Azrie

You all need to relax, crafting will begin before the academy arc even begins, you could call it two arcs at the same time. One follows our lovable rock lover and her disasters,  the other follows the dragon and her disasters. So, you all should stop pressuring me about it. If you want to see it that badly, it's already in patreon. (Albeit, overpriced,)

«Yami» 

We left the adventurers’ guild building. Which looked exactly the same as the craftsmen guild one. The street had a bit less turmoil so it was easy to see the other side. I was looking at the other guild building which was across the street and saw a rather familiar face coming out of it ⁠— wrinkled face and white hair, wearing gloves and a suit. It was Gerard. He noticed me as well and hurriedly came in front of us. 

“Milady was looking for all of you.”

He bowed and then left back to the mansion. 

“Just one sentence?” 

“Looks like it…” 

Aizen seemed somewhat disappointed with that interaction. I couldn’t help but agree with her. Ari also nodded in agreement. 

“Should we go back to the mansion?” I asked Ari and Aizen; they both nodded. 

We backtracked back to the mansion and stood before the guards outside the noble residential area. Who were looking at us. 

“We saw you girls coming outside, but we must ask you girls for identification…” One of the guards reluctantly informed us. 

identification? Identification… Identific⁠— Is it like the weird metal card that Gerard gave me? I reached out into my cloak and pulled it out, and showed it to the guard. He looked at it and nodded ⁠— without saying a word he let us pass through. 

“How convenient,” I murmured. 

We continued walking. Unlike before; the houses did not have people outside. I did see some fancy looking carriages here and there. But most of the houses only had the guards outside. Who waved at us. We just waved back every-time. They always smiled after we waved back ⁠— for some reason. 

After some more walking, we stood before the familiar daunting mansion. The guard noticed us. 

“Oh, you girls are back?” He paused. “I am sorry about being so casual… seeing you are guests of honor and all of that. I am just not that good at formal things…” he dejectedly apologized as he opened the gate. 

“Don’t mind it.” 

After saying that, we entered the mansion again. The first thing I saw was… Some of the staff and Cecil playing with Fenri. I kind of wondered where he was… Turns out he was on the mansion the entire time… Fenri noticed us and rolled back on his legs and hurriedly came to greet me. 

“woof.” 

“Yes, woof woof. I like you too.”

I knelt with a smile and lovingly patted him. His eyes glittered and then rubbed himself against me. I heard the maids and butlers chatter among themselves seeing me. But I did not mind it. After a few more seconds of love for Fenri, I stood up. Before I realized, Cecil was standing in front of me. 

“Why did you leave?” 

“Well… We kind of had to go to the guild.” 

“You know… You could’ve just waited…” 

Cecil seemed somewhat upset about it. 

“We did leave Fenri…” I tried coming with a lame excuse for it. 

“... Uuu, okay. I will forgive you just because he is cute…” she reluctantly said in defeat. Cecil seemed to have been behaving more like her age now. Which I thought made her cuter. 

We went back to the guest room, seeing it was the most spacious room out of all the rooms that I knew about (inside the mansion). So I sat on the couch, Aizen followed. Ari and Cecil were playing with Fenri. I noticed the maid from yesterday came into the room and served us tea. She also gave me a teacup filled with sugar cubes… I looked at it and gave the maid a quick glance. She just smiled. 

‘Looks like I won’t be needing sugar for a while.’ I quietly murmured as I placed the cup on the table. Surprisingly, Aizen grabbed a cube and placed it on her tea. I think she wanted to try something else. She took a sip — her eyes shot open and her mouth crumpled. She put her finger inside her tea and instantly burned all of it. 

“Can I have a new cup?” She gently asked the maid. The maid came and took her teacup. She looked at the teacup and instantly froze. I managed to slightly see the teacup before she gave it to the maid. It’s inside was completely charred… The bewildered maid left, she came back with a new cup and gave it to Aizen. 

Aizen manually served herself more tea and took a sip. I saw a pleasant smile form on her face… I decided to drink my tea without sugar. It was too bitter… Sugar it is! After adding some sugar and taking a sip. Aizen gave me a look of hatred, but I wasn’t planning on having a discussion on ⁠— whether tea with or without sugar is better. I guess milk was an option but they never gave us some. 

After finishing my teacup and placing it on the table, I looked at the white ceiling. 

I wonder… We did everything to do today, and frankly, I don’t feel like checking the smithing market right now… It’s probably better to check it alone. You know, to not bother Ari and Aizen, I think it’s better to not drag them with me on a quest for useless metal. As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t even need metal. But I might find something interesting, you never know… 

“Yami why are you smiling like that?” Ari suddenly asked. 

“Ah… Nothing… By the way, Ari, do you want to go to the magic academy?” I decided to ask. She just shook her head. 

I figured. Well, it was something I had to ask. Firil did ask about it after all. I kind of just forgot to ask her. But, now I don’t feel like I am forgetting something. 

