Chapter 9: Preparations

Early on Monday morning, Alder was abruptly awakened by the loud rumble of the alarm, which seemed much louder than usual. Upon opening his eyes, to his dismay, he discovered not one, but four alarms buzzing on his chest. The alarms quickly transformed into four owls staring at him as they said in unison, "Wake up, Alder! We're going to be late for today's classes." Alder could only sigh as he began to get ready for the day.

The day before, after Professor Elara had left the workshop, Alder had been practicing with Eön. Surprisingly, Eön had managed to create up to three additional clones, making a total of four Eöns. Each was connected to Alder's mind, and although it was initially difficult to get used to the sensation, by the end of the day Alder had managed to adapt.

Alder had returned to his room in the dormitory to get some proper rest, and although Oliver wanted to speak with him, seeing how exhausted he was, he simply let him go with the promise that Alder had to see him after Monday morning classes.

After washing up and having breakfast, Alder looked at Eön and commented, "I see you've finally taken a liking to your new ability, and it's good to practice, but let's go to classes. One Eön is enough." Eön, visibly sad, nodded, and the other three owls turned translucent, becoming motes of light and disappearing.

Before leaving his dormitory, Alder decided to check his phone, which he had neglected all weekend. Upon turning it on, he saw several messages from his friend Lucas. Among some greetings and funny comments, one note caught his attention: Helena wanted to talk with him. Alder was perplexed; he only knew Helena by name, and aside from their encounter on the wagon on the first day of classes, he had not interacted with her again.

Deciding to leave the matter for later, if Helena really wanted to talk to him, she would find a way to do so. For now, his priority was to hurry to his morning classes on time.

Fortunately, Eön had woken Alder up in time, allowing him to arrive just in time for his classroom. Once inside, Alder hurried to find his seat, where Lucas greeted him with a smile. "What's up, old man? Where did you hide all weekend? The fire princess has been looking for you, even now she's staring at you intently. Did you do something to her?" Lucas asked with a mischievous tone.

Alder looked towards Helena, who was staring intensely at him. Her eyes, though beautiful, emitted a hostile and somewhat intimidating aura. Alder cautiously replied, "Honestly, I don't know. I've never talked to her apart from the first day of classes. I hope it's nothing bad."

Lucas burst out laughing. "Don't worry, maybe she's fallen for you," he joked, causing Alder to choke in surprise. Lucas couldn't help but laugh at his friend's reaction.

Suddenly, the professor entered the classroom. "Good morning, dear students," she said with her usual kind and welcoming tone. "Today marks the start of your third week at this academy, and as is tradition, it's time for the initial exam of the semester. I ask everyone to take their seats and prepare. You will have the entire morning to answer the questions, so do so calmly."

Alder was surprised by the professor's announcement. Lucas, sitting beside him, looked at him curiously. "Dude, don't tell me you didn't know about the exams. Although they are supposed to be a surprise, anyone who does a bit of research will realize that there is always an exam from each subject in the third week. That's another reason why everyone attends each of the classes offered during the second week."

While Alder remained silent, Lucas patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, from what I've seen you're smart, and you haven't missed any classes, so you should be fine."

At Gryphon Academy, certain old customs were maintained, but for exams, the use of pencil and paper had been set aside. Each desk had its own touchscreen, which lit up as Professor Emily Carter gave the exam instructions.

"The exam consists of choosing the best answer only and covers everything we have seen in these first two weeks of classes. Additionally, the grade will be individual for each department, as the exam is divided into different areas. Although you only need to choose two special classes, just for this exam you will have a grade in every department. Don't worry, once you choose your special classes, the extra grades from this exam will be added to your overall grade, so take it as an extra help."

In the midst of her explanation, Professor Carter suddenly noticed a small silver owl curiously looking at one of the desk screens. With a sigh, she spoke: "Alder, spirits are forbidden during the exam, so I'm going to ask you to please return it to your soul."

While it had only been three weeks of class and the professor did not yet know the name of all her students, Alder had been someone who stood out, especially for falling asleep in every class. The problem was that if she tried to wake him up, his little companion would jump to the defense. The worst part was that she could not win a verbal battle with it, as for some reason, no matter what she asked, the little owl could answer all the questions correctly. It seemed the student was the owl, not Alder himself.

