡± C? continued. ¡°The only sacrifice is quality of life with such a small amount of space that it would be considered ¡®unfit for human residence¡¯ by most people.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a rather big sacrifice, is it not?¡± Mr. Nortion raised an eyebrow. ¡°Being ¡®fit for human beings¡¯ is a very basic requirement for housing, after all.¡± ¡°The context of that being uttered by people who don¡¯t live in the slums is usually simply in reference to comfort.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s because basic comfort is considered to be the bare minimum.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it?¡± Mr. Nortion frowned. ¡°Not if you live in the slums, no,¡± C? snorted. ¡°Physical safety from people and dangerous infrastructure and protection from the elements is the bare minimum. But it¡¯s taken for granted by people living outside of the slums. Comfort is not important for people in the slums because we have constantly lived our lives desperately striving for the true bare minimum. Tell me, Mr. Norton¡­¡± He gazed at the man opposite him with clear eyes. ¡°Would you rather freeze to death in the rain or the snow, get scorched by the Sun, get crushed under a building, and get assaulted by robbers or¡­¡± he paused for a moment, ¡°would you rather simply endure discomfort?¡± ¡°¡­I would very much rather endure discomfort if it means avoiding the former,¡± he heaved a sigh. ¡°I see, you have made your point. Your rationale is valid and sound and you have indeed made a rather clever and compelling business strategy to harness untapped demand where others wouldn¡¯t even give any thought.¡± His tone was appreciative. ¡°However, a business strategy, no matter how well fleshed out, is simply the second step of the process after fleshing out a business model,¡± he explained. ¡°You have yet to engage in any product development whatsoever, haven¡¯t you?¡± C? nodded earnestly. ¡°I have not yet commenced that. Product development first requires specifying an end specification range and objective for the product in question while fleshing out all the constraints. Only when you have clearly fleshed out all the conditions and laid it out clearly can product development even begin.¡± It wasn¡¯t enough to say, ¡®I want a micro-housing unit,¡¯ and simply hire a bunch of engineers and other specialists. The material, budget, cost, inventory, supply, labor, and production timeframe constraints, among many other constraints, needed to be clearly highlighted. The constraints would essentially function as barriers that would box in the number of possibilities into a limited space within which the development team would then work to operate. ¡°I am getting close to fleshing out the constraints with the needed precision,¡± C? replied. ¡°I have been researching this topic for months now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough if you¡¯re serious about this business,¡± Mr. Norton said. ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple.¡± ¡°¡­I know,¡± C? heaved a sigh. ¡°In this particular regard, my inexperience is most damning.¡± C? didn¡¯t want to get conceited in his own ability because of his Acquired Savant Syndrome. There were things that simply couldn¡¯t be acquired by anything other than experience. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to know that you are level-headed and rational in regard to your own shortcomings,¡± Mr. Norton nodded with approval as he smiled simply. ¡°Well, regardless, I suppose that brings me to an end to the most pressing questions I had for you. You have satisfied me with your answers quite well, I must say. But that doesn¡¯t mean you will succeed. These questions were frankly the most basic aspects of business, failing to provide good answers would mean your business own be guaranteed to fail, but answering well doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t fail. Do you understand?¡± C? nodded. ¡°I am aware of that, if this was all it took to launch successful businesses, then the world would be filled with a lot more successful businesses.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Mr. Norton chuckled as his sheepish demeanor returned. ¡°After all, your business strategy is truly unique. I don¡¯t think anyone has ever conceived of what you have. You have managed to squeeze water out of the rock. That is not something I see every day. Most businesses don¡¯t have any novelty and simply hope to etch out their little corner in the market by using tried and tested models and strategies. Your business strategy, on the other hand, is nothing but novelty!¡± He gazed at C? with a hint of flustered admiration. ¡°Then¡­¡± C?¡¯s tone grew solemn. ¡°What do you think? Are you interested in joining my business?¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Norton stirred at the question. Frankly, any normal person would have dismissed it then and there. Come work for a random fellow over a business that hadn¡¯t even started yet? It was out of the question. C? was aware of this as well. He predicted that there was a little under ninety percent chance that the man would refuse him then and there. However, it was worth making the offer nonetheless because it took nothing, and the potential benefits were worth it. He liked this man. He was clearly knowledgeable and experienced in business. His questions were pertinent and apt, his judgment on C?¡¯s business idea and strategy were grounded. He gave C? credit where credit was due while pointing out his shortcomings where he felt the need. When speaking about these matters, the flustered and nervous body language would disappear, and he would speak with the composure of someone who knew exactly what he was talking about and had every reason to be confident in his words. On top of that, his personality was open and agreeable enough that C? enjoyed speaking with him. His lack of personal, familial commitments also made him someone that C? was more willing to trust with the running of the company. His passion for his mini-housing unit business also pleased C? as he hoped to hire people who were invested in the project. Simultaneously, this was not a highly disagreeable or over-assertive man who would try to resurrect his old dream in C?¡¯s new business venture. He didn¡¯t want to have somebody who would try to usurp his vision with their own. Thus, he would prefer somebody who harbored a high degree of respect or perhaps even some fear of C?. It was a cold and level-headed evaluation of Mr. Norton as a character. This man fit exactly what he was looking for: a managerial subordinate who could run things when C? was not there or after the business hit a stable running. Mr. Norton, on the other hand, fell into a deep thought on the matter, not feeling the need to rush an answer. ¡°¡­I will consider it,¡± Mr. Norton finally heaved a sigh. ¡°Obviously, I can¡¯t give you an answer right here and now. Additionally, what you are asking is very risky for me, I hope you realize that. It¡¯s also very inconvenient for me. Besides, you have not clarified exactly what you want to hire me for.¡± C? nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. I believe you have a background in civil engineering and management, right? While the former is not directly relevant to micro-housing units, I would like to ask you to become something like a general manager who will oversee operations. With your experience and your background, you should be more than equipped to handle run the day to day management of the business. I have already done much of the research into fleshing out all the details of the business strategy, your input will still be very welcome. Additionally¡­¡± A small, brief smile emerged on C?¡¯s face ¡°If you get this early in the venture, then I am willing to offer you as much as twenty five-percent equity into the business.¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s eyes lit up at those words. Offering that much equity off the bat was a substantial gesture of good faith and sincerity. C? was essentially conveying that he valued what Mr. Norton had to offer and wouldn¡¯t simply have him be a tool and executive. Admittedly, this was an attractive offer to Mr. Norton. Although he hadn¡¯t mentioned it, the truth was that he hated working for other people especially when he was just an executor whose will didn¡¯t matter. His only job was to do as his general manager told him to and nothing more. As someone who understood how the pleasures of being one¡¯s own boss but also the leader of one¡¯s own enterprise, he had never been able to fully adjust back to being a mindless drone. With twenty-five percent equity, he was a partial owner of the company. He, too, would have a say, although C? had made his vision clear and had highlighted that his primary goal was general management while C? would tackle business strategy. Mr. Norton didn¡¯t have a problem with this. He understood that this was not his venture and would never go in the direction that he sought it to and it was absurd to expect it to. Everything was good on paper. There was only one issue that fought against all this. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I wish to commit to such a risky venture when I have just entered my forties, Mr. C?.¡± He heaved a sigh. ¡°If there was some way to guarantee the success, I would probably take this agreement¡­¡± Unfortunately, there was absolutely no way to guarantee success. All business ventures were inherently risky, some more than others, to varying degrees. And yet, businesses that appeared to be safe on the surface could become the biggest flops in the world, while businesses that appeared to be extremely risky could go on to become multi-billionel businesses. ¡°¡­Well, think it over,¡± C? nodded. ¡°I would actually be a little wary if you accepted right away.¡± Mr. Norton smiled. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want such a thoughtless person running the heart of your business ventures.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± C? nodded, scribbling on a piece of paper with a pen. ¡°Here are my contact details, let me know when you have made your decision. Until then¡­¡± He slowly got up, stretching his hand out with an uncharacteristic smile. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± the man got with a flustered expression, shaking C?¡¯s hand vigorously. ¡°Thank you for the offer.¡± They bade each other goodbye while C? departed from the cafe, heading back to Elendir Institute of Magic. Mr. Norton heaved a sigh as he sat back down in his seat. ¡°¡­And to think he¡¯s only twenty-three years old.¡± Mr. Norton thought back to the intimidating aura and heavy presence that the young man had with an amazed expression. The very air around him was suffocating, and Mr. Norton felt like a heavy boulder had been placed on his shoulders every time he directed a powerful gaze with dichromatic eyes and his scarred face. ¡°Just what has he gone through?¡± Mr. Norton had met many people in his life of different classes and walks. And yet, he had never met someone who seemed to brim with a ferocious drive and an endless potential like C?. He heaved a sigh as he thought about his offer. ¡°¡­I must be insane for even considering it.¡± It was risky. Foolish. Ill-advised. And yet, he couldn¡¯t take his mind off of it for some reason. At the moment, he currently worked as a project manager at a large construction company in Colohen. There was decent upward mobility, and he even got two-percent salary hikes each year, although much of that was bled off by inflation. If he chose to accept C?¡¯s offer, he would be ditching all the progress he had made in the past ten years. ¡°¡­Progress,¡± he muttered to himself, immersed in thought. ¡°What progress?¡± A twenty percent salary hike was all that he had accomplished in that time. Was that how he wanted to live the rest of his life? ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 26: Returning Commotion C? heaved a sigh as he left the cafe, heading back to the Elendir Institute of Magic after a long, good talk with Feidin Norton. C? was fortunate enough that the man was willing to meet up in the central districts that housed the massive campus at its center, it made travel easy. His eyes grew hazy as he fell into thought on the conversation that he had just had. Admittedly, the offer was spontaneous. And along with it came a choice that he had thought he would make much later. The choice to become the sole party in the business venture. In other words, he would not outsource the production and distribution of his goods to other companies and he wouldn¡¯t be partnering with other companies on the venture. He wanted complete ownership and agency over the matter. And for that, he needed someone like Mr. Norton to work under him. ¡°Well, it¡¯s unlikely he will accept it.¡± He already knew this. He had already made his case as best as he probably could. It was all up to Mr. Norton whether he wanted to take the offer or not. He simply shook his head lightly as his mind returned to more immediate and pressing affairs. ¡°Tomorrow is the first day of the semester.¡± He was admittedly looking forward to it. For one, he was finally going to begin his magical education. He was going to blaze past as fast as he could without drawing suspicion on him for hiding his true power. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t he would have to hold back in this regard. While his Acquired Savant Syndrome did turn him into a true mage, it didn¡¯t do much to help him with conventional magic. Of course, he had a far greater memory than before, but it wasn¡¯t enough to get him in trouble for being dangerously good. At most, it would reaffirm his image of having exceptional talent. ¡°On top of that, I know that there are some who will also complete the apprentice program at extremely fast rates,¡± C? narrowed his eyes as he thought back to Silian and his cronies attacking him with magic. ¡°I won¡¯t stand nearly as much.¡± Of course, the fact that C? wasn¡¯t supposed to have the advantages that got silian and some other wealthy students to at least be able to cast one spell would not be missed. Still, he could chalk it up to exceptional talent. Thus, from the first day tomorrow, he would immediately start grinding. The Elendir Institute of Magic allowed for more free scheduling of exams and tests for passing on to the next semester within the apprentice program, so he could theoretically take all the exams that he needed to in the first week. ¡°That would be too absurd and impossible even for me.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Regardless, I will take it at the earliest possible.¡± There were some that he has already made considerable progress on. History of Magic was one that he has found himself surprisingly immersed in. His immersion allowed him to absorb it much quicker than some of the other courses that he found himself absorbed in. Regardless, when the official semester began the next day, he would be swamped with work. ¡°Speaking of tomorrow¡­¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°I almost forgot that I had that¡­¡± The Honor Student Address. The student with the highest rank in the Institute was tasked with giving a speech to the entire student body. In the case of the Colohen Campus, that was him. It appeared that Lisha Pyrosche, the student who scored rank one with genius-level talent in magic in the magic aptitude test. It was unfortunate that she was not on this campus, else he would have been spared with this pain in the ass. ¡°Whatever, I will just wing it.¡± If it wasn¡¯t directly relevant to his goal or his interests, he simply didn¡¯t care to put too much effort into it. At most, he wanted to make sure that he avoided giving a bad impression to the teachers and potential investors for his business. ¡°ID, please.¡± The guards at the gate demanded, when he returned to campus, allowing him to return only after confirming that he was a student of the Elendir Institute of Magic. C? directed a sweeping gaze across the expansive campus of the Institute. Yet, his eyes didn¡¯t linger on the beautiful, colorful gardens or the exquisite architecture of the campus. ¡°Looks like all the freshmen have finally arrived, cutting down on the ruckus.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The past three days had been hectic as a large number of students from across the city, country, and even foreign nations shifted to the Elendir Institute of Magic in the span of just a few days to make sure they didn¡¯t miss the first day of the semester. The Elendir Institute of Magic strictly prohibited early transfers, so all students needed to complete their transfer in the three day period before the Elendir Institute of Magic. The return of some degree of peace in the campus estate was a sign that this had finally concluded. As he made his way back to the apprentice dormitories, he found himself gathering attention from various freshmen. There were roughly three strains of attention. Positive, fearful, and contemptuous. ¡°Don¡¯t soil this pristine school with your filthy presence.¡± A clique of girls curled their mouths with disgust as he passed by them, almost reflexively insulting him. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to retort. And yet, he didn¡¯t need to. ¡°D-Don¡¯t insult him!¡± ¡°His presence isn¡¯t filthy!¡± ¡°Who do you guys think you are?!¡± His eyebrows rose as three familiar voices erupted in defense of him. It was none other than the three acquaintances he had made on his day of arrival at the Institute. Natasha indignantly pulled her skirt down as she stared at them with apprehension and anger. Sorenon looked nervous as he tried to put a brave front while Kelton looked like he was all but ready to throw hands then and there. They had stormed forth, placing themselves between C? and the clique of wealthy girls who had spat insults to his face. Their defense of him earned them the focus of the girls¡¯ ire, making them targets. ¡°My, the plebeians rise to defend the slum mongrel.¡± The ringleader of the clique sneered, stepping forward as she directed a contemptuous once-over C?¡¯s newest trio of defenders. ¡°Perhaps you should take a look at yourselves before you jump to defend slum bastard.¡± She even brought her hand up to cover her soft but venomous laughter even as the fancy ringlets of golden hair spiraling down from her head gently bounced with her motions. Her attire was strangely fancy and extravagant semi-formal despite being in the dormitory, as were those of the cronies of her little clique. It was a sense of fashion that was beyond C?¡¯s fathoming. And yet, it drew a clear line between them and three that had stood up in defense of him who wore normal and simple clothes. The air grew tenser as the girls¡¯ derisive laughter only stoked their anger. C? simply watched impassively from the corner of his eyes. He didn¡¯t understand why they were getting worked up for him or over the worthless chatter that the clique of girls¡¯ directed towards them. Kelton, in particular, was the most worked up over their words in his juvenile immaturity. So much so that that even the girls noticed, picking on him in particular to provoke him. ¡°Ah~ this musclebrain blockhead is giving me a dirty look.¡± The ringleader directed a contemptuous sneer at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She stepped forward before him with a sharp gaze, confronting him head-on. C? glanced around as more and more people gathered around them in the dormitory, drawn by the commotion. And yet, they weren¡¯t merely limited to spectating. There were many who joined in on one side or another. ¡°You dare glare at Lady Delilah?!¡± ¡°You should know your place, mutt!¡± ¡°Back down before she ruins your life!¡± On the other hand, many of the non-wealthy students found themselves rising up in indignant anger, jumping in to side with the opposite side. ¡°This magicademy prohibits discrimination!¡± ¡°You rich assholes!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so mean just because your parents are wealthy!¡± It soon began snowballing more and more as a simple verbal insult and a clapback began boiling into something far more than C? had expected. He had to remind himself that they were juvenile adolescents. With hormones running amuck, they were unreasonably volatile. The immaturity on display was rather stunning, making him feel out of place as perhaps the only one who had retained his composure. He had intended to ignore Delilah¡¯s comments and simply return to his room. He couldn¡¯t be bothered with gracing her nonsense with an acknowledgment. But he felt the need to stop when the three kids he had gotten acquainted with jumped in with their unnecessary intervention to save him. In fact, he knew that this had nothing to do with protecting him and more so to do with their resentment against wealthier students who came from affluent backgrounds. They were simply waiting for a fitting opportunity to jump in and lash out Delilah. Unfortunately, it was shaping to escalate to be much worse. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Delilah growled. ¡°Are you just going to stand there like a spineless fool, quivering in fear? I called your mother a plebeian whore and your father a dog, and you¡¯re just going to stand their paralyzed in terror?¡± A shocked wave of murmurs spread through the gathered crowds while C? heaved a tired sigh. Yet, it was not Delilah who had caught his attention. It was Kelton. ¡°You bitch, I will fucking kill you!¡± his face crumpled with anger as he snapped and lost control. CLASP! C? smoothly caught his powerful swing at the crescendo of his wind-up where he had the least leverage. Kelton¡¯s eyes widened as he realized he couldn¡¯t even pull against the grip without straining his back due to the position. ¡°Let me go!¡± he vainly tried to throw an attack with all his body weight while C? simply kept him where he was with a single hand. ¡°She¡¯s trying to get you suspended for assault.¡± Kelton froze as this simple and transparent truth became evidently clear to him the moment C? plainly told him as much. The crowd quietened down by the quick attack and the equally quick counter. C?¡¯s eyes sharpened as they pierced into Kelton¡¯s green eyes. ¡°Did you come to this magicademy to fight, or did you come to this magicademy to learn how to fight?¡± Kelton stirred at those words as he lowered his head with gritted teeth. His goal had been to go on to become a magetant, a combat mage. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to achieve that goal if you get suspended for things like this,¡± C?¡¯s tone was sharp. ¡°It may even cause harm to your family. Do you want your parents to suffer just because you couldn¡¯t control your anger?¡± His body deflated at those words. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then go.¡± C? huffed. ¡°Forget about this goofy drill-haired clown doll.¡± ¡°¡­Pfft.¡± ¡°Drill-haired¡­¡± ¡°Clown doll¡­¡± A wave of laughter spread amid the students as their immature and juvenile sense of humor was powerless before his earnest description of the girl. Delilah was not pleased. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. ¡°Stop¡­ Stop laughing!¡± Unfortunately for her, that only flamed the laughter on as the scholarship students did so with vindication. She stormed off with teary eyes, throwing one last dirty glare at C?. C? heaved a tired sigh. ¡°Kids.¡± He genuinely couldn¡¯t wait to move to the senior program. Chapter 27: Memorandum of Magic The commotion died down when C? stopped Kelton from going too far. Even though, morally, he did think the Delilah girl probably did deserve to get a smacking or two, hitting her would have only made him suffer all the consequences. CLACK C? closed the door behind with a soft sigh as he thought back to what had just happened. ¡°She was smarter than that Silian kid was.¡± Perhaps she had learned from his foolish mistakes, but she understood that she couldn¡¯t be the aggressor. Instead, she provoked Kelton to get him to be the aggressor first, after which she would largely be justified in lashing back with magic since she was a girl against a rather large boy. ¡°The scheming type.¡± He huffed, shaking his head. ¡°Except she is insecure and self-conscious about her appearance and is generally emotionally immature.¡± It wasn¡¯t even surprising,g considering she was an adolescent going through puberty. It was just unfortunate that she had such an absurd degree of contempt for the commoner class and even more so for people from the slums, almost as if she didn¡¯t even think of herself as the same species as those beneath herself. It was a level of contempt that far exceeded anything he had experienced from those living outside the slums. While he received distrust and contempt, he had never been gazed at with such revolted disgust as he had when Delilah laid her eyes on him. He simply shook his head, putting the matter aside as he returned to his preparations for the next day. Of the many classes commencing the next day, he was most interested in Introduction of Eidos Theory and Introduction to Mana Mechanics. These courses were the most important, and he had already done plenty of the necessary reading. ¡°I should think of a few points for the speech before I head to sleep. I¡¯ve done everything else I need to for the day.¡± By the time he went to bed, he was truly exhausted, falling asleep almost immediately. And just like that, the next day arrived. From the very moment he woke the next morning, he could feel the tingle of anticipation in the air. Almost all students, regardless of their class or background, experienced an electric nervousness and a jittery excitement as they prepared themselves for the very first day. Not even C? was immune to the infectious atmosphere that grasped hold of all his freshmen peers. He donned the uniform assigned to apprentice students. An extravagant long, gray overcoat enveloping a crisp black vest atop a clean white shirt comprised a formal three-piece upper garment, while his lower garments were comprised of neatly ironed gray pants and even formal black leather shoes. C? felt like a different man in such ostentatious attire. What surprised him was that the clothes fit him absolutely perfectly, clearly custom-tailored to his body. This was despite the fact that the magicademy had never put him through a fitting process. He had just found the three sets of his uniform in his assigned room. ¡°¡­Divination,¡± he realized. ¡°Seriously? They use magic even for something as trivial as this?¡± It was stunning to see how the most extravagant means of getting information was used for the most insignificant matters. It was these subtle flexes that truly struck home that the Elendir Institute of Magic was simply built differently. ¡°Not to mention this overcoat¡­¡± C?¡¯s eyes narrowed as his hands slowly brushed past the fabric. ¡°It¡¯s an enchanted item.¡± He could sense the mana infused into the item. Although he didn¡¯t know what the enchantment was simply from his faint senses of it, he knew from his research that it was supposed to be a protection enchantment to keep their students safe. ¡°I see, I suppose it¡¯s reasonable,¡± C? muttered as he put on his shoes. ¡°It¡¯s probably impossible to prevent all misuse of magic ahead of time, so it¡¯s better to have a passive system of protection.¡± He put aside his fascination with the uniform before slumping his bag on one shoulder and departing from his room. ¡°¡­after all, it¡¯s the first day!¡± ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m so nervous I can¡¯t stand still!¡± ¡°Quick, we¡¯ll be late!¡± The jittery tingle of anticipation only magnified the moment he left his dorm room as the boys and girls were palpably electric in their body language and demeanor. So much so that even the tension between the classes of students was overshadowed by a collective excitement for the first day of the apprentice program. CLACK Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The loud sound of the locking of his door drew attention his way while his identity and appearance retained it. STEP STEP STEP The spacious halls quietened down as he passed through minding his own business while they whispered about him. ¡°¡­yesterday he¡­¡± ¡°¡­Delilah locked herself in her room¡­¡± ¡°¡­Scaryy~¡± People made way for him regardless of their class. Although the affluent students tried not to let it show, he intimidated them a lot with the severity of his demeanor and his scary visage. The commoner students, on the other hand, were more open to him, perceiving him as an ally after his run-ins with Silian first and Delilah the previous day. Although among them, only three openly approached him. ¡°Mr. C?!¡± Kelton grinned energetically, waving his hand as he jogged up to him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you!¡± ¡°Good morning, Mr. C?,¡± Natana smiled sweetly. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for the first day,¡± Sorenon offered. C? regarded the three adolescents with with a soft nod. ¡°Good morning.¡± Kelton immediately stepped forward with a hesitant expression. ¡°¡­Also, thank you for stopping me yesterday. After calming my head down and looking back at it, I realized how bad things could have gotten. Without your intervention, I would have surely suffered a suspension or a credit penalty.¡± ¡°As long as you understand that and ensure it doesn¡¯t happen again, it¡¯s fine,¡± C? replied with a stoic tone. ¡°Likewise, thank you for standing up for me.¡± While it was most certainly unnecessary and even wasted his time, potentially getting him into an antagonistic relationship with a powerful person, he still appreciated the sentiment. Although the kids were far too childish in their mannerisms for him to feel interested in pursuing a friendship with them, he appreciated that they stood up for him at potentially their own personal expense. ¡°No need to thank me for that,¡± Kelton grinned. ¡°After all, we¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± C? simply raised an eyebrow at his presumptuous naivete. Yet, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that he didn¡¯t think of them as friends. ¡°¡­I suppose we are,¡± A small smile briefly cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to be late on the first day.¡± The three of them eagerly followed with excited gaits as while he simply heaved a sigh at their energetic attitude. Even the reserved Sorenon appeared to be pumped with excitement. They swiftly made their way to the opening ceremony held in the massive general auditorium in the central section of the campus. A gigantic and ostentatious building stretching an enormous distance towered over the stream of students that entered it. The shining white marble and the hand-carved glistening architecture of themes surrounding magic were clearly distinct even from a great distance away. The glow that its smooth lustrous surface reflected from the Sun¡¯s light gave the entire structure an ethereal charm. It added to the momentous anticipation that had built up, looming above them like an impending storm. STEP They arrived at the entrance to the massive gates, peering inside to behold the vast auditorium within. ¡°This¡­¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up as he beheld the most magnificent auditorium with fine luxury seats that stretched in a semi-circle around the podium at the other end of the auditorium, with an enormous space and infrastructure to pull off any sort of show or presentation under the Sun. A different set of seats was prepared for the staff at the very front of the event. Senior mages were planted in and around the entire event in high alert, ready not only to protect the students from any external threats, but also from each other. The event included not only the freshmen of the apprentice program but also students of older years in the same programs, marked on the emblem of the academy on their overcoat. ¡°I will take the edge seat,¡± he remarked when he took his seat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stumble past legs when they call me.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take the seat next to you.¡± ¡°Ehhh, I wanted to sit next to big brother C?!¡± ¡°No, I will!¡± C?¡¯s eyebrows twitched when they called him Big Brother. That was surely the fastest transition from friend to brother that the world had seen. So much so that its speed left him reeling with the inertia. Eventually, they set aside their juvenile tantrums and took their seats while their other peers also eventually settled down. STEP Chills crawled across their skin as a heavy, gravitic presence arrived upon the podium. He walked with a firm gait towards the speaker¡¯s stand at the very center of the spacious podium with unyielding confidence. His crisp salt-pepper beard and hair were immaculately groomed. His attire was comprised of multi-layered cloaks and garbs infused with powerful magic. An extravagant and ostentatious wand hung at his belt, as did several other magical artifacts of the highest order. Everything about his appearance screamed ¡®wizard.¡¯ And yet, they didn¡¯t need to guess that little detail from his attire. Not a single person failed to recognize the man who had arrived before them. ¡°¡­Archmage Castor Kingsworth,¡± a stunned whisper escaped C?. Archmage Castor was one of only nineteen archmages of the entire nation. Regarded as a tactical-level magical asset, he possessed tremendous influence within Elendir, having an extraordinarily high position in the Mage Association, an honorary mageneral in the Elendir Magical Corps, and even held the position of Grand Chancellor of the Elendir Institute of Magic. Everything, from the way he carried himself, his body language, and his appearance, was oppressively powerful. He directed a sweeping gaze with his powerful eyes across the students, a gesture that created a wave of nervous breakouts even if students were simply grazed by the general line of his vision. ¡°¡­Children of Magic,¡± his powerful voice boomed with magic, adding an ethereal luster to his voice. ¡°Today, I stand here before you, the chosen.¡± His heavy voice stunned them silent. ¡°I stand here before you, the chosen children of magic, with a missive.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°A Memorandum of Magic.¡± His heavy gaze grew fierce. ¡°Hear me and carve these words unto your soul.¡± The students gulped nervously as his grandstanding words bore heavy on them. Not as heavy as the words that came after. ¡°Magic is an abyss.¡± His tone was chilling. ¡°An abyss with no end to it.¡± His voice was perilous. ¡°An abyss that draws you in.¡± His sharp, piercing gaze swept over the frozen students once more. ¡°When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you,¡± he continued with an ominous tone. ¡°And yet¡­¡± His eyes flared with determination. ¡°Gaze into the abyss, you must!¡± His sonorous voice boomed across the entire auditorium. ¡°For it is in the depths of this abyss that you will find the power of gods,¡± his voice grew encouraging. ¡°It is in the depths of this abyss that you will find the power to make the impossible possible.¡± His eyes lit up with drive. ¡°The power to achieve all your dreams!¡± C?¡¯s eyes ignited with a furious ambition that had staked itself in his heart and soul. The ambition to destroy the world and build a better one. A smile emerged on the archmage¡¯s face. ¡°That is what awaits you at the end of the path that you have chosen to tread,¡± his tone grew more gentle. ¡°That, children of magic, is what you will gain should you overcome the tribulations that the abyss of magic throws at you.¡± Chapter 28: Just What Do You Want From Me? His speech was beyond atypical. It was entirely divergent. He didn¡¯t bother with stuffy formality or any formal introduction beyond his name, and he immediately spoke ominously about the abyss of magic before stoking the flames of ambition in the students of the magicademy. ¡°¡­take my words to heart as you plunge into the depths of the abyss of magic to pursue your dreams, veritable children of magic.¡± His tone was climactic as he stepped back from the speaker¡¯s stand, and a thundering applause emerged from the students at his thrilling message to the students of the Elendir Institute of Magic. Compared to a boring and formal speech that would leave people welcoming the students for over five minutes, this speech barely lasted one minute and hammered in a message that C? would perhaps never forget in his entire life. ¡°And now¡­¡± he continued. ¡°I would like to invite upon the Honors¡¯ student of the Colohen Branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic for Honors¡¯ Student Address, Mr. C?.¡± A less enthusiastic applause erupted as one segment of the the student body of the apprentice program was clearly over-enthusiastic while the other half simply refused to clap. C? got up, cheered on by his three new friends, as he headed over with a composed gait and a stoic expression, making his way his way up the stairs and upon the podium. Soon enough, he found himself to face with Archmage Castor Kingsworth. He could feel in the depths of his bones that the archmage was tremendously powerful. This was a man whose very presence in the nation improved Elendir¡¯s deterrence to foreign nations. ¡°Congratulations on securing rank two on the magic aptitude test, C?,¡± The archmage¡¯s tone was gentle. ¡°You have great potential. I look forward to seeing how far you go.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Archmage Kingsworth.¡± C? bowed his head with respect. ¡°I shall strive to live up to your expectations.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± The man smiled before turning and departing from the stage. Rui¡¯s gaze lingered on his only for a moment before turning towards the student body and taking his place at the speaker¡¯s stand. ¡°All of us¡­¡± He began. ¡°All of us came to this magicademy with one and only one purpose.¡± His gaze sharpened. ¡°Mastering magic.¡± His words stirred many of those in the audience. It was an irrefutably true statement that not even the most arrogant of affluent students could refute. ¡°Magic is all that matters now that you have entered this magicademy,¡± C? continued with a firm tone. ¡°And yet, I see many wasting time and energy on nonsensical matters. They harbor contempt for people who managed to get into this esteemed institute without their advantages and privileges and look down on them because of their background.¡± Many of the affluent students in the student body furrowed their eyebrows with indignance. The air tingled with tension as the professors grew a little concerned at the direction he was taking his speech. ¡°If you truly believe that you are superior¡­¡± he continued. ¡°Then prove it with your magic. Prove it with your results. Prove it with your accomplishments. Prove it with your achievements.¡± His eyes remained as impassive as ever. ¡°Anything else is simply the mark of a loser. Remember that the next time you approach me. After all¡­¡± His tone sharpened. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to announce to everybody that you¡¯re simply a loser who cannot win, right?¡± Many of the wealthy students stiffened at his words. Silian Sylvester gritted his teeth with anger while Delilah Ravolion glared at him with hatred. ¡°Well then¡­¡± his gaze swept across them. ¡°I look forward to seeing whether anybody can defeat me by the end of the first semester. Of course¡­¡± His eyes narrowed with determination. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to lose.¡± And with that, he simply stepped back. For a moment, there was a stark silence amid the crowd of students and staff before a thundering applause ensued from half of the students in the crowd. The other half refused to clap at his speech, simply glaring at him with an indignant expression. He couldn¡¯t be bothered. They had always hated him from the moment he stepped foot on campus, with several of them even going as far as committing attempted murder against him just for existing. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. If they were going to hate him, then he would rather channel that emotion into their academics rather than direct it towards him and make it his problem. That was essentially the sole purpose of his speech: to provoke them into not bothering him instead of studying and training hard. He had stressed the loser part because he knew that the wealthy students cared a lot about social esteem and how they were perceived. Had he uttered these words in a conversation, it would have been dismissed, and they would easily be able to bat it away with some arrogant nonsense about them being elites. But a speech to the apprentice student body allowed him to control perception far better than anything they could do on campus with their own capabilities. It was the best way to use his speech, as far as he was concerned. He impassively got down from atop the stage before returning back to his seat as though nothing had even happened, ignoring the pronounced gazes that converged upon him. Not for long. ¡°Thank you, Mr. C?, for that¡­ motivating speech,¡± An elderly woman at the speaker¡¯s stand spoke with a more friendly tone than the previous two speakers. She donned raiments and cloaks with glowing runes across the entirety of the fabric, indicating the magical nature of her clothes. Her purple hair draped only to her shoulders, neatly combed. Headmistress Lenolia Von Kurtole is the actual head manager of the entire branch and the second highest authority. She was more involved with the academic affairs of the branch, working towards ensuring the most optimal outcome in so far as the quality of graduates. While Archmage Castor was officially the highest authority of the magicademy, he did not intervene in the daily affairs of the magicademy. He was far too important to be wasting his time overseeing fledglings take the first steps in their journey of magic. ¡°Here, at the Elendir Institute of Magic, we ostensibly aim and achieve excellence. With the highly qualified and experienced staff of professors and assistant professors, the finest of growth and training resources, and more importantly, the finest of students, we stand at the very pinnacle of¡­¡± she continued with a dignified yet powerful tone. Her speech, compared to that of C?¡¯s and the archmage, was more grounded and formal. She covered a range of topics from the institute itself to what the future held for them, the values that the Elendir Institute of Magic held dear, and other generally positive, albeit generic, sentiments. It cooled down the previously electric atmosphere within the magicademy to a more warm and welcoming atmosphere that one would expect from the opening ceremony of the Elendir Institute of Magic. ¡°¡­And so, I welcome you to the Elendir Institute of Magic and wish you all the best in your pursuit of the future!¡± she ended her speech on a powerful, uplifting note. A thundering round of applause erupted from the student body at the conclusion of her speech as she departed from the stage. The staff and students began getting up, heading over to their scheduled classes. No one wanted to be late on the very first day, after all. And yet, it appeared that C? very well would be late. ¡°Headmistress Lenolia has summoned you to her office,¡± A staff assistant informed him with a formal tone. ¡°Please follow me immediately.¡± The staff employee¡¯s words drew a lot of attention as students, affluent and commoners alike, grew curious at those words. Naturally, there were two different spins on it. ¡°Hah, he¡¯s going to be scolded by the Headmistress for his impudence!¡± ¡°Huh? Are you stupid, he¡¯s obviously going to be praised for his courage and ambition!¡± C? simply stood there, taken aback, while the staff assistant urged him once more. ¡°Please come immediately.¡± ¡°Mr. C?¡­¡± Kelton, Natana, and Sorenon looked uncomfortable and anxious for him. He heaved a sigh at their angst. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will be back soon.¡± It was an odd feeling to placate the concerns of the kids, but he felt the need to do it anyway before adhering to the summon and following the assistant even as he felt the gazes of all the students converge upon him. It wasn¡¯t too long before they finally ended up arriving at a large pair of ostentatious doors guarded by mages. ¡°Please.¡± The assistant gestured to them. C? heaved a sigh as he pushed them open. CLACK Immediately, he was exposed to a rather extravagantly spacious office with an extensive row of shelves with more books than he could hope to count. At the very other end of the office was a large table with several documents, books, and other items neatly organized across the entire table. Headmistress Lenolia set down her pen and put away some files as she gazed at C? with a welcoming smile. ¡°Please, come in and have a seat.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Headmistress Lenolia.¡± It wasn¡¯t too long before he was perched upon the luxurious leather-bound chair while the doors to the office shut behind him. For a moment, there was a silence in the air that pricked at the skin as she seemed content, simply getting a better impression of him. C?, on the other hand, simply loosened up a little. Whatever she called him for couldn¡¯t possibly be of great significance. Right? ¡°You are indeed as divergent from our median student as I had expected.¡± Her tone was more informal than he had expected. ¡°A student who has lived most of his life in the slums,¡± she remarked. ¡°That is a first for the Elendir Institute of Magic since its very inception. You have undoubtedly been subject to many hurdles, tribulations, and barriers to get to where you are today, sitting opposite me. It is a level of perseverance that is deeply valued in mages. Even as I sit opposite you¡­¡± A knowing smile emerged on her face. ¡°I can sense a ferociously intense determination.¡± C? simply stirred at her words with an impassive expression. ¡°You have my respect, Mr. C?,¡± she straightforwardly informed him with a small smile. ¡°And my hopes.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hopes, you say, Headmistress?¡± ¡°Yes, my hopes,¡± Headmistress Lenolia remarked with a pointed tone. He tilted his head lightly. ¡°¡­You mean for my future prospects as a mage, right?¡± Her smile grew a little sly. ¡°There certainly is that as well. However, that isn¡¯t what I was referring to in this case.¡± C?¡¯s eyes furrowed as he instinctively felt that she was about to touch up on a topic that he wanted nothing to do with. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t cut her and tell her that he wasn¡¯t interested in whatever she had to inform him about. ¡°For you are powerful political capital for us of the Equitist Faction.¡± C?¡¯s eyes sharpened at her words. The Equitist Faction, as the name suggested, was a movement of reform that aimed for socioeconomic reform by lobbying for legislation that promoted some measure of equity within the nation. A movement that, in particular, sought to uplift the poorest of the poor within the slums up from poverty to greater economic prosperity. While its tenets and values were popular among commoners, support for this faction dwindled greatly the further up the economy and political class one looked, rendering it to a mere minority among power blocs, interest groups, and the donor class of the nation. C? only knew of it for one reason. ¡®It was a movement that Lilia used to be a part of.¡¯ His memory of her put him in a pensive mood as he heaved a sigh, shifting his attention back to the Headmistress with a much fiercer gaze. ¡°¡­Just what do you want from me, Headmistress Lenolia?¡± Chapter 29: Request and Offer The air grew a little tense as C? simply asked her point-blank what she wanted from him. Perhaps it was the unwillingness to be strung along for a roundabout conversation. Perhaps it was because the memory of Lilia evoked a lot of now bittersweet memories that melted his patience. Regardless, he inquired about her intentions rather straightforwardly. The elderly woman smiled as she twirled her brown hair. ¡°Your brash sincerity is refreshing, but I would caution you with who you show this sincerity. Regardless, I will answer your straightforward question with a straightforward answer. What I seek from you is rather straightforward¡­¡± She leaned forward and steepled her fingers. ¡°¡­I seek for you to aid us in advocating for reform on an institutional level within the domain of magicademics. Specifically, I seek for you to become such an overwhelming, irrefutable example of hidden potential within the slums of our nation that it will give us the political capital to bring about great change in our attitude towards them in our policies towards harnessing the potential of people within the slums.¡± As promised, she gave him a rather direct answer without obfuscating her intentions. ¡°Specifically, I¡¯m concerned about talent acquisition,¡± she continued. ¡°You see, a small but substantial proportion of our population is shackled in the slums, essentially cut off from modern society in their day-to-day lives due to socioeconomic reasons. They¡¯re even entirely cut off the maginet and the magigrid, which deprives them of access to information and energy, the two founding cornerstones of the modern world.¡± C? stirred at her words as his expression grew pensive. He recalled the first time he saw a screen significantly later in his life than most people. The moving pictures shocked him where he stood. Having access to an ocean of information at his fingertips was truly world-shattering. The same was true when he learned that the government maintained and supplied magical energy to structures that were connected to the grid. It had taken him years to fully get used to them. ¡°And because they are so disconnected from the fundamental cornerstones of modern society, as well as their alleged and actual propensity for criminal activities and other incompatibilities, the board of directors of the Elendir Institute of Magic has voted against all strategies and policies targeted towards talent acquisition surrounding the slums,¡± she informed him. C?¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at those words. The board of directors was the collector of the various stakeholders and shareholders that invested in the development of the magicademy in some way or another. Naturally, they were among the most powerful or authoritative people in the nation. The Ministry of Magical Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Elendir Magical Corps from the government as a whole. The Thirteen Great Families of Elendir. The Mage Association. The ten mega-corporations of the nation. There were also several other independent small investors who had a smaller stay. But these people essentially comprised the owners of partial owners over the Elendir Institute of Magic, while the Headmistress was closer to the CEO of the entire enterprise. She did not get to dictate the ultimate vision and objective but merely fulfilled it. ¡°¡­You wish to use me as an argument to make to these powerful stakeholders to change the institution¡¯s approach to the slums?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°Precisely,¡± she smirked. ¡°On a purely statistical level, it is known that excluding the slums from active talent acquisition will naturally reduce the acquisition of talent, but I¡¯m afraid this rationale has been insufficient in compelling the board of directors about the merit of talent acquisition. On a broader political level, it is difficult to gain much momentum for the human capital development of the people of the slums within this nation.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± C? frowned as he fell into thought. He would be lying that this didn¡¯t matter to him. This was one of the reasons he sought to destroy the world order and build a better one, after all. ¡°However,¡± his expression grew cautious. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re telling me, a mere apprentice student, of such lofty matters. I do not have the power to affect any of this.¡± At least, not yet. ¡°Ah, but you do,¡± she smiled. ¡°At least, you have the power to open up this institute to giving people with your background a chance with having their talents recognized, doesn¡¯t that appeal to you?¡± It certainly did. Yet, he needed to be careful. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. He understood that she was trying to manipulate him on multiple levels, firstly by leveraging his experience from his background and the sentiments he had surrounding it to get him to agree to her deal and a second, more subtle one by trying to drag him into her movement over in the long-term. Even if he resonated with some of the things she had told him, it would be foolish to take everything she said at face value. In the first place, he had nothing to gain from agreeing to request or her ¡®hope¡¯ as she subtly put it. He hadn¡¯t let the talk about the plight of the slums distract from the fact that he gained nothing personally from the agreement. Sure, it might help other people, but he wasn¡¯t very concerned with other people at this point in his career. He was far too powerless to help anybody, and he was more concerned with gaining the power he needed before he could even begin to consider leveraging it. The headmistress understood that he wasn¡¯t being bought over by a sweet sentiment, so she cleverly changed gears. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not asking you to do this for free. I am certainly willing to make it worth your time.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with interest as he waited for her to continue. ¡°I am of the understanding that you are seeking to commence a business venture, correct?¡± she raised an eyebrow. C?¡¯s gaze sharpened at those words. He didn¡¯t recall telling anybody about that. Nobody aside from Mr. Norton, but it was unlikely that they had opted for something as overt as resorting to squeezing him of information with interrogation. Thus, it meant that they were able to gain the information that they sought remotely. Either they bugged the table that he had sat at with Mr. Norton or some other kind of divination. Regardless, she didn¡¯t just mention that innocently, either. It was a subtle message. We¡¯re watching you. He had already assumed that they were spying on all students at essentially all times, but this confirmed that assumption. ¡°¡­Yes, I do indeed have the intention of starting a business,¡± he confirmed with a calm tone. ¡°It is rather fascinating that a freshmen program would be interested in starting a business,¡± she commented with an intrigued tone. ¡°Regardless, if you are willing to cooperate with me and aid me in my goal, I am willing to put you at the top of a list of candidates eligible for our extra-curricular sponsorship program.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up at her words. ¡°I do recall hearing that such a thing existed, although I don¡¯t know much about it.¡± ¡°It is one of our more niche programs, after all,¡± the headmistress replied. ¡°But essentially, it was created for scholarship students like yourself who don¡¯t have the magicapita for extra-curricular ventures. We fund a variety of enterprises that we believe will aid a student¡¯s development. I am the head of the panel of judges, and rest assured, I can ensure that the Institute will sponsor all your venture capital needs.¡± C? stirred at her words, clearly moved by her offer this time. This would prevent him from incurring even more debt than he already had. Although he hadn¡¯t lied when he told Mr. Norton that his identity as a student of the highly esteemed Elendir Institute would indeed allow him to undertake more debt, he was not thrilled by the idea of it. He already had his medical debt, his business debt, and his scholarship debt. He really did not want to undertake any more. This offer came at a good time when he genuinely needed an accessible and non-burdening line of credit and magicapita. Unfortunately, it was not free of cost. The headmistress smiled slyly. ¡°Interested in hearing my offer?¡± C?¡¯s expression grew mixed as he heaved a sigh. ¡°Please go ahead. You mentioned excelling in a manner that serves as political capital for you. But I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t quite understand what that entails. Do you simply require me to be an excellent student in my academics and results?¡± ¡°Hah,¡± she broke her facade of perfunctory as a snort of amusement escaped her. ¡°That is the bare minimum. Nothing else will matter if your results are poor. You will need to be the best student that this institute has ever seen.¡± C?¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± He was confident that he could achieve something to that effect. It wasn¡¯t too far from his goal since he didn¡¯t intend to remain in the apprentice program for very long at all. ¡°That isn¡¯t all,¡± she continued. ¡°I will have you become a figure who people look up to. The heavier your presence on this campus, the more you will be able to contribute to my goal of expanding talent acquisition to the slums.¡± ¡°Well,¡± he shrugged lightly. ¡°I am hated by half the freshmen and looked up to by the other half.¡± ¡°Only because of your background,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I am asking you to become someone who would gain immense prominence regardless. I especially wish for you to become a leader of sorts, if you will.¡± C? narrowed his eyes. ¡°A leader¡­?¡± ¡°A leader,¡± she affirmed. ¡°There is no better way to drive home my point and garner the maximal political capital from your existence than you becoming a leader within this magicademy among the students.¡± ¡°¡­Excellence and prominence is one thing,¡± C?¡¯s tone was apprehensive. ¡°Leadership is another. It exists between a person and people, and that is a commitment that I¡¯m not enthusiastic about undertaking.¡± She simply smiled silently, waiting for his response. She understood how much he sought the sponsorship offer that she had made to him, reading him very well. C? heaved a tired sigh. ¡°What does leadership even mean in the context of this institute? We are all students studying and training for magic, are we not?¡± ¡°Yes, but this magicademy works a little differently,¡± she replied with a knowing tone. ¡°After all, we are the only magicademy with a student council that oversees the executive wing of the magicademy.¡± C? stiffened at her words. ¡°The student council was an initiative created to breed leaders,¡± she continued as though she hadn¡¯t noticed his reaction with her perfunctory smile. ¡°To create powerful leaders of magic for tomorrow, we impart significant and heavy leadership roles and responsibilities to our student council when it comes to the executive wing of our magicademy. Naturally, they are given extra academic time and other leeways to ensure that their academics are not restricted. Additionally¡­¡± She smiled at him knowingly. ¡°It serves as an extremely reputable leadership credit on your resume. You will be able to start businesses with fewer impediments and there will be less skepticism directed towards you in any venture that you commence and lead. If you¡¯re interested in becoming a successful businessman, this will be of great value to you.¡± She got him. C? fell into thought as he considered the merits of her proposal. He recalled how Mr. Norton had expressed skepticism over C?¡¯s qualifications to lead such a businessman. The Selvigs¡¯ were also very skeptical of his ability to save their business and ultimately trusted him more because of his personal bond with them. It was very likely that he would be doubted as he strove to achieve his lofty goal of destroying the world order. And frankly, he could use the experience to build a foundation of competence in leadership, especially since he was genuinely serious about leading business ventures into a blooming success. That, and he would get free money from the school while he was there. His gaze returned to the smiling headmistress as he made a choice. Chapter 30: Two Conversations ¡°I accept that deal,¡± he straightforwardly told her. Ultimately, while he had qualms about taking on a sort of leadership role, he was deeply attracted to what the headmistress was offering in return. She smiled at his words. ¡°I am happy to hear that.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you want to draft the contract or should I?¡± Her eyebrows furrowed as she tilted her head. ¡°¡­Contract?¡± ¡°One that specifies our agreement,¡± C? replied. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would just take you at your word, did you?¡± The difference in power was far too large for that. He was not confident that he could get what he was promised if it was merely a verbal promise. Of course, he was not naive enough to believe that a simple contract would be enough to shackle a master mage with as much influence and authority as the headmistress. However, once signed, the probability of it coming back to bite the Headmistress if she chose to violate it was not zero. Even if he lacked the magicapita to pursue a civil case for any violation of the contract, he was certain that someone as powerful as her had enemies and opponents who would like to watch her downfall. It was possible that they would exploit this possibility to make this case actually hurt. Additionally, this was also a test that allowed him to verify whether she was actually committed to this agreement or whether this was just a light verbal promise that she would be able to wiggle out of. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± a bemused chuckle escaped her. ¡°I see, I¡¯m starting to understand how you are indeed inclined to pursue a business enterprise.¡± She composed herself before directing a powerful gaze into his gray eyes. ¡°I accept that condition. I will draft a contract and have you sign two copies. Additionally, I will stamp it with the Institute¡¯s seal in my capacity as Headmistress. Does that sate your concern about my sincerity?¡± C? stirred at her words. Admittedly, it did. She would not put the institution¡¯s seal if she didn¡¯t intend to adhere to every word of the contract. That would just be beyond foolish as it would open her up to far too much liability to be worth anything she could gain by deceiving him on this particular matter. Monetarily, the venture magicapita that his business idea would need was peanuts compared to the revenue and investment that the school received from its loaded sponsors and stakeholders. ¡°¡­Might I ask why you are doing this?¡± C? asked with a solemn tone. She frowned. ¡°I believe I have explained my rationale deeply enough for the purposes of this transaction, have I not?¡± ¡°¡­I suppose you have,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why you are inclined to even pursue talent maximization in the first place. I don¡¯t understand how this benefits you in any way. Just what is there for you in all of this at the end of the day?¡± His tone was earnest as he genuinely conveyed his conversation. The perfunctory smile on her elderly face as she simply gazed at C? with a serious expression. The air grew a little heavier with the silence. ¡°You strike me as a person who has never run into someone who aims for a principle,¡± she began. ¡°I believe that this institute can do better, and as the headmistress, I simply seek to aim for that. On a broader level, I believe that this nation can do better.¡± A small smile emerged on her face. ¡°That is why I am a part of the Equitist Faction.¡± C? simply stared at her for a moment. Her brown hair was checkered with white hair while her skin had it¡¯s fair share of wrinkles, and yet her vibrant green eyes were clear as they peered into his. ¡°¡­I see.¡± He heaved a sigh. ¡°Then, I will take you at face value. As long as the contract you draft accurately codifies everything we have agreed to, I will sign it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± she replied simply with a pleased smile. ¡°As for not having run into someone who aims for a principle¡­¡± his eyes grew melancholic. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± His tone was soft. Solemn. ¡°I once knew a person who truly lived and embodied her principles and values.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. His hardened expression softened as an uncharacteristically gentle smile emerged on his face for just the briefest of moments before withering away. He got up abruptly, directing one last glance towards the Headmistress. ¡°Then, I will await the contract. I will be late to class if I prolong this meeting any further, so please excuse me and thank you for your generosity, Headmistress.¡± ¡°¡­Not at all, I apologize for taking more of your time than I anticipated.¡± She smiled. ¡°I appreciate your patience.¡± He bade her goodbye before departing from the office. She waved her hand as the large doors locked in place before pulling out a special artifact checkered with glowing runes from within her robes. ¡°What do you think?¡± Her tone was more serious and severe. The air grew heavy. The faint tingle of peril lurked in the air electrically. A transmitted male voice emerged from the artifact. ¡°Calm and composed. Sharp and keen. Handled the conversation rather confidently and did not let the power differential impede his negotiations with you. It is very much unlike what you would expect from a freshman of the Apprentice Program.¡± The tone of the speaker was clinical and frosty. ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t he?¡± she smiled knowingly. ¡°I suspect it''s his background. Living in the dangerous slums for much of his life must have raised his barrier of fear.¡± ¡°Indeed, he has a tremendous potential.¡± The man concluded. ¡°His magic aptitude test scores would have earned him rank one if not for Lisha Pyrosche. His temperament is highly conducive to his future as a mage. Additionally, with his background, it is possible for us to recruit him to our cause by appealing to it his past, or so I thought¡­¡± She nodded with a serious expression. ¡°I was rather certain that he should have strong feelings on the matter surrounding the tribulations, suffering, and challenges that those from his background, but he was able to quash them and focus on benefits and incentives. That is not what I hoped.¡± ¡°A competent, self-centered man is a better asset than a naive, selfless fool,¡± the male voice replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think his desire to make the best for himself is bad. He can still be recruited to our movement, nonetheless. You will just need to be more patient.¡± ¡°I am aware. I believe that his venture at attempting to lead the students of this magicademy should allow him to get a better understanding of just how unjustly wide the gulf between students is. It should help him be more predisposed to aiding our movements,¡± she remarked. ¡°For now, I believe we should proceed with caution. There is no point in trying to rush this particular case. Especially when he could become an extraordinary asset to our interests¡­¡± Her eyes shifted to a document on her table as she skimmed past, stopping at a report. A medical diagnostic report on a particular patient who was in the hospital more than half a year ago. [Acquired Savant Syndrome.] It had shown up on the regular background check on all admitted students. She had decided to go as far as to erase all records about it to ensure that nobody else could get their hands on a potential super-asset. ¡°I am not particularly convinced that this increases his value to us in our mission,¡± the male voice¡¯s tone was uninterested. ¡°Acquired Savant Syndrome, from what I understand, could center around aptitude in any particular field of pursuit in the world, including any one of the countless mundane fields that are irrelevant to our objective. The probability that it is useful or relevant to our evaluation of his strategic potential is extraordinarily low.¡± ¡°I am not unaware of that,¡± Headmistress Lenolia replied with a calm tone. ¡°But my intuition tells me that it could be of great import.¡± ¡°Intuition, hm?¡± the male voice was skeptical. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave the matter to you. I am busy commencing preparations for our plans for the Mana Festival that will be celebrated in a few years'' time. Regardless, make sure you recruit him to Twilight.¡± The name hung in the air like an impending storm. ¡°More importantly, make sure that your identity as a member of Twilight and surrounding activities is kept a secret,¡± the man¡¯s frosty voice grew sharp. ¡°Our means have changed from overt to covert when we failed all those years ago in the Twilight Rebellion. You must ensure that the secrecy of Twilight is never jeopardized, no matter what when recruiting students to our cause.¡± His tone was fierce, emphasizing every word he uttered. It chilled the atmosphere by a few degrees. ¡°I am well aware of that,¡± she remarked with a firm tone. ¡°I am among the people who designed the protocols for our furtive modus operandi, after all. Rest assured that I will adhere to it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± BZZZT The call was cut as the special artifact on her table went dark. She heaved a sigh as she returned it to her sleeve, falling into a deep thought. She had the vague intuition that C? was hiding something but was unable to understand what it could be. And as much as her intuition told her otherwise, she, too, thought it was unlikely that the details of his neurological condition were going to be of any relevance to Twilight. Still, there was something about him and the way that he carried herself that gave her the profound impression that he harbored deep secrets within him. ¡°I suppose I will just have to monitor him more extensively.¡± She thought back to the agreement, the soon-to-be contract that they had come to. She hadn¡¯t expected that he would bargain so diplomatically. It was hard to even think of him as a freshman for the magicademy for whom she would need to put on an extra friendly facade to calm down and relax. Yet, he was as cool as a cucumber and walked away after maximizing the benefits that he got from the meeting. ¡°Fascinating, he truly does have a mindset suited for business.¡± She thought about the intelligence reports that the Divination Corps had given to her regarding the rendezvous that he had with one Feidin Norton. ¡°Housing in the slums¡­¡± her eyebrows rose with interest. It was a business proposition that sounded absolutely ludicrous on the surface, yet upon actually understanding his detailed intentions, she realized that it was actually extremely clever. It was remarkably divergent in its novelty. And more importantly, she interpreted his decision to target the hardest market segment in the country instead of more lucrative market segments as a sign that he wanted to do some good for the poorest of the poor because he had been through what they had been through. She didn¡¯t realize how much virtue she was projecting on him. ¡°This is a business venture that I would have supported even without anything in return.¡± She had managed to hide that well enough to instead get something out of him as well. Cultivating a leader out of him would surely play in the favor of the Equitist movement and perhaps even the other organization of which she was a member. She also saw the potential to contribute to them even more if he actually succeeded in blowing up his business in the slums. After all, he who controlled shelter controlled people¡¯s lifelines. A soft smile emerged on her face as she gazed at C?¡¯s profile. ¡°I look forward to seeing how he develops.¡± Chapter 31: Conservation of Value C? departed from the Principal¡¯s Office with a thoughtful expression. Much had happened in the short conversation that he had with the Headmistress. He certainly hadn¡¯t expected that she would request him to not only become an exceptional student but also a leader among his fellow students. She wanted to become such a high-profile student that she could point at him as a powerful reason to extend talent acquisition not just to the Elendir Institute of Magic but also to the Ministry of Education as well as the Ministry of Magical Affairs, which were stakeholders in the Elendir Institute of Magic. The brighter he shined, the stronger the political capital he could lend to her cause. He wasn¡¯t pleased to be used as political ammunition, but at least he was getting paid juicily, not to mention that building leadership experience would help in his ultimate ambition. And yet, that wasn¡¯t what consumed his mind the most. He thought about Lilia. She had been part of the Equitist Movement as an activist who fought for the poor and the disenfranchised. She dreamed of a better world and hoped that the world would eventually become one without inequality and injustice. C? thought her dreams were naive. And yet, upon her death, upon his desire to get justice for her death, he had ended up adopting her dream as his actual ambition that he had decided to dedicate everything to achieving. ¡°That must be why¡­¡± A faint murmur escaped him. That must have been why he resolved to build a better world after destroying the existing world order. It was an uncharacteristic decision on his part. To try and build a better world. It was not the kind of ambition he would develop of his own inclination. Without Lilia¡¯s influence on him with her naive but warm dream, he would probably settled for destroying the world and nothing more. The realization illuminated to what extent she had had an impact on him as a person. It left him in a deep, introspective mood. But alas, he didn¡¯t have the time to sit around mulling in a reverie of self-realization. STEP He arrived at the entrance to a semicircular lecture hall hosting the first lecture in a course he was mandated to take. Long, curved benches revolved around the podium and whiteboard at the very center of the lecture hall. He swept his gaze across the gathered freshmen students who had settled down in seats, facing the professor and his assistants who took their place at the side of the podium. The elderly professor smiled at C?, stroking his white beard. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Mr. C?. You have come just in time. Please have a seat.¡± All the students immediately turned around and stared at him with heavy gazes like a flock of owls. Their eyes were brimming with curiosity as to whether he was praised or scolded by Headmistress Lenolia. He simply sighed and took a seat next to the only three people he had any relationship with. ¡°Did you get scolded?¡± Natana whispered nervously as she shifted to make space for him. ¡°No,¡± he calmly replied, pulling a textbook out of his bag. ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough talking. Class will start now, so let¡¯s begin,¡± the old man whipped a wand out from his belt, pointing it at a marker on his table. The students watched with enthusiastic eyes as a glowing two-dimensional magic circle emerged right in front of him the marker immediately floated in the air before flying to the board and swiftly writing out a message on the board. [Introduction to Magic] He waved his wand as the marker returned to the table. ¡°Good Morning, my students,¡± he began with a jolly tone and a simple smile. ¡°I am Professor Marolen Mirrel, and I will be teaching the most fundamental important course in your journey in the mastery of magic. The fundamentals of magic that will become the foundation of everything else you learn about this field from this point forth.¡± Many of the students grew engrossed in what he had to tell them. Most of them had no idea what magic was. There were a handful of wealthy students who had gained some tutoring and even training in magic prior to attending the magicademy. ¡°However, before we can understand what magic is as a phenomenon¡­¡± he began with an excited tone, ¡°we need to understand what reality is. You see, all that is causally real, that is, all that adheres to the law of causality, is defined by two fundamental aspects that are paramount to their existence.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. He waved his wand around as another two-dimensional glowing magical circle of runes appeared before him, causing the Marker to scribble a special symbol. A yin-yang symbol. With one half labeled as form and the other as physicality. The diagram as a whole was labeled as reality. C? raised an eyebrow at the symbol. It was one he hadn¡¯t seen in the Foundations of Magic book that Mr. Selvig had given him. However, that book was quite old, so perhaps the portrayal was rather new. ¡°Form and physicality.¡± He smiled eagerly as he directed a sweeping gaze. ¡°Form is the information defining the nature of said reality. How it exists in the world, how its mass and energy are distributed, and how it interacts with the world around it. All this information is contained in the dataset that we call Form. And physicality¡­¡± He shook his balled fists in an elucidating manner, ¡°is the existential substance that fills that form and adheres to the information that describes reality. And so, that begs the question¡­¡± His tone grew more excited. ¡°What if we could create form and imbue it with physicality?¡± A wave of shock washed over the students as their eyes widened with realization as to where this was going. C? and some other students simply listened with an impassive gaze as the professor spent more than half an hour going into detail about what form and physicality were. Of course, this was the most basic and essential knowledge of magic. ¡°¡­This is incredible!¡± ¡°¡­So this was the secret of magic!¡± ¡°How profoundly mystical!¡± C? watched the students gushing with astonishment and excitement over the truth of magic in unison. It was genuine ecstatic enthusiasm that they all shared for this magical revelation regardless of their class. They were enamored and immersed in the secrets of magic while C? zoned out. At least, until the conversation peeked his interest once more as the professor took the lesson in a direction that was relevant to him. ¡°Now, is it possible to create form, an eidos, from imagination alone?¡± the professor asked with a passionate expression, clearly infected by the student¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Go on, try it! Let¡¯s see what the answer is! Science is about inquiry into reality through experimentation, after all!¡± C? feigned curiosity as he closed his eyes and pretended to exert himself with a strained expression. ¡°Hnggg¡­!¡± Many other students tried the same, pushing themselves to the limit to create an eidos from imagination alone. Naturally, not one of them succeeded. ¡°Hahaha!¡± the professor laughed good-spiritedly at their attempts. ¡°And, what is your conclusion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± one boy complained. ¡°I can¡¯t visualize a three-dimensional object in its entirety with absolute clarity and consistency!¡± ¡°I have an image in mind, but it feels hazy¡­¡± a girl murmured with a disappointed tone. ¡°Darn it, I just can¡¯t get it to stay the same without changing a little each second!¡± Kelton gritted his teeth a few seats away from C?. ¡°Indeed,¡± the professor nodded with an amused smile. ¡°What you have attempted to do is the divine power of true magic. An extraordinary ability that no more than a single chosen one out of all human beings is blessed with every few decades. They are known as pure mages and can wield magic with thought and imagination alone.¡± ¡°Pure mages¡­?¡± a stunned whisper escaped the students. ¡°Indeed,¡± the Professor smiled. ¡°They are able to master any and all magic at an extraordinary pace because they don¡¯t need to go through the astronomically difficult task of creating magic with something as painstakingly tedious as memory like the rest of us commoners do. Hohoho.¡± ¡°P-Professor, are there any pure mages in the modern era?¡± Sorenon asked with a curious expression. ¡°Of course,¡± the Professor smiled. ¡°Out of the nearly hundred billion people out there who are alive, there are only three known pure mages.¡± C?¡¯s interest deepened right along with his classmates this time. ¡°The first, of course, is the Wandering Witch,¡± the Professor continued with an informative tone. ¡°The Wandering Witch, Magus Dalia Vironel, is known to be one of the most powerful mages in the modern era at the age of eighty, who travels the world amongst us. Her pure magic allowed her to not only reach the highest rank among mages but also distinguish herself even among her extraordinary peers!¡± A wave of murmurs swept across the students as not a single person had failed to recognize the name. Not even C?. The Wandering Witch. She got her name for spending her life traveling the world, collecting magic, and spreading prosperity wherever she traveled. She was regarded as a good omen because of how much happiness she brought to people. ¡°Another one is the Sovereign of Heaven, Archmage Veltoran of the Garanghar Magicracy,¡± the Professor continued. ¡°This man holds the record for the youngest Archmage in history and is a magus candidate. And the final one is the Silent Seer, Master Melolen Denver. An extremely young and promising diviner of the Cormanden Kingdom.¡± ¡°Is there anybody else, professor?¡± ¡°Hoho, none that have been discovered yet.¡± ¡°What if there was someone that hasn¡¯t been discovered yet?¡± Natana fell into thought. ¡°For example, what if someone was hiding their pure magic?¡± C? had to exert himself to keep his eyebrows from twitching. ¡°Hm, there would be no reason to hide one¡¯s pure magic unless there is an elaborate reason they want to keep their power hidden,¡± the professor mused. ¡°Or does not want to be molded into a weapon of the state, which I suppose is possible.¡± Both of those were the case for C?. ¡°Now then, back to the lesson,¡± the professor moved on. ¡°Now, based on the explanation for magic, you might be tempted to think that magic is omnipotent. An all-powerful divine power that can make all your dreams come true. But unfortunately¡­¡± He waved his wand at the marker as a magic circle appeared before it, causing the marker to rise once more and begin writing on the wall at a super speed, ¡°¡­magic is not omnipotent or all-powerful and is, in fact, subject to its own rules and regulations that limit it.¡± [The Fundamental Laws of Magic.] The students leaned forward with curious expressions. ¡°Among the many things that the Magi of the past have imparted to human civilization were some of the most fundamental laws governing the phenomenon of magic,¡± Professor Marolen¡¯s gaze swept across the students as the marker continued writing more. ¡°We will begin with the first one by none other than the most famous Magus in all of human history, Magus Merlin himself, which is¡­¡± [Law of Conservation of Value] ¡°Value¡­?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°Indeed value!¡± the Professor continued with a passionate tone. ¡°Merlin¡¯s Law of the Conservation of Value tells us that the value of the outcome produced by magic cannot exceed the value of the caster.¡± Many students frowned with confused expressions. ¡°For example,¡± the professor continued. ¡°Let¡¯s say the financial net worth of an individual is worth one million leenars. And let us say he wants to use creation magic, a rather advanced form of magic, mind you, to create an object that is worth more than one million years. Then he won¡¯t be able to do it. That is what Merlin¡¯s Law of Conservation of Value tells us. It doesn¡¯t matter what the size, shape, or mass of an object is, the mage is only constrained by its value relative to it!¡± Chapter 32: Two Interpretations It was a truly counter-intuitive law to the students. After all, energy and momentum were supposed to be conserved, not ¡®value.¡¯ They hadn¡¯t quite understood what conservation of value even meant entirely. ¡°For example,¡± the professor enthusiastically continued, stroking his white beard, ¡°what would be harder to create, a kilogram of gold or a kilogram of sand?¡± Given that both options weighed a kilogram, one would expect that both were equally hard to create. ¡°But that is wrong!¡± the professor anticipated this thought. ¡°The kilogram of gold is orders of magnitude harder to create! The same goes for any two objects of the same mass but vastly different market values! A diamond ring or a seashell. A ruby or a pebble. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try out yourselves when you learn to wield magic. However, this law isn¡¯t merely limited to creation magic, but all magic. ¡®The value of a given spell is directly proportional to the mana it consumes.¡¯¡± He wrote down the words on the board with a wave of his wand and a soft incantation. C?, on the other hand, thought back to all the secret magic experiments that he had conducted in isolation in the slums. He recalled how certain things were harder to create than other things. Specifically, a conjuration of a dragon or a phoenix was vastly more taxing than the conjuration of other things that would be commercially trivial but of equal size. ¡°Now then,¡± the professor put his wand away as he leaned on the edge of his table. ¡°Any questions upon this basic explanation of the law of conservation of value?¡± Many hands went up, much to the passionate professor¡¯s delight. ¡°Let¡¯s see, how about this young lady in the first row? Please stand up and introduce yourself,¡± he gently gestured to a short girl with smooth dark skin and neatly groomed dreadlocks, who promptly stood up. Uniforms reduced the visual indicators of class, but the way she carried herself, the raised chin, straightened back, and puffed chest made it clear that she was from a wealthy family. ¡°I am Ibris Es Soraria of the Great Soraria Family,¡± she began with a measured tone. ¡°I do not entirely understand the context of the word ¡®value¡¯ in regards to this law. It is more ambiguous and contextual than what you would expect from a fundamental law of magical reality.¡± ¡°That is a good point indeed,¡± Professor Marolen enthusiastically nodded as he gestured for her to sit down. ¡°The truth of the matter is that nobody is actually quite certain what the actual empirical metric is when we say ¡®value.¡¯ It¡¯s just what appears to be closest and remarkably accurate. For example, what do some of the examples I mentioned earlier, gold, a diamond ring, a ruby, have in common versus the compared alternatives?¡± He paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°Their value! There is no other meaningful thread of commonality that groups gold, diamonds, and rubies versus sand. There is no other meaningful trait of commonality that distinguishes currency notes from normal paper of the same dimensions and mass. In fact¡­¡± He tapped a textbook on the table. ¡°Your textbooks detail some of the most popular experiments conducted to prove that it is what we regard as the value that decides how much mana a given spell consumes. Mana is the energy we get by ¡®owning¡¯ things of value, as you will learn in Introduction to Mana Mechanics, taught by Professor Laila. Thus, there appears to be an extremely fundamental and universal law of conservation of value. Which Great Magus Merlin sharply noted a thousand years ago!¡± The students grew even more intrigued and fascinated as the Professor¡¯s infectious passion passed on to all of them. His energetic and alacritous gesticulation and tone added to the thrill of learning new things. ¡°Professor Marolen.¡± C?¡¯s voice drew the attention of not just the professor but also the students as they peered at him judgmentally. ¡°Mr. C?, what is it?¡± he asked with a curious expression. ¡°Value, regardless of its context, is fundamentally subjective, is it not?¡± he asked with an intrigued tone. ¡°Economically, value would essentially be a function of demand over supply. Demand is very much subjective and is the product of the desires of human beings. It¡¯s rather strange that a fundamental law of magic is in relationship to a variable that is based on human subjectivity. That would imply that the fundamental metaphysics of reality is such that human subjectivity is its own cosmological, metaphysical force¡­¡± He let his words linger, conveying the incredulity he harbored towards this possibility, ¡°¡­or our desires affect the difficulty of magic or perhaps the more we¡¯re aware of the civilizational desire of magic, which increases its ¡®value¡¯ in our minds which, for whatever reason, causes it to require more mana to perform the same spell. In other words¡­¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. He gestured with two hands. ¡°There are two models for how this law works. One is metaphysical, where human subjectivity, desire, and demand are universal metaphysical forces of the very fundamental structure of reality, and the other is a psychological model where human subjectivity, desire, and demand affect our mind, which affects our magic. Distinguishing between these two would be extremely difficult, would it not?¡± The class stared at him for a moment. Even the professor was stumped for a moment before bursting into laughter. ¡°Brilliant! This nuance is not included in any of the textbooks, much to my regret. And yet, you have accurately tapped into the deeper controversies and disputes regarding the nature of the Law of Conservation of Value that occurs at even the highest echelons of the magical community. And indeed! There are two interpretations of Merlin¡¯s Law. The first is known as¡­¡± With a wave of his wand and a magical circle, the marker has already written down the name on the board instantly. [Meta Model] ¡°The Meta Model is the interpretation of the Law of Conservation of Value that demand, economic demand, specifically, is a metaphysical force of nature! One that transcends even the four fundamental forces of the universe!¡± A wave of stunned murmurs washed over the students as they frowned at the absurd notion. Economic demand being a metaphysical force of the universe? Who could possibly believe such a silly worldview? ¡°The most popular interpretation is¡­¡± With another wave of his hand, a magical circle had the name jotted down on the board. [Psychometric Model] ¡°This interpretation asserts that it is our psychological and subjective measurement of the perceived value of a spell that decides how much mana the spell consumes,¡± he explained. ¡°This model is far more popular because, frankly, it is much more believable than the Meta Model, is it not?¡± The students were in universal agreement on this one point. Economic demand, being a metaphysical force of the universe, was absurdly nonsensical. At the same time, the theory of it affecting mana cost through its impact on psychology, which impacted magic, was just more realistic. After all, both subjectivity and magic casting were were within the mind, it served as a channel for the former to affect the latter. ¡°You would think so,¡± Professor Marolen grinned with thrilling enthusiasm. ¡°But, here¡¯s the shocker! There is actually some evidence against the Psychometric Model, while no contradictory evidence exists against the Meta Model!¡± Another wave of surprise swept through the crowd of students, who only grew even more invested in the professor¡¯s lecture. Even C? couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at this. ¡°Evidence against it, you say?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± the professor nodded. ¡°For one, there is the infamous Isolated Magic Test that served as powerful evidence that the Psychometric Model is wrong. What they did was they took a bunch of mages and isolated them from civilization and the economy, and had them perform the exact same spell at frequent intervals over the span of a few months. And¡­¡± He stressed the word. ¡°They waited for the prices of certain goods and services to rise and fall in the market. According to the Psychometric Model, one would expect that the mana consumed to perform these spells would remain constant unless one¡¯s value of the spells changed, which was also accounted for. But¡­¡± He paused as he directed a sweeping gaze across his students, allowing a sense of tension to build. ¡°¡­their predictions were wrong. Specifically¡­ at that time, the price of eggs skyrocketed because of an epidemic that killed most of the chicken population. And without any knowledge of this event. All the mages reported that conjuring temporary manifestations of eggs had grown more mana-consuming.¡± C?¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°¡­What?¡± He wasn¡¯t the only one who was stunned by the revelation. Why did the mana needed to conjure eggs rise if the mages were isolated and did not know that the price of eggs rose? According to the Psychometric Model, such a thing would have been impossible unless they came to value eggs to a greater degree psychologically. ¡°Self-reported value of eggs didn¡¯t rise in that timeframe,¡± Professor Marolen smirked with excitement at the confusion and immersion of his students. He loved when he had such a firm grip on the attention of his students. It was the best part of being a teacher. ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t that mean that the Psychometric Model has been debunked?¡± Sorenon asked with a thoughtful expression. ¡°At least by scientific standards, it should have been disproved, no?¡± C? shook his head. ¡°Not if the Psychometrists claimed that the self-reporting value of eggs was a bad way of measuring value. This way, they can discredit the control group and dismiss the proof.¡± ¡°Correct!¡± Professor Marolen¡¯s eyes lit up with fascination. ¡°This is nuance is not covered even in the senior portions, it is rather remarkable that you managed to come up with that on the spot!¡± C? acknowledged the praise with a soft, brief smile. ¡°So then, what has been the ultimate conclusion to this dispute, Professor?¡± The elder laughed. ¡°It does not have a conclusion, and if you ask me, it never will! These two sides have gone at with each other over the prize of being the correct fellows. I strongly suspect that egos and incredulity have tainted this particular field of scientific pursuit, causing it to become more of an intellectual tug-of-war rather than a purely inquisitive scientific pursuit. Of course¡­¡± He smiled down, relaxing after having taken his students through a rollercoaster of ideas and thoughts. ¡°¡­It does not matter too much to the world. It doesn¡¯t even matter to mages. Whether it is a complex psychological mechanism that upholds the law or a metaphysical mechanism, the fact is that the law cannot be broken. People have tried for a thousand years since Great Magus Merlin discovered it, and no one, not even the most powerful of magi, has succeeded in even making the slightest dent in the law.¡± The students relaxed at that realization. Indeed, if the law couldn¡¯t be broken, then they would have adhered to it regardless of what the fundamental mechanism was. However, it was a thrilling avenue of consideration nonetheless. ¡°And that, dear students¡­¡± he glanced at his watch regrettably, ¡°brings us to an end to the first lecture of the course Introduction to Magic. I hope you found the lecture interesting and exciting.¡± He received warm and positive feedback from the students who hadn¡¯t found themselves bored for even the slightest moment. C?, too, found the lesson to be remarkably informative and enriching in his understanding of magic. As expected of a professor of the most prestigious magicademy in the world. It was precisely this quality of education that he had come to the Elendir Institute of Magic for instead of other institutes where he would have to deal with dull teachers who simply read out of a book. And thus, he had taken the first step in his journey unto the abyss of magic. Chapter 33: Mana Mechanics His immediate next class was Introduction to Mana Mechanics, taught by Professor Laila. The woman had a different teaching style from the passionate enthusiasm of Professor Marolen. Her attire, demeanor, and energy were more reserved. ¡°Mana,¡± she spoke with a composed tone. ¡°The energy of value, as you have undoubtedly heard from Professor Marolen. And yet, it would be an oversimplification if you thought that was the end of the matter. In reality, understanding that mana is the energy of value is actually the easiest part. The complex part about mana mechanics is understanding how mana functions, what its traits and properties are, as well as the rules governing it.¡± She waved her wand with a soft incantation as a drop of ink emerged from an ink bottle on the table, swiftly spreading across the board. [Acquisition of Mana] ¡°The first question,¡± she began with a calm tone. ¡°How is mana acquired?¡± Several hands rose from many eager students. ¡°You.¡± She picked a student at random. ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± A boy stood up stiffly. ¡°Mana is acquired through ownership.¡± ¡°And what does ownership mean?¡± she asked, having expected the answer. ¡°What does it mean to ¡®own¡¯ something?¡± An expression of surprise emerged on his face as his eyes wandered around with uncertainty. He has clearly never given it any real thought beyond that. ¡°¡­Something that is recognized as yours by the government?¡± he scratched his head with a confused expression. ¡°There have been bank robbers who have gained a tremendous amount of mana by stealing money from a bank,¡± the middle-aged woman pointed out as she swept aside her green hair. ¡°But the government doesn¡¯t recognize the stolen money as theirs, does it?¡± The flustered boy was rendered speechless. ¡°Anybody else?¡± she walked around the class. ¡°What does it mean to own something? What are the discrete lines beyond which you ¡®own¡¯ something?¡± Clearly, nobody had any idea about the details of ¡®ownership.¡¯ It was understandable. It was common knowledge that owning more wealth meant having more magical power. But very few had a nuanced understanding of what that exactly meant and where the lines were. ¡°To this day, nobody has developed an absolute model for what constitutes ownership,¡± she remarked knowingly. ¡°Despite the Awakening of Magic commencing more than a millennium ago, we have yet to gain a precise understanding of what exactly constitutes ownership of magicapita such that the owner gains mana by virtue of ownership. However¡­¡± She shifted her glasses. ¡°We do have good general rules. However, they can be confusing and convoluted. In order to understand them contextually, we will be exploring the history of mana mechanics as a field.¡± She waved her hand once more. ¡°It all started nine hundred seventy-eight years ago, shortly after the Awakening of Magic,¡± Professor Laila began with the tone of a storyteller. ¡°Magus Killia Narganen noticed that mages with greater affluence possessed greater magical power than plebeian mages. She noticed that consistently this trend was universal. She noticed that it didn¡¯t merely apply to the background but even changed when some mages used their magic to make a killing and become rich at a time when magic was still extremely scarce.¡± The professor directed a sweeping gaze across all her students. ¡°What might seem obvious to us a millennium later was still amid unknown miracles back then. She maintained a journal of records of her observations before compiling all of them, allowing her to see the truth. And the result?¡± She waved her wand with a soft incantation. [The Law of Mana-Value Equivalence] ¡°This law states that the amount of mana one owns is directly proportional to their perceived value,¡± she remarked. ¡°And that was the birth of the field of Mana Mechanics. Since then, mages and magical scholars have dove into this field, looking to unlock the mysteries of mana. And while there are mysteries that we have yet to uncover, we have made great progress in this field over the centuries. In this class, we will cover the historical overview of mana mechanics as a field from a broad scope. We will get into detail with each stage of progress in the rest of the course across this semester.¡± And thus, she set expectations for what was to come, giving them a broader context for what they would be studying. This allowed students to know exactly where they were in the course, like a progress bar across history. ¡°The next important discovery following Magus Killia¡¯s discovery of the Law of Mana-Value was one that was made by¡­¡± she continued. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The students listened carefully as she smoothly conveyed a timeline of progress of the understanding of mana. She didn¡¯t energize the atmosphere the way that Professor Marolen did. Instead, she distilled a lot of information into its core insights and essence, allowing students to digest her teaching as easily as drinking water. While it didn¡¯t have the same thrilling fun as Professor Marolan did, she was still a highly effective teacher who taught in a manner that ensured that her students not only understood but also retained it. ¡°¡­And thus, the Recognition Hypothesis was disproved, as was the Social Consensus Hypothesis,¡± she explained succinctly. ¡°In other words, one doesn¡¯t gain the mana of magicapita just because one¡¯s name is on it. Neither does one gain mana just because people agree that one is the owner of a given magicapita. Tests like these have ruled out various hypotheses and have left one dominant theory that currently remains as the scientific consensus as to the parameter of what allows one to gain the mana of magicapita.¡± She raised a finger. ¡°Control.¡± The students stirred at her words, growing more engrossed in the lecture. Even C? leaned forward with interest. ¡°From what we can tell, control appears to be most fundamental criteria for inheriting mana,¡± she replied. ¡°Not legal ownership. Not social ownership. Not physical contact. But control. As long as you are in control of magicapita, you will gain its mana. That is why if someone steals your belongings and takes it for themselves, they gain the mana instead, as opposed to the person who is still the legal owner.¡± Many students were surprised by this revelation. They had assumed that legal ownership was the criterion because of how intuitive it seemed to be, but the professor had concisely conveyed the insights of various experiments, and that painted a picture that very clearly supported her answer and refuted all alternatives. ¡°Of course,¡± she continued with a knowing tone. ¡°¡®Control¡¯ in and of itself is a very ambiguous concept, and, as I mentioned, nobody has been able to find a clear line beyond which one loses mana. However, control is almost certainly the overarching theory. You need to have control over things, vaguely speaking, to inherit its mana. And this is the dominant scientific theory at the very center of mana acquisition. Across this course, we will go into greater detail about these experiments that have helped us rule out other hypotheses besides control. However¡­¡± She adjusted her spectacles once more. ¡°There is more to mana mechanics than merely mana acquisition.¡± She waved her wand with a faint of incantation. [Mana Origin] [Mana Dynamics] [Mana Training] ¡°Where does mana come from?¡± she asked. ¡°Why do things of value bestow, upon those who control it, mana? What are the laws governing mana after they have been acquired and can be deployed by mages to imbue their eidos with physicality? What is the mana-motive force within your mind that drives mana, and how do you train it?¡± She paused for a moment, allowing those questions to linger. ¡°Those questions will be explored quite well across this course,¡± she explained. ¡°The purpose of this first lecture was to introduce you to these topics while gently giving an overview of what will be covered later in depth. This will allow you to have context for everything that comes after, so please pay attention to everything I say and save your doubts for the end of the class.¡± Her explanations continued smoothly like a gentle stream of clear water, smoothly imparting understanding to her students. Among the many things that C? had learned, it all boiled down to one recurring feeling and intuition. ¡®Mana is truly mystical and unlike any other energy or force in the world.¡¯ It was truly the energy of desire itself. When people deeply desired something, it was as thought this desire itself would manifest as an immaterial and metaphysical trait within it that could be inherited by people. Unsurprisingly, the Psychometric-Meta schism also occurred in this particular avenue of mana mechanics. Was mana truly metaphysical, or was it an energy that humans possessed innately, which affected the mind, which was affected by what people viewed as valuable? What was especially shocking was that, in this particular field as well, there was evidence against the Psychometric Model that the Psychometrists fought back against heavily. ¡°The war between the Psychometrists and the Metaists has spread across different fields of magical science,¡± Professor Laila remarked. ¡°Be prepared, for this is a theme that you will see again. This is especially true for those of you who are aiming to become magic scholars. The tussle between the Psychometrists and the Metaists has exploded into an enormous conflict of ideas that it takes specialists in their fields to fully understand where the debate is.¡± She quickly moved on from such high-minded topics, which was another place where she differed from Professor Marolen, who was extremely indulgent, perhaps a bit too much. ¡°And now, to the topic that is most relevant to most of you here,¡± she continued. ¡°Mana manipulation and the mana-motive force.¡± C? grew immersed as she continued with her explanations. This was definitely more relevant to his goal of mastery of magic. ¡°The mana-motive force is the term given to the psychological phenomenon that drives mana to converge with eidos to form magic,¡± she explained. ¡°Colloquially, you may know it as willpower, or drive, or determination, or perseverance. Mana-motive force is an umbrella term that is meant to strip those words of their colloquial context and frame them scientifically. And it is this psychological force that you must hone and empower.¡± She waved her hand as a magical circle appeared before it, and several diagrams appeared on the board. ¡°The greater your mana-motive force, the greater the magical power of your spells,¡± she explained smoothly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how much magicapita you own if your mana-motive force is weak. The power of mana-motive force is one of the two prime measures of mage¡¯s power and is tied to the ranking system of mages introduced by the International Mage Association. Thus, if you are aiming to become powerful masters or archmages in the future, you must empower your mana-motive force, and that is among your mandatory courses in the apprentice program.¡± And thus, Professor Laila imparted immense understanding to her students as the lecture progressed. Even though her lecture was less enjoyable than Professor Marolen¡¯s lecture, the students had to admit that they did indeed walk away with more understanding and information. As for which professor was better, that was hard to say. Regardless, they displayed what it was that got them to be hired at the prestigious Elendir Institute of Magic. Their competence as mages and teachers was probably far above and beyond what one would get from professors of similar courses at lesser magicademies across the entire nation. It validated C?¡¯s decision to join this magicademy for the second time in one day. All the hostility from the wealthy students was entirely worth it for such a high quality of education. And thus, C? made his way about his first day, already substantially more learned than he was the day prior. Chapter 34: Six Greater Elements The theory classes were fascinating in and of themselves as the professors helped students understand what they would learn in the course and why, offering contemporary justification in regards to why the knowledge would be useful but also historical context as to why things came to be the way they were. And yet, it was the practical classes that C? had looked forward to the most. ¡°Preparations are complete,¡± a female voice spoke with a clinical tone. ¡°We will now commence the Magia hypnosis procedure immediately.¡± The woman turned towards C? with an impassive gaze. ¡°Are you prepared, Mr. C??¡± He shifted his gaze towards her with a dubious expression, directing a sweeping gaze across the woman. Assistant Professor Daniela Marmael. She was in charge of his training progression for the eidos mastery practical course where he began mastering Magia, the language of magic. It pricked at him to have a professor younger than him, even if as an assistant. At the age of twenty-two, she had managed to get the position of assistant professor despite her youth, signifying her brilliance as an apprentice mage. He appreciated her clinical professionalism. ¡°Just to be clear¡­ this is safe, right?¡± His tone betrayed skepticism. It couldn¡¯t be helped. He was made to strip and wear a medical gown. Then, he was dragged into a hemispherical chamber with a glass ceiling and was tied to an enormous bed at the very epicenter. The only thing that was left was to get his last words and execute him. Assistant Professor Daniela heaved a sigh. ¡°Do not jest, Mr. C?. All magical training in the Elendir Institute of Magic follows the rules and guidelines of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Magical Affairs. If you paid attention in the lecture for the course ¡®Introduction to Eidos Theory, then you would know exactly what these all were and that they are safe.¡± She was right, of course. This was the start of his eidos training and Magia mastery in accordance with the Memory Model of Eidos that was introduced by Great Magus Merlin. Different projections featuring eidos templates would be extremely strongly associated with specific runes through hypnosis. The association would be so strong that once the training was complete, simply glancing at runes would evoke extraordinarily strong memories of great accuracy and precision. Enough to form an eidos. ¡°Hypnosis is a state of heightened suggestibility,¡± the woman reminded him as she walked towards him. ¡°In this state, you will be able to burn the associations between runes and their associated eidos much stronger than we would otherwise, allowing you to create eidos easily, like so.¡± Several runes lit up before her as her pupils dilated while a flurry of powerful memories was triggered. FWOOSH A fireball lit up in her palm before disappearing. ¡°It¡¯s entirely safe,¡± she reassured him. C? heaved a deep breath, trying to relax. ¡°I understand¡­ I¡¯m ready.¡± The assistant professor nodded, snapping her fingers as her assistants appeared with a tray of syringes filled with a strange purple chemical. ¡°Administering hypnotizing agent,¡± Daniela remarked. It was a substance that was meant to put the subject in the mind of high suggestibility and was the basis of the Hynotic Mastery Method, which drastically increased the influx of new mages due to the heightened effectiveness of this drug-empowered procedure. C? felt sharp pains on the inner side of his forearms as the assistants injected him with the hypnotizing agent. ¡°Just relax,¡± the assistant professor instructed him as she exited the chamber. ¡°Do not resist and simply open your mind.¡± He felt a wave of relaxation wash over him as his pupils dilated. He entered a profound state of mind where ¡®he,¡¯ his consciousness felt dimmed, but his senses grew profoundly sharp and clear, beholding the world around him with profound depth and detail. VMMM¡­ A strange vibration washed across the entire chamber as the glass ceiling glowed with magical power before suddenly blocking out all sunlight and drowning the entire chamber in darkness. For a moment, nothing happened. And then, a rune lit up brightly on the ceiling. ? The sum totality of his focus converged on the rune as it consumed all his focus and concentration. