Reborn From the Cosmos

Miniarc-Villains-08

Samuel wasn’t the only one ready to get on with his life.

When he arrived, he was struck by the little traffic through the Market but the Caster Hall was as busy as ever. The new term was fast approaching and there was plenty to do. While the staff finalized their curriculums, the acolytes had to confirm their placements in their preferred, or not preferred, ensure accommodations, and prepare their supplies.

For a small group, there was also a race to find work. Magical mastery didn’t come cheap. Many acolytes had to work while pursuing their studies and the Hall was a popular employer; the school offered fair wages, convenience, and rare access to members of the staff. The right position could change an acolyte’s life.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Samuel didn’t understand their desperation, but he respected. Or rather, he accepted that stressed students didn’t have the capacity to show deference to anyone, even a prince. When they rushed toward him, he stepped out of their way, something he’d never do in the capital. At the Hall, he was an acolyte before he was a prince. That meant there were different rules.

Another one of those rules was to respect administration. They were servants like the other laborers of the Hall, usually commoners wealth couldn’t even compare to the change he forgot in his pants, but they held power over all the students.

They were the bridge between the students and the staff. They ferried requests to join classes and the responses. They passed along assessments and recommendations. Some of them were recruiters for instructors, trusted aids that handled the selection process for the busy academics. Their words could ruin someone. They were professionals, like all servants of the Hall, but getting on their bad side was a bad idea.

Samuel kept as much in mind as he stood before a young woman with her head bowed over a piece of parchment. She ignored him until she finished writing, even when he cleared his throat softly. Time seemed to drag on until she finally set down her smudgestick and looked up at him, lips stretching into a practiced smile that didn’t reach her dark eyes. “How may I assist you?”

“I’m here to confirm my class schedule.”

“May I have your name?”

“Samuel kor Harvest,” he responded, wondering if the woman truly didn’t recognize him or if it was a part of an act.

Her lack of reaction gave nothing away. He heard a drawer sliding open as she leaned over, straightening up moments later with a wooden board in her hand. “Here you are. You’ve been accepted into all your preferred classes.”

She passed along the board. On one side was a list of all his classes, their times, and their locations. He didn’t need to look at the other side to know there was a message carved into the wood instructing to return the board when he no longer had need of it. Samuel was glad there was nothing unexpected in the information. There were horror stories about acolytes having to choose between classes because of unfortunate scheduling.

“Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

“No, that’s all.”

“Before you leave—”

Samel paused and turned back to the woman. “—would you be interested in an extracurricular activity?”

“If this is about a job, I don’t need the money.”

“The Hall is offering a wage of twenty copper a day but there are other perks. It has been listed as a substitute requirement for many advanced classes. Some instructors have also offered personal tutoring for those with the highest contribution.”

Samuel was intrigued. It was rare for the instructors to offer up their time as a reward. Most of them only taught as it was a requirement if they wanted the Hall to support their research. “What is the work?”

“The Hall needs assistance with the shelter it’s constructed for the refugees of the city. There is work for everyone, regardless of affinity or experience.”

Working amongst commoners, for commoners? The idea would have been offensive mere days before. Having ridden through the destruction, he understood why the powerful were being called upon to act. But he was a prince. No matter how desperate the situation, it wasn’t his place to hand out soup and tend to the sick.

“I will consider it.”

“If you find yourself interested, the Hall offers transportation to and from the camp, at sixth and fourteenth bell. There will never be a shortage of positions and the work is meaningful.”

“Of course,” he replied dismissively, not intending to give it another thought.

-

“Did everything go well?”

Samuel grinned. Once more, he was seated across from Cecilia, this time at her invitation. “Good. I’ve been accepted into every class of my choice.”

“Your goal for this year was to learn dual affinity magic, right?”

The prince nodded. The power in having more than one affinity was combining them into more than their individual parts.

“Have you decided on a specialty?”

“Nothing stands out.”

“I suppose there aren’t many grandiose positions for a user of water and air.”

Far from. The most common job for a water caster was the unimaginative duty of providing clean water for smaller settlements. The second was a cleaner.

“If I hand to pick tonight, I would say a storm caller.”

Cecilia stiffened at the mention of the specialized casters trained and employed by the Rosefields, one of the pillars of their titanic agricultural supremacy. “For me?”

“A significant perk but because of the good wage for a safe job in a beautiful location. I can’t stay in the capital forever. I was leaning toward settling in Quest but…Rosentheim was my second choice.”

“Well, I hope you haven’t made up your mind. You will never be another simple caster and my family won’t hesitate to take advantage of that.”

“Never mind something years in the future. What about you? Have you settled on a direction?” Samuel was aware that Cecilia was only allowed to attend the Hall because her family wanted to nurture her relationship with him. She never had an interest in the subject. Lackluster would be a kind description of her efforts.

“Ah. I’ve postponed signing up for classes. Instead, I’ll be devoting my time to the camp.”

“What?!” Samuel barely managed to strangle the shout that blurted out of his mouth, only drawing the attention of the closest tables as opposed to the whole room. “But…why? You gave me so many warnings about not getting involved.”

“I wanted you to have an accurate picture when making your decision. As for me…” She sighed. “You’ve asked me to speak plainly with you. The truth is, I have been meandering through life, obediently walking the path my uncle wants. I want something more, but I can’t even picture it. I’m not sure I want to do this but…it feels real.

“I saw it, you know? I was in the Market when the purple creature attacked. A group of us watched, united in awe and fear as a city that had stood for centuries was turned to rubble. In that moment, all my concerns felt so small. So ridiculous. It was horrible, but it gave me a valuable perspective. I think working in the camp, doing something I’ve decided on, something with meaning, will be good for me.”

She smiled ruefully. “If it’s easier, you can think of it as the whims of a spoiled noble.”

“No, not at all. I think it’s quite admirable. I was simply surprised when I heard because…I also decided to help.”

“Really?”

The prince nodded emphatically. “There’s nothing I can do about the city or the Tome woman, but it’d be a disgrace to turn away. The royal family is the kingdom’s protectors. Whatever help my magic will be, I’m willing to give it.”

Her greens eyes lit up with her smile. “Good on you, Samuel. A very princely attitude.”

“Please, it’s nothing.”

After their meal, Samuel walked Cecilia to the stairs before bidding her goodnight. Ewan waited until she was too far to hear a whisper before stepping up to the prince’s side. “I assume we will be heading back to the Caster Hall?”

“First thing in the morning.”