Advancement Method

'Could something have happened...? Well, since I'll also visit the village once, there is no need for me to overthink on this matter. She might just have been busy lately...' While he tried to lessen his concerns, he quickly got out from his room and closed the doors. Although he wasn't sure whether he would return or not, he had the habit to lock the door everytime he went out.

As it was still early morning, his dorm mates were mostly asleep. Even if they stayed up until night, at this time, most would usually take rest.

Swiftly getting outside the academy compounds, he suddenly felt cold even though he had more cloth on him. Today, the morning was a little colder than usual. It seemed the seasons had already started to change.

Getting outside, he boarded a magical carriage, while giving it the address of exit from Magicwoods district. As the carriage speed up, he looked at the mostly empty road, with small numbers of pedestrians walking on it.

Only four hours had passed since midnight, so the moon was still up at this time. As the Church's holy light couldn't reach this district, it was still dark with only pale moonlight shining on the shiny tiles of the surrounding houses, creating a peculiar atmosphere.

'Why do I find myself as a fleeing criminal now? Well, I did kill Chauv, so I might be considered as a criminal by his family...' Aren suddenly had this thought at this moment.

'I need to remove this mark as soon as possible... there might be something or some kind of info in that place for me to deal with it. But, before that...'

Taking out his spellbook, he rapidly turned to the last page and infused his spirit on a particular spiritual imprint. After a while, the same voice of that woman sounded inside his mind.

"Uh... Aren, it's pretty early, why did you call me at this time of day?" Monica lazily said. It seemed that she had just woken up, might because of his call.

Aren's face had a small change of expression as he replied. "A good morning to you, Miss Monica. Don't you think you might have forgotten something?"

"And what could it be?"

"Katty didn't die in the test." He said, while hoping that she would take the hint.

"Oh I see... that's goo- Huh!? Is what you said true? Katty really came back alive?" Her sluggish voice suddenly turned louder when she realised what he had said.

"Yes..." He responded back while having a pained look on his face. Why did she have to reply like that? Her high pitched voice directly ringing in his mind had made him dizzy for a while.

"Oh, So Katty passed the test safely..."

"It would be better if it's phrased as ''Aren SAVED my dear apprentice katty'', wouldn't it miss?" He emphasised the word ''saved'' as he said that, while trying his best to maintain a smile. If even now she couldn't get what he was trying to say, then he really would have to point it out for her.

Thankfully, it seemed that Monica now understood the reason behind his call as she replied quickly, which managed turn his forced smile into a natural one.

"So, what do you want then?"

If this question was asked not to him but to any other mage, another big commotion might have taken place in the academy. Aren wouldn't be suprised if that mage in question got mysteriously killed the next day, if that mage wasn't from any major family. Fortunately, no one knew about this exchange between them.

Although he would've preferred to tell ''Deal with that greater mage behind the apprentice I ended up killing'', he knew that saying that was clearly unreasonable. Even another greater mage would rather avoid conflict with a greater mage who practiced dark sorcery.

Telling Monica to do that would be equivalent to sending her to her own death. So, he asked for the best possible compensation he could think of.

"Method on how to advance to a rank 1 mage and the required materials."

Now that he would be leaving magicwoods, Aren had already started to plan for his advancement. Even though he knew he hadn't acquired the required conditions to advance to rank 1, preparing ahead of time was his style.

Monica was confused at this strange request, as after an apprentice's spiritual power reaches the required amount, the academy would itself give information about these things. Nevertheles, as that was what Aren wanted, she still told him.

"To advance, you have to first complete engraving one cycle of the runes around your main rune. After the engraving process is complete, you'd find yourself having peak spiritual powers. Now, to consolidate that spiritual power into the center of your main rune and make a qualitative change in your spirit, you have to use a grade one runestone.

"Oh and you'll also need a rank 1 spell model along with it. For divination apprentices, I think rank 1 lesser divination is used. However, I do not have a spell model of it at the moment.

"The process is a long one and the more your spiritual power is impure during the time of advancement, the less chances of you succeeding to advance. So you have to be careful and remove as much impurities as possible before advancing.

"I can't tell you the whole process of advancement now, so wait for me at the front gate of Mages Association building half an hour from now. As for the materials, although I have the runestone, you have to look for the other things yourself. Different branches of mages have different materials needed for advancing. I only know the names but don't have the materials needed for the advancement of a diviner."

"That won't be a problem." Aren replied. It seemed that this grade one runestone was the most important. As for the other things, he planned to search for them himself.

"However, I can give you something else that will be equally important to you." She suddenly said.

'Equally important...'

"What might it be?" Aren's interest was piqued.

"Compulsory Intermediate tier courses for mages. Other than learning transfiguration spells, it also includes learning dispel magic which would be very useful against summoned creatures and energies." As she finished saying, Aren had already decided to learn these courses.

These subjects really were important. Especially that Dispel magic. If only he knew dispel magic earlier, then with the fight against that demon, handling that Abyssal fire wouldn't have been a problem. Transfiguration spells would also be important to change his appearance to not get caught.

As he now had reached the exit, Aren quickly told her that he'll wait by the Mages Association building and cut off the call.

He then quickly alighted from the carriage and paying it 15 silvers, walked towards the pillars. Just when he touched the pillar and about to be sucked again, he suddenly noticed something.

'How did Miss Monica know that I will be at the Mages Association building...?' he couldn't help but have this thought.