Michael didn’t have to wat for long. It looked like Melissa was really keen on doing her end of their deal. Which wasn’t a big surprise, since Michael was her only bet of getting out of the whole she’d dug herself in. He wondered if this was the type of thing a faction could and would get you expelled over?

So it was after Michael’s Practical Alchemy class that Melissa had found him and not so subtly motioned to him that she’d like a word. In the sense that Micah, Bob and practically the entire class got wind of that. Even Gerald, who had been packing up the potions they used for the day, gave them a glance.

She’s either extremely desperate or so much worse at this than I originally gave her credit for.

Though, given her completely earnest look, it might have been the former.

Of course, Bob and Micah already knew of what Michael was planning. Their little conspiracy had an impromptu meeting the night before, so that Michael could let his friends know that there was another game afoot. Not like they didn’t have enough of those. He told them what Melissa required and they brainstormed what secret they could obtain and how they could get the coin required. They also brainstormed on what to ask the girl in return, but… they didn’t see eye to eye on that.

Micah wanted material goods. Coin. Artifacts. She stole from her faction once, he reasoned, so she could do that again. Throw in a magically reinforced promise not to tell what she did with what she took and there’d be no trails leading back to them. Simple.

Bob was in agreement about possibly extracting artifacts and material goods out of the girl, but not by having her steal. Instead, he opined, having Melissa be bound by magical contract to obey their requests, within limits, since magical contracts weren’t that restrictive, would have her act as both a source of information and wealth. She was part of a faction that dealt in secrets and mysteries and that would prove useful down the line.

Micah wanted it short and sweet and Bob wanted to play the long con.

Michael himself? He… wondered if she could be included in their group. Which of course made his friends go apoplectic. Even Bob expressed his disbelief… quite loudly. But after Michael got them to quiet down, he explained his full plan. This entire mess started because Melissa was both dangerously inquisitive and way to confident for her own good. That being said, Michael reasoned, so were they or they wouldn’t have started their group in the first place. And she was certainly determined, if not that great of a schemer. Though Michael informed them that without him being aware of her, she might have unearthed enough information about him to put two and two together.

He was in agreement with Bob about using her to obtain formation and resources. But only in the same way as they were all using each other and this group to do that. Using her to steal stuff would end up biting them in the ass. Magic could and would track them down. And that was besides antagonizing the girl. Using her as a subordinate made more sense, like Bob wanted, but it would still make her uneasy and it was better to have someone work with you than for you.

They still use a magical contract to make sure she was bound withing limits, maybe a more aggressive version of what they themselves used. But if she was annexed as a provisionary member, Michael though she would be willing and eager to work with them. It wasn’t like they’d be telling her to do anything different than what the shadowy faction was already using her for and Michael had already learned she was less than loyal to them anyway. It was a risk… but a calculated one.

Needless to say, his friends were less than keen about it.

Well, we need to actually make this happen before we think what to ask of her.

“So, any new information?” Michael asked her, after they moved to a more secluded spot.

No doubt some of his fellow students would be gossiping like mad, but he had already informed Erea of his plot.

“I did.” She smiled, before wincing. “Though, it’s a little much. I mean… you are a mage of high repute and with obvious means-“

“No need to sugarcoat it, Melissa. Just tell me what it would cost.”

“Well… my head of faction told me that it would accept either an equivalent artifact or payment in coins. As for what it would be worth… it was originally five thousand gold coins, but I got it down to four. I think it was because nobody though I could even pay that much.”

Four thousand?!

“Alright.” Michael said, trying to keep on a straight face. “And the secret?”

“Oh. Well, first of all, I was informed that the secret could only be passed through me and that nobody should ever find out about this transaction.”

Sure you were.

“And as for the magnitude of it,” the girl continued “it should be something that can be used as a bargaining chip with an entire other faction. Either to bribe, barter or blackmail. The three B’s.”

She said that last bit with s straight enough face that Michael thought the saying was something that was actually taught in her faction.

“I see. Quite the price.” He said, deep in thought.

“…it is. Regarding that… I wanted to ask. About the magical agreement I would have to sign into. It’s- You have to understand, I am deeply grateful, but… can I ask what are you thinking of asking?”

Going by the look on her face, she was probably thinking along the same lines as Micah and Bob. Or perhaps something even more… unsavory. This might be a magical academy in another world, but there were probably pieces of shit everywhere.

“I haven’t come to a conclusion, but don’t worry, I don’t think I’ll be asking something that you’d feel bad about agreeing. I’m not looking to rob you blind or make you feel worse about yourself.”

“Oh. Good.” She smiled. “I really got lucky in choosing you as a target.”

“By some definition of lucky.” Michael joked, making her laugh.

The parted ways soon after that and Michael was left in thought. He was supposed to go to his next class and learn about… what, stone wolves? Should it have been his first day at Gnosis, he would have salivated at the thought of learning about that. But now, the hedonistic treadmill took its tool and he had bigger fish to fry. So he did something he had never done before. Not on purpose, anyway.

He skipped class.

I feel like a kid again.

It was true too. He skipped class in college, but the action didn’t have the same feeling of breaking rules like it did now. He had no idea if that was even allowed. Still, time passed, the next class started and nothing new happened. No glaring alarms, no loud horns, no magic targeting him or teleporting him to some kind of magical detention.

