Alex decided that he hated pretty much every single person in the Clock Tower.
The gathering of Magus was very Game of Thrones-esque, and he didn't enjoy all the cloak and daggers, the alliances and political agendas everyone had.
Everyone had an agenda. Everyone. Even the teachers were seeking ways to improve their standing and Magecraft, and true to the themes of pompous assholes who called themselves Lords, the people of the Clock Tower had a class system that was very much discriminate against newcomers and foreigners.
Of which he had the fortune to be classified as both, the latter if only because of his interest in using a magical Foundation of mostly Eastern origins. Foundations were the "programs" in which one's Magecraft would function, and considering the fact it would weaken or strengthen depending on where one was? He had every intention to move there for the 4-5th Holy Grail, he needed every advantage he could get.
It did make it a pain trying to learn it in England of all places, especially since the organization didn't have the friendliest of relations with the East meant that he was sorely lacking in terms of teachers and learning materials, but he wasn't a traditional Magus anyways and he was already bastardizing Science with Magic, so why not East and West?
Heck, maybe he'll just make his own Foundation?
"Lol, maybe I'll even start my own cult, just without the kool-aid?"
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Welp, that proved it... It has been over a year and Alexander still had exactly zero friends. It wasn't his fault! He didn't know what to do.
How do people hang out in 1932?!
There's no T.V! The radio sucked! He hated watching sports, so listening to it from a shitty speaker sucked even more!
No games, no manga, no computers, only depressing newspapers. What was there to do? Take a walk around? He'd rather not step in shit thank you very much, people had disgusting hygiene in this era.
He didn't like drinking, food choices were limited since cultural mingling wasn't much of a thing yet, and everyone was more interested in doing their research holed up in their workshop, or stealing info from you!
There was no goodwill, the best you could get was amiable indifference or a give and take relationship. Hard to try and be friends with someone you weren't sure wasn't going to kill you and cut you open to steal the secrets of magic from your body...
He glanced up from his cup of hot chocolate as he senses the presence of another Mage enter the little cafe he was in. It was right next to the headquarters of the Mage Association so he didn't need to worry about his safety. That and the fact he clearly recognized the energy signature of the other, he did go through all the troubles of setting up this meeting in the first place after all.
"Akane. Thank you for coming, please, sit. Would you like anything to drink?"
Alexander passed over the menu. The man only took a brief glance before waving over a waitress and ordered a cup of Black tea.
Akane Aozaki, the current 4th family head to the Aozaki family. Bright crimson hair fitting for his namesake and dark brown eyes, the 34-year-old mage didn't look a day over his late teens. He watched as the other man took off his coat and hung it over the back of his chair, practically gliding within his seat with his finger clasped in front of his face as he stared at Alex. Watching him silently, observing his every tick and manner, studying him as if a puzzle.
Those piercing eyes were judging him and he dearly wished that he wasn't found wanting.
After all, this was the father of Touko and Aoko Aozaki within a few decades. One a genius of unparalleled talent within the field of puppetry that she warranted a Sealing Designation and the other the inheritor of the Fifth Magic. Strangely enough, despite owning one of the greatest spiritual lands within Japan and their well-aged lineage they were not well renown, and yet they arguably will come to produce two of the greatest Mages of their time. This was without mentioning their grandfather, the Mage Infinitely close to Magic himself who discovered the path to the root that Aoko would get.
All the better for Alex to make his bid before they become an unreachable powerhouse. He'll do his best to cling to their legs and get a lift.
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"So, Mr. Black, is there any reason in particular that you decided to meet me outside of classes?"
"I'll be blunt then, Mr. Aozaki. Please listen to my proposal until the end. I'm a first-generation Magus, which means by default to the most of the Mage Association that I'm barely worth more than dirt. My hopes? My Dreams? Any future contribution I could have to society? Niche. After all, what hopes could one lone man have to add to research that has been ongoing for centuries? What avenues of thoughts could he stumble upon that they haven't already trodden a thousand times?"
The younger boy couldn't help the laugh that tore its way out of his throat. Akane didn't say anything, he only calmly added a bit of sugar to his cup, stirring once or twice, before sipping without a hint of emotion on his face.