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. For a minute, nothing changed. Then, the rest of the screen began changing up as various animations began appearing on the screen and even extended out of the screen in a three-dimensional projection. Three-dimensional animations of a single category of imagery. Earth. The soil beneath one¡¯s feet. The bedrock. The crust. The gravel, sand, mud, and rocks that constituted land. And amid all these projections, that one specific rune appeared over and over and over again. It was everywhere. The art and animation were specially made so that the symbol was buried in every inch of the art at all moments, with a clever understanding of contrast and other graphic elements. This created unbreakable and unshakable associations between the rune ? and earth. Why earth? Because earth was one of the greater elements of magic. Heaven and earth. Light and darkness. Life and death. The six greater elements of magic encapsulated the three dualities of human experience. The skies above one¡¯s head and the air that nourished one¡¯s very life was the heaven element, capturing half of the physical world that human beings lived within. The land, soil, and bedrock beneath one¡¯s feet, the second half of the world, was encapsulated within the earth element. Light and darkness were also a duality that encompassed every moment of the human experience. Day and night shaped human experience profoundly in dimensions that no other phenomenon could or would. Life and death are the beginning and the end. Life, whether it was one¡¯s own life or other lives, was special. People were alive and valued their lives above all else, giving the concept of a special place in their hearts, minds, and souls. It was a concept that encompassed everything that one regarded as life. Death. It constituted the root of the action of all living beings. The reason that people breathed air, the reason that hearts beat involuntarily, the reason that fear had ever come to be. All of it was because of death. Like life, it, too, reserved a special place in the heart, mind, and soul. In magic and eidos theory especially, ¡®elements¡¯ were categories of eidos or form centered around certain patterns: concepts. Not all concepts could constitute elements, but all elements were certainly centered around some concept or the other. Of them, the six greater elements were regarded as greater because they were the most powerful, most common, and generally easier to pursue. This firmly set them far above the others, which were less common and harder to pursue. And they were also the very first set of runes to master. Heaven ? and earth ?. Light ? and darkness ?. Life ? and death ?. Over the next few hours, C? went through an extensive hypnotic program on the runes of the six greater elements. The procedure didn¡¯t spend too much time on one element at a time, as studies had shown that prolonging the time spent on one moment produced diminishing returns. By the time the procedure was done and the hypnotizing agent began wearing off, he found himself in a profoundly drained state, like he had just spent the entire day exerting his mind to the very limit. So much so that he felt the need to go to sleep immediately. ¡°The procedure has been completed remarkably quickly,¡± the assistant professor remarked. ¡°The academic day has ended, so please go home and get some rest.¡± ¡°Is it going to be this exhausting each time?¡± C?¡¯s eyes widened with shock. ¡°You will grow increasingly accustomed to it,¡± she told him. ¡°And with time, you will be able to retain mental stamina. Right now, your mind is still integrating the runes that it had deeply absorbed from your senses during this heightened state of mind.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± C? murmured as he massaged his forehead. ¡°I do have to wonder, why even bother using new symbols like Magia runes instead of existing words associated with various eidos templates?¡± Wasn¡¯t it more convenient to use ¡®heaven¡¯ for heaven instead of ?? The former was already strongly associated with the concept of heaven. The assistant professor seemed to approve of the question. ¡°That¡¯s part of the curriculum of the magic scholar track that I¡¯m part of the senior program, but to simply answer your question, it¡¯s because language is contextual and constantly changing. Words do not have an absolutely constant meaning, and the introduction of the maginet has especially accelerated that process.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up at her insightful answer. ¡°I see¡­¡± It made sense. Whatever the language of magic was, it had to be constant, universal, unambiguous, and absolute in its meaning, otherwise it would compromise the communication of magic. One of the reasons that Magia had even been created was not just to allow people to create eidos easily but also to communicate their eidos with smooth and perfect communication. ¡°That is why Magia uses runes that are very different from the characters of any language in the world,¡± she explained patiently while the assistants offered him a special syrup brewed from magical plants to drink. ¡°It is also why Magia is not used for ordinary communication. The Mage Association has even listed it as a prohibited act that could get you thrown out of the association.¡± ¡°Remarkable¡­¡± C? winced as he drank the profoundly bitter syrup. ¡°How long does it take in this practical course before I can use magic?¡± ¡°It takes a year, on average, to use the most elementary spells as long as your mana-motive force cultivation is on track,¡± she remarked. ¡°However, the most talented and affluent students often starting using magic merely months into the course. Depending on what your rank in the magic aptitude test is, you may be able to gain the ability to cast basic spells in three months or two years.¡± His eyes lit up. This was good news. He had already decided to pretend to be an exceptionally bright student and clear the classes at among the very highest speeds he could get away with ringing alarm bells. Each year had a set of highly elite and talented students that breezed through the program at a much higher rate, so that would almost certainly not draw any suspicions upon him for hiding anything. ¡°And what is the fastest of timeframes within which people complete this course?¡± he asked her. She raised an eyebrow as her pink eyes rose up from her journal towards him. ¡°I believe we have one or two people each year who complete this course in the span of a year.¡± Then, that was exactly what C? would aim for. He had been very careful not to blaze past this course without getting his facts right. He didn¡¯t want to end up having done something utterly crazy that shattered all norms and then end up with the entire nation¡¯s attention converging on him with their predatory eyes. One year was still quite decent. While it would still put him behind a lot of the students in the senior program, he would still make up for a lot of the lost time as someone who had enrolled at the age of twenty-three. Soon enough, he departed from the hypnotic chamber along with other students who were equally tired as they headed home to the freshman dormitories of the apprentice block as the first day of the academic year had been completed. For once, the students simply quietly returned home without getting into drama as they each immediately collapsed in bed with exhaustion, falling asleep almost immediately. C?, on the other hand, simply lay in bed as he reflected on the day. ¡°I learned a lot.¡± He had learned more in one day than he had in all the months prior with all the research he had done on magic. Introductions to magi, eidos, and mana as well as the first step down the path of training to become an apprentice mage. He slowly closed his eyes as he drifted away to sleep. And thus, the first day had come to an end. Chapter 35: Cost Constraints And thus, the academic year commenced. C? soon became absorbed into the academics, both theory and training. The Elendir Institute of Magic was one of the most pressuring and challenging magicademies as far as its difficulty went. As the magicademy that received the most talented students across the entire nation and even other nations, it bore the responsibility of forging powerful mages from them that would go on to become the master and archmages of the future. And thus, while there were plenty of privileges that students of lesser magicademies could only dream of, there were also considerable burdens that came with it. There were very few students who could afford to spend much time on anything else outside of their training or studies. C? was among them. Although his Acquired Savant Syndrome wasn¡¯t particularly helpful with his theory, he still found himself being able to digest the knowledge at a remarkably quick pace, getting rid of the need to spend many hours on it after class. It left him enough time to spend his after-class hours exactly the way he wanted, whether it was spending time within the magicademy or outside meeting Mr. Norton for the reply to his offer. ¡°Thank you for coming to see me on such short notice, Mr. C?.¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s tone was friendly and flustered. ¡°I apologize for calling you on such short notice.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± C? replied with a slight nod. ¡°I was quite happy to get your message.¡± After all, Mr. Norton had chosen to reject his offer outright, he most certainly would not have requested to speak with him in person. This was a sign that, at the very least, he was interested in what C? had to offer. The man smiled sheepishly as he shifted his glasses. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you have already gleaned my intent to a certain extent, but before I begin I would like to thank you for offering me an invite to your business venture.¡± C? simply gazed at him with a light nod, waiting for him to continue. ¡°This is a bit personal and embarrassing to admit to someone I¡¯m meeting for the first time, but it has helped my self-esteem,¡± he tried to avoid his inner awkwardness from creeping into his tone. ¡°I wanted to inform you how much it meant for someone to approach me regarding a failed venture of mine and value my skills and experience the way you have. Frankly, I don¡¯t know whether I will look back on this decision with regret or relief, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your offer because¡­¡± His tone and expression grew severe, ¡°¡­I have decided to accept your offer.¡± A small, brief smile appeared on C?¡¯s face. ¡°I look forward to working with you. My offer of a greater signing salary than your existing salary and equity in my yet-to-be company will be honored, rest assured. I welcome you on board as a part-owner and manager of the company. My strengths are in business strategy. I hope that you will be able to handle execution and operations with your skillset and experience.¡± ¡°You can leave it to me,¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s expression and tone grew more confident. ¡°I have experience with scheduling and inventory management for the production of mini-housing units in my old business. And even though your micro-housing units are different from the product I tried to sell, the experience should be largely translatable.¡± ¡°Brillant,¡± C? grew more enthusiastic. ¡°For now, I think we should flesh out our vision more. Then set up tentative conditions and goals to achieve that vision, and then set a realistic timeframe and a plan to fulfill those conditions and goals and eventually achieve our ultimate vision.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s do that,¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°Frankly, fleshing out our vision with absolute clarity itself will take many more meetings. But it should be fine to chart out at least a broad direction.¡± C? nodded, reaching for his bag placed at the side of the table. ¡°Oh, looks like you have come prepared,¡± Mr. Norton noted. ¡°I did predict that you would likely say yes if you had requested for this meeting. I didn¡¯t want to waste this opportunity, so I decided to bring the relevant materials to facilitate a meaningful discussion.¡± He pulled out a binder of several sheets that he had gotten printed at the magicademy, placing them on the table. Most were data sheets citing relevant statistics of the slums, including estimated population, income per capita, and other estimates on the number of housing units consumed by the residents of the slums. Another was a map of Colohen City. ¡°To reiterate, the proposed business model I have in mind is rather simple,¡± C? began. ¡°We manufacture, distribute, and sell micro-housing units to the residents of the slums. The business strategy is to tap into latent, untapped demand for housing that is both safe and able to protect them from the elements. We will tap into demand that nobody else in the housing industry is tapping into due to the low purchasing power parity by getting rid of ninety-nine percent of the material and labor costs of conventional housing with micro-housing units.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Mr. Norton nodded thoughtfully. ¡°The most fundamental condition for success in business is finance. If you are lacking in this particular area, then your business is beyond doomed. Last time, you told me that you are able to tap into prime business loans by virtue of your identity as a student of Elendir, and I do agree that is a good reason to be confident, but the loans that you are able to get your hands will serve as our venture magicapita constraint.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about magicapita. I already have an extremely reliable and stable line of funds.¡± He briefly told him about how he had gotten accepted for the extra-curricular sponsorship program, although he didn¡¯t tell him how. The contract he signed with the principal included a non-disclosure agreement that he didn¡¯t want to violate. Especially since the principal has already revealed that the magicademy was keeping a close eye on him. ¡°Oh, and you got in with no strings attached?¡± Mr. Norton¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°These kinds of programs usually demand stake in the firm, did you concede that to them?¡± His tone reflected concern. And rightfully so. Obtaining a stake in return for funding was one of the most classic means by which oligarchs managed to control small and disruptive businesses and ensure that they didn¡¯t make business decisions that could affect their oligopoly. All his flustered sheepishness disappeared as he peered into C?¡¯s eyes with a pointed gaze. If C? had chosen to essentially sell the company stake out for some money, then he would have backed out from the venture then and there. ¡°Relax,¡± C? assured him. ¡°I did not sell stake or any other means of control over the company I don¡¯t intend to make this line of funds a regular source to fund our operations. There are other commitments, but they are purely personal in my capacity as a student and entirely detached from the business.¡± Mr. Norton heaved a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. No good would come of allowing a detached and powerful third party like the Elendir Institute of Magic to interfere. Regardless, that does indeed cover magicapita. However, to understand how much magicapita we precisely need, we will have to iron out all other aspects of the business.¡± C? nodded. ¡°This is where your experience as a manager will be most needed.¡± The man nodded. ¡°We have a business model, strategy, and financing. I believe the next most important step to flesh out what is the very core of this business strategy: The output. The micro-housing unit is at the very core of this business strategy. Only after fleshing out the product will we be able to identify the estimated cost of production and necessary inputs. Only after we have identified those two variables can we begin to flesh out the other aspects of the business, such as production, management, marketing, sales, and operations, and so the question is¡­¡± His eyes peered straight into C?¡¯s. ¡°Whether you have done enough market research into the slums to identify what the constraints for the cost of production are based on your research and experience with the slums?¡± he continued. ¡°What is your estimated consumer base within the slums, and what is the median income of this segment of the slums?¡± Thankfully, C? had done his homework on this. He reached for the binder that he had gotten, consisting of several sheets featuring data on the slums and its residents. ¡°Collecting economic data on the slums is unfortunately very difficult, so all the data that I¡¯m about disclose comes with an asterisk,¡± C? began. ¡°For one, about forty percent of Colohen City¡¯s population belongs in the slums, slightly below average for the nation¡¯s cities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income of the residents of the slums is¡­¡± C? gazed up. ¡°¡­about one-thousand five hundred leenars.¡± Mr. Norton winced. ¡°That¡­ that is worse than I had imagined.¡± C? nodded. ¡°Even with micro-housing units, it¡¯s fair to say that those within the slum who earn this much, or less, are most certainly outside of our targeted market segment. In fact, I can safely say that ninety percent of the slums will not be able to afford the proposed micro-housing.¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°That means that even if we¡¯re targeting the slums, it¡¯s actually a very small part of the total population.¡± It could be helped. The slums were the slums for the reason. If a large majority of the slums were able to easily afford micro-housing units, then they wouldn¡¯t have been living in slums in the first place. ¡°According to the wealth distribution within the slums, we are aiming for the very peak of earners,¡± C? passed the data on to Mr. Norton, who studied it carefully. ¡°Assuming that daily expenses are in the range of fifty leenars, then¡­¡± ¡°The report specifies that daily expenses are estimated to be only twenty leenars, though,¡± Mr. Norton frowned. C? shook his head. ¡°That data only accounts for basic necessities, but what people outside the slums don¡¯t know is that simply not being targeted has its costs,¡± C? explained. ¡°They¡¯re known as collections.¡± Mr. Norton tilted his head. ¡°¡­Collections?¡± ¡°The slums are not safe,¡± C?¡¯s tone grew dark as his gray eyes grew fierce. ¡°Especially if you live deeper in the more dangerous areas. Without the protection of the law, men round up in gangs and claim entire segments of the slums as their territory. People living within those territories need to pay ¡®protection fees¡¯, which is essentially just thinly veiled extortion. They pay up a small amount to buy their safety from, not just the gang of their area, but also the gangs of other turfs. This expense is not included in daily expense reports of these bureaus.¡± The atmosphere grew heavy as a flood of unpleasant memories surged within his mind. This hateful and frustrating protection fee that gangs collected was one of the most powerful drives for C?¡¯s previous goal of simply getting out of the slums and living a decent life in the posher districts of Colohen City. C? had made sure to stay far away from claimed gang territory the second time around when he returned to the slums after being discharged. Mr. Norton simply gazed at him with a stunned expression. ¡°¡­You have my condolences.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s in the past. More importantly¡­¡± He pulled a map of Colohen City, drawing an imaginary line around the innermost circle of the marked slum areas. ¡°The innermost portion of the slums closest to the inner districts are the places we will be targeting. These are where the less poor people reside and are the people that we will be targeting with our business. I already have a pretty good estimate of about one thousand leenars as the total cost of production when considering their purchasing power and our profit percentage.¡± His gaze returned to Mr. Norton. ¡°This estimate will serve as the constraint for the research and development targets. Once the product development process is done, we will slowly be able to flesh everything else.¡± Chapter 36: Crossroads With the estimated purchasing power of the top ten percent of the slums as well as the daily expenses, C? had a good estimate of the constraints for the cost of production. Even if he went with the lower end of profit percentages, the cost of production would have to be below the purchasing power of this creamy layer of the Colohen Slums. C? eventually settled for a figure of about three thousand leenars. ¡°That is a reasonable cost constraint,¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°Now that that is settled, you finally have the basics needed to commence product development. Once the product is developed and we have a quote for the estimated cost of production and necessary inputs, then we can plan out the operations. Once the operational aspect is ironed out, everything else revolving around it, like management, sales, accounting, and marketing, can be fleshed out.¡± It was only after the product was fully developed and tested could the necessary inputs for the production process be fully known. Specifically, it was important to have absolute clarity about the three primary aspects of manufacturing: Labor, magicapita, and raw materials. Once each of these variables was fully grasped, then the finer details of the operations, such as inventory, supply chains, scheduling, etc, could be fleshed out with absolute clarity. Nothing could proceed much until the product and production operation were completely finalized. ¡°Finalizing the product will be the main thing I focus on,¡± C? nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Admittedly, this is not something I have much experience in handling. But I suppose I have only two options, don¡¯t I?¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°You can either develop the product in-house or outsource the R&D process to an external party: a lab or a magitech company.¡± The choice hung in the air. C?¡¯s expression grew complicated. ¡°¡­There are pros and cons to both.¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°Indeed. The pros of the in-house development route are that it is far cheaper compared to outsourcing the development to another company. Not only that, you will also have to pay money to either buy the patent or purchase an exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license from a third party. You will have more control over the development and will be able to mold the final product in accordance with your vision of it if you develop it in-house.¡± C? stirred at those words. Admittedly, this was very attractive to him. However, he knew that he needed to be practical. ¡°In turn,¡± Mr. Norton continued. ¡°It is a massive undertaking to burden. On top of that, with imperfect management, product quality could easily plummet. It isn¡¯t easy to create a product with no flaws or defects of any kind. Third-party developers have a rigorous mastery over the protocols for prototype development, testing, and other quality control systems.¡± C? heaved a deep breath as he thought of whether he could handle such an ambitious and intimidating goal. If he could, he would be saving on major costs that he would surely incur with outsourcing to the specialists. ¡°Specialized third-party development companies will essentially be able to guarantee the process that I¡¯m looking to create, right?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°I would go as far as to say guarantee,¡± Mr. Norton winced at that question. ¡°But yes, they are professionals in product development and should be able to give you extremely refined blueprints. It depends on which company you hire, of course. But, obviously, the better the company, the more they will charge you.¡± C?¡¯s expression shifted with uncertainty and thought. He loved the idea of creating his own product in-house, but he knew it was extremely ambitious and difficult to achieve. He was attracted to specialists who could provide a quality product but was deterred by the notion of high costs. He heaved a sigh. ¡°This is not something I can decide at the moment, I will need to do my research and thoroughly evaluate the two options in detail before making a choice. I won¡¯t delay my choice for too long, though. We need to complete the product development phase before anything else can proceed.¡± He glanced at Mr. Norton with a raised eyebrow. ¡°¡­Now that I think of it, you have a degree in engineering, don¡¯t you? Not to mention, your old company also developed its own product, did it not?¡± A flustered smile emerged on the man¡¯s face as he scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°Yes, but I have very little experience in grounds-up R&D. And for my old company, we ultimately went for the outsourcing route. I can¡¯t say I was disappointed. The product we sold was perfectly functional, just as we had intended. Although it certainly did strain our finances.¡± ¡°Then, you would recommend a specialized third party?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°I am certainly leaning towards it,¡± Mr. Norton heaved a sigh. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t think you will be able to find the necessary magineers with the needed skill and competence to make this project a success. Rather than joining a new start-up, the best go on to work with the top magitech firms in the entire country, and even abroad for more lucrative opportunities in superpowers like the Estroycia Federation.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. C? grimaced lightly for a moment. ¡°That is true.¡± The Estroycia Federation was the most powerful superpower on the Gruonia Continent and possessed one of the highest incomes per capita, making it one of the most desirable spots for many of the most successful magineers in Elendir. ¡°Small businesses generally do not have the capital to engage in this kind of in-house R&D for a brand new business,¡± Mr. Norton continued. ¡°However, I¡¯m not entirely against it since you have obtained a powerful source of funding. That along with standard lines of credit that most businesses use to launch and fund their day-to-day operations, we do have the necessary capital needed to undertake our own product development projects.¡± C? heaved a soft sigh. ¡°I will get back to you after I¡¯m done conducting more research into the topic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, this is something that you should pour a lot of thought into,¡± Mr. Norton smiled friendlily. ¡°Putting that matter aside, I believe we should finalize the business registration as soon as possible. After all¡­¡± His tone veered off hesitantly. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t intend to leave you hanging,¡± C? replied with a nod. ¡°If you are so inclined, then we can register the company under our names immediately. That way we can get the legal requirements and hurdles out of the way.¡± Every business had to be registered with the government and the tax authority and obtain the necessary permits for whatever business they were aiming to conduct. The sooner the paperwork was taken care of, the better. C? couldn¡¯t blame Mr. Norton for being eager to deal with this. The sooner the company was established, the quicker he could quit his old job and immediately start working for their new business. Especially when he had to give a two-week notice before leaving. ¡°Of course, I will try to get the capital ahead of time from the school as soon as possible,¡± C? informed him with a friendly tone. ¡°After all, I can¡¯t have you working at the company without pay, after all. I will also have to file for a business loan immediately after we set the company up.¡± Mr. Norton nodded. ¡°That is very understandable.¡± The two men spoke some more about other tangentially related matters before their second meeting finally came to an end. ¡°It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Mr. Norton,¡± a small smile emerged on C?¡¯s face. ¡°I look forward to working with you as a business partner.¡± ¡°Call me Feidin,¡± the short man smiled. ¡°I, too, look forward to working with you. I am deeply grateful to you for giving me this opportunity.¡± And thus, the two men parted ways after a long and productive meeting. C? fell into thought as he considered the most important of topics that they had discussed extensively. His mind kept drifting back to the two choices that he had in front of him. In-house development or outsourced development. ¡°My product is definitely niche and unusual,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely that any ordinary magineers would be capable of taking it on.¡± After all, he had long known that his micro-housing unit would be devoid of magic in and of itself. ¡°The slums are too poor to afford to a continuous supply of magical energy.¡± Not to mention, the magigrid running across the entire city from the Colohen Manaplant did not enter the slums. In other words they wouldn¡¯t even be able to purchase magical energy even if they did have the money. ¡°This is probably unheard of for a housing unit.¡± It was also why conventional civil paradigms simply failed so miserably in the slums. The civil workers responsible for it were entirely unqualified for it in the first place, but their knowledge and skill were also simply irrelevant in an area like the slums. ¡°I most likely will need the help of magineers who specialize in non-magical products, but¡­¡± How many such magineers existed? Magical energy was the foundation of all magitechnology in the entire world. Creating something like a housing unit, which usually consumed an abundant amount of magical energy, was a highly niche product. With magical energy flowing across the magigrid under the city, an overwhelming number of magineers have skills and knowledge that were premised on the abundance of magical energy. This had been the case ever since the Magindustrial Revolution. ¡°The invention of magical energy made everything magical, but it ended screwing people who didn¡¯t have access to this precious magical energy that powers everything under the Sun,¡± he glowered, remembering his magicless childhood in the slums. Magical energy was not the same as mana. Mana was pure physicality with no form. In other words, it was not real or causal. It could not be transmitted through the magigrid by itself. This limitation of the inability to distribute mana was one of the hurdles that had to be overcome at the dawn of the Magindustrial Revolution. The solution had been remarkably simple. To give mana an eidos so that it would have both form and physicality, but more specifically, to give it an eidos that would ensure that mana didn¡¯t get consumed and expended but, instead, could travel from one location to another without any loss in mana, and then have technology repurpose the mana of magical energy for other purposes. This invention of magical energy became the foundation of magitechnology and all its applications, but especially housing. Each and every building in the inner city was connected to the magigrid. If he went around trying to commission product development of housing that didn¡¯t make use of magitechnology, he suspected that most companies would not be able to help him very much. That was why C? was giving in-house development serious consideration. His demands were niche, far too niche for companies that operated with magitechnology as a given. It was such a niche that there was a small chance that he wouldn¡¯t even be able to commission them for such an odd housing unit. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t commission the Elendir Institute of Magic either.¡± Its labs and staff were only meant for academic and research purposes, they did not accept commissions for any commercial services as an institute. ¡°Tsk, this is an issue that I will have to resolve by the end of the week, I don¡¯t want to delay the progress of my business with indecision, of all things,¡± he resolved himself. ¡°It will essentially boil down to whether I can find somebody that can make in-house development viable. If not¡­¡± His eyes sharpened. ¡°¡­I will have to resign myself to the prudence of outsourcing it to the professionals.¡± Thus, time began ticking away as C? found himself at a crossroads where he was forced to choose between. Life was about to get very hectic for him. Chapter 37: Invitation The matter consumed him for the rest of the day as he fell into deep thought. It was truly difficult to decide whether he wanted to have his product development done in-house or outsourced to another R&D company. The bags under his eyes, the very next day, spoke to just how little sleep he had gotten over the choice he faced at the crossroads. He reluctantly freshened up and prepared for classes, trying to cover up how bad he felt. Alas, it was entirely visible to Kelton, Natana, and Sorenon who encountered him in the dormitory corridor. The three buzzed about him with concern in their eyes, barely managing to control their curiosity until they reached the classroom complex. ¡°Are you ok?¡± Natana shifted a tuft of her brown hair out of her eyes, gazing at him with concern in her purple eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be doing that okay¡­¡± ¡°You gotta be a man, big brother!¡± Kelton blasted him on the back with some heavy slaps. ¡°Did you have that much trouble with theory?¡± Sorenon asked as he shifted his glasses. ¡°If you want, I can help you with it. I am very good at theory, you see.¡± C? shook his head, heaving a soft sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not non-academic. It¡¯s not something I can discuss, unfortunately.¡± Before the three of them could even respond to his dismissive response, a fifth voice drew their attention. ¡°Mr. C?, I¡¯d like to request you for a moment of her time.¡± Her voice was friendly yet powerful. It demanded attention. Her wavy, green hair swayed in the gentle morning breeze while her confident golden eyes peered right at his stoic gray eyes. A flashy wand hung to the side of her waist, armed with mana stones of various colors. He could tell right away. ¡®She¡¯s wealthy.¡¯ It was something about her mannerisms, her body language, and her voice inflections. Even if she wore the Institute uniform like everybody else did, it was plainly obvious that she had been groomed with etiquette classes, among other things. Behind her stood two young men who eyed her with a hint of disdain. A badge prominently glistened on her uniform, immediately drawing C?¡¯s eyes. [Student Council President] His eyes widened. ¡°My name is Mileila Karjakin,¡± she smiled at him welcomingly. ¡°I am the President of the Student Council and I¡¯d like to speak to you privately about an important matter when class is done, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Suddenly, C? felt like everybody¡¯s eyes were on him. More than usual. Students stopped by, curiously watching the exchange as they whisper with each other. Suddenly, it wasn¡¯t just the Mileila waiting for his response, but half of the student body all simultaneously heading to the class complex that also waited for his response. ¡°¡­Of course.¡± C?¡¯s tone was calm and composed. ¡°I most certainly can meet you after class.¡± Her smile grew friendlier. ¡°I am glad to hear that, then, please be at the Student Council Headquarters at your convenience after your classes are over. Well then¡­¡± She paused as she performed a little curtsy before departing from the scene. It was as though everybody held their breath, waiting for her departure from the place entirely before the silence finally broke and the gossip was unleashed. ¡°WOAH!¡± Kelton exclaimed with amazement. ¡°The President personally approached you?! That¡¯s insane!¡± ¡°I wonder what she wants¡­¡± Natana murmured, her tone strangely worried. ¡°I wonder if she was asking him out on a d-date!¡± Kelton¡¯s cheeks flushed red. BAM! ¡°D-Don¡¯t be silly!¡± Natana complained, smacking him on the shoulder. ¡°Ouch! Are you trying to pick a fight?!¡± ¡°She was definitely not calling him for a personal matter,¡± Sorenon shifted his glasses as he thoughtfully analyzed her words. ¡°She introduced herself as the President, and she was accompanied by two members of the student council, and she said she wanted to speak to him about an important matter. She wouldn¡¯t do all that if this was just a small date.¡± C? heaved a sigh, ruffling Sorenon¡¯s hair with a hint of approval. ¡°At least one of the three of you has brains.¡± He swept his gaze around as the gossiping apprentices rushed away from him with a hint of wary fear. He lightly shook his head, moving on with his day, ignoring the three chicks that kept hovering around him. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The rest of the day was a blur. Between the two choices he had for product development when it came to micro-housing units and curiosity in regards to what President Mileila wanted from him, he was not as absorbed into the classes as he normally would have been. If not for the fact that he had simply come to enjoy magic very passionately, he would not have been able to absorb anything that he learned in class. The practical classes, Magia mastery in particular, demanded full attention, leaving him drained, albeit less so than the first time he tried it out. And thus, the day concluded smoothly enough. And thus it was time. ¡°Good luck, big brother!¡± Kelton flashed him a thumbs up with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m sure this will be a discussion of great significance,¡± Sorenon remarked, shifting his glasses. ¡°I-If she asks you out on a date after all?¡± Natana asked with a nervous tone. C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°I will firmly decline, of course.¡± He had no intention of pursuing romance actively. He had already decided to dedicate his life to one and only one goal and knew that he simply would not give romance the time and emotional investment that it deserved. He didn¡¯t want to string someone along if he could give them the emotional intimacy that they deserved. A strange sense of relief appeared on Natana¡¯s face. ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Well, off I go. You kids should go back as well.¡± He waved as he departed, heading towards the administrative block of the magicademy, a place he had only visited once when he was first invited to the Elendir Institute of Magic. ¡°That feels so long ago.¡± He mused with a knowing expression. He wound about the expansive complex of the magicademy, taking in the bureaucratic wing of the institute in. It was certainly more plain and clinical than the academic and dormitory blocks, which focused on creating invigorating and stimulating environments for their students. Soon enough, he had arrived. [Student Council Headquarters] CLACK C? peered in as he opened the door slowly, drawing attention from the various staff members and employees that worked at the student council headquarters. And yet, what drew C?¡¯s attention the most was the sheer volume of the headquarters. They weren¡¯t kidding when they said ¡®headquarters.¡¯ An expansive layer array of officers, managers, and other employees were spread about an enormous hall that was overseen by an elevated floor that towered over all the employees of the magicademy. And there she was, sitting on a large throne-like chair that oversaw multiple screens, keeping track of various matters at once. Her demeanor was dignified and confident while the air around was commanding and unyielding. President Mileila Karjakin was just a year younger than him. A rather young woman. And yet, nothing about her mannerisms, body language, or attitude indicated the free-spirited energy or the fading youthful maturity that one would expect someone in their young twenties. She was a leader in every inch of her conduct. A friendly smile emerged on her face as she caught the visage of C? from the corner of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came, Mr. C?,¡± she got up from her chair as she walked down the stairs from her elevated platform. ¡°Come, let us speak privately in my personal office.¡± She gestured him into a spacious office, visible through the glass doors immediately on the other side, directly connecting to the headquarters. CLACK ¡°Have a seat,¡± she gestured to the luxurious sofa at the very center of the office after closing the door. C? couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow at the extravagance of her office. Not only was it spacious, but it was multi-compartmental for different purposes, private, and professional. The main office space was almost as ostentatious as that of the Headmistress, with a wide magical artifact for a table, with several inventory functions among others. Numerous trophies, medals, and other certificates featuring her name were neatly arranged on the table and on the shelves. It simply lent to the gravitas of her identity. ¡°Not too bad, is it?¡± her tone was a lot more informal than when she invited him in public. ¡°These are the perks of being the student council president of the most prestigious university in the entire country.¡± ¡°It does seem very attractive,¡± C? replied with a stoic tone. ¡°Still, I cannot help but wonder if taking up such a burdensome administrative job is worth dedicating your time if your goal is to become a mage.¡± It was what he didn¡¯t understand, especially when he looked at the sheer magnitude of the student council. It was far, far larger than a mere group of students planning activities in and about the school. There was no way that this was not taking up a huge portion of her day. She smiled endearingly, as though he had uttered an ignorant comment. ¡°Do you know what the background of all Presidents of the Mage Association has been?¡± she asked with a friendly smile as her golden eyes peered into his. ¡°¡­Let me guess, they were all once the president of the student council of the Elendir Institute of Magic?¡± He hadn¡¯t even the faintest inkling if this was true, but given her line of questioning in response to his remark, he assumed that was the point she was making. ¡°Correct. The same is also true for the position of Minister of Magical Affairs. The same is also true for the position of Mageneral of the Mage Corps of the Military.¡± she explained with a patient tone ¡°Additionally, all former presidents in any of the thirteen institutes across the entire nation have gone on to achieve extremely coveted positions in the magical world, whether it is governmental, military, private, or international.¡± C? understood now fully understood, with that description alone, why students would covet this position even if it represented a tremendous amount of work and commitment. The sheer amount of fuel it was for any career was surely going to be an entirely different breed altogether. ¡°Is it because of prestige alone, or is it considered a highly accredited merit in and of itself?¡± ¡°Both,¡± she admitted with a straightforward reply. ¡°Naturally, the prestige of the Elendir Institute of Magic is attached to it, but so is the actual merits of the experience. This position isn¡¯t simply for show. I wield an almost unshackled executive authority over this entire magicademy and that does mean a lot when you understand the sheer flow of money I have control over.¡± C? grew impressed by her words. ¡°But, what about the responsibility of the outcomes?¡± ¡°It will affect me alone,¡± she replied matter-of-factly. ¡°What I can tell you is that this institute had rail guards to essentially shield it from responsibility. And part of it essentially boils down to all the stakeholders of the Elendir Institute of Magic being already in complete agreement with imparting such heavy responsibilities to a bunch of students.¡± C?¡¯s eyebrows knit with a hint of confusion. ¡°All of them in complete agreement? But¡­ doesn¡¯t that include countless powerful interest groups and power blocks?¡± There were three governmental bodies, the Ministry of Magical Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Magic Corps of the military. There was the Mage Association, the thirteen Great Families, the top magicorporations. All of these powerful blocs and groups were in agreement with this? ¡°Of course.¡± She answered with certainty. ¡°The reason for this is very simple. And very powerful. After all, one of the fundamental errors that led to the Twilight Rebellion was poor leadership, after all.¡± The air chilled by a few degrees as she mentioned a controversial, sensitive topic. One that people did not simply bring up in a casual conversation. Chapter 38: The Offer The Twilight Rebellion. One of the darkest moments in the history of the Democratic Republic of Elendir. It was an insurrection led against the Elendir Government, and the existing political order, by Twilight. The name of the organization was not spoken lightly. It was not an exaggeration to state that the organization had almost torn the country apart as it attempted to take over governmental institutions and centers of power of Elendir such as the manaplants, managrids, and the maginet by causing a class uprising of workers and laborers against the government and capital class. It had occurred more than thirty years ago in a time when the field of magic was more abundant and had long-lasting effects on the role and presence of magic within the nation. The Rebellion had taught the capital and political class just how dangerous the free spread era of free dissemination of magic was. Consequently, an era where general information about magic was public and common knowledge was gone. It was why Mr. Selvig had been able to sneak the military book ¡®Foundations of Magic¡¯ off with him back when he was discharged from the military. After the Twilight Rebellion, such an act would be impossible to get away with and was highly punishable. There were sub-fields of history within the nation dedicated exclusively to the study of this event, and its causes and effects. C? was hardly familiar with any of the details of why the Rebellion had occurred beyond obvious. ¡°Poor leadership is one of the lesser known reasons,¡± she remarked, anticipating his thoughts on the matter. ¡°Even though it is one of the significant reasons and one of the most avoidable reasons, of the many that led to the Twilight Rebellion. Weak decisioning. Incompetent decisioning. Indecision. Manipulatability. These were what characterized the leaders that made poor decisions that arguably led to the founding of the insurrectionist rebel group Twilight and the class tensions between labor and capital in our great nation.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± C? stirred at her words. Assuming he took what she said at face value, then it would explain why there was so much of a push by the power blocs of the nation to have extremely competent leaders. It would also explain why only those who attained the position of the student council were deeply appreciated for this merit of leadership. ¡°Enough of these high-minded topics,¡± she shook her head lightly with a bemused smile. ¡°They aren¡¯t relevant to what I have invited you here for. At least, not directly.¡± A small smile cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°I almost forgot that you had invited me for an ¡®important matter.¡¯¡± ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush anymore,¡± she gazed straight at him with her powerful golden eyes. ¡°I would like to invite you to the Student Council.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He stared at her as she simply waited without even the slightest hint of awkwardness. His answer had already been decided. He had not forgotten about his deal with the Headmistress, she had asked him to become a leader and to join the Student Council so that she could use him as political capital for her equitist ideals. ¡°¡­May I ask why?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. Her smile grew amused and impressed. ¡°I must admit, I assumed you would jump at the offer.¡± ¡°Maybe I will,¡± he replied quickly. ¡°But, I do wish to understand why you are inviting me, in particular. A controversial student with a spicy Honors Student Addressal.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a fair question,¡± she easily admitted. ¡°The simplest reason is that it is customary for this offer to be made to the Honors student; you, in this case.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± C? considered it. That was reason enough, he supposed. ¡°However, I am also personally inclined to invite you to the Student Council for a variety of reasons,¡± she continued with a knowing tone. ¡°For one, I like you.¡± C? raised an eyebrow with an unimpressed expression. Perhaps Kelton was not as knuckled-headed as he appeared. Her smile widened. ¡°That. I like that. You have an air of unyielding solidity in your body language. Putting aside false modesty and speaking the truth plainly, I don¡¯t think most male students in this magicademy would have been able to maintain their composure unflustered in your position.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. C? resisted the urge to scoff with disdain at her conceit. Then he recalled the reaction of not just his three new little friends but also much of the apprentice freshmen at a simple formal invitation from her. Just the fact that she had spoken to C? had earned the attentive scrutiny of every single person. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t being conceited with that comment. ¡°Additionally, I admire you,¡± she replied. ¡°I am aware of your background and past. I cannot even begin to imagine the sheer challenges, tribulations, and hurdles you have overcome to reach where you have today. I think the fact that you¡¯re the first person from the slums to enter the Elendir Institute of Magic is a testament to just how much you have overcome to reach where you are today. And despite that¡­¡± She smiled appreciatively. ¡°I can feel that you have a burning drive to achieve even more. That is what is truly impressive to me. I do not know much about your life, so this may sound very presumptuous, but I believe most people from your background would have been satisfied with what you have achieved, understandably so, than harbor even greater ambitions.¡± He stirred at her words. She was not wrong. In fact, before the accident that ruined his life, he had indeed been satisfied with a relatively humble life. He had found a lover and a partner with whom he wanted to spend a life with. He had a decent job and an optimistic future. He had decent standards of living. A humble but quiet home, with decent safety. Decent food. This was a dream to him back when he was in the slums as a kid. A life living in filth and dirt, under unsafe structures that could crash down on him at any given moment, and a universal constant of danger at all moments. It was only after Lilia died, and he lost everything and more with absolutely no path to justice, he finally snapped and decided he would destroy the world order and build a better one. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± C? limited himself to a simple response. ¡°All in all, with several of our older former members having passed out of the senior program last year, I have been looking for suitable candidates for at least one of the spots among the freshmen. And you, I believe, would be a very valuable asset to our team.¡± C? simply gazed at her with a composed expression, not letting such basic flattery get to his head. ¡°And what are the merits for me, might I ask? So far, you have only detailed how you would benefit. I have not heard of a single incentive for myself.¡± He was going to join because of his agreement with the Headmistress, but it was best to try and squeeze as much out of this little invitation that he could possibly get away with it. Her smile grew amused. ¡°Well, a lesser degree of prestige than what former presidents of the Student Council get when they pass out. Years worth of experience in a position of authority and so on and so forth.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°And? Surely the Student Council has more to offer, right?¡± She giggled at his blatant attempt to play hard to get. ¡°Well, you have exemptions for magic wielding, you have a lot more liberty and leeway, a lower attendance requirement, more academic scheduling flexibility, a priority for several programs including but not limited to our international student exchange programs, apprenticeships, and even our extracurricular sponsorship programs.¡± That last bit lit C?¡¯s eyes up with a hint of eagerness. His deal with the Headmistress only covered the one business he was working on with Mr. Norton. He didn¡¯t intend to limit himself to one business, after all. He was certain that no one business, especially not his housing idea, was enough to propel him to his ultimate goal. Thus, if being a student council member would put him in for priority on the Elendir Institute of Magic¡¯s deep pockets, then he would take that deal in a heartbeat. ¡°You have won me over,¡± he relented with a composed tone. ¡°I accept your offer, I would love to be a member of the Student Council.¡± Her smile grew wry. ¡°This conversation has made me more certain of my decision. Well then, it¡¯s not official yet, but welcome to the Student Council.¡± And just like that, he had made sure to follow through with his deal with the Headmistress. Based on this conversation, either the President was very good at playing dumb, or more likely, she was entirely unaware of his conversation with the Headmistress. It meant that the latter had adhered to the non-disclosure agreement that prevented them from disclosing it to anybody else. ¡°Thank you,¡± C? replied simply. ¡°So, what exactly does the student council do on a day-to-day basis, again?¡± She stared at him for a moment. ¡°¡­Pffft! Hahaha!¡± She burst into a mirthful laughter. C? simply gazed at her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°¡­That is something that you ask before you accept the offer, Mr. C?,¡± she quipped at him after regaining her composure. C? shrugged. The only thing he had asked about was why she had chosen him and what he gained from the job. Things like what they actually did weren¡¯t nearly as important to him as these two questions. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard that the Student Council is the executive of the Magicademy,¡± she told him. ¡°I did hear that,¡± he replied. ¡°I just don¡¯t quite know what that means in the context of this school.¡± ¡°We enforce and execute the directives and rules of the Headmistress,¡± she explained, shifting a tuft of her green hair to the side. ¡°We are responsible for ensuring that the rules are followed. The Director issues annual expenditure directives on how the school¡¯s money will be spent, we adhere to the fiscal directives and ensure that it is executed. She may issue non-fiscal directives, such as a directive to organize an event, or so, we take care of that. Ah¡­¡± She paused. ¡°You were rank two on Magic Aptitude exam, right? Then you must have gotten an extravagant invitation from our magicademy.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit as he recalled how Executive Neiman had emerged from a gate, a gate through the very fabric of space and time itself, and ushered C? into the magicademy through it. ¡°Right¡­¡± President Mileila smiled with pride. ¡°That was organized by the student council under my leadership in an attempt to stoke and maintain the cultural craze for the Elendir Institute of Magic.¡± He found himself a lot more interested in the duties of the student council now that she had detailed exactly what kind of duties they undertook. ¡°In practice, this means paperwork, approving and overseeing cashflows and expenditure, event planning, scheduling, inventory, and other operations such as maintenance and supply chains,¡± she explained in more detail. ¡°The school needs a lot for it to function as it does. And the student council is responsible for overseeing this.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up at those details. They were exactly the kind of things that were managed in businesses! While his Acquired Savant Syndrome aided him with divergent thinking and imagination, it didn¡¯t help him with operations nearly as much. It was most useful in business strategy. If he also gained solid experience over the most nitty gritty issues of maintaining the operations of the magicademy. Chapter 39: Triple Burden With that incentive in mind, C? was finally genuinely intrigued by the notion of working in the Student Council. Until now, accepting the offer was simply a matter of obligation with his deal with the Headmistress, or other unrelated benefits to the job. But with this, he saw the merit of the work itself. ¡°Not to mention,¡± President Mileila continued with a wry smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t unpaid labor. Although the pay is extremely humble, it isn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°I project that you will earn around a hundred thousand leenars a month,¡± she murmured thoughtfully. ¡°Wha¡ª!¡± C? did a double-take as he stared at her with a stunned expression. ¡°That much?!¡± Her confident smile grew a little befuddled. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to belittle the sum. But yes, that is indeed roughly how much someone in the position I¡¯m offering you will be paid.¡± He forgot that she was extremely wealthy. She was the heir of the Karjakin Family, after all. One of the thirteen great families of Elendir. It was no wonder she thought the amount was very humble. Although she spoke with a well-adjusted and grounded mannerism, her world view and especially her perception of money was undoubtedly very warped by her upbringing. ¡°¡­Just a heads-up, next time, you should start with that,¡± C? gazed at her with a hint of disbelief in his gray eyes. ¡°Yes, it was quite remiss of me,¡± she accepted his advice gracefully. ¡°Once again, I¡¯m happy that you have accepted my offer this quickly.