Ikaris brought his right hand up to his face and counted the rings on each of his fingers with a sigh. Except for his thumb, all his fingers were occupied. He lowered it and put the ring on his left middle finger. His ring finger was already encumbered with the ruby ring.

[Aura Concealment Ring (Gold): Allows you to reduce all auras emitted by the wearer to a limit equivalent to a Third Class Lord Sorcerer. NB: Not being able to actively use your spiritual energy Anaphiel set it so that only your Sorcerer cultivation is exposed.]

He was dumbfounded as he scanned the item. Gold Artifact? This woman, barely more exuberant than a reptile, was unexpectedly generous.

“That’s quite a collection of rings you have there…” Anaphiel praised with a connoisseur’s tone as she looked at his two ring-covered hands. “I wonder where you got them. You had that ruby ring last time, but where did the others come from?

“The ruby ring.” Ikaris shrugged, unswerving.

“And where did you find it?”

“On a random goblin.” The youth lied smoothly.

The beauty pursed her lips but did not insist. It was clear from her expression that she didn’t believe him. Magnus was, as always, laying low in her presence and on paper this ring was worth a small fortune but nothing unique.

Suddenly having a great idea, she offered coolly, “Would you sell it to me if I was willing to buy it back from you at a good price? Your village has just been established and you are desperately short of funds. 10,000 gold coins or 100 platinum coins. Take it or leave it.”

Ikaris was taken aback by the generous offer. If this piece of jewelry had really been a regular ruby ring he would have accepted the deal in a heartbeat. Alas, that was not so.

“It’s a generous offer… But I have to refuse. It’s a precious heirloom and I am sentimentally attached to it.”

“I thought you found it on a goblin?” Anaphiel sneered, gloating that she had finally tricked him.

“This random goblin was my sworn brother.” Ikaris gave her a hurt look.

“All right, stop fucking with me, tsk!” She harrumphed.

“I wouldn’t dare…”

“Cheeky.” Ellie blurted out under her breath.

“I’m afraid our leader won’t make friends with that temper…” Nardor sighed as he stroked his braided beard.

Taguchi and Kellam nodded energetically.

“At least it won’t be boring.” Danchun smiled. “Right Malia?”

“Mhm. Sure…” Malia replied absently, still flustered from the burden of convincing the masses that she was madly in love with Ikaris.

With that closing, Anaphiel led them back to the registration office where they ran into Miss Kiwi again in a bad mood. She told the secretary the results of the tests they had decided to officially disclose, and then bid them farewell.

As they parted, she remembered something important and said,

“My little brother’s name is Micah. They say he looks like me so you should easily recognize him if you need his help. You have no classes today. Take the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the campus and if possible make some friends.”

She gave a final nod to Miss Kiwi and then disappeared, dispersing in swirls of black smoke. It was the first time she had shown them this trick and Ikaris understood that it was to intimidate the Fae secretary. It didn’t work.

At her desk Miss Kiwi pulled out a few documents and an ink pen. “These documents are for your registration as a first year student. This one is for your contract with Tartarus Shade city; in summary it states that the Academy will pay for your tuition during all your years of study here. In turn you will not be able to betray the interests of the school and Tartarus Shade for 20 years after your graduation. You may also be expelled or lose this privilege if for any reason you perform below expectations or lose your scholarship. Sign the contract first.” She handed them the contract and pointed at the line on the bottom.

It was just an ordinary contract, not a Blood Contract. The Academy wasn’t worried about them reneging on their obligations. They had already filled out a first registration form before taking the talent-probe test, but this one was much more extensive.

Ikaris picked up the document and stared at it for a few moments.

“What are you doing?” Miss Kwi asked in annoyance.

“I’m reading to make sure everything is right,” Ikaris said.

She laughed irately, “Don’t lie to me. Crawling-Thralls and lowly Vampires can’t read. They can barely think when they’re not obsessed with eating people or draining them of their blood. Don’t you dare waste my time with your antics. But you’re all C-Talents, and the Vampire is even a B, so I guess even the Saints can be blind sometimes.”

Ikaris and his companions stared at her strangely. It felt… personal ? At the same time, Malia twiddled her fingers shamefully as she lowered her eyes.

The youth’s face hardened and he started to read the document out loud. Miss Kiwi’s face seemed as if it was about to explode.

“Everything seems like what you said,” Ikaris whispered to himself. He took the ink pen and signed his name on the right lines and handed them back to the secretary.

In the registration form, they had to specify which academy or academies they were applying to and in the case of the martial, business and civic academies they also had to specify whether they were there for a general or specific curriculum.

For example, in the case of the martial academy, some came just to be trained as soldiers, while other more fortunate scions came as future generals to learn the arts of war, strategy and various military tactics that could determine the future of their forces and kingdoms.

On the way to the scholar district, Asselin had already told them that the Magic Academy and the Martial Academy had redundant programs, but the former was much more elitist and comprehensive.

In the Martial Academy, most would-be soldiers were trained as Body Sorcerers, but the other arcana were also represented. The only difference was that they were trained in specific roles.

A Psychist would be trained to communicate telepathically over long distances to serve as a relay antenna on the battlefield. Knowledge Sorcerers usually became martial instructors or diviners and strategists skilled in predicting enemy movements. Creation Sorcerers made up the mobile construction corps to erect defenses and fortresses in no time. Finally, the Destruction Sorcerers replaced modern artillery, their role most often being to bomb a target.

After learning that all students had free access to the campus library, Ikaris gave up his intention to attend all four academies and enrolled only in the Magic Academy.

Once everyone had turned in their registration forms, Miss Kiwi looked over the contracts, twice, to make sure everything was in order. Finally, nodding to herself she put the papers away. “It’s strange. On the day of the beginning of the new school year, after the Great Wall had fallen and dozens of kingdoms had been invaded, a lucid Crawling-Thrall appeared in Tartarus Shade. Who not only passes the talent-probe test, but can also read and write with proficiency. How strange, suspicious, one might even say.”

“Anything else, we should know about? I mean something that’s not just your conjecture, but actually relevant to us?” Ikaris asked.

Miss Kiwi scowled. She took out two sheets of parchment and a key, and slammed it on her desk. “The first year’s curriculum and a map of campus is on this paper. The second paper is the academy’s writ of proof that you are an attending student. Go to the library to pick up the first year textbooks. Here is the key to your dormitory room. The room will be ready in a few hours. Clothes will also be prepared for you. Students are expected to wear the appropriate garments during class. That will be all.” Miss Kiwi sat back down and paid him no more attention.

“Dormitory room?” Malia picked up.

Miss Kiwi slammed another key on her desk. “Oh, I forgot you’re a B-Talent you are entitled to your own room. Silly me.”

“As C-Talents aren’t we supposed to be entitled to our own individual rooms?” Taguchi retorted with a sharp tone.

“They’re all taken. It’s because there are too many applicants this year.”

Ikaris and his companions didn’t believe her. He took the papers and keys and they left without another word. The woman was just another petty person of power who threw their weight around. He had known many.