Chapter 5: Journey To Viridale
The Imperium Magic Academy wasn’t just a school. It was a culmination of the entire history of Westumberland.
Since the dawn of time, following the discovery of magic, students who were keen on learning it had to resort to the apprenticeship system.
This was a system whereby a student travelled all the way to the house of a mage (B-Rank or higher). There the student spent an amount of time learning the basics, until he attained the intermediate rank. (D-Rank).
Afterward, the student could either return home or go to another mage to enhance his skills.
But the nobles, out of fear for the safety of their offspring, decided that it was more convenient to build one location where all students could live peacefully. Then the mages would be invited to teach those who were interested in learning their unique magic. For good compensation, of course.
And so, the Imperium Magic Academy was born. A large beautiful college where magic was in full communion with civilization.
The Academy became the very foundation of politics for the entire continent, as well as the final authority in determining the ruling noble of each house.
A long time ago, the academy was reserved only to wielders of noble birth, but after the great noble war, the academy now accepted students of all backgrounds, so long as they showed incredible magic talent.
Needless to say, I never made it in.
Being a useless slave of lowly birth, I had to rely on the old apprenticeship system to acquire any knowledge of magic whatsoever.
No one believed in me to get this far, but I silently overcame every obstacle in my path and mastered all existing magic affinities.
Eventually, I surpassed every known mage in Westumberland and rose to the title of Grand Mage.