Meeting New Faces

Behind the recruitment area of the campgrounds, there were rows of closely-built wooden huts. This was to be the temporary residence for acolytes before they were transported back to their respective places of study.

From the modest courtyard, one could see many acolytes walking in and out of the rooms. Some were having fun chatting and joking with their fellow students. Others kept to themselves as they apparently were in deep thought.

One youth, in particular, found himself strolling through the wooden foyers. Surreptitiously observing and analyzing each person he walked by.

If one did not know any better, the youngster could very well be mistaken for an adult, given his stature and demeanor. He carried himself in such a way that only those who were looking for it could notice. An air of maturity that his peers lacked; regardless of age, gender or status.

"Hey, friend...! Are you new here?" -The wooden door that was numbered '6' opened slowly, and an acolyte with red hair and blue eyes walked out from it and greeted this certain youngster before he could go on to his destination.

"Why, hello. The name is Leylin Farlier, hailing from a modest yet dignified southern kingdom. And yes, this is my first time visiting the acolytes' inn." -The youth smiled.

"Haha! I am Beirut. As for my family background, it isn't very important since we're from a different continent... Come, let me introduce you to the rest!" -This teen showed to be very amiable.

Beirut headed towards the various fan-shaped huts: "Guys! We have a new companion!"

Several acolytes streamed out from the wooden doors and gathered together. Leylin counted a total of seven people.

'I am eager to see if they will be as easy to handle as Blondie...' -Leylin smirked within his mask.

"Good afternoon! I am Kaliweir of the Lance Empire, and a fourth-grade acolyte!" -A boy who seemed to have an air of leadership did his self-introduction.

"You do seem to be pretty late to join us though..." -The same boy pointed out while shrugging.

"Unfortunately, we met with some difficulties along the way in the Great Plains of Death." -Leylin said ambiguously, not wanting to say much.

"The Great Plains of Death? It is indeed very dangerous. Good thing you've made this far." -Kaliweir looked at the acolytes behind him. "Now, let me introduce you to my friends..."

"This is Beirut, whom you have met earlier."

'He could be useful.'

"This is Hancock, a third-grade acolyte." -A largely built caucasian guy scratched his head in embarrassment, looking simple and honest.

'Dumb, impressionable, good physical qualities... He would make a reliable meatshield if need be.'

"This is Raynor, a fourth-grade acolyte." -He was a small boy with a skinny build, but there was a tinge of pride in his eyes.

'Hmmm... I will watch this one closely until I decide what to do with him.'

"This is Guricha, a second-grade acolyte. And over there are Nyssa and Dodoria, both first-grade acolytes." -Although Kaliweir had restrained himself, Leylin could still detect signs of haughtiness in his words.

"How... How are you..." -Guricha forced a timid smile as he greeted.

Nyssa and Dodoria were both little girls, and some baby fat was still on their cheeks. At this point, they glanced downwards.

[These first and second ranks are basically the ones who will be doing the toilet cleaning at the academy, right?] -Aralis mocked.

'Precisely. I shall procure not to shun them as much as these other acolytes seem to have been doing, nevertheless. Who knows when a pack of meatbags like them could come in handy. If anything, I may have need of relatively accessible test subjects in the near future.'

[Nicely thought.]

"Excuse me, but I think you forgot to introduce 'him'?" -Leylin pursed his lips, gesturing towards someone in specific.

Outside of their small circle, there was a pale-faced boy dressed in all black. Standing at the edge of the foyer, he did not seem to fit in with the rest and looked rather arrogant.

"Well... He is Jayden. The genius of this semester; a fifth-grade acolyte. Becoming a Magus is only a matter of time for him..." -Kaliweir's expression turned sour, and he seemed to have some bitterness in his words.

'I am actually glad there is such an individual amongst our generation. I was afraid my being exempted from the admission test would put me under the spotlight of school rumors and nosy assholes... Nonetheless, Jayden here was kind enough to divert all of the negative attention already. This means away from me and my plans; guaranteeing that as soon as we get to the academy, I can move at my own pace without having to worry about potential enemies.'

