28: The Academy

"Hello!" Mike bowed, giving a virtuous greeting.

"Hello!" Wade greeted back giving a simple smile.

"Mike is your senior, besides him, you two other senior called Marge and Sam. Sam's alchemy skills are excellent!" Fred said to Wade.

"Sam has been called a genius of alchemy especially his positioner skills had been so good as has been titled as a once-in-a-century genius of Potioneering, and is regarded as the most likely successor of our mentor!" Mike added from the side but he didn't have any jealousy in his eyes rather only reverence was seen in them.

"Haha! Indeed! Sam has shown outstanding talent in Potioneering! If there is anything you don't understand, you may seek his help!" Once he mentioned Sam, Fred's almost dead face revealed a smile, and he seemed extremely satisfied with that student of his.

"So Wade, are you familiar with my conditions?"

"I have seen them after I was assigned to your mentor!" Wade nodded and answered but didn't reveal that he had selected him as his mentor.

"Okay! From now on, you have to come here every day and help with the cleaning up and help during the experiments when necessary, but you may go listen to the free lessons during breaks! As for the benefit of being under me, which is receiving information on two topics, you can choose and ask me after learning the basics!" Fred said.

"Thank you, Sir!" Wade hurriedly bowed. Right now, he had no inkling whatsoever about the Sages, so even if Fred wanted him to choose, he would not know which was best. It was only right to choose at a later time, when he could reap the most benefits.

"Right now, I will give both of you half a day's break. Let Mike accompany and show you around the academy. Mike, tell him about the few restrictions!"

"Yes!" Wade and Mike nodded their heads and left the laboratory.

"This is the residence of the professors, apprentices usually aren't allowed to enter...this is the Trading Post, where apprentices can make transactions with each other and here, we have the Mission Area.

The different missions and levels will be written on this stone wall. Apprentices can complete these missions and obtain contribution points and Magic Crystals!"

Mike's voice was quite pleasing to the ears, and his personality was also lively. Wade's was quite pleased with such a senior disciple and didn't mind spending time with him.

The two of them strolled through the academy. It was mostly Mike leading Wade around, as he spoke of a few places and restrictions along the way.

Unknowingly, the two of them walked near a pond.

"Well done, Miss Susan!" "Good, once more!"

The sound of voices caught Wade's attention. In the corner of the pool, a group of apprentices were standing around and chatting continuously.

In the centre of the crowd was a girl with bright green hair and dark maroon eyes, she seemed to have some sort of strange charisma.

"That is senior sister Susan. She's a genius; she became a Level 3 Apprentice just half a year after entering the academy!" Mike's eyes were widened, and his face shone radiantly as he muttered.

"This expression? It seems like Mike has feelings for this Susan!" Wade thought rubbing his eyebrows. He had seen such people in his past life, who liked a person but didn't have the courage to talk to them but it didn't matter to him whether the love story of his senior brother works or not, unless it gives him inconvenience in any way.

"Mike! Mike! Mike!"

"Ah...What is it?" Only after Wade called out to him several times did Mike avert his gaze. At this moment, his face was a little flushed.

"Oh! I wanted to ask, why are there is the pond build for some special reason!"

" Oh, this is for the apprentice's in the academy to practice water-based spells. Sometimes spells need a primer for their activation in the Apprentice level. So, for spells of the water content, the apprentices come to the pond to practice.

For some special elements like Darkness and others, a special room has been prepared by the academy for the apprentice's to practice." Mike explained while still looking towards Susan.

"Oh!" Wade nodded his head and wondered when he will start such practices for a spell experimentation.

Seeing Mike's reluctance to leave, Wade purposely pretended to have a strong interest in the pond, until Susan and the others left.

Only, Mike would only glance at Susan secretly, although he did not muster any courage to walk up to greet her even after such a long while. This made Wade roll his eyes, as Mike's attitude towards romance can be considered quite childish in his opinion.

"The Academic Area will often post the following day's class schedule on your crystal ball and their boards, and there are many free and public lessons to choose from. As a newbie, you cannot afford to miss these!"

After leaving the pond, Mike brought Wade to the Academic Area, and pointed to a large wooden board. In front of it were many other apprentices who were taking down notes.

"Free public lessons? That means there are lessons which one must pay for?" Wade asked, even though he had already learned about this from Sam, he still wanted a second person to cross-check the knowledge he would acquire from Sam in the future so as to be on the safe side.

"That's right! There are lessons which have fees, and many advanced topics charge 1 Magic Crystal for 7 lessons. Although they are much better than public lessons, they are still somewhat inferior to the knowledge given by our own mentors!"

Mike smiled a little bitterly, "I'm afraid the only advantage is them being less expensive then!"

Wade nodded, on one side, there was a professor teaching dozens of students, while the other was an individual lesson, the advantages between the two are definitely different.