¡± C? nodded. ¡°Thank you for inviting me. I was curious about a particular matter that I was hoping you could help shed light on. Is the student council more comprised of commoners or the wealthy?¡± It was a pointed question. With some not-so-pleasant implications, that the distinction and composition did matter. And the truth was that it did matter. The fact of the matter was that this was something he needed to know about ahead of time, since it would affect the environment there for him. Pretty much all noble students that he had interacted with until the President herself was, well, unpleasant, to say the least. Five of them had basically tried to murder him on sight. That was a big matter to him on whether or not he wanted to deal with the people that he was working with were good people or not. She directed a knowing gaze at him. ¡°The Magicademy prohibits discrimination and mandates merit. We have plenty of students of all manner of backgrounds because we adhere to school standards.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t buy the first half of that. Or rather, even if it is was true, he didn¡¯t think it changed the point he was making. Rules could not stop discrimination, if it could, the world would be an astronomically better place. Of course, he doubted that the President before him would happily disclose any of the negative incidents that she had undoubtedly witnessed over the years at the Elendir Institute of Magic. ¡°Well, I appreciate hearing that there are students of all manner of backgrounds,¡± C? replied. ¡°I hope that we have a harmonious work environment. I would be¡­ disillusioned, if there were any substantial occurrences of prejudicial hostility between students based on their backgrounds.¡± ¡°You have my word,¡± she assured him, ¡°that that won¡¯t be any such workplace hostility. One of the most important parts of being part of the Student Council is being able to work with others. We do not choose students who display a propensity for conflict. For example¡­¡± A small smile emerged on her face. ¡°Silian Syvester of the Syvester Family. A highly gifted talent from a prestigious magic family. And yet, he disqualified himself from our consideration the moment he attacked you during the transfer period.¡± C? stirred at her words. Indeed, this was much more compelling than some pretty promises. ¡°The same is true for Delilah Dovelhoun,¡± President Mileila explained. ¡°We are not interested in troublemakers, regardless of their background, for the Student Council.¡± C? was a little surprised that she was able to be as impartial as she claimed. After all, the wealthy private class had great stake and influence over the magicademy. They would surely be able to leverage their influence to get their heirs into the student council, right? Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± She heaved a sigh. ¡°Unfortunately, you have underestimated the significance of the Elendir Institute of Magic. Nepotism is indeed very rampant in the upper echelons of our country. However, the Elendir Institute of Magic was founded by all powers of this nation with the one and only one purpose.¡± Her eyes grew more intense. ¡°Forging the strongest and most powerful mages out of the very best talents in the entire nation. Yes, the ten great families are stakeholders of this nation, but individually, they have a very minor ownership over the magicademy. That includes my own family. Do you think this is enough to throw their weight around in this magicademy when there are other stakeholders that oppose them and use their influence to negate theirs?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with a hint of intrigue. ¡°I see, it would be against the interest of some of the other interest groups and power blocs if more affluent families use nepotism to further their own benefits at the cost of the mission of the magiacademy.¡± She nodded with a composed expression. ¡°There is a reason that every single power within the nation has gotten a piece of the pie. It¡¯s so that nobody will have enough influence to override the interest of others to perpetrate their own.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. He found it interesting that the President was telling this to him so straightforwardly. It was a sensitive topic, and even if she was trying to convince C? of the merits of this strategy, he found it interesting that she was so open about such controversial matters. And yet, he stayed his tongue. He had just met her that very day. He didn¡¯t know anything about her and they certainly weren¡¯t friends. ¡°Well¡­¡± C? broke the silence. ¡°I suppose that brings me to an end to all the questions I had to ask regarding your offer. I appreciate it and being recognized for my merit. I look forward to working with you in the Student Council.¡± She smiled appreciatively. ¡°As do I. It should be official by tomorrow, but we can start the initiation process today, if you¡¯d like.¡± C? nodded. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that. However, I did have an inquiry, do the student council have access to the student database? With profiles as to what all the students and teachers specialize in?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, yes. However, I need to mention that you will be swearing a non-disclosure clause in regards to all classified information, which is, well, everything. But especially applicable to the personal data and profiles. There will be consequences of suspension and potentially expulsion should this be broken, do you understand?¡± C? raised his hands lightly. ¡°I do not intend to violate that clause. I am simply looking for someone, and I do hope that the student database will help me find them. I won¡¯t be taking any records of the data out of the headquarters nor communicating confidential information to others.¡± She grew relaxed at those words. ¡°If it¡¯s merely to find someone, of course, you can use the student database. Is this related to academic or non-academic purposes? Depending on what it is for, you might be able to get more clearance.¡± ¡°Clearance, you say?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that there were such sophisticated protocols surrounding information.¡± ¡°It is to be expected,¡± she remarked. ¡°The information in the student database includes but isn¡¯t limited to background checks, public surveillance reports, disciplinary records, grades, and other things. This isn¡¯t mundane information and is, in fact, information that a lot of people would kill to get when you consider just how high profile some of the students are, whether because of their background.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± C? agreed. ¡°What clearance level would I have?¡± ¡°A level-one clearance,¡± she remarked. ¡°You can access low-priority information that will likely be publicly available. Certain basic academic records will be available to you, including the details you mentioned.¡± ¡°Ah, then that¡¯s good enough,¡± C? reassured her. ¡°I presume that I can only begin exercising my power as a student council member.¡± She nodded, stretching her hand sideways to her desk as a small magic circle appeared before her. Her pupils dilated as the runes in the circle evoked an eidos template in her mind that she altered and fleshed with her imagination while her mana-motive force drove mana to converge with the eidos she had created. And thus, a magic spell was born. WHOOSH A package of books rose and gently glided towards C?, slowing down right before him. CLASP C? grabbed that package with raised eyebrow. ¡°This¡­?¡± ¡°It contains guides for the administrative protocols for the student council,¡± she replied. ¡°Read it. Memorize it to the best of your ability. The rest you will pick up with a day of hands-on training, and the remaining details with experience.¡± It was the smoothest way to get him on track. ¡°I imagine this will take a week to memorize,¡± she remarked. ¡°So, start with simply getting a broad understanding of everything and we will slowly warm you up with everything in the mean-time with hands-on demonstration and experience.¡± ¡°Understood, President Mileila.¡± C? nodded. Her smile grew a little wry. ¡°You don¡¯t need to address me like that, you can just call me Mileila.¡± ¡°Then, you can call me C?,¡± he replied simply, studying the package. ¡°Well then¡­¡± He turned towards her with a nod. ¡°I appreciate the offer and am grateful for the time that you have taken to speak with me. Unfortunately, it seems I have a lot of work, as I¡¯m sure you do too, so I should probably head back home to the dorms and get on top of all of this.¡± ¡°Of course, we can chat more tomorrow.¡± The two of them shook hands before parting ways. C? fell into thought as he pondered about his current situation. ¡°I¡­ am going to become very busy.¡± That was an understatement. He was juggling academics, business, and now the student council simultaneously. He wasn¡¯t going to have even the slightest amount of free time from this point on until one of them let on and gave him some room to breathe. ¡°¡­Business should be more manageable once a certain degree of success is achieved, right?¡± He wasn¡¯t optimistic. A business, especially a new business, was like a newborn baby that required constant attention at pretty much any time of the day. If he didn¡¯t have Mr. Norton on-board, this idea would have been screwed from the very start. ¡°My academics cannot suffer, no matter what.¡± Not because of the grades or the report card. ¡°My mastery of magic cannot fall behind.¡± Magic ran the world. The most powerful people in the world were mages. They were power in its very purest form without any social or legal structure propping them up. If he wanted to destroy the current world order and build a better one, he would need to accrue mastery of magic. ¡®The student council gig is the most unimportant to me.¡¯ Compared to business and academics, the student council gig didn¡¯t contribute to his two agendas of cultivating or mastering magic as much directly. But he knew that there was a good chance that it would be of great use in the future when he wanted to set out on a venture and he had this merit to his name. He would be able to lower the skepticism that he would encounter in his business ventures with the merit. ¡°In order to manage all three perfectly, I will need to be extremely effective, efficient, and productive,¡± his eyes steeled with determination. ¡°Not a single hour of the day can go to waste.¡± Chapter 40: Imprudent Mistakes C? dove into the material immediately, thoroughly familiarizing himself with all the protocols of the student council¡¯s operations and administration. From making reports, records, to other important management protocols. He had to admit. This level of operational detail far exceeded that of anything he had worked with. In comparison to the student council, any operational experience he had gotten from Selvig¡¯s Ristorante was nothing in comparison. It was worth it to understand what it was like to run such an enormous enterprise, such as the Elendir Institute of Magic. What was interesting was that while the student council did indeed have an enormous amount of power, there were failsafes in place to ensure that the worst didn¡¯t happen. For one, the Headmistress possessed the power to veto the student council¡¯s decisions. There was a council of advisors that helped the young magelings navigate through tricky situations when it came to important decision-making. There was also a seasoned staff that was accustomed to the way things ran, which also helped with the new student council members and leaders with their new responsibilities. He spent much of the day after his meeting with President Mileila diving into the reading materials, ingesting all the relevant information. By the next day, he had rolled around and was ready. After classes were over, he immediately headed over to the Student Council Headquarters. CLACK The sheer volume and the grandness of the scope were something that C? felt like he would never get over. A towering working platform for the Student Council that oversaw a vast array of staff and employees employed under the Student Council. It projected power upon anybody who entered the student council. ¡°You must be the newbie.¡± C?¡¯s gaze shifted to his side, glancing at the man who had addressed him. He had a muscular build that was visible despite the elaborate three-piece male student uniform. A domineering physicality that created an unbreachable air around him. A fancy scimitar hung around his waist. Perks of being a member of the student council. His sharp red eyes pierced into C?¡¯s stoic gray eyes as the man sized him up then and there. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t seem like much.¡± C? simply stared at him with a composed gaze. ¡°My name is C?. I was told that I was to be officially inducted into the student council today.¡± The man grunted. ¡°This way.¡± He turned around, gesturing at C? to follow. C? studied the man as he followed the man up the stairs to the elevated floor that housed the actual student council. An array of seats at a large table that oversaw the entirety of the executive wing of the Elendir Institute of Magic. He noted that Mileila¡¯s seat was empty. ¡°Where is President Mileila?¡± He raised an eyebrow. The man snorted. ¡°Far too busy to be dealing with the likes of you.¡± Further behind was a large conference hall with dozens of seats around a table, its walls were plastered with charts detailing important information that the student council used on a frequent basis. On the table was a contract with a pen beside it. A contract featuring his name. The man gestured to the contract with a nod. ¡°Read. Sign.¡± C?¡¯s gaze lingered upon his unfriendly eyes for longer than he intended, before heaving a sigh and directing a glance at the contract. Thankfully, it was only several pages long. He swiftly read through it. A non-disclosure clause. A payment clause. The benefits that President Mileila promised. The duties that she had listed. C? nodded after ten minutes before quickly signing it. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± the man snorted, tossing C? a badge. ¡°Don¡¯t lose that.¡± CLASP He caught it, turning it to read what it read. [Student Council Member C?] ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the man growled. ¡°Your training starts with me. Should I find you lacking, I can have you dismissed, got it?¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. C? simply stared at the man. ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced yourself.¡± The man smiled with arrogance as he swept his glossy golden hair. ¡°I am Narrend Glaystone.¡± He emphasized the last name with a smug tone. C? fell into thought as he stroked his chin. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that family.¡± It was not an insult. No purposeful. C? had genuinely never heard of this family. Unfortunately, that was the wrong way. The man¡¯s expression crumbled with a hint of anger. ¡°Are you insulting the honor of my family, which has produced countless magic swordsmen who are adept at the Swimming Saber Style?!¡± C? tilted his head. ¡°Which style?¡± The man gritted his teeth. His hand moved to the hilt of his sword. All but ready to draw the saber. C?¡¯s eyes grew chilling. One moment, the atmosphere was merely a little cold. The very next day, it had already grown chilly. ¡°Enough.¡± The powerful voice of President Mileila was unyielding. She stood at the door, behind her were several more members of the student council, gazing at the situation with raised eyebrows. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± President Mileila¡¯s golden eyes pierced into his faltering red eyes. All of Narrend¡¯s previous defiance melted into a slop. ¡°P-President¡­!¡± Her body language grew intense. ¡°Narrend.¡± The young man flinched at her fierce tone. ¡°I thought I told you¡­¡± her tone was chilling. ¡°I thought I told you to have him sign the contract and begin basic introduction, did I not?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Miss President.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you care to tell me why you were just about to draw your blade at him?¡± Narrend gritted his teeth. ¡°He insulted my family!¡± President Mileila frowned, turning to C?. ¡°Do you deny that accusation?¡± C? heaved a sigh. ¡°I simply told him that I have not heard of his family name or its swordsmanship style.¡± She turned back to Narrend with a dubious expression. ¡°T-That¡¯s obviously a lie meant to insult me,¡± Narrend fumbled with his words. ¡°After all, who hasn¡¯t heard of my family!¡± They simply stared at him with a judging expression. President Mileila heaved a sigh, before glaring at him. ¡°I¡¯m officially issuing a warning to you as President.¡± Narrend¡¯s eyes widened with shock. She turned towards C? with an apologetic expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, Mr. C?. I will reassign you to another member of the student council. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± She turned around as her eyes swept past them. ¡°I would like to volunteer.¡± The man beside her remarked with a measured tone. C?¡¯s gaze shifted down to his badge. [Vice-President Kiln Minur] The man was lean and thin. His smile was perfunctory while his eyes glinted with a knowing look. Instinctively, C? already didn¡¯t like him. And yet, his body language lacked the refined control that he had come to recognize in those of the wealthy class. He was a commoner. President Mileila had not lied when she said that there was a diverse background of students in her council. She nodded at him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Vice-President Minur.¡± She turned to Narrend with a knitted brow. ¡°For now, leave.¡± The man gritted his teeth, turning towards C? with an angered expression, before departing silently. President Mileila heaved a sigh, turning towards C? with an apologetic expression. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry on his behalf.¡± The student council members behind her stiffened as she bowed her head lightly. C? simply walked up to her with nonchalance, nodding simply. ¡°No need to apologize. Thank you for intervening¡­ Mileila.¡± Another wave of surprise washed over the members standing behind her as their eyes widened. C? froze as he realized he might have stepped on an even bigger landmine. ¡®Shit, was I not supposed to call by her name? But she asked me to goddammit.¡¯ He hated etiquette. He didn¡¯t even know about the concept until after he moved out of the slums, and he had never gotten a full understanding of social cues. And yet, the genuine smile that emerged on her face at hearing her name come out of his mouth paused any attempt to apologize and correct his name. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, C?!¡± The student council members seemed befuddled at her ecstatic response. ¡°Well then, Miss President,¡± Vice President Kiln smiled at her perfunctorily. ¡°I¡¯ll start showing the newbie around. We shouldn¡¯t delay this any longer after all.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Please do.¡± The two men departed from the student council conference room, heading down the staircase. The man¡¯s body language was measured and careful. He didn¡¯t make any unnecessary movements. He was constantly aware of his surroundings. It was only when they left the headquarters that he relaxed a bit. He turned towards C? with a pointed gaze. ¡°You¡¯re too incautious.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. A hint of disapproval appeared on Vice-President Kiln¡¯s face. ¡°Within the span of five minutes, you made two big mistakes. The first was not being able to avoid pissing off a powerful person. The second is that you did something unnecessarily imprudent.¡± ¡°¡­Which was?¡± The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°Calling the heir of one of the ten great families by her first name in an informal manner. Are you trying to get yourself targeted?¡± ¡°¡­By who?¡± The man grew frustrated. ¡°By her family. And other families who are interested in arranging a marriage with her. You have no idea what they will do and what they can get away with. What if one of them decides to kill you in an accident so that there won¡¯t be any chance that you will get in their way?¡± C? stared at him with a flummoxed expression. ¡°I just called her by her name. At her own request. Is that such a big deal?¡± The Vice-President heaved a tired sigh. ¡°In upper class society, there is deep significance in how you address someone. You can¡¯t just call her by her given name, that too without a ¡®lady¡¯ attached before it.¡± C? stared at him with such incredulous sincerity in his eyes that anybody would have come to doubt themselves. ¡°And you on the other hand¡­¡± the man massaged his forehead as he felt a headache coming on. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a last name that she could have addressed you with? She was forced to call you by your first name because you don¡¯t have a last name!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a family,¡± C? replied straightforwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t have a last name to inherit. My mother died immediately after I was born and my father was never there to begin with.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The air grew more awkward than Kiln had anticipated. He heaved a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was a distasteful comment, I had forgotten about your background momentarily. However, you should keep I said in mind. Now, let¡¯s get started with the guide. I hope you have gone through the reading materials you were given.¡± He certainly had. And it reflected. ¡°This is the¡ª¡± ¡°Scheduling division,¡± C? remarked from memory. ¡°Is in charge with managing and arranging the timeline of operations of different departments of the magicademy to ensure that there are no clashes. Keeps the entire institute running smoothly and on time. They rely on a system of¡ª¡± He stirred. ¡°Ah, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt you.¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s good you know that off of the top of your head.¡± That wasn¡¯t all. Vice President Kiln¡¯s eyes widened with a stunned expression as C? displayed perfect recall and a thorough broader grasp of the student council structure, chain of command, various divisions and departments flawlessly. ¡°You even know how to operate the magital mainframe system¡­¡± the Vice President murmured with a profoundly stunned expression. ¡°Is this actually your first time?¡± ¡°There was an entire guide on the mainframe system,¡± C? replied nonchalantly. ¡°One with very detailed instructions.¡± ¡°¡­You read that in one day?¡± ¡°Well, yes.¡± ¡°¡­I see, well. Anybody can do that. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡± C? simply stared at him with dubious eyes for a moment, before heaving a sigh. ¡°Well, now that we have completed our business. Please leave me alone, I have some personal business to attend to.¡± It was time to find what he was looking for. Chapter 41: Non-Magical Engineering ¡°Your pursuit is worthless, Miss Seliphaz.¡± The man sitting in the middle seat of a panel of judges coldly declared. Seliphaz winced under his frosty gaze, shifting uncomfortably in her seat on the other side of the table. She knew she should speak up. She knew she ought to fight back. She knew. And yet¡ª ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice was timid and small. She just grew smaller and smaller in her seat as she lowered her head, her eyes tearing up involuntarily, threatening to fall on her round spectacles. And yet, she couldn¡¯t help but feel profoundly frustrated. At herself, more than anybody else. She had spent a month preparing herself for the Extracurricular Sponsorship Program interview. The interview was meant to be the final stage of the application process, the passing of which would allow her to get the funding she needed for her own engineering ambitions. She had formulated answers for every single question she could dream up of. And yet, when she sat before the panel of stern-eyed interviewers who would have the final say on whether her application would be accepted or not, she found herself choking. The unpleasant tingle of nervousness and panic that lingered around her heart. It choked her. It warped her view of not just the people she was facing but also the room she was in. A plain, well-lit office with a classy modern decor had become a cold, dark interrogation room used for prisoners of war in her eyes. The group of plain, normal interviewers who gave her an earnest chance at making her case became mean and cruel in her eyes. Although the latter was not entirely an illusion. ¡°Mana-Independent engineering?¡± the lead interviewer scoffed with derision as he stroked his pepper-salt mustache. ¡°You want to build things that are not connected to the magigrid? What manner of nonsense is this, might I ask?¡± His tone was courteous enough not to warrant backlash, but it hurt her immensely nonetheless. She was afraid. Of people, in general. She glanced at the lead interviewer, catching a glimpse of his contemptuous eyes. Eyes that rejected everything she had worked for all her academic life. ¡°I-I b-believe that n-non magical engineering can help all of u-us save a lot of magical energy,¡± she squeezed out, stammering her way through a weak rebuttal. ¡°With t-this, we c-can lower our energy consumption and magical pollution a-as well.¡± Her breathing grew labored as she managed to squeeze out the rationale that had driven her to invest in up-skilling in this niche branch of engineering. It was easy enough to manufacture enchanted items that required a continuous supply of energy from either the magigrid or a frequent supply of mana stones. Yet, that caused the consumption of energy to balloon exponentially as each sector of magitechnology operated with the presumption of a stable supply of magical energy. This was especially the case for construction where the final product would continuously consume energy almost at all moments in time. She, on the other hand, sought to try and pursue a field of engineering that allowed her to create products that could function without necessarily consuming a large supply of energy. That didn¡¯t mean that absolutely no magic was used when producing the product, just that after the product was complete, it could be used without any need for a stable supply of magic energy. She firmly believed in the merits of her chosen field. But unfortunately, not everybody appreciated her niche, albeit thoughtful choice. ¡°A little over a hundred years have passed since the magindustrial revolution began,¡± the head interviewer snorted as he stroked his mustache. ¡°The mass production of enchanted goods is the very foundation of modern civilization. What sense is there in defying the foundation of our world? It¡¯s a fool¡¯s venture if you ask me, this ¡®mana-independent engineering.¡¯ There is a reason that this is a niche, and it simply is not something that we see the merit in sponsoring.¡± THWACK This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He slammed her application on the table, earning a flinch from her, as he directed a frosty gaze of disapproval at her. ¡°Rejected.¡± Her expression crumbled with disappointment. She tried not to burst into tears in front of them, quietly collecting her materials as she left the room in a hurry after thanking them for their time and consideration, and bidding them goodbye. She walked across the corridors of the senior wing of the Elendir Institute of Magic with a dejected demeanor and body language. Her head lowered as a shadow covered her eyes. ¡°Miss Seliphaz?¡± A male voice jolted her out of her reverie as she found herself standing in front of a man. He towered over her at six feet as she found herself staring at his chest. What she saw when she gazed up at his face shook her. His face was scarred. Scars that ran down his neck. His pupils were dichromatic, his left eye was a darker shade of gray while his right eye was much lighter, so much so that the Iris seemed to partially blend in with the rest of his eye in a disturbing fashion. His expression was stoic. His eyes were impassive. His body language was stoic. Everything about him inspired fear in her. ¡°Miss Selipha¡ª¡± ¡°T-Thug! There¡¯s a thug in the magicademy!¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± C? froze as she accused him of being a thug. Her yelps for help drew the attention of other students who immediately gathered around him with a highly suspicious gaze. The worst part was that all of them were senior students who in a different wing of the magicademy. It meant that none of them had even seen him before during freshman transfers or during his honors student addressal. In their eyes, all they saw was a man who looked like he came straight from the mafia to infiltrate the magicademy. ¡°What did you do to her?!¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°What business do you have here?¡± ¡°Are you really a student of the magicademy?¡± They surrounded him, bombarding him with questions as they sized him up. ¡°You¡¯re wearing an apprentice uniform but you don¡¯t like a sixteen year old to me!¡± one student growled at him. ¡°An apprentice student has no reason to even be here in the first place!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to infiltrate the magicademy, do it better!¡± C? groaned inwardly as many people, including professors and even staff employees, began growing suspicious of this strange mafia man who had entered the senior wing to harass a female student. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A powerful female voice cleaved through the growing wave of heated chatter in the crowd. The people in the crowd froze at her command as they slowly turned to behold the President of the Student Council, shifting aside a tuft of her green hair with a displeasure. ¡°Step aside from him at this very moment.¡± Her tone was unyielding. Her golden gaze bore heavy on these around him as they cowered, quietly adhering to her words. She walked over to C?, gesturing to him with a hand as she directed a sweeping gaze across the other students. ¡°This is the newest member of the Student Council, C?.¡± Their complexions visibly darkened as they realized that they had essentially been harassing the student council. ¡°A-A-Ah¡­¡± Seliphaz short-circuited as her eyes grew hazy and her knees gave out. She collapsed unconscious. Falling straight into C? before her, who gently caught her dainty body with troubled eyes. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± President Mileila heaved a troubled sigh. ¡°Could you please carry her to the medical ward on this floor, C?? I¡¯m sorry to ask this of you after you got into such a mess because of her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all,¡± C? gently lifted her in his arms, before turning towards the President with a nod. ¡°Thank you, Mileila.¡± He stiffened immediately after he uttered her first name. That, too, in front of so many people. They froze at his informal and intimate manner of addressing her. And she simply smiled genuinely at hearing her name being uttered by another person. ¡°Not at all, C?. This is the bare minimum I can do to help one of my own.¡± She nodded at him before walking away from the place with a pleased body language. Everybody else turned back to him with a peering gaze. C? simply heaved an exasperated sigh before departing from the place with unconscious Seliphaz in his arms. His eyebrow twitched as he watched the young woman drool on his custom tailor-made institute uniform. ¡°You better be worth this, miss.¡± Shortly after his training with Vice-President Kiln, he had gained access to the mainframe system, immediately logging into the student body database, containing the academic profiles of each and every single student enrolled in the entire magicademy. From then on, it was just a matter of searching for the profile that he was looking for based on the conditions he had for the product development of his micro-housing unit. It had just been an attempt at checking out the possibility of in-house development of the product. If he didn¡¯t find even the slightest lead or possibility, then he would most likely default back to the same but costlier option of outsourcing product development to the professionals. But he did. He glanced at the girl in his arms. Seliphaz Nermandel She was a commoner who had just barely gotten accepted into the Colohen Branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic and had immediately chosen the sub-field of non-magical engineering. Engineering that sought to produce outcomes that didn¡¯t require a continuous supply of mana. This could be done with a combination of fields of magic and outside it, including but not limited to alchemy, the field of change in matter through magic, as well as several other fields such as mana-material science, which studied the properties of substances that innately bestowed with mana. C? realized that she had the skill-set needed to help him develop micro-housing units that were mana-independent and didn¡¯t require an influx of magical energy. On top of that, she had expressed an inclination towards commercial endeavors. She had applied to the Extra-curricular Sponsorship program that would give her the necessary venture magicapita to start her own business venture with trying to engineer products that would be of help to people without draining magical energy incessantly. If she had been a research-oriented type who simply chased after grants and funds, he would not have even considered her. But from everything he saw in her profile, she ticked all the checkboxes that he had in mind, at least on paper. But he needed to have a firm talk with her and discuss the nuances of her competencies, her interests, and her ambitions and measure compatibility. Even if they were compatible, there was a very good chance that she would reject his offer. After all, there were many, many commercial avenues of opportunity to her simply by virtue of being a student of the Elendir Institute of Magic. Why on Alaria would she go for a niche and highly novel start-up out of all the possibilities she had on hand. But before they could even have a talk and he could even get to that part, she thought he was a mafia thug infiltrating the school and then simply passed out after realizing that he was a member of the student council. If not for the fact that he himself was the one being subjected to this, he would have laughed at such a ridiculous story. Instead, he simply dropped the woman off at the medical ward, informing a nurse before leaving home for the day. ¡°Feidin will laugh his head off when I tell him this story.¡± Chapter 42: Meeting The next day, as C? was returning back to the dorm after class with Sorenon, Natana, and Kelton buzzing by his side, he paused as he heard his name being called. ¡°M-Mr. C?!¡± It was a familiar voice. He turned around to spot none other than Seliphaz Nermandel. Her breathing was ragged and exhausted as she leaned on her knees, wiping sweat from her forehead. It took her several seconds to catch her breath as she readjusted her misaligned glasses, before shifting a tuft of her blue hair out of her face. Kelton and Sorenon studied her with a curious expression while Natana glanced back and forth between C? and the older senior student, trying to ascertain their relationship. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that you have recovered from your collapse yesterday, Miss Seliphaz,¡± C? regarded her with a friendly tone. ¡°I hope you¡¯re feeling better.¡± ¡°I-I am, thank you very much!¡± she began with a vigorous tone. ¡°T-Thank you for carrying me to the medical ward while I was unconscious! And¡­¡± She lowered her head in apology. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for mistaking you as a mafia thug!¡± Kelton grinned as he struggled to contain his laughter while Sorenon simply tilted his head with a hint of confusion. Natana, on the other hand, was more focused on the ¡®carrying me¡¯ part. C? simply raised a hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I suppose the reaction is a little understandable, given my unsightly visage. It was resolved quickly enough by Mileila, so there was no problem.¡± Natana reacted to both his statement about his appearance and his addressing of the Student Council President by her given name so informally. ¡°T-That¡¯s not true at all!¡± she chided him lightly, before her cheeks flushed red. ¡°Your features have a very mysterious and dark allure to them!¡± Natana nodded with firm agreement. His expression grew bemused and skeptical. He wasn¡¯t sure why she was lying, perhaps to try and make him feel better because she called him a thug? There was nothing pretty about a face mangled with scars and a damaged iris that was an eerie light shade of grey. ¡°You are very kind,¡± he replied with a small, brief smile that faded away as quickly as it came. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m glad that we are finally able to speak. I had approached you because I wanted to speak to you about your specializations and to make you an offer, if you are interested.¡± Her face lit up at his words. ¡°Yes! I most certainly am interested! I-I also want to make it up to you for the mess I created yesterday.¡± ¡°Well, in that case¡­¡± C? stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Why don¡¯t we meet up at the school cafeteria for dinner tonight? It¡¯s an elaborate matter that I can¡¯t really discuss standing here.¡± Natana turned towards him with an aghast expression. ¡°A d-date?!¡± C? frowned as he turned to the girl. ¡°It¡¯s just a meeting. Don¡¯t say strange stuff.¡± She winced under his gaze, nodding with a dejected expression. C? turned towards Seliphaz as his eyebrows knitted. Her cheeks were flushed red. ¡°¡­Miss Seliphaz?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s ok, we can have dinner together.¡± C? simply gazed at her with a strange expression. ¡°It¡¯s a business meeting, I don¡¯t intend to discuss anything academic or personal at all,¡± C? informed her. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your academics. At least, not directly for the academic stuff itself.¡± Her expression lit up with a hint of confusion. ¡°Business?¡± C? nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss a business venture with you, one that I¡¯m working on.¡± Her green eyes lit up with surprise. ¡°A b-business venture? Aren¡¯t you in the apprentice program?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She was surprised with that, but readily nodded. ¡°T-Then, let¡¯s meet up at the Institute cafeteria tonight. The two of them bid each other goodbye before parting ways. ¡°Big brother C?, who was that?!¡± Kelton asked with a curious expression. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were starting a business,¡± Sorenono remarked with an intrigued expression. ¡°What are you going to talk to her about?¡± C? heaved a sigh of exasperation. ¡°Just a business venture I¡¯m working on¡­¡± He straightforwardly explained what kind of business he would be working on, earning their fascination. ¡°I never took you for a businessman,¡± Kelton murmured. ¡°You always seemed more like a magetant to me!¡± ¡°So you plan to hire her for her skill-set.¡± Sorenon thoughtfully remarked. ¡°Ah, so it truly is purely business¡­¡± Natana heaved a sigh of relief. C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°I like to think that was very clear in the conversation.¡± He indulged the adolescents as they made their way back to the dorm, before isolating himself in his dorm room and immediately getting to work. The academic pressure on him began escalating tremendously a week into the academic year of the Elendir Institute of Magic. Especially when he juggled student council matters while also making time to do the research needed to finalize the decision for whether he wanted to pursue production in-house or outsource it. The week deadline that he had set for himself was rapidly approaching. He needed to iron out a decision soon. If his talks with Seliphaz didn¡¯t go well, then he would simply give up on in-house development and outsource it to professionals. Yet, he saw her potential in her. She specialized in the necessary fields with an express interest in mana-independent engineering, which was one of the prime factors that he was looking for, and why he was reluctant to go to conventional development magitech companies. All engineering in the modern world was centered around the premise of enchanting magical effects into the magineered product that would require an influx of magical energy. He needed somebody who could engineer functional products without enchanting energy-consumption as a requirement. Later that night, C? dressed up casually with clothes that Mrs. Selvig had had him buy before he departed for the Elendir Institute of Magic. A white t-shirt with an over-shirt and a simple black pair of pants. STEP He arrived at the Institute cafeteria ahead of time, directing a sweeping gaze across the entire place. ¡®This is a cafeteria in name only.¡¯ In reality, it was a massive luxury buffet restaurant with a wide array of spacious seats, enough to accommodate the entirety of the student and staff body. Leather chairs and tables made out of a premium wood, while chandeliers hung from the ceiling, lighting up the entire cafeteria in their golden glow. A large army of waiters and waitresses swiftly crossed the entire restaurant, taking orders and serving dishes. ¡°H-Hi!¡± he heard Seliphaz calling out to him from behind him, drawing attention. ¡°Did I keep you waiting?¡± She was dressed in a casual t-shirt and skirt that matched the color of her blue hair. Her expression flustered at meeting somebody from the Institute without her student uniform on. ¡°Not at all,¡± C? replied with a composed tone. ¡°I just got here myself, let¡¯s have a seat¡­ there.¡± He pointed at a more isolated part of the cafeteria in the corner, without as many tables nearby. Her cheeks flushed as she simply nodded. The two of them sat down before ordering some food. ¡°¡­I-I am surprised,¡± she stammered with a flustered expression. ¡°I thought you were a really scary person, but you¡¯re actually very¡­ normal.¡± C? raised an eyebrow with a bemused expression. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. I will admit that our first interaction was¡­ not what I¡¯d expected.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry about that! P-Please forgive me!¡± She lowered her head apologetically. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to discomfort you like that,¡± C? raised his hands. ¡°It¡¯s just that when I read about how niche your specialization was, I expected running into someone very bold.¡± She smiled self-deprecatingly at his words. ¡°¡­I did indeed choose a very divergent path, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, yes. But in my opinion, that is a good thing. The world has enough magineers as it is, what we need are engineers who don¡¯t try to solve every problem with magic,¡± C? replied. ¡°It will only cause us to hunger for more and more energy while depriving those without access to that energy will lack even the most basic amenities of modern civilization.¡± He spoke from experience. The slums were essentially a century behind the rest of civilization. Those living within them essentially never even experienced the benefits of the Magindustrial Revolution. The more the world focused on enchantments, the more the people in the slums would suffer. Her smile grew bittersweet and melancholic. ¡°You see, my father lived his life in the slums.¡± She spoke with a heavy tone. One that weighed down on the atmosphere. ¡°Even when my parents had me, we were just barely within the inner city, living a humble but relatively modern life,¡± she continued with a hint of sorrow in her tone. ¡°The slums were always just around the corner for us. And as bad as we had it¡­¡± Her expression fell even further, ¡°¡­they had it even worse.¡± C? simply listened to her wordlessly. ¡°When I scored very high on the magic aptitude test, just enough to get into this magicademy, I was thrilled.¡± Her smile was bittersweet. ¡°I wanted to make life better for people who had gone through what I had gone through. And those who lived through much worse than I have had to. I suppose that has played an important role in my decision to choose such a niche¡­¡± She stirred out of her immersion as she grew flustered under his intense stare. ¡°S-Sorry, you probably didn¡¯t want to hear all that.¡± C? simply gazed at her with greater respect in his eyes. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m even more certain of wanting you on-board with my business venture.¡± ¡°E-Eh?! Isn¡¯t that quick?!¡± C? found her flustered panic to be rather adorable. ¡°Let me explain,¡± C? calmly replied. ¡°Once I explain what my business venture is, you will understand why I want you on our team, if you are willing to explore the possibility further.¡± And thus, he explained his business idea, model, and strategy to her. Her eyes lit up with surprise as he explained that was targeting the slums and why he was targeting the slums. He explained to her what kind of product he was aiming to create and what kind of specialists he needed. By the time he was done, she looked amazed. ¡°¡­I see,¡± she murmured. ¡°N-No wonder you were looking for me. Based on everything you have described, I am perfectly suited to aiding with the product that you have described.¡± A micro-housing unit that functioned without needing any energy input. Enchants were automatically gone with that requirement, leaving someone like her for the job. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of any housing company try to create a product that is entirely devoid of magic,¡± she told him with a thoughtful tone. And yet, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that his decision to approach her was truly well-thought. She specialized in alchemy, mana-material science, and structural engineering. Alchemy allowed her to develop new materials and substances with special properties that could be used to diversify the kind of engineering products that could be created from it. Mana-material science gave her an in-depth knowledge of the vast variety of substances and materials that possessed mana and had magical properties as a result. Structural engineering allowed her to leverage these fields to produce remarkable outcomes without even the slightest need for any magical energy supplied to it. She was perfectly equipped to take on the project of developing the micro-housing unit that C? had in mind. Chapter 43: Decision She understood why he sought her. ¡°Why¡­¡± she began with a heavier tone. ¡°Why did you choose the slums for your market in the first place?¡± Her nervousness disappeared as she gazed at him with her clear green eyes. C?¡¯s eyes narrowed. He had explained why from a business strategy point of view. He had explained to her that there was untapped latent demand for secure and functional housing that hadn¡¯t been touched due to a variety of reasons. And yet, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t talking about that. C? heaved a sigh. ¡°My motivations are many-fold. Among them is indeed monetary profit, but that isn¡¯t all¡­¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°Do you wonder how I even stumbled into such a niche market of untapped potential in the first place?¡± Her eyes lit up with thoughtful curiosity. ¡°¡­I was struck with this business strategy after I nearly died as a decrepit structure in the slums crumbled down upon me.¡± Her eyes widened with a stunned expression. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I returned to the slums after my accident a year ago destroyed my entire life,¡± he remarked with an impassive tone. ¡°That was when the accident happened. Poor infrastructure is a reality of the slums. It is a reality that I have lived in my entire life.¡± ¡°Y-You¡­ you¡¯re from the slums?¡± she gazed at him, taken aback with the realization. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know that! I¡¯m really sorry for questioning your motivations!¡± C? hid his disapproval from her. The fact that she didn¡¯t already know about this showed that she had failed to do basic research into him even after he told her that he had a business offer. The fact that she just believed him when he told her that was also not something he was particularly pleased by. She was gullible. It was entirely possible that he had just made up that entire story just now as a sob story to get her to buy into his business. If he were speaking to her for a business role, he would have already dropped her from his consideration. He didn¡¯t need someone so gullible and naive in charge of his business. Thankfully, he was scouting her for a potential in-house product development department in his soon-to-be company. Her gullibility in interpersonal relations would not affect her performance in the role that he was looking to hire her for. Lead developer in a yet-to-exist Department of Research and Development. Even though she was in her final year in the Senior Program at twenty-five years old, she was actually probably the best hire he could get his hands on with the little effort and time he had put into finding her. Of course, the only reason he had found her was because he got himself into the Student Council, which required him to spend a good time of his days each day dealing with the entirety of the mess. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for assuming that you did this for profits at the cost of the poor.¡± She lowered her head. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± C? calmly replied. ¡°No, I was wrong to¡ª¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong.¡± She froze as he calmly cut her off. He steepled his fingers as he leaned forward. His stoic gaze peered into her stunned green eyes. ¡°At least, not entirely. I did not undertake this project because my heart was bleeding with empathy for the poor people of the slums.¡± She did a double-take as he calmly admitted his profit-minded motivations, gazing at him with a hint of disbelief. ¡°I undertook this business venture with the primary motive of making money,¡± he told with brutal honesty. ¡°I have no intention of deceiving you. So I¡¯m being completely honest with you. I don¡¯t particularly care about the people of the slums.¡± There was no kinship or unity between the people of the slums. Even as a child, he had fended for himself. His hatred for the slums growing up and his subsequent desire to move into the slums did not come out of thin air. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°However¡­¡± he continued while Celiphaz stared at him, speechless. ¡°Here¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± His eyes sharpened. ¡°What part of my business strategy sounded like it was ¡®at the cost of the poor?¡¯¡± The question broke her out of her silence as she grew flustered at having been put on the spot. ¡°W-Well¡­ you¡¯re charging them a lot of money, right?¡± ¡°The price is high enough that only the top ten percent of the slums can purchase it.¡± ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t you be able to help more people if you lowered the price by half?¡± It was the dumbest thing C? had ever heard. ¡°No, actually,¡± he replied with a composed tone. ¡°We already are operating with low profit margins. If we reduced the price any lower, it would be impossible to earn a profit. If we can¡¯t earn a profit, then we can¡¯t continue our business. If we can¡¯t continue our business, then we can¡¯t help people with our housing.¡± She stirred in her seat with discomfort. ¡°Y-You could apply for the extra-curricular program?¡± He wanted to scoff in her face. ¡°A one-time payment will not last long, besides, why will they sponsor a business that deliberately makes losses?¡± He already had a deal to get them with the Headmistress, but that was beside the point. He was also bound by NDA. He didn¡¯t want to find out what that principal would do to him if he blabbed about their deal. Celiphaz, on the other hand, naive as she was, understood the point he was trying to make. There was no such thing as absolute charity in the world. It was foolish to expect such a thing. ¡°Businesses use their observation and experience to understand people¡¯s needs and desires, and then use creativity to come up with a solution that can help them,¡± C? explained with a gentler tone. ¡°A lot of problems in the world have been solved because of this mechanism.¡± It also gave rise to a divide between capital and labor that disenfranchised the latter and ultimately led to half the population living in slums, but he didn¡¯t mention that. She lowered her head as she fell into thought. ¡°People will not help others if people are unable to help themselves by doing so,¡± C? kept his tone soft. ¡°You will find one saint in a thousand people, but you will find businessmen everywhere.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°We have a very small profit percentage for the reasons I mentioned. We are working on a product that the people of the slums need. They need safe housing. They need protection from the elements.¡± She smiled with a bittersweet smile. ¡°I appreciate you for being honest.¡± C? nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to deceive you in my attempt to win you over. I believe in transparency and honesty in the foundation of our relationship.¡± She grew flustered by his candor. ¡°T-Thank you. I will¡­ consider what your words.¡± ¡°Your appetizers, my lady, sir,¡± a waiter better dressed than either of them placed several dishes on the table. It gave Celiphaz the reprieve as she thought about his words. She understood that he was going out of his way to show that he was operating in good faith. He could very easily have tried to deceive her by agreeing with her statements about him doing it in good faith. Even if she found out about the money-minded nature of the company later on, it would have been after he had gotten from her what he needed. And yet, he chose to forgo short-term benefits. Her eyebrows knitted with a flustered expression. Didn¡¯t that mean¡­? ¡°I want to cultivate a long-term business relationship with you,¡± C? confirmed her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in entering a temporary arrangement with you. If you accept my business offer, you will have to do so with the commitment to our business.¡± His tone was solemn. Sincere. He gazed at her with his dichromatic gray eyes. For a moment, she wasn¡¯t sure what to say. She gazed away with a flustered nervousness. ¡°I-I could get a much better job at other magitech companies and firms, you know?¡± Nice try. Unfortunately, she was transparent. ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you?¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re in your final year, right? Which means you¡¯re mostly done and are probably getting internship offers left and right. You probably have taken at least one for the sake of experience. So¡­¡± C? shrugged lightly. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you?¡± With her status as a senior student of the Elendir Institute of Magic, she could get a posh job with her own office and her own lab to lead. And yet, here she was begging the extra-curricular sponsorship program for funds to try and start her own venture of some sorts. From that he could deduce that she had most likely rejected these jobs. If she was after money, work environment, and luxury, she would have taken them in a heartbeat. Most likely, there were things she was unwilling to compromise. His insightful mind had already put two and two together. ¡°You want to pursue something that puts your full skillset to good use, don¡¯t you?¡± She winced at his words. He had hit the mark. As someone who has specialized in mana-independent engineering in a magitechnological age where magical energy and enchants were the name of the game, she had often been reduced to a minor piece. She played the side role in projects where magineers and enchanters were up front and center. She was most certainly undervalued despite putting in an immense amount of hard work to get to the point where she was. Nine years in the Elendir Institute of Magic from the age of sixteen all the way to twenty-five. C? didn¡¯t even blame her for not wanting to get a job in such a market environment. ¡°But that¡¯s not all,¡± C? continued with an insightful tone. ¡°You dislike magitech industry, don¡¯t you? You dislike their shareholder value maximization, don¡¯t you?