“...and you can sign up to take the exam at any time you feel comfortable during your studies, although it is strongly advisable to get a recommendation from your mentor first.”

Vella was finally back on familiar grounds. The first lecture in her enrolment here at the Institution felt exactly like attending University. So joyous was she that she didn't even mind the excited Thalva chattering next to her.

“Exams are seasonal and we only allow applications during the middle month of the season. The exams will take place sometime at the end of the last month.”

Vella's only gripe would be her lack of writing supplies to note down what was said. Thankfully the first lecture almost always had no actual content on the subject she was studying, just preliminary information and orientation. Be that as it may, she still needed to go find her belongings back in Kezal forest. She was glad it was already autumn so she wasn't sweating through the heat. She wouldn't have been able to survive without more change of clothes.

“Now you'll be- yes?”

“So, when do we actually learn magic? Are you going to teach us anything?”

Vella glanced over to the young teenage looking boy who stood up to ask the question.

“That's Sun,” Thalva whispered, “I spoke of him yesterday. The other youngling besides you.”

The lecturer, Archmage Sebasjin Sommr, strained a smiled, “Of course I'll be teaching you. What would be the point of these lectures otherwise?”

“I just want to skip the part where we have to jump through hoops to actually learn anything useful,” Sun waved his hand as if shooing away the idea.

“These, 'hoops' as you call them are the cornerstones of all practical magic you'll, hopefully, be learning. While I can't say it will be the same for you, the hundreds that had come before you had found it prudent to at least achieve the basics. I do hope you have at least the capacity to understand a good foundation is needed if you ever hope to advance.”

Sun was visibly flushed but, with a huff, he sat back down.

“If there aren't any more questions, let's start with a premier...”

Normally, this would be where Vella turned off. She remembered her days as a university student and the number of mind numbing lectures she had by professors parading as teachers. Sure they had the knowledge, but many didn't translate well when it came to engaging and teaching others that same knowledge.

However, magic was certainly engaging enough, even it's history. Magic, as Archmage Sommr told them, was always known as a force of nature. The olden views of it was that it shouldn't exist in humans and those who have it must have dabbled with evil practices that made them unnatural. It seemed humans, no matter what the world, would always fear and ostracise those who were different, those who questioned the 'natural' order of things and challenged it.

“It all dates back to the Calamity of Ancients. It was an event that was about two millennia ago that ended the Golden Age of humans. It was also theorised that magic was then used in abundance in their everyday lives. The Calamity, unfortunately, destroyed a lot of the magical knowledge they had. With the few ruins that were excavated, we've managed to salvage slivers of knowledge. The magic that you see today are variations of magical formulas of a bygone-”

“So there had been no new inventions? No new innovations of magic?” Sun interrupted yet again. There was a challenge in his voice, likely holding a petty grudge against the man. It was as if to ask what people, especially an archmage like Sommr, had been doing with their time.

“I don't know if you've noticed young man but the Empire is at war. We need as many people fighting as possible. There had been no time for development,” said Sommr, “We are all that the Empire has for furthering our understanding of the magical system. So if you're quite done impeding the next generation of magical researchers?”

Vella couldn't help but smirk at Sun's immature display. For the rest of the lecture, he didn't say another word and Vella got to listen in peace to the fascinating rediscovery of magic.

After class, students filed out of the classroom. Although it was technically their free time, none of them were foolish enough to neglect finding out more information on the mentors. The rules were simple. A maximum of three will be assigned to any one mentor. One personal lesson will be held per week with one group lesson to finish the week off.

Vella thought herself lucky as she didn't play too well with others. A lecture every five days was fine since she didn't have to socialise, but another lesson with a group of people per week was the most she could handle. There was a reason why she did most of her lectures online back on Earth.

She was browsing through the profiles in the entrance hall. They listed their achievements and what field they are interested in. Many listed what beneficial discoveries and research they had contributed to the Empire to the point of coming across as a mundane accomplishment.

“Wow! This one became a Master at the age of fifteen! I bet many people will list her as their first choice. Oh no wonder! It's Eelna Bathlec. She was the one who invented the Reverse Mana Attenuation Method,” gushed Thalva.

“Reverse mana what now?” Vella quirked an eyebrow.

“You know! That incredible thesis that changed the way we view magic,” Thalva almost squealed while hopping up and down.

“No. No, I don't know,” Vella deadpanned, “Wouldn't such knowledge be locked away somewhere? I thought any groundbreaking discoveries or inventions would be kept secret.”

It felt logical. Vella lived in a world where there hadn't been as much technological growth as her own. So it would make sense to keep any big discoveries a secret from competitors. Especially during war. When Thalva asked why, she told her her reasons.

“Oh, that's okay. The kingdoms are incredibly religious and magic is forbidden there,” Thalva explained, “I mean part of the reason why we have this war in the first place was because we worship something other than their gods. They think magic is a product of demons and it's what caused the Calamity of Ancients. They only got it half-right.

“It was, indeed, magic that ended the Golden Age, and at the centre of it was the 'Demon King'. But magic had been with us since the dawn of time, or at least much longer than the demon had been around.”

“Hmph! You didn't even know that?” a new voice interjected.

Vella and Thalva turned to the newcomer. It was Sun, strutting towards them. Behind him are several other students, obviously hanger-ons. Vella placed him firmly in the category as the snobbish, popular kid in highschools. She didn't want that sort of drama in her life.

Sun approached with a nose up so high Vella could barely see his blue eyes. What little she could see eyed her up and down. Slowly.

