Chapter 91: So many schools, I can’t decide
"What? You paid off the school? How.. How is that possible?" Max couldn’t believe that Gopher was able to pay off the school. Their talents were low to begin with so any school would charge them a huge amount of money to get themselves enrolled.
Now many students never would have the resources or the money to pay the school. Thus the schools would take a portion of their pay in the future until the debt is paid off. It was like a student loan provided by the school itself. The only difference here being the school itself will appoint you your work place depending upon your abilities.
Max and Gopher were eyeing for the associate professor in school not because they would be paid handsomely, but because being the associate professor he would be able to pay off the debt faster while also learning more about magic.
Gopher was sent to work as a shopkeeper to one of the remote places and though their pay was almost the same, the benefits of being an associate professor was much higher. This was the reason why Gopher and Max lodged heads against each other. They didn’t have any kind of bad blood before but the designation made it so.
Gopher side-eyed Aric when Max asked about how he was able to pay off but didn’t say a word. Max would come to know if he investigated but nonetheless he didn’t have any ties to the school anymore and wasn’t obligated to help the school. He had done his part.
"That is none of your business of how I paid off. Maybe Aric here would choose our school or maybe he wouldn’t, and even if I was tied to the school right now, I am not obligated to send an acquaintance to the same school as mine. There is no such law. Good luck with your recruitments." Gopher walked out saying that followed by Aric, who thanked Max for the hospitality.
Max wanted to say more but the young man nearby stopped him.
"Teacher, we will only lower ourselves if we go on pestering him. A high level talent doesn’t mean that he will be a great mage in the future. Anything can happen in his journey."
Max eyes jumped when his young colleague said that. He understood what he meant. The talented mages were often targeted the most on their journey to greater heights. After Aric and Gopher came out, he could feel the eyes of the crowd on him, as many of the people were now looking at him.
In this square, news spread fast, and by now it seemed everyone was aware that Aric had tested with a high talent in wind magic—an unheard-of rarity in these parts. Aric knew that he would have recieve the stares and whispers for the rest of the time but he wasn’t bothered.
He moved from one tent to another, each one representing a different magical academy, each one vying for his attention. Gopher stayed at his side, offering quiet reassurance. The first tent belonged to Aetherion Academy, the same school Azryn had represented. As they entered, Aric was greeted by rows of intricate banners, each one shimmering with enchantments.