He sat across from her at her desk, and her happy go lucky face was instead stern and serious. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” Chris bowed and refocused.
“What could you be here for with such a serious face after our recent acquaintanceship?” she said, glaring into Chris.
“I’m sure you are already aware of Lily Treas’ situation, so first before I get into anything I’ll ask a simple request. Can you use your influence to prevent another massacre of a disgraced Baron family?”
Gwyndel sighed, “No, I have influence here in Golden Bloom, but it doesn’t reach to the military.”
“Next question, do you know a way to attain such influence with military officials?”
“Yes, but it would require being recognized as a tremendous talent outside of school, in real scenarios such as monster slaying, or previous combat experience.”
“So a high ranking adventurer that shows incredible swordsmanship or magic, or a high ranking graduate from this school?”
The headmistress raised her head up in shock, “Are you dropping out of school to become an adventurer?”
Chris looked up, as he was trying to think, “If I don’t have to drop out of school to become an adventurer I will not. I would like to take supplementary classes in between missions to make up for my missed classes, or I could take placement courses to see what classes in any course set to determine what my actual year should be,” he looked at Gwyndel, “preferably a mix of the two, as to allow me to take a leave of absence before settling in.”
Gwyndel looked a bit shaken up, “So you want to do both, adventuring and graduating, and you think you’d do well enough on placement tests? Fine, if that’s the case, next week from today I will allow you to take these tests. That should allow me to have enough time to write up those personalized tests. Now if you will excuse me, I’ll need to get to work,” she waved her hand towards Chris, shoeing him out of the room.
“Thank you Headmaster Gwyndel, I will do my best to prepare.” Chris bowed and then left.
Chris returned to his friend group still sitting in the dining room, discussing plans for the future. It seems they were planning on recruitment, and discussing which high level courses they will be taking.
Jenny raised her head as she noticed Chris returning, “Ahh, did you get done what you needed to?” Chris slid into the polished bench seating, “Yea, it seems that I might not be at school for a while, depending on some tests.”
Everyone looked puzzled except for Edwin, “You’re taking a placement test aren’t you?”
Chris nodded nonchalantly, “Yea, well, actually it’s more like I’m taking several placement tests to determine how many semesters I can jump ahead.” Chris sighed, “I don’t think it should be that big of a deal, Headmaster herself is going to write and create the tests.”
Lily seemed to be jittery, and everyone else was a bit shocked. “Why are you trying to jump years, do you not want to graduate with us?” Lily asked with her head down.
Chris shook his head, “No, I’m still graduating with you guys, but I’m taking a leave of absence to become an adventurer for a while. I need to gather influence for the sake of your family and mine.”
Chris went into his explanation of his future plans. Take placement tests, finish the last bit of the semester, and then however long he can take a hiatus to adventure, while stopping by to confirm progress with his friends and the headmaster every few months.
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Many of his friends tried to argue with him, telling him it isn’t his worries to deal with, and that he’s acting too hastily, but despite that he dismissed them. They then tried to argue to come with him, but he denied that as well, saying that it would be harder to move in secret, as well as saying their education is important as he hasn’t shared much high level information outside of what is necessary for their magic.
Jenny was flabbergasted, letting out a frustrated exhale, “So basically, you’re entrusting us to handle gathering trustworthy allies in the name of a war, and focusing on our practice, while you run around playing hero in hopes to gain enough influence to be able to prevent Lily’s family from being used as bait?” She glared into him.
Chris nodded, “Yea that sounds about right. Any other questions?” Jenny rolled her eyes and everyone else just shook their heads no. Chris laughed a little.
After that, their situation was a lot more tense, as everyone was annoyed that Chris was going off on his own without anyone asking him too. Haven seemed the most distraught, as he was really close to Chris, but even he was denied with the whole, “You need to study more.” Everyone was pissed off at his seemingly condescending attitude, but Chris didn’t pay too much attention.
‘I’m doing this for them, I don’t see the big deal. I don’t want anyone getting hurt, or attacked, and it would be really hard to move our group in secret. And also headmaster looked really focused on making those tests, I wouldn’t wanna add to her work.’ Chris spent the next week in the library in any spare time, except for his self taught magic training at night.
The day of the tests came, and Chris spent the entire time away from his friends in either Gwyndel’s office taking written examinations, or at the training grounds prepared for himself and his friends for the magic tests. He felt like his head was going to explode, attempting to exposite all the information in his head onto the page.
After the exhausting day, he sat half-asleep in the chair across from the headmaster, who was looking over his compiled results. The sun had already set by the time Gwyndel finally spoke.
She finally set down the papers and sighed, “Chris, it seems you have done well with self study. From what I can gather is that you have on your own managed to reach past advanced level in all forms of magic taught at this school, so unless you wish to, you will no longer have to take magic courses. Next is your Magical Engineering. It seems that you possess great knowledge after tinkering with your own and your friends’ gear. I would like you to take the final class for that however, as to create a design under the umbrella of the school, and for it to be given to your name as well as your teacher would be disappointed to lose her assistant forever.”
Chris nodded, he was confident in those, but next was the part he actually spent time studying.
“It seems your study of magic theory and science is also exemplary, and you even understand some battle strategies. Science that we know is so-so, but science based on the book is exemplary as well. I will have you take the final years for both of those as well. Your potions class is rough but it isn’t required, magic battle would be high end just from our bout last week. And I would also like you to take a few other courses we offer to replace your magic courses you no longer need to take.”
Chris cocked his head to the side, his blond hair covering his eyes a little, “So how much schooling do I specifically need to take?”
The headmaster exhaled, “It seems you will only need to take your final year, and even then, it’s less overall coursework than you’ve taken this semester. Congratulations.”
Chris smiled, “Thank you so much, what should my next steps towards adventuring should I take? I did a bit of research, but I’m not too sure. I would like to take an alternative identity for the sake of protecting my parents, my friends, and for the sake of the school.”
The headmaster nodded, “You can use sound magic to modify your voice, use my badge to get access to taking a rank placement test, and for hiding your identity in total, I have a mask and cloak you can wear.
She passed the equipment over the table, a black robe with a hood. The robe had patterns of dark gray swirling throughout the design, like a drawing of the wind itself. The mask was simple, it was white, had simple eye holes, looking slightly angry, and a black swirl pattern covering the left part of the mask. Almost like roses of death. It was simple, but he decided then and there that his code name would be “Rose” and headmaster agreed.
He packed up his bare essentials, what little money he had to his name, his outfit, and a pack full of water, dried meats, and a few other trinkets, and of course his sword. It was time to head to the adventurer’s guild. That is, after he slept. Exhaustion wrapped his entire body as he slumped back to his room.