He put his hand on Julius' head and hummed quietly.
"I don't sense much magic in you, I suppose you have experience in other areas?"
"We'll go with that." Julius nodded, wondering if being good at video games and procrastinating would be useful in this world.
During the entire journey the walls of the carriage seemed to shake with a mind of their own. Often he heard strange noises, he assumed they came from outside of the carriage, point being, the carriage acted strangely during the entire journey.
They arrived at a time where the moon was high in the sky and all the stars had come out to shine.
The village was quiet compared to the last one. It was built along a river, with stone-paved roads instead of dirt, and wooden houses that looked well-maintained. The people here weren't murmuring strangely or staring at him with eerie grins. Generic. That was the first word that came to Julius' mind. Food was the second word. He was starving.
He still wasn't sure if he liked the village's simple aesthetic. All the houses had been placed systematically and quite frankly the village appeared mundane and boring.
Aldric led him through the village streets until they reached a tailor's shop.
The tailor was a young dark haired man with a thick brown mustache, wearing a fine wool vest. When he saw Aldric, his eyes widened slightly, and he bowed. "Headmaster Aldric! I wasn't expecting such an esteemed guest today!"
Aldric smiled politely. "Merely passing through, Garvin. I need clothing for this boy."
Garvin's gaze turned to Julius, who suddenly became very aware of his tattered, bloodstained uniform.
"Hah! No wonder," Garvin said, rubbing his chin. "Poor lad looks like he's crawled out of a battlefield."
Julius scowled. "You could say that..."
Aldric chuckled, shaking his head. "Something simple will do."
The tailor disappeared into the back of the shop before returning with a set of black robes and some regular clothes underneath— a white tunic with leather straps on the shoulders, and dark pants reinforced with a durable fabric.
Julius stared at them. "...These aren't too expensive, are they?"
Aldric handed Garvin a few silver coins. "Consider it an investment. Now if you fail the entrance exam, I'll be very sad."
Julius didn't react. The pressure was already getting to his head.
—---
After they left the tailor, Aldric took Julius' tattered school uniform to the local cleaner, a middle-aged woman who promised it would be spotless by the next morning.
"You don't mind me wanting to keep it?" Julius asked as they left.
Aldric nodded. "A uniform represents identity. Even if you do not wear it, it is good to remember where you came from."
"I see. Thanks." Julius appreciated the headmaster's kindness.
—---
The Village Inn
The inn was lively. The bar zone was filled with adventurers, some in full armor, others in loose tunics and worn-out cloaks. They drank, laughed, and slammed their mugs together in boisterous toasts.
As they entered, a young mage asked Aldric to come to the courtyard.
"Have we met before?"
"I just wish to test my skills, Headmaster Aldric."
"Well, you'll need a couple more decades to come close to me, I'm afraid young one."
"Let us go to the courtyard, to see if what you say is true." The young mage grinned.
The inn's courtyard bustled with movement as torches flickered against the night air. A crowd of adventurers and villagers had gathered, murmuring excitedly as an eager young mage stepped forward, his long robe fluttering in the cool breeze.
"I appreciate your willingness to humor me, Headmaster Aldric," the apprentice mage said, raising a hand. "I have trained for years, and I would be honored to test my magic against you."
Aldric, seated calmly on a wooden bench, let out a small chuckle. "Ah, youth. Always eager to measure their strength. Very well." He stood, his posture relaxed, his kind eyes betraying no hint of concern. "Show me what you've learned in your years of training."
Time to see if this Aldric guy is a fraud or not.
Julius stood off to the side, watching intently. He couldn't deny the sheer presence Aldric carried—like a gentle breeze that could turn into a storm at any moment. Out of curiosity, Julius activated Appraisal on the apprentice mage.
"Appraisal." The blue light was extremely faint.[Level: 49]
Julius nearly choked. Level 49? That seemed powerful. He had assumed the apprentice mage would be a far lower level. And yet, Aldric looked entirely unfazed.
Soren took a deep breath, extending his arms as intricate glowing magic circles began forming in the air, their symbols spinning in layers of complexity. "I won't hold back!"
With a flick of his wrist, the air around him crackled. "Grand Flame Lance!" A massive, spiraling spear of fire burst forth, illuminating the courtyard like a second sun.
The crowd murmured in awe and became enthralled with excitement.
Aldric simply raised a hand. The moment the attack neared him, he shifted slightly to the side, and the spear crashed harmlessly into the ground behind him, exploding in a brilliant display of embers.
The crowd murmured in surprise, and Soren gritted his teeth. "Then take this!"
He weaved another spell, magic circles forming three layers deep. The sheer density of mana in the air made the torches flicker strangely.
"Glacial Bind!"
Ice surged from the ground, forming thick crystalline chains that shot toward Aldric, intent on locking him in place. But just as they neared, Aldric… walked forward. The moment his foot touched the chains, they shattered like fragile glass.
Soren's face paled.
"That should be enough," Aldric finally said, raising a single finger. "Your control is impressive. But magic is not about complexity."
