Glan Natural Science Academy

“Junior brother, don’t think too much of it. It’s just how mentor is. He isn’t good at expressing his feelings.” 

On the way back, Satro comforted Ryger. 

From time to time, young scholars would stop in their tracks and bow to Satro. The culture of respecting teachers in the Academy was strong.  Every time he encountered familiar students, Satro would show them his trademark smile – a sharp contrast of a dark face and white teeth. He saw these scholars as the Academy’s future.   

Ryger had a pained expression.

  “Is there only senior brother Peerless in the eyes of mentor?” 

Thinking of Peerless’ warm care towards him, Ryger’s grumbling emotions changed to loss. He even felt inferior. He was like Anna, who was envious of the Light god – helpless and unable to do anything.   

Compared to all the sagas of the senior brother Peerless, his achievements’ weren’t worth mentioning at all. 

Satro patted Ryger’s shoulder. 

“Junior brother, mentor once said that this world itself is unfair. Some people weren’t just born superior to everybody else, they also worked harder than others. They are true geniuses. To live under the sky as them is a tragedy for the mediocres. No matter how hard we try, we can never surpass them!”

  Satro’s words made Ryger feel the boundless despair inside him, and birthed unwillingness and resistance.

  Tragedy for the mediocres?

  No matter how hard you try, you can’t surpass? 

In Ryger’s eyes, the scene a month ago when senior sister Enid brought him to her house and he met Peerless emerged. Peerless made him feel heartfelt admiration. He listened to Peerless’ tales of dominating the 6 great academies. Geniuses of the Big Six paled in comparison to Peerless to the point where he felt loneliness and solitude because of a lack of competitors. 

Compared to Peerless, what was he… 

If he were Mentor Kubo, he would be proud too of a disciple like Peerless. 

Ryger clenched his fist. But after thinking of senior brother Peerless, he didn’t even have the courage to scream out. He desired Mentor Kubo’s recognition. Even if it were only a sliver of senior brother Peerless’ part, he would be content. 

Suddenly, Ryger stopped in his tracks.

  “What’s wrong, junior brother?” 

Ryger looked at Satro and clenched his teeth. For a moment, he was resolute. 

“As long as I can be like senior brother and get the first place of the Academy’s honour roll and crush all students of the Big Six, mentor will surely treat me like senior brother Peerless and look at me differently!” 

Satro looked at Ryger deep in his eyes. 

In an instant Satro saw a lot in Ryger’s eyes and so did Ryger from Satro. 

  “Junior brother, you must remember, from the moment we entered the Academy, we have taken onto ourselves the Academy’s mission of passing on the torch. In the same manner, no matter how mentor treats us, he will also take on the responsibility of passing on the torch and pass on all his knowledge to us! If we don’t get his attention, then we have only ourselves to blame, not him.” 

Satro’s spoke sincerely and once again touched Ryger’s shoulders. 

……

  Ryger was lying, tossing, turning and unable to sleep. 

He was tormented. He had made senior brother Peerless his goal. He had tried very hard the past days, but to reach his goal… it was hardly enough.  

The gap between wasn’t something that can be bridged by hard work. 

What to do? 

The experience of making natural specimens over the days was like a whirlpool, spinning and spinning inside Ryger’s mind. One by one they appeared in front of his eyes but he couldn’t catch anything.   

“Ah….”

  Irritated, Ryger sat up from the bed.

  Moonlight passed through the glass window and shone on the wooden floor. Ryger walked bare-footed to the window and looked at the vast night sky in the distance. His heart gained temporary peace.. 

Hoot hoot hoot. 

In the silent night sky, the sounds of owls’ hooting were doubly clear. 

Ryger was taken aback. He turned his head over only to see a figure who was hidden in the darkness and had an owl and a craw on his shoulder.  Like a ghost, the figure floated towards Ryger. 

“Ahh!” 

Ryger jumped in fright and retreated. But then out of nowhere, his mouth was covered by somebody behind him. 

Amidst Ryger’s frightened struggle, the figure behind him made a sound of doubt.

