Chapter 415 – An Interview.

‘Is this really worth it? Maybe I should just go back … If I work for a while, I might be able to afford an elixir for limb regeneration… But they only give it to important people; I’d have to probably find an underground auction instead…’

Such thoughts were floating around Roland’s mind as he examined his current situation. Bernir’s arm was the main reason he was here, but there were other options to take care of that problem. He didn’t want to risk his luck with the Church too much, as he knew only tier 4 priests were able to perform the miracle of full limb restoration and also needed to bless elixirs that had the same effect.

There weren’t many people of that caliber in the Kingdom, which caused the supply of such potions to dwindle. Only high-ranking nobles like dukes and the royal family had somewhat of an access to such means. Even though he had the key to combating the cultists in his hands, he had not yet proven himself to them. Everything he offered up was still theoretical and it wouldn’t be strange for it to take months or even years for them to see his worth.

Then there was also the Inquisition, who if they chose, could just expose him to interrogation techniques, which were known to never fail. There were magical ways to make people talk, and if he refused to cooperate, his life and the lives of his loved ones were at stake. If he played his cards right and gained merits within this faction, the door to that solution could open up eventually. Until then, learning more about runes, even for other reasons than the prosthetic limb, was not a bad idea.

‘I guess there is always time to get a holy elixir later if I get more money or if they see that that device works. Getting a proper full education with runes can’t hurt…’

Somewhere deep inside, he recognized that alternative solutions existed for overcoming the Bernir issue. His journey to the institute wasn’t solely driven by selflessness; he acknowledged that his current level of power was not enough. Attaining the status of a tier 3 class holder hadn’t provided the safety he anticipated. However, perhaps if he armed himself with the correct knowledge, he could alleviate this problem.

“Feeling nervous, my friend?”

“Yes, Slightly… but it’s fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”

His thoughts were brought back to the present as his friend Arion patted him on the shoulder. He had arrived at the Institute recently and had spent some time researching the evaluation process with the Professor. He slept very little as there was a lot of material that he needed to get through. He was not sure what the other professors would ask of him, but he needed to get that position as an assistant professor if he wanted to access the library.

“Good, it shouldn’t take long now, someone should come pick you up in a moment. Don’t worry, I’ll be among the staff if any problems arise.”

Roland nodded while recalling the last few days that he had spent in this institute after his arrival. There wasn’t much that he could explore yet as he was just Arion’s guest. His time here was mostly spent reading up on the various laws and history of this magical academy. There wasn’t much time to prepare but with his high intelligence stat and multiple mind trait, he was able to go through multiple tomes of information. He was now somewhat well-informed about the inner and outer workings of this place, at least the ones that were stated in the books.

When it came to his feline friend, he usually spent his days floating around as a cat. He had a special runic artifact that was imbued with a floating stone. Arion apparently had grown accustomed to his feline form and now preferred it. Thanks to being a mage, there were other ways of getting around, and his mind was not diminished even in this smaller black cat form.

“Remember, just give quick answers, to the point so that those bafoons have no room to complain!’

“I will, thanks for the advice.”

He was quite a chatty feline and loved to complain. It made learning quite a chore as Arion would constantly grumble about some other professors and how he wasn’t getting enough funding. This office here was divided into a few sections, but it wasn’t the only part of the runic department; there were other places that he could visit. However, these would open up after he had gained the correct credentials. As it stood, he couldn’t wait to get out of here and get this test over with.

He felt a mix of excitement and apprehension about the challenges that awaited him. The prospect of becoming an assistant professor, while not his initial goal, seemed like an opportunity to gain valuable insights and access to resources that could aid him in his quest for knowledge.

Just as he was lost in his thoughts, the door to Arion’s office creaked open, and a tall, stern-looking woman entered. She had a no-nonsense demeanor, and her gaze bore into Roland as if assessing him on the spot. She wore the emblem of the academy, indicating her status as a faculty member.

‘Going by the design, she must be an assistant professor.’

There were various designs corresponding to the legendary phoenix beast. It was the symbol of Xandar, the founder who apparently had it as his familiar. From the literature he reviewed, he came to know that the man was an Arch Magus and an Arch Elementalist, to be more precise. The four elemental mage towers that stood at the four corners of this institute were something he created.

The emblem that this woman was wearing was golden, similar to the ones the top students in this academy wore. It was a bit more intricate but also implied that those students weren’t far behind in prestige to an assistant professor. It was one thing that he disliked about this place, as there was a clear divide between the kids that attended. Being a good student couldn’t even propel you past a certain rank as it was locked behind your status and connections. A commoner mage could never join the gold ranks and would need to possess something special to even join the silver ranks.
“Mr. Wayland, I presume? Follow me. The evaluation will take place in the second magical testing chamber.”

The assistant professor’s gaze lingered on Roland for a moment before she spoke with a voice that matched her stern expression. She mirrored the demeanor of his own wife who shared a similar work ethic. Nevertheless, her gaze held a distinction; it seemed as if she regarded him as someone of lower status and worth. Perhaps this perception stemmed from Arion’s introduction, which presented him as a Platinum adventurer mage who lacked a formal education.

“Yes, that’s me.”

Roland replied and turned to Arion while rising from his chair. The floating cat just nodded his head once to indicate that he would follow after them shortly.

“I am Assistant Professor Elara. I will be escorting you to the evaluation. Follow me, and please keep up. We don’t have time for dawdling.”

Professor Elara stated, turning on her heel and heading towards the hallway without waiting for a response. The magical door she came through was not the one Roland used to get here as it didn’t lead to a wide open space with floating platforms. Instead, it took them to one of the main wings of the institute and close to the testing chamber.

Roland hastily gathered his belongings and hurried after her.As they walked through the maze-like corridors of the academy, he couldn’t help but notice the curious glances from passing students and other faculty members. It seemed news of an outsider undergoing an evaluation had already circulated. His appearance was also a bit more novel as he wore a full suit of armor with a darkened robe over it.

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“I’ve heard that the faculty testing chamber would be used today, is that the person?”

“Is he an artifact user? That armor is fully customized… how interesting.”