George Academy

George Academy

When they reached a building outside the training ground, Fate waited outside while Li Junshan followed Marquis Sweet inside. He saw an enormous hall, much like that training field, with the floor paved entirely in neat white stone.

"Nicholas, bring out your summoned beast and let me have a look," Sweet said, sitting in the chair at the center of the hall and staring at Li Junshan.

With a thought, Li Junshan released a Xenomorph. The instant it appeared, he suddenly sensed several formless killing intents closing in around him.

Without even thinking, Li Junshan knew they came from the hidden guards of the marquis's estate.

"Just as Rose said." Sweet's gaze was sharp as a torch as he studied the Xenomorph and nodded. "It really is a very unusual magical beast. Nicholas, how many magical beasts like this can you summon?"

"Five." Li Junshan did not want to reveal everything, and answered without hesitation. "I originally had ten, but before coming to the imperial capital, I went to the Falling Moon Mountains to train and lost five."

"That doesn't matter," Sweet said comfortingly. "What's most important for you now is practicing summoning arts and expanding your mental space and mental strength. In the future, summon as many magical beasts as you can. For now, there's no need to worry about your summoned beasts taking losses."

"Floro City is too far away, and these old bones of mine are getting on in years. Although I know about many things, I can't manage them all. Rest assured, from today onward, your parents will not suffer any unfair treatment from within the family." Sweet sighed and spoke slowly.

"From now on, you only need to focus on studying summoning arts. You don't have to worry about anything else. At your current age, you can already summon six magical beasts. If you can calm your mind and cultivate until you make a breakthrough, your future prospects will be limitless. The future of the family depends on young people like you. I'll have someone make the arrangements in a moment. Nicholas, would you like to live at George Academy, or here with me?" Sweet gestured for Li Junshan to take back the Xenomorph, revealing a kindly, amiable smile.

"I'll live at the academy," Li Junshan replied. Although he knew Sweet was trying to win him over, it still felt good. "That will make cultivation more convenient too, and save me from wasting time running back and forth."

Sweet did not stand on ceremony either. He nodded and said, "Then go rest for now. Once the procedures are done, I'll have Bernie take you to enroll at George Academy."

Li Junshan stood, took his leave, and went out. A satisfied smile appeared on Sweet's face. He called out, and Bernie immediately walked in from outside the building like a shadow following its owner.

"Is that Claur just as Rose said?"

"Yes, my lord." Bernie stood with his hands at his sides and said, "He is a very honest viscount. His wife, however, is somewhat more scheming than he is."

"Write Rose a letter. Mm, from now on, Claur's fields and manor will be managed by him personally. No one else within the family is to interfere."

"Yes."

"Also, that York only needs to be punished lightly. After all, his son is already an intermediate mage now. They are all future pillars of the family. Since York has already been injured by Nicholas, let this matter end here. Mm, and have York compensate Claur with one hundred thousand gold coins. I hear his chamber of commerce is doing quite well."

Bernie respectfully acknowledged the order. Sweet pondered for a while, then looked up and said, "Go handle Nicholas's enrollment procedures first. Once that's done, make a trip to Finny City. Last night, we received news that an unremarkable branch family over there actually produced a sixteen-year-old advanced mage."

Bernie answered, then said with a smile, "Congratulations, my lord. It won't be long before these youths all become the family's strongest pillars."

"Don't think of it too simply." Sweet reached up and pressed his temple, sighing. "Over all these years in the Lans Empire, who knows how many families have risen to power? Especially the five great families living in the Lyon District— which one of them is weaker than us? Ah, those old fellows are all cultivating in seclusion. A useless man like me has no accomplishments in battle aura or magic, so I can only pick out some elites from the family's younger generation and support them a little, giving the Harriman Family a few more weights to use in its struggles against the other families."

Bernie stood quietly, his fair face full of respect and caution. Only when Sweet waved his hand did he bow, turn, and walk slowly out of the hall with measured steps.

George Academy was located in the center of Auston City's southern district. This imperial academy, whose construction began at the same time Auston City was founded, already had a history of more than four hundred years. For centuries, it had held its position as the number-one academy in the Lans Empire without wavering.

When Li Junshan and Fate, this overage mage student, stepped through George Academy's main gate, which was several hundred meters wide, both were stunned by the roughly twenty-meter-tall statue standing amid the brilliant magical fountain at the entrance.

It was an old man. Clearly carved with the delicate skill of a master sculptor, and perhaps because it was often repaired, the old man's facial expression was lifelike. Wrinkles chiseled as if by blade and axe covered his cheeks, and his vivid eyes carried a faint weariness and longing.

"That is Mr. Soros, the first headmaster of George Academy," Bernie said with a sigh from beside them. "In order to build George Academy as quickly as possible, Mr. Soros poured his heart and soul into it, and in the end died of exhaustion on the night before the academy was about to hold its first enrollment ceremony. At the time, His Majesty King Andrew personally ordered the most famous master sculptor to complete this statue, to console this great and selfless headmaster."

