Ma eventually returned, closing the shop up, so they could have a lunch break. To say that she was shocked by the money would be incorrect, she was more suspicious.
“Ray, what did you do?” she asked. Ray just told her what had occurred between him and the man from the Rawson family.
“Oh, those guys. I did not expect them to try and fleece me. A pity. Ray, would you mind manning the shop some more? I have a visit to make.” Ma asked.
“Is it your friends from that run-down alley where the Shadow Princess lives? What are you doing there Ma?” Ray asked.
“No, not this time, though I am sure I could get them to help. I am making a visit to the guard station. The guard does not involve itself in matters of the Commoner’s district often, but the Rawson family hasn’t exactly been restricting itself to the Commoner’s district has it?”
“I might be weak Ray, but my element is still knowledge, and I used to spend most of my day in all sorts of places. I heard and saw a lot of things that a lot of people would not like public.” Ma answered, calmly eating her food.
“But wouldn’t someone else try to kill you to hide their secrets then?” Ray asked, worried.
“I don’t think so. I will make sure the guard doesn’t reveal my identity for one, and I suspect that they would take all the credit anyway. After all, finding who has been kidnapping noble daughters is a very good catch.” Ma said, finishing her food.
“Knowledge ,Ray, is a very powerful thing, no matter what people tell you. I can’t wave a wand around and drop men dead, but I can give reasons for others to do so, and do it while they don’t know about it.”
Ma left the room, leaving Ray quite a bit to contemplate about. The rest of the evening went by normally, there was more crowd in the shop, and Ray had to watch it even after Ma returned. But there was a constant murmur among the crowd, the Rawson family was dead.
An hour after Ma returned, the guard had charged teh Rawson’s houses, and killed everyone inside. The Rawsons had apparently kidnapped a Viscount’s daughter, and the Viscount was not happy about it. At least no one seemed to think they were responsible for it, after all how could a new baker have caused the guard to kill an established gang?
Ray couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something odd about the situation.
----------------------------------------
The next day, Ray got up and made a few potions, but much less than yesterdays. At least there was still some stock left up from yesterday. The class choosing was today, and Ray couldn’t miss it. Ray had given some thought to which classes he wanted to try for.
Just trying for every class was foolish when he had a bunch of theoretical ones that he could pass anyway. But things like Art of Alchemy and Mana Manipulation would probably progress faster if he had a teacher. And speed was what Ray wanted. As long as it did not end with his name on some Xnarthan lists scheduled for execution.
The bus ride to the College was much the same, but there was a lot more noise this time. Not just the first years, the second to sixth years would also be getting their classes chosen today.
Ray got down at the gate and followed the crowd to a large auditorium, one that likely had thousands of people occupying it. A group of people sat on the stage in chairs, ready to judge.
The show started soon after everyone had arrived, the professors were not fond of waiting, it seemed. Not even for the last buses. Ray would have surely missed it if he had come from the Commoner’s district.
“The class selection will be done quickly. The seven primary courses will be taken first, students that want to apply may approach their respective professors in a queue, the professors will judge if they want you. The agreement is conditional, the professor can withdraw it at any time.”
“Now without further adieu, let us begin. The first class is Art of Alchemy.” the professor on the stage ordered.
Ray jumped up, shocked that his was the first one to be called. Rushing down the stairs, he looked for the year 1 line, finding it at the very back. The lines were in descending order, the sixth-year students near the front and the first years at the back.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Ray joined the growing line, peeping to see how the teacher was deciding. The process was fast, each student spent less than thirty seconds on the stage before being sent out.
Ray’s turn came quickly, making him wonder if he should have stayed back and let more people join the line before him. The teacher on stage was reading some sheets as Ray fidgeted, wondering what to do.
“Ray Rosenmund, a paid student, made Cough’s cure on the second day but didn’t make anything else later that week. I will allow you to attend my class for a thousand mana coins a month, the answer has to be given by next week or the offer is rescinded.” the professor said to him before nodding for the next student to come on.
