Chương 32: A Student in... Partial Truth

.. Partial Truth Ryland enjoyed watching the academy slowly wake up as they trotted off to the Headmaster's office. The suits of armour were still finishing their cleanups. Many of the paintings had their occupants still dozing, a few in the process of groggily getting out of their beds. The funniest bit was when he saw several dorm students hurrying away, wearing nothing but towels. He had to chuckle at that.

It seemed the oldest dorm at Arcoryx Academy maintained its time-honoured tradition of a certain set of students going to the bathhouse as early as possible because it tended to get crowded later on. Very prudent of the prudish to finish all their washing and ablutions as early as possible when they still had relative privacy. As Ryland walked, he received yet another achievement. Was he getting a few too many in a short amount of time?

Well, he was accomplishing things with magic, so there was good reason for it, at least. But was his successful entry into Arcoryx Academy supposed to be a real achievement? Hadn't he already done this once? So why was the Grand Frame counting it? The answer came to Ryland without much difficulty. He just needed to remind himself that his time at the academy had been before the Grand Frame. It had no record of him being here.

[Achievement Recognized: Trialist You have completed the Entrance Trials of Arcoryx Academy, one of the premier institutions of magic in the Accorded Realms. Reward: [???] Prints for Greater Inscription. Achievement absorbed by Manasoul Archetype [???].] Ah. Ryland read through the reward twice. Greater Inscription Prints meant that the Grand Frame was essentially helping him conjoin some of the spells Inscribed on his body into an even more complicated spell circle with more potency.

And the resultant Inscription might not need to be restricted to his body. Interesting. A spell circle's capability was defined first by its Centreglyph. Whichever Soul Glyph resided in the middle spelled out the baseline of what it could accomplish. Then the surrounding Subglyphs would go on to define the exact parameters, bounds, directions, limits, additional effects, and everything else along those lines. This was generally true for Inscribed spell circles too.

But instead of Inscribing a singular Glyph, one had to Inscribe a Centreglyph surrounded by the requisite Subglyphs to form the Inscribed spell circle. However, those were for the normal ones. A Greater Inscription could be expanded so that a spell circle formed the Centreglyph of a larger spell circle, with other spell circles forming Subglyphs of the "greater" spell being Inscribed.

The concentric nature of it often fascinated Ryland, and while he had crafted several over the course of his life, he hadn't used one on his body. Well, some of his bodies did have them, but that was thanks to their original creators and owners. Ryland himself hadn't found the need yet. And he wasn't sure he needed it now, despite the reward from the Grand Frame. Nevertheless, it was an option to explore when he had some time. He'd need to remember it for when he had settled into a routine here at the academy.

They reached the Inscribed teleportation circle before long. It was always neat how the teleportation circles differed from his rifts. [Translocate] just broke spacetime between two locations. Teleportation—at least, the ones commonly used in Inscribed spell circles—used the idea of resonance between two locations to transport matter. No more and no less complicated than what Ryland was familiar with. Just a different axis of magical implementation to achieve the same, relative effect.

Secretary Lahm offered Ryland a short nod of acknowledgement when he and the Headmaster reached the office in the main administrative tower. Of course, Alaric received an actual bow, which the Headmaster waved off.

"Now that we're finally within the safe bounds of my office," Alaric said, throwing himself into his thronelike chair behind his big desk after closing the door.

"We can talk freely. Please, take a seat."

"Even if I'm more comfortable standing?" Ryland asked." I'm uncomfortable if you keep standing." Ryland chuckled, then sat. Alaric eventually harrumphed, his beard bristling at his exhale.

"I suppose some congratulations are in order, but from what you said, you've already done this rigmarole before."

"Indeed. Although, I will say the challenges in the second stage of the Entrance Trials were new to me."

"New… and not much of a challenge."

"To be fair, had I been a regular graduate student candidate, I'm certain I'd have found them suitably challenging."

"Right." Alaric looked like he wanted to rub his temples.

"Lahm! Can you bring us some refreshments, please?"

"I think I shall pass, thank you," Ryland said.

"Don't pass on anything, Lahm. I'll have Ryland's portion too."

"Will do, Headmaster," Lahm said, voice muffled behind the office door, before his retreating footsteps slowly faded.

"Headmaster," Ryland said.

"Did you really bring me here to discuss something, or did you merely wish to prevent the other Academs from getting their hands on me?" Alaric considered his reply for a second.

"Both."

"I'm glad we can be frank."

"Yes, well, that frankness is what I'm afraid of, you see." Alaric leaned forwards, his eyes suddenly sharp and challenging.

"Tell me, Ryland, how well did your frankness serve you during the Trials when you had to cooperate with a team?" The canny look on Alaric's face confirmed that he had been paying rather close attention to Team Three during the Entrance Trials.

