Chapter 103: Meeting

He sat with his hands resting on his knees, waiting for the Headmaster to continue.

"If there’s something you need to know, I’ll explain what I can," he added.

"Does that include how you acquired the ability?" Joseph asked.

Leon paused before answering. "I’m afraid I would prefer to keep that private for now, sir."

Joseph glanced at the Headmaster, then returned his attention to Leon. "Very well."

Leon had expected further questions, but Joseph left the matter there. The Headmaster moved a sheet of paper aside before continuing.

"We may propose an assessment later. The standard practical exercises aren’t well suited to your circumstances, so we would need to discuss other arrangements. You’ll be able to review the details before agreeing."

"I understand, sir."

"But that can wait. There’s another matter you should be aware of."

Joseph moved, taking a folder from beside his chair and placed it on the desk. He opened it towards Leon, revealing several printed messages with the senders’ details at the top.

"We’ve received several inquiries about you since the disaster," he said. "These are from foreign institutions. Two would like you to undergo an evaluation. The third is asking whom it should contact to discuss a possible training arrangement."

Leon looked over the first page. The wording was formal, with a good deal of space devoted to introducing the institution and very little explaining what the evaluation would actually involve.

"Are these credible institutions?" he asked.

"Yes, and we’ve verified that the messages came through their official channels. We would need to know considerably more before advising you on their offers, but the inquiries themselves give us no reason to suspect hostile intentions."

"Are these the only approaches you’ve received, sir?"

Joseph turned to a separate sheet.

"No. Someone called the academy office asking for your class schedule and the times you normally use the training grounds. They claimed to be arranging a follow-up interview about the rescue."

"I see." He said.

"Of course that information was withheld, you need not trouble yourself. The caller was told to submit a request through the proper channel. We also contacted the organization they named, and it had no record of assigning anyone to interview you."

"We haven’t found out who the caller was. All to say, you will need to be careful too." Joseph said. "It could have been someone trying to arrange an interview without waiting for permission. There could also have been another purpose. All we can establish is that they requested private information using an identity we couldn’t verify."

The Headmaster let Leon finish reading before speaking.

"I wanted you to see both. You shouldn’t have to treat everyone who approaches you as an enemy. Some may have worthwhile offers. But others will try to learn as much about you as they can while giving you very little reason to trust them."

Leon placed the page back in the folder.

His family had discussed much the same thing with him at home. There had been plenty of time for that after everyone had rested, and Alyssa had been quite clear about the difference between someone asking to meet him and someone deciding they should have access to him.

He hadn’t expected the academy to have examples ready already, but the examples themselves weren’t difficult to understand.

Perhaps, the only difference was that his family emphasized safety and treating every stranger as a potential threat.

"Headmaster, do you think they’re more interested in what my ability might become? There are already summoners far stronger than I am."

"I would expect that to account for much of it," the Headmaster said. "The stronger summoners receive offers too, of course."

"But people generally have a better idea of what those summoners can do," Joseph added. "Anyone studying your recordings would still be left with a number of questions."

He paused before continuing.

"We certainly are. Your actions during the disaster suggest several possible uses for the ability. They don’t tell us how it works, or how much further it might develop."

"You don’t need to be the strongest summoner today to be worth approaching," the Headmaster said. "If someone believes your cooperation could become valuable in a few years, they may prefer to secure it before anyone else does."

’Of course, and if they can’t get it, some will look for something else.’

Leon didn’t say it aloud. He doubted either man needed him to finish the thought.

"You mentioned an approaching event, sir. Which one?" he asked.

"The National Tournament." The Headmaster drew another document towards him, this one bearing the academy’s name. "Academies across Varen select students to represent them in the competition. Our own tournament helps us assess potential candidates, although the results aren’t our only consideration. With the national event approaching, your name would naturally come up during selection as we had considered. Of course, you also have a right to participate as the winner of the Academy Tournament." He explained.

Leon looked at the document. He had expected more competitions at some point.

"Who attends besides the academy delegations?"

"Students and instructors from the other academies, government representatives, people involved in professional training, and invited organizations. Foreign observers attend too. There’s also public coverage of the matches."

"Hmm, then that means even more exposure." He said. ’If I was so powerful I couldn’t be touched, that would be great... but I’m not.’

"Yes. They could also learn when you’re competing, where our delegation is staying, and when they might be able to approach you," Joseph said. "Some of that information is available through the event itself. Anything beyond the access granted to attendees would still require permission."

The Headmaster nodded. "There would be security, and academy staff would accompany you. You would have support if someone approached you. Even so, you should understand what attending would involve."

Leon waited until the Headmaster had finished before asking, "In that case, sir, would you advise me against participating?"

"Heh. It’s a difficult one, but unfortunately, yes. I recommend that you withdraw from consideration this time."