Ray shuffled off the stage shocked at the proceedings. A thousand mana coins. Ray could never afford anything like that. Well, back to the library it was.
Did he even want to try for Mana manipulation? Luna did say that professors would make it hard for him to get into, but he didn’t think it would be this hard.
“So, he rejected you too huh?” Marcus said from beside him, shocking Ray.
“Yes, or rather the price he wanted was outrageous,” Ray answered.
“Yeah, he does it with everyone he doesn’t approve of. I failed to get in too.” Marcus said, looking downcast.
“Well, we can still do the potions ourselves! The professor can’t stop us if we pass our exams right?” Ray answered in the way of encouragement.
“Do the potions ourselves? I can barely make one as is. Just too little mana.” Marcus said, taking a seat on a nearby chair.
“What do you mean, maybe I can help.” Ray said.
“No, no one can help me. Not here. But whatever, I suppose. I never got in to the Academy program, Ray. The fees was too much. I got in from one of the other programs. I don’t have enough mana to be a Mage. And now I am going to fail here too. I know I am.” Marcus said, tears beginning to flow from his eyes as Ray sat beside him.
Ray was shocked by the outburst, but he could understand it. After all, he'd been in a similar situation a few days ago.
“What about the System, it gives mana when you level up a skill.” Ray suggested.
“I can’t even get a decent class. The System only gave me [ Mage wannabie] as a class. I have a healing type affinity, but it's no good with my mana.” Marcus said between tears.
“Ok, how much mana do you have, we can work from there,” Ray asked.
“Just ninety points, not even enough to get into Tier 1, a Grade F.” Marcus said, making Ray awkward. Ray barely had more mana than that now.
“Did you know that I am a paid student too?” Ray asked.
“Yes, I did. Just about everyone knows the paid student that made a potion on the second day. I wish I had as much mana as you.” Marcus said, still crying. Ray became even more awkward. A normal person would need to be Tier 3 to make potions, so of course, the College had presumed that he was one.
“Did you know that I failed the test too?” Ray asked.
“Huh? Did you get a bad element?” Marcus asked, raising his head.
“Well yes, but that's not it. I failed the mana pool test too. I had all of 15 points.” Ray answered, taking a deep breath.
“I have nearly two hundred mana now. The System is giving mana like its candy, what’s your next probable class?” Ray asked.
“Wait, if you aren’t even Tier 2 yet, then how are you making potions? Or did you buy a neutral mana potion?” Marcus asked.
“Well, let's just say the Academy was wrong about my element being useless. But tell me about this neutral mana potion, is it hard to make?” Ray asked. Perhaps if he could make some for Marcus, he could give him some encouragement.
“Yes, it is one of the potions I need to make this year to pass Art of Alchemy. I don’t know how I can do it. The ingredients are very expensive, and the potion requires a lot of control, precision, and experience.”
“The average student takes fifty tries to make it.” Marcus answered.”The professor gives the student free reign over making it for three days, paying the full cost. I hear he uses the paid students’ fees to pay for that.”
“Well I do have free lab time, I can try if you want,” Ray replied.
“The potion takes three hundred mana to prepare the base liquid alone, to pull the entire thing off you need to be Tier 3. The Academy is shifting to counting things in mana points, it's apparently easier when you have the System to measure stuff. I took the job of checking and putting the numbers in.” Marcus sniffled.
“Well, I should reach that in a couple of weeks, how about we get you a class hmm? So, what is your next option?” Ray asked.
“Urchin. I have only one qualification unmet there…I am pretty sure that is being poor, but thanks to the College I am not anymore. The College pays better than most people.”
“Well, which one do you want from the list?” Ray asked.
“Doctor-Alchemist” Marcus said, “it's the third option. I can’t even see how many requirements I haven’t met.”
“Well that’s the case for every option for me, so no worries there.” Ray thought as he tried to think of ways to help Marcus.