Alder looked at Eön, who looked back at him with pity. "I'm sorry, Eön, but it will be for a short time. I'll try to finish quickly so you can come out," Alder promised. With a resigned sigh, Eön reluctantly agreed and turned into motes of light to return inside Alder's soul.

Once Eön returned to Alder's soul, Professor Carter continued her explanation without any issues, and the exam began. Alder started solving the first question, which he found easy as it dealt with the history of Earth. As he progressed, Alder realized the exam did not seem very difficult; they were merely theoretical questions. Thanks to his excellent memory, capable of retaining information seen or read just once, Alder moved through each question without stopping.

History, mathematics, basic sciences; so far, the exam seemed quite standard. After completing the first section, he began the part on special classes. Each department had its own section with five questions, and although the Runic Research Department part was easy for Alder, the other departments had based their questions on previous classes, allowing Alder to respond with prior knowledge and deduction.

As the students faced this round of surprise exams, a meeting was taking place in the Runic Research Department, in a room well equipped for meetings where a group of professors sat exchanging some words.

Among those present was Professor Lynwood, whose slightly tousled brown hair broke the uncomfortable silence. "Does anyone have any idea why Oliver has called us so early?" he asked, his tone revealing more curiosity than frustration.

Elena Vasiliev, with her characteristically upright posture and meticulously styled blonde hair, shrugged. "You know how Oliver is; he always has some enigmatic project in mind. I just hope it's not another unexpected work marathon."

Marco Giuliani, always the most relaxed of the group, smiled while playfully twirling a pen. "Maybe he's finally discovered something revolutionary. You know, the kind of discovery that could make us famous," he remarked with a wink, trying to lighten the mood.

From the other end of the table, Aiko Tanaka looked up from her tablet. "Let's hope whatever it is, it's worth the early start. Though with Oliver, you never know if we're about to unravel the mysteries of the universe or just chase after a new exotic theory."

Liam O'Connor, whose enthusiasm was rarely contained, chimed in: "Come on, a bit of optimism! Oliver may be unpredictable, but his quirks usually have some merit. I'm ready for whatever it is, as long as it doesn't involve rearranging the rune archive again. That really was a nightmare."

Nadia Petrova, the voice of reason in the group, nodded thoughtfully. "Regardless of what it is, it will be crucial to keep an open mind. Though personally, I'd prefer it involve more research than administration this time."

Sebastian Lee, who had been reviewing notes in his portfolio, looked up and added with an ironic smile: "Well, at least these meetings are an excellent excuse to pause our own projects. Sometimes it's good to diverge a bit and see what craziness Oliver has in mind."

As the professors exchanged casual comments, the door to the room

 burst open. Oliver entered with a smile and positioned himself at the center of the table. "Hello, dear colleagues, I hope you've had a good start to classes," he began in a tone more formal than usual.

Before he could continue, Marco Giuliani interrupted him with a teasing smile: "Come on, Oliver, cut to the chase. We all know you're not one for long preliminaries. What's this meeting about? We're all here driven by curiosity, and it's not common for you to call these gatherings."

Oliver laughed, acknowledging the group's impatience. "You're right, Marco. Without further ado, I'd like you to take a look at something before we discuss." With that, he distributed a tablet to each of the attendees. Each device displayed a document titled: "Review of the Current Runic System," written by Alder Sternfield, reviewed by Oliver Wycliffe.

The document they were viewing was the work that Alder and Eon had completed on Saturday. Oliver had spent part of Sunday polishing the text and improving its coherence, preparing it for this first critical review. Initially, the idea that a mere student had drafted a document on the weaknesses of the current runic system might seem trivial or uninspiring. However, as the professors progressed in reading, their initial skepticism gave way to concentration and, eventually, to astonishment. Alder had outlined all the limitations of the current system with precision and clarity, earning the gradual attention and respect of the professors, who knew of Alder through indirect comments, given Oliver's notorious preference for this student.

The surprise grew when they reached the section that introduced a proposal for a new runic system, including a table of periodic element compatibility. Although the idea seemed revolutionary, even outlandish, the logic and scientific rigor of the approach were undeniable. In a world where magic had been shown to follow rules that could be scientifically analyzed, Alder's proposals were not only possible; they were innovative.

