The moment Harbos announced the end of class, Elan was the first to rush forward, while the other apprentices remained in their seats with blank expressions.
"Excellency Harbos, could we have a private word?"
Harbos sized Elan up and immediately saw through his situation.
A First-Order Mage. Judging by his aura, he didn't belong to the Elemental or Necromancy School; he must have promoted many years ago, as his mana was very stable.
"Very well."
The content he taught required practical application; without it, those apprentices would never learn a thing.
He hadn't intended to stop and answer apprentice questions after the first class anyway, so this was a good time to handle this matter.
"Why did he take the Teacher away?"
Lai Yi looked at Furan in confusion, but Furan didn't know what Elan was up to either.
"I'm not sure."
Furan watched Elan leave the classroom and scratched her head. She decided she would ask him next time she went to the Heart of Emerald.
"By the way, do you plan on learning that Spell?"
Furan asked.
"No. That Spell isn't something we apprentices can learn. Those who could learn it have probably already promoted to Formal Mage."
"Why do you say that?"
Furan was puzzled. Harbos had just demonstrated in detail how to practice the Spell and explained that its principle was to manifest a weapon one had forged, granting the user a certain buff.
Though that complex model structure was a bit intimidating... "Just looking at the structure of that Spell, it's definitely a First-Tier Spell. How could we apprentices possibly learn it?"
---
Inside a meeting room, Elan and Harbos sat on opposite sides of a red solid wood table, facing each other.
"Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Elan, a member of the Edict School and the Academy Head of Cuilan Academy, appointed by Alliance decree."
"What is it you want?"
"I wish to join the Furnace Casting School."
Harbos pondered for a moment after hearing this before speaking:
"Are you certain you want to abandon the School through which you promoted and devote yourself to mine? Are you not afraid that your Spells will never advance another step in this lifetime?"
Although the methods of promotion for mages were largely similar, there were differences between mages who promoted using different Spells and methods.
Depending on the type of Spell and the degree of mastery achieved during the apprentice stage, there was a chance to gain a Specialty in that Spell type.
This was the easiest way to acquire a Specialty. All other methods were extremely difficult, and just attempting them could take years.
Promoting to a Second-Tier or higher mage required a Specialty; it was one of the most important conditions for advancement.
Under the current mature training models, mentors would require apprentices to master their Spells before promoting. In recent decades, almost all Formal Mages had obtained a Specialty upon promotion.
However, different Specialties had different effects and could not substitute for one another.
Coupled with the fact that it was sometimes impossible to learn other Spells, very few mages dared to switch Schools.
Especially for a path as unconventional as his, which didn't even have similar Schools. Naturally, no one dared to gamble their future by joining his School.
"I am well aware of that. I have already informed the Third Seat of the Edict School, and he has agreed."
Harbos glanced at him, understanding why he dared to join his School.
He still maintained ties with his original School. Although nominally he could no longer follow the path of his old School, it was a different matter if someone higher up had given the order.
Who would care what method a mage who had joined a new School used to promote? This was quite common among those who joined new Schools.
Perhaps they just wanted to try and see if the new School suited them better, and if not, they could just go back to the original one.
Of course, this required approval from the higher-ups; betraying a School was a very frowned-upon act in the mage world.
"Then what can you bring to me?"
Harbos understood Elan's intent and the intentions of the School behind him.
Elan wasn't joining because he saw a boundless future for the School or because the School's Spells suited him; he still maintained ties with his original School.
So the question was, why should he allow an 'unfaithful' person to join his School?
"I am the Academy Head of Cuilan Academy. If Your Excellency can provide a little assistance, I will ensure that the entire academy's student source is prioritized for the Furnace Casting School."
Harbos raised an eyebrow and fell into thought for a moment, while Elan did not dare to interrupt his reflection.
Elan's title as Academy Head was appointed by the Alliance. The various Schools only had the right to make suggestions in this matter; the real decision-making power lay with the Alliance Council.
In various institutional appointments, the Alliance Council emphasized 'balancing the water,' maintaining a balance in the number of appointments from each School within the system.
Elan's position was a result of this balancing act, given that the Edict School had been driven out of Apprentice City.
If Elan could obtain his help, he could reclaim control over Cuilan Academy instead of relying on the Edict School, which might never return.
As for the benefits, it was those apprentices.
Despite how impressive Harbos seemed now with apprentices from the whole School attending, these were actually the leftovers from other Schools.
Truly excellent apprentices had long been scouted by the Teachers of those courses and invited into Schools during their first academic year.
When his course opened, first-year students were not allowed to choose it; this was the result of his negotiations with the various Schools.
Although he was a Fourth-Tier Mage, most mages teaching in Apprentice City had some connections, and a few could actually contact other Fourth-Tier Mages.
So naturally, he couldn't push too hard. But occupying an academy was different.
First, the scale wasn't large, so it was within the tolerance of those Schools; they wouldn't band together to attack him over this.
Second, he would be acting legitimately. What was wrong with helping a mage from his own family?
However, such a matter would eventually be reported to the Council. Given the backlog of Council business, Elan's position as lifetime Academy Head would likely be revoked in five or six years, returning everything to its original state.
In that case, it seemed very wise to accept this deal with the Edict School, but... "I do not agree. This academy is of no use to me..."
Elan's face stiffened, and he forced a smile as he spoke:
"Why? If Your Excellency's School had an entire academy as a student source, then by next year, the School could rival the Elemental Sch—"
Harbos interrupted him.
"That is meaningless. My School has no low-tier content at all. Forcing them to learn those Spells would be ruining their futures... What I need is a genius who can create their own Spells."
Elan's heart sank, knowing that today's endeavor had failed, but he still wanted to keep struggling.
"Excellency Harbos, with more people in an academy, the probability of finding a genius is much higher than what you'll find in a single course..."
Harbos gave a small smile that made Elan stop, and then Harbos spoke.
"Perhaps you don't know, but we High-Tier Mages have an extra sense that allows us to judge whether someone has mastered certain knowledge. And in that class just now, I found a genius."
Elan's mouth hung open, and he was speechless.
"You might not be able to tell just from facial expressions, but I truly felt it. She learned the content I passed down. As soon as she uses that Spell, I can proudly announce: the Furnace Casting School has gained a genius."
"Of course, you can look forward to it. If that apprentice happens to create a Spell that even an apprentice can learn, then there will be a basis for a deal between you and me."
This was also why Harbos refused Elan. Having another path meant he didn't need to increase his risks for a potential gain.
"Speaking of which, that apprentice was sitting right near you. You actually didn't notice she had learned it."
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