“What? Silvia is here?” Ernest said surprised.

Xero nodded a bit downcast.

Ashley who sat beside him made a ‘tsk’ sound with her tongue. “Stupid brat was all gloomy and that aura of blind justice was dead. She was no better than a doll but the brat still had the nerve to slap Master when he was only worried about her.” She growled in anger.

“Slapped him?” Ernest replied. “Although I knew she didn’t like demons or demon familiar owners but to randomly slap someone is weird.” Ernest said.

He looked at Night who was nonchalant about the subject. “You made her develop Androphobia.” Ernest said through the link.

Night looked at him out the corner of his eye, “She developed it herself, it has nothing to do with me. It is not my fault she is scared of men now when I just gave her to some men.” Night replied.

Ernest kept his poker face but his aura visibly darkened after hearing that. “She is probably afraid of men now, even children as long as they are males, probably.” Ernest said.

“Why would she be afraid?” Meldie asked.

Ernest scowled, “She was sold and raped to some bandits.” He replied and sighed. “I guess we shouldn’t worry anymore, I never had any relations to her to begin with.” He said.

Night chuckled, “Yeah, I’m sure Ernest is more interested in Nad-”

“RETURN TO YOUR SEAL!” Ernest shouted cutting Night and forcing him to return while blushing greatly.

When he looked up he only saw three confused children but when his eyes met Ashley’s, paled a bit as he saw her lips part into a cat like grin.

“I wonder how father is?” Xero asked solemn.

He was only turning 13 this year but he was already getting overwhelmed by the events. Previously his father was here to help him weather everything. “I hope nothing happened.” He muttered.

Everyone nodded and Ernest blushed slightly, “I hope Nadir is okay.” He thought before his face heated up as he thought about what he had just though.

***

As for Nadir, she was actually enrolled into the Lurian Empire National Academy in the mercantile and management course to work on the talent she showed previously.

That said, she was currently half asleep in class as she looked at the teacher. Although she had talent, Nadir was also one with a much shorter attention span. She wasn’t a fan of extensive studying and actually liked to play with her familiar more.

Her familiar, a Level 14 Stone Spirit pot had no sentient spirit and depended on her mental state to do each spell and control. Her pot had the spells Dimensional pot, Mix, Cook, Boil, Synthesis, Extract, Combine.

Dimensional Pot easily replaced any need of her needing a Magic bag, not like the national academy would give such a thing. The magic academy had the resource to make then and train their young to make it but there was no way the national academy could compare to the international Magic Academy that had several dozen nations sending students. Even if the number of students in the national academy were larger, the prices they could charge couldn’t even reach one fourth the prices the magic academy were allowed to charge.

In this place, she had far too little possibility to advance her familiar even if she had it. Even if she could make the alchemy potions, she lacked money and materials.

Her head dropped down soon and she suddenly sat up from the fall and blinked. “So boring~!” She complained and pouted.

Soon enough class ended and she got up almost asleep and wiped the drool from her mouth as she sluggishly went to her dorm and dropped off her things and looked at the ‘work’ clothing she was given.

As part of the Mercantile and management course, she had to do practical work with an internship provided by the academy but she really hated working. The internship was very hard on the spoiled girl and it got worse because she did things and would either be abolished gently or praised at home but when she worked she was harshly criticized.

Even when she used her Familiar to move many heavy things, her skills at organization weren’t very high and she took a long time to set up the shop and the required goods.

The same thing happened today and when she was going one she was incredibly depressed, “I wanna go back home to mama.” She said extremely sad.

That night, like many others she dropped in bed in her dorm room that was shared with another girl.

The next day she depressingly got up and went to school after getting ready. Her cheerful smile she forced on her tired face showing her fatigue and wariness that had been building in the girl.

Previously she was like a shine in the class which caused her classmates to feel more up to work everyday. Her bubbly personality had even gained her fans but in recent times, she hasn’t been able to smile as bright due to her fatigue.

“Alright children, sit down! I have an announcement to give!” The teacher said coming into the class. Soon enough the students were seated and the teacher started, “Good, now I just received word that a magic academy has come for recruitment purposes.” the teacher said.

“Eh?” All the student’s sat up.

“The Academy is a newly built one set up two years ago and is called Clear Sand Magic Academy of Commerce and Craft.” the teacher said.