¡± She shuffled in her seat uncomfortably. ¡°I-I have seen what they are willing to compromise on. I just¡­ can¡¯t work such people. They say pretty things, but when the time comes, the only thing they care about is money.¡± Her tone was bitter. A small smile emerged on her face. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who has been honest with me. But¡­¡± She stirred with thought, ¡°¡­I j-just have a hard time believing in what you were saying. I don¡¯t trust that this isn¡¯t some¡­ you know, marketing trick.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. His opinion of her had improved. She wasn¡¯t nearly as naive as he had expected her to be. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you become a part owner in our yet to be business?¡± C?¡¯s tone was entirely composed and matter-of-factly. ¡°That way, you have some say over the way the business is run and our values as an enterprise. Not to mention, you will have much greater agency over the product being developed and will be up front and center, you know?¡± ¡°E-Ehhhh?!¡± Her nervous reaction drew eyes from those around them, seated in tables that were just some distance away. The students directed a puzzle gaze at her, making her even more self-conscious. ¡°Ngh¡­¡± she groaned with an embarrassed expression as she sank into her luxury chair, wishing that the world would open up and swallow her whole. C? heaved a sigh as he waited for the woman to recollect her calm and composure once more. It also gave her time to think and consider his proposal as she mentally recovered from the psychological blow that her social anxiety gave her. He simply patiently waited for her answer. ¡°I¡­ I think I will accept your offer.¡± A smile emerged on his face. Chapter 44: And Just Like That It was a rushed decision. She had no idea if any word he uttered was true. And yet, she had accepted his offer anyway. That was fine with C?. He didn¡¯t particularly care enough to hold her hand and tell her she should be more prudent. He would be honest and transparent about his intentions and motivations, but that was it. Frankly, he had made the equity offer a bit spontaneously and rashly, but it was fine. He didn¡¯t particularly mind. She was talented and skilled, and exactly what he needed, on top of that, if he didn¡¯t go with her, he would incur greater costs with a third-party magitech company. That was why he ultimately decided to bite the bullet and get away with choosing a route that was more attractive. He didn¡¯t want to rely on third parties. He wanted this business to truly be his own. ¡°Good,¡± C? nodded with a friendly nod. ¡°I¡¯m glad to have you on-board. We will have to meet up with Feidin, the other owner of the yet-to-exist company so that we can discuss our relative arrangements in more detail. But to begin with, I intend to give you complete free reign over the product as long as you adhere to constraints and conditions that I set.¡± C? raised a finger. ¡°First, the price of the micro-housing unit cannot exceed one thousand leenars.¡± He raised another finger. ¡°It needs to be able to protect people from the extreme weather and climate that Elendir experiences.¡± He raised a third finger. ¡°It needs to be mana-independent.¡± He raised a fourth finger. ¡°It needs to have the lifespan of eighteen months at most.¡± Her eyes widened at his words. ¡°W-Why that last condition?¡± He simply gazed at her like she was naive. ¡°So that our customers keep coming back.¡± She frowned at his words. Yet, he didn¡¯t intend to relent on this constraint. Product mortality was something that companies engaged in to preserve demand for their goods and services so that their customers kept coming back for more. Customers hated it. The consumer market hated it. But unfortunately, he didn¡¯t see any other option for this business to survive. He could only offer limited value for a limited price. ¡°¡­Fine, b-but only if there is no alternative,¡± she replied with a nervous determination as she gazed at him with her green eyes. ¡°Done,¡± C? replied. ¡°The other constraints are also the absolute necessities. I will discuss the later details with you at another date. Rest assured we will give you everything that you need to work in a good lab and environment.¡± She tilted her head with a flustered hint of confusion. ¡°W-Why don¡¯t we just use the magicademy labs?¡± C? paused for a moment as he stopped his reflex to tell her that it was not allowed. He actually wasn¡¯t sure if it was allowed. Students in the Senior Program were allowed to use the facilities and amenities with much greater leeway than those of the Apprentice Program. C?¡¯s eyes lit up with a hint of excitement. The labs of the magineering department of the Elendir Institute of Magic were first rate within the nation. There would probably be no better place than to do all their development and testing than in the Institute itself. This would drastically improve the quality of the end product. ¡°Unfortunately, it won¡¯t be possible to allow our yet-to-be-hired employees within the magicademy but¡­¡± C? grew engrossed in the matter. ¡°That can be handled. You can coordinate all the testing with them remotely. But that will be a larger burden on you¡­¡± She straightened her back. ¡°I-I can handle it!¡± He gazed into her determined green eyes with intrigue. ¡°If you¡¯re that certain¡­ then sure.¡± Her smile lit up with bright alacrity. ¡°I-I will make sure to live up to my words!¡± C? nodded. He was a little concerned about whether she was fit to be the head developer as far as her personality and temperament went. The lead needed to have spine, confidence, and leadership, and she certainly was lacking in all aspects. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. However, he knew that he was lucky to even have her on-board. He still had no idea why she had agreed so quickly, perhaps it was sentiment to what he was trying to achieve with the slums. Or perhaps she was more desperate to have her skills recognized. Perhaps she felt bad for the incident she had caused. Regardless, he was glad that he had managed to get her on-board this easily. The conversation proceeded as they ironed out the details of their agreement. C? gave her the same amount of equity that he had offered to Feidin. The reason that he wanted her to get so involved in the project was that it was good for the project¡¯s long-term development in the future, with greater iterations that would improve smoothly. She would be able to do more to improve it than someone new, no matter how well they developed it. Thus, he added many incentives for her loyalty and made it more profitable to remain with the company in the long-term. ¡°T-Thank you for the talk and the offer!¡± she smiled at him nervously as she shifted a tuft of her blue hair away from her circular spectacles. ¡°I look forward to meeting with your business partner. I hope we can get along.¡± C? nodded in a friendly manner. ¡°¡­I have a feeling you two will get along.¡± The two were very similar to each other in their mannerisms. And thus, he bid her goodbye as he returned home. Unless Feidin found some major flaw in her, it was very unlikely that the arrangement would fail to go through. For the most part, his business venture was starting to fall into place. He had chosen the in-house development and had even found the lead developer. On top of that, he had managed to lower developmental costs of the company by using the labs of the Elendir Institute of Magic. With this, they could commence the product development. Once the product development was completed, they could understand the cost of production per unit. They could understand what the supply chains were and what kind of fixed magicapita, such as machines, assembly lines etc, they would need. They would have a fleshed out understanding of the process of production. Then, the operations could be fine-tuned around these requirements. Once the operations were fine-tuned, then all the labor and management aspects of the business could be completed, followed by tertiary aspects of the business such as marketing, among other things. And then, they could commence the sales. C?¡¯s eyes lit up with enthusiasm as his vast and vivid imagination fleshed out the entirety of the developmental trajectories of the business foundation. It had been more than half a year since he first came up with the idea of tapping into the slums'' latent demand for stable and secure housing. Half a year later, he had business partners, funding, and a place to conduct product R&D. This might have seemed like a very slow ride, but in reality, it was a decent pace. This was the reality of business. Unless one had a lot of magicapita, one would need to spend a lot of time strengthening the foundation of one¡¯s business before it was time to commence sales. Many laymen didn¡¯t understand that businesses needed to be treated like growing children. Their growth to maturity could not be rushed, not without a lot of money. Else there would be a price to pay. Regardless, he was happy that he had finally reached this stage in his business development. ¡°The most essential parts of my job are complete.¡± His strengths were the gifts he got with his Acquired Savant Syndrome. Creating business strategies that were extremely novel and beyond what people would normally conceive of. Defying established paradigms to such an extraordinary degree was something that very few people dared to, after all. It was extremely ill-advised. Most businesses that went for the supreme novelty ended up failing miserably. An overwhelming majority of businesses played safe by utilizing tried and tested strategies to etch out their place in the market and earn stable revenues. C?, on the other hand, was not. And he had the gifts needed to defy all paradigms and still come out on top with his Acquired Savant Syndrome. His task came at the very beginning of business development rather than later when things had already been established and fleshed out. For this particular business, he had already completed his most time-consuming commitments with the business. ¡°Now I have more time to dedicate to my academics.¡± He hadn¡¯t forgotten about his agenda of mastering magic. It wasn¡¯t just enough to cultivate magicapita, he needed to master the power he got from them. ¡°When the business commences, I will have to become extremely involved in its day to day affairs.¡± That was why he needed to make substantial progress with his magic mastery before it was time to launch his new business. He needed to ensure that his mastery of magic was covered in the span of time when he didn¡¯t have any other commitments. ¡°¡­Product development, operational establishment, labor, inventory, base, supply chains, marketing, and sales,¡± he murmured aloud. ¡°Should take around a year at least.¡± Especially since they were starting this business from absolute scratch. ¡°One year¡­ should just barely be enough.¡± He had already made the resolution to finish the Apprentice Program in the very first year. He had no intention of wasting any more time amid teenagers. His eyes flared with determination. ¡°Time to grind.¡± And just like that, he began immersing himself into magic, immersing himself in not just theory but also training the practicals. He didn¡¯t want to become a magic scholar that would simply shift his eyeglasses and act like he simply knew better than everybody else. He wanted power. Time passed as he focused on making the best of the business development phase, which began slowly but steadily developing. Unsurprisingly, Feidin and Seliphaz got along very well with how similar their temperaments were. Feidin began monitoring the minutiae of the yet-to-be business. They had delayed registering until the last moment so that they could fit into a governmental scheme that was limited to businesses only three months after they were created. Feidin spent most of his time focused on business development, preparing for operations and management, as when he learned something new from Celiphaz, who began working on the product development in an extremely dedicated manner. The facilities of the Elendir Institute of Magic helped a lot with its extremely high-grade facilities and labs, allowing her to make a remarkable amount of progress very quickly compared to if she was using lesser labs that were rented for use. She was also pressured by the fact that she didn¡¯t particularly have a lot of time. This was her last year in the Elendir Institute of Magic as a senior student, which meant she would no longer have access to the magical labs once she graduated. Simultaneously, his magic mastery progressed. C?¡¯s mastery of magia and the cultivation of his mana-motive force continued growing stronger and stronger with each passing day. He began grinding aggressively, swiftly blazing past progress that would have taken his peers much longer to achieve as he resolved to hit the next stage in his magic mastery. All of them worked hard to complete their respective tasks in the timeline they had set for themselves. And just like that, half a year passed. Chapter 45: Signs of a Genius Much had happened in the span of half a year. The business developed reasonably smoothly as Feidin fleshed out an organizational and management structure while Celiphaz had begun developing the micro-housing unit prototypes. C?, on the other hand, had immersed himself in magic. As the time passed, theory began growing increasingly sparse as the students gained a foundation in their understanding of magic. Mastering magic became increasingly important. The students began spending more time on their eidos mastery, relying on the Memory Model of Eidos to master runes that would help them weave eidos through triggered associated memories. Magia was a vast, vast language with countless runes created by various mages of the past. No one man or woman had entirely mastered Magia, not even the most powerful Magi. Every mage needed to choose what kind of magic they wanted to master, whether it was healing, combat magic, artificing, enchanting, and so on, and begin learning the runes associated with the field. The Apprentice Program merely exposed them to these fields in theory, it was far too soon to actually begin pursuing any of these fields when they had yet to fully gain a foundation in the field of magic. For now, they were all still struggling to cast the most basic types of magic. ¡°Focus.¡± The professor¡¯s voice was calm. Soothing. ¡°Magic requires the simultaneous convergence of form and physicality. You cannot cast it easily.¡± The man walked across a training hall with dozens of students, each seated in their own compartments. His overcoat and wizardly robes gently swaying with his movements, as directed, swept a sweeping gaze across the students. ¡°Focus on any of the three tasks before you.¡± Before each of them were three items. An enchanted projector projecting a three-dimensional projection of a transparent cube hovering midair. A house of cards. And ice in a cooling containment. On each of them were magic circles. Within each circle, a different shape was embedded. A square, triangle, and a pentagon, respectively, with several runes aligned within them. ¡°The three Fundamental Forms are the very foundation of magic,¡± the professor reminded with his gentle tone. ¡°Without gaining proficiency in them, it is impossible to master magic. It takes time, effort, and perseverance. Do not let failure impede you.¡± His words led to a renewal of efforts from the various students. The three Fundamental Forms referred to the three categories of eidos based on the outcome. A vast majority of magic could be divided into three fundamental categories. Manipulation. Change. Conjuration. These three encompassed a vast majority of magic that often boiled to one or more of these fundamental categories, leading to their official recognition and classification as some of the very foundations of eidos. Of course, there was plenty of magic that wasn¡¯t exclusively comprised of these three Fundamental Forms, but they were beyond the Apprentice Program. The three Fundamental Forms were not only, well, fundamental, but were also the easiest to master. They were associated not with runes but with the very structure of the magic circle. Manipulation was associated with a triangle. Change was associated with a square. And conjuration was associated with a pentagon. These shapes were also part of the hypnosis program, and were strongly associated with the phenomena of manipulation, change, and conjuration. When embedded in a magic circle, they could allow mages to evoke eidos of these respective fundamental forms, allowing them to cast magic of said category. The three items before them were three exercises. Manipulate the cards enough to make the house of cards fall apart. Change the ice to melt. Conjure the cube as projected. These were the three exercises associated with the three Fundamental Forms, offering the bare minimum as far as each exercise went. ¡°Do not rush yourselves,¡± the professor¡¯s gentle voice encouraged them. ¡°Simply close your eyes and center all your concentration on your breathing to center your focus. You will find it easier to create eidos and drive mana with mana-motive force. You have trained either individually and now it¡¯s time to do both together and cast magic.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. This was the purpose of the magic training course. It was to help students combine eidos training and mana-motive force cultivation together and successfully cast magic for the first time. Of course, the professor did not expect any student to succeed only months into their first year. However, every year, at least one such student succeeded. A genius among even the gifted. FLIP FLIP FLIP¡­ SPLASH¡­ The students across the training hall turned around with shocked expressions as their gazes converged in the direction of the sound. Their eyes widened as they spotted fallen cards. Melted ice. And an actual physical cube, overlapping the three-dimensional projection. They froze, stunned, as their eyes slowly shifted to the student who achieved the first breakthrough in magic. C?¡¯s fake expression of surprise was perfect, just as he practiced. He has carefully planned for this day after verifying that it wouldn¡¯t break any records or draw atypical and dangerous attention. He had absolutely no problem being regarded as the annual genius of the country, but not anything beyond that. And so, with an award-worthy performance, his eyes widened with shock as his body shook. ¡°This¡­¡± A fake stunned whisper escaped him. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°Remarkable, I say!¡± Professor Leonheart walked over to C?¡¯s little station with eyes lit with excitement. ¡°All three at once! Truly gifted you are, Mr. C?!¡± A wave of murmurs swept across the students as they gazed at him with an expression of envy. An overwhelming majority of them were still sixteen or seventeen. Each of them had yet to ride off the high of being accepted into the Elendir Institute of Magic, even in the past few months, as the academic year began. They dreamed of being the chosen one with their exceptional gifts and talent. Many of the wealthier and more affluent children gritted their teeth with a hint of frustration. In their minds, the thinly-veiled challenge that he had issued to all of them during his honor student addressal on the very first day of the Apprentice Program appeared. Many of them had decided that they needed to humiliate him no matter what. Unfortunately, most of them were not up to the task. Those who were both rich and extremely gifted, having already mastered magic even before they entered the magicademy. ¡°Even then, they would have taken years to reach the stage that you have in months,¡± the professor nodded with amazement. ¡°Mr. C?, you are truly gifted for magic. To think that you are able to cast single-circle spells this early.¡± Spells, represented with magic circles, had different tiers based on complexity and the amount of data. Single-circle spells, like the name suggested, were spells represented with a single layer, usually representing a single operation. Shifting a card. Melting ice. Conjuring a cube. These were things that C? could effortlessly do from the very get-go after he learned about magic, but required more than a year of Magia Hypnosis and mana-training for most people. Spells gained additional layers when their complexity rose, although C? had yet to try multi-circle spells, with pure magic or Magia. He didn¡¯t dare use the latter on campus premises. It would be the height of foolishness. He yearned to learn more complex magic because then he could use his pure magic in disguise more frequently. ¡°You have a vast potential for excelling in the field of magic.¡± The professor¡¯s tone was encouraging. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t let off on your training and your practice. Don¡¯t grow arrogant or self-assured in your ability just because of this. Talent without an equal amount of hard work is worthless.¡± C? nodded at the well-meaning advice. BEEP BEEP The professor glanced at his pocket watch. ¡°Oh dear, looks like class has ended. Well, no matter. Reflect on all the progress you have made up until now and use the experience to understand what you can better do next time. The road to magic is one of inquiry and mindful efforts.¡± Class was dismissed soon enough as C? departed from the training hall with a sigh of relief. He had finally earned himself the first disguise for his pure magic. Now, as long as he wove together the trigger magic circle, he could basically use pure magic with complete impunity, for there was no magic that allowed one to peer into the mind of another. Nobody would be able to tell if he was using pure magic or conventional magic as the runes and magic circle he used weren¡¯t entirely different from the output. ¡°That was incredible!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a genius¡­!¡± ¡°In just a few months, you finally cast magic¡­¡± Kelton, Natana, and Sorenon had long grown accustomed to buzzing about him. The boys, in particular, had grown several inches since the academic year commenced as their voices cracked and grew deeper. ¡°How did you do it?¡± Kelton marveled at him. C? shrugged. ¡°It just happened.¡± That was a lie. He had put a lot of thought into making it seem like it had just happened. ¡°How does it feel to cast magic for the first time?¡± Natana asked with sparkling eyes. C? fell into thought. ¡°¡­It feels surreal. Like the images in my head became reality. Like my mind could alter the universe.¡± This was the truth. Casting magic was one of the most amazing sensations in his entire life. It made him feel omnipotent. All-powerful. ¡°¡­At this rate, you will finish the Apprentice Program in just another half a year,¡± Sorenon keenly realized. ¡°Incredible.¡± That was exactly what C? wanted to hear. He has purposely aimed to acclimatize people with his rapid growth and generous predictions. This way, nobody would bat an eye when he completed the course in the next six months. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together tonight so you can tell us more,¡± Natana suggested with an eager expression. C? shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, unfortunately. I have a business meeting to attend.¡± ¡°Ehhh¡­¡± ¡°Come on, big bro!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t abandon us!¡± ¡°You can survive one day without me,¡± C? huffed lightly. ¡°I really cannot afford to miss this meeting.¡± His eyes glinted with excitement. Six months had passed since Seliphaz had begun working on the development of the micro-housing unit prototype. The meeting tonight was meant to produce an official status report on the product''s developmental progress. Although C? had received progress reports, they never particularly dove deep into the field, for he was not particularly qualified to understand all the details and jargon. At least, not yet. He wanted to get a good understanding of the product that Celiphaz had been developing along with the team of structural engineers that Feidin had hired for the task. He bade his three young friends goodbye as he headed to his dorm room, immediately changing into fitting clothing before departing from the Elendir Institute of Magic. The meeting was to occur at a booked office space. Feidin had avoided the decision to buy a base immediately, for there was still half a year until the product would be completely developed. Thus, they sought to minimize expenses for a base until it would truly start mattering. Additionally, this early in the product development, their supply chains and inventory requirements had yet to be decided, which would certainly affect the end outcome of the business. Soon enough, C? found himself arrived at the location, heading into the office with eager eyes. CLACK He opened the door to several people seated around a table. ¡°Was I late?¡± Chapter 46: Developmental Presentation ¡°Not at all,¡± Feidin smiled welcomingly. ¡°We just about got here ourselves.¡± ¡°W-Welcome!¡± Seliphaz was as enthusiastic as she was nervous. ¡°Please have a seat. We haven¡¯t begun yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re late, boss.¡± A heavy male voice addressed C? straightforwardly. ¡°You need to be more mindful of meeting times. Is the attitude of a boss?¡± Feidin and Seliphaz froze as they shifted to C? with a nervous expression. And yet, C? was unbothered. A small smile cracked at the edge of his mouth for just a brief moment. ¡°You¡¯re right. My apologies, Dlint.¡± ¡°Hmph, as long as you understand, boss.¡± The gargantuan man accepted the apology straightforwardly, nodding at C? lightly. His face was scarred. His body was extremely muscular, straining the fabric of his shirt and pants. His expression was stern, while his body language was stiff and hardened. His brown eyes had an edge of severity to them, projecting a degree of aggression. C? recognized that look. It was a look he had worn his entire life. A projection of aggression that served as a deterrence. This man was from the slums, just like C?. He had lived his entire life in the slums, trying to get out, going so far as to spend ten years in the army just for the sake of achieving that goal. After all, nobody would hire very easily in the inner city when they learned of his background. The prejudice that the citizens of the inner city had to the slums was intense. They perceived residents of the latter as dangerous, untrustworthy rats. C? had even been rejected for student loans because of his background, forcing him to work an aggressive number of hours at Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante along with their generosity to be able to make his way through university. Unfortunately, not everyone had a Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante to help them. In such cases, the army was the only escape for people of the slums to get good credentials and some minimum scrap of money that would allow them to start afresh in the inner city. Dlint had gotten a humble two-year diploma in management and had spent five years working as the inventory manager for the base of a manufacturer before the company shut down. That was why C? had chosen Dlint as the distribution and sales manager for his company. He recognized the familiar drive to get out of the slums. The drive to build a better life for himself. Even though his academic qualifications were lacking, C? had found him to be perfect as the head of operations precisely because of his background in the slums. He needed someone who understood the slums to handle these particular operations. It was more valuable than the technical knowledge, as far as C? was concerned. And thus, much to the dismay of Feidin and the fear of Seliphaz, he had chosen to hire Dlint anyway. In the past half a year, he was among the several employees that C? had hand-picked among the potential people they could hire. They were hardly the best, but each of them had something that C? appreciated enough to choose them nonetheless. ¡°Alright,¡± C? took his seat at the other end of the head of the table, steepling his fingers as he leaned forward. His gaze fixed itself on Seliphaz. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°A-Ah, yes, right away.¡± She fumbled with the remote clumsily before switching on the projector. ¡°I have prepared a little presentation detailing all the progress I have made and the various prototypes that I have developed in the past half a year. Then, let¡¯s begin.¡± BZZZT The screen flashed with an image titled ¡®Constraints and Conditions.¡¯ Below it were several detailed parameters for the conditions that the product needed to fulfill while remaining within the constraint of a final price of one thousand leenars per unit. This included being waterproof in the case of conditions such as rain and floods. It needed to be able to maintain its integrity when exposed to the harsh summers of Elendir, which was on the southern end of the Gruonia Continent and was just above the equator of the planet, leading it to have extremely intense weather in each season. Intense heat, intense cold, intense winds, storms, and an immense amount of precipitation that often damned the Colohen Slums due to an ill-maintained drainage system. But those weren¡¯t the only conditions, there also needed to be enough space to at least move, and enough of a ventilation system that ensured nobody would suffer in any weather condition. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°These are the precise conditions set by C?, and these are the conditions I have sought to maintain,¡± she explained. ¡°My biggest concern was the constraint of one thousand leenars. This is easily the most challenging constraint out of all the constraints and conditions that I needed to adhere to. With one thousand leenars, the dimensions of the product are necessarily small. And so, this was the first structural design that I ultimately finalized.¡± BZZZT The next slide was comprised of rough designs detailing the structure of the micro-housing unit prototype. There were no distinct aesthetic designs or anything more to it beyond simple lines and marked spaces allocated for necessary systems that the housing unit was supposed to have. It resembled the offspring of a tent and a doghouse. It was small. Befitting of being described as micro. ¡°I set a range for the dimensions while preserving the ratios,¡± she remarked with a thoughtful tone. ¡°I-Its dimensions could change depending on what substance we use and on what scale we purchase them. Thus, I had left it at that for now. The next step was ironing out the necessary systems, starting with the most important one.¡± BZZZT The next slide appeared, featuring several more detailed variants of the existing designs. A large title conspicuously drew attention and elucidated the topic of the slide. [Ventilation] ¡°A suitable ventilation arrangement to ensure that our customers do not suffocate is marked as a priority condition, so I focused on fulfilling that first,¡± she explained. ¡°For this, I had three different ideas from three existing non-enchant ventilation systems in place. For instance. The first was simply opting for mesh or net walls.¡± She gestured to the first variant that had netted walls with visibly netted walls that allowed for maximal air ventilation. C? winced at the prototype. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unappealing. It¡¯s transparent and makes one feel like an animal in a cage. The people of the slums may have low standards, but this is dehumanizing.¡± She nodded with a grim expression. ¡°T-That was why I didn¡¯t go forward with it. I also considered holes that allowed air but not light to pass by connecting the inside to the outside with pipes, but¡­¡± C? could immediately tell what the problem with this idea was. ¡°It could get blocked or clogged by water or rain.¡± She nodded. ¡°T-That is why I ultimately went with this.¡± She gestured to the third design. This was the first design where the kind of materials used were specified. ¡°I decided to go for a low-tier hyper permeable hyper-permeable magical substance,¡± she explained. ¡°This allows for air to pass through the micro-housing unlike non-magical substances ever could. While magical substances would increase the cost of production, given that it is a low-tier magical substance, bottom of the barrel, really.¡± C?¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Hyper permeable substance¡­ it¡¯s an elegant solution for ventilation, but wouldn¡¯t the free passage of gases make for absolutely no insulation of sound? While that wasn¡¯t a super high priority, some degree of sound insulation is needed.¡± She nodded. ¡°I-I have considered that problem, but I have yet to tackle it since, as you mentioned, it¡¯s a tertiary problem. Not to mention, none of the other solutions handle it better. I think I will focus on developing a problem to this in later stages when we have covered the most important conditions.¡± C? nodded. ¡°That is prudent. The next most important condition after ventilation is¡­¡± Her expression grew a little nervous, ¡°¡­protection against the elements. This has been difficult to handle. There are essentially three different broad categories that this product will need to be able to handle perfectly well¡ª¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± C? interjected with a sharp tone. ¡°¡®Perfectly well?¡¯ Don¡¯t get too ambitious. That¡¯s impossible with a budget of only one thousand leenars. If you were a master mage or an archmage, it might have been very easy, but you¡¯re nowhere near that level of skill yet. You don¡¯t need to perfectly solve these problems. You only need to¡­¡± His gaze sharpened, ¡°¡­solve them better than the alternatives that the slum-dwellers have. As long as you outperform tents and huts, the value proposition would be irrefutable. Do not aim for absolute perfection. Certainly not with the first iteration of this project. If you do achieve a perfect product, it will be with many, many years of effort.¡± She nervously nodded with a mixed expression. On one hand, she knew he was right. Achieving perfect results was impossible with only a year''s effort on her very first go at this project. Achieving commercial dominance was much more practical and the goal. On the other hand, she wanted to do her best to fix all the problems that the people of the slums faced. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t defy his orders on this particular issue. She had agreed to this sort of business from the very start, and he was the boss of the business, even if she had managed to get her hands on a bit of the equity. Regardless, her mind returned to the most important condition of her micro-housing unit development project. ¡°T-The three broader conditions for protection of the elements: Extreme temperatures, extreme precipitation, and extreme winds and waters. These are the three aspects of the elemental protection that the micro-housing unit needs to offer to its inhabitants,¡± she explained. ¡°From here, we have arrived at a crucial crossroads in the trajectory of this product development project. I can either approach this problem from a structural engineering perspective where I focus on leveraging existing magic materials or¡­¡± Her gaze focused on C?¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­I can approach this problem alchemically and create an alchemical solution to it by¡­ designing a new substance that can be manufactured and used to solve the problem in a much simpler fashion.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with amazement. Creating a new substance. It was a feat possible with the help of alchemy. Alchemy, as a field, was the epitome of the Fundamental Form of change. To change matter and energy with magic that was the field of alchemy. It was not only possible to change one existing substance to another existing substance, but it was also possible to create entirely new substances from existing ones by editing the form of said substances. Of course, this was an extremely difficult task, one that most senior mages would not be able to do. And yet, Seliphaz was able to, despite having yet to graduate from the Elendir Institute of Magic as a full-fledged senior student. ¡°¡­What would you recommend?¡± C? asked with a curious expression. ¡°I have already begun developing prototypes for both paths,¡± she replied with a confident tone this time. ¡°Rather than relying on my personal opinion at this time, I believe we should put them to the test once I have fleshed out the prototypes for each model when I have completed them in about a week. Then, we should have the answer to which is better. In the past year, I have not only created a prototype that exclusively relies on existing materials but also a prototype that relies on an entirely new substance. I have also created a third prototype that combines both strategies. I think we will very soon be able to finalize the path for what this product will actually look like and work towards fleshing out, field testing, and finishing other quality controls in the next half year.¡± BZZZT She turned to the next slide, nervously showing off the three prototypes that she had been working on, which operated on different approaches to solve the problem of the elements. Each was distinct, drawing C?¡¯s attention in their own way. Chapter 47: Three Prototypes The three designs'' screen were distinct in their visuals as well as their complexity. One of them was extremely intricate in its design with a great degree of complexity in its engineering. It was comprised of a myriad of different layers and materials, with many different components that were both mobile and immobile. It gave him the real impression of it being a proper machine. ¡°This prototype, ES-1, is the engineering solution prototype,¡± she explained. ¡°As you can see, it had complex mechanisms that deploy different low-grade magical substances to ensure ventilation, protection from precipitation, a mild degree of temperature regulation, and is able to withstand the pressure of winds and water.¡± C? listened with an impressed expression as she detailed the specifics of the technologies that she was utilizing. When she was in her element, her nervousness was gone. Her expression grew more confident and certain as she explained the pros and cons of the ES-1 prototype to her audience. It also helped that she had built a personal rapport with all of them in the past six months, allowing her to be more calm and composed around these people who she had come to regard as friends. ¡°¡­And so, to summarize,¡± she continued, ¡°the ES-1 prototype has a higher barrier of skill and fixed capital for manufacturing and assembly. With all the structural complexity of the product, you will need skilled assembly workers and manufacturing enchanted machines that are able to handle the size and precision of production that we require. The good part is that it doesn¡¯t require additional research and development for the materials used.¡± She shifted her round spectacles, turning her gaze back at the screen. ¡°The second prototype is the AS-1 prototype. This prototype approaches the problem of ventilation and the elements with a pure alchemical solution.¡± She pointed out the second set of diagrams detailing the AS-1 prototype. It was a design that was lacking in complexity compared to the previous prototype. Absent were the multiple layers of substances and materials, the intricate grooves, holes, and other lines and carvings fitted with various components. In its place was a single substance from which the entire micro-housing unit was created. There was a single label on the substance. [AM-1] C?¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°This¡­¡± She pointed at the prototype designs. ¡°This is the alchemical solution. It is very structurally simplistic, but materially¡­¡± BZZZT She switched to a different slide titled with the labeled substance that displayed a large amount of information and tabulated data. Data that described the causality of AM-1. ¡°AM-1 is the prototypical substance that I have formulated and will produce with the help of alchemy,¡± she explained. ¡°Since none of you here have a background in alchemy, I will strive to give you a basic run-down on it and, in particular, what I¡¯m trying to do.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡°Alchemy uses magic to manipulate the form of substances,¡± she explained. ¡°Not just their states of matter but also the very substance itself. You can not only change one substance to another, but you can also create new substances, as I have already mentioned. But¡­ in order to do that, there are several conditions that need to be followed¡­¡± She pointed to the substance. ¡°The resulting substance cannot violate the laws of nature. Magic itself is extra-causal, being able to break the laws of nature to a certain extent. However, the product created must still adhere to the laws of nature. These include the rules governing motion and the law of conservation of energy. These are the constraints that all alchemists seeking to create new substances must adhere to.¡± She turned back towards her fellow colleagues. ¡°Additionally, for the created new substance to be stable, I need to create what is known as a causal model prepared,¡± she explained, shifting a tuft of her short, blue hair behind her ears. ¡°This causal model is essentially a dataset that thoroughly and entirely describes how the particular substance will interact with the universe. It needs to be extremely thorough, extensive, and all-encompassing enough to contain information on how the substance will react to any given stimulus. This includes extreme temperatures, pressures, different kinds of forces, different locations, conditions, and every conceivable interaction.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. C? stirred with interest as he pondered her words deeply. It made sense. The eidos in alchemy were essentially eidos of change that overwrote the natural forms of the target substance, rewriting the information that described their causality and reality to turn them into another substance. If that substance didn¡¯t exist, then one would need to ensure that all aspects and dimensions of its causality were entirely detailed in the eidos so that it could actually exist within causality. C? realized that as incredibly amazing as the act of creating a new substance that never existed before was, it was also extremely difficult. Just how much information would one need to conjure in order to create a viable design? He couldn¡¯t even imagine just how incredibly taxing such a process was. Detailing such information for even the most niche of parameters would drive people insane. His attention returned to Seliphaz as he gazed at her with renewed respect. As a mageling, he understood just how difficult the kind of magic she was doing, or working on doing, was. It was beyond impressive and far exceeded his imagination in so far as the difficulty of the feat was concerned. She was literally designing her own substance as she wanted it. ¡°Unfortunately, creating my own little substance for this project will take a lot of time and effort,¡± she explained. ¡°Thus, although the AS-1 prototype is the least lacking in structural complexity, its material complexity is through the roof, taking away this advantage. An advantage that the AS-1 prototype has over the previous ES-1 prototype is that it has a very low barrier of labor skill and has a simpler manufacturing process. However, one disadvantage is that¡­¡± Her expression grew complicated, ¡°¡­it requires magical energy as an input. About as much mana as the difference in the value of the starting substance and the final product.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The Law of Conservation of Value.¡± It stated that the mana consumed by a spell was directly proportional to its value. Seliphaz nodded. ¡°In alchemy, this law manifests in a particularly unique way. Since, with alchemy, you¡¯re not starting from zero but with an existing initial substance. Thus, what matters is the change in value. You subtract the value of the initial substance from the value of the final substance, and you get the difference. That difference in value is the cost of the spell. And in order to produce AM-1 or any substance, that cost needs to be paid each time you create a sample.¡± ¡°¡­Meaning that you will need to supply value each and every single time,¡± C?¡¯s expression sharpened. ¡°This¡­ this will be expensive.¡± It meant that they would have to pay more for magical energy when creating the product. ¡°But the simplicity of the engineering will reduce production time and labor costs,¡± C? fell into a deep thought. ¡°But will that be enough¡­?¡± There was an entire field of operational management known as queueing modeling and productivity optimization that was dedicated to measuring manufacturing productivity that allowed one to distinguish which particular method yielded the most output for a given amount of time and magicapita. It was a niche of business management that Feidin, in particular, was tasked with handling. ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have the necessary data,¡± Feidin heaved a stressed sigh. ¡°We will have to gather the data once the prototypes are ready to have samples produced for testing and data gathering.¡± Seliphaz winced. ¡°I-I am working on that. I will try to finish it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush it,¡± C? gently told her. ¡°We are not stressed on time. Better be thorough with this phase of development, lest there be fundamental problems in the product that we¡¯re developing. But it will be better if you can get it done before you graduate so that we won¡¯t have to pay for the labs until the next iteration¡¯s development will be commenced.¡± Seliphaz was using the labs of the magicademy, which C? had managed to cover thanks to his membership in the student council. These labs, of course, were extraordinarily expensive under normal circumstances. They would not be able to fund such labs unless the business was a whopping success, making it worth spending such heavily on the quality of the labs used to produce them. ¡°The final prototype,¡± she continued, drawing everybody¡¯s attention, ¡®is the HS-1 prototype.¡± BZZZT She moved to the next slide in her presentation, which showed a design that was in between the previous two prototypes as far as complexity went. It was certainly structurally complex with multiple layers and components; however, it also had only three substances and materials that comprised the entire prototype. ¡°This is a hybrid solution,¡± she informed them. ¡°It is comprised of not just structural engineering solutions but also the alchemical solutions with three separate substances that are artificially created.¡± C? frowned. ¡°Three? Won¡¯t that take forever to design the causality models for?¡± ¡°Two of them are existing substances already created by other alchemists,¡± she explained. ¡°Of course, we will need to purchase a license since they are patented by the inventors. The third one, I can invent by myself. This path is indeed the most time-consuming in development, but will likely lead to the most cost-effective product due to the flexibility of the solutions.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up at those words. If that was the case, then it might be worth it. All three prototypes had their pros and cons. It was impossible to tell which one was worth it and which wasn¡¯t. ¡°Data,¡± C? concluded once more, this time with more certainty. ¡°We need to obtain data on all three prototypes and use that to decide which prototype we will be using as our final product.¡± His gaze shifted to Seliphaz. ¡°I want samples produced and tested as soon as possible. Simulate a manufacturing run on assembly lines and figure out which prototype fulfills all the conditions for the lowest price. We will go with that one and spend the next six months developing the product to completion.¡± Several nods emerged from those sitting in the room as C? had decided the path forward and the following timelines. The business had grown increasingly fleshed out as the product did. Everyone was acutely aware that with each passing day, they grew increasingly closer to the day when they would need to begin sales and actually function as a business. It felt increasingly serious with each passing day. It also felt more exciting. To C? at least. He had always perceived this as merely the means to an end to obtaining the magicapita to obtain the power that he needed to recreate the world order. But he hadn¡¯t imagined that it could be that stimulating and interesting to start a business from scratch. Regardless, his new business venture was developing at a solid and steady pace, growing to the day when it would bloom in all its glory. Chapter 48: Combat Magic Months passed as Seliphaz immediately began producing the prototypes before conducting an extensive battery of tests. The testing phase in any engineering project was often the most time-consuming and tedious aspect of such engineering projects, taking a lot of her time. Additionally, they also had to simulate production manufacturing assembly runs to estimate the liabilities of production that each prototype had with them. Thus, Feidin began extensively conducting experiments with the production process, making detailed observations of the pros and cons of the production on a practical level. These were both tedious and time-consuming tasks that kept them busy for a few months. In the meantime, C? kept himself busy with magical training. The greater the progress they made with the production process, the greater the urgency he felt to complete the Apprentice Program. He wanted to be over and done with this and officially become a mage before he launched his business, for he wouldn¡¯t have had time to pursue his academics as aggressively as he would if he was consumed with his business. It was why he had sought a business partner like Feidin in the first place. While he worked on the details of the business with regular input from C?, the latter aggressively trained his magic. Having faked his magical breakthrough to casting magic for the first time several months prior, he had begun dipping his toes into many different popular magical fields such as artificing, enchanting, alchemy as well as his personal favorite¡­ ¡°Combat magic.¡± In a large hemispherical training hall, a great number of students were gathered. They wore magical tracksuits enchanted with glowing runes across their entire body. A great many battle arenas were spread across the entirety of the training hall, covered by a massive seven-circle magic circle across the entire circular magic arena. ¡°Combat magic is essential for all mages,¡± a middle-aged woman directed a sweeping gaze across the students with her violet. ¡°This is true for both magetants and non-combat mages. You need to know combat magic if you are a mage. It is an absolute necessity. Does anybody know why?¡± Several students raised their hands. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor Lioxin. Combat magic is essential because it is the most economically valued magic in the entire world.¡± ¡°Wrong. You.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because combat magic is the most powerful!¡± ¡°Stupid answer. Different magic is differently impactful in different circumstances.¡± She swiftly shot down multiple different answers, directing a cursory glance across all of them as her eyes rested on C?. He wasn¡¯t raising his hand. And yet, it didn¡¯t seem to matter. ¡°Mr. C?,¡± she smiled with a bemused expression. ¡°Can you tell us why?¡± C? raised an eyebrow at the professor. ¡°Mages are valued for their skills. Magic runs the world, and there are people out there who are willing to do any and everything they can to get their hands on mages. Including¡­¡± His eyes sharpened, ¡°¡­using violent means.¡± The professor smiled with approval. ¡°Additionally, mages are a politically controversial class,¡± C? remarked. ¡°There is a lot of political pressure on the grassroots level against mages. And while this rarely translates into anything meaningful, it is still best to have some combat magic skill and experience to defend yourself should the need ever arise.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Professor Lioxin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not all. Mages of each nation undergo a lot of scrutiny from foreign powers.¡± The students stirred with a hint of concern at her words. ¡°Do you really think that the nations in our vicinity aren¡¯t paying close attention to our talents?¡± Professor Lioxin snorted. ¡°The Vrannouan Kingdom, the Republic of Suraria, and the Durmen Principality all pay close attention to, in particular, all of you.¡¯ Her words shook them with surprise. ¡°What did you expect?¡± she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Everybody knows that the Elendir Institute of Magic takes in the best talents and pumps out the best mages of the nation. So naturally, our allies and enemies alike will pay close attention to all of you. In particular¡­¡± She turned to C? with a knowing glance. ¡°They will pay close attention to the top rankers of the magic aptitude test.¡± C? narrowed his eyes with a hint of severity. He was certainly aware of the attention that he had from within the interest groups and power blocs of the nation. However, he didn¡¯t realize that he also needed to be mindful of international and foreign pressures. ¡°Tsk.¡± He allowed a tut of frustration to escape him. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Professor Lioxin smirked. ¡°It comes with the territory. Get used to it and, more importantly, get prepared for it with combat magic. Let¡¯s get started! Now, form pairs and use what you have practiced in the past few months. Also¡­¡± She rattled off several more instructions to the students, who swiftly dispersed to adhere to instructions. The professor grinned. ¡°Let the magical duels begin!¡± Two students at random entered each of the many combat arenas across the vast expanse of the training hall, commencing a series of duels. The winner was to remain in the arena while the loser would be replaced with another student. STEP C? took his place atop a random combat arena while his gaze shifted to his opponent. She swept her long, flowing black hair behind her in a graceful motion as she smoothly drew the standard-issue wand from its holster in her combat attire. Her intense gaze remained focused on him as she studied him with an impassive expression. C? had gotten better at detecting affluence from people¡¯s body language and demeanor, which was why he could tell immediately. ¡®She¡¯s from a wealthy family.¡¯ Of course, in the nine months that he had been in the Elendir Institute of Magic, this was something he had grown entirely accustomed to, having been surrounded by them his entire time in the Institute. C? drew his wand from his wand holster, pointing it at her. STEP The referee stepped in, directing a curt nod to both of them with a stern expression. ¡°Reminder of the rules. No lethal attacks. Adhere to my instructions. Any hint of hostility will be met with a credit penalty and potentially worse. Step forward and state your names.¡± ¡°Meilia Nelnmont.¡± Her tone was measured. ¡°C?.¡± ¡°Then, as participants, do you consent to partake in a temporary magicapita handover for the precise duration of one hour to be automatically and absolutely guaranteed to return for the span of said duration, in accordance with the terms and conditions. registration contract?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man nodded, fiddling with a device in his hands. ¡°Then, the temporary remittance has been completed. Suddenly, both C? and Meilia felt a loss of mana in their cores. And yet, neither side exhibited any reaction. It was part of protocol. Some students were far richer than others, possessing far greater magicapita, and thus mana, than other students. Melia Nelnmont, in particular, despite not being one of the thirteen great families of the Democratic Republic of Elendir, already had millions of leenars in her bank account even though she was only eighteen years old. She had estates, penthouses, magicars, and all manner of other magicapita in her name. This lent her a tremendous amount of mana in her core that would allow her to cast far greater magic than someone like C?. Even though her magical power was limited by the mana-motive force that dictated how much of her vast mana core she could reserve, she would still have far greater stamina than C?. The Elendir Institute of Magic was intended as a place to train magic, not flex wealth. Thus, a system was put in place to temporarily shift ownership of magicapita from the students to the magicademy for one hour so that battles could be fair for poorer students. The referee stepped out of the magical circle and the combat arena as the students faced off against each other. ¡°And¡­ begin!