Vella's face scrunched up as if she smelled something foul but quickly schooled her expression. Again. She did not want drama.

Another reason for her disdain for Sun was the quality of his clothes and the ornate circlet beneath his blonde hair. She had no interest in dealing with a pompous, rich brat. So instead of answering, she turned back to the board of mentor profiles.

Thalva, having not read her social queue, introduced him, “Vella, this is Sun, remember? Hey Sun! I had a great time talking to you. Why were you in such a hurry to leave?”

A particular profile stood out to Vella. One she thought others probably wouldn't be lining up to be taught under. She knew by his interests and studies that he wouldn't be a popular choice.

“Oh, w-well. I thought I saw someone I knew,” was Sun's excuse, “But that's all in the past now. I'm here to talk to this fine young miss.”

This mentor, an archmage no less, was interested in free form magic moulding. Something none of the other mentors cited as a focus. While the others talked about having access to powerful magic formulae, or were pioneers of the new variations of old formulae, this mentor was purely interested in how other naturally magical creatures must have formed their magic, and how humans could stand to mimic and extrapolate from such examples.

“Oh Vella? She doesn't talk much, but you can try! Hey Vella. Vella!”

A shake on her shoulders interrupted her thoughts and she turned to glare at the culprits.

“What,” she bit out.

“Oh don't be like that. Prodigy Sun wants to talk to you,” Thalva said cheerfully.

Sun's chest seemed to swell at the compliment, “Yes, I've noticed your striking and relatively young appearance. If I'm not mistaken, you must be a holder of a Bloodline Quirk. I would like to extend an invitation to join me under the same mentor. I have chosen Feerda Melc as-”

“Feerda!?” Thalva exclaimed, “The Feerda? The one who reimagined the fire spell into a meteor-like attack?”

“The one and the same,” claimed Sun.

“The one who conjured lightning so powerful it could be used as a fire spell!?”

“Yes, although that wasn't what her lightning spell was known for-”

“The one who expanded on Eelna Bathlec's Reverse Mana Attenuation Method to combust as an ending effect!?”

“Yes, yes. All that and more. But the question remains, would you and your friend like the chance to study under one of the greatest archmages of our time?”

Thalva's high pitched fan-girling could not have been any more grating on Vella's ears than Sun's hard sell on joining him. The fact that he so blatantly asked her only because of her Bloodline Quirk irked her to no end.

“I'm not interested,” she said flatly, “I've already made my choice on my mentor.”

The look of disbelief on Sun's face was priceless and Vella allowed herself a ghost of a smirk.

“Besides, it's not like you are guaranteed to be under, what's her name? Feerda?” Vella glanced at Thalva, to which she helpfully nodded, “It's not like you're guaranteed a spot under Feerda anyway.”

Sun scoffed at that, “As a member of the Tai house, Feerda would be punching at the chance to mentor me.”

Thalva gasped, “You're from one of the Great Noble Families?”

Sun shrugged off his coat and straightened out his attire, bringing attention to the crest in the shape of a palm on his shirt.

“By Fulaz,” Thalva whispered reverently.

“Now do you see why?” flaunted Sun.

Thalva, for the first time since Vella had met her, was silent. Vella on the other hand was unimpressed, “Was that supposed to change my mind? I don't care who you are or what family you come from. I'm not interested in becoming one of your hanger-ons.”

With that, she left a slack jawed Sun with his entourage while dragging Thalva away.

Thalva, too stunned to refuse, went along with Vella. Eventually, she came to her senses, “You would refuse networking with one of the Great Noble Families?”

“I'll strive by my own power, thank you very much,” Vella huffed, filling out her list of preferred mentors.

“You're not at all concerned of how others would view you? Or your slight against a member of Tai?” Thalva pressed.

“I'm my own person. If they want respect then they should earn it from me, not from my knowledge of the deeds of their family members,” Vella dismissed.

Thalva considered her for a long while, then, as Vella finished writing, she asked to look over the list. Vella saw no reason to refuse and so obliged.

“Archmage Wintr Donic?” asked Thalva, her expression surprisingly dark, “I would not recommend him even as a last choice. And you have him as the first.”

“And why is that?” Vella tilted her head in confusion.

“He maybe the only archmage on the list, but it's an open secret that he owns an underground brothel of some sort,” Thalva said in a low voice.

It gave Vella pause, if only for the surprise factor of the man's extracurricular interests, but in the end, she shrugged, “I don't care what other hobbies he's got as long as what he teaches is up to par.”

“But, the brothel!” Thalva exclaimed, only to have good enough to quickly quiet down, “And he teaches free form magic, not formulae. Everyone knows free form magic is unwieldy and inefficient.”

That, more than the brothel, made Vella hesitate. Her lack of knowledge on magic itself almost screwed her over right from the start. Her lack of information on this archmage could also be a liability. Thalva, on the other hand, seemed a lot more well informed. Vella knew from Thalva's earlier expression that she was from Fulaz, another large city of the Lazlan Empire, so it was no surprise she was generally more knowledgeable.

But something in Vella wanted to challenge the idea set in stone. Why was free form magic so unwieldy? Why was it inefficient? Why would an archmage be so interested in the field if it was a waste of time?

“Where are the staff quarters?” Vella asked.

“Um, I can show you the way,” Thalva suggested, “But why? Do you need to see Archmage Sommr?”

Vella shook her head, “No, I'll be seeing Archmage Donic.”