Chương 68: Chapter 121: Exchange Semester

The semester finals rolled in without much fanfare or warning. One moment, the students were all studying and working on their magic. The next, finals were just a week away. This was the case for Ryland as much as it was for his students. For even if he didn't really have any courses to study for, he was still technically enrolled. Everyone enrolled at Arcoryx needed some credits to be considered an official student.

As Ryland had completed the vast majority of his credits in his earlier stint at Arcoryx, he only had one thing due. A report on his research. Something he was a bit behind on, unfortunately. The remedy to that wasn't difficult, however. With so much experience he had gathered over the last few months regarding Calamities, Ryland had a bevy of information to put down. He just needed to take his time and organize it all in a way others would recognize it as research.

And not as Ryland encountering Calamities through random chance.

"Sir," Viren said the day after the finals were done.

"Not to nag you, but do you know when you might get to grading our exams?"

"As soon as I finish with my own studies," Ryland said.

"Which hopefully shouldn't take me too long. Grading will take even less time, you'll see."

"Alright, sir." Viren peered curiously at the papers on Ryland's table.

"Is that research on Calamities, sir?"

"Indeed! I'm surprised you were able to recognize it."

"Well, I did see one live…" That was true enough. It had only been a couple of months at most since Ryland had fought and defeated a newborn Calamity. No doubt it was still very fresh on Viren's mind. He and Acrypha were the only students who officially knew about what had happened at the end of the last excursion. They and the rest of the witnesses were all to keep mum about it, as ordered by Headmaster Alaric. The truth would just unduly alarm people.

Ryland wasn't keen on hiding things, but he also wasn't keen on trumpeting the truth around. That said, Ryland was glad that things appeared to be going smoothly for both Acrypha and Viren. There had been some disagreements between the two, some uncertainty and anger, and even fear in the case of Acrypha. She was wary of her own magic. Of her own Soul Glyph, to be exact. But over time, things had mellowed out. Ryland was glad for it. They were both good children, and he was happy to help them where he could.

"I'm going to miss your class next semester, sir," Viren said slightly morosely. Acrypha entered his office and closed the door behind her.

"You can always finish up your studies and become his apprentice graduate student once sir becomes a full-fledged Academ."

"I suppose. But I don't know if I'm smart enough to do anything like that." They both stared at Ryland, though he got the sense it was for different reasons.

"We will see," Ryland said.

"I needed decades to become what I am today. If the same is your goal, then your dedication needs to be meteoric."

"I don't think anyone can become something like you, sir," Viren said.

"You're simply… too you."

"I will take that positively." Acrypha laughed lightly. Viren whirled to face her with a frown.

"And what's your plan when you're done with the academy? Run off to your family estate and luxuriate?"

"How long did you need to learn the word luxuriate?" Acrypha asked.

"I've known it for years!" Acrypha rolled her eyes. They forgot about Ryland for a while as they bickered, slowly heading towards the office door. But they paused just before exiting.

"Sir, are you excited to head to Rhel?" Viren asked.

"We're getting a whole exchange semester at their institute!"

"Unlike you," Acrypha said.

"Sir might have already visited Rhel. It might not be new to him." They both looked at him again, questioningly this time.

"I've been to Rhel before, yes," he said. Their questioning looks didn't abate.

"It was a… complicated experience." Now their eyes turned wide and bright, lit with the fire of curiosity. Ryland sighed. He supposed he could indulge them for a little bit. But just as he began taking a deep breath before launching into an explanation, both Viren's and Acrypha's expressions quickly morphed into one almost of regret.

"That's alright, sir," Acrypha said quickly.

"You appear to be very busy. We'll hear about it some other time."

"Right!" Viren was almost faster than Acrypha in heading out.

"See you later, sir!" And then they were both gone. Ryland had to make an effort to pull down his arched eyebrows. Had he scared them off somehow? Such an odd pair. Maybe it made sense they hung around him so often. For now, Ryland focused on finishing up his report on his research and the progress he had made. He finished on the last day of the semester. It wasn't that he was slacking.

The work needed was just rather intensive and he had opted to be as thorough as possible, perhaps doing significantly more work than was strictly necessary. This had obviously led to him taking longer than needed. The official policy was that Ryland had to submit the report to his mentor. In other words, he needed Hertitius Heldon, the ever-sleeping High Academ of Arcoryx City, to grade it. In the plush and drowsy office of Heldon, Ryland deliberated for a moment.

