Chương 31: Book 2 Chapter 12: It Can Walk?

It was with a certain amount of stress that Jim attended the start of semester exams for the umpteenth time. Not because he was worried about his ability to score within the range to receive two elective slots, something that had never been in doubt, in the present, or in the past, but because professor Quatzel would be spectating him this time. The only thing was, after Jim had finished the theoretical exam and lined up for the practical, he still couldn't see a hint of the lich anywhere.

The only oddity was that professor Waters, his examiner, was a tad distracted and white-faced, going through the motions woodenly and occasionally glancing over her shoulder.

"Very nice shield," the woman said in a voice that almost stuttered when Jim demonstrated his abilities.

"Were you even paying attention?" Jim asked with furrowed brows.

"Of course, of course," the professor exclaimed.

"You showed your three magic missiles and your shield. Do you have anything else?"

"I can sense magic externally," Jim said.

"And I can use divination to view a far away scene if given a bowl and some water." Professor Waters blinked her large blue eyes at him, before drawing herself together and pointing a finger at the sky.

"What number is this?" she asked him. Jim furrowed his brows before closing his eyes, which was when he noticed the trick.

"There's no magic on your finger, you're channelling it to your other hand instead," he said.

"Very good!" Professor Waters exclaimed.

"I guess your scores in the first semester merely showed an interest in more advanced material! I'm very happy to see such a large improvement. What electives are you planning on taking?" she asked.

"Shouldn't I show off my divination spell?" Jim asked confusedly, never having been greeted with such enthusiasm before.

"Just show me the shaping exercise then answer the question. You'll get your slots, I don't have a bowl handy at the moment," the professor said kindly. Jim promptly showed off his see-through circular pane of mana before thinking about his answer. It was best to follow the lich's instructions… The loss of agency he'd experienced at the docks had been… concerning.

"External Mana Sensing and an Introduction to Mind Magic," he said. The professor idly nodded along as she heard his choices.

"You've chosen very meta-skills for your electives, which shows you've thought about it a lot. Perfecting your mana sensing will help you learn all other disciplines faster while mind magic can accelerate progress on a mental level." She seemed lost in thought, almost forgetting to dismiss him and call for the next student to be tested. Eventually she did so and Jim walked off into the stunned crowd where he heard Waterflower mutter one infuriating thing that almost made him lose his temper right then and there.

"I guess that really helped, huh. Should I ask my parents as well? No, that's crazy…"

'You're crazy, you're all crazy, I'm the only sane one!' Jim complained in the privacy of his own mind as he brushed past the stunned Lebowski looking at him with googly eyes and disappeared towards the library. He walked quickly as if being chased by a particularly foul-smelling street dog, but stopped on the first step of the library as he glanced over his shoulder one last time and saw something gold flash in the corner of his eye.

His favourite colour caught his attention and he fully turned towards the empty academy grounds -everyone was at the colosseum- and saw something he wasn't expecting. The Ezengerdien boy, Decorus Gold, was sneaking around in the same distant spot that Jim had seen the headmaster all those months ago.

It was only his ridiculous styled up shining hair that gave him away as he slunk from tree to tree in an approach to what professor Quatzel had said was the teacher's personal liquor cabinet, hidden within the academy walls. Jim narrowed his eyes as he absorbed the idiotic behaviour being put on display before promptly making a decision and postponing a fruitful library session for another time. He didn't trust Quatzel, never had in fact, why would he choose to believe his words on what the headmaster was doing?

Considering the lich's actions, it was better to always assume the opposite. Jim carefully bent his knees slightly to appear smaller and thus less noticeable as he sneakily walked towards the small cluster of trees the Ezengerdian boy had disappeared into. His hands clutched to his chest and his elbows jutting out he swiftly moved from tree to tree, expanding his mana senses for all they were worth.