* * * 

«Aizen» 

Seriously... How does Kuro drink that much-condensed sugar! Disgusting... and now looking at her she has that stupid smile… I bet she is thinking about useless rocks again… Her smile became bigger… Yep, useless minerals and rocks… Sigh… Can’t you be more normal!? I know I am not the one that should be judging. Seeing I did play along with that old man… 

“Ehem…” Someone coughed. I looked at the entrance of the room. Gerard was standing there. Once he had gathered all of our attention he started speaking. 

“My lord has instructed me to help you girls register into the magic academy. Only the ones that are going to go shall come.” I petrified. I was going to go alone! Not alone… 

I felt someone grab my hand. It was a warm and soft yet rough feeling. I looked at the hand. It had a glove. It was Kuro. I looked at her. 

“It will be alright.”

I slowly nodded to her reassurance. I felt someone grab my other hand, it was gentler but still warm. I looked at the small hand. It was Ari. She nodded when I matched her eyes. 

‘… There is nothing to worry about is there?’ With those thoughts, I stood up and went to Gerard. He looked around and no one else followed. I felt a little bit awkward and vulnerable due to the things that happened in general. 

“I will be on your care…” After those words came out of my mouth everyone looked at me in disbelief… I figured… I was feeling kind of weird and gentle from being reassured by Kuro and Ari. 

“Well, let’s go…” He leaned closer to me and whispered. “I must grab your hand for some odd reason… Please forgive me.” He stood up and grabbed my hand like a parent and child. I got somewhat annoyed but seeing he did inform me beforehand I did not say anything. 

“We will be going,” Gerard informed everyone on the room. We left and exited the mansion. It was somewhat uncomfortable as the guard greeted us. He gave me a weird look but quickly nodded as if having understood what it meant. We continued heading towards the academy. 

“Is this necessary?” I tiredly asked.

“I am sorry… But it is… I must hold your hand because otherwise you will be seen as a commoner’s child that wandered off too far. Noble children around here are usually accompanied by a butler, and before you say anything… If they think you are a commoner’s child we would be in big trouble,” he firmly informed me. I did miss the part in which I did not necessarily have to hold his hand, I was too busy thinking.

I see… Well, I guess there is nothing more to it. Sigh… But now I am alone with Gerard ⁠— I can kind of understand why he pointed spears at us initially but did he call us psychos because of? It probably has to do with the mana thing.  

“Gerard, when we met you.” He stopped walking and became stiff. “Did you call us psychopaths because of the mana thing?” I calmly asked. He looked at me. 

“Yes… I did… But, I am truly sorry about that.” When one would hear those words they would sound hollow. However, Gerard did sound incredibly regretful so I nodded in response to him. 

“I understand why you did it. So, don’t worry about it. We can go now.” I informed my thoughts to Gerard seeing he was not moving. He nodded and we continued walking. 

The nobles did not look as mad as earlier today when seeing me and Gerard. I guess it made sense for him to hold my hand. It was warm because of the glove ⁠— seeing it felt nice I stopped caring about it. I absentmindedly followed Gerard until we were in front of the snowfield. 

It was the academy, or 'snowfield'. It was an eyesore in my opinion. I don’t know what Kuro thought about it when she first saw it. We walked the paved white floor and then went to the left building. Unlike the exterior, the interior had wooden walls and carpeted blue floor. It looked a lot better and was more relaxed on the eyes. 

The first thing I saw was a reception desk with a smooth rock top, and behind the aforementioned desk,  there was a blue-haired receptionist wearing some robe. If she wasn’t doing paperwork I wouldn’t have thought she was the receptionist. Gerard approached her while still holding my hand. So he dragged me along with him. The receptionist felt us and raised her head. 

“What can I do for you?” 

“I would like to enroll this child.” Gerard informed her. She then turned to look at me and nodded. But I had questions. 

“Were the buildings always an eyesore?” Hearing this she just looked at me and chuckled. 

“You will get used to it.” She playfully informed me. I still had one more question. 

“Do you always use detection magic?” I mean, she was the receptionist. Was there a need for something like that? Hearing me, she laughed and then nodded as she looked at me with sparkling eyes. Then turned to Gerard.

“You can leave now.” 

Hearing this Gerard nodded and left. I was now alone with some crazy lady. 

“What an interesting girl! Detecting the detection magic! Hahaha⁠—” She joyously laughed at her pitiful joke for a few seconds. “Well, as interesting as you are. I still need to take you to the director for the test.” She grabbed my hand without prior warning. I immediately frowned but she did not notice. 

She then took me to some type of capsule and pressed a few buttons on the wall. The capsule started moving upwards. Was it an elevator? Well, I don’t really care. However, she did say 'test'. 

“What kind of test is it?” I decided to ask. 

“Oh, you know. Just a verbal test about magic and such,” she nonchalantly informed me. I just nodded. If it was just general knowledge then I guess there is no problem. Attribute test might be bad. But seeing there was no need for that I guess I don’t have to worry about such things. 

The capsule stopped on a floor and we exited it. I looked at the window to my side I think we were on the top floor just judging from the height we were at. We walked through the long hallway filled with doors until we reached a pair of red double doors. There was also a plant next to each door. The place looked kind of plain aside from the occasional plant here and there; some art as well. But nothing remarkable. 

The receptionist happily yanked my hand as I was watching the plants and placed her hand on one of the knobs.