"I think you're reading too much into it and overestimating me," I replied humbly, facing Mary's envy and hoping our friendship would not suffer because of it. I didn't know what she truly thought of me, but I considered her a friend. My first friend on this Earth.
As if seeing through my concerns, Mary smiled and said, "I'm not overthinking it. I'm telling you to do everything in your power, and more, to prove yourself to my uncle during these six months. Even though he has fallen from grace, he is still deeply connected up the ladder of the F.O.E.
"Wyatt, money and fame can never compare to real authority. When he was at his peak, even Mythical Grimlocks deferred to my uncle, a Legendary Grimlock. He held the power to make life-altering decisions for our entire province. The opportunity is right in front of you. Whether you seize it or not is up to you now. Later, don't come crying to me saying I didn't tell you."
Mary's words were well-chosen, persuasive enough to trick Crayon into wasting another significant portion of his life trying to please another, pursuing a path he wasn't even sure he desired. I do not mean to imply that Mary acted with ill-intent. Rather, she was projecting her own dreams and ambitions onto a clueless teenager. Her vision shone so brightly that he would easily be drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Mary had found her direction, while Crayon remained lost, leaving him susceptible to her influence. Somewhere down the line, when he finally figured things out for himself, he would either be grateful for the experience or come to regret it.
Although her words fell upon Crayon's ears, it was I who perceived them, and I was certain of one thing: authority, fame, and wealth were the last things I intended to chase in this life. I had attained all of that in my previous existence, yet I had never been as content as I was during my sophomore year, just after moving out of the college dorms into a nearby studio apartment… but that is a story for another day.
My point being, self-sufficiency and a quiet, steady life, doing what I want to, were my goals for this lifetime. I refused to lose myself in the rat race again. However, judging by my first few days here, I had already realized that achieving such simplicity would be challenging. I certainly didn't want to make it harder on myself by getting entangled in this Earth's power struggles.
"Well, this is going to be awkward," I said, scratching the back of my head, choosing to be honest with Mary. "I'm not interested in becoming anyone's disciple. I'm here to satisfy my curiosity and learn skills that will allow me to earn a decent living outside."
Mary was clearly taken aback by my rejection of everything she longed for. It shocked her, especially because the opportunity was well within my reach if I chose to take it. In the end, she did not press the matter further, likely assuming that I was only saying this to avoid stepping on toes, or that I was still too ignorant of the world we lived in to understand its true weight. Either way, as long as it didn't affect our friendship it's fine.
"Also, aren't you skipping a few steps by jumping to card crafting?" Mary pointed out, steering the conversation back. I blinked at her, unsure what she meant. "Skipping steps?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Shouldn't you be focusing on mastering gion tattoos and combat arts before they call you to register in the city's garrison reserve?" Mary pointed out. Seeing that I had no idea what she meant, she concluded, "Ah! You became a grimlock outside of Grimmyth. You were never briefed about these things. One usually learns about this on the gionship during their return trip from Grimmyth."
I nodded in agreement as she went on to explain, "All grimlocks are required to register with their city's garrison reserve so they can be properly assigned in case of a grimmon horde or a grimgate outbreak. Such cases are rare these days, but when it happens, it's all hands on deck. There won't be time to divide manpower then, so we always have to be prepared."
"You need to take this seriously because there is going to be a registration exam. Based on your performance, you will be assigned an honorary military rank. Usually, it's just ceremonial. But if a grimmon horde or grimgate outbreak happens, that rank becomes real authority. Unless you want to be used as cannon fodder or a pawn by others, you'd better focus on preparing for the exam for now," Mary emphasized, meeting my eyes. "You can always update it once every year."
"What kind of exam are we talking about? Where will it be held?" I asked with a frown. The mere thought of having to leave the institute grounds already made me uneasy. "And how am I supposed to prepare for it?"
"Obviously at the city's reserve garrison base. Where else, you dummy?" She said, raising her eyes, and added matter-of-factly, "Normally, the academy you're enrolled in or the guild you're joining will prepare you for it. They run mock trials, combat simulations, theory assessments—the works."
As I listened to her, my frown deepened, and I inquired, "What about those who don't fit into either category? Like in my case. Does the institute help me prepare for the exam?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Mary admitted after a brief pause. "They should accommodate you. The institute already provides training for researchers assigned to Grimmyth expeditions, so there's precedent."
She leaned back slightly, already thinking several steps ahead. "I'll speak to the management and clarify your situation. At the very least, we'll secure you an official preparation pathway. But don't rely solely on that. Start preparing on your own as well."
"I will. And… thank you," I said sincerely. After a moment, curiosity got the better of me. "By the way, what's your honorary military rank?"
"Don't thank me, that is what I should as your liaison." Mary replied with a smile and straightening her posture almost imperceptibly, she answered, "As a recognized researcher within the city and a licensed Grimlock medic, I hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I currently serve as Senior Doctor at the garrison reserve."