As he spoke, Bernie led them into the academy. Just like the schools Li Junshan had attended in his previous life, students wandered through the academy in twos and threes at a leisurely pace. The only difference was that aside from textbooks, some of them also carried weapons such as magic staffs and longswords.

"The whole of George Academy is divided into four major districts. The southern district is the Magic Academy, and also the most famous part of George Academy. Most of the famous mages in the Lans Empire came from the southern district. The northern district is the Warrior Academy. It has more people than the Magic Academy, but overall, its combat strength is inferior to the southern district. This is also why the mage profession is so admired and sought after across the continent." Bernie walked along the gravel path, speaking fluently as they went.

"The eastern district is more complicated. It has courses in potions, alchemy, summoning, and so on. It's also a district with not many students, so it's usually rather quiet. The western district is the dormitory area. The academy's teachers and resident students all live in the western courtyard, though of course the living conditions vary depending on status. Oh, right, the dormitory I arranged for you is Room 309 on the fifth floor. Everything has already been prepared. You can just move in when the time comes."

Li Junshan and Fate listened while looking around. Most of the academy's buildings were very old, yet they were kept neat and well repaired. The walls were carved all over with epic scenes, giving off a sense of history.

"Young Master Nicholas, that over there is the entrance to the eastern district. Do you need me to take you to the registration office?" Bernie said, pointing at a large arched gate that appeared at the end of the road.

"Thank you, Mr. Bernie. There's no need to trouble you. I can go by myself." Li Junshan took the pale-yellow admission list from his hand and said to Bernie with a smile, "I'll have to trouble you with my companion, though. Please take him to report to the magic department."

Having Fate come to George Academy to study magic had been Li Junshan's own idea, so naturally he could not let the family pay the tuition. As he spoke, Li Junshan took half a bag of gold coins from his spatial ring.

Bernie smiled and shook his head. Without saying anything, he led Fate toward the southern district.

Li Junshan had only wanted to test him a little. Seeing that Bernie did not want it suited him perfectly. He put away the money pouch and walked through the eastern district gate. He stopped a boy who was walking along muttering something under his breath and asked, "Excuse me, where do summoners enroll?"

"Summoners?" The boy, who had a few freckles on the bridge of his nose, lifted his head and looked at Li Junshan in surprise, then pointed toward the western corner of the eastern district courtyard. "Over there."

Li Junshan thanked him politely and walked toward the western corner. There, he saw an enormous stone building. A dust-covered table had been placed at the entrance. One of the table legs was broken halfway down, with a stone propping it up underneath. On top of it stood a paper sign, on which the words "Summoner Registration Office" were written crookedly. The sign was ragged and full of missing pieces, and Li Junshan had to lean in and stare for quite a while before he could make it out.

Li Junshan craned his neck and looked around for a long time, but no one appeared. Unable to hold back, he ran to the front of the stone building and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock. No one answered.

Knock, knock, knock. Still no one answered.

Li Junshan was somewhat puzzled. He could not help reaching out and pushing. With a creak, the door opened. He stuck his head inside for a look and could not help freezing.

The stone chamber inside was extremely large, around a hundred meters high. Apart from a few tables and chairs placed in the middle of the eastern side, the vast stone chamber was empty, with nothing else in it.

A dozen or so people sat sparsely at the tables and chairs, chatting about who knew what. Hearing the door open, they all looked over. Their ages varied. There were boys whose childishness had yet to fade, a few young men, and even a half-grown fellow with a full beard.

"Excuse me, is this the summoner registration office?" Li Junshan called out loudly, and his voice echoed throughout the room.

"Do you need something?" The bearded fellow came over very politely.

"Uh, I'm here to register." Li Junshan handed him the admission list.

"Wow, there's finally a new student."

"Yeah, that's really rare."

The others swarmed over, surrounding Li Junshan in the middle and bursting into a noisy chorus of chatter.

"Are you a teacher?" Li Junshan asked, bowing slightly.

The bearded man's face flushed. "I... I'm a student too. It's just that... I've been studying for... for a rather long time."

"Uh." Li Junshan was instantly at a loss for words. He casually dealt with the strange questions from the other students while his eyes darted around, but he still didn't spot anything resembling a summoning instructor.

"Stop looking," the bearded man said, seeing what Li Junshan was thinking. "After Mr. Randolph finishes his lecture every morning, he leaves. He rarely comes back."

Li Junshan was dumbfounded. He glanced left and right a few times and couldn't help asking, "Where are the summoner students? Is it really just these few?"

"There are two more, but they don't come often." The bearded man held out his hand warmly. "My name is Jeffrey. What about you?"

"Nicholas." Li Junshan shook his hand, then introduced himself in turn to the other enthusiastic students.

"Is this really George Academy's summoner class? The biggest summoner class in Auston City?" Li Junshan wondered if he had come to the wrong place.

The other students nodded. A youth named Fonia said, "This is already pretty good. The other academies have basically canceled their summoner courses. Even if you want to learn, there's nowhere to go."

Li Junshan felt a little dizzy. Everyone said summoners had declined, but wasn't this a bit too exaggerated?