Magic, III

"Bruh, how am I supposed to say no to this when you leave me no other choice?"

"I thank you for this, I promise I will pay it back one way or the other." Luke bowed his head deeply.

"Yeah, yeah, over with the formalities now." I shrugged his words off, and then something clicked within me.

"Oh… I do have one condition though," I paused to get his attention, "You will basically become my lackey or a member of my small crew that I'm making up from scratch."

"Oh…" Luke didn't say anything, "The phrasing isn't really likable, but okay, I will deal with this and will join your friend group."

Who said it's a friend group, you bastard!?

"And Selica," I shifted my body to face her.

"Y-Yes?" She was still tense from what I did earlier. I wonder what's going on inside her mind.

Is she thinking that I'll ask her to become my sex slave or a toy on which I'll release all my desires and stress?

Muwahaha, what a dirty girl you are, Selica.

Wait, no, this is all inside of my mind, let's get back on track and tell her what I want.

"Since you guys said you are one of the top members in the academy, I want you all to keep me out of trouble's way."

"Ah, okay." Her voice was lower than I expected it to be. I guess she really expected something sexual or romantic.

Either way, I'm not the type of guy who lays his hands on a defenseless girl or tries to take advantage of her. For that reason, I don't care if I disappoint her.

"First, let's go through our classes, I'll take my dear time of the day to train you after, and besides, there's also someone else I also want to train."

"Someone you want to train?" Selica repeated, Luke seemed to be curious too.

"Yes, that's correct. You'll see who it is after class when we meet up again. For now, this is a dismissal, let's meet again at the training grounds after six hours."

Just like that, I dismissed this gathering, Luke went his own way, whereas I and Selica went to our classroom.

***

The classes have ended and we are finally at the training grounds, the sky is tinged a wonderful red as the sun seems about to set in less than thirty minutes.

Selica and Luke are standing next to each other, facing me.

"Okay, dear group, here is the new member," I said as the person in question appeared from behind me.

"Eh?" Selica stared at him slack-jawed, whereas Luke squinted his eyes.

"This guy…?" He asked, raising a brow as if asking me, "Are you for real?"

"Yes, Sean Dayward. The timid kid who got beaten by the bullies yesterday when Selica asked him to free my desk."

Selica got flustered all of a sudden and quickly bowed her head, "I apologize for yesterday, I had gotten ahead of myself."

"N-No, don't apologize, it's alright. It happens all the time." He stammered through his words with a high-pitched voice while staying a little slouched.

Why does this kid remind me of myself so much?

"Yes, Sean, I also apologize for yesterday, and for that reason, as I told you earlier, you will be training with us daily from now on, okay?"

"Yeah… thank you for inviting me."

"Ah, by the way, can I ask for you all's academic scores?" I asked the needed question since today's training would be rather theoretical rather than physical.

Selica brought her index finger to her lips cutely recalling her rank, "If I remember correctly, I was second."

Luke spoke with confidence, "I am third on the list."

"Who's the first, then?" I questioned since both of these guys hadn't the top spot itself.

I heard a little ruffle, Sean raised his hand.

"Phyu~" I whistled, "Now that's surprising." I didn't expect him to have the top, honestly, I thought he would be your average kid.

And of course, yet again, Selica and Luke were both slack-jawed now.

"Get a grip, you two. What's so surprising about it?" I raised my brows.

"No, nothing." Selica got quiet.

"So you're Sean the Brainiac, huh?"

Oh my, he also has a nickname. You're famous amongst nerds, Seany-Sean, do your best to get popular with the ladies now.

"Well, that aside, for today's lessons, I need you to sit on the ground. I will ask this of you all first… Tell me what do you all know about magic?"

"Hmm, well, the common knowledge goes that there are seven stages…" Selica went over the details, I guess she's a real nerd.

The stages are like this: 1. Beginner-Stage, 2. Medium-Stage, 3. High-Stage, 4. Knight-Potential, 5. King-Potential, 6. Queen-Potential, and lastly at number 7. Peculiar-Potential.

The order goes as said because, in Crisyes(at least my continent), the women have the upper hand in the ruling, otherwise known, as matriarchal one. The queen holds stronger power than the king.

That's why they named the king as a potential before the queen.

"Yes, that's correct, anything else?" I asked.

"The difference between an augmenter and a caster," Luke chimed in.

He explained how augmenters have limits but enhance their bodies to be strong and agile, whereas the casters suck in the mana from outside and use it at will, casting it out of their bodies in altered forms.

"Good, good, do you know what's the best way to raise your core's capacity to store mana?"

"Using magic as much as possible, at least that's what we know."

So this is where they fall short behind.

"What about chantless casting, can you all do that?"

"Only exceptional people can do that, but we can cast simple spells though."

This is also where they are lacking.

"And what of the spells when you reach the Queen-Potential?"

"Ah, we know of that. In some rare cases where people reach that potential, those mages can make their own spell based on their personality traits. They're otherwise known as irregular spells."

"Okay, this is good, there is still room for you all to grow." I voiced.

"I knew I could count on you," Selica smiled.

"This is assuring," Luke nodded.

As for Sean, he just bobbed his head up and down once.

"But first, I don't know if you all will be shocked or whatever, but there is a fact that hasn't been laid upon you lower layers of humans.

"That is…" I took a pause, hearing Luke's soundly gulp, I continued, "That another, and limitless potential exists."

"That is what I and other beings call… The Transcendent-Potential."