CHAPTER (22): Just the beginning (2).

In Witrotean, to be a potentially registered adventurer, one first needs to have many specialties and met several requirements. And one of these specialties includes possession of a registered permanent magic license.

Magic licenses were issued in order to avoid the wrong and excessive use of power as an adventurer.

Following this system, anyone caught using magic without a magic license was to be charged and punished accordingly, depending on the type of magic they used.

However, even though this system was in practice, there was still a way of using magic without obtaining a permanent license: the temporary license.

These licenses were mainly intended for young people who had only recently started practicing magic, and it also has some limitations within which the user can use magic.

The use of high-level spells that are above D-rank was strictly forbidden to users who still have a provisional license. The highest spell that can be used with a temporary license is C-rank, but its use would be strictly monitored by a permanent license holder.

In addition, temporary licenses expire 1.5 years after they're issued.

Provisional licenses were the easiest to get. One only needs to enroll in a magic school and one would acquire a provisional license. Although the acquirer has to go through processes and answer several queries, it's quite easy compared to a permanent license.

Permanent licenses are acquired when one completes a magic school. It can also be acquired through guilds, but only after the acquirer has met specific requirements.

However, since it's too difficult to acquire a permanent license through a guild, people resort to the magic school course.

Well, nothing good is entirely good. Even though magic schools were an easier way to get a permanent license, they also took time, and not many were willing to take the long wait.

A person has to study in a magic school for at least two years to get a permanent license. And what makes it even more difficult is that during those two years, the person's life will be somewhat controlled by the school.

Overall, 70% of today's adventurers had obtained their license this way, so it's still the commonest and the most practicable method of obtaining a permanent license.

Today, Creston academy is full of students who have come to acquire a permanent license. 

Most of the students who came to enroll at Creston academy today came from preparatory schools.

Preparatory schools were simply schools that prepared and trained students for actual magic schools. It's also the first school every Witrotean child attends. In other words, it's the first education of every average child in Witrotean.

The students who gathered at Creston academy today were there for the sole purpose of obtaining a permanent license, and Verlice happens to be one of them.

...

"Did you hear what the old man just said? Does that mean this whole creepy and tricky test hasn't started yet?" A student whispered to another in concern.

"I couldn't have passed this test if my friend hadn't persuaded me to go through that door. Now they're telling us that the test is yet to begin. I don't think I can do it," an innocent-looking male elf said with a wrinkled face.

Many other students began to discuss Philip's statement, and slowly the whole place turned into an uproar.

Everyone completely forgot that they weren't alone, but with five staff members.

Verlice couldn't help but worry after hearing Philip's words. 

Without Grey's help, he wouldn't have passed this test. If there were many more such tests, he'd most likely fail.

Grey looked at Verlice's face and noticed his twitching expression and arched ear brow. This simply shows that he was worried.

'How can I convince him to count on me? With me here, he can't lose this test, none of us can,' Grey thought and sighed.

"Don't worry, man. None of us are going to lose this test, that's just a fact. Even if there are a thousand more tests like this, none of us will lose. Have some confidence, moron," Grey encouraged, adding a little joke at the end.

'Wait, are you sure I don't already know this guy from somewhere? We hardly know each other, and he's already acting like a longtime friend. Maybe that has something to do with the plot of this novel, just maybe. Something like that takes time to develop in real life,' Verlice mused, a little stunned at Grey's encouraging words.

"Thanks," was the only thing that came out of Verlice's mouth.

The whole place was still in an uproar, and several students were debating their sentiments on Phillip's statements.

However, suddenly a chair flew out of nowhere and smashed to pieces in the corner of the room.

The noise of the impact was so loud that every student immediately fell mum. 

And that was also the moment when they remembered that they weren't alone in that room.

As they looked at the broken pieces of the chair in the corner of the room and turned back to where the staff was sitting, most of the students began trembling in fear.

One of the staff members had stood up and was glaring at them with murderous intent.

It was a tall black-haired young man in his early twenties.

"Go ahead and continue talking. I promise you that you may not make it out of his room whole," the young man threatened in a profound voice.

The young man's name was Driscoll and he was the youngest member of the Creston academy staff.

Not only was he the youngest staff member, but he was also the staff member most feared by the students. 

The permanent stern expression on his face makes him look scary. And no one has ever seen him laugh before.

After he made that utterance, the students gulped down their saliva in nervousness and didn't make a single sound again.

"We will pick up where Mr. Philips left off. Form a single straight line in front of my colleague here," Driscoll continued, pointing to the young lady next to him, who quickly stood up and waved to the students before sitting back down.

The young lady was quite the exact opposite of Driscoll. She always had a smile on her face and an expression that would make anyone feel at home. 

But despite her friendly and courteous countenance, which made everyone feel at home, she still had an air of sophistication around her. She was known as Ayn.

"Those of you who do not have a provisional license, line up in a straight line in front of me. I'll be handling your case," Driscoll announced quite grimly.

"Again, you are all free to leave if you feel you can't handle this test anymore."