¡± Meilia¡¯s eyes sharpened fiercely the very moment the battle commenced. A single-layered magic circle with several runes embedded within a triangle appeared before her. C?¡¯s pupils dilated. Time slowed down to a crawl in his vision. He instantly read her magic circle and deciphered the kind of magic that she was casting even as he felt her mana converging with the eidos. Triangles were meant for the Fundamental Forms of Manipulation. Motion. And there was only one possible target. ¡®Me.¡¯ A magical circle appeared before him in the blink of an eye as he drew mana from his core with his mana-motive force to converge it with the eidos. It formed a spell. A spell defending himself. VMMM¡­! The clash of spells caused a burst of magical energy to emerge from him, manifesting in the form of sound and light in a colorful display that drew the eyes of the other students. And yet, C? was unharmed. ¡°Great reactions, but your interference field needs to be constantly active!¡± Professor Lioxin scolded C? despite his successful defense. ¡°You will not always be able to react in time in the real world. You will often be ambushed and caught off guard, causing your reflexes to be delayed. That¡¯s why you need to have a passive interference field constantly active in combat! Interference fields are the bread and butter of combat magic. Remember that!¡± ¡°Understood Professor.¡± C? calmly accepted her criticisms and applied them immediately. The air around him changed as he kept the interference field enveloping him and his immediate surroundings. Interference fields were simply defenses against the most dangerous kinds of attacks that could not be actively defended against. For example, what if someone used magic to make one¡¯s heart stop beating? Or make one¡¯s body explode? Or slit one¡¯s throat? Or deprive one of air to breathe? It wouldn¡¯t even be difficult. C? himself had directly set people to fire and burned them to death even before he entered the magicademy, even if it was with his pure magic. It was very easy, and it was a one-shot instant win. There needed to be a solution to counter such broken instant win one-shots, or else mages would die left and right. And thus, the interference field was born. It essentially functioned by leveraging the principles of clashing magic. When two magical spells of different eidos converged on the same target, they would clash, and the magical spell with more mana would win the duel, albeit weakened. This principle could be leveraged to defend one¡¯s self from broken one-shot wins by casting magic on one¡¯s self and one¡¯s immediate environment, causing it to clash with the opponent¡¯s magic. Mana growing weaker the further it traveled meant that C?¡¯s spells would always win because he was obviously closer to himself than his opponent was. Thus, unless his opponent was overwhelmingly powerful, he would be able to prevent them from directly casting magic on his body. This was why interference magic was considered the bread and butter of combat magic. And yet, it only protected one from the most lethal spells that would instantly kill one. It did not protect one from attacks that were created from outside of his interference field and surged to strike him after they were created. WHOOSH She waved her wand at him, and another runic magical circle with an embedded pentagon emerged before her eyes. Only for C? to read the spell in the blink of an eye. ¡®Conjuration. Light element.¡¯ The tip of her wand shined brightly as a white beam of magical energy emerged from the wand, flying towards her opponent at tremendous speeds. And yet, it never even reached him. BOOM The white beam of magical energy blasted into a barrier, haplessly dispelling against the material and real construct. A barrier constructed from the very lands beneath their feet. A spell that involved both the Fundamental Form of Change and Manipulation. A bicircular spell. C?¡¯s eyes intensified with determination. ¡°My turn.¡± FWOOSH With a single wave of his wand, a conjuration magic circle appeared before him as he conjured spewing flames from the very tip of his wand, threatening to burn her where she stood. Chapter 49: Plum Blossom Melia narrowed her eyes, waving her hand in a smooth, graceful motion. SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH! Water emerged before her, flowing smoothly as it converged onto a shield in front. A shield that protected her from the hot flames that C? threw at her. FWOOSH The hot flames flared against her water shield as bubbles began emerging from her conjured water, and wafts of steam emerged from the shield before dissipating into nothingness as the magic was undone. And yet, before she could even begin to commence her next attack, C? had already begun his. A magic circle with an embedded square and triangle and several runes emerged before him. His earthen barrier stirred as its surface began to change, and several protrusions emerged from its walls. They were projectiles. Projectiles carved from his earthen barrier with the Fundamental Form of Change and flung at his opponent with the Fundamental Form of Manipulation. Melia froze as a volley of projectiles emerged from the barrier, blasting her water shield apart. BOOM ¡°Aaaah!¡± she screamed as the projectiles blasted her body, flinging her out of the arena. THUD She landed outside of the battle arena, skidding across the floor with a pained expression. And yet, she didn¡¯t have so much as a single bruise or scratch on her body. None of the referees, assistants, or even the professor seemed concerned. ¡®It¡¯s this combat suit.¡¯ C? glanced at his attire, glowing with his runes. ¡®They¡¯re meant to protect us from damage so that we can duel to our hearts'' content.¡¯ Magic was extremely dangerous and powerful. Even in the hands of beginners. Especially in the hands of the beginners. The Elendir Institute of Magic would never allow them to have serious duels without an absolute guarantee of the safety of the students involved. STEP C?¡¯s eyes shifted to the next person who immediately stepped upon the arena. He swept his messy, brown hair out of his eyes as he glared at C? with a fierce determination in his light blue eyes. ¡°I, Senthil Kerva, challenge you to a duel!¡± the boy loudly declared for the entire training hall. ¡°I will be the top apprentice student, not you!¡± C? lightly huffed with a hint of amusement. It appeared that even nine months into the academic year, there were still people who vividly remembered his honors student addressal. While the boy¡¯s demeanor and body language weren¡¯t friendly, C? was unable to detect even the slightest hint of hostility or malice from him. Just a pure competitive spirit. The smallest of smiles, lasting the briefest of moments, cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°I accept your challenge.¡± C?¡¯s eyes shifted to the straight-edged, single-hand sword dangling by his waist. His eyes lit up as he spotted a single symbol on the sword and the hilt. Pink petals. ¡°Commencing magicapita reset,¡± the assistant to the side of them remarked. ¡°With this, both of you now have the same amount of magicapita at your disposal. Now then, get ready.¡± CLASP The boy gripped the hilt of the blade with his hand tightly as he shifted his left foot back as a thrusting launcher. ¡°¡­And begin!¡± WHOOSH In the blink of an eye, Senthil has already arrived before C?. SSS! The blade hissed with a metallic grind as the boy drew it from its scabbard at blindingly high speeds, swinging the blade at Rui at extraordinarily high speeds. And yet, it never reached. BAM! Senthil¡¯s eyes widened as he felt C?¡¯s foot bury into his chest with heavy force as C? leaned back, evading the trajectory of the blades moments before it reached him. A perfect counter and evasion. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. STEP Senthil leaped back, pointing his blade at C?. His eyes were lit up with a hint of surprise. ¡°¡­How did you do that?¡± C?¡¯s expression was unimpressed. ¡°You¡¯re holding a sword. Your stance was transparent. You might as well have told me what you were going to do in writing. Anticipating your attack is easy enough.¡± Senthil stared at him with a surprised expression. ¡°You¡­¡± C? was the first mage that he had dueled with that had countered his swift approach with a physical attack. He was actually the first person in the Apprentice Program that Senthil had failed to defeat. The other students were entirely reliant on magic, causing them to be too slow towards a swift physical attack that didn¡¯t have any cumbersome eidos or convergence mana and eidos. C? appeared to recognize that, choosing instead a physical counter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use magic?¡± Senthil couldn¡¯t help but ask anyway. C? shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± An enthusiastic grin emerged on Senthil¡¯s face. CLASP His hand flew to his hilt once more as he adopted his stance again. His eyes grew even more intense as his trained, muscular body coiled with power. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± His tone was chilling. ¡°This is not a physical fight.¡± C?¡¯s eyes sharpened as his instincts tingled. They tingled with a sense of peril. ¡°This is a magical battle.¡± The boy¡¯s tone was fierce. SSS¡­ The metallic hiss of his drawing sword evoked a sense of danger in all those who beheld the blade. A single whisper escaped the boy before he unleashed his power. ¡°Plum Blossom Style: Blossoming Blade.¡± FWOOSH! One moment, the arena was entirely normal. The very next, it was filled with plum blossoms that emerged from the boy¡¯s blade in an overwhelming spring. A maelstrom of the vibrant pink petals of the plum blossoms flooded the entire battlefield. They weren¡¯t merely an illusion. No. They were real. Physical. And they flew towards C? in a wave led by the blindingly swift blade that surged towards C?. And yet again, they never reached. WHOOSH Senthil¡¯s eyes widened as C? seemingly disappeared in the face of his blade. His instincts screamed as he reflexively turned around with a violently powerful swing aimed behind him. FWOOSH! Senthil gritted his teeth as he barely managed to intercept C?¡¯s powerful flames with his Blossoming Blade attack, gazing at C? with stunned eyes. ¡®He¡¯s strong!¡¯ C? had deployed a first-circle spell involving manipulation and the heaven element, manipulating the winds to propel him out of the way of the magical sword attack and all the way to the other side in a smooth curve while deploying a second spell of fire at Senthil. Maintaining two spells at once was not easy. It certainly shouldn¡¯t have been easy for someone who cast his first spell just a few months prior and was only nine months into the Apprentice Program. And yet, for C?, it was effortless. The runes were just there to fool everybody else. His magic did not require the impure crutches of the Memory Model of Eidos or Magia. No. His imagination alone was enough. His imagination became reality. C?¡¯s expression grew euphoric as he felt a rush of excitement and ecstasy, unlike anything he had ever felt before. Magic evoked a kind of childish joy within him that he had never experienced before. As though it allowed him to experience the pure, unabashed happiness of a warm childhood that he had never had. Senthil gritted his teeth as he put the sum totality of the power he had against the flames that C? had unleashed against him. His mana-motive force surged with power, driving vast amounts of mana from within the depths of his mana core and driving into his eidos. The eidos of plum blossoms. One of the most popular, universal, and ubiquitous tree species across the entirety of the world. He used runes associated with movement sequences to construct the eidos of plum blossoms. Unlike normal languages, Magia was not merely limited to characters and sounds. Magia had a third component to it that no other regular language had. Body language. Physical actions. Each rune of Magia was comprised of a character, a sound, and a sequence of actions. The latter of the three, unique to each style, comprised the magi-martial arts centered around weapons or one¡¯s body. ¡°Plum Blossom Style: Six Plum Blossoms Sword Strike!¡± His body surged in a standardized sequence of sword movements, weaving runes from the very movements of his smooth sword swings. FWOOSH! Six surges of plum blossom petals converged upon C? from all directions as Senthil surged forward, cutting through C?¡¯s flames with his powerful Blossoming Blade. His eyes flared with determination as he drew closer and closer to victory. And yet, he never even came close. A smile of euphoric excitement appeared on C?¡¯s face as a shocking three more magical circles manifested before him. RUMBLE The ground beneath Senthil shook as it erupted to swallow his feet up to the ankle, imprisoning them underground and killing his approach in the blink of an eye. The second spell manipulated the air around him to spin at extraordinary speeds, conjuring up a mini tornado of immense intensity. WHOOSH! The powerful winds swallowed up the hapless petals in their spiraling gusts, completely redirecting the attack away from C?. The third spell targeted his opponent¡¯s senses. One moment, Senthil could see everything perfectly fine. The very next? WHOOSH His eyes widened as the entire world went dark. He couldn¡¯t see anything. Including his own magical circle. Being unable to see it deprived him of the sensory trigger to the associations that would serve as the templates for his eidos. It was game over. POW! A powerful right hook struck his jaw heavily, staggering him where he stood. The impact caught him completely off-guard, rattling his brain within his skull as the critical threshold of blunt force trauma was crossed, causing his brain to lose consciousness. Senthil¡¯s body went limp, falling over. THUD And just like that, the battle was over. The entirety of the training hall was dead silent. Every single student and assistant stared at him with dropped jaws and a gaping expression, stunned at the incredible performance that C? had displayed. He had wielded five spells at once. This was something that was far beyond the limits of a normal apprentice student at any stage in their development, let alone a freshman. Thankfully, C? had already verified that five spells at once did not quite go beyond the territory of genius and enter the realm of monster. Even in his euphoric excitement, he didn¡¯t lose himself and displayed a godly mastery of magic innate to him, what would take ordinary mages years and decades of Magia training. Still, admittedly, he had gone a bit farther than was absolutely safe. It had been barely three months since he ¡®officially cast his first spell¡¯ in training. Thus, being able to cast five spells in combat three months later was jarringly prodigious, even if not historically unprecedented. He had undoubtedly garnered even more attention with this little stunt. ¡®Time to dial it back down in the next few months.¡¯ He said that even as he went on to win every single duel that followed for the rest of the session. He was undefeated. None of the other students were as strong as Senthil. It was to be expected. Martial Magic, magic centered around martial arts, was a pure combat specialist that deviated from normal magic paradigms. Students who trained in this field in one of the popular orthodox styles, like the Plum Blossom Style of Mount Hua, as Senthil had, were known for their hyper-combat specialization. It was no wonder that he was the strongest among them. C? went on to mop the floor with all the other students until the very end of the session, enjoying every second of it. Chapter 50: Familial Invitation ¡°He won every single battle¡­!¡± ¡°Undefeated¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s so cool¡­¡± A wave of murmurs swept over the gossiping students of the apprentice program. The girls giggled as they stole glances at him with coy eyes, bundling together as they whispered to each other excitedly as C? won every single battle, one after another. Several different cliques of girls began buzzing about his arena enthusiastically as they stole glances, blushing every single time he glanced at the conspicuous girls stalking his every battle. Strangely enough, a greater majority of them happened to be upper-class girls. The hostility that he had garnered from the upper-class students from the very first day, even before the academic year even began, was in sharp contrast to the infatuations of adolescent girls who began obsessing over his every battle. They knew they were supposed to dislike him. They knew that they were supposed to stay away from him as someone from the slums. And yet, the heart of a maiden could not be trapped by the shackles of class. The more they knew that they shouldn¡¯t, the more they couldn¡¯t help but grow ever more attracted to him. It wasn¡¯t just the students, even Professor Lioxin couldn¡¯t help but grow fixated on him as they watched him battle. For different reasons, of course. ¡®He¡¯s strong,¡¯ her eyes lit up with delight. ¡®His movements lack the refinement of training, but his combat is extremely fluid. The kind of fluidity that one can only achieve with lots and lots of practical experience.¡¯ The slums were not a forgiving place. Brawls and fights were a daily reality. C? hadn¡¯t seen even the tiniest speck of training of any kind. He hadn¡¯t even been taught how to throw a punch perfectly. And yet, he had thrown countless punches in his entire life. ¡®Still¡­¡¯ she gazed at him with genuine amazement, ¡®battles without magic are not comparable to magical battles. How is he this good at combat magic?¡¯ Out of all the reasons she had considered, none were even remotely close to the truth. She couldn¡¯t have even remotely imagined that he was a pure mage. Regardless of why he was this strong, what mattered most to her was that he was indeed this strong after merely three months of training. His combat magic potential and talent were endless as far as she was concerned. ¡®I have found a gem,¡¯ her eyes lit up with a flicker of excitement. ¡®I have found a powerful weapon for the Colohen Branch in the next Magic Contest at the Mana Festival.¡¯ The Mana Festival was a festival celebrated in Elendir and several other nations on the Gruonia Continent once every three years. The Magic Contest was a tournament held across the entire nation featuring all the magicademies in the entire country. They would be amassed in an enormous contest of the best talents in the entire nation and have them compete with their magic. It served as a platform for students to display their talents in combat magic and also several other fields of magic. The winners naturally gained tremendous benefits, from guaranteed career success to a wide variety of lucrative offers from many interest groups, industries, and powerhouses that were all embroiled in a silent war for talent. Even simply performing well and making a name for oneself gave one a bright future as a mage. The competition, however, extended beyond just the students and also encompassed magicacademies. The thirteen branches of the Elendir Institute of Magic were not friends. No, if anything, they were rivals who fiercely fought each other for prestige and credit. Performances in the Magic Contest often translated to better talents and more funding. That was why each branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic was constantly scouring its student body carefully for any hidden gems. It was why Headmistress Lenolia had sought to try and use C? as political capital to extend their talent acquisitions into the slums so that they could tap into the untapped magical potential. In C?¡¯s case, he wasn¡¯t a hidden gem but an open, well-known gem. He was ranked number two on the magic aptitude test and was the highest ranking student in the entire magicademy. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. He was just an even greater asset to the institute than any of them had ever anticipated. ¡®I must ensure that he is trained thoroughly so that he will be able to ensure that the Colohen Branch wins this time.¡¯ And thus, Professor Lioxin resolved to grind him hard in special combat training. With his vast experience in combat, even if not magical, she could easily get him to become more adept at combat. ¡°Please go out with me.¡± Professor Lioxin broke out of a reverie as a prominent voice echoed across the entire combat training hall. A wave of shocked and excited murmurs spread across the students who beheld what had just unfolded with stunned expressions. They all gazed at the girl who stood before C?, gazing straight into his eyes with a serious expression. It was none other than Melia. The first student he had fought and defeated in the combat training hall. The chatter among students only grew as C? simply gazed at her with a hint of confusion in his stoic gray eyes. She had just asked him out in front of the entirety of the batch of students. ¡°¡­¡± C? wasn¡¯t even sure what to make of her. She was serious, but she didn¡¯t have any of the bashful embarrassment that one would expect from a teenage girl asking out a boy. It was bizarre, making him even more skeptical of her intentions. Regardless of if she was sincere or not, the answer didn¡¯t change. She was eighteen. ¡°No.¡± He plainly rejected her advance before moving past her, much to the disappointment of the excited students. ¡°Reconsider.¡± Her tone was not friendly. The air grew a little tense as C? slowly turned around. A chilling intensity lingered in the depths of his dichromatic gray eyes, one that caused the girl to flinch where she stood. ¡°I-I must insist!¡± She stood her ground despite her obvious fear of him. ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± His tone was sharp. ¡°Please go out with me!¡± Melia almost begged him as she lowered her head, her black hair flailing messily at the hasty movement. C? frowned at the girl¡¯s unwillingness to back off. He knew that there were some adolescents who grew overzealous with their infatuations with one another. However, there was something different to her tone. This was no hint of affection, the desperation of her pleas. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this about?¡± C? narrowed his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t about a date, is it?¡± ¡°¡­Please.¡± C? considered the options. He could easily reject her then and there and simply move on with his life. But his cold, calculating side told him that it was worth listening to what this girl had to say. She was rich. If she had something to offer that included even a fraction of all the wealth in her name, he was inclined to at least give it consideration. He didn¡¯t even mind playing along with certain nonsense if it promised returns worth it. Of course, there were lines he wasn¡¯t willing to cross. Regardless, he made his decision quickly after weighing the pros and the cons. ¡°Alright,¡± he replied. ¡°I accept.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°¡­Thank you. Then, I will send you the details at a later date.¡± She skipped away with a hum, evidently pleased that her little attempt to drag him into whatever she had in mind had worked. He simply heaved a sigh as he shook his head, turning around as he spotted the students averting their gaze with a hint of nervousness as if they hadn¡¯t been listening in on every word that the two of them had exchanged. Yet, he didn¡¯t miss the fact that, in recent times, the students of the apprentice program had begun slowly treating him differently. The visceral contempt and hatred had reduced, much to his surprise. He had expected them to hate him even more and more. And yet, the more he excelled, the more he worked hard, the lower the intensity of their hatred towards him. At the very least, the girls started warming up to him while many of the boys were still frosty. ¡°Wait up, big brother C?!¡± A familiar voice called out to him. C? frowned as he turned around with an exasperated expression. It was none other than Senthil, the swordsman who trained in the Plum Blossom Style of Mount Hua that C? had beaten in a fight. ¡°Let¡¯s train together after school, big brother!¡± Senthil grinned with an excited expression. ¡°Let us climb the heights of magic side by side!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you say?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you in, or are you out?!¡± And thus, C? had inadvertently gained one more little sibling buzzing about him as he went about his day. The tale of his indomitable dominance in the battles had already begun to spread through the magicademy like a blazing fire. People began to whisper that the slum honors student was strong, unlike anything that they had ever seen. It didn¡¯t help that a craze had spread among the adolescent girls across the entire magicademy as they grew increasingly open about their infatuations with him. It became more socially acceptable within the magicademy to view him in a positive light. He began receiving an increasing number of confessions and requests for a date. This time, the more traditional kind. ¡°P-Please go out with me!¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Uuu¡­¡± He unhesitatingly broke a girl¡¯s heart then and there. ¡°¡­Scary.¡± ¡°¡­but he¡¯s so cool.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s because he¡¯s scary that he¡¯s so cool.¡± The only date offer that he accepted was that of Melia precisely because he had detected that she had different motives for asking him out. And soon enough, the day came. His clothes were casual, a simple over-shirt atop a light blue t-shirt and jeans, along with the best pair of shoes he had at his disposal. He found himself gazing at his magiphone as he waited at the front gate of the magicademy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I keep you waiting?¡± Her voice was casual, unlike when she requested him on a date. Her clothes were more fancy than his, leaving him feeling slightly under-dressed. But ultimately he didn¡¯t particularly care about such a detail, it was not relevant to why he had agreed to this date in the first place. ¡°Not at all,¡± C?¡¯s tone was devoid of affection. In his eyes, this meeting was already a business meeting as far as he was concerned. He didn¡¯t know what he wanted with him, but if it was even remotely transactional, then he could end up getting a lot of money from this deal, among other things. The two of them took a solitary seat in the cafe at a table for two, quickly ordering simple beverages. CLACK She drew a strange enchanted item from her purse and placed it on the table. It resembled a paperweight, its runes glowing with power as it drew power from the mana crystal embedded in it. VMMM¡­ The air around them shifted as C? felt the heaven element in the magic of the enchants. ¡°This¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an anti-espionage enchanted item,¡± she explained with a composed tone. ¡°It will prevent the magicademy from spying in our conversation.¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. He needed to get himself one of those. ¡°Now then, Mr. C?,¡± she began as she leaned forward. ¡°I will simply get right to the point.¡± Her eyes grew serious. ¡°As the heir of the Nelnmont Family¡­¡± she began with a solemn tone. ¡°I would like to invite you to join our family through the bond of marriage.¡± Chapter 51: Compelled C? simply stared at her like she had lost her mind. He had expected several things from her. Perhaps some kind of contractual agreement with him for his future as a mage after he graduated from the Elendir Institute of Magic. Perhaps a special consideration as a mage for the Nelnmont Family in the future as long as they took the role of his patron. He even considered the possibility that they simply wanted to invest in him for returns in the future. What he didn¡¯t expect was the family, through the girl before him representing them, offering him a marriage proposal. She didn¡¯t seem even the slightest bit flustered by the proposal of marriage, either. She faced him head-on with dead seriousness. She gently shifted a tuft of her black hair behind her ear, never once taking her intense gaze off of him. C? simply stared at her with a speechless expression before eventually heaving a sigh. He had half a mind to get up and leave then and there. And yet, he knew that that probably was not a good idea when the other party was so powerful. ¡°¡­May I ask why?¡± Melia nodded seriously. ¡°We have made this proposition to you after carefully considering each other¡¯s stances as win-wins for each of us. You are in a lacking financial condition to engage in ventures that are taxing. We have money to offer you, and in return¡­¡± For the first time, a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face. ¡°¡­We seek to introduce your magical talent into our bloodline.¡± C? narrowed his eyes. He had suspected as much. Although he truly didn¡¯t expect them to go as far as to propose marriage, he could understand the underlying reason in hindsight, having done some research on the Nelmont Family ahead of time. There was a magical drought in the family. A once-promising magical bloodline had fizzled out in the magical talent it had to offer and has caused the family to become entirely deprived of magical talent in its progeny. The family had experienced a slow fall in its prestige, and it failed to produce any mages in many generations. With Melia¡¯s magical talent and getting accepted into the Elendir Institute of Magic, there was finally an ember of hope within the family. Eager and anxious to preserve this hope, he figured that they were surely desperate to introduce talented blood into the family. They basically hoped that should C? agree to their proposal. Their children would inherit the talent for magic from their parents. His attention returned to the adolescent before him. Upon closer attention, he could tell that she was hiding her discomfort. She was doing it well. Like she had been trained for it and had been groomed to wed a man of worthy magical talent eventually. Despite that, she was deeply uncomfortable with it. He heaved a sigh. ¡°I refuse.¡± Her expression crumpled with surprise. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I said¡­¡± he replied, ¡°I refuse. I do not wish to marry you.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± His tone had a sharp edge to it, making her flinch. "I have refused you plenty of times by now," his tone was icy. "I do not intend to get married and certainly not to a stranger on the basis of some perceived value in what I offer to your bloodline." There was a time when marriage was all he could think of. He imagined a life with Lilia. A life where they started a family together. And now that that dream had been burned down to ash, he didn¡¯t particularly have the desire to start a family anymore. The mission that he had dedicated his life to was something that he had dedicated his life to. It wasn¡¯t something that he could do if he had a family to worry about. Not only was what he was trying to do dangerous to him, but it was also dangerous to any family he might have. Additionally, he was going to be so consumed by the mission that he simply would not be able to give any family that he would have the love that they deserved. He didn¡¯t intend to have a family for power. ¡°¡­I see,¡± Melia murmured with visible worry and a small hint of relief. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m against cultivating a relationship with the Nelnmont Family in general,¡± C? remarked. ¡°Marriage is too far for me. But I¡¯m not opposed to becoming your friend. I¡¯m not opposed to forging a working relationship with the Nelnmont Family.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. She was taken aback by his suggestion to cultivate a working relationship with the Nelnmont Family despite his bold and unhesitating rejection of her formal marriage proposal. ¡°¡­That is permissible,¡± she replied thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯m sure that our family would be willing to cultivate a relationship with you. I will see to it that we can come to some sort of working arrangement to satisfy our mutual interests.¡± He highly doubted she could do that. For one, he was highly skeptical whether she had the authority to dictate such matters within her matter. At most, she would relay the matter to her parents, who would surely not be pleased with his rejection of their marriage proposal. What family would give any significant authority to a girl who was merely eighteen years old? From their point of view, they had probably only entrusted her with trying to get married to him. In fact, considering that she was just trying to get a date with him in the beginning, he suspected that that was all he was entrusted with. Cultivating a romantic relationship with him was all that she had been instructed, most likely. Perhaps they expected to handle it with more tact, but he suspected that she didn¡¯t expect him to refuse her so cleanly. Regardless, while he found it a little distasteful, he was not averse to trying to cultivate a friendship with the Nelnmont Family and the girl before him. He buried his hatred for these powerful families that did everything in their power to enforce the existing world order that favored them so much. For now, he could use their power. He knew that these families competed for powerful mages to have on retainer, which gave him some leverage because he was shaping up to be a powerful mage by all estimates. Even if it was very early to make a deal with him until it was entirely confirmed, the Nelnmont Family was clearly desperate for magical power if they had resorted to getting a man from the slums to marry the heir of their esteemed family. ¡°For now, please convey this message to your family,¡± C? began with a solemn tone. ¡°I am willing to sign certain semi-exclusive agreements with your family if they are willing to sponsor me and my ventures now. We can discuss the details in person if they are interested. As for us¡­ I do not mind a friendship.¡± She nodded slowly. ¡°Understood.¡± And thus, their little ¡®date¡¯ ended abruptly as they swiftly came to a tentative agreement. There was nothing she could tell him or confirm until she conveyed his offer to her parents. And after she returned home in a private limousine, she did just that. ¡°He¡­ he refused?¡± The cold voice of the patriarch of the Nelmont Family spread across the extravagant living room of the enormous mansion. The architecture and the decor still retained the vestiges of a style from before the Magindustrial Revolution. The intricate crystal chandeliers. The long, gaudy flowing curtains. A myriad of expensive, old oil painting art and hand-sculpted vases neatly decorated the entirety of the house, making it feel more like a museum than a place one could feel at home. An ostentatious and showy decor that hadn''t changed as much from the age of aristocracy in the Democratic Republic of Elendir. Relics of a grand past. All of it screamed old money. ¡°Tsk, that slum mongrel should be grateful that we are allowing his filthy blood to enter a bloodline,¡± the patriarch¡¯s expression crumpled with anger. ¡°He dares to reject after we offer the flower of our family? Tsk, I should have him killed right now.¡± The man¡¯s fat face grew reddened with anger as his veins began popping out of his forehead. Steepled his fingers with a furious expression as he considered his options. It was not an exaggeration to say that the Nelnmont Family was truly desperate for a good mage to enter the family and marry off their daughter, too. He had pushed his disgust down when he thought about C?¡¯s background but ultimately told himself it was worth the benefits. Normally, it would be impossible for the Nelnmont Family to get their hands on a rank two candidate who would definitely have the merits to enter one of the ten great families. However, with C?, his background was definitely off-limits for their pure-bred magical bloodlines. Melia flinched at her father¡¯s words. ¡°F-Father, I don¡¯t think his blood is filthy¡­ but I don¡¯t want to marry him either¡ª¡± ¡°Melia.¡± This time, it was the stern voice of a woman who cut her off as she glared at her daughter disapprovingly. ¡°What have we told you before?¡± ¡°¡­Family comes above all.¡± Melia¡¯s tone was solemn. Defeated. ¡°Correct,¡± her mother gazed down at the teenage girl with harsh, disapproving eyes that bore down on her heavily. ¡°That is why you failed. You do not have the will to see this through to the end.¡± Meilia¡¯s expression crumpled. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Did you throw yourself at him like I instructed you to?¡± Melia froze. ¡°¡­As I thought,¡± her mother¡¯s cruel voice. ¡°You were unable to do something even this basic. It would have been effortless to trap him into a marriage with social pressure. But instead, you let the truth out, did you not?¡± Melia began to protest. ¡°But¡ª¡° SLAP Her mother¡¯s hand had struck before she could even react. Her cheek was already stinging painfully before she even realized what had happened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any excuses.¡± Her mother¡¯s tone was chilling. It inspired raw terror in the eighteen-year-old girl before her. It didn¡¯t matter if her mother was devoid of magic and Meilia was more powerful than both her parents with the power of magic. The immense psychological hold that both of them held over her was immense. They were her only family and her greatest fear. ¡°From now on, I want you to cultivate a relationship with him,¡± her mother remarked with a cold tone. ¡°You have already blown the easy and quick method. You will have to do it slowly. He offered to become your friend? Then accept that. Spend more time with him. Show interest in what he does. Develop a good friendship with him and then¡­¡± Her eyes sharpened, ¡°¡­eventually, cultivate a romantic relationship with him. Understood?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that clear?¡± ¡°¡­¡± A glint of anger flared in her mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Melia.¡± The girl flinched. ¡°Yes, mother¡­¡± ¡°Good.¡± The day soon passed as the adolescent girl returned to the magicademy campus within school hours. Her eyes were listless. Her body was limp. She returned to her dorm room quietly, not responding to any of her friends who called out to her. The next day arrived quicker than it ever had before. She found herself walking out of her room, having donned her uniform. ¡°Ah, there you are, Melia!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You seem sick?¡± ¡°Did you even take a warm bath? Tsk tsk, you have to maintain your skin or else¡ª¡± STEP She walked past her friends like they didn¡¯t even exist, leaving them surprised. Surprised and displeased. ¡°Tsk, did he really just give us the cold shoulder?¡± ¡°Getting so uppity just because she comes from old money¡­ our families are just as rich!¡± ¡°Not to mention¡­¡± A sneer appeared on another girl¡¯s face. ¡°Our blood isn¡¯t devoid of magic.¡± They giggled cruelly. And yet, Melia¡¯s listless eyes and body language didn¡¯t so much as stir at the horrible insults uttered loud enough for her to hear every word. She simply walked and walked across the extensive campus of the magicademy until she happened upon him. He walked as he studied several documents in his hand, accompanied by Seliphaz, who explained the data that she had collected from their recent prototype testing. They headed towards the magicademy from the dormitory wing of the campus. She expounded on which of the three prototypical paths looked to be most promising empirically and which was most cost-effective for fulfilling the conditions and constraints that C? had laid out. ¡°And so I was thinking that for ES-1¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. C?.¡± Melia''s voice was impassive. ¡°Hm?¡± C? turned to his side to glance at her. For a moment, she simply gazed at him before a smile appeared on her face. A smile that didn¡¯t reach her listless eyes. ¡°Good morning, Mr. C?. I hope¡­ I hope that we can spend some time together.¡± Her tone was eerily lost. Chapter 52: Approaching Goal C? raised an eyebrow as he studied her. Something had changed in her. Her eyes were lifeless. Her smile was¡­ superficial. His eyes sharpened as he noticed a red bruise on her face. ¡°You¡­ are you okay?¡± ¡°...Of course." ¡°¡­Alright.¡± C? furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Yes, you can spend time with me. But for now, we have classes.¡± Her expression grew strangely relieved before a superficial, tired smile appeared on her face. ¡°Then we will have to save it for another time.¡± She quickly scurried away. ¡°¡­T-That was a little strange,¡± Seliphaz commented with a concerned expression. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± C? narrowed his eyes, shaking his head lightly with a soft sigh. ¡°Regardless, you were saying?¡± ¡°A-Ah, yes. Out of the three prototypes, the most promising is actually the HS-1. The hybrid solution is actually the most cost-effective method out of all three prototypical solutions while also satisfying all constraints and conditions,¡± she explained patiently. ¡°Our experiments show that at all scales of production, the HS-1 is four percent cheaper than the ES-1 and two percent cheaper than the AS-1.¡± Neither of those percentages might strike one particularly high to the layman, but C? knew better. ¡°This is game-changing,¡± he realized. ¡°It increases our low profits and allows us to reduce prices should the need arise. Perhaps we don¡¯t need to operate with razor-thin margins after all.¡± In business, the difference of single percentages could mean the difference between wild success and complete failure. Because even though the percentage would reflect a small amount of money per sale, the amount would balloon with each sale. Over hundreds, thousands, and potentially even more, they would garner immense additional revenue. ¡°I am curious though.¡± C? raised an eyebrow. ¡°I would have expected that either the alchemical solution or the engineering solution would have been the most optimal. It¡¯s interesting that the hybrid solution is actually the most cost-effective solution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s a combination of what is the most cost-effective solution for each independent solution,¡± she explained helpfully. ¡°For example, if you study these blueprints, you¡¯ll see that we developed an alchemical solution for the ventilation and temperature regulation systems. However, for security and structural integrity, the most optimal solution was an engineering solution.¡± C? nodded with a thoughtful expression. ¡°That¡¯s truly impressive, I must say. The prototype has yet to be completed, but I must admit that I am very excited for the end product.¡± She nodded enthusiastically, shifting a tuft of her blue hair. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to show all of you what the completed product looks like!¡± The two of them chatted some more about the business before parting ways. Classes were soon to begin. And yet, even as C? was present in classes, his thoughts couldn¡¯t help but wonder as he thought about the progress of the business development. The developments were exciting, but they also put pressure on him to ensure that he completed the Apprentice Program within the next few months. He didn¡¯t want to have to be the one leader who was too busy with other matters while his entire team and company depended on him for his leadership. And even though he knew that he ought to use this time to focus on his magicademics so that he would be there for the company when it was time, he still couldn¡¯t help but dream about what the final product would look like and how the eventual sales would go. Much to the chagrin of his professors. ¡°Mr. C?.¡± The stern voice of an older man broke him out of his reverie. C? found himself sitting in a classroom surrounded by students who turned to peer at him with a hint of puzzled curiosity. Kelton, Sorenon, and Natana gazed at him with alarmed eyes, shifting their gazes back and forth between C? and the professor. ¡°Professor Kuznets.¡± C?¡¯s tone was apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the¡ª¡± ¡°For sleeping in my class, young man?¡± the professor stroked his long flowing white beard. ¡°Do you think that magical etymology is utterly unworthy of your attention?¡± Actually, he did. The Apprentice Program didn¡¯t offer him any free space for electives, forcing him to take a bunch of foundational theories surrounding magic, including highly boring topics like magical etymology. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Tell me, Mr. C?,¡± the professor gazed at him with disapproving eyes. ¡°What is the origin of the prefix of ¡®magi¡¯ in our linguistic norms? Why is it that we still add ¡®magi¡¯ before everything? Do you have any idea at all for you to be dreaming away in my classes?¡± The air grew serious as it became evident to all the students that the teacher was simply trying to test C? with the intention of scolding him when he got it wrong. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong student. ¡°Etymologically, the prefix ¡®magi¡¯ emerges from magic which, in Ancient Kruschian, simply translated to ¡®supernatural,¡¯¡± C? began with a matter-of-factly. ¡°As a prefix, its origin came about after the dawn of the magindustrial revolution with the creation of industry and the ability to mass produce magical goods and services. Specifically, the invention of magical equivalents of non-magical goods and services. The ¡®magi¡¯ prefix was initially adopted by suppliers to distinguish between the magical and non-magical equivalents of the same goods and services in the market for customer convenience. However, very soon, it wormed its way into common parlance and linguistic norms across the entire world cross-culturally and cross-linguistically.¡± C? paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°From then on, it has been recognized in dictionaries around the world. Even if the prevalence of magical goods and services far exceeds that of non-magical goods and services in most sectors, we still use the prefix ¡®magi,¡¯ although it has waned in its imperative need. Traditions, especially linguistic traditions, do not wane easily. And in particular, this prefix still has plenty of utility.¡± Professor Kuznet stared at C? with a surprised expression. He truly had expected that C? would fail to have any answer to this question. As an experienced professor, he had run into countless freshman apprentices who slept during his class because of how boring magical etymology was. He would often test them with questions and penalize them when they failed to answer the question. However, C?¡¯s answer was perfectly accurate, even if imprecise. ¡°Hm, not bad,¡± Professor Kuznet¡¯s tone was unfriendly. ¡°However, you made one crucial mistake.¡± The professor narrowed his eyes. ¡°This prefix does not have any utility today. Your textbooks detail the arguments made by various world-renowned linguists. There is no longer a need to add cumbersome prefixes like magi to everything like ¡®magi-this¡¯ and ¡®magi-that.¡¯ Not anymore!¡± C?¡¯s gray grew a tad bit more intense. ¡°¡­I beg to differ. I don¡¯t doubt the research done by the experts in their fields regarding the overwhelming prevalence of magic in modern civilization. However¡­¡± C?¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°¡­what of all the people who don¡¯t live in a modern civilization?¡± The professor stiffened. ¡°What about the billions of people who live in slums disconnected partially or entirely from the magigrid?¡± C?¡¯s tone grew a little intense even as his voice remained composed. ¡°What about all the people who grew up living lives that weren¡¯t filled with an abundance of magical artifacts and enchanted items? For them, being surrounded by ¡®magi-¡¯equivalents of normal goods and services isn¡¯t their reality.¡± The professor coughed uncomfortably. ¡°Of course, this entire topic applies only to modern civilization. I, er, was not including¡ª¡± ¡°Half the human population?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± ¡°¡­Just sit down already; we still have a class to study!¡± Professor Kuznets scurried back to the front of the class, hurriedly continuing on with his lecture while C? took his seat, not entirely pleased by what had happened. Of course, the discussion of the ¡®magi¡¯ prefix was not the point. C? didn¡¯t give a single damn about whether people continued with the prefix or started discarding it. What he didn¡¯t like was the constant exclusion of the experiences of countless people around the world who grew up in environments outside of modernized magical technology. In his experience, the world preferred to pretend that these people didn¡¯t exist. They would talk about how far the world had come with a quality of life and how developed the world was, all the while the underlying implicit caveat was that these statements were excluding nearly half the world that lived in destitute poverty. It happened time and time again. In order to feel better about themselves or to cope by pretending that their interaction with the world was something that they could project upon civilization as a whole. He had run into this many times, learning the hard way that people grew uncomfortable when the reality of the horrors that much of the world lived in was described too accurately, shattering the illusion that they lived in. He was just disappointed to find out that this pattern appeared to remain true even for the professors of the Elendir Institute of Magic of all places. And yet, the topic reminded him of his developing business. In the slums, the prefix of ¡®magi¡¯ may have been a relevant tool since it wasn¡¯t a given that most goods and services weren¡¯t magical. Far from it. ¡®Does that mean I will have to call my product a ¡®magi-micro-housing unit?¡¯ His expression crumpled with cringe at the label for the product that Seliphaz was developing. ¡®Nonono¡­I can¡¯t name it that.¡¯ He shook his head lightly. ¡®Besides, it isn¡¯t even technically magical.¡¯ Magical substances were technically mana-rich substances and were not counted as magic. There were no enchants that caused magical effects by virtue of the magic cast by the virtue of the creator. Thus, his product would theoretically be considered non-magical. Or at least non-magical as far as active magic was concerned. It was not non-magical as far as the means of development and the means of production were concerned. ¡®Ah well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ At the end of the day, the only thing that mattered was product utility and sales. The label of the product was entirely irrelevant as far as he was concerned. He shook his head as his attention returned to the present. ¡®Focus.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have as much time to get distracted. With each passing day, Seliphaz increasingly fleshed out the prototypes in school as she borrowed the excellent labs of the Elendir Institute of Magic, eager to get the job done before she graduated from the magicademy so that they wouldn¡¯t have endured a higher cost of research and development by hiring labs and other facilities to facilitate high-quality development. And with each day she got closer to completing her project, C? too aggressively made strides in taking the final steps in completing his Apprentice Program. Nine months had passed since the academic year started. In those nine years, he hadn¡¯t been able to complete the program even if he wanted to. One year was the bare minimum. By the end of the year, he would opt to choose how many ever of the mandatory tests and exams he needed to take in order to pass the program. All in one go. Even for him, it was a tall task. Not only would he need to nail theory, but he would also need to pass all the practicals when it came to magic and magic-related practical exams. It was a daunting challenge that very few Apprentice Students had the courage to go for. And even fewer succeeded. C? was one of them. And just like that, three months passed. The time had arrived. Chapter 53: Impending Battle The end of the first year of the Apprentice Program had arrived. With it came the term-end examination that many freshmen dreaded from the bottom of their hearts. STEP STEP STEP C? walked towards the examination hall silently with a relaxed gait and a calm expression. He stood out amid the sea of tense, nervous freshmen with anxious expressions. The air was heavy. The noise that their chatter generated on a day to day basis was absent, replaced by soft whispers and faint murmurs. ¡°¡­I¡¯m screwed.¡± Kelton¡¯s grim voice broke the silence, drawing momentary glances from students all around them. ¡°Ssh!¡± Natana put a finger to her lips, shushing him harshly. ¡°This is why I told you to study when you had the time,¡± Sorenon chided him with a low voice. ¡°How will you score well in theory if you don¡¯t practice?¡± C? simply ignored the conversation. His concentration remained on the task at hand. The time was nigh. ¡°Please leave your bags in the lockers,¡± the invigilator sternly remarked with a serious expression. ¡°Leave your magiphones on silent mode and take your seats in your exam rooms as per ID numbers.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± C? told his three young friends before heading off to his exam room with his necessary stationery. ¡°IDs on the table and pouches open,¡± the invigilator instructed. ¡°We will soon begin the exams.¡± C? closed his eyes as the invigilators swiftly went about confirming ID cards and student numbers, ensuring that everybody was where they were supposed to be. And soon enough, it was time. FLAP Several sheets of paper were placed on his table. A question paper and answer sheet. C? read through the paper with a composed expression. The exam was on the History of Magic foundational course that explored the different phases of magical history with the Pure Ages, the Magical Awakening, and the Magindustrial Revolution. A course that C? enjoyed learning about but had no interest in pursuing. ¡°Begin,¡± the invigilator instructed students. Immediately, the students began writing furiously. The sound of scribbles echoed within the exam room as deafening silence overtook the entire exam hall. Many a student stressed as their expressions grew grim and their eyes wandered about with uncertainty. Because the magic aptitude test was based entirely on natural talent, it didn¡¯t necessarily select students who were the most studious and disciplined. Unlike other fields, those who got into the top magicademies were not the ones who put the most effort into scoring high on an academic entrance exam with an excellent GPA in high school. No, it was all talent-driven, which meant that the university naturally gained students who were not the most disciplined, especially among sixteen-year-old boys and girls who, while not lazy, were not exactly the most known for their self-control. While the other test-takers stressed about the exam, C? calmly and swiftly jotted down all the answers to all the questions. He closed his eyes, recollecting the entirety of all textbooks of this particular course. His imagination and memory were so vivid that he could recreate the textbook with perfect accuracy, skimming through the pages in his mind as he found what he was looking for each particular question. And just like that, three hours passed. ¡°Time is up. Put your pens down.¡± A wave of tired relief washed over the students as the invigilator walked by all of them, collecting all their papers one by one. C? huffed lightly once the exam was done, stretching his stiff body, before collecting his stationary and departing from the exam hall. Students conversed with each other with tones of relief and worry, exhausted all the same. ¡°How did it go for you, big brother?¡± Sorenon asked with a curious expression, readjusting his spectacles. C? shrugged lightly. ¡°Great.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kelton murmured with a worried tone. ¡°I might fail.¡± ¡°This is why you should have studied,¡± Natana chided him, shifting her pigtails behind her shoulder before turning to C? with a curious expression. ¡°You must have gotten full marks, big brother.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. C? huffed. ¡°Hopefully. I don¡¯t think I got a single one wrong.