Public Classes

In a wooden building in the heart of the port city, where Lilith's Cottage held its public classes, the Formal Wizard Urien Ritchie stood at the lectern, teaching.

He wore a wizard's robe embroidered with silver thread. A wizard's stone tablet hovered behind him like a screen.

As a Formal Wizard specializing in Frost Magic within the Shaping School, Urien Ritchie was explaining the principles of basic runes.

"Runes and language are major foundations of mysticism. They aren't everything, but they're important subjects. You've all studied many ancient languages. Those courses laid the groundwork for Basic Rune Studies, but this subject is more complex than anything you've learned before."

"The aim of this course is to teach you children at least the basic runic vocabulary of the four fundamental kinds of magic: Wind Magic, Water Magic, Fire Magic, and Earth Magic."

"Once you've learned those four sets of runic vocabulary, understanding and learning the basic runes for other kinds of magic will be much easier."

"In that sense, this is a foundation of wizardry."

"Some Wizard Apprentices rush to become Second-Class Wizard Apprentices. They focus on increasing their Mental Power at all costs and forget to build a solid foundation. It rarely ends well."

Urien Ritchie spoke without much enthusiasm. He seemed unconcerned with how many students could keep up, teaching mainly to fulfill his duties to the Academy.

Most of the time, he simply read stiffly from the textbook.

His words were almost identical to what was written there. Only when the mood struck him would he add a sentence or two of explanation.

If Lilith's Cottage hadn't required the Formal Wizards taking turns at teaching to deliver the lessons themselves, Urien Ritchie probably would have told the students to read the textbook on their own.

As Instructor Urien Ritchie lectured, Locke kept writing down key points at his desk.

He could remember some details without immediately understanding them, so he would need to review them carefully later.

When he failed to understand something, he could also ask Teacher Sophia. She could usually tell at a glance exactly where he was stuck or what knowledge he lacked, then hand him a book to read.

Locke looked around the classroom. Instructor Urien Ritchie spoke quickly and gave little explanation, leaving most of Lilith's Cottage's Wizard Seedlings unable to keep up. Only a small number understood everything.

They were the ones with level-five or level-six wizard aptitude.

They learned far faster than Locke and Lorne.

By the end of the lesson, Lorne, who sat beside Locke, was thoroughly confused. His head was spinning.

He wasn't alone. Some of the other Wizard Seedlings had lost the thread entirely, their gazes drifting.

Someone whispered in class, "It doesn't really matter if we can't understand it. To become a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, we need to learn more spells and reach fifty points of Mental Power."

"It's fine if we don't do well in Basic Rune Studies."

"I've heard plenty of older students failed the exam for this course. We're wizards now. Why would we worry about failing an exam?"

Locke glanced at the speaker. He remembered that the Wizard Seedling had level-two wizard aptitude.

It was true that Basic Rune Studies did not directly affect whether he could become a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice. It would, however, affect his ability to learn magic and attempt to construct his own magical framework.

So the divide has been this severe since the first week, Locke realized. Anyone aiming to become a Formal Wizard has to master the basics.

Otherwise, when I study Spell Models later, will I have no choice but to trail behind others and rely on models they've already researched and interpreted?

At the lectern, Instructor Urien Ritchie heard the mechanical clock outside Lilith's Cottage ring to signal the end of class. Without even a word of farewell, he shut his textbook and walked out of the hall.

He gave the apprentices no chance to ask questions.

Lilith's Cottage's public classes were more like a benefit. The instructors did not care about their students' results.

Students could listen or not. They could understand or not. It made no difference to the instructors.

After class, many apprentices seized the chance to approach those with level-five and level-six aptitude, asking for their notes and explanations.

That usually cost one or two Magic Stones.

"I envy the talented students," Lorne said, watching a crowd of apprentices eagerly gather around Everett Lewis to ask questions. "They can earn Magic Stones without even leaving their seats."

Everett Lewis had level-six aptitude and, like Locke, had his strongest affinity with the Wood Element.

He had the best overall aptitude among this cohort of Wizard Seedlings.

From his first day at Lilith's Cottage, he had received special attention and training.

Unlike Locke and the others, a Wizard Seedling with that kind of aptitude was treated as one of the Academy's own, even while he was only a Third-Class Wizard Apprentice.

Lorne said enviously, "But you're lucky too, Locke. You're your instructor's only student, so you can ask her questions whenever you want."

"Even Everett Lewis doesn't have a Formal Wizard available to teach him all the time."

"I heard he's only met his instructor a few times."

Lorne turned to Locke. "I have it even worse. I haven't seen Teacher Hanmoke Wusi once since enrolling."

"The one teaching me is just a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice."

Locke shrugged. "That's how the Academy assigned us. How about I talk to Teacher Sophia and get her to take you in too?"

Locke was only teasing him. He would never do anything so rash; it was just a joke between friends.

A Formal Wizard was hardly someone he could presume to direct.

Lorne waved his hands at once. "No, no. If you did that, wouldn't I offend Teacher Hanmoke Wusi?"

"I've never even met him, but I wouldn't dare offend him. He has plenty of students at Lilith's Cottage. Almost every wizard specializing in Light Magic has received some instruction from him."

Pierre sat at the desk in front of them. He was Locke and Lorne's neighbor on Dwarf Street and a native of the Southeastern Corner Region.

His family was fairly ordinary, though. His parents were merchants, which was why he lived on Dwarf Street too.

Pierre had level-four wizard aptitude.

Pierre turned to Locke and Lorne. "I asked around, Locke. Your teacher, Lady Sophia, became a Formal Wizard within the last six months."

"That means she was still a student at this Academy only a few months ago."

"It was probably just a coincidence that the Academy assigned you to her. You're really lucky. Locke, after you go back and get some extra instruction from Lady Sophia, could you give me a copy of your notes? There were parts of the lesson I didn't understand."

"Of course, I'll pay you one Magic Stone, as usual."

Locke nodded. "Of course, Pierre."

It would only mean copying his notes one more time.

As for Lorne, Locke exchanged a glance with him.

They were closer friends, and Lorne had also come from the mortal world overseas. He had no Magic Stones.

He was having a hard enough time as it was.

So Locke had always lent Lorne his notes for free overnight, asking only that he return them the next day.

It was an easy favor that cost Locke nothing. There was no reason not to do it.