"I.. Am hopelessly out of my depths, but I want to change that. I don't want to be a footnote in history, nor do I want my only legacy to be anecdotes of "He happened to bang the right chick" or "the great great great grandfather of-". No, I want to be great, and I can't do that by myself. I was hoping that the Aozaki family would help me started on my journey, that you would help me acquire an apprenticeship with your father. No for free, of course. I have already prepared a contract and signed my name, it would only need your father's approval and your own signature."
Alex pulled out an almost innocent sheet of paper and slid it across the table. For all his incredible self-control, Akane couldn't help but let his poker face crack the slightest bit upon laying his eyes upon the white sheet.
In crimson ink that was no doubt penned in the other's blood judging by the bandages, he could see peeking out from the other's sleeve and the smell of iron in the air. This was a cursed contract. A Geis. No, not just any Geis he realized as he touched the parchment. Vellum, a smooth parchment made from the skin of a calf. It was a Self Geis Scroll. One of the worst of curse, unbreakable by any known means. Something that bound not just the body, but one's magic crests and the soul itself. Attempt to break the terms would be worst than suicide to any Magus, they would effectively end their entire family lineage.
The Aozaki head could tell the young man's determination just from the fact that he had the gall to use such a method to get him to hear him out. How bothersome. The redhead carefully lifted it up to his face and read the neatly written terms. Once, twice, three times over. This was something far too dire for him to be careless.
Over half an hour passed as Alex watched the other man's rotate from plastering his eyes to the scroll, to putting it down and drinking his coffee while rubbing the bridge of his nose. The young Mage had spent good money on getting half a dozen lawyers to look over the terms. Well, not really, he just used some Memory Manipulation and weak Compulsions on them to make them do it for free and forget ever meeting him.
It summarized a couple of points.
1. He would by no means share what he has learned from them without their permission.
2. He would not disclose their student-teacher status or make use of the Aozaki family name without permission.
3. He would not wander around without supervision within the residence of the Aozaki family.
4. He would not attempt to harm any member of the Aozaki family unless in self-defense and vice versa whether direct or indirect.
5. The Aozaki family gets dibs on if he decided to sell any of his research and at a discounted price, and if he makes any magical patents then they would get 18% of the cut, and in return, they shall do their best to teach him anything that wasn't part of the family secret.
6. They would provide him with some protection, politically and otherwise.
7. They would not share his information without permission.
8. They would allow him residence on their spiritual lands.
9. He could make use of their resources and connections within the established limits. He really liked this part, access to some rare stuff and discounted magical resources and goods? Hell yes!
10. He would pay a hefty sum of money every year as tuition fees. He made sure that the amount was clearly written as 2,000$ which in 1930 was more than what most made in a year. A house cost 6,000~ and as long as the payments were made to an account kept by the Mage's Association then he would still be considered a student. If he was late on any payment then he would be charged a 5 % interest rate. Failure to comply with 10 payments shall result in forfeited of material possessions or locked up and getting his blood drained until he paid it all off.
11. In the event, both parties agree, or the death of the other, the apprenticeship shall be suspended along with the need for payment.
There was a bunch of other shit to ensure that neither of them could harm the others, quite literally even if they wanted too. The most full-proof contract that would leave even Mephistopheles weeping. It was especially annoying to add a bunch of clauses to prevent Clone/time travel/alternate universe counterparts from fucking it all up.
A Mage must always be prepared for all continuities was Alex's moto. One could never be too safe when dealing with Magus kind, after all, the backstabbing lot.
It was the entire reason something as absolute as a Geis was made in the first place.
The Aozaki family had literally nothing to lose besides possibly some time and effort, and if he turned out to be a success than they'd reap the benefits. It was a win-win situation for everyone, especially considering the state of the economy after the stock market crash not so long ago.
After what seemed like hours, Akane excused himself to the bathroom to call his father using the magical equivalent of a cellphone before he came back with a smile that seemed to cause all of Alex's tension away.
He'd be starting his Apprenticeship in four months. Fuck yeah!
... He needed to get a lot of money. Fuck.
... Alex couldn't give any more blood to the association for money without being passing out between classes, nor did he feel like jerking off for a creepy old man for money. Semen was a great source of mana and life energy apparently, but still. It was the principle of the matter!