Chương 40: The Great and Mythical Oracle Academy

Since Rosalyn came to visit us, it had completely fallen upon me to entertain her. The institution was closed today, but at Rosalyn's insistence, I brought her along for sightseeing—to show her around the place, tell her where I practised, and with whom. Eran and Diana tagged along after our morning practice. All they remembered of my aunt was the spell where she created snowflakes, and were eager to see what else she could create now.

Despite the institution being closed, there were still dozens of young boys and girls on the field, practising their skills to gain better control over them or simply earn a few attribute points to make life easier. Half of the pupils weren't even there for mastery; only a fraction of the total number of students wanted to pursue higher education and a more ambitious life. With Rosalyn accompanying us, more than a couple of heads turned in our direction.

In spite of her arrant nature, my aunt was pretty and foreign enough to catch people's gazes. She also carried a particular haughty air, the kind so common in storybooks about high patrician nobles, making others think twice before approaching her.

"Looks like a nice, cosy place," she said, her eyes drifting towards the mountains beyond the buildings.

"It's a bit smaller than I imagined, but the scenery is nice."

"How does the Oracle Academy compare to our faculties?" I asked. Rosalyn spared me a look.

"Compared to the Oracle Academy?" She laughed.

"Merely one of its facilities is bigger than this whole institution and field." Of course, that had to be the case, considering the Oracle Academy was the pinnacle of mystical studies, whereas this was merely the primary.

"As for the whole," my aunt paused, "the Oracle Academy practically controls an entire city for its students and faculty members."

"A whole city?" Eran asked, flabbergasted.

"Is that bigger than Karmel?"

"It is," Rosalyn said, a quirk on her lips.

"How many pupils are even there for it to need a city?" Diana asked. She usually didn't play around on off days, especially not in the morning, when she tended to help around the inn. But her mother had been pushing her into pursuing her mystical powers.

"There are surprisingly not that many," Rosalyn said.

"The Academy only takes about a couple of thousand active students per year, so about eight thousand in total, whereas another thousand or more are faculty members.

"But it isn't just the Oracle Academy, either. There are dozens of other academies under it that take as many, if not more, pupils to train themselves. Then there are the guilds and other organisations with their head posts or branches in the City of Stars. It wouldn't be wrong to say it's the capital city for us awakened. Essentially, every second person you meet there is of the Noble Class."

"No way," Diana gasped.

"Only our instructors are Noble Class, and some other people like Eran's Da and Ari's parents." It was cute that she thought my parents were only Noble Class. But every second person being Noble Class didn't seem to add up, considering that statistically, about one in ten Common Class awakened made it into the Noble Class. Then I remembered that one needed to be of the Noble Class even to stand a chance of being admitted to the Academy. I couldn't help but think that was the case.

The City of Stars was a place for elites. I wondered what living among them would feel like. Costly, I'd assume, and nothing as uneventful as life in Karmel Valley. We played around a bit, trying our hands at archery and sparring in the field. She sparred with us, pointing out where we needed to put more work in. Rosalyn seemed to have delved into various aspects of the Ways, like archery and sword practice, along with her Shaper abilities.

It was only natural—unlike her two elder sisters, she was pushing towards becoming a combat-class Shaper.

"How are you so good at swordsmanship?" Eran asked after being defeated by the girl twice his age.

"Just practice," Rosalyn shrugged.

"And I may not look like it, but I have good stats on physical attributes." That was about it. Eran's swordsmanship was more refined, whereas my aunt had likely learned the basics to defend herself when her essence ran out, or she couldn't cast spells. However, my friend didn't see any of that. Eran clenched his fists, his expression darkening. Honestly, I had no words that could help him. Explaining how Rosalyn overpowered him with higher attribute points wouldn't do much.

Even me getting thrashed by her in the next sparring match didn't help.

"Well, she's a Noble Class fighter," I said.

"Yup," Rosalyn grinned, her eyes wandering towards the other kids.