"Hmph!" -As if noticing the crowd looking at him, Jayden silently harrumphed and entered his own room. His wooden hut was substantially bigger than the rest. Its adornments and furnishings were more exquisite too.

"As a fifth-grade acolyte, his treatment will unmistakably be the best. Who knows, there might already be some professors looking to take him under their wings..." -Kaliweir's face soured even more.

Leylin realized that this group of acolytes was split into a few cliques. The third-grade acolytes and fourth-grade acolytes were superior to the lower-grade acolytes, but still rather inferior to Jayden the fifth-grade genius.

As for the lowest grade acolytes like Guricha, they all stuck together pitifully and assembled a band of outcasts. And finally, there was Jayden who had been segregated away from these two groups because of his status and personality.

Leylin smiled cordially. Forthwith, he prepared himself to address the group of acolytes: "Hello, everyone. I am Leylin, son of Farlier, and my aptitude is of the third grade." -Leylin declared calmly.

"Nice to meet you, Leylin!" -Kaliweir presented a smile on his face, while Guricha and the two girls resembled to have had their self-esteem lowered even more, as they greeted him and retreated back into their huts.

"Don't bother with them. Their highest potential will only be that of a third-grade acolyte. We're the ones who will become Magi." -Raynor said with disdain.

"Yeah, that's right! If we are to succeed, decent aptitudes are unconditionally required!" -Kaliweir agreed.

"Alright, friends. I am in your care." -Leylin bowed like a true gentleman.

"Welcome, welcome! With your support, our group is now a lot more solid. There will definitely be a day when I make that Jayden regret he ever looked down upon me..." -Kaliweir said while clenching his teeth.

'Shallow. Childish. Vain... I am confident that should the day come where these youngsters become my enemies, I will come out on top without much effort.'

After the introductions were done, a few of them arranged to meet after dinner, and they went back to their respective huts.

'Now that the courtesies are out the way, it is time to get me some information.'

"Beirut, what did you mean earlier when you said this was a different continent?" -It was Leylin's turn to stop him from leaving, as he was curious about what the boy had said earlier.

"Oh... Maybe you did not know since you're from the south, but the continent we're on is rather small compared to the others. It is known as the Chernobyl Islands to the rest of the world."

[Did... he just say island?] -Aralis was in shock.

Leylin squinted: 'According to my journey this past couple of months, I can be almost certain that this landmass has a size equal to the Eurasian continent from our previous world... This finding unquestionably puts things into perspective...'

"Geography has always been my weak subject. It has often made my home tutor shudder in rage..." -Leylin explained while scratching his neck in feigned shame.

'Truth be told, the Farlier family is only a minor noble family and its heritage is quite lacking. It couldn't be compared to the nobles of those huge families, so him not knowing about the Chernobyl Islands is not a rare thing for the previous Leylin.' -The current Farlier heir deliberated.

[Perhaps. But that Leylin was also a piece of shit with no qualifications. Either way, I think he would've omitted to learn something this important.] -The A.I. replied.

'Most likely.'

"Hahaha!" -Hearing Leylin speak, Beirut laughed jovially: "Me too! I have made 5 etiquette tutors leave in defeat so far! In the end, my father even went as far as to offer them a hefty monthly wage. Yet still, no one wanted to teach me. This was something my father had particularly scolded me about, right before I left."

"But I digress; let us continue on the previous topic. We are in the Chernobyl Islands, and the outside world has also coined another name for it: The Barren Islands."

"Barren?" -Leylin was a little skeptical. "There is still an abundance of kingdoms and natural resources around here..."

"But not the ones Magi use. You see, here in the Chernobyl Islands, due to its unique environment or some external factors, the land is unable to produce any of the materials a Magus commonly needs. Apart from the earnest acolytes and Magi in seclusion, there are absolutely no other traces of Magi on this continent."