With a quiet hum, he flicked his wrist.
A small gust of wind rolled forth—nothing grand, nothing powerful. A simple, gentle breeze.
But the moment it reached Soren, he was launched off his feet. His body twisted midair, and he landed hard on the courtyard floor, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs.
The crowd went dead silent.
Julius's heart pounded. That was it? A mere flick of wind had defeated a Level 49 mage?
Soren groaned, struggling to rise. He stared at Aldric, wide-eyed, then bowed his head. "...I yield. That was… beyond me."
Aldric smiled warmly. "You're talented, but power is not about how much magic you wield—it is about understanding." He turned, walking back toward the inn as if the duel had never happened.
The young mage spoke to his friends in discontent. "He manipulated all my magic whilst it was in the air, making everything miss. Meanwhile he also used magic to strengthen the environment to ensure the inn wasn't damaged. He's out of my league, I couldn't do anything..."
Julius followed Aldric to a wooden table near the corner. A barmaid with a scar on her cheek came by and placed down their meals—steamed potatoes, roasted meat, and a thick brown stew.
Julius hadn't realized how hungry he was until the smell hit him. He dug in immediately, barely even chewing.
Aldric watched with mild amusement before taking a more measured approach to his meal.
After a few minutes of silence, Julius finally spoke, his curiosity burning. "That duel, it showed your power. Your power reminds me of-..."
Julius paused, a familiar figure flashed in his mind.
"Do you know Kaelan?"
Aldric raised an eyebrow. "The Blade of Light?"
Julius nodded, unsure of whether Kaelan had mentioned his title.
Aldric took a sip from his drink before answering. "I met him once."
Julius was taken aback, was this world a small one? "You met him?"
Aldric chuckled. "I dueled him."
Julius stared. "You… fought him?"
Aldric nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. "It was only for fun, of course. He was young at the time, only seventeen and very eager."
Julius waited for the rest of the story.
Aldric smiled. "I underestimated him. Terribly."
Julius swallowed. "..But did you win?"
Aldric laughed. "No."
Julius frowned. "Well, you are quite strong, no?"
"I am." Aldric's smile did not fade. "And yet, Kaelan was beyond my expectations. His power is…" He shook his head. "Difficult to describe."
Julius had seen Kaelan fight before. Monsters had crumbled before him ashen leaves. If his power was seen as something great, it meant this world wasn't too far out of Julius' range.
"Difficult to describe?" Julius murmured.
"Indeed, he is not the kind of hero that shines at first. But when brought to the brink of destruction, that is when he becomes the savior in need."
"I see."
"And how did you know Kaelan?" The headmaster queried.
"He saved me." Julius' voice went cold.
"That seems to have touched a chord, let us talk about something else." The headmaster held a look of pity.
Julius took another bite of food before changing the subject. "So… Ruloy Academy. What's it like?"
Aldric leaned back slightly. "It is a place for those with talent and ambition. We accept students between twelve and eighteen, so you will be joining late compared to most."
Julius grimaced. "That's not great, is it?"
"No, but it is not impossible." Aldric stirred his drink lightly. "You will have to work harder to catch up."
Julius rested his chin on his hand. "And what if I'm just bad at everything?"
Aldric smirked. "Then you will fail. Just level up, and your natural talents will become even more potent."
Julius rolled his eyes. "Great. Super encouraging. Just level up." He remembered his time with Kaelan, no matter how many last-hits he got, he just couldn't level up.
Aldric chuckled, finishing his meal.
Julius hesitated, then asked, "What about you?"
Aldric tilted his head. "What about me?"
"What's your level?"
Aldric's expression didn't change. "I cannot tell you that."
Julius frowned. "Why not?"
Aldric smiled slightly. "There are some things that should not be spoken about. Don't pry too much into things like that, it is a threat more often than not."
Like my dating life-. Wait? Why is he acting so strangely?
Julius stared at him, his eyes narrowed.
"Yeah, that's not suspicious at all." He muttered inaudibly.
After finishing their meal, Aldric retired to his room, leaving Julius alone in the dimly lit common area.
Julius glanced around. No one was watching him.
He exhaled slowly, then focused.
"Appraisal."
A faint blue light shimmered over Aldric's door. Then, a status window popped up in front of Julius.
[Aldric - Level 220]
Julius' breath caught in his throat.
One hundred and twenty-seven?
He had seen a level that high only once before.
"Like Kaelan... He's definately powerful. Over 200 means he has a supreme value." But he has 7 flaws as well...
Julius sat back, his mind racing.
Aldric had dueled Kaelan.
Aldric had lost.
And yet Aldric was still Level 220.
Julius ran a hand through his hair.
That was five years ago.
"Just how strong was the Kaelan I met?" Or did the flaws between them make the difference? The Kaelan I met...
Or perhaps it'd be more accurate to say... The Kaelan I killed. If I did kill him, that is.
Suddenly Aldric's breath stopped, the room went too quiet, Julius felt his skin go hot.