¡± He knew he didn¡¯t get a single one wrong. ¡°Urghhh¡­¡± Kelton groaned with pain. ¡°This hell for the week is going to be brutal!¡± ¡°You should consider yourself lucky,¡± C? lightly commented. ¡°I have two weeks of exams.¡± The three of them stiffened at his words, gazing at him with concern. ¡°¡­I still think you¡¯re a madman for choosing to give all the exams in one go,¡± Sorenon muttered with an uncertain tone. ¡°Do you really think you can pass the Apprentice Program in one year?¡± The question turned the air solemn. ¡°Yes,¡± C? simply replied. ¡°I will be a Senior in a month or so.¡± ¡°Heh, I have faith in you, big brother,¡± Kelton smiled confidently. ¡°Do you have faith in me?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± A small smile appeared at the edge of C?¡¯s mouth uncharacteristically. ¡°Work hard, kid. It helps. For now, I¡¯m off. I need to prepare for my next exam.¡± And just like that, he returned to his dormitory to study. He had completely put all matters as a low priority for the time being, including business development, much to his chagrin. But he had no choice, and he couldn¡¯t afford to botch up his magical mastery. Good marks, in theory, didn¡¯t necessarily guarantee that, but good marks were necessary for getting into the Senior Program of the Elendir Institute of Magic, which was necessary for his agenda of magical mastery. And thus, in the following days, C? took one exam after another in rapid succession, day after day. Exam after exam, he aced all the theory courses, relying on his gifts to nail them down without even the slightest hint of failure. And then came the practical exams. ¡°Gather around.¡± In a large combat hall, a large number of apprentice students were gathered. Their attire was different from the standard institute, comprised of skin-tight combat suits checkered with glowing runes across the entire attire. A standard-issue magicademy wand was tucked away in the holsters attached to their utility belt. If students were allowed to bring their own wands, the rich students would dominate the poor students each and every time, thus the Institute took it upon themselves to equalize things. ¡°Combat exams work differently from the theory tests,¡± Professor Lioxin smiled mischievously, ¡°as I¡¯m sure you all know. Not all of you will pass this test.¡± It was difficult to measure combat prowess objectively, for it wasn¡¯t a singular parameter, and no singular test did it justice. Compatibility differences made it impossible for a universal test to benefit some students against each other. ¡°And thus, your combat skills will be judged relative to other students,¡± Professor Lioxin¡¯s tone was mischievous. ¡°Each student will fight every other student. More than a hundred battles per student. The bottom twenty-five percent will be failed.¡± The students stiffened at her words. That was an absurd number of battles to subject students within a single session. It would be extraordinarily grueling physically and mentally and truly push students to their very limit. And thus, it began. STEP C? arrived at the little arena with a steely expression and a driven intensity. The boy who was made to take the stage against him gulped as he could barely contain his wobbling knee. The boy shifted his glasses nervously, drawing his wand with a shaking hand. C?¡¯s combat prowess was infamous. Although he had fallen short of breaking records, he had gained proficiency in magic at an astounding rate. His combat magic was so great that he had essentially been undefeated in his class ever since he began partaking in the combat magic course. Almost none of the students thought they could deal with him. ¡°Begin!¡± THWOOM! From the moment the battle began, a magic circle appeared before C? and almost instantaneously, a powerful gust of wind outside of his opponent¡¯s interference field blasted into his opponent, flinging him away. ¡°Waaah!¡± THUD He landed outside of the arena, skidding away with a groan. For a moment, nobody could move. The battle had barely lasted a second. C? could have effortlessly killed him before he could even react had that been a real battle. What especially stunned people was how quickly he could weave a magic circle together and cast magic. Magic circles were the triggers for associated memories that served as eidos templates for the magic spell, but magic circles themselves were cast through direct memory and imagination. The act of casting a magic spell was a multi-layered mental process. And yet, C? cast magic spells at blinding speeds and was almost entirely unrivaled in that regard. Almost. BANG! ¡°Aaah!¡± Another student was knocked out of the ring simultaneously as C?¡¯s opponent was. C? raised an eyebrow as his gaze fell on the student who achieved a victory as he did. His eyes sharpened as his eyes fell upon a familiar face. He was visibly older than he had been when they ran into each other. A growth spurt had lent him several inches of growth. His body was more developed than it had been, and his flowing brown hair had gotten even longer. His sharp green eyes sparkled with greater intensity than C? remembered, filled with hatred that was directed towards him, of all people. ¡°¡­Silian Sylvester.¡± The kid who had tried to murder C? even before the academic year even began. He had failed, of course, and had even been penalized with a credit loss, requiring him to work much harder to make for it. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that he resented C? for what had happened. Even though he was the one who had tried to kill C?. His expression was crumpled with murderous anger. He was itching to fight C?. ¡®Well, isn¡¯t that convenient?¡¯ A cold, perilous light flared in C?¡¯s eyes. He was not in the habit of sparing people who had tried to kill him. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that they were on campus under the supervision of the magicademy that day, C? would not have allowed him to get away as easily as he did. And if they were in the slums, he would have burned him alive and watched him writhe and scream as the flames ate him alive. Shivers crawled down the spines of those around as just a spark of the wrath and hatred that C? kept buried deep inside him came out. A terrible malevolence and malice. The sheer depth of his hatred. It inspired fear. Silian didn¡¯t back down, glowering at him with thinly-veiled bloodlust. Professor Lioxin watched with an excited smile, coolly allowing the two students to bear their ill-will against each other. She was confident in her own ability and the security measures of the Elendir Institute of Magic that would protect each other from each other even if they themselves forgot their restraint. A part of her was hoping that they would. It was better for them to go through this experience now in a controlled and safe environment where they could learn from allowing their emotions to take control without having to suffer from the consequences. And thus, the battles continued. Both C? and Silian achieved an undefeated streak of domineering victories. Silian displayed a degree of magical mastery that was truly amazing for someone who was merely seventeen years old. He had gotten rank five on the same magic aptitude test in which C? had gotten rank two, leaving no doubts about his talent, and had been practicing magic even before he had gotten into the magicademy. It was impossible to say which of the two were stronger as they were now, making the impending match-up that much more shocking. One after another, they dominated all the opponents that came their way in an undefeated streak of victories. And soon enough, it was time. STEP STEP The two of them arrived before each other in the battle arena. Chapter 54: Intense Battle The two mages faced off against each other in the same arena. Silian fiercely glared at C? with a ferocious glare. C? eyed him with cold bloodlust. The air in the entire combat arena facility was intense. A perilous tension hung in the atmosphere. The students watched with uncertain expressions as the two mages stood on the same arena facing off against each other. They gathered around the arena with eyes of anticipation and nervous excitement. They were the two undefeated mages with a clean win streak in the combat magic exam. Their combat power was so overwhelming to the other students that literally none of the others had any chance of being able to hold off against them. Their power. Their speed. The complexity of their magic. Their mastery of eidos. Their mana-motive force. All of it was overwhelming. They were completely unstoppable to the other students of the Apprentice Program. Even Professor Lioxin was excited about the prospects of this battle as it was soon to unfold. ¡°Take your positions.¡± They each took their spots precisely ten meters away. They drew their wands from their holsters, pointing them at each other. Their concentrations honed in on each other while their focus intensified. The world may as well have ceased to exist as the two of them dedicated every ounce of their conscious mind to fighting each other. And soon enough, the battle began. ¡°¡­Begin!¡± In the blink of an eye, their interference fields emerged around them, encompassing their entire body and mind. The very next moment, all hell broke loose. FWOOSH! A magic circle with a pentagon and a triangle embedded in it, with several runes, emerged before C? as he unleashed nothing short of a fiery inferno upon Silian. A spell that would have burned him alive then and there had it actually struck. It didn¡¯t. WHOOSH! With a single wave of his wand, an intense stream of powerful winds emerged from him with great speed, dispelling C?¡¯s inferno before it could touch the young adolescent. Simultaneously, a second magic circle appeared before his eyes as he unleashed an extraordinarily intense beam of light towards C?. And yet, moments before the intense beam of light incinerated C? whole, a wave of darkness emerged around C?, enveloping him in the shadows, protecting him from the light. WHOOSH¡­ In the blink of an eye, the light melted into the darkness that C? surrounded himself with as another magic circle appeared before his eyes. RUMBLE The ground beneath their feet shook as the ground before C? began deforming with several projectiles emerging from within the bedrock. Projectiles that launched themselves at Silian with enough force to crush him where he stood. And yet, not even that was enough to defeat the young adolescent. BANG BANG BANG! Numerous students grew shocked as Silian¡¯s body hardened tremendously, allowing him to withstand the incoming attack with a simple guard, protecting his vitals. Body enhancement. A field of magic that deployed the life element and the Fundamental Form of Change, allowing one to manipulate one¡¯s own life and enhance one¡¯s physicality to greater levels. Even as the students gaped at Silian¡¯s remarkable proficiencies, he had already waved his hand as a magic circle with a triangle and a rune relating to the heaven element emerged. VMMM! He unleashed a powerful blast of organic sound waves towards C?, threatening to blast his eardrums and knock him unconscious then and there. And yet, C? had already foreseen the attack. BOOM A timely earth wall had emerged before C? just the briefest moment before the attack had commenced, protecting him from the impact. A triple-circle spell of the earth element with two operations of the Fundamental Form of Change for manipulating the shape of land and increasing its acoustic impedance, while using the Fundamental Form of Change to shift the land to shield him. FSSS¡­ The sheer energy of the sound, impeded by the wall, had turned into a tremendous amount of heat, causing the earth shield to grow molten hot. Something C? had used to his advantage with yet another triple circle spell that heated up molten rock to lava before using manipulation to launch a wide-scale attack against his opponent, leaving no room to escape. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Silian¡¯s eyes narrowed as multiple magic circles appeared before his eyes, and he cast multiple magic spells all at once. He manipulated the temperature of the air, causing it to grow colder and colder, sapping away heat from the lava while the other spell conjured immense water to cancel the lava that threatened to burn him alive. Silian¡¯s eyes flared with bloodlust as he pointed his wand towards C? as multiple magic circles emerged before his very eyes, while a myriad of beams of light emerged from his wand, threatening to impale C? where he stood. WHOOSH C? took to the air, flying about across the atmosphere with great fluidity and agility, winding about as he evaded light beams one after another, spreading darkness across the atmosphere to impede Silian¡¯s aim and accuracy. The spectating students simply gaped with amazement and awe as the two most powerful apprentice students went at it with each other displaying their extraordinary talent in the realms of magic. C? displayed an absurd casting speed, eidos complexity, and remarkable eidos reading while Silian displayed an intensely powerful mana-motive force and a greater versatility as far as the fields of magic he had gained proficiency in. The sheer intensity and power of the battle escalated to even greater heights as the two brilliant apprentice mages unleashed their extraordinary power against each other. Even Professor Lioxin watched with impressed excitement. ¡°Raaah!¡± Silian unleashed a flash of light that scourged away all the darkness C? used to conceal himself, only to discover that he was missing. He had lost his opponent for just the briefest moments. And that was enough. FWOOSH! A conflagration of flames emerged from behind him, swallowing him up faster than his delayed reactions could cast magic. C?¡¯s eyes lit up with a cold light as he watched his spells consume his opponent alive while a wave of gasps and shocked murmurs erupted from the students. ¡°Professor, won¡¯t you intervene?¡± one student asked with a concerned expression. Professor Lioxin smiled confidently. ¡°The battle is far from over.¡± The students turned back to the battle with a surprised expression. Their eyes widened at what they saw. WHOOSH A small tornado of wind erased the flames as the burned figure of Silian emerged from the flames. The students staggered with horrified expressions at the first degree and second degree burns that covered his entire body. His skin was blistered with a burned red tint. The anger on his face had intensified as several magic circles emerged before him in the blink of an eye. Suddenly his burns began healing at a quick pace as the students grew even more stunned by his mastery of different fields of magic. Healing magic was not something that they were accustomed to seeing in apprentice students. While it was predominantly used in medicine, there were plenty of magetants who had gained some degree of mastery over it since it was useful in dealing with wounds in combat. Evidently, the young prodigious Silian was among them. And yet, C? wasn¡¯t kind enough to simply watch him heal his wounds patiently. He unleashed a maelstrom of attacks with heaven and earth as well as light and dark. The sheer onslaught that he unleashed upon his opponent was intense, forcing Silian to grit his teeth and mount all of his mana-motive force towards defense while he healed his wounds. C? exploited his healing preoccupation while pushing harder and harder with all manner of attacks, forcing his opponent to direct most of his power and attention towards defending against C?¡¯s offense. C? continued changing and altering his offensive magic quickly, pressuring Silian to also alter his defensive to keep up with C?¡¯s offensive. With each passing second, Silian¡¯s breathing grew more labored. His expression grew strained. He gritted his teeth with grim severity as he struggled to defend against C?¡¯s heavy and pressuring offense that threatened to blast him the very moment he slipped. FWOOSH With a single wave of his wand, he conjured a powerful bout of flame threatening to burn Silian where he stood while simultaneously causing a converging gust of wind that intensified the flames¡¯ temperature. Silian gritted his teeth as he conjured a wave of water to douse the heat while conjuring a wall of earth to curb the winds. WHOOSH C? shot across the battlefield as he deftly manipulated heaven to allow him to fly with a shocking proficiency, allowing him to easily circumvent the unidirectional defense, launching blasts of fire and wind, and the occasional curveball to constantly keep his opponent busy with him. Silian grimaced as his healing was constantly interrupted. The pain of the burns was agonizing, requiring him to exercise every ounce of willpower to withstand such pain while simultaneously fighting off C?¡¯s aggressive attempts to pressure him in battle. FWOOSH! C? unleashed several more fireballs at his opponent, who grew increasingly frustrated at C?¡¯s relentless offense. And yet, C? had yet to unleash everything. His dichromatic gray eyes flared with fierce intensity as a whopping four single-circle magic circles appeared before him. Four conjuration spells centered around heaven and earth, as well as light and dark. All at once. And yet Silian displayed a ferocious tenacity as he conjured four of his own defensive magic spells to counter the four attacks that C? conjured upon him simultaneously. BOOM! A tremendous explosion erupted as magic on both sides collided with each other in a great explosion of mana. Siian¡¯s eyes flared with determination as his wounds finally healed with the moment of respite he got from the collision of spells. His burns disappeared as his expression grew relieved with the reduction of the pain in the moment of respite he had gotten. He waved his wand at the ready, all but itching to blast his opponent with magic. But alas, he was too late. WHOOSH C? emerged from the dust and the smoke from the collision, appearing before him in the blink of an eye with a ferocious speed. Silian gritted his teeth with alarm as several magic circles appeared before him at a rapid pace. And yet, C?¡¯s kick was faster. POW! A blazingly fast and heavy kick blasted into the young mage¡¯s hand with thundering impact, knocking his wand out of his hand. Time slowed down in Silian¡¯s eyes as a painful wave of deja vu swept over him. This was the second time that C? disarmed him with a simple physical attack. The memory juxtaposed over what was happening to him in real time as C? smoothly transitioned to the next kick. A heavy roundhouse kick to the jaw with all the torque and weight he could muster into the attack. THWACK! The impact rattled his skull as the blunt-force trauma exceeded the critical threshold, causing his brain to shut down as he lost consciousness. THUD He fell down unconscious. For a moment, not a single person could move. And yet, the outcome was clear. ¡°Winner: Mr. C?!¡± Professor Lioxin smiled with an impressed expression while the students around the arena felt the need to clap in applause at the stunning victory that C? had managed to pull off in an otherwise riveting battle. C?, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but study the unconscious adolescent with a surprised expression. Even if he was holding back by not using his pure magic, he was still pushed very hard by a kid who was several years his younger. It was a good reminder to him not to get too arrogant. He was indeed extraordinary, but that didn¡¯t make him invincible by any means. Chapter 55: Results News of the battle between C? and Silian spread throughout the entirety of the Apprentice Program. Many a student spoke of the extraordinary battle between the two top apprentice freshmen. They spoke about how the two apprentice students could effortlessly multi-cast and could even cast multi-layered magic with more than just one or two operations, showing just how great their eidos mastery was. Their mana-motive force, which dictated how much mana they could wield at any given moment, was far, far greater than their peers, which allowed them to go on a dominant win streak in the first place. Professor Lioxin herself praised the two students for their remarkable display of combat power, praising them as the two jewels of the Colohen Branch that academic year. Regardless, the hyped died down quickly as the exams continued. C? took an exam on literally every single course in the Apprentice Program, taking one every day for three weeks straight. Progress that would take years for other apprentice programs, he simply ground through and blazed past. The way that it worked was that all theory courses would be completed and taught in the very first year, and students would slowly take the exams for these courses, both practical and theory, across multiple years. However, one didn¡¯t need to wait strictly if they were confident enough. It allowed for the scant possibility of someone being gifted enough to blaze through potentially the entire program in a year in exactly the way that C? was doing so now. Like a madman, he went through each and every exam in a back-to-back sprint for three weeks until it was finally time for the results to be announced. If there was one day that students feared even more than the day of the first exam, it was the day of the announcement of the exam results, where the results and scores of each and every single student who took any exam at all would be fully on display in public. The best performers would gain public social prestige within the magicademy, and the worst performers would be publicly shamed. The Elendir Institute of Magic was not above putting its students through a grinder with brutal social disincentives. After all, this magicademy was the institute that was responsible for forging powerful mages out of the brightest talents of the Elendir Institute of Magic, no matter what. CLACK C? closed the door to his dorm room, locking it before pocketing the keys. He buttoned his fresh and neatly ironed uniform before walking down the wide and spacious dormitory. STEP STEP STEP The loud footsteps of his firm gate drew attention to him from students who parted ways for him as he walked past them. Their eyes, filled with grudging respect, awe, and even infatuation, followed him as he headed toward the general hall for the announcement of his results. His silence lasted only minutes before boisterous company bombarded his personal space with their juvenile, inconsiderate temperament. ¡°Big bro!¡± Kelton slapped him on the back with a whip from his burly hands. In the past year, he had grown several inches taller, reaching almost six feet and six inches. His body was even more muscular than it had been when he joined. His brown eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Natana¡¯s expression was dyed with concern. ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t failed.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re actually fine,¡± Sorenon remarked, shifting his glasses. ¡°If anything¡­¡± He glared at Kelton. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you are so peachy. Weren¡¯t you saying a few weeks ago that you would fail?¡± ¡°Hmph, a real man doesn¡¯t fret over such things.¡± C? shook his head over the silly juvenile machismo that the boy displayed. Yet, before he could even cajole him for his attitude, another voice had already beaten him to it. ¡°He who takes pride in his mistakes shall never go far.¡± C?¡¯s gaze shifted in the direction of the familiar voice. ¡°Senthil.¡± His brown hair was as messy as ever while one hand of his was permanently resting on the hilt of a sword with the symbol of plum blossoms. A student council badge was proudly tapered to his chest, displaying his authority. The boy had made a memorable impact on C? ever since their battle, where he managed to push C? quite hard. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Ever since his defeat at C?¡¯s hands, he had tagged along with C?¡¯s little clique of chicks that followed him around. He wasn¡¯t the only one. TUG C?¡¯s eyes sharpened as his gaze shifted to the girl who coiled her dainty arms around his, pressing herself into his. She wordlessly smiled at him. An eerie light lingered in her eyes. BRUSH C? extricated his arm from her grasp with a frown, about to reprimand her. ¡°Look! The results are already published on the board!¡± A wave of nervous murmurs swept across the students as they rushed towards the general hall, where announcements were made public. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± C? narrowed his gaze, shifting his attention to what was most important to him. Magic. The six of them hurried as they finally reached the rankings and scores. Scores were tallied and rank-ordered in ascending order, clearly conveying how good one¡¯s overall performance was relative to other students. At the very top was one and only one name. [C?: #1] A wave of murmurs swept across the students as they all turned, throwing glances at him with a mix of positive and negative emotions. He had achieved a perfect score on several subjects and near-perfect scores on several others. He was number one on almost all individual tests and exams. ¡°C-Congratulations!¡± his young friends gasped with a shocked expression. While they knew him well enough to know that he would do well, they hadn¡¯t expected that he would do this well. They certainly hadn¡¯t expected that he would rank number one of all ranks. Even though he had achieved number two on the magic aptitude test, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he would be the number one student, since theory was also important to magic. C? heaved a soft sigh as his eyes tinted with a hint of satisfaction. He had never been a remarkable student in the past unfortunately, despite his hard work. It was a kind of satisfaction that he had never experienced in the past. More importantly, he had successfully passed out of the Apprentice Program in the very first year, as he had hoped. With that, he could enter the Senior Program and begin focusing on his business. His attention returned to the rankings as he directed a cursory glance across the rankings. Immediately at rank two, he spotted a name that made an uncharacteristic smile of amusement appear on his face. [Silian Sylvester: #2] C? couldn¡¯t help himself as he smirked, much to the surprise of the people around him. Few things could excite him as much as vindictive justice. Of course, he knew that Silian would probably hate him for the rest of his life. Something he had resigned himself to, for better or for worse. He didn¡¯t understand what he could have done to prevent this outcome when the kid had been the one to start all of this with nothing short of attempted murder. C? completely ignored him from then on until their most recent spat in the combat magic exam when he made it clear that he still resented C? for the consequences of his own actions. ¡°Looks like we have both passed, big brother,¡± Senthil smiled confidently. ¡°We will be heading to the Senior Program together.¡± Senthil was nineteen years old, a few years older than Kelton, Natana, and Sorenon. He had been in the Apprentice Program for several years as he completed the program at a regular pace of sorts. ¡°Indeed.¡± C? nodded. ¡°I have passed all my exams as well, I suppose that I, too, will be joining you,¡± Meilia smiled at him specifically. ¡°I look forward to spending the Senior Program with you.¡± C? nodded with a strange expression, turning back to the rankings. ¡°¡­I almost failed but managed to pass!¡± Kelton grinned, pumping his fist in the air with pride. ¡°I got good marks, thankfully,¡± Natana heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I should be able to get good grades overall.¡± ¡°¡­My theory is good, but my practicals are sub-optimal,¡± Sorenon muttered with a displeased expression. ¡°Theory is also important. I don¡¯t know why practicals have such high weightage.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°You have enrolled in the Elendir Institute of Magic. An institute for training those with talent to become mages. This institute isn¡¯t interested in producing scholars. It is interested in producing mages who know how to use magic, and that too, particularly well. Practicals are the goal. The theory is just the foundation for producing good quality mages. A lot of magic requires good foundational knowledge, magic is a deeply intellectual field as it is a physical field.¡± The noise from the nervous and anxious students grew louder as more and more students appeared in the announcement hall, desperately scanning the boards for their names. Many students heaved a sigh of relief, others grew concerned, while a handful even broke down with crying and sobbing. C? simply shook his head at the scene. The Elendir Institute of Magic had no problem failing students in a brutal manner. What the nation needed was not good students who knew how to score a test well, it was good and effective mages who had gained a good mastery of magic that they sought to produce. Thus, grueling them, on both the practical and theoretical sides of things, was a particularly good tactic. C? ignored the colorful myriad of reactions from the apprentices while his gaze shifted to the announcement beside the announcement of the results. [Students who have passed will be auto-enrolled for the next year or program as per protocol. A fifteen-day-long holiday will commence from this day forth, after which the next academic year will commence. The Apprentice Convocation will be held tomorrow at precisely¡­] ¡°Fifteen days¡­¡± C? murmured with a thoughtful expression, stirring at the number. ¡°I can handle that.¡± That was enough for him to get on top of his business from the little hiatus he had taken from it due to needing to wanting to focus on his magical mastery while the business was in the stage that didn¡¯t quite need his intervention yet. His biggest contributions were the very concept of the business model, business strategy, and all the market research needed to flesh out all the details that allowed Feidin and Seliphaz to do their jobs efficiently from that point on. Feidin had almost finished fleshing out all the details regarding the organizational structure, financing, and management and had even ironed out much of the operations for the production, while Seliphaz had more or less completed what would most likely be the final iteration of the HS-1 prototype. Together, the business had come a long way since C? merely conceptualized it after a building crashed on him within the slums, almost crushing him under its weight. They weren¡¯t too far away from officially creating the business on paper and launching the operations. And thus, with all his magical mastery out of the way, C? looked forward to eagerly jumping back into the business. Chapter 56: Political Prop On the bright morning of the very next day, many students had gathered in the general hall of the Elendir Institute of Magic, seated in two different sections. One section, further away from the podium, was comprised of students wearing the usual uniform of the Elendir Institute of Magic. Another smaller section of students was seated in front, closer to the podium, garbed in black cloaks and a black hat with a circular rim and a square top. The classic graduation attire. A wide banner hung atop the podium with the title ¡®Elendir Institute Graduation Ceremony 1046-47,¡¯ proudly announcing the event to all those who beheld it. The atmosphere tingled with anticipation. The students, apprentice and senior alike, chattered with each other, infected by the air of jubilation that made them more excitable. They constantly threw glances behind them to the third section that occupied more lavish and spacious arrangements of more extravagant seats. They were noticeably not a part of the Elendir Institute of Magic, with many of them fashioning graying, salt-pepper hair. Their attires were ostentatious and luxurious, woven from the finest of silk, armed with all manner of enchantments that made the air tingle with its magical attire. A myriad of family crests were proudly embroidered on the chest of the clothes, proudly announcing to the world which family they were. Many of them had an extraordinary aura of power that sent chills down the spines of the seated students, adding to the nervous energy in the air. They were the parents of many of the graduating students who had, for once, merely appeared exclusively in their role as parents. Their heavy presence out-shadowed the other half of the parents, who were more humble in their attires and conduct, finding themselves nervous by the sheer extravagance of what was otherwise a fairly grounded event in other universities around the entire nation. The commoner parents of the scholarship students didn¡¯t look entirely comfortable in their place, but they were still there to show their graduating children the support that they deserved. All the graduating students looked nervous and excited, save for one, who simply sat at his seat with his usual stoic severity. Still, even C? had to admit that he was enthusiastic to be there. Magical mastery was one of his two primary agendas to fulfill his ultimate ambition. He had taken a major step in achieving his goal. STEP STEP STEP The students stirred as their gaze was drawn by the dignified gait of none other than Headmistress Lenolia herself. Her baggy cloaks glowed with numerous runes, many of which were entirely beyond C?¡¯s understanding. Her smile was perfunctorily knowing, as though she knew much that the students before her did not. Which she most certainly did by virtue of her position as Headmistress and her rank as a master mage. She arrived at the speaker¡¯s stand, directing a sweeping gaze across the students and parents at the back. ¡°Dear students and honored parents,¡± she began with a measured and formal tone. ¡°I welcome you all today to this important and significant event celebrating the graduation of students of the Apprentice and Senior Programs alike. We will be honoring and rewarding the years¡¯ worth of hard work, perseverance, and brilliance of the students who have earned their respective degrees, marking their newfound qualifications as mages of their respective ranks. Today, we shall¡­¡± C?¡¯s zoned out of the excessively long and cumbersome speeches of formality, laden with word salads that he simply could not be bothered to listen to. His gaze shifted behind him as he caught a glimpse of the various families that had gathered to observe and celebrate their children¡¯s graduation at the edge of his vision. These were among the rich class that held a very small stake individually. Most of them had too little influence over the Elendir Institute of Magic to get away with much, much to C?¡¯s relief. Regardless, he eyed them, hiding his disdain for them. His ambition of destroying the world order would earn him many enemies. These families that controlled massive amounts of magicapita were probably number one on the list. His attention returned as he made eye contact with one particular family that gazed at him with a hint of disdain. A fat man with a balding head, donning a grey formal attire with the crest of a hawk embroidered on the chest, and an older woman with a frosty cold gaze that chilled the air around her. The Nelnmont Family. C?¡¯s gaze returned as he eyed Meilia sitting beside him with a scrutinizing gaze. She did not display nervous excitement as the other students did. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. She displayed fear. Terror. He closed his eyes, his gaze returning forward to the Headmistress giving her speech as he tried to get what he saw out of his mind. He understood what was going on. They hadn¡¯t given up. And the girl sitting beside him was the one who bore the burden for that. As long as he played along, he could probably build a decent working relationship with the rich and powerful family and get a pretty lucrative deal out of his relationship with them. Turn a blind eye and pretend he didn¡¯t understand what they were doing to her. Logically, it was the most lucrative course of action, allowing him to squeeze as much out of the family while she endured all the weight and the pressure from her family to successfully marry him eventually and the consequences of her eventual failure. Technically, he wouldn¡¯t be doing anything overtly bad, just going with the flow, knowing that it would fully benefit him at the cost of the girl beside him. This was objectively the best decision to fulfill his ultimate ambition. He knew that. ¡®So, why am I hesitating?¡¯ He heaved a sigh as his attention returned to the ceremony. Before he had realized it, the Headmistress had already begun calling upon students to hand them their graduation certificates, one after another. He watched Senthil and Meilia get called upon, as well as virtually all other graduating students, while he simply sat there, waiting for his name. His eyebrow rose. This was on purpose. Yet, he knew she wouldn¡¯t do something like this if she didn¡¯t have something in mind. ¡°And finally, I would like to call upon the final graduating student of the Apprentice Class,¡± Headmistress Lenolia¡¯s commencement of the actual graduation ceremony drew his attention. ¡°Student Council member and the Honors Students of the Colohen Branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic, Mr. C?.¡± A roaring round of applause emerged from the crowd of the student body as C? promptly got up and swiftly walked to the stage with a confident gait. He made his way to the speaker¡¯s stand, smiling perfunctorily to the Headmistress as she handed him a certificate. His Apprentice Program certificate. ¡°I hereby declare you an apprentice mage!¡± Headmistress Lenolia powerfully declared, as her announcement evoked an even greater applause from the student body. Half of them once detested him based on his background in the slums. Since then, many things have changed. His academics, his magic, and particularly his dominance in combat magic earned him a wave of admirers from the commoners and the affluent alike. His aesthetics, which he viewed as tainted and dirty, turned out to be a hit, as many students, in their juvenile admiration, regarded him as ¡®cool.¡¯ His scars, a painful reminder to him every single day of what he had lost, gave him an air of peril and mystery that completely had the teenagers he was surrounded completely infatuated with him. While there were still plenty who hated him, viewing him as a slum rat like Silian or simply jealous of everything he had achieved, the sentiment among the students had shifted positively, reflected in the thundering ovation he received. C? accepted the certificate with grace and dignity, giving a pointed and purposeful gaze at the Headmistress. Headmistress Lenolia smiled with a hint of satisfaction. In exchange for the venture magicapita that he had gotten from the extra-curricular sponsorship program as per his agreement with the Headmistress, he was to become a leader. Unfortunately, he had no idea how he had done in her eyes. He had taken some leadership roles as a student council member, however he was not the most outgoing and approachable person and he wasn¡¯t particularly helpful and kind to others. However, it became evident that he had given Headmistress Lenolia enough ammunition to work with. ¡°And on that note, I would like to take this moment to introduce you to a new program and initiative that the Colohen Branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic will be commencing from the next academic year onwards,¡± she smiled mysteriously. ¡°Students and teachers, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the Outer-District Magic Talent Acquisition Program to all of you.¡± The screen behind her lit up, flaring a neat and elegant brochure displaying several key points and other pertinent information. ¡°As all of you know,¡± she began. ¡°For the first time in the history of the Elendir Institute of Magic, we have had a student from none other than the slums of Colohen City.¡± C?¡¯s eyes sharpened with a hint of displeasure. He didn¡¯t appreciate being turned into such a literal prop for her political movement, even if he had agreed to be turned into political capital. ¡°A single student from the slums has achieved extraordinary results in the span of just one year into his journey into the abyss of magic,¡± she remarked. ¡°A single student has managed to become an important and significant leader-like figure that many look up to and admire amid the apprentice program.¡± Her smile deepened. ¡°A single student from the slums managed to achieve such extraordinary results despite having faced hurdles and challenges in his life that many of us cannot even begin to imagine.¡± A wave of thoughtful silence spread across the crowd. ¡°The slums of the city contain nearly forty percent of the population, with millions and millions of people living in abject poverty,¡± she continued with a heavy tone. ¡°Many of them are born with the potential of greatness, not unlike C? here. Just how much of such talent and potential has been squandered? How much of it has gone to waste, entirely unrealized? Just where would he be if Mr. C? here had the opportunity to enter our esteemed institute at the age of sixteen, like everyone else has?¡± It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that he would have achieved extraordinary success, setting him apart as an unparalleled genius. The fact that he had managed to complete the Apprentice Program in one year at the age of twenty-four was proof that he had boundless potential within him. It was truly unfortunate that he had only managed to realize it this late. Headmistress Lenolia smiled as she set the atmosphere exactly where she wanted it to be. ¡°We at the Elendir Institute of Magic pride ourselves on taking in the best talents that our nation has to offer, but¡­¡± she continued with a heavier tone, ¡°are we?¡± The students and teachers alike stirred. ¡°Are we truly taking in the best talents of the nation when we¡¯re not even taking into account almost half the population?¡± Displeasure flickered in the eyes of many of the wealthy families that had gathered at the graduation ceremonies. They were not pleased by this initiative whatsoever. And they had been completely blindsided by this announcement. They weren¡¯t stupid, of course. They understood that she had been waiting for this day, preparing everything so that she could push for this policy with great momentum, making it much harder for them, as stakeholders of the Elendir Institute of Magic, to push back against her infuriating equitist policy. ¡°And so,¡± she remarked, ¡°from this year, the Colohen Branch of the Elendir Institute of Magic will be conducting its own magic aptitude test in the Colohen Slums and will be admitting any and all individuals of a fitting age to partake in our program.¡± Chapter 57: Tossed Spotlight A wave of stunned murmurs swept across the students and even the staff as their expressions grew complicated and mixed. Admittedly, C? could see the difference he made, even if he didn¡¯t like being wielded like a political prop, as he directed a careful sweeping gaze across the student body. Mixed and complicated reactions were leagues above the visceral contempt they had for him based on his background. Even a lukewarm reaction was inconceivable to such a program announcement a year ago. Of course, his sharp eyes caught plenty of students who were entirely against the idea. He spotted Silian in the front section of the graduates, smoldering with cold fury. His defeat against C? had further heightened his hatred towards him. He spotted Delilah loudly complaining about this program amid a sea of chatter among the students. However, he also spotted warm support among the young friends he had made at the start of the year and others of their kind. The commoner students were also more amenable to the idea, showing more support for the initiative. He spotted many of the senior students like Seliphaz, President Mileila was in particularly openly in support for it, muting some of recalcitrant voices that had emerged from the senior students. However, while he scanned the students, Headmistress Lenolia paid the most attention to the reactions of the families seated at the very back. The student''s reactions were not unimportant but were as important as those of the affluent families who were seated at the very other end of the hall. The commoner parents looked deeply uncomfortable, not wanting to get caught between the affluent families and the Headmistress in something they had no stake in. They had merely gone to the magicademy that day to celebrate their children¡¯s graduation and nothing more. The families in question schooled their conduct enough to hide any obvious outward signs of anger, but the Headmistress could sense their displeasure even across the entire hall. ¡°And with that announcement, I hereby conclude my announcement and officiation of the graduates,¡± she boldly continued. ¡°With that, I would like to invite the Honors Student and the number one ranked student in the Apprentice Program to deliver their graduation speech.¡± She turned towards him with a pleasant smile, putting him in the spotlight once more. His eyebrows twitched as he suppressed the urge to choke her right then and there. He knew that he had to give a speech, and he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, figuring he could wing it as long as he spouted some generic bullshit. But now, the air has changed, charged by her short, surprising announcement of the Outer District Magic Talent Acquisition Program. C? no longer felt it was wise to simply spew thoughtless bullshit after this reveal, lest he earn the ire of, well, everybody. The entirety of the student and staff body, as well as all the gathered parents and guardians, simply gazed at him with an expectant expression. The air tingled with anticipation. An electric tension hung in the atmosphere. Despite the sheer number of people and students gathered, there was a deafening silence that permeated the entirety of the spacious and vast hall. STEP C? took his place at the speaker¡¯s stand, directing a sweeping gaze across the entirety of his audience. ¡°In all my life¡­¡± he began, ¡°I never expected that I would find myself standing here before all of you.¡± His tone was profoundly thoughtful. Immersive. ¡°I spent most of my life scrambling to achieve a decent life.¡± His tone was introspective. ¡°Slogging through the poor excuse of schooling I went through in a collapsing shack, all so that I could simply achieve a decent life.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°I failed in achieving even that humble dream.¡± The hall was dead silent. Dead silent as each and every single person absorbed his words. ¡°And now, I stand here before all of you with a new goal,¡± his tone grew chilling. ¡°A new ambition.¡± His eyes opened with a fierce intensity. Within it lurked the immense anger and hatred he bore for the very world itself. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I do not intend to fail a second time.¡± His voice was ominous. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what this talent acquisition program means for the future of this magicademy,¡± he remarked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it means for the future of student demographics of this magicademy. However, what I do know¡­¡± His eyes swept across all of them, ¡°is that I wish this had come sooner. I wish that this program had been put in place when I was sixteen years old, like my fellow freshmen apprentices. I wish I had the opportunities that my peers did at their age. I¡¯m sure there are countless talents buried in the slums, brimming with potential, wishing that they, too, had the opportunities that all of you do so that they could achieve their dreams instead of failing as I did.¡± Those who heard his words stirred with a softening expression. ¡°I have learned much in the one year that I have spent in this magicademy,¡± his tone grew more vibrant as it gained an uptick of positivity. ¡°I have learned the secrets of magic and have reached the first altar in my journey into the abyss of magic. I have learned a little more about what it means to be a leader among people in both my academic and non-academic life. I have learned about what kind of path I seek to take to achieve my goals.¡± He glanced at his hands with a thoughtful expression. ¡°And I have learned how much more there is for me to learn. I have learned so much, and yet I hunger for more.¡± His gaze returned to the silent and engrossed audience. ¡°And I intend to sate that hunger here in the Elendir Institute of Magic,¡± he declared. ¡°I thank all my teachers and my fellow students for what may very well be the most fruitful year in my entire life. And I look forward to taking the next step in my journey in the abyss of magic¡­ Thank you.¡± He stepped back from the speaker¡¯s stand as his impromptu speech came to an end. For a moment, there was dead silence. And then, a thundering applause rained upon him. Students, staff, and even parents couldn¡¯t help but clap hard and long. He internally heaved a sigh of relief as he appeared to have said most of the right stuff and adopted the right sentimentality to look good enough. While some of what he said was sincere and earnest, he would be lying if everything he said was in the domain of truth. Grateful to his fellow students? The very thought of it made him want to scoff with contempt. If he could get away with it, he would strangle people like Silian with his bare hands. He was not grateful for being almost murdered for having been born in the slums over two decades ago. He also managed to avoid running away from the topic of the talent acquistion program from the slums. However, despite speaking on it, he managed to avoid making it feel like he was an ardent supporter while still speaking on it positively enough for it to satisfy Headmaster Lenolia. He spoke of it purely sentimentally for a few sentences before moving on to more standard graduation speech stuff. All in all, he was satisfied with the outcome of his speech, managing to avoid anything controversial. It wasn¡¯t that C? was inherently afraid of controversy, certainly not. He had experienced much of it even in the magicademy. However, he was particularly concerned that it could affect the deal he had made with the headmistress, which could freeze the funds that he was getting from the extra-curricular sponsorship. He simply didn¡¯t want to avoid any financial mishaps when he was this close to launching his business. He returned to his seat with a sigh of relief as the graduation ceremony continued with the various formalities that they had planned out. C? zoned out as he finally found the time to actually consider the implications of the Headmistress¡¯ political scheme. She had used him as political capital to unveil a program in a setting where it was instantly well-known across the entire school while ensuring that the its initial welcome was positive enough to make any pushback against it substantially harder than before. Had she introduced this program the same way that she normally did, she would not have had the ability to push it through as easily. She would have been summoned to a meeting with the board directors comprised of the stakeholders of the Elendir Institute of Magic, and eventually been bullied into scrapping the program. With this massive stunt, however, she had harnessed the positive reception, the feats, and the image of C?, and the prestige of the Elendir Institute of Magic as ammunition for the political power to make it stay. She had the power to say no, and they would need to fire her and institute another headmistress or headmaster to shut down the program. All of these took time and power. The affluent families would not have the ability to easily shut this project down any more. They knew that, and it showed in their displeased eyes and postures. ¡®Unless they¡¯re willing to bleed in not only their prestige but also that of the Colohen Branch¡¯s prestige, they will most likely not choose to attack at this stage where it is most difficult to tear down,¡¯ C? realized. ¡®Which means most likely the program will stick.¡¯ That meant that, for the next year, there would most likely be a talent scouting campaign where they measured the magic aptitude of the slum dwellers and then made them an offer to join the Elendir Institute of Magic if they were good enough. As long as they were even remotely successful, it meant that there would be a lot of adolescents from the slums joining the Elendir Institute of Magic the very next year. ¡®Oh boy¡­¡¯ He could already tell that that was a social recipe for disaster. He had still diverged very significantly from the average person born and brought up in the slums. He had learned civic sense and basic human courtesy after the Selvigs decided to give him a job as a waiter or a customer service provider job. The unrefined kids of the slums would have none of that. If another fellow like Silian dared to raise his wand against him, they would do more than just passively lean back, making a strategic retreat, they would simply leap at him and tear him apart with their bare hands. He could tell that the next academic year was going to get hectic. Still, it was none of his concern, of course. His greatest immediate concern was now his impending business that desperately begged for his attention. He no longer intended to focus on matters aside from it at this point, no matter what. Soon enough, the graduation ceremony concluded as the students, teachers, and parents began dispersing alike. C? immediately darted for the exit, avoiding everybody like the plague as he returned to his dorm room. He knew that he was missing much that many of the students would covet, including being approached and invited by a bunch of affluent families. He didn¡¯t care. ¡°Time to focus exclusively on the business.¡± His eyes narrowed. Chapter 58: Supply Chains VMMM¡­ Outside of a two-storey building, a magicar slowed down, stopping by the curb. CLACK C? emerged from the magicar, closing the door as he studied the building with an introspective gaze. It was on the outskirts of the inner city, quite far from the Elendir Institute of Magic. The building was a grim gray, extending for several dozens of meters in its length. It was panned with grilled and barred windows, just as C? had specified to the Feidin when he began searching for the headquarters of the business. The door opened as Feidin smiled with excitement. ¡°What do you think, C?? I bought this building because of its solemn gray theme that reminds me of you. Rather thoughtful, don¡¯t you think?¡± C? raised an eyebrow with a light scoff. ¡°Your sentimentality touches my heart, Feidin.¡± His curious gaze returned to the building before him. ¡°Admittedly, this does seem even better than it looked in the pictures you sent me. I want to check the internals myself.¡± ¡°By all means.¡± C? quickly hopped into the building with a curious gaze, directing his scrutinizing eyes across the entirety of the complex around them. The ground floor was a massive empty space stretching a good distance, divided into ten tracks, each comprised of a production line, each across the length of the building. Each production line was comprised of conveyor buildings that passed through several sections comprised of enchanted machines bolted to the ground surrounding the conveyor belt. They were covered in runes, darkened by the absence of magical energy flowing through the enchanted item. ¡°Just as you asked, C?,¡± Feidin flashed a pleased smile. ¡°A base that had ten production lines specialized towards accommodating both intricate engineering and complex alchemical technology.¡± C? nodded with satisfaction. ¡°This is good. This is exactly what we need. What was the estimated production rate of each assembly line again?¡± ¡°Sixteen hours per unit with one worker per production line,¡± Feidin answered. ¡°We should be able to produce about thirty units every two days.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here,¡± Seliphaz¡¯ voice grew delighted when she spotted C? from the second floor, ¡°come on up, let me show you the second floor, it¡¯s really nice!¡± C?¡¯s eyes lit up as he directed a sweeping gaze across the second floor. It was a spacious office space comprised of several individual office spaces, as well as a conference hall with a large table and a screen. ¡°Honestly, I still can¡¯t believe that the Elendir Institute of Magic gave you such a solid lump sum of money for your application to the extra-curricular sponsorship program,¡± Feidin remarked with a pleased tone. ¡°Even if this building is in the outskirts of Colohen City bordering the slums, to be able to afford such a factory headquarters before we even complete the final registration process, let alone earn from sales, is a privilege most businesses cannot afford.