Ryger’s mind was overclocking. Who sneaked into his room silently? What will happen to him?

Creak. 

As if blown by the wind, the glass window opened and the ghostly figure outside floated in. Ryger couldn’t see the figure’s face clearly . The only thing he saw was the eerie green eyes of the owl on the shoulder as well as a… crow with blood-red eyes?       

“Hmm?”

After seeing Ryger, the figure only made a sound of doubt.

Apparently recognising Ryger, the figure then used an old voice to ask the owl on his shoulder, “Are you sure this is the place?” 

The owl nodded seriously and said, “Hoot hoot. Yes, this is the place. He is one of the witnesses of that murder case.”

  With an affirmative answer, the figure who floated into the room through the window furiously looked behind Ryger.  

“You old man, isn’t this your new disciple. Are you still afraid that he can’t keep his mouth shut?” 

“Eh?” 

A small cluster of bright light appeared. Ryger’s mouth was still covered by that large strong hand and he was still unable to move. Thereafter, a familiar figure walked out from behind Ryger. It was… Mentor Kubo who had a dumbfounded look? 

And the figure in front of him who floated through the window was Mentor Kubo’s good friend, the vice head-of-year – Mentor Brimstone? 

What are these two old fellows doing barging into his room in the middle of the night?  

“Ryger?” 

Kubo slowly released the palm covering Ryger’s mouth. The corners of his eyes were twitching. With his expression, he might as well have the ‘awkward; written on his face. 

In shock, Ryger irresistibly said, “M-mentor, what are you doing1?” 

Ryger couldn’t believe it. The mentor who didn’t care about him 4 hours ago barged into his room in the middle of the night. He was shocked to death!

  “Uh…” 

Kubo looked at Brimstone then awkwardly said, “How could I have known that it would be so coincidental and came to his place!”    

Next, Kubo looked at the pitiful Ryger who looked like he was greatly aggrieved. He then thought of his indifference towards him some time ago and the fight with Adva that followed… his head was going to explode. Crankily, he said, “Of all places, why would you choose here! Don’t you know how chaotic this place is? You won’t even know how you die in the future. Do you want me to come and collect your corpse?” 

Ryger said aggrievedly, “Because… the rent here is cheap.”

  Kubo waved his hand and impatiently said, “Fine, fine. Mentor Brimstone and I have an important task and we need to borrow your room. Just stay there quietly.” 

Brimstone, who had an owl and a crow standing on his shoulders, gave Kubo an angry look and grunted, “Are you sure this will work? If we mess up this time, the Church will have an excuse to interfere in the Academy’s matters. For five albinos to be attacked consecutively, it must be the Dark World’s remnants of sorcerers collecting spiritual sacrificial offerings.  The Church’s arbiters aren’t something that can be dealt with easily.”

Gubo made a dignified expression.

“With Cayleigh’s abilities of disguise and my special magic tools, those sorcerer remnants will not be able to detect any anomalies!” 

Ryger listened quietly to their exchange.

  Albinism is a relatively rare pathological change in humans and is also a mutation. 

The mutant’s body hair and skin will be white due to a lack of pigments and cannot withstand direct sunlight. But they can adapt well in the dark and often, they will have a stronger body and some special abilities. One could say that they are one of the rare mutants among human that can adapt well to the world’s environment 

For a month, Ryger had come to learn basic knowledge concerning the sorcerers from the library.  

  First of all, because of the large numbers of human experimentations they conduct, almost every sorcerer possesses a strong body. 

Secondly, sorcerers believe that there are countless “spirits” in the world.  Through “equal” sacrificial trade, and equivalent exchange with these “spirits”, sorcerers will be able to form various horrible sorceries. Of them, the most common and most powerful way of sacrifice was with a blood ritual.   

Thirdly, the organs and limbs of albinos are one of the high-level offerings.

For this reason, albinos usually flee to Aurora to avoid getting killed by evil sorcerers. A few of them settle down in the natural academies and received protection from the principalities’ royal scholars. 

“Hiss. Does this mean that the deceased person I saw that night was actually an albino?”