Once everyone had finished reading, a brief silence ensued, laden with incredulity and anticipation. Oliver, with a knowing smile, observed the reactions of his colleagues.

The silence was broken by Lynwood, who, adjusting his glasses, said, "Oliver, this document raises some rather bold ideas. I'd like to discuss several of the proposals here in detail."

Raising a hand to calm the initial enthusiasm, Oliver interrupted, "Before we all start throwing questions, I need to clarify something important. Although I helped edit this document and contributed some ideas, the real architect of this work is Alder. He is best suited to answer your questions. All credit and inquiries should be directed at him."

A professor, with an expression of astonishment still marked on his face, could not contain his disbelief: "Are you saying that this document was actually drafted by a student?" Oliver nodded affirmatively. "It's hard to believe, but yes, Alder wrote it. Don't worry, I've sent him a message to join us as soon as he finishes his exam. He shouldn't be long."

Remembering the season, another professor interjected, briefly changing the subject: "Ah, that's right, we're in the third week of classes. Does today start the club hunt?" Another added, "Yes, after the exam results are announced, the active recruitment season for clubs begins. I suppose our department should also be looking to attract some promising talent."

A third professor nodded in agreement and then looked at Oliver. "Aside from the article topic, don't you think we should also consider supporting some clubs? While we've maintained a policy of neutrality, students tend to be drawn to clubs. If we don't support one, I fear few students will want to stay in our department after graduation."

Oliver sighed, reflecting the seriousness of the decision. "I guess you're right. Although I'd prefer to maintain our neutrality, under the current academy system, that might not be beneficial for the department in the long run. I think it's time we decided which club we're going to support this year."

As the discussion in the faculty room continued, time flew by, and it was 10:30 in the morning when Alder stood up from his seat. "Professor Carter, I've finished the exam," he announced. Professor Carter looked at him with surprise. "Are you sure you've finished? You still have more than two hours for the exam. Take your time to review your answers," she advised with a tone of concern.

Alder shook his head, confident in his decision. "Professor, I'm done. I have nothing to correct," he affirmed confidently.

Professor Carter sighed, resigned to the student's determination. "I advise you not to take exams lightly, but if you're sure you've finished, you may leave," she granted him permission to withdraw.

Alder gathered his things, ignoring the curious looks of his classmates, and quickly exited the classroom. As soon as he crossed the doorway, Eön emerged with relief from his soul. "Phew, finally outside. Why did you take so long?" the little owl asked impatiently.

Alder looked at Eön with a friendly smile. "Hey, although it wasn't too difficult an exam, there was a lot of text to read. In fact, I think I finished quite quickly," he explained, feeling the weight of concentration dissipate.

As Eön perched on Alder's shoulder, his expression still reflected a hint of lingering resentment. "So, what's the plan for today? We've finished Oliver's task, right? How about we explore the academy a bit? I'd like to see if there's a candy store around here," he suggested with palpable enthusiasm.

Alder responded thoughtfully, "That's not a bad idea. We've hardly had time to visit other places in the academy besides the dormitory, the classroom, or Master Oliver's lab."

 Just then, Alder's cell phone began to ring, alerting him with a notification of a new message.

Upon checking it, Alder sighed resignedly. "Sorry, Eön, it looks like the Master is calling us again," he said, and with regret, he started walking towards the Department of Runic Research. Eön, displaying his characteristic discontent, complained, "Damn old slaver! We've already finished his task, and now he surely wants to assign us another. Doesn't he understand the concept of a well-deserved break?"

Alder's walks through the halls of Gryphon Academy had become routine. Each turn and corridor were familiar to him, a second nature he had effortlessly adopted during his intense week of study and practice. Today, however, his destination was different: not Oliver's workshop, but a meeting room where a significant discussion was about to take place. Alder crossed the threshold with the familiarity of routine but stopped abruptly when met with the inquisitive gaze of a group of academics. In this new setting, he was an intruder, a student among titans of scholarship. He recognized only two faces among the crowd: Oliver's, whose reassuring smile tried to dispel the air's tension, and Professor Lynwood's, whose reputation preceded his always serious expressions.

Oliver rushed through the formalities, with a brief introduction for each professor that went beyond names and delved into their achievements, but not extensively enough to drag on. When it came time to address Nadia Petrova, a change was already in the air.