"Is that the case..." -Leylin acknowledged, as some of his early suspicions were proven correct.

Although there were plenty of Magi tales back in Leylin's homeland, only the founder of the Farlier family had ever seen an actual Magus. From this, current Leylin had understood the rarity of Magi within the so-called Chernobyl Islands. Moreover, he had deemed it possible that other continents had a higher population of Magi for multiple reasons.

"And so, you must get to the other side of the seas to find a real continent. I heard that over that coast, not only are there various kinds of resources that Magi need, but there are also countless hidden secrets and remnants of experimental labs! Overall, that continent has various academies and organizations that trade and exchange anything regarding magic."

'Can't wait to get my hands on those secrets...' -Leylin reflected with a covert smirk.

"Magi are not just a legend there. Although they are still uncommon, even regular humans may be able to see one at least once in their lives. Naturally, such a place is where acolytes like ourselves must study in order to make headway in our careers." -Beirut's eyes gave off obvious signs of yearning.

"That sounds incredible... However, you still haven't told me the name of that continent?" -Leylin insinuated.

"I'll admit that I do not know." -Beirut shook his head. "That continent is simply too huge. There was never a unified name for it. As for us, we're going to the south part of the continent. It is known as the Narrow Coastal Regions of the South. Just that province alone is several times bigger than the whole of the Chernobyl Islands!"

"So huge?" -Leylin raised an eyebrow.

"This world is admittedly too immense. 'The higher one stands, the further one can see...' This is a phrase from a bard that I like very much." -Beirut told with a kind tone.

"Thank you very much for your explanation, good Beirut. I think I need some time to digest the information. If you'll excuse me." -Leylin bade his farewells and returned to his own cabin.

There was a metal plaque on the yellow wooden door where a "9" was written, and even from the exterior, the cabin looked to be rather unkempt.

Leylin grabbed the card and following the instructions written on it, he swiped the card close to where the lock would've been. He heard a click and confirmed that the pommel could turn.

'I guess this pretty much validates my theory on how this world's development works. My magic crystals hypothesis still demands first-hand corroboration, but this keycard-like item is a perfect parallel to our magnetic keycards from our previous world. Meaning that their technology and science are intrinsically tied to magic... This also implies the existence of even more mind-blowing advancements based on other mysterious principles, which are likely to be highly exclusive to Magi factions. Namely, the academies... We're going to be surprised with a lot more Magi ingenuity soon enough, I reckon.'

[And I'll be here to record and analyze whatever I can, Doctor.]

'That's what I like to hear.'

Without any further delay, Leylin pushed the door open, and a strong odor of rot and rust invaded his nose. Other than a bed and chair, there was practically nothing else furnishing the room.

[This place has unmistakably seen better days.] -Aralis noted.

'This is just a temporary resting place, hence the accommodations would be rather simple.' -Leylin nodded. His expression did not betray his aloofness.

Feeling the bed, he noticed it was basically just some wooden planks fixed together and a sheet on top. It barely had any cushioning.

Leylin then took a cloth from his satchel, quickly wiped down the chair, and sat on it. The wooden chair creaked continuously, which made him think that it would be crushed into pieces in the next moment.

He raised an eyebrow. Next, he sat up and began changing into the fresh set of clothes that had been arranged for him on the bed. It was a plain assortment but at least it was clean.

'If necessary, I shall sleep on the floor, but I will let nothing keep me from getting some shut-eye. Professor Bones was right in suggesting I rest for tomorrow's journey.'

[Luckily for you, this is just for a night.] -The A.I. tried to reassure him.

'I'll go out on a limb and say this is even better than that shit-ridden carriage I traveled on for weeks. This is fine.'

[Can't argue with that.]

Leylin patted the dust off his body and walked out of the wooden hut after locking the door.

'Since I have dealt with things here, for now, let us find Blondie.'