"You guys are still half a decade away from standing a chance against me." That somehow helped. We sparred some more, Rosalyn pointing out idiosyncrasies she saw in our inexperienced fighting styles, until we found Aleya and Priam in hunting attire, strolling towards the mountains. Aleya was a couple of years younger than Rosalyn. She carried a sword on her hip, while her brother carried a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

"That's the girl who pointed me to the directions yesterday," Rosalyn said, gesturing with her eyes.

"That's Aleya, the Magistratus' daughter," Diana said.

"Instructor Olive said she could make it into the Oracle Academy."

"I haven't seen her for weeks," Eran muttered.

"She used to help me with sparring like you're doing now." Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

"She doesn't come to the institution anymore," Diana informed.

"I heard she and Priam are practising under a private tutor their father hired for them." Our talking and ogling didn't go unnoticed by her, as Aleya was particularly perceptive of her surroundings. She stopped, her eyes lingering on my aunt for a moment before making her way over, pulling her brother along.

"Are you going for a hunt, Priam?" I asked.

"So what if I am?" retorted the Equites boy with a snort. He clearly hadn't taken yesterday's defeat well. Unlike his sister, Priam took the differences between our standing a little too hard. To be fair, he had been raised to believe he would one day rule this town.

"Don't mind him," his sister chided.

"He's in a foul mood today after getting a beating from me. And yes, we're going for a little hunt." She spared her brother a look and decided she didn't need his opinion.

"Do you folks want to tag along? We won't be going much deeper, not with Priam around. He doesn't listen to a word I say." I would be lying if I said I was uninterested, but with Rosalyn with us, I looked to her.

"I guess, why not," she said, noticing my gaze. Eran went to the mountains regularly with his dad, so he didn't complain, while Diana's expression flickered between me and the others as if she wanted someone to voice a concern. She was a very diligent child and listened to her elders well. But in the end, finding no one objecting, all she could do was tag along. Aleya took the lead, being the most experienced at trudging the mountain terrains, while Rosalyn found time to share stories with us.

"Do any of you know this mountain was a restricted zone a century or two ago?" I blinked. Was she talking about the mysteries relating to Althians?

"I think I've heard it from my father in passing," Aleya said.

"It was before my great-grandfather was allocated this land to govern."

"Why was it restricted before?" I asked.

"Why isn't it now?"

"I'm not certain," Aleya replied, her tone uncertain, "but it was probably related to an ancient ruin they excavated. It was also a lawless land, teeming with dangerous creatures. Our forefathers did their best to make it habitable." I couldn't even begin to imagine peaceful Karmel Valley being lawless. The only disruptive things we had here were the ashen storms in summer and autumn, and the rare snowstorms. My aunt hummed in consideration.

"That might be the case, though I've heard all kinds of legends. Some involve Althians and their shapeless gods, others mention worshippers of a forgotten deity named Mercury, who supposedly loved gifting boons to loyal followers." These legends had to have started somewhere. I couldn't dismiss them entirely as hoaxes, especially considering the crown had once restricted the place. I wondered if the ruin was real, though. Even if all of its essentials were looted, it would be a great learning experience seeing it.

It was Priam who did most of the hunting, catching a couple of featherless roroas with his quick bow and masterful archery, while the rest of us talked, climbing the inclined pathways until we reached a clearing near the river. We decided to rest and prepare to roast our meal.

"Is there something you want to know?" my aunt asked Aleya.

"Huh?" Aleya lifted her head from skinning the birds.

"You've been giving me glances from the beginning," Rosalyn said, "looking hesitant about something." Aleya's face turned a shade redder. She fidgeted with her work before finally speaking, "I wanted to ask you about the Academy. I heard that you're a pupil of the Oracle Academy."

"Oh?" my aunt shot her a significant look.

"Are you preparing to take the admission test?"

"Well, yeah."

"Ah, that was a stupid question. Sorry." Rosalyn shook her head.