He was already pushing things a bit with his off-kilter time management. If Heldon let it get too late, Ryland would… well, he of all people wouldn't really get into any sort of trouble. He had a certain feeling that, after stopping Calamities and Living Mana Incursions, no one would really care if his report submission was late. But that reeked of nepotism and he would rather avoid that if at all possible. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

In the end, Ryland sighed and recalled that Heldon hadn't actually let him down once yet. So, he left the report on his mentor's large table.

"If you could get that graded before the end of tomorrow, High Academ," Ryland said.

"I would be tremendously grateful." Ryland almost forgot about it the next day, all because it was nearly time for them to head out. The exchange semester Viren was so excited about was almost upon them, and the academy was in a bit of a frenzy to get everything ready and set out on time. It almost reminded Ryland of the good old days when the Prime Minister had visited. Only to be promptly attacked by insurgents from the neighbouring nation of Kurin. But they had taken care of that. Well, Ryland had.

Now, however, security was extra-tight. There were Mage Knights and even a Sentinel accompanying the group of students selected for the trip. Every student had their backgrounds double and triple checked by the academy to prevent another Alendra situation. A roster of Academs, including High Academs and sub-Academs, were picked to accompany them all too. The group included Ryland, which was why he was distracted the whole day as well. He didn't really have a great deal to take with him.

Travelling between Realms as often as he did necessitated that he travel lightly. So, he ensured that everything of importance was within the pocket Realm he could access at any time. It held everything he could ever need.

"You have a history on Rhel, don't you?" Headmaster Alaric asked. He had called in Ryland to have a final chat before the academy's departure for Rhel. Ryland thought back to when he had created Rhel from scratch.

"Somewhat, yes." Alaric looked very sceptical of the somewhat.

"I won't pry into the details, sordid or not they may be. However, I will ask if they will cause issues or not." Ryland arched an eyebrow.

"Well, I believe they have a reason for insisting I accompany the academy contingent to Rhel."

"And you have a reason for going."

"Of course." Ryland held up his latest procurement that he pulled out of a tiny rift.

"The same reason I'm here at the academy, essentially." Alaric squinted at the tiny white chunk.

"Is that bone?

"His eyes were unreadable." Your bone?"

"Including a bit of the marrow, yes. I intend to absorb it soon, before we depart. One of my Golbirds returned recently and brought me this." Alaric slowly shook his head.

"Rhel is still an unknown entity. It's why we're taking the security measures that we have to ensure everyone is protected. But if I am to be honest, then you accompanying them is what truly sets my heart at ease, Ryland."

"Rest assured, Headmaster," Ryland said.

"No one from Arcoryx will come to harm so long as I'm present." Alaric slowly nodded.

"I'm trying not to think of things with such… political ruthlessness. But thank you." They lapsed into a short silence for a bit, where Alaric stared out of his window and off into the distance. Ryland waited patiently for a while for the Headmaster to say anything else. Maybe he was deliberating on whether to say more, to reveal more.

"You know, things have been rather tumultuous since you've arrived, Ryland," Alaric said.

"Fate certainly has it out for you, doesn't it?"

"One could assume as such, yes," Ryland admitted, even though he had dealt with Fate directly.

"It's been the most trying time of my tenure as Headmaster. Everything appears to be fine, but I keep expecting something else to happen. I may have contracted… anxiety." Ryland pursed his lips.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Headmaster." Alaric laughed a little.

"Sometimes I think I'm not cut out for this job at all. Not in its current rendition. Maybe I'm just a pretender, merely holding on for the sake of others. Or perhaps for my own lingering pride. After all, what sort of Primordial-ranked mage crumbles under pressure, Ryland?"

"I have seen many great mages brought low by the toll their efforts take on their mind."

"Mmm."

"What I think, Headmaster," Ryland said.

"Is that you haven't taken a proper break. Not once since the first time I saw you months ago. No mage is a machine. Working on and on endlessly is certain to wear down anyone, grind their exterior to dust and expose their rawest nerves."

"A holiday?" Alaric laughed again, even more mirthlessly.

"A Headmaster of Arcoryx Academy can't ever really go on holiday."

"The mark of a great mage isn't defined by what they can or can't do. Rather, it's by the standards one sets for themselves and those around them."