It was with these efforts that he managed to sneak up behind the last oak tree standing between him and the wall, which Decorus was curiously running his hand over just like Jim had all those weeks ago. Jim molded his body to the tree, trying to become the foliage as he peered out with narrowed eyes at the Ezengerdian, who, as always, was speaking into the glowing marble hanging from his neck. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"I've found a secret entrance, but I can't enter… I merely know that it is there," Decorus muttered quietly in his whiny voice, the grating sound carrying far in the thankfully peaceful academy. Was the start of the semester exam the best time to uncover the academy's secrets in the future? Jim wondered idly, it seemed like a rare opportunity now that he considered it. He almost stumbled out of his hiding spot however when another voice joined the fray unexpectedly.

"There are few ways to enter a space warded by an accomplished archmage," a voice said, emerging from exactly where Decorus was standing. Jim's eyes widened as he saw where it was coming from. The marble! It was talking!

"But how do I get my hands on an artefact enchanted by the headmaster?" Decorus whined at his jewellery.

"Even if you managed that, you'd need to find a way to completely suppress your own signature," the marble replied in a raspy voice that Jim now recognised as female.

"The only way for someone with your… lacking talents to accomplish such a feat would be to attain an artefact created by the headmaster and fall unconscious. Useless. Note down the spot as you have with the others, we will investigate in due time." Jim furrowed his brows. When it was time, time for what? He took a step backwards, intending to extradite himself from the suspicious situation. Which, of course, was when he stepped on a fallen branch and caused it to loudly crack.

He winced in place, freezing in some weird hope to remain unperceived.

"Fool, you were followed?" the marble hissed angrily as Decorus whirled around, forming a large fireball in his hands.

"Who's there?!" Decorus shouted angrily, hairstyle not looking so stupid now that he was wielding a magical version of the flame it was styled after in his hands. Jim sighed. The gig was up. He was too unmistakable, too charismatic to escape without being identified. Even his broad and manly back was more recognizable than most people's faces. He stepped out from behind the tree as his mind whirled.

"Savant?" Decorus asked in a confused tone of voice, slightly lowering the hand holding the head-sized fireball.

"Gold," Jim replied with a nod.

"I didn't expect to find an ally here in all places." Decorus furrowed his brows and tilted his head.

"You're also a spy for Ezengerd?" Jim stared at the boy blankly while a deluge of curses exploded from the marble.

"You fucking idiot, by the empress…"

"Not really," Jim replied calmly, sighing internally at the fact that he was clearly dealing with a moron.

"But I think we may have a common enemy, and thus, a common interest."

"Why should I trust you?" Decorus asked, raising his hand again. Jim didn't want this to escalate into a fight, after all, that would draw attention and cause the boy to get caught, at which point he would also reveal his own presence. However, if Ezengerd was investigating the headmaster… Maybe he could use them. After all, he did need information.

"A state has no eternal allies or enemies, only eternal interests," Jim replied.

"The headmaster represents an obstacle I would prefer distracted." If he could find a way to have the man become occupied with Ezengerd while Jim investigated the calamity, perhaps it would save him some unnecessary deaths in the future…

"Master?" Decorus asked, tilting his head to glance at the marble.

"If you fight now you'll be found out. Ask him what his proposal is," the voice ordered brusquely.

"Perhaps we could share some information," Jim said.

"I know certain things about the headmaster you likely don't, that seems to be the case for you as well. Why not exchange? I'd benefit if you used what you learn to put pressure on him, distract him. I have my own plans he would likely prefer to interrupt." Trading information for information always benefitted Jim, since his opposite would simply forget it by the next reset, perhaps this was the way forward?

"Not here," Decorus said decisively.

"Let's talk later. We are running out of time and I'll be called to showcase the practical portion in a few minutes."

"Let's meet at the Checkered Mare Inn," Jim suddenly suggested.

"The one by the abandoned church of transformation. Tomorrow night."

"Don't cross me Savant," Decorus growled as he extinguished the flame in his hand and started walking away along the wall, towards the colosseum. Jim narrowed his eyes as he watched the boy go. He'd always thought the other student was suffering from schizophrenia from how he was always muttering. To think that he'd been talking to someone the whole time… He wondered what Ezengerd was trying to accomplish by sending such a buffoon of a spy. A distraction, perhaps? He would find out tomorrow.