Everyone froze and frowned.

Finally someone raised their hand, “Teacher, what do you mean commerce and craft?” She asked.

“It is as it is said. The founders of this Magic academy used to be travellers, the ‘thought’ of training they wish to pass on is development of magic crafts by the development of familiars on this path. It is a different concept for magic academies. They wish to train and develop Merchants and Craftsmen with familiars of those trades.” the teacher replied. “They are still a very new academy though so compared to the other academy they are mediocre.”

“But it’s still a magic academy, even if they are only compared to a national academy, they still have stuff we don’t right?” Someone asked.

The teacher sighed, “Yes. Their top backer is Yuri Sand’s, a Level 79 Sand Rider who once traveled the Great Desert to the west owning a huge transport company. Her Familiar is a level 81 Wind Spirit that helped her in propelling her business to success. The Dean is Glenn Rudy a Level 75 Blacksmith who is the sworn brother of Yuri Sands. His familiar is the Level 80 Forge Hammer giving him great fame as one of the most renowned blacksmiths of such high level. There are over 30 renowned teachers from both the craft and mercantile trade they are friends with and worked together to set up their academy.” the teacher said introducing the line up of the academy.

The eyes of the student’s sparkled because the names were indeed renowned. Yuri Sand was considered the Great Desert’s best merchant with her Merchant firm Sandy Winds Merchant Firm while Glenn Rudy was a legend as one of the highest level magic blacksmith.

Magic blacksmithing is a very complex art. Even among the dwarves on the Lurian empire, there are less than 5 in the entire nation. It isn’t a craft easily passed on.

The children easily realized the purpose of the academy. Magic Blacksmithing depended on the familiar as the focus of magic so without a powerful familiar, they are left behind.

People who summon a Hammer spirit can go the combat route or the forge route but almost 99% would choose the combat route as it is the more mainstream as well as the easier path. Who would want to face a forge all their life just slamming away at chunks of material? If the spirit isn’t part of the blacksmith path from the start, they would never do so.

“Of course we have our honor as an academy but the Clear Sands Academy paid to recruit any students wishing to try out and had the potential. Their requirements are that the student must be at least under 16 years old and their magic talent is at a specific degree. Enough to gather mana until you can summon a familiar. They have also done common recruitment of 10 year old.” The teacher said.

Everyone looked at each other in silence until they heard a voice.

“How much do we pay there?!”

The voice came from Nadir who was looking more excited now.

“Your family would probably pay the first year and like normal, you can take jobs but I do not know the workings of the academy so I would not be able to answer.” the teacher said.

“Where do I go to try out?!” Nadir said. She had seen her brothers familiars and even her own mother and sister in law as they got stronger and cooler each day but her Spirit pot barely advanced anymore.

The teacher was surprised that the girl actually wanted to try out. “There is a recruitment outside at the practice field.” The teacher said.

Nadir quickly packed up and walked out.

When the teacher asked who wanted to go as well they looked at each other with frowns and concerns but no one stood up because a newly built academy would only be a tad bit better than what they are in now and they would even have to learn magic making the difficulty higher.

Nadir, with renewed vigor, quickly ran out to the practice field where she found the testing spot. They had covered an area and placed tables there were several dozen people were already sitting and writing something that seemed to be a test.

She walked to the table were a slightly older woman sat. “Hello~! I’m Nadir Null! Is this where I came to try and enter the magic academy!?” She asked.

The person managing the recruitment raised a brow, “What a bundle of energy.” She thought, “Yes dear, you must first do a test to see how you think. This is an opinion test, just answer the question as you see fit.” She said and handed the test to Nadir with an answer sheet to write on.

Nadir goes happily to an empty table and looks at the paper.

“You are a novice merchant that set up a stall in a market place. You have around 2 gold of crops, meat and other goods that can be sold fresh but there are several others around you with similar goods. How would you sell your 2 golds worth of food and items?” The question asked.

Nadir looked and tilted her head before picking up her pen and writing “I would make a few to roast the meat and crops and if I had milk, juice or beverage, I would display it as an open air food stand selling cooked food if I knew how to cook.” She replied.

This isn’t anything new, she had actually seen a struggling merchant in her family's town do the same thing and it became a hit.

