Chapter 40 - 39: Choosing Instructors

Chapter 40: Chapter 39: Choosing Instructors

Chapter 39: Choosing Instructors

When the old man finished speaking, he turned his eyes back to the students standing in front of the desk. They moved slowly over them, then he looked at Courfeyrac again and the mage who had brought them in.

"Seems it’s better than you made it sound."

"Of course. A talent this great the Academy hasn’t seen in ages."

The mage pointed at Courfeyrac. "Come here."

Courfeyrac came forward and stood beside him. The mage took some papers from his bag and set them on the desk.

"I’ve already made an agreement with him and he’s accepted. My personal disciple. Finish his procedures so I can go."

The old man looked over the papers and then used a metal tool to examine his eyes. After a few seconds, he said, "High-quality blood, close to the supreme grade. Not bad." He put the tool aside and looked at another sheet.

"Courfeyrac Jolnach. Do you state that you’ve accepted becoming his disciple of your own free will, and by this declare your acceptance of the discipleship rites?"

Courfeyrac looked at the mage a moment.

"I accept."

"Ahaha, excellent, excellent."

The old man wrote a few words on the sheet and sealed it, then took a small black pouch from one of the drawers and pushed it over to him.

"This is yours. Keep it."

Courfeyrac took the pouch, and the mage said at once:

"Why do old men love to drag things out and act so mysterious? I want to get back to my lab. An idea came to me during the trip and I didn’t have what I needed to work on it, and I’ve lost enough time already."

He said it while turning toward the door, then left with Courfeyrac. Many students followed them with their eyes until the door shut. Noah found nothing in it to be surprised at. Since the reception station the Academy had been treating Courfeyrac differently from the rest of the students, and what happened now was just the official shape of that attention.

The old man tapped the surface of the desk with his finger until everyone’s attention came back to him.

"Since the important business is done, it’s time for the side matters."

He opened a drawer and took out a round board with many names carved around its edge. Then he drew out a small clear bottle filled with thick blue berry juice and set it in the middle of the board.

"Best that each of you choose your instructor. There are two ways to do it. The first is this."

One of the students looked at the bottle, then at the old man.

"The bottle?"

"Yes."

The old man took hold of the bottle and spun it over the board. It turned fast, its mouth passing name after name before its motion started to slow, and then it finally stopped, pointing at one of them.

"So. You’ll spin the bottle until it stops facing a certain name, and whoever the name belongs to will be your instructor."

The student kept staring at it dumbly. Was it really that simple?

The old man raised his eyebrows with a sly smile.

"The bottle doesn’t know you. Doesn’t care about your background, your family, or your goals. Isn’t that fair enough?"

The students didn’t answer. They went on staring at the berry bottle in silence.

The old man put the bottle back, then took a thick book from the side of the desk.

"The second way is to choose for yourself. Here are the names of the instructors taking new students, with a note on their specialties and their terms. You can read the guide and pick whoever you want, but that costs one magic crystal."

The moment they heard the price, the whispers started among the students. Some of the children from the stronger houses didn’t change expression, but others looked at each other more openly. One of the students standing near Noah moved a little closer and said, low:

"I knew the crystals would go fast here, but I didn’t think it’d start with picking the instructor."

Noah looked at him.

"I’ve only got one crystal left," the student said. "My family could only give me three before the trip."

Their voices fell silent as the old man resumed speaking.

"Once the instructor is registered, the choice can’t be changed. Don’t come to me in a week if you heard a different instructor was better or didn’t like yours."

Another student raised his hand.

"If I spin and don’t like the instructor, can I pay later?"

"No. It’s final once you use the bottle."

The old man took the list of names.

"Line up."

He looked at the first name and continued.

"Step up."

A student stepped up.

"Which option do you prefer?"

"I don’t have any magic crystals right now. Can I pay later? My blood test result is close to high."

The old man shook his head.

"Don’t waste my time."

He pushed the sheet toward him.

"Hurry up, the line’s long."

The student put his hand on it and spun. The bottle started turning among the names, and he followed its mouth with his eyes until its speed dropped, then it stopped in front of one of the instructors.

The old man read the name and recorded it on the sheet.

"That’s your instructor."

He opened a drawer, took out another black pouch, and tossed it to him.

"Academy robe, your room key, and some basic things. Don’t lose them."

Then he snapped his fingers.

A small red arrow appeared in the air beside the desk, and it hung there a moment before moving toward the door.

"Follow it. It’ll take you to your instructor."

The student looked one more time at the name the bottle had picked, but there was nothing left he could do. He took the pouch and went out behind the arrow.

"Next."

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Note : I hope the story is developing a bit. I know the progress is a little slow, but I’ll make sure to accelerate the pace of events.