Chapter 8: The Admission Letter
After class, the once-quiet atmosphere became lively. Friends packed their notebooks, discussing dinner plans, while the more studious types stayed behind, reviewing their notes. The quieter, more introverted students slipped out of the classroom without a word.
As soon as Li Xiang stood up, Flat somersaulted over the desk with one hand, landing squarely in front of him.
"Future Star! How about we grab a bite together? And you can tell me why you missed the entrance ceremony."
"..."
Come on, the second part is what you're really after, right? You just want to satisfy your nosy curiosity.
"Stop calling me 'Future Star'!" Li Xiang protested, trying to sound righteous.
That nickname was just too outlandish!
How much are they paying you, "Future Star"? I'll pay double with Wangzai Milk!
"What's wrong with 'Future Star'?" Flat asked, looking genuinely puzzled.
"It's terrible..." Li Xiang now fully understood how Svin must have felt. Without waiting for Flat's response, he added, "I need to see the teacher."
"Oh, right," Flat said, remembering that Waver had asked Li Xiang to pick up his textbooks. He waved and said, "See you later, then! I'll catch you tomorrow!"
"..."
Please, just leave me alone.
Li Xiang watched Flat dash down the hallway like the wind, only to hear Svin's booming voice from a distance moments later.
"You idiot! Can you stop crashing into people out of nowhere? What if you scared Gray?!"
Li Xiang shook his head helplessly and grabbed his Practical Modern Magecraft Based on Electric Currents and Magic Circuits textbook.
"Teacher?"
He knocked twice on Waver's office door and called out.
"Come in."
Li Xiang pushed the door open and was greeted by the sight of Waver sitting at his desk, with an impressive bookshelf behind him.
The massive collection of books—easily numbering over a thousand—was meticulously organized by category and size, leaving no gaps on the shelves.
Li Xiang placed the borrowed textbook on the desk, taking in his surroundings.
This office was worlds apart from Waver's dingy apartment. It reminded him of his pre-transmigration life—his messy room, cluttered with clothes, novels, and snacks, while the desks and homework he presented to teachers or parents were always spotless. He had mastered the art of switching between slacking off and appearing studious.
"This is your personal schedule."
Waver pulled a sheet of paper from a drawer and handed it to Li Xiang. As he trimmed his cigar with a cigar cutter, he continued, "Many magi, before joining the Clock Tower, learn a vast amount of magic from their families. If recommended, they can directly enter their chosen departments for specialized study. Others, who lack foundational knowledge, join the Department of General Fundamentals for five years before applying to a specific department."
"The instructors of specialized departments like ours don't teach basic magic. Instead, they focus on guiding students through advanced topics and helping them develop their own magical systems. Ultimately, whether you graduate depends on your magical ability and the thesis you submit."
He took a puff of his cigar and exhaled the smoke slowly. "But you're different. You lack both magical training and General Fundamentals coursework. To help you catch up, I've created a unique curriculum for you."
"...Understood, teacher." Li Xiang looked down at the packed schedule, feeling a headache coming on.
"There aren't too many courses in the Department of Modern Magecraft. You'll have about five or six major lectures a week, each consisting of four 40-minute sessions. The rest of the time is for students to practice magic, research, or work on their projects. For you, jumping straight into Modern Magecraft would be overwhelming."
"The Department of General Fundamentals has five large lecture halls, and all Clock Tower students are eligible to attend those classes. So, in addition to our department's courses, you'll also need to attend General Fundamentals lectures."
Waver picked up a book from his desk, summing up, "That's all. If there are no further questions, you may leave."
Li Xiang instinctively glanced at the book's title.
Essays on Atomic Power and the Five Great Elements.
"..."
This is the world of geniuses, huh? Terrifying.
But then he realized something strange. Ever since transmigrating into this world, he had been speaking and understanding English fluently, far beyond his high school level.
Is this a benefit of transmigration, or something from the memories of my predecessor?
"Is there anything else?" Waver asked, noticing that Li Xiang hadn't left yet.
"No, nothing else." Li Xiang turned to leave but suddenly remembered something. "Teacher, do you have my admission letter?"
"Admission letter? The Department of Astromancy did hand it to me, but according to the rules, the letter must be returned and can't be given to you."
"No, I just want to take a look at it."
Waver seemed a bit surprised. "You haven't seen your admission letter?"
"Not closely."
Without questioning further, Waver stood up and retrieved the letter from the third row of his bookshelf.
The letter was a bright red with gold trimming, emblazoned with the letters "UCL" and a black silhouette of a domed tower.
It looked... familiar.
Li Xiang had definitely seen this before, but where?
He opened the letter, and to his surprise, the contents were written in Chinese:
---
Li Xiang:
You have been admitted to the Cosmology program at the University of London's Astrophysics Department. The program is nine years long. Please report to the university on September 1, 2003, with this admission letter.
June 8, 2003.
---
Memories long forgotten surged back. Li Xiang stared at the letter, a bit dazed.
He had received this letter before—except the date had been different.
It was after his high school exams in June 2019 that he found this same letter in his backpack. At the time, he thought it was a prank from a friend. After all, what kind of overseas university sent out an admission letter written in Chinese, with a ridiculous nine-year program?
He had glanced at it briefly and then tossed it in the pile of textbooks he was planning to sell.
"Oh, I forgot to mention," Waver said, "The 'University of London' part is just a cover to maintain secrecy. If you input your magical energy, you'll see the real letter."
Li Xiang immediately channeled his magic into the letter, and in an instant, the cover transformed into an image of the vast, deep cosmos.
Celestial bodies slowly rotated, shining brightly.
When he reopened the letter, its contents had changed, now written in English:
---
Dear Mr. Li Xiang:
We are pleased to have received your application materials and, after a thorough review, we have determined that you meet the qualifications to join the Mage's Association. The Lord of the Department of Astromancy will vouch for you. Please bring this letter to the Department of Astromancy immediately for your entrance exam. If all goes well, you will be admitted to the department. However, if you prefer another discipline, the Department of Astromancy will not stand in your way.
Sincerely,
The Animusphere Family
---
More questions arose in Li Xiang's mind.
Now he understood why the Department of Astromancy had arranged a special entrance exam for him, but why had Wenze asked who had handed him the letter?
The letter was signed by the Animusphere family, and it clearly mentioned the Lord of the department. How could Wenze, a lecturer in the Department of Astromancy, not know who had issued the letter?
Li Xiang studied the letter a few more times before asking, "Teacher, can I see my application materials?"
"Your application isn't here. Since you applied to the Department of Astromancy, the materials would be stored there. I can ask for them, though."
Waver picked up the phone and dialed. "Hello, this is El-Melloi II. I'd like to inquire about Li Xiang's application materials... They were destroyed because he transferred to the Department of Modern Magecraft? That's against Clock Tower regulations... You don't know either, but it was an order from the Lord? Alright, I understand."