Glan Natural Science Academy

Down the platform, the new students crowded the square. 

Atop the platform, twenty-odd mentors who wore wide robes looked at the new students who came to the Academy for further studies. Who knows how many of them would be able to successfully complete the graduation test three years later and vie for the Academy’s honour. 

Ryger was looking at Mentor Kubo who had an owl standing on his shoulder as well as at an old man whose shoulder was stood upon by a black crow. 

He knew that Mentor Kubo and the old man would be responsible for this batch of new students. 

As the head of year, the current students; results in the graduation test three years later would have a large effect on the two’s future. Whether Kubo would be able to rise to the position of vice-chancellor and even whether he would be able to join the Royal Committee on Fellowship will depend in part on it.  

The various class instructors on the platform were led by only the duo.

  “It’s a pity that senior brother Satro has only obtained the rank of a natural scholar and can’t become a class teacher. Otherwise, I can go take the class1 Not really sure what the term for it is but Ryger wants to be like this guy https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/the-man-who-snuck-into-the-ivy-league-without-paying-a-thing/386917/[/efnnote] without being registered.”

Ryger sighed.

Initiate, natural, arcane, mystic.

Other than the academic certificate for a natural scholar which is issued by the Academy, obtaining academic certificates for higher academic ranks requires one to go through the royal fellow’s strict tests. The test requirements were extremely harsh and it was impossible for it to be falsified. One could pass the test only by completing various trials using academic studies and obtaining the most rational assessment. 

“Quiet!”

The person who shouted was none other than Mentor Kubo on the platform.

As if being watched by a terrifying ancient proteus, an inexplicable pressure on the soul swept through. The new students who became quiet made serious expressions and even their breath became wary and cautious.

Everybody could clearly feel the fearsomeness of the old man on the platform!  

Kubo slightly restrained his sharp gaze. With his black glass frame blocking the crow’s feet around his eyes, he overlooked the several hundreds of new students and his heart roiled. 

For the next three years, these little tykes will be under his full responsibility. 

Their results will not just affect themselves but were also something to show for him to the Academy, as well as his exam sheet for the Royal Committee on Fellowship.

“Meow, that little guy is here.” 

Cayleigh was referring to none other then Ryger 

Kubo felt something and looked over. With an accidental glance, Kubo found Ryger, who had no special qualities so to speak of among the many scholars. He was like a short grass among many beautiful, resplendent flowers. If not for Cayleigh, Ryger wouldn’t have caught Kubo’s attention. 

“Humph, since he’s my disciple, even if he is a muggle, I’ll make him stand on the shoulders of giants. But before that, let’s temper him first.”

Kubo glanced at the old man beside him and after exchanging gazes briefly, nodded slightly. He looked once again at the many scholars down the platform, seeing eyes full of longing, craving, expectations. 

“Hello! I am your head of year, Kubo. For the next 3 years, you will all receive the Glan Natural Sciences Academy’s education programme for initiate students. This will be done through a team of mentors which will be led by me and Mentor Brimstone. I hope that you will be able to find an academic discipline that will be yours in this old academy. I also hope that through continuous, constant hard work, you will all be able to finish your graduation test, fulfil your self-value and fight for glory for the Academy!”

To Kubo’s side, the vice head of year who had a black on his shoulder, Mentor Brimstone, smacked his lips, took down his tobacco pouch, nodded slightly and merely smiled.

At the same time, Kubo couldn’t help but think of the scenes of his coming to study here 270-something years ago. All of it was still vivid in his mind, as if it only happened yesterday. 

First of all, it’s necessary to objectively admit that there are different starting points in life and that fate is unfair.

Some people are born wise. They are driven by seemingly limitless curiosity and their fountain of inspiration flowed never-endingly. And even the strength of their energy field when they were born far surpasses everybody. They were known to be born scholars. 

Some people are rich. They don’t need to worry about the experimental supplies and can obtain even precious supplies easily. To them, what others consider to be rare, unusual specimens was something that they are used to seeing. 

And him? 

His once glorious and powerful family had already lost everything by the time it was his generation. The great Lord had forgotten his most loyal servant. What was fortunate was that a bunch of atheistic scholars had emerged silently. 

Father had pinned all hopes of revitalizing the family on himself. But the money father could provide to him was merely 5 gold coins and 70-plus silver coins. 

One could say… 

That he came to the Academy with nothing at all and studied with those scholars who had loads of crystal stones. 

In those arduous times, ever since he entered the Academy as a laggard, he had relied on pure, determined effort. All of his experimental specimens were collected by him alone. A set of experimental equipment that he desired was only bought 3 months later when he made his mind up. His first spacebox was a gift from his class teacher when he became a disciple one year after enrolment… 

However! 

