Zeverius Academy did not hide its intentions. It observed and evaluated. When it found something valuable, it extended its hand without hesitation. That was the first impression Baston had. The invitation had come too quickly, too cleanly, and too precisely.
Principal Zener had not waited for rumors to settle nor for formal communication between academies. The moment Baston's magic score flashed one thousand beneath the crystal pillar, the decision had already been made. Zeverius Academy had to recruit him.
The office itself reflected the academy's nature. The magic lamps hummed quietly through enchanted glass and the atmosphere inside. The room was quiet, not because it was empty, but because silence was controlled here. Everyone only waited for one person to speak here. Principal Zener sat calmly behind his desk. Several teachers stood to the side like silent witnesses to a transaction.
"You may consider transferring," the old man said in an almost conversational tone, "Zeverius Academy welcomes talent."
Baston felt the weight of the sentence. The old man did not only show his admiration and praise but also the intent behind it.
"Thank you for the offer but…" Baston replied after a measured pause, "I am already satisfied in Prius Academy."
Toward the word of satisfied, it tasted strange even in his own mouth. Telling lies had been very smooth currently. Principal Zener did not react emotionally. Instead, he reached for a document and began reading as if conducting a review.
"According to records…" he continued, "Your treatment in Prius Academy was less than ideal. Dormitory conditions, poor quality of food, and social harassment. The academy intervened only after your display before Great Wizard Angus."
The teachers remained still but their eyes sharpened.
"It is true…" Zener added gently, "Your current situation has improved but this improvement does not equal sufficient."
Baston lowered his gaze, pretending to contemplate. Inside the old book, the real Baston listened carefully through the puppet's senses. So, they had investigated him much. Their reaction was fast. Not only that, Zeverius Academy did not make offers blindly.
A faint chill ran along Baston's spine. The word of investigation sounded harmless on the surface, yet beneath it lay something
colder. Zeverius Academy had not merely glanced at public records. They had pried. They had even traced movements, incidents, and perhaps even conversations. How deep had they gone? Had they uncovered the cafeteria explosion? Had they questioned the timing of his failed magic test? Had they examined the pattern behind Angus's sudden involvement?
Inside the old book, Baston shifted his focus. The puppet's senses were clear but he subtly directed a thread of perception outward, brushing against the ambient mana in the room. There were defensive arrays but
also something else. A faint oscillation, almost imperceptible. Not a hostile spell and not even a direct scanning technique. It was monitoring him. The walls themselves seemed attentive.
Zeverius Academy did not simply invite students. It profiled them. The teachers' stillness now felt less like patience and more like containment. As if the room had been prepared in advance, calibrated to measure
micro-expressions and mana fluctuations. If they were measuring him, then he would give them something ordinary to record. Let them believe they were the hunters for now.
"It's alright," Baston said softly, "I do not mind."
Principal Zener leaned back.
"Really? You do not mind or you have grown accustomed to being underestimated?"
That sentence was sharper. The teachers exchanged subtle glances. One of them whispered quietly to another. They were not just observing his words. They were studying his reaction timing, eye movement, and muscle tension. Baston noticed their movement. Truly, they insisted on their own way.
"I try to live quietly," he said. "That is all."
The principal's gaze deepened.
"If you remain in Prius Academy," Principal Zener said, "Your progress will be limited. Resources at there cannot compare to ours. Here, I can assign you the best instructors and the best facilities. Your development
would accelerate dramatically."
Such words were fascinating. An ordinary student would tremble at such promise. The teachers expected at least a flicker of
temptation. Instead, Baston remained still. He was too calm despite so many benefits. The teachers frowned.
"He is not greedy…"
"Perhaps, he is calculating..."
"Do you think he is afraid?"
"Afraid? He confronted Clark publicly…"
"Then, what restrains him?"
Baston knew the trap. If he rejected too quickly, suspicion would bloom. If he accepted too easily, freedom would be lost. Zeverius Academy was prestigious but prestige meant complexity. There would be more nobles, more factions, and more eyes. His secret would be soon revealed upon these many scrutinizing eyes.
"I am used to Prius Academy," Baston finally said after a deliberate silence.
Principal Zener tapped the desk lightly.
"Used to it?" he repeated, "That is not a reason. That is an attachment."
"Indeed, I am comfortable there."
"Comfort is the enemy of ambition."
The teachers watched carefully. Baston then lifted his head slightly.
"The truth is there are too many nobles here."
The atmosphere of the room shifted. Not visibly but perceptibly. Principal Zener soon narrowed his eyes.
"Too many nobles?"
The teachers immediately began exchanging mental connections through low-tier whisper spells.
"What does he mean?"
"Fear?"
"No... He does not fear nobility…"
"Then what?"
One teacher's expression changed, "I understand."
The others looked toward him.
"His grudge with his father is the clue..."
A faint silence fell.
"If his father's family has ties here…" the teacher continued carefully, "Or if certain nobles are connected, remaining here may
expose him."
"Exposure..."
"Vulnerability…"
"That would explain restraint..."
The conclusion spread quickly through silent magical transmission. Principal Zener received the explanation through a subtle
mana-thread from the teacher. His fingers paused briefly on the desk. So that was it. That was reasonable explanation. He studied Baston again, not as a student, but as a survivor.
"I see…" Zener said gently, "You are concerned that certain nobles here may be connected to your father's lineage."
Baston blinked. A question popped up inside his head. Inside the book, the real Baston nearly laughed. They misunderstood him completely. He had simply meant nobles were troublesome. But toward this misunderstanding, it was quite useful. The puppet remained composed while Principal Zener continued.
"You fear that if you remain here, your father may intervene. Or that influence may be exerted upon you."
The teachers nodded subtly. Yes, that made sense. A prodigy hiding in a lesser academy. Not only he could avoid detection, he could also avoid bloodline pressure.
