Maxwell looked me over, nodding in approval.

“Third Authority only a few months after starting training. Your talent is good then. You should have no issues in the Magisterium.”

“Well, I only have one concern.”

I asked.

“My summons, my guns, are way too lethal. I mean, I can’t just dial down their power. That’s not how they work. So if I ever have to fight anyone, like in tournaments or whatever…”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that. A majority of your battles in the Magisterium are going to be against the Scourge or in artificial hunting grounds. The times you will turn your weapons against a fellow Magus are few, and even then, you may be exempt due to the nature of your power. After all, you aren't the first to have this problem of excessive lethality.”

“Oh, good. So… other than fighting, what exactly do we do there?”

The time to enter the Magisterium was coming. I had one more month.

The past four months had been filled with constant fighting and working. I had learned more than I ever expected since arriving, and Maxwell had helped raise me to the third Authority.

I was a whole new man who had been reforged through the fires of those dastardly Trenches. Or, I should say the smoke. You could get high just by breathing the air of that place. Learned that the fun way.

Anyway…

Going from all this to a school wasn’t a change in pace that I was quite prepared for. But then again, I didn’t think I would be stopping my work. I still wanted to make money despite having tons in my savings, even if only occasionally.

Maxwell sat back in his chair while letting out a breath.

“Normally there are three things you do at the Magisterium. You learn their summoner Calls, cultivate your Authority, and fight. But since you’re learning my Call, you won’t be learning theirs. So you’ll be cultivating using the formations they give you and learning to fight against the Scourge. Remember that the sole purpose of the Magisterium is to develop elite soldiers that can fight the Scourge. Therefore you’ll be fighting alongside the military rather often, especially since you’ll be jumping straight into the higher ranks of the school.”

“Alright. And how long should I expect to be there?”

“Depends on how fast you climb to Authority 5. It’s at about that level that they tend to transition you to the military, unless you show enough talent to climb higher in a short amount of time. Even in that case though, they would still have you hunting as a part of more specialized units. Also, I should warn you of something.”

Maxwell’s face turned a little ponderous.

“By going to the Magisterium, you’re signing yourself away to the Kingdom. In exchange for the cultivation spell formations of higher levels, you are required to fight for them, or contribute something to the cause. If you were a Warlock then you could study to become an enchanter, but you aren’t, so you’re destined to join the military should you choose this path. Otherwise, you refrain from entering and go your own way, but then you won’t be able to advance anymore. Unless you find an organization that would give you the summoner spell formations for higher Authorities.”

“So if I want to get stronger, I have to work for somebody.”

“Nothing is ever free, especially in our line of work. The cost of those White Crystals are high, multiplying with each higher level. And the cultivation formations even moreso. Though, there is one way that you can avoid the military and still go to the magisterium.

“What’s that?”

“If you get recruited by the Church.”

He eyed me curiously.

“Are you a believer, John?”

“In?”

“The Church that believes in Jesus Christ the Savior and son of God, headed by the Pope, and the greatest nemesis of the demonic plague that is the Scourge.”

“Oh, well I didn’t really know about the Scourge part, but yes, I’m a Christian. I’m American after all. Though if I’m being specific, my parents raised me Catholic.”

I spoke, but inwardly, I was surprised.

I didn’t realize they would also have Christianity here. It seemed to be exactly what I knew it as on Earth.

Getting curious, I asked.

“Are there any other religions?”

“Of course. The only significant religion is Terravia, comprised of those who believe in gods that represent the different aspects of nature. You could also say they worship Magic in a sense. Those people have primarily come from the Pillars of Creation.”

“What’s that?”

“The only other kingdom that has been able to stand and survive against the Scourge, other than the Kingdom of Dragon’s Tongue. They are human, but vastly different from us in terms of magic. And because we are separated by vast distance, very little occurs between us. Most people don’t even know they exist, believing that our Kingdom is the last bastion of humanity in this world.”

“Oh.”

I nodded.

“And are there any denominations of the Church?”

“Obviously, but they are inconsequential. They have tried and failed to make reforms, and very little actually give them the time of day. So they have resorted to forming underground cults that you’ll never hear of.”

“Interesting.”

“Anyway, since you are a believer and have no affiliations or background to speak of, then you might have a chance of getting recruited. Unlike other cold summoners, I see great potential in your weapons. Truly, they are lethal, and agaisnt the scourge, that means everything. I have no doubt that you will rise to great heights, but I only hope that you are capable of keeping yourself safe. Remember that defense is your greatest weakness.”

“Yea, I’m a glass cannon.”

“Perfect analogy.”

He smirked at me.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Over time, I had begun to feel the great deficiency that was my defense. My offense was amazing, but if I really got hit by a strong attack, I was done for. At some point I would no longer be able to kill my opponents before they hurt me, and that would be the day I either found another solution, or died.

“I should buy armor.”

“Yes, that would be a good investment, especially for you. But take some time to find what kind of armor you like. Perhaps when you begin to fight against the Scourge, you’ll know what type of armor will benefit you best.”

“Alright. Now, what should I do until I enter?”

“...Work on the Call.”

Maxwell nodded.

“Yes, extensive study will help you best. I should have you memorize the more complex spells and formations for the higher Authorities.”

“Oh jeez.”

I let out a sigh.

It was going to be a long month.

……

…

A few more weeks passed.

My savings climbed by the day, and although I wasn’t rich like the others in the company, I still had a sizeable amount of money lying around.

Only a week before I entered the Magisterium, I was actually notified by the Polaris Bank to come in.

It was there that I met the clerk, and he gave me some good news.

“Congratulations, John. Because you have surpassed 500 thousand coin stored with us, we have upgraded your tier in accordance with your company’s Platinum level. You now have access to two new perks, along with no longer needing to pay a fee for continual storage.”

