"Is that even possible?" Adam stared at his brother, genuinely shocked. His younger brother, Aeren, had always been a mystery, but the nonchalant way he described sensing and controlling mana was on another level.
"Of course it's possible," Aeren said, his voice flat. He leaned back against the wall, his posture relaxed despite the intensity of the topic.
"You just have to sense your mana from inside out, then you control it, letting it flow slowly and steadily through your body before you stop the flow completely."
Adam listened intently, his expression a mix of awe and bewilderment. Before he could press for more details, he noticed two people standing awkwardly at the end of the hall, watching them. He recognized them from earlier.
"Who are you two?" he asked.
Arin and Selevara looked startled. "We are Aeren's friends," Arin said quickly, his eyes darting to Aeren.
"We were just leaving. Sorry to disturb you." With a shared, nervous glance, they turned and practically fled down the corridor.
Adam watched them go, a puzzled look on his face. He turned back to Aeren.
"What was that about?" he asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"Oh, them? They came to ask the same thing you did," Aeren replied, a subtle smirk on his lips.
"They came all this way just to ask about your... mana control?" Adam scoffed. "And what's with that weird goodbye? They looked terrified. I didn't think you had the ability to make friends."
Aeren shrugged. "I know one of them, but it's more of a professional relationship. Boss and employee, you could say."
Adam's brow furrowed. He wasn't sure what to make of his brother's new life, but he knew Aeren wasn't one for idle chitchat.
"Hmm, anyway, I have a quest to complete. I left because the academy sent me a message."
"Okay, I'm leaving too," Aeren replied, his tone flat.
"Oh, what class are you in?" Adam asked as they began to walk toward the main entrance.
"I'm in C-230, first year. What about you, brother?"
"I'm B-14, third year. What the hell is with your first-year class? It's so far down the list." Adam's confusion was clear.
"I joined the academy year late," Aeren said.
"I can tell that much, but why?"
"I had been traveling for year," Aeren replied, his voice firm, letting the subject drop.
As they reached the grand hall, Aeren saw Adam look back.
"Oh, and Lena also joined this year," Adam said. "Don't be so harsh on her this time, okay? Try to be a little kind."
Aeren watched him go, then his thoughts drifted back to the two people who had just left. He had been in the capital for months, searching for a way to get what he wanted, but hadn't found a single potential friend (experiment material) to help him.
Now, he had sensed a few people who might be useful, but he was short on subordinates. He could do the work alone, but his other projects took up too much time. He needed a team for information gathering, for reconnaissance. And he knew exactly where to start.
His mind went over the notes he'd compiled about the academy's class ranks and top students, information he'd gathered from various sources. The Academy of Geniuses was a microcosm of the kingdom's power structure, and he needed to understand it completely to succeed.
Academy Ranking System
* S-Class (Special Class): Only 20 students. These students receive everything from the academy: private rooms, personal servants, and special training. They are given S and A-rank quests, which often involve sensitive political and magical tasks.
* A-Class (Abnormal Geniuses): 40 students with special, often inherited, powers. They receive rooms and training rooms. They are given A and B-rank quests.
* B-Class (All Geniuses): 80 students. They receive rooms and are given B and C-rank quests. This is the class Adam was in, a clear indication of his status.
* C-Class (Average or Better): 100 students. They are given C and D-rank quests. Aeren's own class, a perfect place to hide in plain sight.
* D-Class (Average and Lower): 260 students. They are given D and E-rank quests.
From over ten thousand applicants each year, only five hundred were selected. The system was brutal, and every student here, regardless of rank, was a potential resource. Aeren's thoughts then turned to the most promising students in each year.
Top Students
* First Years:
* Elenya Veyra (Youngest Princess of Verydias kingdom)
* Alaric Calvess (Only son of Duke Calvess)
* Arin Veyra (Second Prince of Verydias kingdom)
* Second Years:
* Lira (Top student of the academy)
* Renn (Real System user)
* Adelind Zenc (Goddess of the academy, Arin's fiancée)
* Third Years:
* Gerald Zenc (Grand duke's son, Adelind's brother)
* Jacob Veyra (First prince of Verydias kingdom)
* Allen Torry (Count heir, only son)
Aeren needed to get into the royal family's library. He needed more knowledge about this world, its kingdoms, and other species. This knowledge could only be found in the royal library, but he hadn't been able to locate it. It was likely hidden by an artifact or a powerful individual. If Aeren focused too much on the library, he wouldn't be able to work on his friends (experimental materials), which he needed subordinates to gather information about.
At 8 a.m., Aeren arrived at his classroom, a massive lecture hall with rows of wooden desks that could easily accommodate over 150 students. He took an empty seat in the back, observing the chattering students as they settled in.
A few minutes later, the class fell silent as Professor Roan entered. He looked like an average man in his early thirties, with a head of neatly combed brown hair and a face that was more intelligent than handsome. What set him apart was his posture and his expression—he carried himself with a proud and confident air, as if he were a king walking into his throne room, not a teacher entering a classroom.
"Good morning, everyone," he said, his voice carrying clearly to the back of the room. "Today, we'll begin our discussion on mana science and artifacts. I've said this before, but I'll repeat it again."
"I'm Professor Roan, and I teach about Mana Science and Artifacts. I'll teach you how to sense mana through instinct, how to control mana through the environment, and the different types of mana. We will also learn how to create your own artifacts from others' ideas or your own. I'll come one day a week. Lastly, I'm not the most knowledgeable about this subject in the academy, but I'm not the worst either."
Professor Roan started his lecture, explaining how mana worked in the world's environment. He spoke of mana supply, a complex system of ley lines and natural reservoirs that magical civilizations tapped into. He described how mana could be refined, stored, and then used to create powerful, long-lasting artifacts.
While some students scribbled notes furiously and others dozed off, Aeren absorbed every piece of knowledge, every detail. He didn't just listen to the words; he analyzed the concepts, cross-referencing them with his own vast knowledge. He noted the limitations of the professor's theories and the gaps in his explanations. This wasn't just a class; it was an intelligence briefing.
He needed all the information he could get to a place no one even thought about.