Ch 9. Grand Ambition

The meeting with Elder-Wizard Camilla lasts a lot longer than Xuyi expected.

Revolving around the sigil in the magitech fan, Elder-Wizard Camilla has asked many, many questions, and to take this opprtunity to create a good impression of himself, Xuyi has to answer every question thoroughly.

But a lot of Elder-Wizard Camilla's questions has little to do with the wizardry sigil, after all this is but a rudimentary spell, no matter how cleverly Xuyi modifies it, it should not have surpassed the knowledge of an Elder-Wizard.

The real cause behind his questions are the mechanical principles behind the magitech fan's designs, which contains knowledge of mechanical engineering.

It is extremely difficult to explain the scientific terms and principles to Elder-Wizard Camilla, even the terms and principles behind these scientific concepts have yet to exist, so Xuyi has to start explaining from the basics.

But because of this, when Xuyi finishes explaining these problems to Elder-Wizard Camilla, he expresses great admiration towards Xuyi.

"At first, I thought this magitech fan is something you designed randomly, but only now do I realise how much knowledge goes into it. Casting aside these intricately connected principles I cannot yet understand, the way you modify this Sigil alone proves how gifted you are with wizardry." Saying this, Elder-Wizard Camilla take a pause, and looks at Xuyi expectantly, "Xuyi, are you interested to help me directly with my research?"

Xuyi cannot believe his ears!

"Help Elder-Wizard Camilla directly to do research? According to the traditions on Connaisance Continent, this is the wizard's roundabout way of saying "become my student"!

If some other wizards are in his shoes right now, they will definitely cry out a resounding, echoing "Yes!".

Camilla is a high-level tristar Elder-Wizard, someone huge even on the entire Connaisance Continent, and being his student is a dream come true for many young wizards. If his colleagues know of this, they will be so green in envy they might give him ten poison apples.

But Xuyi calmly thinks it through, and says, "Give me some time to consider it."

Elder-Wizard Camilla is clearly disappointed, but he does not say anything to persuade him, and just waves Xuyi his permission to leave.

Leaving the top floor, and returning to his sweltering hot workplace, he begins sweating profusely, but feels a lot calmer.

If it was two months ago, or even last month, he will unhesitatingly agree to be Elder-Wizard Camilla's personal student. But just now, he finds that the idea not as appealing as just a month ago.

"Why am I not interested anymore?" He asks himself, not understanding what has changed.

After numerous cycles of torrential thoughts flashing through his mind, one familiar article stands out to him--- his magitech fan.

Yes, that is the reason why. The magitech fan!

His brainchild from combining wizardry and modern technology, which unconsciously had him pour his whole heart and soul, and the time spent developing the magitech fan rekindled something he had not felt since he came to this world three years ago.

He did not realise it at that time, but now he knows it was the fire of his soul as an engineer!

That's right, a machine nerd as a boy, and grows up to dedicate his life to the mechanical industry.

Being in a world of magic, he cannot use his passion and talents, and forces him to learn wizardry; but his heart has not changed.

And through developing the magitech fan, he experiences anew the joy of researching mechanical technology, how can he turn away now?

"Yes! This is what I truly want: to develop mechanical engineering in this world of magic! I want to combine magic and machine and make them into one seamless entity! Not just fans, I will also make airconds, freezers, even ships and aeroplanes! I will pioneer the whole magitech revolution here, and build my own Magitech Empire!

Xuyi feels his mind clearing up, and his whole body filled to the brim with vigour and motivation. He knows that his three aimless years has ended and hereon begins a new chapter of his life.

As for difficulty, don't they exist only to be conquered?

With light steps, Xuyi returns to the research laboratory, and he is greeted by piercing looks of envy.

His fellow colleagues cannot understand, why a newbie which has been here for only two short months was granted the audience by Elder-Wizard Camilla. They, his seniors, have little opportunity to even see His Excellency in person, not to mention being summoned by him.

Xuyi has been turning a blind eye to their odd gazesbefore, more so now when he has a new direction in life. His line of sight is focused onto his new target. His face perpetually smiling, easing back to his desk.

Although he decides not to accept Elder-Wizard Camilla's offer of apprenticeship, he do not decide to leave the wizard tower either, at least not now.

If he wants to get things done in Stadtspire City, especially when it involves magic, then he has to maintain a cordial relationship with Elder-Wizard Camilla. Xuyi is not so dumb as to end invaluable relationship.

