Mathematics was a breeze. At least in comparison to spellcrafting and alchemy. Intricate patterns that are to be drawn out in one's mind in seconds to launch a spell, along with chanting the incantation, were the hardest parts of spellcrafting.
And finally, the field exploration class had arrived.
Many nobles had decided to lie back and snooze; it was not like this would matter to them.
But Vicius was different. He couldn't afford to skip out on a single lesson.
Those born in high places could afford to slack off in classes like these. Unless they wished to do so, they wouldn't have to venture into the Isle-lands dimnesion.
Survival out there was not impossible. Human settlements had formed over time, one large enough to even rival the capital of the Empire.
"Class, as I am sure you've heard in your previous educational facilities. The Isle-lands are treasure troves of past civilisations with artefacts that could change the flow of war."
With that statement, the crowd leaned forward a little bit.
"But there would be no point in attaining them if you could never make it back out. That is why my class is important."
From a drawer in his desk, he pulled out an assortment of fruits. Some of which were commonplace in supermarkets.
The others were never seen before by most of the class.
"I would like someone to come up and pick out one of the fruits and eat it."
Everyone was silent.
A teacher asked a group of students to come and eat from an assortment of fruits that could be poisoned.
Among the crowd, only five seemed at ease. Vicius, Delilah, Evie. And the two girls who were fighting in the shared living space the day before.
A flash of light popped up in front of him.
[ Manic Codex: Version 👍︎□︎❒︎❒︎◆︎◻︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ]
[ Level 1: 0/100% Progress ]
[ Current Rank: D ]
[ Manic Corruption: 0% ]
[ Quests: 1 ]
[ Quest type: Consumption - Eat a fruit = Reward: 5%]
'A quest?! Already? Eating a fruit huh? Seems easy enough.'
He was the first to stand up, followed by another irritating scratching noise.
Delilah had joined him in standing. But she was a second too late.
The professor smiled and offered him the option of choosing.
Vicius wasted no time, grabbing the fruit with violet tear patterns that ran along its round body.
Juices filled his mouth. It was sweet, overbearingly so. But it was not poisoned.
"This is the Rodalia, right? It is a fruit native to the spruce forests near the main Isle-lands rift of this Empire."
The old man smiled with glee. A delight only a teacher could feel when a student had paid attention in class.
Vicius tensed for a moment before settling back into his seat. A strange, warm feeling had begun spreading through his body as the XP filled a bit of the meter. Now the quest area returned to being empty.
'That wasn't so bad. Quests like these are welcome, and if it comes with powering up down the line, I welcome it wholeheartedly.'
The rest of the class flowed with ease, the nobles finally paying attention after the mention of artefacts.
Delilah had seemed a bit annoyed, sneaking glances at Vicius every chance she had.
====
After class, students hurried along. Despite the last class being labelled as a free class, students must stay on the premises. Most choose to participate in clubs. The headmaster believed this would strengthen the bond between peers, offering them more free time to engage with each other.
And Vicius found himself in the spellcrafting club.
Evie had chosen the potioncrafting club.
Rowan was pulled in by the beauties in the swordfighting club.
And Delilah...
"So you decided to join after all!" Her voice was as haughty as ever. A smile that glimmered with challenge.
Vicius simply nodded his head and read through the documents regarding fire magic.
The room was rather spacious. Half occupies an expansive library of documentation and experimental spells created by students. The other half was an open space with enchanted target dummies that would regenerate if destroyed.
Delilah stepped up to the firing range. Her wand materialised in the firing position.
A bolt of light rippled through the air, impaling the dummy. A second and third shot were fired in the exact same spot until the dummy exploded into straw.
Dozens of claps surrounded the Luminary.
"Her skill is exceptional!"
"An example to follow!"
"Run for the student council!"
She laughed along with their praises, as any "humble" figurehead should.
'Tch, I could've done that too.'
His face relaxed and turned back to the document. He had already decided to let her popularity build. A famous annoying ally is better than just an annoying ally.
"I bet you are so much better than that guy in the cafeteria you talked to! How dare such a fool threaten nobility in the middle of class!"
'Alright. A little showing off never hurts.'
He assumed the firing stance a few pedestals down. His dark wand spawned from thin air.
"Serpent, oh fire that which razes life, coil my enemy and reduce them to ash."
Fire.
At a volume that engulved a quarter of the firing range lunged forward. Its mouth opened with a deafening roar as it plunged into seven straw targets. The grassy terrain turned grey, still smoking from the serpent.
Several gazes had turned toward Vicius. But he paid them no mind, instead choosing to go back to reading the documents.
'Much better. Understand that I am...the third-ranked student! That leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I better hurry and claim the top spot.'
Now that he could quit his job, three hours in the evening were freed for studying. Mornings would still be filled with swordplay against anyone else who showed up. Additionally, practising spells could be done at the spellcrafting club daily. Which left core purification to be done in the early mornings too.
But he still had more questions.
What was this system?
How did it activate?
And how does one acquire more quests?
"This is going to be rather troublesome."
He sighed to himself.
"What is?"
Vicius's gaze shifted to Delilah who was no longer flocked by students. And her cheery smile had smoothed out into a content smile.
He wasn't sure whether confiding in her was a good idea.
It took years to trust Rowan and Evie, and simply accepting Delilah in wasn't an easy feat.
"Just...I am a little worried about my alchemy results in future exams. Sure I pass, but I can't get the top mark anymore considering you took that from me. Well, Evie did too I guess."
"Evie? That must be the white-haired girl. She is rather smart, you've got good eyes on you!" She winked at him.
'As insane as ever.'
"I hate to ask this, since we are like, rivals or something. But could you tutor me? Watching your streams-"
Her hand flicked to shut his mouth, her fingers clamping down his lips like a bear trap.
"I will help you study, but don't mention my stream at school. Understood?"
Vicius nodded with a grin on his face.
"Understood ma'am!"
They both let out a soft snicker and leaned back in their chairs.
"You are in the second dorm building right? Which room?"
"Yeah. Second building. Room nine. Why?"
"What do you mean why? I am coming over of course!"