Dragonlord

Ep 26. I Tend To Pick Favorites. (2)

“We need to do something.”

“I agree. We cannot simply let things continue like things.”

“Which family does this student heir from anyways?”

“I’ve actually looked into the matter. Our files indicate that he’s the younger brother of a currently working enforcer. No other family relations.”

“Hoho…and here I was expecting this student to be the secret child of our dear headmaster. A mere enforcer’s little sibling, you say…”

‘…’

Karas sat himself on the circular meeting table. An emergency staff meeting had been called in to discuss a ‘very delicate matter’, and summoned in this large discussion chamber were almost every single staff member available within the Magic Institute. But as far as he could tell, everyone here were just joking and gossiping about a student they found troublesome to deal with.

The instructors that had attempted to lecture Serenis were busily spreading word about what a ridiculous venture it was to keep her in their class. The rest were intently listening to their stories in growing interest for this supposed genius.

“Unmatched talents, I must say. I thought him rude and disrespectful, but I’ve come to realize that he truly is wasting time in our lectures.”

“What if we were to advance this student to senior levels? In all honesty, I believe that we’re wasting the greatest talents to ever be discovered in our century. Surely the other instructors that have this student in their lectures will agree with me.”

“I do agree.”

“As well as I.”

“Same…”

Karas maintained silence; his opinion didn’t matter with so many instructors’ agreements.

Never in the history of the institute has there been a meeting just to discuss how to deal with a first year that enrolled only a week prior. While there have been a plethora of talented individuals in the past, none quite displayed the same level of indifference as Serenis towards the instructors’ materials. Those were geniuses; this was a dragon.

And their discussion continued. With so many in agreement of implementing a solution, it was time to discuss what said solution would look like.

“But we cannot simply advance a student we deem fit.”

“It is a fine point. Surely, other students and families will see it as favoritism and find problems in fairness. It’s a lack of equity and fair opportunity.”

“But what can we do? Gifted individuals are wont to receive benefits. Enduring jealousy is a skill one should retain as a genius.”

“…Fairness, is it?”

The discussion froze as the last remark was thrown. Despite the man’s soft and gentle voice, his position was that of the headmaster of the continent’s largest school of magic, and one of the only three archmages presently alive. His was an authority none could question in this room.

“Then we need but make it fair. We’ll open the opportunity for all students in their first and second years: an opportunity to tackle a very special advancement exam, one that tests whether an individual possesses the necessary skills to warrant skipping their junior years.”

A monetary silence followed the headmaster’s proposal. Minutes later, one of the instructors carefully began to speak their thoughts on the matter.

“Headmaster. While I understand the intent, creating such examination is unheard of in our institute’s history. Especially if the intent is to accelerate a single student’s academic proceedings.”

The archmage slowly threw his gaze over the discussion chamber. He could see that it wasn’t just the instructor that had spoken; many instructors were clearly against the proceeding he had suggested.

There was a need to make something very clear. The headmaster cleared his throat, shifting his gaze back to the instructor that had voiced his concerns.

“Professor Vain. I tend to pick favorites among my students.”

“…I’m sorry?”

“As teachers, we ought to allow talented individuals to spread their wings; it simply won’t do to allow a lion to walk amongst cats. We all know that birthing a mage of higher circles is too difficult a task, and wasting even one such talent is an act worthy of continental contempt.”

“Headmaster, that’s…”

“And most importantly.”

The archmage clacked his cane against the floor. His smile was brimming in newfound excitement. Unlike to other instructors, this new student was nothing but delightful news to the man.

“Does this not sound interesting to you all? I’ve been rather bored recently. Such talents are always a welcoming surprise in our careers.”

The disagreeing opinions were subdued by the time the headmaster finished speaking. Despite the number of disagreeing instructors, there were just as many, if not more, who were in agreement with the archmage. And this time, they’d be the one raising their voices.

“It does seem like an interesting proposal to me. A river that does not flow is wont to rot.”

“Then…what should this exam consist of?”

“I’d personally suggest we incorporate a scaling test to measure their attributes. This student’s data on our records are rather…miserable. There has to be an error; else, it’s far outdated information.”

Karas was still maintaining silence, but his thoughts weren’t. He was perhaps the only one in this discussion chamber who knew that Zion’s files were, in fact, not outdated at all. But there was no need to bring that up right now.

“Then, an affinity test should be in the proceedings.”

“Spell application is a must. That’s the biggest separating factor between the junior and senior years.”

“I’d incorporate formulaic understanding as well. I’ve seen far too many students with talents for application, but with no understanding of the spell’s actual workings.”

“Should they not also be versed in knowledge? Their range should…”

“Hm.”

The discussion immediately died down once again as the headmaster cleared his throat. The instructors looked towards the archmage, expecting him to propose at least the basic structures of a fair exam.

But he really wasn’t trying to make it fair. He was more trying to make it interesting.

“It sounds like the matter is growing unnecessarily complicated. Why don’t we opt for simplicity?”

Vain looked towards his employer with evident concern. They’d been working together for years; he could vaguely guess at what the headmaster was about to say next.

“…Headmaster? By simplicity, you don’t mean…?”

“For the exam qualifications, we’ll only accept students whose highest affinities measure above 90.”

“90?! That’s crazy!”

“Quite the high number, I realize. But for a student to be permitted to skip two years’ worth of education, I expect no less.”

Affinities for each element were measured in a scale ranging from 0 – 100. For an individual to measure 80 or above in any single elemental affinity often meant that they were geniuses in that respective field. 90 was cut-off that could cull out more than half of those geniuses.

“And furthermore, the examination procedures will be simple. As it hasn’t been long since the mock duels of the admission exams, everyone should be relatively familiar with it still; we’ll simply hold another series of mock duels.”

When mock duels once again came to light, voices of concern began to rise.

“Amongst themselves? But what could that possibly test?”

“It’s an effective way to rank the students, but I must say, it isn’t a good method for testing their aptitude in meeting a standard.”

“I concur, it’s…”

The headmaster chuckled as the instructors began disagreeing left and right this time. A misunderstanding had left no one agreeing with what he’d just said. And, quite frankly, mock duels were a nightmare to manage.

“Now, now. I did not mean to say amongst themselves. That would be too tall an order for all of us, and them. The mock duels will be against myself.”

The voices fell dead silent in a split second. A few instructors began to doubt their own hearing as the headmaster continued to speak his proposal.

“We’ll use the kirium pendants for this examination; the goal will be for them to shatter my pendant with their magic while protecting their own. They’ll have to use whatever knowledge they have at disposal to both attack and defend in this scenario; and worry not, for I’ll be holding myself back plenty.”

“…”

The chamber fell silent. Even those that found the proposal ethically problematic kept their mouths shut; they, too, knew that any changes made to the examination would simply translate to additional workload for them.

Besides, it was an archmage. Surely, he’ll deal with it.

“Any questions? Concerns?”

“…If the headmaster’s looking to the proceedings…”

“None from me.”

“Well, as long as it doesn’t concern safety precautions…”

Several instructors remained silent, but it was a complete agreement amongst those that spoke. Ethical worries and safety concerns were both drowned out by the staff’s trust in their archmage headmaster.

“It’s settled, then.”

The man pushed himself alright, rising from his seat as he plainly concluded the meeting. The headmaster was wearing a large grin beneath his mustache, but it wasn’t all too visible with his back turned against everyone.

“I do look forward to this particular student’s performance.”