Glenn rubbed his glabella, staring in bewilderment at the book he was reading. He was alone in the quiet confines of the Library, Exan’s books piling up next to him.

"This...why the hell did Redan decide to put me onto the sole path that had a Nightmare difficulty?" He blurted out in a mixture of frustration and disbelief. He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the glass ceiling high above as if seeking answers in its intricate designs.

What Redan had taught him was known as the Draconic School. It was an immensely complicated path of magic casting, originally intended for use by actual dragons.

Dragons!

The thought baffled Glenn to no end. He couldn't help but wonder if the old man had indulged in a few too many magic mushrooms before teaching him this method.

The Draconic School traced its human origins back to Sevirox, a dragon who had personally instructed his sole human friend, the First King. The king had gained immense powers from this knowledge.

Oddly enough, history remembered the dragon's name but not the king's. Which was strange.

Glenn continued to read, hoping to find some silver lining in this daunting magical path. His eyes scanned the ancient text as he discovered that the few humans who managed to learn the Draconic School became absolute powerhouses, regardless of their Circles.

It granted them the unique ability to use free will to shape their Mana Heart’s specialty into powerful spells. But there were a few issues. They could only use their specialty and were forced to rely on another School, the School of Words to cast spells with different affinities. Additionally, it had the drawback that it required a massive Mana capacity, intellectual capability on par with a dragon, and extensive training.

“...Not much, really,” Glenn muttered in awe.

It was undoubtedly a potent method, giving users of the Draconic School the ability to face practitioners from other schools who were one level above them. A Beginner Initiate could challenge an Advanced Initiate, or an Archmagi could stand against a Newborn Ruler—normally an unthinkable feat, from what he had gathered previously.

Exan, the author of the book, even described it as "The method of geniuses and madmen," which, oddly enough, made some sense, considering that those two often went hand in hand. There were also many, many lines dedicated only to warn the reader to not use this method, or they will lose their time.

Glenn sighed, momentarily closing his eyes. Sadly, he was certain that he was no genius or madman.

‘...Are you sure about that?’ Diamanes asked inquisitively.

Glenn managed a wry smile, pleased by Diamanes’ compliment, ‘Yes I'm pretty sure I'm not a genius, Diamanes, but thanks for the compliment nonetheless.'

'No, I meant you're sure you're not just completely mad?'

Glenn's smile disappeared as he resumed his reading, choosing to ignore Diamanes' mocking laughter. As he turned the pages, Glenn encountered descriptions of other methods of Mana application. These methods seemed far more straightforward compared to the enigmatic and complicated Draconic School.

One of them was the School of Words, which relied on spoken or written incantations to conjure spells, and was the solution presented earlier in the book to cast spells that weren’t compatible with the mage’s specialty. Incantations acted as the main activators, guiding the flow of Mana according to the words' directions.

It was a highly structured form of magic but relatively easy to learn. Practitioners of this school could simply memorize incantations and cast them whenever needed. Fine-tuning spells for individual casters required more effort but fell into a realm that Initiates need not worry about. There was still the issue of properly controlling the Mana and using it efficiently to not waste it, but that was something that could be trained easily by Meditating.

Another method was the School of Runes, which focused on rune-engraving and enchantments to create magical items. Practitioners, often called Magic Engineers, were more akin to crafters than mages, yet their inventions would often surpass the strength of spells. Many who followed this path lacked the Mana or talent for traditional magic but excelled in the art of creating enchanted items. As Exan noted, "Everyone is laughing at those guys until they bring out big-ass magic rifles and cannons."

Glenn couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity and admiration for these alternative paths of magic. The possibilities they presented intrigued him.

'It seemed like I have another thing I need to learn,' thought Glenn, impressed by the potential of a Magic Engineer. Who would dare to bother him if he made a giant magic Gundam?

'Yeah, keep dreaming. It's not with your pitiful twelve silver that you're going to fund such a project," mocked Diamanes, as he followed Glenn's train of thought.

These three Schools were the main paths that mages would take in Munirp. Of course, there were more of them, but each of those had very specific uses, was heavily restricted, or had clear defects.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Even the Draconic School was considered a fool's dream, with most mages thinking it to be impossible to practice, due to the long time that practitioners of this School spent at each Circle.

Glenn ruffled his hair, his thoughts in disarray. From what he gathered, Redan had taught him the hardest thing, and he managed to learn it. So, perhaps, staying on the Draconic School path might be a good idea?

The realization that he had already overcome significant challenges gave him a glimmer of hope. Sure, it might not be as simple as learning incantations and throwing them at his enemies like in a Harry Potter battle, but it at least gave him an advantage compared to a higher-level opponent.

And considering how he constantly found himself in peculiar situations in this unfamiliar world, having such an advantage could save his life. No, it was a lifeline he couldn’t afford to let go of.

He sighed, then checked the table of contents in the Magiconomicon. As he had hoped, there was a dedicated section on the Draconic School. Turning the pages until he found the relevant information, he began studying the details and advice provided.

When he finally raised his eyes from his book, Glenn noticed that the Library was bathed in the dim light of the setting sun. He had spent the whole afternoon immersed in his studies, trying to understand magic better. He stretched on his chair, letting out a tired moan.