"That is true indeed. Something I should remember, I suppose." His eyes glinted when he turned to Ryland.

"Archmage Soverius was certainly quotable in his time."

"Certainly, when he wasn't a mad lunatic obsessed with a stolen cauldron." Alaric blinked. Then laughed. This time, the mirth in it drew out a smile from Ryland as well. They were departing to Rhel on one of the inter-Realm spell circles that connected all of the Accorded Realms. Everyone had more or less gathered there with bright looks and there was a thread of excitement running through everyone. Yulkaviel, the Second High Adjutant from the Realm of Rhel, was there at the centre.

He was accompanied by his Mage Knight, Solverfel. Everyone else was spread around them. He was the centre of most people's attention at the moment, as they were all very intrigued by what exactly they were going to experience in an entirely new Realm. Which wasn't to say that Ryland had been left entirely alone. When he had appeared—normally, not popping out of a rift—he was accosted by what felt like most of the gathering. Academs and High Academs had either greeted him personally or nodded at him in recognition.

Several students had called out his name in respectful greetings. Even some of the graduate students going on the exchange semester had come over to talk with him.

"Alendra would have jumped at the chance to go," Linsby said with a sigh.

"Shame she dropped out of the academy. I still don't understand her rationale."

"You should speak with our Headmaster," Ryland said.

"I think he shares some of that… rationale."

"Great Gods forbid the Headmaster ever decides to go on an extended sabbatical!" That was the official reason they were going with for Alendra's disappearance. She had decided to go on a leave. A near permanent one. Of course, not everyone was accepting a simple explanation like that. But it wasn't like they had other means of gathering information. They'd just have to accept the truth that Ryland and the academy went with.

"She's not really on holiday, is she?" Sint asked.

"You don't sound surprised," Ryland said. Her whiskers flicked on their own.

"I could smell it on her. The stench of something… not quite from this world. The scent of determination that went above everyone else's."

"And you never told anyone about it."

"None of those are recriminating on their own." Her leonine eyes thinned in his direction.

"The amount of things I smell on you…" She shuddered rather exaggeratedly. Ryland chuckled and shook his head.

"Yes, I'm aware."

"Where is she now, Ryland?" She sounded like she was positive that he knew, which he did, of course.

"Where did you take her?" He considered how to answer that question. After all, he couldn't blithely start telling her about everything that had happened. Well, he could. But they didn't have the time. Ryland wasn't about to launch into an explanation when an interruption was imminent.

"Wherever she went," he said.

"She will not be coming back. At least not for a long, long time. But for what it's worth, she is neither imprisoned, nor harmed in any way." He paused, considering.

"Well, she's not out of danger, but I believe she has what it takes to survive."

"That tells me everything I need to know." Even Ryland was able to catch the sarcasm in Sint's words. They didn't have time to carry out any further conversation. The leader of their little party, High Academ Tyra, called everyone's attention. Her voice was surprisingly crisp and loud.

"Gather around, everyone!" she said.

"It's time we set off for Rhel!" That brought on a round of cheers as everyone straightened and entered the enormous Inscribed spell circle in the centre of the hall. One of the Academs was merrily explaining to a group of intrigued third-year students about the spell circle. She was pointing out the Glyphs that came alive with the glow of mana.

"That one, ma'am," one of the students said.

"You never showed us the Centreglyph."

"Oh, that! Yes, that's a Soul Glyph, actually."

"A Soul Glyph Inscribed on non-living matter?" another student asked in wonder.

"That can actually work?"

"Well, this one is rather special. It's one of the pioneering developments of magic. There is no record of anyone performing something like this before. Thanks to the other Subglyphs, and a tiny drop of a manasoul, the Soul Glyph at the centre can fire off and activate with the kind of potency needed to allow inter-Realm travel." The students ooh-ed and ahh-ed at the explanation. Ryland nodded along. Clearly, the Academ was well versed in the matter. He wondered what course she taught.

"What Soul Glyph is that, ma'am?" the first student asked.

"Oh, right," the Academ said, like she had forgotten to explain the most vital bit.

"That's a Soul Glyph of Rift." Sint was listening in on the conversation as well, going by how she whirled around to face Ryland. He blinked at her heavily suspicious expression.

"Ryland," she said.

"What is it?" he asked. Before she could voice her question, however, the spell circle activated. Energy whirled around them with increasing intensity. An instant later, they were all transported to Rhel.