Right on schedule, Ang took a carriage to Arc Magic Academy after finishing class. When he got out, he saw Thea already waiting at the academy gates with three friends beside her—one man and two women. Thea warmly greeted Ang, and he politely returned the greeting before being introduced to her friends. The young man was Hardy, a student at Brian Magic Academy and an intermediate magic apprentice. The two young women, Sandy and Darcie, studied at Sid Magic Academy and Newman Magic Academy respectively.
Through Thea's introduction, Ang learned about the backgrounds of these academies. Arc Magic Academy was funded by Arc Alfred and had ties to the Imperial Royal Family. Sid Magic Academy had been established with funding from the renowned Grand Magus Sid, while Newman Magic Academy was supported by Grand Duke Newman. Though these academies were somewhat smaller than Imperial Magic Academy, they were quite well known in their respective fields.
After learning this basic information, Ang explained his needs to Hardy, Sandy, and Darcie. He hoped they could take him to the libraries of their respective academies and help him search for information on Ancient Elf runes. Ang promised to pay each of them three magic crystals, as he had previously agreed with Thea, and stressed that he would try to arrange the visits during their free time so as not to interfere with their studies or work. For magic apprentices from commoner backgrounds, earning money to support their studies was an everyday concern, and Ang's offer naturally delighted them.
They all agreed to Ang's proposal. After settling on a schedule, Ang began to feel that his search for clues about Ancient Elf runes had become far more promising. The libraries of these academies might contain valuable knowledge that had been forgotten, especially in these