Chapter 19: Work
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Tennesh
Saul could not be blamed for letting Niya take Anfey to the Mage Academy. In fact, the academy was behind the Mage Union, and it wasn’t far from Saul's home. Niya was too lazy to take a carriage, so she directly broke into the Mage Union. Yes, she broke into the Mage Union… Every magician in the union was greeting Niya with big smiles, so Niya reached the back door of the Mage Academy without wasting any effort.
Anfey never thought he’d go back to school again. He was laughing in his heart while curiously looking at the students coming and going. Anfey wondered whether these students had the habit of writing mottos on their desks. If they did, what would they write? Dirty poems were not an option, mischievous words could not be written either, what were they going to write? ‘Do Better Every Day’?
The students coming and going were more curious about Anfey. Niya was no ordinary girl, so almost everyone knew her. They couldn’t help but be surprised when they saw Anfey and Niya walking side by side, speculating Anfey’s origins.
In fact, the Pan Continent Mage Academy was mainly open to civilians; the truly powerful people wouldn’t be here. They could have a few or even a dozen private teachers, or find ways to make their children be the students of top mages or high-level archmages. Those who had no other option came to learn at this academy.
Niya never went to the Swordsman Academy. Three children of the king of the Maho Empire were mages, and they never stepped into the Mage Academy. What did the court archmage do? Were they kept around just to be used? Saul’s status in the Maho Empire was so high because, in addition to having strength, he was the teacher of the three princes of the Maho Empire. Even the king of the Empire, Mr. Yonlada, listened to Saul’s guidance, and he said that it wouldn’t be too excessive to say Saul was the second most powerful man. Even when the prime minister was in front of Saul, the prime minister had to be polite.
If Anfey’s skills reached the level of a mage, even if only the initial stage, Saul would not let Anfey go to the Mage Academy. Anfey's strength was too weak, so he had to spend some time to absorb all kinds of basic knowledge. This way, in the future, he could be expected to make certain achievements.
Even so, the admission requirement of the Mage Academy was still very tough. Apprentices were not qualified to be trained in the Mage Academy. Saul took advantage of his influence to get Anfey in. Anfey also understood what was happening.
Through the shade, an isolated small building became visible. This small building looked very old. A place about a meter from the top of building was filled with a full circle of moss. The roof was covered with creepers, and some windows even had weeds.
Niya opened the door and went in. Anfey quickly followed. Although he held no grudge and his magic skill was at low level, he was very sensitive. Anfey felt the small building had strong magical fluctuations, and these fluctuations were ten times more powerful than the fluctuations from when Saul fought Anti-Fire Dragon. If there was a magic array inside, and he stepped into it, then he would be dead before he knew it.
Niya walked up to the second floor, and she stopped before a black door. She knocked twice and pushed the door open before anyone answered her knock.
"I was wondering who it might be. So it is Miss Pearl from the Holy City. Come to see this old man?" An old voice came out.
"Uncle Steger, you have not been to my house for a long time," said Niya.
"Your father held the title of dean but did nothing. He put everything on my shoulders; how could I have the time?
"So, ah, when I go back, I will tell my father that you have been complaining about him!"
"Haha... Niya, why don’t you introduce me to your guest?" Steger quickly shifted the topic.
"He is Anfey, and he wanted to go to the Mage Academy. My father said to let Uncle Steger make an arrangement."
"Uncle Steger, hello," said Anfey, smiling.
"Hello." Steger nodded.
"Well, I have brought you here, so there is nothing else, right?" Niya clapped. "Then I should go now?"
"Come on? You just get here and you want to leave. Am I too old for you?"
Niya grimaced, then turned and walked out. It was not that she despised Anfey, she was just ignoring him. No matter how Saul tried to convince her otherwise, in her mind Anfey was nothing but a lesser man, so she did not need to ask Anfey’s opinion.
Steger looked at Anfey, slightly surprised, but he was in control. "You are Anfey, right? Saul has informed me, and I have been waiting for you. "
"Uncle Steger, sorry for the inconvenience," said Anfey respectfully.
"Not at all." Steger pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "But... some things are not easy for me to do. You are just a magic apprentice, right?"
"Yes."
