Experience

Everyone looked puzzled at Linfel. "What do you mean?"

Xalafel, on the other hand, was happy someone understood. "I'll take your words as a compliment. In this world, especially in the situation we found ourselves in with the saturation, anything is valid. Besides, I'm not the one acting. They will do it to themselves. If something happens, they can only blame themselves for ignoring the risks."

Linfel noticed that the others were still confused and quickly explained. "Have you forgot what we have just discussed a second ago? You said it yourselves: If other Maguses found out that Alvin and I can do a Double Connection, they might try it out themselves. The chances are a lot of them would destroy their souls in the process."

Litivia immediately understood. "I see! Xalafel, you want to show to the world that Linfel and Alvin can do it so that all the other young maguses and familiars will give it a try. You want to get rid of other country Maguses and Familiars without even touching them."

Xalafel nodded. "Do you despise me for thinking of such a method?"

Litivia narrowed her eyes. She was quite a brutal person, but it didn't mean she liked meaningless killing. However, it is true that Xalafel wasn't going to force anyone to do anything. "I can't say I'm a fan of your plans, but we truly aren't in a situation that allows us to be gentle. I told you, I trust your judgment; I always did. I will simply continue to do so."

Xalafel sighed in response. "Thank you. Dilwe, Fenlin, what about you two?"

Both Xalafel Subordinates spoke at the same time. "Principal's plans are our plans. We will carry it to the very end." The determination in their voice was palpable. Perhaps they trusted Xalafel even more than Litivia.

Of course, they weren't the only ones in the room. Alvin, Felia, Tratil, Connor, and Milia... They were also there and heard everything. They kept silent for a moment until Milia finally spoke. "The background of my world had always been nasty, so I believe my Frondor Family probably would pretend to not know anything and let your plans go unimpeded." Milia was shocked at first, but her experience helped her to calm down pretty fast.

Connor and Alvin, on the other hand, were already sweating. "Just... how many deaths are we talking about?"

Xalafel understood that these two had never killed anyone, nor had they ever lived in an environment where power struggles happened constantly like Milia's. This conversation, in which the lives of so many were involved, deeply scared both of them. In fact, even Milia felt uncomfortable with that plan, just not as bad as Connor and Alvin. 

"In Connor's case, all you need to do is stay quiet. The only reason you are even here is because I need to warn you to don't talk about Alvin's ability to use Double Connection. Do you understand?" Xalafel asked in a deep tone.

"Y-Yes..." Connor nodded, understanding that his life was on the line. 

"As for Alvin, you aren't doing anything wrong. This is my plan and my plan only. I'm the sole existence to blame for the consequences. You will be doing nothing more than competing for the Academy's prestige. Whatever others decide to do after seeing your achievements is their problem and mine. You don't need to concern yourself with it," Xalafel said. 

"But, in case you still find a problem with my plan, understand this point: You are doing it so that our country won't be conquered in the future. You will not simply be the cause of many deaths. You will, above all, be the reason many, many more lives will be saved, especially the lives of normal people who can't do anything against Maguses. That includes your Family. Usually, the normal people, especially the poor, are the ones who suffer the most. Do it for them. That's what I think, at least."

Still, Linfel had to ask. "But... wouldn't that cause the same problem for our Maguses?"

"That's the advantage of being in the country Alvin came from. There are many ways to prevent that," Xalafel spoke with confidence. Just the fact Alvin was here, they could create many excuses to stop Maguses from doing it in their territory. Such excuses would not work on other countries, though. Thus, it was a nasty but very effective plan.

Linfel looked at Alvin, who seemed to be struggling. He didn't see anything wrong with this plan. If anything, it was already quite peaceful compared to what he saw while he followed Horan in the past. "Alvin! What is the main reason the Magus Academies around the world exist?"

Alvin was taken aback for a moment. That was an answer everyone knew. "Above all other fields, Maguses are the country's strength. The ones who defend their people. They... are primarily taught for the sake of fighting."

Linfel nodded. "You and Felia were the ones who told me that. After joining the Floating Blades Faction, you were exposed to the ugly truth of the world as well. Was your resolve that weak? If you intend to dwell on this topic any longer, then I'll tell you this: Give up being a Magus! Leave the academy and return to your father's fishing business. You have no place in this world."

Linfel glanced at Connor, who didn't look any better. "The same goes for you. Maguses and Familiars hold extreme power, power that surpasses over 99% of what normal people can do. If you ever truly thought you would live a peaceful life while being able to control such strength, then you were nothing but naive. Get yourselves together."

Alvin and Connor looked at each other. Both had their reasons for becoming Maguses. It wouldn't be a lie if they said they hoped they could live a peaceful life forever, but they also understood Linfel's words. 

Alvin sighed, and the cloud in his mind disappeared. His expression changed into determination, especially looking at how well Milia presented herself. "I'm a Magus from the Heffal Country. I'm here to protect it or to protect the planet in case other races from outside decide to invade. If the fall of other powers is needed to keep my people, especially my father, safe, then so be it."

Connor quickly nodded. "I will also try my best... even though I'm not that talented. I will keep Alvin's secret until he becomes a Level Three Magus."