Before Oliver could continue, Professor Petrova stood up. Her voice, clear and resonant, cut through any remaining formality. "Oliver, allow me," she said with a courtesy that brooked no refusal.

Professor Petrova, with a smile on her lips, looked at Alder and remarked in a jovial yet direct manner, "So you are the little gem that old conceited man has found, eh? Well, today Oliver called us to this meeting. Although it's not rare for us to meet, it is unusual for him to be the one calling us. Personally, I expected many things when summoned, but never imagined the real reason." With a gesture, she placed the article they had read in front of Alder.

She continued seriously, "As you can see, everyone here has read this article which claims to have been written by you. It's quite interesting, eye-catching, and frankly, surprising, especially considering it could somehow change the foundation of the system all of us here have been studying for years."

With a glance that swept across the table, she added, "Therefore, I hope you, as the alleged author of this document, can resolve our doubts and concerns. Looking at my colleagues, I can assure you they are not few."

Alder nodded, aware of the moment's magnitude, preparing to explain his work and defend his ideas before a group of experts who knew the field of runic magic as well, if not better, than he did.

The interrogation began, and although it included quite complex questions that tested Alder's understanding and his own deductive ability, he managed to answer them satisfactorily. While not everyone seemed completely convinced, he had at least managed to validate the fact that he possessed enough knowledge to reach the conclusions set out in the written article.

Once the waters of intense debate had calmed, it was Professor Lynwood who spoke up, reflecting a moderate sense of satisfaction after the round of questioning. "It seems clearer now that this article was indeed written by you," he commented before turning his gaze toward Oliver with an inquiring expression. "But we still have one doubt, why did you call us? I doubt you just wanted to show off the talent of your new protégé. Moreover, you don't need our approval to publish this kind of document. In fact, I doubt our opinions matter much to you."

Oliver responded with a complicit smile, nodding slightly. "You're right, Lynwood. My reason for calling you wasn't really to introduce you to Alder or just to show you the article. What I want is for us to work together. How long has it been since our department contributed any research that truly broke the mold? What do you think? Would you like to verify if what has been written on this paper is really viable or not?"

At Oliver's words, the professors in the room fell thoughtful. It was Professor Marcus Flint who finally broke the silence. "The proposal sounds intriguing, Oliver, but how exactly do you plan to carry it out? While the academy has facilities and laboratories, these are primarily intended for students. How do you intend to conduct tests that require advanced equipment?"

Oliver frowned, visibly annoyed by the doubt raised. "Come on, come on," he replied with a gesture of impatience. "The article itself details everything needed. A simple and practical method to evaluate runic combinations with various materials is clearly written. The Academy has enough equipment and supplies to get started. Besides, we could turn it into an academic project and involve students, mainly from the second and third years. Not just from our department but from several others. Doesn't that seem like a feasible idea?"

Oliver's explanation prompted murmurs among those present, some nodding, others still skeptical. Nadia Petrova, reflective, added: "It's true that we could take advantage of the academy's resources in that way. Involving the students could also provide them with valuable experience. But we would need meticulous coordination

 to ensure that the project does not interfere with their regular studies."

Oliver, with his characteristic energy, pressed on. "Come on, come on, what does it matter about regular classes when we're talking about innovation? Besides, I don't think it would affect the classes in general. We would just need to request permission for Alder to miss a few weeks, as I plan to put him in charge of the project."

Professor Hideo Yamamoto, showing skepticism, furrowed his brow. "Are you really planning to put a first-year student in charge of such a major project?" Oliver, unfazed, responded: "Of course, he wrote the entire article, and I fully trust his abilities with runes. It may seem strange to you, but how about we do a test to prove it?"

With those words, Oliver managed to drag the group, including a confused Alder, to one of the academy's public workshops. Although Oliver was known for his eccentricity, the other professors were not far behind, easily persuaded to follow his dynamic proposals.

Upon arriving at the workshop, everyone observed that it was equipped with advanced technology, notably superior to the usual. Oliver, with a knowing smile, said: "What do you think? In your grandfather's workshop, Alder, you had similar tools, but the older versions. I went ahead and brought some new toys. Do you think you could do a demonstration like that day?"

Both Alder and Eön, who had spent years working in a workshop, looked eagerly at the new machinery. An urge to try out each of those devices welled up within them, and without hesitation, Alder stepped forward to get to work.