Entering the Academy

The next morning.

Duang~

Gift of Fate: Apprentice-level Magic: Fire Curse Technique knowledge raised to mastery level.

A knowledge-based gift?

And knowledge for an Apprentice Mage at that.

Could this gift be related to her Magic Level?

Hekate glanced at the 10-Star Magic Apprentice on her status panel and pondered.

The knowledge that had appeared before had all been apprentice-level. She had thought she was simply unlucky.

After accepting the gift, her mind would probably enter an overloaded state like before, leaving her consciousness muddled and drowsy.

So she needed to settle today's affairs first.

After breakfast, her father called her to the study and took out a crystal. "Before you go to the Royal Capital, test your Magic Aptitude again."

Having already learned this from Starlight, Hekate nodded without surprise.

The instant she grasped the crystal, it filled with a deep azure radiance. The glow of magic nearly dyed the entire study blue.

Count Fortes stared in utter astonishment.

This crystal could test Magic Aptitude, whether low or high. The lowest aptitude produced only one or two specks of light like grains of rice, while the crystal before him shone like a sudden tsunami, shaking Count Fortes to his core.

"No wonder Professor Emand took the initiative to write you a recommendation letter."

All sorts of strange things often happened to his third child. Now that her Magic Aptitude had suddenly become this high, he found that he could seemingly accept it.

"Hekate, once you reach Grants Academy, remember to write home if you run into any trouble. Don't keep everything to yourself."

"Alright."

After leaving the study, Hekate bid farewell to her mother and eldest brother one by one before boarding the carriage bound for Lundria.

Gina also said goodbye to her maid friends, then boarded the carriage carrying the gifts they had given her.

"Gina, I'm going to sleep for a while. Wake me if anything happens."

"Yes, Young Master Hekate."

Her father had arranged a five-person guard unit, whose captain was even an Intermediate Mage. With their safety assured, this was the perfect time for her to accept the Fire Curse Technique knowledge.

Apprentice-level magic knowledge would take at least a year to master through ordinary step-by-step learning. She wondered how long she would remain groggy this time.

As she pondered, Hekate accepted the gift.

A vast amount of knowledge flooded into her mind in an instant, accompanied by countless scenes of practicing the Fire Curse Technique, as though she had truly experienced them herself.

One month later.

Hekate and the others arrived before the gates of Lundria, the capital of the Uruk Kingdom.

Compared with Yarn City, where the Calilans family was based, the capital was far more extravagant in every respect. Many mages even flew through the sky.

"Young Master, there are so many powerful mages here!" Gina exclaimed.

"After all, this is the Royal Capital, where the nation's talent is most concentrated."

At that moment, Guard Captain Raman approached the carriage. "Young Master Hekate, the gate guards need to inspect your carriage before they'll let us pass."

"I understand."

Hekate and Gina stepped out of the carriage and saw several gate guards blocking the way ahead.

"Please cooperate with the inspection. Otherwise, the carriage will not be allowed into the inner city," the lead guard said sternly.

"Alright."

Hekate nodded and left the carriage with Gina.

A moment later, they passed through smoothly beneath the guards' awestruck gazes.

Once inside the city, Hekate led everyone straight to Grants Academy.

Grants Academy, the foremost magic academy in the Royal Capital, stood in the open eastern district of Lundria. Mages capable of flight were a common sight here.

Hekate showed her recommendation letter to the Academy guards.

"It's actually a recommendation letter from Professor Emand!" One of the gatekeepers' eyes widened as soon as he saw the recommender's name.

The other gatekeeper saw it as well, and his gaze immediately turned respectful.

"I'm Fast, a Fifth-Year Student. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Hekate," the gatekeeper named Fast said politely.

"You're a student here?" Hekate asked in surprise.

Fast scratched his head. "Yes. Working as a gatekeeper outside of class earns me some extra money."

No wonder he looked so young. So work-study programs existed here too.

Hekate thought to herself, then asked the gatekeeper to take her to register for enrollment.

"There's still a month before new students begin classes. Why did you arrive so early?" Fast asked as he led the way.

Hekate replied casually, "I came early in case something unexpected happened on the road and delayed me."

"You aren't from around here?"

"Mm. I'm from Yarn City."

Fast nodded in realization, then said, "Then you made the right decision. You brought so much luggage, so you must be planning to stay at the Academy. Coming early means you can choose a residence with better scenery."

"I'm unfamiliar with this place. I'll have to trouble you, Senior, to help me choose a better place to stay." Hekate handed him several silver coins.

Fast smiled. "Of course, no problem."

Under the gatekeeper's guidance, Hekate witnessed the Academy's prosperity. Not only were there many mages, but there were also all manner of strange and novel things.

In particular, she spotted the prototype of a Steam Engine. Several mages were boiling water in an open area while tinkering with machinery.

Fast noticed her gaze and explained, "They're students from the Mechanical Academy. They spend every day messing with mechanical power, saying they want machines to break free of magic and move on their own."

"Don't learn from them. Pure mechanical power has no future. Crystal Dynamics is the future." Fast shook his head.

Not necessarily.

Magic crystals were too expensive to produce, which meant they were destined to be unsuitable for civilian use. If they could develop the Steam Engine, then develop alternative energy sources like Electricity, they could greatly improve People's Livelihood.

This world was far too obsessed with magic. It was only natural that they could not see the Steam Engine's future.

Hekate immediately shook her head. What the hell did that have to do with her? Neither the Steam Engine nor Electricity was something the Calilans family could control. Her family already had more money than they could spend, so there was no need to risk challenging the established magic system.

The new student registration office was inside an enormous Mage Tower. Anyone qualified to teach here had to possess at least the strength of a High Mage.

The ability to fly was a major dividing line in a mage's combat power, and a High Mage was the minimum level required for flight.

Hekate had Gina and the guard unit wait outside while she entered with Fast.

Fast walked up to a teacher's desk. "Teacher Hubbard, the new student recommended by Professor Emand has come to enroll."

The elderly man in an enormous hat asked in confusion, "Emmand? Didn't he go traveling? How could he recommend a new student? Has he returned?"

Fast replied, "No. This student is from Yarn City, not a local. Perhaps the professor discovered a promising prospect during his travels."

The old man glanced at Hekate, then examined her recommendation letter.

"Only a 1-Star Apprentice Mage. Has that old fool Emmand gone blind too?" The old man sensed the magic fluctuations around Hekate and muttered before processing her enrollment. Once finished, he handed Hekate an Academy badge and several sets of first-year student uniforms.

As Hekate reached for the badge, the old man seized her wrist and activated a detection spell.

Top-tier aptitude? No, why did it seem even higher than top-tier aptitude?

Teacher Hubbard's expression turned astonished. Then he said, "I knew that old man wouldn't act without reason."