This Saturday afternoon's Study Group proceeded as usual, though Luvia was absent.
Shade told Doctor Schneider and the other two that he had successfully arrived in Randall River Valley and met with Luvia. No one was surprised by Shade's "speed," after all; they had all learned before Luvia that Shade had long wanted to visit Randall River Valley City.
In the third week after exam week ended, everyone was considering their studies for the next school year. After sharing their respective experiences and study plans, Doctor Schneider gathered the three again to submit their elective course plans to the Academy.
Since Shade already had elective courses with Miss Danist and Professor Garcia, he did not choose any additional courses for the time being. But because he had acquired a new Spirit Rune, Puppet, and the Academy would let him learn one Thaumaturgy for free, Shade wanted to learn a new one.
Since it was free, naturally he had to pick the most expensive option. After careful consideration and taking Doctor Schneider's advice, Shade chose the Thaumaturgy Puppet Manipulation. Its sole effect was that, after touching a target, he could attach his own spirit to it and briefly control its movements.
The Thaumaturgy had enormous limitations. For instance, it consumed a great deal, was not very effective against Ring Arcanists, lasted only a short time, and the distance between the caster and target could not be too great.
Even so, if Shade had not obtained it through a school-year reward, he would have had to pay 3,200 pounds to buy it from the Academy. Puppet Manipulation was the most fundamental Thaumaturgy in the Ring Arcanist system centered on "control," and Margaret was that sort of Ring Arcanist. Using Puppet Manipulation as a foundation, aside from the Human Control Shade had learned