###

In the eastern outskirts three kilometres from Stadtspire City, there is an under 10,000 squaremetres-wide little manor.

Although the manor is not very big, but the manor is extremely well-known in the entire Stadtspire City; because this is the only Wizard's Academy in the city---Baron Victor's Wizardry Academy.

As the only Wizard's Academy in Stadtspire City, Baron Victor's Wizardry Academy converges almost all the magically gifted children from Stadtspire and its neighbouring cities.

To these children who aspire to become powerful wizards, they know their studies here is very important, and are all diligent and extremely hardworking.

Usually, besides learning about foundational theories of wizardry, they will also learn about Sigil-related knowledge.

However, for today's Sigils class, a year two fourth class's Sigils professor brought a strange-looking metalware.

"Isn't that a magitech fan?!" A keen-eyed student cries out when he recognises the metalware.

These few days, magitech fans sell really well in Stadtspire City; this inexpensive, budget-friendly fan, which brings a much needed cooling reprieve, is a welcome addition to many households.

Many of the students of Baron Victor's Wizardry Academy are from well-off families, and many of them has bought at least one magitech fan, so naturally they easily recognised it.

But why is the professor taking one out during a class lecture?

"Students, in today's lesson, we will study the magitech fan, or more precisely, the sigil in use within the fan." The professor answers their curiousity in his class inductions.

"Huh. This is only some goods used by the commoners, how does it worth our study? Are you mistaken or something?" asks a plump, six-, seventeen-year-old.

His name is Colin Zetterman, the second son of Viscount Zetterman, the most well-off amongst his classmates' parents. It is said, every room of his mansion is installed with a Large-Scale Ice-Frost Sigil. So naturally a magitech fan is beneath him.

Hearing what Colin says, the professor's face darkens, and admonishes him. "You can look down upon the magitech fan, but not the sigil within it. I can tell you responsibly, the sigil installed in the fan is most ingenious, far from what an ordinary wizard can design. I can even deduce boldly, that this sigil is most probably the work of someone with the wizardry prowess of an Elder-Wizard!"

"What?!"

"An Elder-Wizard? How is it possible?"

"An Elder-Wizard redesigning a lvl 1 Whirlpool Sigil?"

"The only Elder-Wizard is His Excellency Camilla. Doesn't he abhor the mixing of magic with businesspeople?"

"Who knows, maybe he changed his mind?"

...

After a heated discussion, the students seems to have understood their professor's good intentions.

It doesn't matter if the sigil is designed by an Elder-Wizard or not, the wizardry standard within the sigil is much higher than the students expected. In this case, the professor is right to ask the students to study the sigil as best as they could.

When the professor disassambles the magitech fan and shows the students its Sigil, the students are all baffled to see it.

As a second year wizardry student, they are no longer a newbie who see sigils as some meaningless lines, so they can easily see the astonishing level of wizardry within this sigil.

Although many of the students can discern that this should be some variant of a Wind-type Sigil, but no one of them can say they thoroughly understand the sigil.

In fact, many of the students cannot even understand how the sigil is maintained and is successfully activated. And more so understand how relying upon this sigil allows the magitech fan to function.

You should know, many in the fourth class has are wizardry whizes, and is lauded as the most talented class yet since the founding of the academy!

The more these high-spirited teenagers study the sigil, the more they appreciate how impressive and intellectually profound the design of the sigil is, and the greater their admiration and curiosity of the wizard who had designed it.

Little do they know, that the wizard they had so admired are actually now in the same building they are in.

In the Student Affairs Office,  the Head of Student Affairs, Hilman, looks piercingly into this unwelcomed guest of his. Only after confirming from the emblem on his wizard's robe that he indeed is one of Elder-Wizard Camilla's subordinates do he begin to ask:-

"Young man, what brings you here? Or has Elder-Wizard Camilla sent you?"

"No, this has nothing to do with Elder-Wizard Camilla, I am here for my personal business." Xuyi shakes his head.

"Personal business? Pray tell."

"I am here to recruit a few of your students to work for me."

Hilman's expressions immediately darkens. "This is a wizardry academy, not some mercenary academy, you have come to the wrong place!

Xuyi remained unmoved, and goes on: " Mr Hilman, what if i tell you this job will not only provide the students with some income, but at the same time increase their wizardry prowess?"

Hilman was stunned, "You must be kidding me. How can such a job exist?"

"Of course there is." Xuyi replies with a beaming smile. "If you don't mind, please allow me to explain in detail..."