Xalafel gave a nob of approval to them. But above all, he glanced at Linfel with a tinge of surprise in his eyes. 'His words, his demeanor, his tone... they were not just a thought that happened now. They were words of experience...'

*Clap!*

Xalafel smiled and clapped his hand. "Alright, enough of this gloomy topic. This is something a few years in the future. Until then, Alvin, Linfel, and Felia will have to improve on their own. We can't give you all any preferential treatment. If we do, others will get suspicious, after all." 

Linfel still tried his luck. "Can't you just give us some Magic Stones without anyone seeing? Or perhaps mistakenly increased our Academy Credits... a hundred times?"

"Hahaha!" Litivia's laughter filled the air, her amusement at Linfel's suggestion evident. "You truly have been made without any prior knowledge of the world, haven't you?"

Linfel was clearly perplexed by her reaction. In fact, everyone around him had broad smiles on their faces, their eyes twinkling with amusement at Linfel's audacity. Finally, Milia decided to take the chance and explain. "The system is closely monitored by the board, which comprises many members of several influential families and organizations of our country. Every single Academy Credit is meticulously checked before it is distributed. Let alone senior Xalafel, not even the president himself would be able to give you a single extra Academy Credit without triggering alarms."

Linfel understood. "I see... what about Magic Stones? That would definitely help us get to Level Two and Three faster, especially Red ones."

Xalafel shook his head. "That would make others even more suspicious. Alvin came from a poor background. And suddenly, out of nowhere, he gets a big supply of Red Magic Stones? That is the same as saying something is happening to him. I told you we need to keep it a secret. You will have to get up there on your own."

Alvin couldn't help but ask. "But... how long will it be until the competition? We are talking about Level Three here. To be honest, I don't expect to become a Level Two Magus before I'm already close to graduation." That was the truth. He even told Linfel about it back in his father's home.

"Three Years," Xalafel spoke.

"What?!" Alvin's soul almost left his body! "Impossible! How can I get to Level Three in just three years?! Absolutely impossible!"

Linfel didn't think it was impossible, though. It's just that he would need a lot of magic Energy for that.

Xalafel understood that and began to explain. "Of course, even though we can't provide you with Magic Stones and Academy Credits, we can still help you with the ranks. Besides, now that you are in a Faction, you have access to very good equipment; even if the Floating Blades don't have the absolute best Magical Training Equipment, they aren't far off."

"What do you mean?" Alvin asked back, confused. He was only a Rank F student.

Fenlin explained from there. "The Rankings are decided through the scores of the Field Exams. However, how do you determine if a new student is worth being sent to a Rank F Class or a higher rank? Obviously, it is through the entrance test."

Alvin knew that. Those with powerful backgrounds were mostly sent to Rank C or above classes. Milia, for example, was sent straight into Rank A. That's because they had a better environment and resources, so they were able to develop a lot more. He obviously wasn't someone like them. No talent and no background, so Rank F was a given after his entrance exam.

"Do you mean for me to take the entrance exam again?" Alvin asked, finding it a little hard to believe.

"Not really," Fenlin continued. "There is another way of moving students. The way is to take into consideration their results during the field exam. Usually, your score would be added to your account, and if it is enough, you can go up to a better class. There, your score is reset to zero, and you have to work hard to stay there or go higher. Otherwise, you will fall."

"But, sometimes, a student's real strength isn't truly displayed during the entrance exam. Or perhaps the student himself found a new path that allowed him to far surpass his peers in the same Rank. Simply put, he or she is in a place they are not supposed to be. We can take it into consideration and move the student in question to higher-ranked classes instead of following the normal path."

"This is a good and necessary system for two reasons. First, we won't have that student, who clearly has great potential, waste time in lower ranks and hinder his future. The Magus Academy exists to bring up the best Maguses possible to the world, after all."

"The second reason is for the sake of fairness. If a Magus who far surpasses his peers is kept in lower-ranked classes, he will disrupt the balance, and it will make it harder to properly judge the students of those classes. In the end, this is a system we can make use of to send you to a higher-ranked class straight away, and no one will find it suspicious. After all, it does happen every now and then. We have over a hundred thousand Maguses in the academy, after all."

Litivia confirmed Fenlin's words. "That is correct. Taking into consideration your performance in the Field Exam, especially the fact you defeated a Rock Breaker that was almost at Level Three on your own, it leaves no room for doubt."

Linfel found a problem, though. "But that was while using a Double Connection. If Alvin does what he does normally, he is most likely not a match to those from higher ranks."

"This is just an opportunity," Xalafel explained. "Whether you can take it with your hands and rise or drop the ball and fall down the ranks again, that is up to you. Or would you rather not have the chance to go into a higher-ranked class? Especially since it gives you access to much better missions due to the timings? Linfel, you are an independent Familiar, so that same is valid to you."

"Well..." Alvin was a little skeptical.

However, Linfel immediately thought of the Academy Credits and accepted. "Great! You are right. This is an opportunity, so Alvin, Felia, and I just need to work hard to make up for it. We will take it!"

Alvin took a deep breath after hearing Linfel's words and decided to go for it. "Linfel is right. Send us higher, please!"

Milia and Connor had a doubt. What Rank Linfel and Alvin would be sent to?