"Any awakened who has a bit of self-respect for themselves and ambition should at least try to get in there or some other place where they can pursue higher education. So, what do you want to ask me?"

"Anything you can share," the Magistratus's daughter said, blushing.

"Mostly about how hard it is to get admitted and what's taught at the Academy. All this talk my parents and instructors have with me makes it sound like a mythical place full of unicorns."

"Well," Rosalyn said with a laugh, "it's more prestigious or fabled than mythical." She chuckled at her own joke, but nobody joined her.

"But it can be difficult for some people. For some, merely making it there is their life's goal; for others, their life starts from there... On that note, I should add more people make it in than you'd imagine."

"Don't tens of thousands take the admission tests?" Aleya asked, frowning, her work at rest.

"And barely a thousand get in each time?"

"I didn't mean it in that sense," Rosalyn clarified.

"And tens of thousands don't even get to choose to take the test. They're weeded out before that. When I said it's easier than people think, I meant that those who are serious about it have a better chance than others. There are always youths who might not be as talented but make up for it with hard work.

"There are actually junior academies that train Awakened specifically for the admission test. Would you believe it?"

"What kind of Awakened make it into the Academy?" Aleya asked. I focused on my aunt's response, so did my friends. Even Priam, who seemed disinterested in everything else, paid attention. The Oracle Academy just held that much sway.

"Mostly, there are two kinds," Rosalyn said, counting on her fingers. She held up her index finger first.

"First, there are the gifted types. Those who are above the rest in some aspect, be it academics or certain gifts that set them apart. Someone with a Divination gift, for instance, would be admitted without an assessment and even get a scholarship for their studies. I'm guessing you're not secretly heralded by the Oracle?" Aleya's cheeks grew as red as a tomato as she shook her head.

"Well, I'm fairly sure I'm not hiding any latent talents within me, either," she joked with a quick recovery.

"Then you have to try through the other path," my aunt said. She paused for dramatic effect and then held up her second finger.

"There are always more martial types than any other kind. Some among them are talented, while others push through with sheer perseverance and hard work. The trick is not to get dissuaded by failure. Some even take an extra year to get in." Aleya nodded.

"Which group do you fall into?"

"Do I look like the academic type?" My aunt grinned. Her eyes flashed towards me.

"Don't tell Ash, but I almost failed the written exam." I blinked and tucked away that information for future purposes.

"Thank you," Aleya said, exhaling slowly.

"You can't imagine how much your words relieve me. I was sure I'd never make it through the written test."

"As if," Priam snorted.

"Father says even with my Celerity, I barely have a chance of making it. Whereas your Gift... what is it again?" He burst out laughing.

"Let's you hear things more clearly?" Aleya glared at her younger brother, who never seemed to filter his mouth, always blurting out whatever came to mind.

"What is your Gift?" my aunt asked.

"If you don't think it's impolite for me to ask." That reminded me, I didn't actually know what her Gift was, even though I'd known her for a couple of years.

"I don't mind," Aleya replied, biting her lower lip.

"It's Heightened Perception."

"Neat. A friend of mine has something like that," Rosalyn said.

"Does your ability enhance all six senses? Can you see through traps or sense if there's one nearby?"

"Well, for me, it's merely heightened senses," Aleya replied with a sigh. But she didn't linger on the lament for long.

"I can see and hear things clearly from a great distance. The other senses, not so much."

"You'll need to grow your attributes in a certain direction to make it a proper Gift for a Scout." Aleya hesitated and then suddenly burst out, "Will you fight me?" My aunt tilted her head, peering at her.

"I know it's a lot to ask since we don't know each other, but it would be really helpful if you could show me what I need to become to succeed at the Academy." Rosalyn glanced at me. Perhaps she saw something in my expression, or maybe she just wanted to demonstrate her Noble Class powers, her shaping skills, so she agreed.

"I guess there's no harm in a little sparring."

"So," Aleya braced herself, inhaling sharply, "are you going to do it now or after we finish eating?"