"This..." Normally, Alvin wouldn't have thought twice to accept such an offer. However, accepting it now was a lot riskier than before. Alvin had the wisp, and the fact he was being recruited because of him might reveal things that shouldn't be.
But then again, he was still a man. How could he just refuse the goddess offer? It's just that before he talked, Linfelia intervened. "Sorry, Miss Milia. We have already registered for the next test, so can you wait a little? We need to bring Linfel to the Familiars' Test."
"Hum?" Milia got confused. "That would turn him into an independent Familiar. Are you truly doing that?"
Well, it wasn't about whether they did it or not. Linfel wasn't really connected to Alvin in any way. That said, he was already independent. It's just that they wanted to make it official to not attract too much attention... although the wisp seemed to be a beacon of trouble himself.
"I am," Alvin nodded, happy that Linfelia bought him some time to think. "I would also have done the same for my little Linfelia here, but she doesn't really want it. I ask if she changed her mind year after year, but she is adamant about it."
"I don't, indeed," Linfelia nodded. "I want to continue to serve Master. Besides, if I leave you alone, you will probably starve to death."
Alvin looked away after hearing that. "I don't know what you are talking about."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Milia. "Milia, this guy isn't all that bad in the end." Right after, a dense red Familiar appeared. Not only that, there were a few tinges of Brown already starting to take form on its body. It was obvious this was a Level Two Familiar, and it was very close to becoming a Level Three one.
Milia looked behind and patted the Familiar's head. "You rascal. Where have you gone while I needed you, Nori?"
Alvin had seen that Familiar near Milia before. Even though they are in different and far away classes due to the difference in talent, he knew that Nori was Milia's Familiar. It was present in her ID on the academy's website, after all.
Nori smiled while putting his hands on the back of his head. "What are you talking about? As soon as I heard you returned to the academy I came to find you. If anything, I arrived quite fast."
"Yes, yes, sure." Milia shrugged her shoulders. "This is my Familiar, Nori."
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"Hello!" Nori quickly approached Alvin, analyzing him from head to toe. Following that, he checked both Linfelia and Linfel, stopping at Linfel with a puzzled expression. "You... look somewhat different."
"Believe me," Milia sighed. "He is anything but normal."
Linfel wasn't very happy. "That doesn't feel like a compliment."
"Because it isn't," Alvin and Linfelia added. "But you totally deserve it."
Nori noticed that a lot must have happened, so he decided to leave it aside. "Well, a compatibility level of 71% at the age of 15 is truly amazing. Even Milia and I only have 75%, and she is the same age as you. Well, according to the rest of your information, everything else is pretty average. Nonetheless, I will say you are a good Master."
Her Master Familiar Connection being 75% wasn't a surprise to no one. It was also available on the academy's website, after all. It was only one more reason for everyone to look so high up to her.
Alvin, Linfelia, and Linfel looked at Milia, puzzled. "What's up with him?"
Milia then explained. "Nori is also an independent Familiar. He is free to go anywhere and do whatever he likes. Of course, he continues to stay by my side. We have been together ever since I became a Magus. I trust him enough to give him his freedom, so he is happy to find a master like Alvin who also trusts his Familiar this much."
"I see..." Alvin and the others nodded. They didn't expect Milia's Familiar was also independent. Nori was obviously an amazing Familiar on his own. The fact he is almost a Level Three Familiar was proof enough of it. Above all, giving a Familiar its independence meant he could simply leave Milia anytime he wanted. There weren't many Masters out there who went that far. "That's a stark contrast to Saimon's relationship with his Familiar."
"Hmph!" Nori got angry. "A trash that kills his Familiar's emotions is not worth mentioning."
Linfelia quickly turned to Alvin. "Master, we need to go. Otherwise, we will have to wait until tomorrow for Linfel to get his test since it only happens in the first part of the morning."
"Right, right!" Alvin quickly agreed. "Lady Milia, would you mind waiting? I will take this time to think a little."
Milia nodded. "I also have to tell you about the Magic Beast that attacked your Father's boat as we agreed yesterday. The results came out, but it isn't anything urgent. I'll be waiting on the exit."
Milia and Nori turned around and left, followed by Milia's several bodyguards. However, the bodyguards left the academy after that. This was as far as they could follow her. No one who wasn't a student or worked there was allowed to stay inside the academy grounds without permission.
Linfel's group, obviously, went to the next building. Quite a few eyes focused on them, which made it obvious that the news about the incident in the MFC test was already spreading. Pretty much anything involving the top talents of the academy in all grades would always be the center of attention. Milia was just one of such talents.
In the building, Alvin presented Linfel forward. "He is here to take the Familiar test."
The worker there showed the form. "Just fill out the system form on the monitor and add magus signature at the end. Be aware that if he passes, he will be an independent Familiar, so you will have no power over him anymore."
Alvin quickly completed the form, signing it at the end, "Yes, I'm aware."