"You were right, Headmaster," Ryland said. He smiled.

"Frankly speaking, trying to be frank initially caused some tension between me and my teammates."

"I'm not surprised."

"…why would you be surprised when you were clearly watching it live?" Alaric cleared his throat.

"I meant I wasn't surprised when I was watching your performance. And now that you have proof that such an approach won't always work—""They did come around, eventually." Ryland fondly recalled Sint swallowing down her reservations to thank him and Kendren insisting on a group dinner after the Trials were done.

"I'd even hazard a guess that we're friends now." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Alaric looked at him oddly for a few moments before shaking his head.

"That is not my point. People are… fickle creatures. You are a splendid individual, Ryland. Clearly, you've experienced a great deal, and those experiences have tempered you into someone unflappable. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the vast majority of people."

"…I suspect you are leading me to something."

"Yes, yes, I'm getting to it."

"For someone who brushed off the other High Academs by stating, and I quote, I'll be terribly busy later, you seem to have an awful amount of time to spare for me, Headmaster." Ryland smiled widely.

"I shall deign to take that as a compliment and not as an indication that you have a propensity for lying." Alaric gawped a little. He appeared to be stuck in indecision paralysis for a moment before sighing.

"What I'm getting at is that you are an official graduate student of Arcoryx Academy now. That comes with certain expectations. I'm sure you are aware of them from your last stint with Arcoryx, yes? After all, I cannot allow a rogue graduate student doing whatever he wishes."

"Headmaster," Ryland said. He felt the sudden urge to raise his hand, like he had seen Alendra do, and suppressed it. Was this his first impulse as a student? The thought nearly made him shudder.

"I have a question." Alaric looked a little scared of what Ryland was about to ask but he braced his shoulders.

"Go on."

"You seem to have this ingrained notion that I am some sort of… loose cannon, if you will, that needs to be reined in."

"Are you not?"

"I don't think of myself as such, no. However, you clearly do. My question is this—is that an assumption on your part or are there legitimate issues that I might be unaware of?" Alaric didn't answer for a moment. He waited until Lahm had finished depositing all the mugs of coffee and biscuits he had brought on a hovering tray. It was only after finishing a whole cup of the hot beverage that he answered.

"I believe there is indeed a mismatch in awareness," Alaric said.

"To no one's fault, of course. We are simply in very different positions, therefore certain things that I see are things you never will, and vice versa naturally." Ryland ignored the proffered mug.

"Things such as…?"

"Your entry into Arcoryx City in general set off certain wards and alarms, something you've probably noted. I've had to deal with the concerned city officials, promising them that nothing awry was happening. I've done the same with the administration in charge of the academy's protection."

"Ah."

"All that is merely one side of the matter. Then there are the Academs and other students. Your showing in the Entrance Trials has understandably ignited a great deal of interest, even though I could clearly see you were trying to minimize your influence on proceedings. I have been running around locating every single interested party and heading them off before they found you and started a regrettable chain reaction."

"You've been handling a great deal more than I thought, Headmaster," Ryland said. Alaric placed the second mug down carefully so as not to spill its contents.

"Indeed, I have. And I am willing to continue doing so, but I require some assurances from you first, Ryland."

"Why?" Ryland asked.

"Why go to such lengths for me?" If he was being honest, Ryland had expected some sort of fallout once he reached properly civilized lands and actually went about participating in society. It was inevitable. There were always consequences to using power, and Ryland liked to think he was practiced in dealing with those consequences. After all, while his approach might not have been the smoothest method initially, his new friends had come around to him. To some extent, at least.

Maybe they still didn't fully consider him a friend. But they had established a baseline of trust, dependability, and character. That meant something. Ryland was certain he could replicate the same with just about anyone, given enough time. People might doubt him, might fear him, might remain in awe of him, and might even seek to use him. But in the end, he wasn't going to be swayed from his goal. And he wouldn't be forced to compromise his character or ideals either.

"Against my better judgment," Alaric said.

"I think you can be an asset to Arcoryx."

"An asset, is it?"

"Now I know, you don't intend to be an asset. You have your own, all-important reasons for being here and that takes priority. But that doesn't mean your actions don't reflect on us. That doesn't mean we can't take pride in your accomplishments. That doesn't mean we can't help each other."

"You know, you could simply let me handle the matter," Ryland said.

"If anyone wishes to speak with me, then I am willing to converse, so long as my time is respected." Alaric looked like he was trying not to break out into a sweat.

"I have experience in this," Ryland said, trying to reassure the Headmaster.

"Back on Realm 55—sorry, back on Ovrisiathe—the Imperial Immortal wanted me to marry whichever of his seventeen sons and daughters won the battle royale for my hand."" What?" Ryland frowned. He thought he had been perfectly clear.