Baston bowed slightly, "I prefer not to be entangled."
It was a safe answer. Principal Zener's eyes gleamed faintly. He was not disappointed. He was impressed. Such self-control in his
age was commendable.
"You are cautious," Zener said, "That is rare."
He leaned forward slightly, "Very well. I will not force you."
There was a pause before the old man continued.
"But remember this… Your ice element is uncommon. Very uncommon. There are noble houses who would covet it."
That sentence was deliberate. Was it a warning or a test?
"If Prius Academy fails to protect you," Zener continued, "Zeverius Academy remains open."
"I understand," Baston replied.
He began to step back, assuming that he could go back. After all, being here for a few seconds more gave tremendous pressure.
"One final question," Zener added.
This time, the air tightened slightly.
"The awakening before Great Wizard Angus… It was not truly triggered by him, was it?"
There was a silence. The words even made the teachers stiffened. That question pierced directly through the constructed narrative. Baston did not answer verbally. He simply nodded once. It was just enough as
confirmation without much explanation.
The atmosphere in the room changed. Principal Zener smiled faintly. It was as he expected before. The failed test, the sudden resonance, and the convenient miracle. It had been staged. Not for power but for his own freedom.
"Just as I thought," Principal Zener murmured.
The puppet bowed and exited. When the door closed, one teacher exhaled slowly.
"He is quite unique..."
Zener nodded, "Yes…"
"Should we monitor him?"
"We already are…"
The principal looked toward the window where the distorted glass prevented clear vision from outside.
"Talent is valuable," he said quietly, "But intelligence… Intelligence shapes the kingdom."
Baston walked along the academy corridor with measured steps. The hallways of Zeverius Academy felt different from Prius Academy. Here, mana was more refined. Every wall carried reinforcement arrays. Every archway contained detection sigils hidden beneath decorative carvings.
Prestige required protection and protection required suspicion. Such matter would end up of strict monitoring. For him who bore
hidden secret, this academy was the worst place to live. As he exited the main building, the light from the lamp post struck the small ice bead resting in his palm.
It was the gift that Principal Zener had personally handed to him. It could be treated as a parting token. The bead shimmered faintly with cold mana swirling within like suspended frost. Alicia and Anderson were
waiting outside.
"What did he say?" Anderson asked first.
"He invited me to study here," Baston replied calmly.
"And?"
"I refused."
Anderson blinked while Alicia's gaze sharpened.
"You refused?"
"Yes…"
Anderson frowned, "Do you realize what you rejected?"
"Yes…"
Alicia studied him carefully, "You are not someone who acts without calculation. So tell me why you pick that choice?"
Baston glanced at the passing students. Noble robes with family crests which contained subtle arrogance in posture.
"Too many nobles…" he replied simply.
Alicia froze slightly and Anderson raised an eyebrow.
"That is ironic," Anderson said dryly, "You confronted one of the most arrogant nobles here without hesitation."
"That was necessary," Baston answered.
Alicia's eyes narrowed faintly. She sensed layers of his statement but she could not see through them completely. She shifted the topic instead.
"That bead," she said, nodding toward his hand, "Do you understand its value?"
"It enhances comprehension of ice-element resonance," Baston said calmly.
Anderson looked surprised, "You already know?"
"Yes..."
Alicia nodded slowly, "For an ice-affinity mage, it is extremely precious."
"I plan to sell it anyway," Baston said.
Both of them stared at him.
"Sell it?" Anderson repeated.
"Yes."
Alicia's brows furrowed, "You possess rare affinity and you would discard such a resource?"
"It is unnecessary for me."
"That is impossible," Anderson said.
Baston simply smiled faintly. They did not know. His knowledge of ice magic did not come from experience. It came from the old book. It came from something deeper. Alicia studied him again.
"Then what do you need money for?"
Baston paused briefly, "To live comfortably."
Alicia did not believe that answer. Anderson could only sigh toward such simple reason.
"If you insist, Panto is your best channel. His father controls merchant shops. Rare artifacts can fetch higher prices through him."
"Good," Baston replied.
Alicia hesitated, "If you sell it publicly, word will spread."
"I am aware."
"And you do not care?"
He looked at her, "I am already being noticed."
That was true. After the magic score of one thousand, concealment had shifted from invisibility to misdirection. They walked toward the academy gates. As they moved, Baston sensed something faint. A subtle
prickle at the back of his perception. It was not hostility. It was observation. He slowed slightly and Alicia noticed his gesture.
"What is it?"
"Nothing..."
He extended his mana outward subtly. The feeling soon dissipated. Perhaps, it was just his imagination. Or perhaps, it was real in
the end. Zeverius Academy did not simply let assets walk away unmarked.
On the carriage ride back, Baston stared again at the ice bead. He rotated it between his fingers. Its mana pattern was structured
differently from the old book's reward. It was artificial and refined but predictable. He could extract some minor technique from it but compared to the depth of knowledge already inscribed in his mind, it was shallow.
Selling it was logical since money offered flexibility and flexibility offered survival. Alicia watched him silently. She misunderstood his silence. She thought he was planning something larger. Perhaps about the cult incident or perhaps about the investigation. She wanted to ask but rumors were fragile things. A noble girl seen alone too frequently with a boy of unknown origin invited
speculation. In the end, speculation invited enemies. She could only restrain herself.
Meanwhile, Baston's thoughts were far simpler. If he had money, he could acquire good food and warm meals. Some restaurants he could not afford and visit before would become reality soon. The idea made him almost smile but the sensation from earlier lingered. It was observation.
He opened the old book subtly secretly. There was no new quest. It also meant there was no performance evaluation. It was just silence. However, that silence felt deliberate as if something waited. It waited until he came to a new environment.