In the graduation test 3 years later then, he was naturally already a bigshot in the top 10 of the honour roll and had gained the recognition of many students and mentors alike! 

Kubo gazed at the children down the stage. 

How many of them will be like him back then? How many will change their destiny with knowledge? 

All kinds of distracting thoughts caused him to be out of it for a moment.  

Kubo didn’t act as stern as he normally would and leisurely said, “The Academy has always adhered to the idea of ‘respecting the teachers and passing on the torch’ because it believes that as long as the future scholars stand on the foundation of the knowledge of those before them and respect their will, and explore unceasingly and relentlessly, they will be eventually be able to peel away the layers of truth of natural knowledge. They will be able to let this world not be ignorant and lost. Rationality, wisdom and brilliance will finally shine on this land!” 

The young scholars down the stage just listened passively to the aged mentor’s deep and sincere speech, which, to them, was dull, long and dry. They tried to make themselves look interested. 

Compared to the old man’s yapping, what the young scholars were really looking forward to the class meet at night.  

“I also hope that as a member of the Glan Natural Sciences Academy from today onwards, you all will be able to pass on the Academy’s will and stand on the stairs of knowledge created… even more…

 Ryger was surprised.

In his impression, Mentor Kubo was a taciturn person.  

Today, however, the usually rigid and untalkative Kubo actually talked on for an hour in his entrance ceremony speech. In the eyes of the scholars under the platform, he was a nagging codger. They were getting impatient. 

It was not until near noon that it was the turn of the vice head of year’s turn.

  Compared to Kubo’s long-winded speech, the vice head of year was much more leisurely and relaxed. He just jocularly spoke a few sentences then began to read out the list of students in each class.   

More than 600 people were assigned to 20 classes. Every class had 30 people on average.  As the names were read out one after another, the students who were called went to the teachers of their corresponding class.

“He he, I finally found you!” 

Suddenly, Ryger, who was silently paying attention to the entrance ceremony beside Auen, was tapped on the shoulder.

He turned his head. It was Enid, who was smiling cheekily.

She was followed by several men and women – senior scholars, obviously – with calm, composed expressions. The way they looked at the newly enrolled initiate students was laced with haughtiness.

The surrounding lower year scholars naturally backed away.

“Senior sister!”

Ryger responded with surprise. His gaze naturally turned to the unicorn that a female student behind Enid was riding on. Noticing the humanized smugness in the horse’s gaze, Ryge knew that this was a medium partner and enviously averted his gaze. 

“Senior sister, why are you here?”

Enid pouted and complained, “Hmph, after you left, I was confined by the old man for three days and was not allowed to go out. It was boring as hell! Today, school starts, and my friends invited me to the Accipit Jungle to collect specimens, so the old man no longer has a reason to control me. I took the opportunity to come over and visit you!” 

As she spoke, Enid smoothed the creases around Ryger’s collar. Satisfied and happy, she said, “Mn. I didn’t notice it but after wearing clothes, you look a lot more energetic. Not bad, not bad!” 

In response to her natural and intimate action, Ryger smiled embarrassedly and didn’t know what to say. 

Seeing Ryger acting this coy, Enid was slightly stunned. She then thought of something and smiled even more.

Immediately, Enid pretended to be a mature adult. Trying hard to not laugh, she patted Ryger’s shoulder and made an affectation. “In these few days when I’m out, learn properly from senior brother. I’ll give you a natural specimen as a gift when I come back in a few days!”  

“Ok!”

With a face full of smile, Ryger nodded. 

Enid seemed to be greatly satisfied and made a pleased expression. She turned to her company and told them, “This is my junior brother, Ryger. If you meet him outside in the future, take care of him. If I know that if any one of you bullied him, I’ll fight you till the end of time!” 

They rolled their eyes. 

A male scholar with a black wand said speechlessly2, “Only you would do something like bullying the junior students.”

“Hey! Dallar, talk to me properly. What was that about bullying the lower year scholars?” 

Among the noise of laughter, the few upper-year students left the square without caring about the gaze of the lower-year students. After Enid and Co. left, Auen talked animatedly. 

“Wow, Ryger, you’re really lucky, huh! To think that you have a senior sister that takes care of you this much. Say, do you have extra senior sisters that you can introduce to me? Hahaha!”

Teased by Aoun, Ryger embarrassedly muttered, “senior sister really treats me well and takes good care of me.”   

With a “hmph”, Auen looked at the happy Ryger and said, “Well, they’ve just called my name so I’ll be going. Learn well from your initiate tutor. Even though our areas of study are different, we can still interact with each other a lot in the future. If you have any problem, go to class 4 and look for me!” 

“Ok!” 

Looking at Aoun’s moving figure, Ryger carried the glass case tadpoles in it and turned to leave.

Footnotes