"Placing you in the first level magic class is not impossible, but today you came to the Academy with Niya. Many people think that you are Saul’s apprentice… The news will come out sooner or later. Since the establishment of the Maho Empire’s Mage Academy, it has only been open to mages. This is the number one rule of the school, and it cannot be violated. If people knew that Saul used his power to send his apprentice to get to the Mage Academy, I am afraid... If this news spread, there would be some bad rumors about Saul. Do you understand what I mean? "
"Yes, I understand." Anfey smiled and asked, "Uncle Steger, can I work in the Mage Academy? Just let me go to the library to read the magic notes, so I can work while learning magic. If I am not a student, then it will not negatively influence the archmage. "
"You misunderstood me." Steger smiled and shook his head. "Although the basic magic skills are very simple, they are also very important. If there is no one to guide you, you could easily take the wrong path. If learning through the magic notes was sufficient, then it wouldn’t be necessary for Saul to send you here. You could just learn at Saul's house. Haha… Although Saul's private collection may lose out to the library’s in quantity, it definitely wins in terms of quality. Almost every book is useful, unlike the library here. I can frankly say that at least half of the library's books are scraps, not worth wasting the energy to read."
"Uncle Steger, then what do you mean..."
"I mean that you do not need to go to the first level magic class. You can directly come to me when you come to school every day. I will find a few teachers to tutor you individually. When you become a first level mage, then you can learn together with everyone. Is that okay?"
Anfey thought for a long while. "Uncle Steger, thank you for your kindness. But all of these arrangements just for me… I will feel bad. Uncle Steger, please just let me work here. I believe in my ability. When I become a first-level mage, I will come to you again."
Steger could not help but shocked by Anfey politely declining his good intentions. Special tutoring by a few teachers was an opportunity only those big aristocratic family's children could enjoy. In Steger’s opinion, Anfey's response was like not knowing chalk from cheese.
"Anfey, I hope you can reconsider. You do not have to rush your answer," Steger said slowly. He was willing to help Anfey just because Saul asked him to. Not only did Saul Saul to him personally, but he also had his daughter take Anfey here, which meant Saul took Anfey very seriously! Although Steger did not understand why Saul paid so much attention to a magic apprentice, helping his old friend was his responsibility. In fact, Saul sending Anfey to the academy would cause gossip and hurt Saul’s reputation. Steger used his power to arrange a few teachers to tutor Anfey. The consequences were the same! Because of this, Saul would be criticized and his reputation would be damaged. Seeing Anfey refusing his kindness, Steger was very upset!
"Uncle Steger, please let me try," Anfey sincerely said. "If I really can rely on self-study to become a mage, then I can avoid a lot of trouble. If it doesn’t work, I will come back to you again."
The day Saul set off to fight Yagor, he felt nervous. After Saul confirmed that Yagor was dead, he felt relieved and let his heart open. Seeing Anfey’s loyal and incomparable performance, it was natural to accept Anfey. On the other hand, it was the same for Anfey. Putting aside all kinds of differences, Anfey spent thousands of days and nights on the island. His inner loneliness could not be described with words, so he accepted that Saul and Ernest truly cared about him. He also let go of the wall around his heart, fully accepting Saul and Ernest. It could be said that Anfey had taken Saul and Ernest as his own kinsfolk.
Anfey could accept the help of Saul and Ernest, but did not want to owe others, even if it would hurt Saul’s reputation. This was the reason Anfey refused Steger’s good intentions.
Steger looked at Anfey for a long time. "I hope you will not regret your decision today."
"Well..." Anfey scratched his head and smiled. "If I still cannot become a mage within three months, then I will come back to bother you." Anfey was admitting being defeated. If he replied that he would not regret it, Steger may be disgraced. If he showed that he lacked the confidence, it would ease the atmosphere between them.
"Kid..." Steger grinned. "Well, that's it. I've been looking for a servant, and this work is being handed over to you. I am old, but my body is always healthy. I have nothing that needs to be taken care of. You will have a lot of time to read books at the library. If you have something you do not understand, you can always find me." Steger feared that Anfey would think the identity of a servant was too low, once again refusing his kind offer. So he implied to Anfey that he did not need to be taken care of and Anfey could go to the library to read books.
"Uncle Steger, thank you so much." Anfey bowed to Steger, although this bow was really sincere, but he was tired of being a kid and wanting to return to a normal adult.
"Great." Steger grinned. He searched the table and took out a card. "It's proof of being able to go in and out of the library, so you can start working now."