She looked at the next questions that slowly became more technical like including how to manage investments at specific times, this included the information like crop cycles and specialty items of a town. She would think and write the simplest answers she could think of that would all end as a successful action if not taking competition into account.

When she handed the questions in, the recruiter looked at it and her eyebrows jumped up and she looked at Nadir a moment and nodded, “You’re rather simple minded but it is good, you pass, please go test your magic talent over there.” She pointed to the side where there was an identifier who was using magic to identify each student for their magical abilities.

She waited in line and at her turn, she felt the magic pass through her and a smile appeared in the face of the identifier, “You already have a familiar, and one with craft based skills, a Spirit pot. This is good, you pass, please wait at the side as we continue to test.” He said pointing to the ones who passed.

Even if the academy is new, they still have a specific requirement if not someone low at the moment to help build up reputation.

Nadir waited as she waved her legs back and forth like a child as more were either rejected or accepted.

When no more people came or was there for testing, the recruitment woman came to those accepted, “You children are all the ones above 10 who were accepted, of course in normal cases a magic academy would only accept children of 10 years old but we are setting up and are giving special scholarships for older students with talent within a specific threshold that isn’t extensively high but it is the lowest standards for a magic academy. Do not think that ‘you are just to fill in number’ we will teach you to the best of our knowledge to raise up our academy and make you all skilled craftsmen or merchants.” She said.

“What about informing our parents?” one student asked.

“We shall first accompany those who live in the capital before he do a round in the nation to make sure all the parents are in accord before we take you to the academy.” She said.

They agreed to it and the ones who live out of the capital were told to come with the identifier who would plot out the course for them while the woman went with those living in the capital to meet their parents.

Only two days later they reached Nadir’s home and Nil had yet to leave so both parents were able to discuss about it and got some details about the academy before agreeing for Nadir to study there.

When all the parents either agreed or denied the permission those who were permitted headed to the academy.

The children were amazed when they arrived at a palace styled academy in the middle of the desert. The academy used earth magic to turn sand into a large earth hill and the palace like academy at the top with pointed ceilings shining like gold with white walls.

“Welcome to Clear Sands Magic Academy of Commerce and Craft. We shall now show you around and give you your uniform before you will go settle in and those above 10 shall prepare for supplementary classes to have you catch up to your age group.” The recruitment woman said.

***

“So how was the meeting brother?” Xero asked as Zip returned.

“Aahahaha! It was great!” A bellowing laugh came from behind Zip.

Bursting in with great fanfare was the king of the Lurian empire, Frances and Everson Crost.

“We were able to pull the arm of every damn bastard until they caved. Ahahaha” Morgan laughed.

“Your highness, it might have been a good thing at the start but this is stressful for me.” Zip said actually a bit desperate.

“Ahaha! Don’t worry boyo, you can work at your own pace, set up a schedule for yourself and just see who you like and don’t among the nobles. You will soon get used to dealing with ‘big’ people. As for your protection, I’ll assign royal knights as protection and control the nobles.” He said.

“The royal knights…” Zip said with a frown.

Royal knights are the highest level of knights. They are powerhouses among the knights and pledge themselves to the king himself. They have the highest strength in any nation. In the Lurian empire, three fourths are dwarves and all royal knights range from level 50 to level 80.

Above level 80 no nation can control such a powerhouse nor do they try to since it is more beneficial to allow such a person to explore as their work and movements usually cause movements wherever they pass in whatever they plan.

One such case is the founding of Magic academy since no magic academy can be formed without at least a level 80 master.

“Oh right, Tian, children. I heard there would be a class for your academies students directed by Madam Gilbody, you kids should probably head off to that.” Marquess Cross said

The three children were surprised before thanking them before they quickly left.

The men remained with a calm face until they were sure the children and familiars were out of earshot before their face turned solemn.

“So how do we deal with the parties that were not present during this event?” Morgan asked.

“We should probably convened another meeting with these powers.” Francis said.

“We need to set up a special meeting for both Fire and Ice church and the Dark Holy Church. They are the ones who settled into our village so I wish to give them a special benefit like you all since it is fair since they offer some protection and benefits to my family.” Zip said.

“Hmm, that is a good point, let us see to that deal first, then we must call the others, this includes the Holy light church, just for formality sake.” the Marquess said.

“Indeed, come, let us drink a bit, while my servants deal with this.” Morgan said after calling his scribe and handing the orders out.