Today had been an especially tiring day. Reading was surprisingly more mentally draining than he remembered. Perhaps it was because he was focusing on academic readings instead of the fantasy novels he was used to back on Earth.

He stood up, returning the books to their original places on the shelves. He didn't get a chance to read the third book, "Studies of Munirp's Populations, 4th Edition," but he was sure he could tackle it another day.

At the moment, his brain felt fried from his deep dive into the damned Magiconomicon. Glenn paused as he looked at his wrist, a habit from his old life. However, there was still no watch on it.

'I wonder if watches exist in this world, and if so, where I can find one...' Glenn pondered, his curiosity undiminished. With that thought in mind, he exited the Library. There were still a few people reading, but much fewer than when he initially entered.

He headed toward the Dormitories, intending to check if Sahro was there or not. Who knows what this idiot had been doing after being left alone for a whole afternoon?

Entering the building, he bumped into someone, a sense of déjà-vu washing over him. He turned to face the robed figure who had suddenly appeared before him. An awkward few seconds passed before Glenn pointed his finger toward them.

"You..."

A blur appeared in his eyes as the robed figure swiftly turned to face him, the tip of their dagger dangerously close to his throat. Glenn didn't even dare to swallow in apprehension, fearing the sharp blade.

The usually hidden face of the lady under the hood was revealed, and a scent of mint touched Glenn's nostrils, confirming that she was the same person he had encountered before in the Tests and the communal baths. He struggled to keep his gaze averted from her alluring figure, an internal battle raging within him.

'Damn, you really are a pervert,' commented Diamanes lewdly.

'No, I don't want to look, alright!'

Glenn opened his eyes slowly, raising his hands in the air as a sign of peace. He used the occasion to study the face of the mysterious lady. She had pristine white skin, with no defects, and a straight, symmetrical nose that brought out the color of her deep blue-marine eyes. She had black eyebrows, and luscious red lips on white clenched teeth.

She looked around with a suspicious gaze, before muttering something between those clenched teeth.

"Who sent you?"

Glenn's eyes widened, realizing that it was the second time such a situation had occurred. First, Redan, and now this beautiful stranger. Did he have the looks of a spy or something?

He shook his head and slowly pushed away the dagger from his throat, “No, who sent you?”

The stranger froze for a moment, confused, “What—what do you mean?”

Glenn dusted his shoulders off and shrugged, “Do you think you’re the only one who can act mysteriously?”

The woman blinked for an instant, unable to find a way to respond before she sheathed her dagger back and turned away. Glenn frowned and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her.

“...Are you maybe following me?” He asked, before shaking his head dejectedly, “Sorry, but I’m not interested in these kinds of relationships. And seriously, stalkers are creepy.”

The lady took off Glenn's hand by pinching it as if it were a dirty object that fell on her shoulder.

"...Disgusting. Leave me alone." She reeled back as Glenn’s lips curved upward mockingly. He stepped past her and headed to his room on the upper floor, satisfied.

“That look of confusion was…” He grinned widely, “...Perfect. She seemed completely lost. I almost laughed out loud in her face.”

Diamanes sighed, not even bothering to comment. On the way to the Silver floor, Glenn passed the Bronze floor on the way. He threw a curious look inside, to see what they were like. Those were shared rooms, with dozens of beds crammed together, offering no privacy whatsoever.

Glenn sighed in relief, grateful that he had achieved Silver rank right away, sparing him the grind of the lower ranks.

He eventually arrived in front of Sahro’s room and knocked three times. He waited for a response, but there was none. Concerned, he knocked once again. The door suddenly opened, revealing Sahro’s distressed face. He was only wearing pants, showing off his tanned dark skin and perfect muscles. Glenn couldn't help but notice the fear in Sahro's eyes as he looked behind him in fright.

"Glenn, Glenn, help me!" Sahro muttered, freezing when he heard a giggle come from the room.

Glenn chuckled and patted his friend on the shoulder, “What’s going on? You’re also rocking the topless style?”

The Black Heir hurriedly ran behind Glenn’s back, hiding from whatever monster was inside his room.

Glenn offered him a thumbs-up and a wide smile, “Sorry, I didn’t want to bother you. I’ll leave you to it, then!” He laughed as he went for the door to his room, only for Sahro to hold him back with a dark expression. Tears were welling up in the Black Heir’s eyes.

"You have to get me out of here, Glenn. Please!"

Glenn let out a bewildered laugh, having a hard time believing his eyes. He opened the door to his room wide, letting Sahro enter. Then he followed him inside, casting one last glance at Sahro's room and shaking his head as he locked the door behind them.

"Well, well, well. It seems like the grand Sahro finally met his match. Haha!"

Sahro took his head in his hands, his face strangely pale. He turned toward his companion, fear in his eyes.

"What is wrong with those human women? I felt…” He shivered, “...I felt like a prey under the scrutiny of a powerful predator!"

Glenn threw his head back, laughing loudly. Well, that felt good.

"I'm glad you're enjoying life, Sahro. Haha!"