Chương 76: Finals

Finals came quicker than he could have imagined. He could scarcely believe his first year at the academy was already at an end. It seemed like just yesterday he and his father moved him into his dorm, and he was ecstatic about the mere possibility of being one of Cannabus's chosen 'System Bearing' Champions. Now, looked at him — he had a System, a 'hack' to that System, was many levels above what he should be, and had his own island, and familiar! His actual exams came and went with hardly his notice.

Compared to the excursion on Murder Island or the trainings his father put him through, what was a final, what was a written test or some measly 'field exercise' where an obstacle course was supposed to compare and prepare students for actual adventure? None of it amounted to the experience he had under his belt — and he still had three years to go at this school! When he finished the last of his exams, he went to the registrar and asked to be transferred into elite courses.

The registrar was not at first persuaded by a random first year thinking himself too big for his britches just because he had a System. Once he explained how his father, the Omni-Wizard, had been training him personally and he had just finished a tour of combat against exotic monsters, and how he had his own island recognized by the academy, the registrar became persuaded. Speaking of the island, it had grown considerably in the following month and a half since the final training excursion.

Fang and his dragon group finished their joint exercises with them, Lance having asserted himself as the de-facto leader of all, and returned home, not because they wanted to, but because there were 'some business' to settle back in their homeland. Once that business was over, though, Fang said how they should expect their return for more, and far more grueling, exercises. Lance gave Fang a fist-claw bump and wished them well on their journey.

In the wake of the dragonkin departure, and his assertion of leadership, life returned to normal; the purpose of the aid ship as helping with setting up denominational infrastructure returned and before long, an entire little town emerged at the island's heart.

A church, food storage warehouses, a basic bank, and other such places, not to mention a school, found new life as the island's main district; the island's entirety was divided between dwellings and crop fields; the caves the dragons claimed was cleaned and explored, though of the many miles of tunnels charted, nothing of note was found, eventually leading to parts of the caves being walled off from the island proper. Everything was going well.

with his final exam done, Lance went to heck his mail for the final time. He saw nothing in his mailbox. Whereas many students received care packages from home, from worried and supportative parents, Lance never received anything. Except today, when he found a letter in his inbox. It was from the Planetary Defense Council. After his father had suggested he join with his friend, Penn Vic, should she be enrolled, he had applied to the same position Penn had submitted. For better or worse, this was their response.

He tore into the flimsy letter to read their reply: "Dear Lance Chaucer," the letter began.

"We are pleased to inform you that your application for the position of 'Council Management Trainee' has been accepted. Please report to the Planetary Defense Headquarters building in the city of Tomm in the nation of Morrow for training. Sincerely yours, Joshua Jiggety." He had got in! He didn't remember applying for the 'council management trainee' position, but heck, he would take it! Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Now that he knew what he was doing for the summer on top of the fact his finals were done, what was there for him to do? He had not heard from his father since he walked through the portal at the end of that 'giant corpse killing' excursion — which was, by a long mile, the CRAZIEST damn excursion he had been on, EVER! Had he earned a nice sum of level ups? Of course! But undead demon giants? It downright TERRIFIED him to think that such things existed out there! Which begged the question, what was he to do?

"Well," he mumbled to himself.

"I guess I should find a place for my things." The academy did offer some storage, but those were only for exchange students, or those who had the connections with Student Life. Because returning home wouldn't be realistic, not with his internship beginning sooner than he wanted, he would need to store what stuff he had on his island. It was why, in part, he learned the [Teleport] spell, so he ought to use it.

Back at his dorm, his sign-up sheet nearly burst with signatures, he organized what he could of his belongings and did what he could to lighten the burden. He sold his textbooks back to the student store and gave away a few pairs of his clothes. He also donated the various trinkets and crap he accumulated through the term to the Student Life Store. They would sell the things on the cheap to needy peers, so he always felt good about giving them stuff.

As for the rest of his crap, the clothes he couldn't give away, his adventuring gear, mementos too precious to toss, he brought back to his island, his increased Magical Prowess enabling him to incant [Teleportation] easier, though it remained a hassle. A few hours later, with time for a meal in-between, his room was as clean as the day he moved into it. All that was left to do was finish his last requests for the year. He was about to go out into town with list in hand when he heard a knock at his door.

He answered it to find Penn Vic.

"Oh, hello, Penn? How are finals going for you? I am nearly moved out, myself," he told her.

"Wow! Speedy! I can't believe you took all your finals in one day! You realize you could've spread them out over a week, right?" She seemed genuinly impressed with him. Not that he knew what she saw in him, aside the obvious and superficial.

"I know. I could have but I didn't see a point. All of the courses, maybe with the exception of healing, were easy. I just wanted to get them done and over with; do you want some help in studying?"

"Actually, no. I am on top of things this time. I actually came over to let you know that I was accepted into my internship program! The one with the council over the summer, remember?" She looked thoughtful.

"In fact, have you checked your mail yet? If I heard back, you might have gotten an answer, too!" He grinned widely at Penn.

"I have heard back, actually. I was going to tell you after your finals were done, but — I was accepted, too! It looks like we will be interning together." He laughed and thought it warm.

"You won't be done with me yet, so sorry about that." Penn jumped at him and embraced him in a hug.

"Ah, well, I will just have to find a way to live! Rats!" She wiped away a faux tear.

"What are you going to do now? Go straight to your island or head to Tomm?"

"Oh, I haven't given it much tought. I guess head to the island, yeah? The island is on the way to Morrow, so I should leave there anyway." He got an idea.

"Speaking about that, would you like me to teleport you to the island and we could leave together? I know your dad is probably picking you up, but I wanted to ask you just in case." A giggle from Penn told him she liked the idea.

"I would, but I can't, daddy is missing me and says he wants to spend some quality time together before the internship. He paid for everything this year, so I kind of owe him, you know?"

"I get it. Dear old Omni-Wizard dad paid for my year, so I know the feeling. Not that my dad wants anything to do with me right now... now probably isn't the right time to talk about that! You have finals to study for; if you have the time after everything is said and done, let's grab a drink together?"

"I would love that. Until then, my dear nepo baby!" Lance snorted at her joke. His dad was a somebody, but he didn't let others know about his father without good cause. Nepo-baby. Hilarious! Remembering the request sheet in his hand, he took a deep breath in to settle from the pleasantness of Penn's unexpected visit and her entry into the program, and once he was calmed, he set out to work. Those requests weren't about to fulfill themselves.