Ch. 3 - Place of Assignment

"This is Fiddiq Academy."

I looked up at the massive structure that could be mistaken for a castle. Stone walls and spires stood in rows, with a massive Gothic-style building towering in the center. A river flowed by the front and separated into two branches. Including the spires, the expanse of the ground was unfathomable.

I had never seen a building like this, not even on Earth.

I strolled along the stone-paved walkway, amazed.

Looking around, I saw people with animal ears on their heads, those with tails, some with long ears, and others with thick beards despite their childlike height.

Their attire varied widely, but most notably, some wore armor or robes covering their entire bodies.

It looked like a scene from fantasy, but I was used to seeing demi-humans, beastkin, and elves. Racial diversity was common in a large city.

Rare species such as giants, merfolk, and fairies also existed somewhere in the world.

Gazing up at the majestic gate that exuded an overwhelming presence, I sighed and took a step forward.

At that moment, a voice suddenly called out from beyond the gate. "Excuse me. Beyond this point is Fiddiq Academy, the world's finest magic academy. We have not received any information about a transfer at this time of year. What is your business here?"

The warning was spoken in a beautiful tone, resembling singing a gentle song.

When I looked up, I saw a stunning young man with blue hair standing there. He was wearing clothes that looked like a cross between a military uniform and a business suit, a style popular among nobility. The black costume included silver embroidery, giving the impression of high-quality craftsmanship at a glance.

"I was told to work here. Could you please relay it to Principal Glenn?"

The young man smiled softly and shook his head from side to side. "I'm sorry, but do you have ID or a letter of introduction from someone of equivalent standing to support your claim? As you know, the principal is a marquis, albeit not by blood, but by virtue of his immense mana and numerous achievements. He is not someone you can meet easily."

I furrowed my brow in response to this appraisal-like glance. "That's a problem. As a commoner, I do not have ID to prove my status. I do have a guild card from the Magician's Association, though..."

The young man visibly lost interest, and his expression turned indifferent. "In that case, please return. I shall take my leave."

Seeing him turn on his heels so casually, I called out. "Could you at least deliver a letter for me?"

The young man calmly returned, folded his arms, and tilted his head. "A letter, you say?"

Hearing the doubtful mumble, I pulled out a piece of white paper from the leather bag slung over my shoulder. It was just a simple folded sheet with no seal or anything.

The young man showed a faint sign of renewed interest. "And that letter is?"

"I was told it is similar to a greeting letter. Of course, there is nothing sinister about it. If there are no issues, I would like it delivered to Principal Glenn."

"Deliver it? That's up to me to decide," the young man said mockingly and snatched the letter from my hand.

He held his palm over the folded letter and narrowed his eyes slightly. A shadow shrouded his attractive face, and his long eyelashes fluttered, creating a picturesque sight that irked me somewhat.

"Indeed... it doesn't seem to have any magical traps. Now, about the content..."

The moment I heard that, I activated an attribute-less spell, [Void Hand, Little Palm].

Using no chant and little mana, a hand of the void retrieved the letter without the young man, who seemed to be a high-ranking magician, even sensing it.

"I'll deliver it myself to save you the trouble."

With that, I cast another spell.

The young man reacted quickly to deploy defensive magic, possibly believing there wouldn't be a second time.

"[White Migratory Bird, Air Mail]."

With my murmur, the letter floated up and flew towards the top of the castle. The young man looked up at it in a half-dazed state.

This would be a hassle. I should leave before I was noticed.

With that thought in mind, I casually left the scene.

【PoV Blue-Haired Man, Speyside】

She was an odd woman. A female with lustrous black hair and black eyes was uncommon in this place. She appeared to be in her late teens, but she exuded an aura of maturity.

Despite her slender frame, she possessed sharp eyes and carried herself similarly to a soldier.

Her elegance was so excellent that I almost confused her for a noble, despite the fact she had arrived without a carriage. Moreover, she claimed to be a commoner.

The academy was open to everyone, and the same was true for the personnel, regardless of background.

However, given that this was a top-tier academy for the highest-level magicians, most people were of noble birth, and the majority of the staff came from marquis or earl families.

Thus, it was unheard of for a commoner to request an audience with the principal outside of the enrollment period.

I wondered if this woman was a fraud or perhaps a lunatic. During our conversation, I attempted to dismiss her politely, but she produced a bizarre piece of paper in desperation.

It was a pristine white sheet, the kind of high-quality paper I rarely saw. Intrigued, I mistakenly concentrated on it.

During the moment I was distracted by the paper, the woman cast a spell and snatched the paper from my hand.

When did she chant? What spell did she use?

More importantly, I had never been caught off guard like this before.

My mind was in turmoil, and my heart was racing.

My relaxed guard instantly tensed up. I lowered my posture to allow for swift movement if necessary and began chanting a defensive spell.

"I'll deliver it myself to save you the trouble."

In an instant, she cast another unfamiliar spell and sent the letter flying into the sky.

Even though it was the second time, I couldn't detect any preparatory movements for using magic or the moment of the spell activating.

Surely, it couldn't be non-verbal casting.

If so, it had to be an extremely shortened spell. In my specialization of water magic, I could use some shortened spells.

But still, her casting was too quick, and the preparation was too subtle.

"Ah, who are you...?" I looked up at the sky in astonishment, then lowered my gaze to search for the woman.

But all I could see was the familiar stone pavement and walls.

The woman had disappeared without a trace.

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