Breathing out, he started to wonder around the hallways, like he sometimes did when he had something to think about.

Four thousand gold coins were… a lot. He only had around four hundred and fifty gathered up so far. Micah received some too, after his first mission, but he was probably left with… a handful? Even that might be too optimistic, considering the lycan. As for Bob, he knew that the gaindel didn’t come from money and his friend was interested enough in coins to make more of them at Gnosis.

He could ask Regitris, but the old elf was probably going to ask what the coins were for. And even if Michael told him and tried to pass it on as a gesture of goodwill, Regitris was still Regitris. Even for his own star pupil, he would ask for favors in return. Michael didn’t want to think what kind of favors fours thousand coins meant.

Narh? No thank you, that probably meant being the specimen for borderline illegal experiments. Sinestra? The gorgon didn’t have that kind of dough. Kelunad? He could, but that would be a somewhat dangerous option.

Maybe I could ask Erea?

He winced, as he turned a corner, as started walking down another hallway, this one more populated than he last. He didn’t think Erea had that many coins. Upper years were supposed to have some coin gathered up, since they bartered and traded for things like spell books and the like. Erea, however, didn’t seem like the type. Still, maybe she had something?

…nah. He knew he was being stupid, but Michael felt sleazy for thinking about asking his girlfriend for money. He knew enough douchebags like that back home, he didn’t want to carry that behavior in this this world.

Gnosis, of Gnosis. How can I put this… help a brother out?

It was more to amuse himself than because he thought he had a real chance of that working, but the world blinked in response to his plea. Blinked. He had no other way of putting it, it looked like the entire castle just… blinked.

And Michael noticed everyone in the hallway start to turn their heads in one direction, all of them peering at something behind him. Some of them looked amused, and were glancing between it and the thing, while other simply looked bored and returned to their conversations.

Michael turned back and saw… a dog. It had just rounded the corner and was looking around. Well, it kind of resembled a dog. It was almost as large as a horse, and it looked like a more athletic version of a mastiff. Black and sniffing the ground. Nothing special about that, excepting the size, before it caught Michael in its gaze and straightened. And barked.

It was as if the dog was speaking to him. The bark was reassuring, compelling. It told Michael thinks would be ok.

It seemed that Gnosis really did look after its own. Ask and you shall be heard. Michael never felt more thankful and at peace with Gnosis than he did then.

“Hey, kid. Kid!”

“W- what?”

Michel turned and saw an upper year student talking to him. He was part of a group of students and they were all looking at him amusedly. The one who talked to him looked amused too, but he was also glancing between Michel and the dog, who had started to walk towards him.

“You’re Michael, right? The first year?”

“Yeah.”

“Right. You know what that is?” he asked, motioning at the huge canine.

“One of Gnosis helpers, I suppose.” He said, smiling.

He really did feel good right now. Warm.

“Yeah, you could say that.” He disbelievingly laughed. “Tell me, are you skipping class right now?”

“Uh-huh. Is that a problem?”

“Not for me. But, do you want to keep skipping class?”

“I do.” Michael responded.

He wasn’t sure why this student kept asking him questions, but he didn’t particularly mind. The student in question gave Michael a final glance, before aiming his hand at him.

“|Dispel Compulsion|”

Michael had his wand in his hand instantly. He felt as if a bucket of ice water had just been dumped inside his mind. Gone was the warmth, but… here was clarity. And this clarity told him that the huge dog wasn’t exactly a good omen. Which was only compounded by the fact that the dog had stopped walking towards them for a moment and started to quietly growl.

“Right, I figure we have just a few seconds.” The young man hurriedly said. “That’s a Skipper. Derived from Class Skipper. It tracks down anyone who skips Class and makes them return. I don’t know how long this Class of yours last, but it will hunt you down for the duration of it. It won’t hurt you, unless you hurt it, but its bark is magically enhanced. It places you in a susceptible trance. My Spell won’t last long if it keeps barking where you can hear it. Distance matters too. With me so far?”

“Wh- Yeah. But-“

“You can hide, but it can smell your magic and normal smell. You can run, but it’s fast. Your best bet is to make it get lost or use some clever trick. If you can’t, just give up. It’s considered a fourth-year opponent and they can call for help if placed in danger. I don’t know if you know, but the there’s no penalty for just skipping class, but if you are found and retrieved, your next Friday will be spent on cleaning duty.”

“Why?!”

“I don’t know.” he shrugged. “So you get better? Anyway, looks like it figured out what happened. Better run now.”

“But… wait, why are you helping me?”

“Because I like your style.” He laughed. “Now, run!”

Michael took one look at the dog, as it suddenly started to pick up the pace and dashed down the corridor. The students were now either laughing or cheering him on. A few even summoned obstacles to black the dog’s path, but they didn’t slow it down much.

It barked again, but either because of that student’s spell or he adrenaline, the magical effect didn’t take hold.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Gnosis, I thought you were supposed to help me!

He felt the world shift again, trembling. But this time, it felt more like a giggle.

Gnosis did help its students. It helped them get better. And that meant they either stopped skipping classes or they got better and illusion or movement magic. Either way, a new improvement.

And that was how Michael found himself running that the always, mentally trying to keep track of how much he needed to run before his pursuer abandoned the chase. Huffing, Melissa’s dilemma all but forgotten.

Desperately wishing he had learned more Spells.