After some time, they left the practicing field.

„The next building is where the martial arts’ theory can be learned.” Zotmund pointed to a building and they walked over. „Here you’ll have classes to learn strategy and knowledge about skills. The martial arts library is different than the others. Here you can only get the common skills. After you choose a weapon, it will be your mentor’s job to teach you special skills. What kind of skills you can learn will depend on your cultivation level.”

They didn’t intend to go in, there’s nothing to see.

Gregori asked some questions about skills. Zotmund answered him patiently, but when he found out Naómi didn’t listen to him, he gave shorter and shorter answers.

Belinda watched the dusk and thought about what kind of place could be still there. Based on her knowledge about cultivations novel, she didn’t think they left out anything. There were already more things what usually mentioned.

„One more.” she heard a low voice behind her.

She turned back and was surprised to see Bertold. She hesitated, but in the end, she just nodded and waited patiently.

Naómi yawned.

Zotmund changed the topic right away. „There is one more place left, and that is the Smithy. If you are interested, you can learn to forge your own weapon. Making low-level weapons are easy, all of you can learn it, but the high-level ones need a strong will to forge. The most precious weapons contain a beast’s soul. The higher the beasts’ level, the stronger the weapons, and you need to take higher risk too. Some students died because they wanted to prove their worth and accepted works beyond their capability. Because of it, the academy forbids the students to forge those weapons.”

„Forbid? Then can’t we have strong weapons?” Gregori asked.

„First of all, even if you have it, you can’t use them until your cultivation reaches the 6^th level. Under that level, the demonic beast doesn’t have enough strong will to be able to use for weapons. Secondly, there are too few smiths, who can make those weapons, not to mention, some need years to be forged. Once I heard about a sword that was forged for more than 80 years. All those weapons end up in Cavatory city’s auctions.”

The kids sighed. If it’s auctioned, then it’ll cost a lot. Maybe they would be able to see some when they went to the city.

They reached the building and the children were shocked. The whole building was carved from a stone mountain. Around it, there were a lot of metals.

Zotmund pointed at a smaller house next to it. „They hold the worst weapons and some failure there. At the end of your first year, we will come here and choose a suitable weapon for you. Maybe they are not perfect, but it’s enough for a newbie to learn, and that’s the only free weapon that the academy gives to the students. Take care of it, or you can buy the next one for 1k points!”

„It cost that’s much?!” Dárius was shocked.

„Of course! The raw material used for it didn’t fall from the sky!”

Zotmund watched them for a while. After none of them asked more, he turned around and left.

„That was all that needed to be seen. The whole academy is on top of a mountain. Around it, there’s a forest. There the strongest beasts are at the 4^th level. You will go out there during some classes.” He suddenly stopped. „And one more thing! Do you see that high mountain there? There are a lot of caves on it. When I go to seclusion to work on my cultivation, I will be there. Those caves have some special envelopment to help you to upgrade faster.”

„Really?! When can we go there?” Gregori asked. He hoped to develop the fastest way.

„Not in the next 3 years.” Zotmund broke his illusion mercilessly. „The lower the cultivation’s level, the easier to upgrade. You will learn about in on the classes, I don’t intend to say more about it. It’s already late. Let’s eat dinner and go back to rest.”

They walked back to the cafeteria.

Belinda thought about a lot of things on the way.

„Excuse me, can I ask something?” she looked at Zotmund. „Where are they teach about poisons?”

Maybe she didn’t pay enough attention, but she really didn’t remember if it was mentioned or not.

„Why are you asking? Want to learn it?”

„… No. I heard that it’s teacher Horác subject.”

Zotmund looked at Naómi. „Right! The 2 of you know him. He has his classroom in the Refining Club.”

„There?! Don’t they refine medicines? Why are they take the poisons there too?” Gregori asked.

„Who told you, they only refine medicines?” he watched them with amusement. „There are a lot of different pills, of course, the poisons between them too.”

„?! What if they mistake a poison with medicine and give it to you?” Dárius cried out.

„… Not everyone as stupid as you. You will understand a lot of things after you start to cultivate.” Zotmund closed the topic.

Dárius cried a river in his heart. Why everyone thinks that I’m stupid?!

They reached the cafeteria. This time there were a lot of students.

„Cultivators don’t need to eat that much, so I’m leaving. See you tomorrow morning!” Zotmund waved at them and ran after some girl who just left the cafeteria.

They looked after him and their face darkened. They saw him hugged a girl and left.

„A bastard still a bastard.” Gregori shook his head.

Naómi seemed heartbroken, but she just bit her lips and turned away.

They went in and stood in the line.

Belinda was the last to get her dinner. When she turned around the others disappeared.

  I forgot about it! We don’t have the same mentor. We just walked around together today.

She sighed. Before she couldn’t wait to leave them, but now she felt dejected. She became used to them just spending together half a day.

She walked around to search for an empty chair. She walked farther and farther away. Suddenly, she saw Bertold who stood next to an empty table. She stopped and watched him.

  Right! We still need to go back to the hospital.

She slowly walked over.