"Allow me to repeat myself. The Imperial Immortal of Ovrisiathe wanted me to marry one of his heirs, who were busy killing each other for the supposed honour. It was an extremely difficult period of my life. I couldn't even escape with my rifts because the Immortal cast [Dimension Lock] on his entire planet." This time, Ryland failed to hide his shudder. Those had been a few horrid years he had no wish to experience again.

It hadn't helped that casting [Dimension Lock] on a whole world had set off a small apocalypse. One that many people had attributed to a Calamity, despite the conspicuous lack of one.

"I humbly implore," Alaric said, leaning forward in his seat earnestly.

"That you cease telling me unbelievable things that I have no choice but to believe." Ryland knew that the language he was familiar with had evolved over the centuries he was gone, but that had to be the oddest phrasing he had heard yet.

"I… will try." He cleared his throat.

"Anyway, my point is that I'm certain I can handle whatever paltry concern or complaint anyone in Arcoryx might have against me."

"Be that as it may, I have taken steps to ensure that you aren't bothered. You have great potential to help Arcoryx…" His eyes flitted to the clock on his desk before returning to Ryland, his fingers briefly brushing the red earring hanging beside his head.

"Potential that can also be dangerous." Ryland nodded.

"Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer, is it?"

"In a manner of speaking. But it goes beyond. If I want you to do something for the academy, then it behoves me to do something for you in return as well. Which is why I'm offering to head off the annoyances that you haven't needed to deal with so far. And in return…"Alaric took a deep breath.

"In return, I just want you to be a proper graduate student." Ryland was familiar with what Alaric meant. He had gone through that once already. Finding a mentor, deciding on a research direction, conducting classes while presenting his findings…

"I was prepared to do so already," Ryland said.

"I never intended to disrespect Arcoryx by taking up a graduate student slot but never actually performing the duties expected of me. That said, I want to make it clear that my main priority remains unchanged."

"Yes, your… research on Calamities." Ryland took a deep breath.

"Well, it's more that broken and shattered pieces of me can sometimes evolve into greater beings than they originally were, and through myriad ways, they often end up being Calamities, with possible methods including cultish sacrifices, infusions of incredible power from ley lines, dungeons, and so on, or even just merging with greater manabeasts like dragons, and…" Alaric's eyes had glazed over a little bit. Ryland slowly realized he had been expositing a little too quickly again. Oops.

"So yes," Alaric said." Your research on Calamities is your main priority."

"Yes… my research on Calamities is my main priority."

"That is understandable. But I am grateful that you will also be an actual graduate student. This is good for the academy in multiple ways—it increases academy metrics across the board, increases research output and shows we're spending on students instead of just taking their money, and also hopefully keeps a certain someone employable for now." Intrigued as Ryland was as to who this mysterious someone was supposed to be, they were interrupted by sudden loud knocks on the Headmaster's office door.

"Alaric!" said a gruff, familiar voice.

"I know he's in there!" Alaric scowled at the doorway.

"This is highly improper, High Academ Soto. Where's Lahm?"

"Don't try to change the subject! Open your deplorable door already. I know you're harbouring the fugitive!"" Fugitive?" Ryland muttered. Alaric laughed at him very nervously.

"Wait," Ryland said, freezing in his seat.

"Does the High Academ mean me?"

"Well…"

"What in the world have I done to be even remotely considered a fugitive?"

"It's a long story." He suddenly stood up.

"How about we conclude this meeting for now?" Alaric quickly strode over and threw open his window, holding his hands out like he was indicating that Ryland should jump through.

"Congratulations again, Ryland. I look forward to seeing what your research results in."

"Are you—you are indicating me to jump out through the window." The door jumped on its hinges as the High Academ once again demanded to be allowed in. Honestly, at this point, Ryland was curious why he hadn't broken it down already.

"I'm sure you're a terribly busy individual," Alaric said.

"And I've already taken up far too much of your precious time. Allow me to continue handling the rabble like I've been doing so far, while you focus on more important pursuits."

"Actually, I have some free time on my hands now that the Entrance Trials are done."" I can hear you talking, Alaric!" came the belligerent High Academ's voice.

"Please, Ryland," Alaric all but begged. Ryland sighed. Rather than questioning things further, he decided he'd be merciful and go along with what Alaric said. Although, he was not about to jump out of windows.

"Farewell, Headmaster," he said.

"Thank you, and sorry about this."

"You're welcome." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Wait, why are you apologizing?"" [Translocate]." As his rift swallowed him, Ryland bemusedly caught Alaric's betrayed look as the Academ outside the office shouted something about impossible magic.