CHAPTER 846: ON YOUR OWN TERMS

Adam leapt out of bed when the moon had yet to fade in the dark sky. He buttoned his white shirt, adjusted his necktie to make it look neglected in a stylish way, and wrapped his dark robes around him. With a last glance at his quiet room, he closed the door with a satisfied grin.

He couldn’t wait to have fun today, but first, Quintella and Bao.

Until the first birds chirped at sunrise, he watched his sister and the baby Pandarok run, dodge the metallic bars with steady steps, and strike the training grounds dummies with cute ferocity. Beneath the cuteness, though, he could already see their two-week progress.

From being as weak as kittens, he was pretty sure they could take on a wolf together—perhaps even a bear if they didn’t let the monster of raw strength intimidate them. With more focus on technique and by adding Cordelia’s chaotic movements to their training, he was confident they could defeat a weak magical beast without getting wounded. That would take at least another two weeks, perhaps longer.

Still, it was with a proud smile that he shared breakfast with them and Sarah, who showed up not long after the training session. They laughed through the feast of steaming rice and juicy meat, and he found her presence enjoyable until Desmond and Elliot waved at him from the entrance.

They gestured for him to join them at the edge of the long table, their brows furrowed enough that he feared they could squeeze his finger if he poked them.

"You guys look as if Teacher Magna forced you to eat a thornfiend. Alive. With its brambles still attached. And with its toxic sap."

Desmond shredded his toast with a feral bite. Apricot jam covered his lips as he snickered. "Eat it yourself. We’re just preparing mentally."

Elliot nodded beside him, but his toast halted before his mouth before he dropped it, smearing his plate with soft, white cheese. Sighing, he sipped warm chocolate from his cup, then muttered in defeat. "I’m getting pummeled today..."

"If your mind is set on defeat, defeat you’ll get. Look, Elliot. You’ll likely lose today. But what about tomorrow? Not enough? In a month? I’m not letting you down until your name shines at the top of the ranking board. But what you need is self-confidence, and to get it, you must discover which type of spell you like most, then specialise in it."

Elliot’s lips twisted, his eyes darted to the door, then back at Adam. His cheeks reddened visibly when he answered. "I like enchantments. At least I’m not getting beaten behind my anvil. But it’s useless in battles..."

"Who says so? What you don’t want is to get hurt, right? Quit nodding. It wasn’t a question," Adam chuckled. "I never asked about your affinity, but if you have one that favors healing spells, why not give it a try? If not, you can try to learn wards and protective spells. See? If you walk in the right direction, the path ahead doesn’t have to be hurtful."

Elliot hesitated for a moment before cupping his right hand over his lip. "I have an affinity for stars. Is this good enough? Oh, please don’t tell it to the others. My mom always said it was best kept a secret. You know... to stay clear of jealousy because it’s a rare affinity."

"What do you mean by enough? It’s excellent!" Adam patted the boy’s shoulder, guiding him to the door.

As Desmond took the lead toward Astride’s class, Adam added. "We won’t tell anyone. But, boy, star magic. I knew an arcanist well-versed in star magic. He could heal not only flesh wounds, but wounds of the mind as well, and his barriers were as beautiful as they were solid."

"Really?" Elliot’s blue eyes sparkled with rekindled enthusiasm before they deflated into doubts. "But an arcanist? It doesn’t sound too impressive compared to our teachers."

"True if all you focus on is power level. But if it were true, you would learn to destroy, not build." Adam shrugged. "And you don’t have to become like him. Become stronger on your own terms. That’s what I meant."

"Isn’t it nice? You can even get beaten on your own terms today." Desmond chimed in, voice dripping with sarcasm as they reached a building crowded with students, some as young as Elliot, while a few looked a few years older than Desmond.

Adam noticed that most wore the horned mask floating above a summoning circle, with chains spiralling outward, on their robes—emblem of the House of Invocation. The rest were mostly transmuters, with very few exorcists, at least none he had actually talked with. Not that he had talked with many. Perhaps that was why their faces rang no bells.

The building itself looked nothing like the usual ones. Through the window, he could see eight avenues, each facing a desk managed by a member of the disciplinary committee.

He ignored Elliot’s rebuttal of Desmond’s poor joke, focusing on the doors lined with magical symbols as they rattled against the cobblestones.

Astride walked out, her burgundy eyes sending stern warnings to the students. Her mere appearance silenced their boisterous discussion like icy water poured over eager flames. And when she spoke, everyone lined up with utmost respect.

She scrutinised the students for a moment before her gaze met Adam’s. The corners of her lips slightly rose as she nodded. "Keep the lines in order and enter in silence."

Adam followed her inside with the others. No one dared to peep a word. Even though he didn’t care, losing points over this would go against his goal. So he kept his questions to himself, knowing he would see how these duels took place. At least, not being outrightly refused in her class was already a small win.

A couple of minutes later, around two hundred students spread in neat groups across the eight avenues. He simply followed Desmond to the central one.

"Welcome to the Arcane Combat and Enforcement Theory class. We’ll resume our friendly duels where we left them last lesson. But first, I see two new faces." She gestured toward Adam and Elliot. "Why don’t you two come up here? I’m sure you’re dying to explain what compelled you to join my class two weeks too late."