¡± ¡°Privilege? Give me a break,¡± C? muttered. ¡°I almost got buried alive today and may yet be so, depending on how things unfold. Getting such generous funds was not for free or due to luck.¡± He had conceded to being used as a political prop and a political shield for a controversial policy that had pissed off a bunch of powerful people. Still, after seeing just how good their new base and factory were, he had to admit that he was pleased by the end outcome that allowed them to afford indulgences that would normally not be affordable. He shook his head. ¡°Alright, more importantly¡­¡± He turned to Seliphaz with a meaningful gaze. ¡°You reported that you had finished adding the final touches to the product a few days ago, yes?¡± She nodded diligently. ¡°I just finished adjusting the optimal amount of a particular adhesive that is not available within Elendir and needs to be imported from the Durmen Principality.¡± C? narrowed his eyes. ¡°Elendir charges a fourteen-percent tariff on imported raw materials from the Durmen Principality. Which is¡­ unfortunate.¡± She nodded with a grim expression. ¡°I have tried alternatives, both engineering and alchemical, b-but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± C? shook his head. ¡°Before we proceed with the main business today, I want a final breakdown of the material inputs per unit and¡­¡± He turned towards Feidin, ¡°¡­the corresponding supply chains and show me that the final product adheres to the constraint of one thousand leenars.¡± The two exchanged a glance expectantly before turning back at C?, nodding. ¡°Follow us.¡± C? eventually found himself seated at the very other end of a long table while Feidin and Seliphaz stood on the opposite end, evidently having already prepared a presentation. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. BZZZT The screen lit up, featuring the final iteration of the hybrid solution prototype that they had decided to go ahead with. C?¡¯s eyes lit up with delight as he beheld the micro-housing unit with enthusiasm. It had a classy modern design with a light blue color theme to it, with several streaks of white flowing across the product. Its structure resembled the fusion between a doghouse and a tent, with a gable-style rooftop. ¡°I love it,¡± C? nodded. ¡°It looks like a more refined and aesthetically pleasing iteration of the previous updates that you have shown in the past few months. I¡¯m assuming that the design engineers whom the two of you have hired have done well.¡± She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°They made what was otherwise a visually unappealing model look rather homely. I think a lot of people living in the slums will love it!¡± ¡°It certainly will appeal to them more than any of the alternatives at their disposal,¡± C? remarked. ¡°Now, what are the material input requirements and the corresponding supply chains? I have only followed this so far as each individual update, I have yet to see what our inputs look like as a whole.¡± Seliphaz nodded, switching over to the next slide, displaying a large number of substance names, their market prices, availability, and the corresponding supply chains that Feidin had researched and procured. ¡°Our inputs comprised twenty-six raw materials and eleven non-magical technological components that we do not have the production capability to manufacture,¡± she explained. ¡°Of the twenty-six raw material components, about half are naturally occurring mana-active substances, and another half are artificial alchemical substances. And¡­¡± She turned to C? with an eager smile, ¡°About six of the alchemical substances that comprise our input are personally designed and patented by me. I had designed many for none of the existing libraries of patented alchemical substances possessed properties that I needed for this housing project.¡± C?¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°So you just invented six brand-new substances because the existing alternatives fit your requirements?¡± She smiled with flustered, abashed pride. ¡°It wasn¡¯t as impressive as you make them sound. In reality, I made minor modifications to existing substances that were deviating enough to warrant patenting for this project.¡± C?¡¯s expression lit up with intrigue. ¡°I see, so it didn¡¯t require the rigorous grounds-up alchemical development that you mentioned when you first presented your progress regarding the product development.¡± She nodded. ¡°The lower the deviation, the lower the change. Regardless, coming back to the main point. Half of our materials are artificially synthesized alchemical products, which means that we need a lot of raw magical energy as input to create these products in the alchemical synthesizer machine that you saw down the manufacturing lines below. But¡­¡± She winced, ¡°Our magical energy bill will be very high.¡± C? shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You guys have already done the production testing to verify that this model consumes the least amount of energy across the entire process of production. It will be offset by savings we make on material costs.¡± He turned to Feidin with an expectant gaze. The man hurriedly began his segment of the breakdown. ¡°We have a lot of raw material and component input, and I have spent the last six months digging across all suppliers on the market for each of the raw material inputs that the production process requires. And¡­¡± He shifted to the next slide, featuring a map of Southern Gruonia, of which Elendir was on the southern coast. Much of their direct suppliers were within this local geopolitical sphere, featuring the Vrannouan Kingdom and the Suraria Republic to the northeast, the Kharkara Emirates, and the Durmen Principality to the north. ¡°Thankfully¡­¡± Feidin began, pointing to a point in the North of Elendir, ¡°The most extensively used raw materials for the very structure of the micro-housing unit all come from suppliers in North Elendir. I have already signed mass supply contracts with some of the largest suppliers in Elendir to procure what will constitute much of the final product in weight.¡± [Adanbami Steel Suppliers.] [Felmonent Grava Industries.] [Lormana Sormentine Mining Enterprise.] ¡­ C? narrowed his eyes at some of the names on the long list of suppliers that Feidin managed to broker deals with. Some of those names were among the top corporations of Elendir, inevitably making them stakeholders in the Elendir Institute of Magic and part of the board of directors that owned a part of the institute that he went to. He was not comfortable being dependent on such an entity, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have much of a choice. The viability of his business would come into question if he didn¡¯t take the cheapest options at his disposal. ¡°I¡¯m guessing most of them centered around the Mohendar Mines,¡± C? remarked. The Mohendar Mines were a massive array of mines in North Elendir just short of the mountain range at the border that contained a vast variety of both mana-active and non-mana-active minerals and substances and was one of the reasons that Elendir was a net exporter of raw minerals and surrounding products. Feidin nodded. ¡°Thanks to that, we can get our hands on much of what we need within the Democratic Republic of Elendir, and this is something that Seliphaz has been mindful of during the product development phase so that we can avoid tariffs, customs, and security checks and other protocols that can slow down the production of our product. Unfortunately, despite our greatest efforts, not all materials could be procured from within the Democratic Republic of Elendir.¡± He turned back to the marked map. ¡°We have one supplier in the Durmen Principality, one in the Kharkara Emirates, one in the Vrannouan Kingdom, one in the Republic of Suraria¡­¡± C? heaved a sigh as he considered the complex geopolitical relationships between the Democratic Republic of Elendir and these nations. History was complicated. There had been times when these nations were at war and times when they had brokered peace. Fortunately, there was no war in recent times, and nothing overtly wrong with what he was seeing. For better or for worse, the nations bordered each other, forcing them to exist in some compromised status quo. ¡°¡­And our most distant supplier of the Courmanium Adhesive substance in the product is all the way over in the Ellantra Continent,¡± the map zoomed out as he featured a distant dot on a continent further south of the Gruonia Continent that they inhabited. ¡°A week of processing and preparing, another two weeks for travel time, and another week of customs and other importing protocols, making for a whopping month for final delivery of our suppliers.¡± He turned to C? with a complicated expression. ¡°This will be our greatest time constraint as far as supply chains go. We will need to buy massive stockpiles of the adhesive substance and store them here in our base serving also as our warehouse of inventory.¡± C? heaved a sigh. ¡°We will have to make sure that we have enough of this before we even get started. Last I recall, you already ordered one mass shipment of supplies from these suppliers, right?¡± Feidin nodded. ¡°It should arrive soon enough.¡± ¡°That should last us around five thousand units based on these numbers,¡± C? remarked. ¡°More than enough to last us until the next set of supplies arrive.¡± It wouldn''t be easy, but as long as they planned carefully, they would be able to get away with it. Chapter 59: Marketing And Distribution With the product and supply chains handled, the two most important and central parts of the business had been tackled. The product, the material inputs, and the magicapita inputs for the product had been settled. With this, they had almost everything needed to begin their manufacturing runs. ¡°The only thing left is labor,¡± C? replied with a serious tone. ¡°Based on the details you sent me, each production line can potentially be tackled with a single worker with the necessary skillset, yes?¡± ¡°That is technically possible, yes, but we will need an extremely qualified laborer, and there aren¡¯t too many of them in the labor market, as most of them migrate,¡± the man nodded. ¡°However, it would be extremely burdensome and will most likely lead to eventual delays of all sorts. It really is too much on a practical point to expect one person to be responsible for calibration, processing, assembly, inspection, and testing, as well as other protocols in the sequential flow of our production line.¡± C? nodded. ¡°Then, let¡¯s settle for the number that would ensure that there are no compromises for the production process. Delays can be damning, and once demand for these micro-housing units surges like I expect it to, it will be a nightmare.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wise,¡± Feidin nodded. ¡°I recommend three workers per production line for absolutely no delays and a highly efficient manufacturing process. Although it will increase our labor costs and reduce our profit margins to stay within the product price constraint, it will increase our output tremendously. It all depends on how successful you think this business will be.¡± C?¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°I have strong confidence in our business. Let¡¯s go with the three laborers per production model. That will certainly balloon our labor costs significantly and increase our manpower. We will need to have an organizational structure and human resources that can manage our laborers well enough.¡± Feidin nodded, having expected that. ¡°Having considered our needs and our purposes as a yet-to-be company, I have formulated a simple but effective hierarchical organizational structure that efficiently handles our laborers.¡± He shifted to the next slide, displaying a top-down structural hierarchy with C?, Feidin, and Seliphaz at the very top, lower down were managers of the different divisions of the company such as Dlint and the distribution division, along with a finance and accounting division, marketing, manufacturing & production. ¡°A top-down segmented hierarchy allows for an efficient division of labor while still retaining our agency in the company as owners,¡± Feidin remarked. ¡°At least, while we operate in one city with one factory, this will be good enough. Should the business be as successful as we hope it will be, then we can expand the hierarchy to include other factories and bases, have plant managers, and so on.¡± C? nodded. ¡°If this business is as successful as I think it will be, I think we will need to expand across the entire city to tackle demand for our services across the entirety of the Colohen Slums.¡± C?¡¯s vision extended far into the future when a great portion of the inner circles of the slums would desperately clamor for their product. ¡°¡­Well, for now, let¡¯s begin with this,¡± he nodded. ¡°With this model in mind, we will have almost sixty employees. Our estimated sales with a profit percentage of about five percent, paying the salaries that you have listed, will be about¡­¡± He paused for a moment, multiplying great numbers together in the blink of an eye, ¡°¡­two thousand three hundred and nineteen units just to handle all net expenditure, including all taxes, payouts, and other potential liabilities and estimated overhead costs.¡± Feidin fiddled with a calculator, and his eyes widened with a surprised expression. ¡°That¡¯s exactly right¡­ Did you just run all those numbers in your head just now?¡± ¡°No,¡± C? lied. ¡°I ran the numbers earlier from the reports that the two of you sent me over the past half year.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± ¡°So, to sum up,¡± C? continued. ¡°We have the final product, the supply chains, the organizational and management structure, the labor requirements, the magicapita. That leaves us with our marketing and sales, and we¡¯re effectively done.¡± The two of them nodded. ¡°H-How do you intend to market to the slums?¡± Seliphaz asked with a curious expression. ¡°I don¡¯t have any expertise in marketing. But from my understanding, you don¡¯t particularly have the necessary marketing infrastructure to run ads or other existing paradigms in the slums, do you?¡± Feidin nodded in agreement. ¡°I was wondering about that as well. You had advised me not to hire or consult with marketing experts, so I¡¯m guessing that you have a plan in mind.¡± ¡°I do,¡± C? replied with a confident tone. ¡°Forget the marketing experts. Their expertise is only relevant to the inner cities and actual modern civilization. They will be clueless on how to market to the slum for a product as unconventional as ours. Unless you have lived in the slums, you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like and how the inhabitants of the slums think.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Marketing as a field of pursuit was generally geared towards modern civilization. The most important sub-fields of it, such as magital advertising, promotions, sponsorships, and a variety of other tools that they had in the toolkit, were entirely obsolete when it came to the people of the slums, who were entirely disconnected from much of modern civilization. That was why he had taken it upon himself. ¡°So, how do you intend to market the product to the public then?¡± Feidin raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± C? replied with a knowing tone, ¡°the people of the slums do not trust easily. They will not trust you if you tell them about the product. They will not trust if you wave pretty posters of it in their face. The more you try to convince them about the product, the more they will suspect you of trying to scam them.¡± Trust was in short supply in the slums. It was the first thing that anybody brought up in the slums learned. Trust nobody. That was why many of the standard advertisement paradigms were entirely useless in the slums. ¡°What I have in mind is simply showing them the truth that we want to convince them,¡± C? replied. ¡°I will have Dlint and some others live in the slums a bit with the product in question in the upcoming monsoons that will undoubtedly lead to heavy rains, storms, and floods. It will demonstrate the sheer utility of the product relative to unstable housing infrastructure.¡± Feidin and Seliphaz considered his idea with an intrigued expression. ¡°Won¡¯t that take time?¡± ¡°All advertising campaigns take time or magicapita,¡± C? replied, shaking his head. ¡°On top of that, you need to understand that the demand that we¡¯re tapping into is not small. Shelter is one of the most essential human needs. People will gravitate to something that clearly works in regard to shelter. If we were selling cookies, it would certainly take an extensive period of slow and constant exposure to generate even semi-stable sales.¡± However, the same could not be said for housing. People would leap for an effective solution that protected them from the elements without being structurally unstable and risking their lives every time they partook in its shelter. And that was exactly what C? was counting on. ¡°Well, even if you market it that way, how do you intend to facilitate sales in the slums?¡± Feidin raised an eyebrow. ¡°For one, without marketing, nobody would know where to find us. The issue with the slums is that it isn¡¯t just enough to get the people to know of our existence. It¡¯s all to figure out how to get them to reach us and to transact our product to them.¡± He brought up a good point, of course. There was no financial infrastructure that the people of the slums were a part of that would allow them to place magital orders or any distribution service in the slums that would allow their company to deliver their product to the slums. ¡°The distribution will be toughest,¡± C? admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t think that we can do any more than simply set up bases in the inner circles of the slums, one in each district. As for how they will procure their housing unit¡­¡± He turned to Seliphaz with an expectant gaze. ¡°You did add wheels to the micro-housing unit.¡± ¡°Y-Yes,¡± she hesitated. ¡°Is that why you asked me to do that?¡± C? nodded. ¡°Wheels are just convenient and make the process of the people of the slums acquiring their product simpler. We can charge an extra fee if they want us to deliver the product to their place manually. It¡¯s as simple as that. Most likely, each of them will try to take it by themselves. The concept of delivery is foreign to most of them.¡± The two stirred as they listened to C?¡¯s confident tone. ¡°That would mean¡­¡± Feidin turned to the organizational structure chart that he had put up on the screen, glancing at the marketing and distribution teams with widened eyes, ¡°These two divisions will have to spend their time in the depths of the slums!¡± C? frowned. ¡°Well, yes. I thought that was obvious.¡± ¡°Not until you explained your marketing strategy,¡± Feidin replied with an indignant tone. ¡°The marketing team will have to literally spend time living in the slums in our micro-housing unit, while the distribution team will have to spend time in the bases amidst the dangerous slums!¡± ¡°¡­The slums aren¡¯t that dangerous, either,¡± C? remarked with a dubious tone. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine; it¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to be eaten alive in there. All said and done, people in the slums still survive.¡± ¡°¡­Still, you will face potential legal liability if you place workers in a dangerous environment that potentially leads to workplace injuries,¡± Feidin insisted. ¡°That¡¯s true, which is why I intend to have them sign a waiver of acknowledgment and consent,¡± C? replied calmly. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t intend to hire a bunch of pampered pussies for this job. Why do you think I hired Dlint for this job?¡± The two of them widened their eyes as they understood why he had hired the former slum delinquent-turned-army vet as his operations manager. It also meant that he had had this marketing and distribution strategy in mind for a long time. ¡°The man knows the slums well and is equipped to handle such tasks,¡± C? replied, ¡°it¡¯s also why I left the task of finding marketing and distribution laborers. He probably knows many people in the slums who are desperately looking for a way out and are willing to slog as hard as he was to leave.¡± Feidin gulped. ¡°You want to have gangsters from the slums working in our marketing and distribution divisions?¡± C? directed a glance of disapproval at him. ¡°Not everyone living in the slums is a gangster.¡± Feidin winced, raising his hands. ¡°I know¡­ but you get my point, right? Do you really trust random fellows from the slums of all places? What if they steal all our supplies and run away?¡± C? heaved a sigh. It was precisely this attitude that prevailed in the minds of essentially the citizens of the inner city while the rich went one step and essentially treated them like a lesser species. C? had run into this attitude his entire life, depriving him of countless opportunities that he wished he had had. ¡°Dlint is not incompetent,¡± C? remarked, shaking his head. ¡°Besides, I do not intend to make it seem like that is a wise thing to do, as you¡¯ll see.¡± CLACK The three of them glanced at the front door that opened up as Dlint entered, nodding at the three of them up on the second floor. ¡°Boss. Feidin. Seliphaz. I have bought our new recruits.¡± Behind him, several burly men walked in, wearing torn and patched clothes and a ski mask, waiting to be pulled down to cover their faces. Scars, burns, and other disfigurations ran across the skin of their body. Their expressions were severe and intense, ready to fight. Feidin and Seliphaz grew pale while C? strode forward to the railings of the second floor, nodding at all of them and turning them to Dlint. ¡°They¡¯re perfect.¡± Chapter 60: New Chapter Feidin and Seliphaz gulped with a hint of anxiety while C? simply nodded with satisfaction as he directed a scrutinizing gaze across the scary delinquent gangsters that Dlint brought with him. ¡°Thanks, boss,¡± Dlint nodded curtly with an intense expression. ¡°I rounded up the men I trust the most, who have been looking for a way to get out of the slums for some time now. They are willing to do whatever it takes if you are willing to give them that opportunity to do that.¡± C? could tell that that was the truth. For one, he didn¡¯t smell any drugs on them. One of the largest shackles that held people back in the slums was becoming addicted to substances of all kinds and going as far as to develop a chemical dependence on them. Steering away from them in an environment where they were so easy to find was one of the reasons that it was so difficult to escape from the slums. From what he could tell, the men before him were clean, which was a good sign that they were sincere about their desire to leave the slums and move into the inner city. He definitely didn¡¯t have any intentions of letting anybody compromised into his company. THUD C? jumped off the first floor, landing cleanly on his feet as he approached the men. ¡°If you are particularly sincere about your desire to leave the slums,¡± he began with a composed tone, ¡°then I am able to help you. I can give you a job that, with a lot of savings, should allow you to get humble living quarters that will be far better than anything that the slums have to offer.¡± The men were clearly intrigued by the offer. ¡°¡­How much?¡± ¡°Fifteen thousand a month,¡± C? replied. The figure stirred them where they stood. C? knew that it was an order of magnitude above the median earnings of the slums, far, far higher than anything that they could hope to earn doing odd jobs in the slums. The man at the front stepped forward with a suspicious gaze. His body was burly and muscular, barely fitting within the tattered, patched shirt that he wore, unable to hide all the scars that ran across his entire body. His intense eyes fixed themselves onto C?¡¯s calm, dichromatic gray eyes. The air tingled electrically as Feidin and Seliphaz flinched at the intensity of the confrontation. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± His tone was suspicious. C? grew amused at the lining of the question. ¡°The catch is that you do your job earnestly.¡± ¡°Hmph, you¡¯d think I¡¯d believe you?¡± the man snorted. ¡°We¡¯re not so naive.¡± C? heaved a sigh. He wasn¡¯t particularly surprised that they couldn¡¯t easily believe that he was going to pay them such a high salary just for a simple job. In the slums, this kind of money would be enough to commission beatdowns or murder. ¡°Things work differently in the inner city.¡± C? was strangely patient with people who were in a situation that he himself had found himself in. ¡°We will sign a contract that details the transaction of money for your labor. There are no hidden ¡®catches¡¯ that are waiting to trap you. Do your work, and you¡¯ll get your money.¡± They stirred at his words, clearly surprised. ¡°You want us to¡­ take your li¡¯l box and show ¡®em that it works?¡± the man raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, to put it simply,¡± C? replied. ¡°Dlint will train you on exactly what you will need to do in the next week. After that, you can decide if you want to take up the job or not. What do you say, Mr¡­?¡± ¡°The name¡¯s Doven.¡± He grunted. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know why you are paying people so much just for living in a box in the slums, but¡­ if that¡¯s what you want, we can handle it. But there¡¯s one issue¡­¡± His eyes sharpened. ¡°What¡¯ll you do if a gang decides that you¡¯re not allowed to sell your little boxes?¡± C?¡¯s expression grew more serious. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to venture into the territory of any of the major or minor gangs in the slums. My target market is in the innermost ring of the slums that is closest to the inner city. This tends to be a no-gang-land as it¡¯s too close to the inner city.¡± Doven stirred with thought at the answer, realizing the merits of that plan. ¡°Still, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll be safe for long. If you sell too much and they start seeing them boxes all around, they won¡¯t remain silent and just watch you do your little thing, y¡¯hear?¡± C? simply regarded his words with a knowing nod. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Gangs often wanted a piece of every single pie there was within the slums. That didn¡¯t mean that they would aggressively pursue every single commercial venture, of which there were almost zero, to begin with, unfortunately, C? couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that one or more of the gangs of the slums would take interest in his goods and decide that there was too much money to be made. It was possible that they would try to steal the goods or demand tributes or protection fees. ¡°If they do try to interfere in my business¡­¡± C?¡¯s tone gained an edge of peril as his eyes glinted with chilling intensity, ¡°I will burn them alive.¡± Goosebumps crawled across everybody¡¯s skin. ¡°I will burn every last one of them.¡± He unveiled just a little of the boundless rage and hatred he harbored within his heart. Doven broke into a cold sweat as he took several steps back. He felt more danger from C? than he did from almost anybody else in the slums. C? closed his eyes as he collected himself, breathing deeply. When he opened his eyes, he had returned to his calm, albeit severe disposition: his expression stoic and his eyes impassive. ¡°I will handle any problems that we encounter,¡± his tone was chillingly calm. ¡°By myself.¡± With the power of magic, he no longer had to cower before the gangs of the slums that contributed to making everybody¡¯s lives worse, including his, for much of his life. He could single-handedly take down a small army of non-mages all by himself. The gangs of the slums were violent, but their absence of magicapita and magical skill or knowledge meant that they didn¡¯t have the power,r and they didn¡¯t have the skill to utilize what little power they had. Unfortunately, he knew that things weren¡¯t as simple as that. ¡°¡­There¡¯s more to the slums than just gangs,¡± Dlint warned, ¡°Gangs¡¯re¡­ just the surface. There are larger¡­ greater forces moving in the shadows.¡± His tone was ominous. ¡°You should know this.¡± C?¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have any intention of provoking the Underworld.¡± The air darkened at the very mention of it. The men grew severe while Feidin and Seliphaz gulped nervously at the direction that the discussion was going. Comprised of the black market for all criminalized goods and services, the Underworld was an umbrella term that included any and all black markets across different levels. They often conducted manly of their operations hidden in the slums where they were away from the reach of conventional modern civilization. It was an open secret, especially to those who lived in the slums. Human trafficking, illegal substances, illegal information, dark magic, violence, and a variety of other criminalized goods and services were exchanged in or routed through the slums. ¡°Hmph,¡± Doven accepted the answer with a snort. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. Stick to the innermost circle and do not stray any further into the slums.¡± C? nodded. ¡°Then, I suppose we are in agreement.¡± He turned to Dlint with a nod. ¡°Have them memorize the protocols and the general plan and draft up the employment contracts.¡± Dlint nodded with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, pleased that the deal went through for his men. WHOOSH He cast a magic circle, flying back up to the second floor where Feidin and Seliphaz were. STEP ¡°With this¡­¡± he landed before them, ¡°we have finalized all aspects of the business and the operations. Which means¡­¡± His gaze intensified, ¡°¡­it¡¯s finally time.¡± The two of his fellow co-owners lit up at his words as they understood what he was referring. ¡°It¡¯s finally time to complete the final step of officially creating the company.¡± C? turned to Feidin. ¡°I trust you have all the permits, licenses, finances, and other registrations ready, right?¡± Starting a business officially and on paper was not as simple as a few clicks on a magital portal. There was a considerable amount of paperwork that went into it beforehand, prior to the stage where one could actually register it on paper. One of the reasons they had waited until the last minute to officially launch the business was because of a tax break incentive scheme that the government had for brand-new businesses, reducing the taxes on the net income of the first financial year. ¡°The process is almost complete,¡± Feidin remarked. ¡°I have completed all the necessary paperwork in the past month. Now all we need is our signatures and¡­¡± He smiled enthusiastically, ¡°our business will officially exist.¡± It was a surreal moment after all the months that they had put into developing and building the business. For C?, it had been eighteen months since he had first conceived of the idea while temporarily taking shelter in the slums. Reaching this point since then hadn¡¯t been easy. It took months of his own extensive research, brokering deals with the Headmistress for magicapita while finding the perfect business partner to help him build the business up, as well as just the right mage to help develop a product that adhered to his constraints and fulfilled his conditions. From that point, Feidin and Seliphaz had led the charge with the business, fleshing it out with great effort over many months. The three of them had collectively invested a lot into the business and now they had finally reached the moment of their business officially being created. FLAP Feidin placed a thick stack of sheets bound together in a file on the table in the conference hall they had migrated to. On the very front page, a large and bold title, ¡®Ministry of Commercial Affairs,¡¯ was at the top of the page, beneath the symbol of a cornucopia surrounded by circular olive branches: the coat of arms of the Democratic Republic of Elendir. FLAP FLAP FLAP C? skimmed through the pages of the document, with different registration forms for Seliphaz, Feidin, and C?, specifying the ownership and the equity that each of them had in the company. C? owned about fifty percent, while Feidin and Seliphaz owned about fifty percent in total. The rest of the extensive document specified the licenses, permits, and financial registration of the yet-to-exist company and other legal paperwork. He spotted Seliphaz¡¯s and Feidin¡¯s signatures across the entire document, as well as seals of the government of the Democratic Republic of Elendir across the entire page. Everything was ready. The business was on the very verge of coming to life. ¡°Huff¡­¡± C? heaved a deep breath as he grabbed a pen, signing away on page after page carefully. Feidin and Seliphaz grew jittery with nervousness as they watched C?¡¯s movements like hawks. The air tingled. The atmosphere grew electric from the sheer weight of their anticipation. Despite paperwork being the most mundane and dull of processes that most people loathed to go through, the three of them could not stop their hearts from racing as they drew closer and closer to the promised beginning. And just like that, it was done. C?¡¯s eyes lit up as he gazed at the name of the company on the final page. The name that they had all chosen together. ¡°Trinity Housings.¡± And just like that, they had opened up a new chapter in their lives as they commenced their venture to house the slums. - Chapter 61: Finalizations C? wasn¡¯t particularly emotional or sentimental when it came to the name of the business; he chose the name Trinity simply because it made a reference to the three of them who had contributed to the business from the ground up and had contributed very fundamentally to the business. ¡°And with that, it¡¯s done,¡± C? remarked, putting the pen away. ¡°I suppose the only thing is to confirm with the Registration Department of the Ministry of Commercial Affairs.¡± The Democratic Republic of Elendir had abnormal protocols for the creation of businesses that favored ease of doing business, allowing great autonomy and liberty when it came to the process of officially creating a business registered with the government. The rationale was to lower the barrier of entry when it came to government coordination when creating businesses. Doing this would eliminate the government speed as a constraint and increase the throughput for business creation flux, a process that helped shape the Democratic Republic of Elendir to have as strong a manufacturing industry as it did. ¡°I¡¯ll send it to them immediately,¡± Feidin remarked, taking the signed contract that was already binding. ¡°We should get confirmation soon.¡± C? nodded, turning back to Seliphaz. ¡°We will soon need to begin fleshing out a precise timeline for our marketing endeavors, which means we will need to have a proper name for our product. We can¡¯t just keep calling it the MHU-HS-6A482 as we have.¡± It was common business practice to shorten long names into abreviations for prototypes, followed by another series of numbers that indicated which model number or iteration a prototype. In this case, ¡®MHU¡¯ stood for a micro-housing unit, and HS stood for hybrid solutions. ¡°It¡¯s true¡­¡± she murmured with an uncertain expression. ¡°We need an actual product name. Hmmm, how about¡­¡± She stirred where she stood, immersed in thought as her short blue hair swayed with her, ¡°¡­Haven?¡± C? stared at her with an unimpressed expression. ¡°W-What? I can¡¯t think of something else that would be good.¡± ¡°I think Haven is just fine,¡± Feidin called out from across their office space on the second floor. ¡°After all, isn¡¯t that what we¡¯re offering them? It certainly is¡­ limited, but given their circumstances, it is exactly the haven they need, isn¡¯t it?¡± C? fell into thought as he considered the name. ¡°With that in mind, it isn¡¯t bad, even if on the nose. Good enough, I suppose. One thing that I¡¯m considering is that it might be bad optics if it ever gets coverage in the inner city, but I suppose that doesn¡¯t really matter since our target market segment is disconnected from the media environment.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Haven, it is.¡± Seliphaz smiled at him with delight. ¡°Thank you for taking that suggestion.¡± ¡°You are the one who built it, after all,¡± C? replied. ¡°You deserve the right to name it. You have done an incredible job with the project and have done your role splendidly, and now¡­¡± His expression grew determined, ¡°you just need to leave the rest to Feidin and I.¡± Feidin nodded with agreement as he browsed through his magiputer. ¡°For now, I have already begun posting job offers on the most popular labor brokers and platforms on the maginet to get our hands on some qualified operators for the alchemizers, fabricators, and other enchanted machinery in our factory needed for the production of the havens. Also¡­¡± He shifted his gaze to another monitor to his right, ¡°I¡¯m also trying to flesh out what our advertisement operations will look like precisely on the ground.¡± He gestured to a map of Colohen City that highlighted the innermost ring of the slums. ¡°This is our estimated geographic market segment, comprising the wealthiest or the least-poor people in the slums. It all depends on how you want to go about the advertisement campaign, but I¡¯m imagining that what we¡¯re doing is quite unprecedented.¡± C? nodded as he walked over to Feidin¡¯s workstation, leaning over as he studied the map on the screen. ¡°I still think going district by district is the most prudent option at our disposal. I understand how information flows among people in the slums. They are more connected with each other because they don¡¯t have the maginet at their disposal. Word of a single demonstration of the haven will spread across the entire district within a matter of days, a week at most, but not any further.¡± Feidin thoughtfully considered the matter with a thoughtful expression. ¡°In that case, we will need about¡­ forty-eight such demonstrations across the innermost perimeter of districts of the slums.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He gazed at C? with a dubious expression. ¡°We¡¯re stretching our magicapita thin within that, C?. Even with the Elendir Institute of Magic¡¯s shocking generosity for your business, it will take a lot of money to fabricate forty-eight haven units and then market them across all forty-eight districts bordering the inner city.¡± C?¡¯s expression grew grim. He knew that Feidin was right, he had done pay-outs for their employees, and even bought a large plant-cum-add quarters factory-base. He highly doubted that Headmistress Lenolia would be willing to grant him a bigger break than that. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to take business loans.¡± In reality, they would have had to take it a lot sooner if they didn¡¯t have a rather solid base of venture magicapita. They would have to rely on more painful advertisement campaigns, including but not limited to simply giving a small sample of haven units for free just to spread the word and generate interest for their customers. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Feidin fell into thought before nodding. ¡°I think that makes sense. Most manufacturing companies have some model of debt financing to fund their working magicapita to finance their operations.¡± Debt financing was one of the lesser-known and less romantic realities of business. Many companies, particularly those that offered discrete manufactured goods that weren¡¯t made-to-order, relied on a post-paid payment model where the customer paid for the product entirely after the product was delivered. While C? had considered other models for Trinity Housings, it simply didn¡¯t make any sense, considering their customer base was comprised of the slums. Businesses with these models would not get paid until after the product was delivered, leaving them unable to finance the operations needed to manufacture the product in the first place. Thus, they underwent business cycles of debt, borrowing money to fund their working capital and operations, paying it off in the short term before much interest was accrued after they collected their payments. ¡°In fact.¡± He glanced at C? with eyes of relief. ¡°If not for your identity as a graduate, a prodigious graduate at that, of the Elendir Institute of Magic, we would not be eligible for debt financing business loans from any bank and certainly any private financial firm providing loans for working capital.¡± Most banks and other financial institutions had sophisticated ways of evaluating the quality of borrowers based on credit scores, history of debt, history of defaulting, profile of the borrowers in question, and most importantly, the actual corporation borrowing the debt. ¡°The moment they see that we¡¯re selling to the slums, they will look at us like we¡¯re crazy,¡± C? heaved a sigh. ¡°I cannot imagine any bank being enthusiastic about funding the operations of a company that is selling to a market, the median income of which is one thousand five hundred leenars.¡± Each loan given was a risk, after all. Banks needed to evaluate if a company was profitable by looking at its valuation and even its finances if it were a publicly traded company. The moment they looked at a puny manufacturing company in the housing sector aiming to sell homes to the poor people of the slums, they would reject them. That was why C?¡¯s identity was so important. His profile as a graduate of the Elendir Institute of Magic and as a member of the Student Council would give him a lot of credibility, something that he had foreseen almost a year ago when President Mileila offered him a seat on the council. ¡°That should give banks and other financial institutions a pause and genuinely consider funding our working capital,¡± C? remarked. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t get the best of offers, it should be enough to allow us to continue with our advertisement campaigns across all forty-eight districts of the slums bordering the inner city.¡± C? was confident that the people of the slums would fall in love with his product, more so than even Feidin and Seliphaz were. He understood more than anybody just how desperate they were for something as fundamentally important as shelter. He did believe that, even though his motivations were profit-minded, they would benefit from the havens. It lasted eighteen months, which was longer than most of the little shacks and huts that the people of the slums put together, which crumbled, often injuring and even killing them. Compared to the poorest of civil laborers of the slums whose skills were incomplete without magical technology to operate, leading to poor quality housing, C?¡¯s solution was superior in every single conceivable way that it wasn¡¯t even debatable. ¡°Well, we should focus on conveying that message to all the people of the slums,¡± C? narrowed his eyes. ¡°Once Dlint is done training his men on the protocols of using the havens, they will be ready to immediately begin using the havens in the slums to show off their effectiveness to all the people of the slums.¡± Feidin nodded, his gaze shifting to the screen in front of him. ¡°Of course, we will need to hire the laborers to produce forty-eight units of havens within a short amount of time, about thirty for all ten production lines, as we agreed. That should take about two weeks, unfortunately. Thankfully, Dlint¡¯s men should be done with their training by then, so they will be immediately ready to go into action.¡± C? nodded. ¡°Well, that marks all immediate business that we have to deal with. Of course, there are tertiary branding considerations like our logo, as well as the details regarding the other matters, but we can handle that in due time.¡± With the slums, branding was not nearly as important when they weren¡¯t competing in an oversaturated market segment. ¡°W-We should indulge ourselves in a toast for formally launching our business today!¡± Seliphaz interjected with an enthusiastic smile. ¡°After all, isn¡¯t that an important milestone?¡± C? and Feidin stirred. It wasn¡¯t something that they would have considered themselves, but¡­ ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± a rare smile appeared on C?¡¯s face. ¡°A year of effort has finally crystallized into an actual business that will soon commence operations in full force. We should celebrate with a few drinks tonight with Dlint and the others.¡± Seliphaz¡¯s eyes lit up as Feidin nodded with a friendly smile. ¡°We have accomplished a lot, and we should celebrate it.¡± And they did. It wasn¡¯t half an hour late before food and drinks had found their way into the factory base, with a glass of alcohol poured for all of them present. ¡°To Trinity Housings.¡± C? felt himself relaxing as the alcohol ran down his throat for the first time in a while. Chapter 62: Revisiting Ristorante The company had been created. The product had been fully finalized and named. The advertising campaign and the distribution operations had also been finalized. They even had a well-fleshed-out vision for the plan of action to get their business running. They had taken the first major step as a business. While C? wanted to immediately jump into interviewing production operators or applying for business loans for the debt financing of his business, they had already ironed out enough for the day. Not to mention, he should have realized just how weak Feidin and Seliphaz were with alcohol, unable to hold more than a glass or two. ¡°W-Waii~¡± Selpiphaz¡¯s speech slurred as she stumbled unstably, her blue hair messily swaying about as her circular spectacles fell right off. Feidin began hiccuping uncontrollably as his movements grew a little hazy. C? heaved a sigh. ¡°We¡¯ll have to continue this meeting tomorrow.¡± He ensured that the two of them got home safely before walking towards the Elendir Institute of Magic in the evening, pondering how he ought to have spent his time. His young friends were still celebrating, having graduated and playing about during their break. He could indulge himself with the excitable kids that he had grown attached to over the past year. But he had other ideas in mind. ¡°I should visit the Selvigs.¡± A small smile briefly cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°It has been a while.¡± He had deeply wanted to invite them to the Elendir Institute of Magic, but ultimately decided not to. They weren¡¯t his legal guardians, for one, so he couldn¡¯t even invite them even if he wanted to. But more importantly, as much as it hurt, it was genuinely dangerous for them to be associated with him. Especially with what had happened in the Graduation Ceremony. The headmistress has shamelessly put a target, metaphorically speaking, on his back. ¡°Tsk,¡± he tutted with an irritated expression at the very memory of it. It was bad enough that he had been the target of much abuse and prejudice in the past year, until he finally managed to turn the opinion of people around, but now there was actual political motive to take him down a peg or two to weaken the Headmistress¡¯ iniative to acquire magical talent. ¡°¡­Associating with them openly could potentially open them up for being targeted as well.¡± He couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. Of course, the fact that they were co-owners would not be missed by anyone who dug into him to any degree. However, an on-paper business relationship was hardly something that would strike anybody as a large weakness to exploit. Their absence at the graduation ceremony would cast doubt on the notion that they were important to him. Thus, he could get away with maintaining a cordial relationship with them. A co-owner would certainly check in on his business every once in a while. That was why C? wasn¡¯t too worried about his decision to visit them openly. It would instead be even more strange if he avoided them despite being business partners with them. Thus, if there were people keeping some active tabs on him, which was not unlikely, C? wanted to provide them with the most mundane image that would not leave any avenue to the Selvigs being targeted. If he wanted to be absolutely careful, he would ideally just cut ties with them, but unfortunately, that would not erase the records with them. ¡®I should eventually return to them their share of the restaurant, but not at this time, it will draw suspicion.¡¯ VMMM¡­! C? glanced up as he spotted a train flying over his head. Its body is painted with gold, white, and blue, the colors of the national flag of the Democratic Republic of Elendir. He spotted runes and magic circles checkered across the entire body of the train, describing the eidos of the enchantments and other magic that the flying train was enchanted with. He could sense the immensely powerful mana crystals that the trains used as sources of energy. His gaze shifted as his eyes swept around him as he took stock of the environment around him. ¡°And so, I was¡­¡± ¡°Ah, there it is¡­¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Mommy, look at that train!¡± The unintelligible chatter of dense crowds crowds of people around him drew his attention as his situational awareness returned to the environment around him. They walked about dressed in multiple layers of clothes, topped off by a meirin; a clothing article part of the ethnic attire of Elendir, comprising of a wide shawl that wrapped about the entirety of the upper body. The honking magicars zooming past him on the street were more numerous than he remembered since the last time he visited this district. The density of magivehicles zooming about the street and inevitably getting clogged in traffic jams was greater than he remembered it. It had grown livelier and more populated since he last remembered. His gaze shifted back to the flying magitrains zooming above the cities with a knowing expression. They made the district of the Democratic Republic of Elendir more commutable, allowing for more people to be willing to settle down in this district for commuting to work in other districts or even other cities. His expression grew curious as he pondered what effect this development had had on Selvigs Ristorante. A year and a half ago, he had advised them to cut down on their menu to cater to customers who didn¡¯t have much time due to needing to catch a train to their next destination. Eighteen months later, he could sense yet another shift in the population dynamics of the people of this district. It was possible that Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante could potentially revert to its old model once more due to enough time having passed, creating a new base of customers who could now live in the district due to the presence of the flying magitrain. ¡°They¡¯re probably too tired to do anything of the sort.¡± They were approaching the age of retirement, and rehashing everything was an extremely time and energy-consuming matter, not to mention the stress that Mrs. Selvig would have to face once more. STEP He eventually found himself at Selvigs¡¯ Ristorante late at night. The restaurant was closing up as the final customers began leaving for the night in a hurry for their final few stops of the magitrain. He found his gaze sweeping across the boards and signs outside of the restaurant, and he found himself staring at them as he recalled how much time and energy he had put into rebranding the restaurant. He could tell from the familiar smell of fresh bread and meat that restaurant had surely sold-out all the meatbuns that they had in stock. The last wave of customers were dense and large, showing that even at late hours, they could still maintain great sales. ¡°C?¡­!¡± The delighted voice of Mrs. Selvig reached him, drawing his attention. Her aged expression was one of ecstasy as she studied him with her light blue eyes, squinting at him, contrasting with her red hair tied up in a bun for when she was at work. ¡°Mrs. Selvig,¡± he smiled gently. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Oh, you!¡± she remarked with an endearing tone as she drew close to him. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing just fine as always. You know, we were just thinking about you! I¡¯m so happy that you came to visit us. Come in. I¡¯m sure that Darren can whip something up for you.¡± ¡°I hope I¡¯m not coming at an inconvenient time,¡± he remarked gently, following her in as she ushered him inside. ¡°Why, not at all!¡± They took a seat at one of the many tables as Mr. Selvig immediately came out, taking off his apron and chef¡¯s hat, heaving a tired sigh. His eyes lit up with surprise as he spotted the two of them. ¡°Oh, C?, my boy!¡± ¡°Mr. Selvig, long day of cooking?¡± he remarked with an amicable smile, standing up for a hard handshake. ¡°Hah!¡± the older man snorted. ¡°Business is going great. We might actually have to slow down because it¡¯s frankly getting too much. I¡¯m almost sixty, for the love of god.¡± C? spotted signs of aging, much to his dismay. The man¡¯s facial hair had grown to be more salt than pepper, and his face seemed to have gotten more wrinkles than in the past. Even though he had more spirit, he was also more physically tired than he used to be. ¡°Are you considering retiring anytime soon?¡± C? casually asked the two of them. Mrs. Selvig heaved a sigh. ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this forever. Most likely¡­¡± She placed a hand on Darren¡¯s. ¡°We will have to retire in a year or two.¡± The air grew bittersweet. On the one hand, they clearly loved their business and had fought to keep it afloat before C? came in and plotted a plan to fix it. On the other hand, they were clearly approaching their limit. Age was a reality that everybody needed to confront at some point. ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel bad about it,¡± C? smiled at them. ¡°It¡¯s just a part of life. And once you retire, you will have more time to pursue things that you might have otherwise been unable to pursue in the past. You can travel the world or indulge in luxuries and pleasures.¡± ¡°Hah, things aren¡¯t that simple, C?,¡± Darren chuckled, ¡°not in this economy. We have solid savings for our retirement, but it isn¡¯t fancy either. It certainly will last us a normal life.¡± C?¡¯s expression grew more serious. ¡°Please don¡¯t ever worry about finances ever again. After all¡­¡± His tone grew more pointed, ¡°you have me. I will ensure that you won¡¯t ever have to worry about money ever again.¡± Mrs. Selvig¡¯s eyebrows furrowed with indignance. ¡°Absolutely not! How can we possibly have you fund our luxury with your hard-earned money? It will be too burdensome!¡± C? shook his head softly. ¡°Not quite. I will be much wealthier than I am now by the time you retire. And when that happens, I will be sure to pay the two of you back for everything that you have done for me.¡± C?¡¯s tone was entirely serious. He hadn¡¯t forgotten that he wouldn¡¯t even be where he was if not for the fact that the Selvigs had given him the opportunity to work in their restaurant with a rather generous deal. After all, getting out of the slums was extremely difficult, especially for someone as young as he had been when he succeeded. It was the first ounce of genuine good fortune that he had been blessed with in his entire life. Although he had been too old to regard them as his actual parents, they were family to him nonetheless. There was no way in hell that he intended to allow them to so much as lift a finger for anything once he made good money. While Mrs. Selvig was unhappy about the idea, Mr. Selvig was not much less reserved about getting financial aid. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± he grinned. ¡°In that case, you''d better be ready to fund the most extravagant vacations for us when we retire.¡± ¡°Darren!¡± Mrs. Selvig chided him. C?, however, smirked with amusement. ¡°I suppose I will have to work hard just to ensure that.¡± The two of them had a chuckle while Mrs. Selvig heaved an exasperated sigh. C? lowered his guards entirely as he indulged himself in the company of family that he fully trusted from the bottom of his heart, being able to take comfort in his conversations with them. It only strengthened his determination to repay them for everything that they had done for him when he needed it the most. ¡°Enough about us,¡± Mr. Selvig leaned in with interest. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in what you have gone through in your past year and since graduating. I¡¯m sure you have some very exciting tales to tell us.¡± A small smile cracked at the edge of his mouth. ¡°I have a few.¡±