“Finals are here,” the teacher began, draining the color from her students' faces. None were brave enough to speak, even to suggest that they had just returned from break. “You have the next few months to complete your work before you present your final thesis to the White Tower. There, your betters will review your papers and decide if you pass or not.” Whispers dared to hover in the air.

A slow, sinister narrowing of the teacher’s eyes quickly ended their bravery, allowing her to continue. “Lost magic and ancient spells would ensure your passing, as long as you can actually complete such work. However, I should remind you that the tower is full of scholars who research such things, so any attempt to best renowned men with years of work is as close to folly as could be.

“That being said, classic formulas reinvented and such would be admirable as well as new formulas. Just be aware they must be unique and work in some way.” She looked around the room. “There will be no pairing up or sharing of work. The important thing is that it’s your own work.”

And with that, the students were welcomed back to the academy. The passing of school changed from that day. Lessons slowed, reaching only Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, leaving the rest free and giving the students a lot of free time. It was for this reason that Ravina found herself back at the adventuring guild. The adventurers' guild in the city of education was quite large, with a big portion handling many imports. A steady stream of carriages arrived until nightfall when the gates were shut.

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It was less a hub for adventurers and more a place to fulfill material requests. In her studies, Ravina had learned that 70% of all material-gathering requests, not medically based, were sent to the city of education due to the massive number of students. Of that 70%, 42% went to the White Tower as ingredients for spells.

For this reason, she decided to take up adventuring again. About 16 miles from the city of education was a dungeon controlled by the guild. She could use her status as a Rayvin Fort adventurer to register there as well. From there, she could not only gather ingredients but also use them in the dungeon, making the three-day weekend productive. On other days, she could continue her legal studies and relax in the cafe, using Lisa to melt away any fatigue she built up.

With that wonderful thought, she entered the guild. It was a far cry from when she first did so long ago. Instead of timidly looking around and hiding in the azure woman’s shadows, she strode up to the welcoming counter and nodded to the short woman with a brown bob cut and gray-green eyes.