The clerk handed me a platinum card, taking my gold one away. The platinum one had fancy designs on it, looking far more luxurious than the gold one.

“First, the Platinum Tier allows you to take out loans with 0% interest. Depending on the amount, you are assigned a date to pay back the loans, usually amounting to a few years. Secondly, you can now insert normal items other than coin into the card in order to store it in our secure warehouse. Eligible items include jewels, weapons, small containers, and anything else that can fit within the expanded Card. Go ahead and try pulling the card apart.”

“Okay.”

Getting excited, I grabbed the two edges of the card and pulled.

The entire thing expanded, metal unfolding as if generating new material from nowhere. It ended up as a large box that you could easily drop many things into, so long as they weren't excessively bulky.

“The only drawback to this storage method is that the Card only works within the bounds of the Capital City. If you ever leave, be sure to retrieve anything you might need beforehand. And if you don’t have one already, I suggest acquiring a Spatial Sack in order to transport items on your person no matter where you go.”

“What’s that? And where can I find one?”

I asked curiously. I was about to be entering the Magisterium, and we would no doubt be leaving the city occasionally. This Spatial Sack sounded like it could help me.

“A Spatial Sack is a small bag that can contain items beyond its normal volume. But because of their utility, they are normally very expensive. If you were to spend the entirety of your savings, you would be able to buy a medium grade sack.”

“Damn… Well, I’ll think about it. Thanks for the info, and the Card.”

“Of course. As a new Platinum client under a Platinum company, you are no longer required to pay a percentage fee for our services as your company pays a universal rate for all its members.”

“Nice…”

I was smiling as the clerk finished with everything he had to say. Afterward, I left the bank and called Rayla.

“Hey, sweet cheeks.”

“Hey. I was wondering if I should buy a Spatial Sack.”

“Hmm, you could, but honestly, it’s not totally necessary for you.”

Her voice turned explanatory.

“With all your weapons being summons and your coin being taken care of by the card, the only loose items you carry on you are that mask and recovery pills. But if you really want it, I suggest getting one of the lower end sacks. They hold enough space to contain a bunch of small items, which is perfect for you. That is, if you want to spend around 50 gold bullion for one.”

“...Maybe. We’ll see. I’m just thinking if I’ll need something like that for the Magisterium.”

“That’s right. You’re entering soon…”

She went quiet for a moment.

“...Just think on it for a while. Oh, and by the way. Plex told me to tell you to keep your schedule clear about three days before your official entrance. That means no work.”

“Alright. Care to tell me what he’s planning?”

“But then it wouldn’t be much of a surprise.”

“Tell me.”

“Nope! My lips are sealed, pretty boy. You just sit back and wait for me to send you the location.”

She spoke haughtily before hanging up. I was left rolling my eyes with a smile.

From then on, I didn’t see Rayla or the others. It seemed like they were avoiding me.

And so a few more days passed, coming upon the day of my surprise.

Since I didn’t have anything to do, I slept in and woke up leisurely. I also went to a restaurant for breakfast, even though the sun had already set.

After that I hung around for a few hours, spending some time probing my third star dimension for any spirits that might be worth communing with.

And finally, once 2am hit, I got a message.

“Head to the Caviar Restaurant.”

It was from Rayla, and the name surprised me a bit.

This restaurant was located within the Black Spider Market, and it was the highest end restaurant I knew of. It was never particularly busy, but I knew that the reason for that was the expense.

Dressing somewhat nicely, I finally left my room and headed into the market.

Seeing the market slightly busy reminded me that there was another upcoming auction. Unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to work it since I would be busy entering the Magisterium. Because of that, Rayla would either take the auction off or work in a trio with some of the others.

It didn’t take me long to make it to the restaurant. It was a fancy building with formally dressed attendants, an entire orchestra playing within, and magical lights that set a wonderful mood.

I walked in and met a host who smiled courteously.

“Hello sir. Do you have a reservation?”

“I think so. My name is John.”

“Ah, I was told you’d be coming. Please head to the 16th floor.”

“Thanks.”

Being guided to an elevator, an attendant pressed the button for me.

I got a little anxious as we rose, wondering what they had planned. I had naturally guessed that it had to do with my entrance, so I wondered if it was just a congratulatory party.

*Ding*

We made it to the floor, and the door opened.

But the room I was let out on was totally dark. Not even the light from the elevator could illuminate the darkness, as if it was artificial.

Stepping out, the elevator doors closed, leaving me in pitch darkness.

My hand twitched a bit, my mind subconsciously communing with my double barrel shotgun.

Then, the lights came on, revealing my friends of the company.

“Surprise!”

*Poof!*

Rainbow lights scattered in the air as everyone jumped with a cheer. It was funny though, because there were only four of them, and three were men. Their voices were all deep, making it seem dull.

I laughed with a pretend scare.

“Ahh! I’m so scared..!”

“As if. Get over here.”

Rayla rolled her eyes and walked over, giving me a hug.

After that I greeted the other guys. Libitus handed me a drink and I shook Tovex’s hand.

Plex announced.

“Congratulations, John. You’re finally getting into the Magisterium. Libitus and Rayla had decided to throw you a party, and with you being my apprentice, I naturally agreed.”

“Only after making us foot the bill.”

“I still agreed.”

Plex shot back at Libitus, making Rayla laugh.

“Not important! The point is, tonight we’re going to have fun! A company party! And so long as you’re not totally drunk in an hour or two, we’ve got presents to give to you.”

“Yes, some expensive congratulatory presents.”

“Shut up, you’re rich.”

Rayla shot back at Plex. Smiling, I raised the glass of wine that Libitus handed me.

“Well, thanks everyone. Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

We all tipped back our drinks.

Then, a night of festivities was kicked off.