Leylin had made plans to meet with George before they reached Death Beach Camp, and since he had already chosen his academy, he had to let the blond teen know so that they could properly write to each other in the future. He had not abandoned the idea of exploiting him.

|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|

The group of acolytes that Leylin was a part of, constituted one of the final groups to reach the acolytes' inn. After Leylin's group had chosen their schools, the various tents of the academies seemed to have fewer and fewer people visiting them as the day progressed. Everything seemed to be all the quieter.

[Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, it's here.] -Aralis indicated with a visual prompt where the area for that academy was located in the hut complex.

Leylin was pacing the student quarters in the proper direction, and on the way, he approached a familiar girl from his caravan to inquire the whereabouts of his number 1 tool: "Good afternoon, Lisa. Do you happen to know where George is?"

Lisa was a red-haired girl who had matured early. One could already see the fine curves on her body.

"Ley-Leylin!" -Lisa's countenance visibly crimsoned.

She had a most favorable impression of Leylin, who had helped his comrades along the journey a number of times. That fight he had with the direwolves was a specially vivid memory in that girl's mind.

"George is in room 13; I'll call him for you! And... it was good to see you again, Leylin..." -Lisa picked up her skirt and rapidly ran off with a blushed face.

'I have to be honest, I'm starting to like having people do things for me out of their own free will. Sure, breaking them into submission is still fun and dandy, but this kind of pleasure is nonetheless something novel for me...'

[What are you saying? You have been manipulating people since before I was brought online.] -Aralis was confused by her Master's statement.

'But not in the same manner, nor with the same results... It's like I had been practicing manipulation on an amateur level, and I am presently in the major leagues.' -He explained.

"Dear Leylin!" -This thought was very soon broken by a cheerful voice.

"Have you finished choosing your academy?" -George said loudly, as he patted Leylin's shoulder.

"Yes, I have. I will be attending the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy." -Leylin replied with a sympathetic demeanor.

"Abyssal Bone Forest!" -George made an expression to be in contemplation: "I heard people emphasize how famous it is for its Dark element magic! I hope you won't piss in your pants because of a skeleton during the night!"

"Hahaha, I imagine I shall be seeing their lot not only at night but also in broad daylight." -Leylin faked a laugh, thinking back to his acolyte contract signing.

"Hear me this, brother... No matter what, let's keep in contact. I can't bear to lose my best friend!" -George delivered solemnly, a significant variation from his smug and playful mood from earlier.

"I gave you my word, dear George." -Leylin nodded emulating the blond's attitude.

"Oh, that's right! I have something juicy for you... I found out which academy Bessita went to!" -George announced suddenly.

"Bessita...?" -Leylin shook his head.

'This kid has an ear on the ground at all times. He's proven to be an adequate instrument so far. For his own good, he had better not change.' -Leylin coldly determined.

"Yeah! I heard from some of my Ennea comrades that her aptitude wasn't that great, only that of a second-grade acolyte, so she entered the Wetland Gardens Academy!"

"I see..." -Leylin was not interested in the affairs of this girl.

She was the focus of the previous Leylin's affections and dreams of seduction. However, to the current Leylin, a dame of her caliber meant next to nothing. Not to mention, despite whatever atrocities he enjoyed committing, he had never fancied bedding underage girls. Only a true woman could awaken current Leylin's fleshly desires, and even then he was not the type to let himself be controlled by those impulses.

"How is it? Do you feel a little wasteful because you were unable to get her in your hands...?" -George once again changed back to having a lewd expression.

"Scram, you!" -Leylin waved his friend away jokingly. Below his mask though...

'I thought it would get easier to tolerate his antics over time, but he reminds me a lot of that one guy I murdered when he tried to steal my rations back in the day...'

[You have never really told me much about your past...] -Aralis told melancholically.

'Perhaps, when I feel like it, I will allow you to read those memories. Or I may even share them with you myself. But until then...'