The breezeway surrounded by gardens was undoubtedly beautiful, but Leonor wanted to get inside as quickly as possible. Quinn was about as warm as she was and getting closer to him was like cuddling up to a brick wall in winter. The only ti he was warm was when he was using his offensive magic
As they opened the door that led to the mage area, Leonor was practically slapped in the face with warmth and she heaved a sigh of relief.
"It’s just as warm as the buildings in Magia," she said. "How I miss buildings being heated with magic rather than fire."
Considering all of the interesting magical devices and experints that went on at the Magic Academy, there were technologies only seen in that region of the entire globe. There were conveniences everywhere as well as occasional mishaps that made things a bit harder.
Regardless of the outco of inventions, every mage seed to be understanding. There were never many gripes about experints going awry. It was the curse as well as the privilege of living sowhere that boasted such fantastic mana research and the most skilled mages in the world.
"This is becoming more widespread in mage establishnts," Quinn bragged. "Mages specializing in offensive magic aren’t required as much in tis of peace so they’ve established other ways to exercise their magic and ensure that their mana pools don’t dwindle because they haven’t neglected them."
Leonor bit the inside of her lip. It felt like one of Quinn’s well placed jabs that weren’t ant to be directly noticed but were so the person he was subtly attacking would wonder if he was in fact attacking them.
She had been victim to many of such attacks in the past so she had a feeling she knew the answer.
"I think keeping Eve active has helped retain my mana pool," Leonor admitted. "She hasn’t disappeared like she did when I didn’t understand how to nourish my pool."
Quinn only smiled wryly.
"We will see, you grace," he muttered.
"Now, where shall we go first?" he asked. "I have quarters in the main palace but I normally spend my nights in the room above my study."
Considering it may very well have to do with her future, Leonor knew instantly where she wanted to head first while she still had all of her energy.
"I would like to see the common lab where you work with most of your students," she said. "I’ll start strong and truly be able to see how His Majesty takes care of even the lowest level of mana users. Then I would like to see your study."
"You run a hard bargain," Quinn admitted. "It’s mid-week so I’m sure there will be plenty of mages to see you."
Leonor was tempted to change her mind at the thought of being greeted by many. She wasn’t expecting to have to socialize with those she wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with.
While she knew the palace was sprawling and she would co across many occupying the place, she thought the interactions might be shallow and ones she didn’t care for particularly. However, seeing students would make her want to get her hands dirty.
She wanted to present herself as a mage rather than the proper duchess she dressed as that day.
"Very well," Leonor relented, even though Quinn wasn’t fully aware of her inner struggle. "Lead the way, please."
The main floor led to various sitting rooms and mostly empty classrooms. It seed that all of the fun would be upstairs because that was where Quinn led them.
They took the first flight and Leonor could already sll the textbooks and faint sll of burnt things as she got closer to labs.
As her head turned left and right, she was entirely enveloped in academia and transported back to the Academy. That sort of setting never strayed far from Quinn. He could be taken out of Magia, but he would always surround himself by those who wanted to learn.
The first lab they walked into took up most of the second floor and, just as Quinn had warned her, it was full of students who were focused on their various experints.
She could tell that the students were older and towards the end of their academic journey rather than the beginning. The experints they were attending to were likely graduation projects and even ones that could be entered into higher competitions and genuinely implented through the kingdom–there were only a few who achieved this from the Academy and they were set for life.
However, being close to the greatest source of funding for mages, she imagined the students in the capital could afford a lot more in that academic environnt than they could in Magia.
Considering the center of the room was reserved for walking while the walls on all sides were covered with countertops and textbooks while mages researched magic circles and other formulas that would help them with the goal they were trying to achieve, Quinn and Leonor took to the center and walked slowly.
She hated to admit just how much the environnt affected her.
While there was a rustic feeling of exposed brick and natural woods all throughout the place, seeing the stark whiteness of countertops covered in organized chaos took her back to Magia. The regret of not pursuing a life of magic could be pushed away while in the arms of the man she loved was returning, but being engulfed in it once again gave her conscience a biting feeling.
The timid yes she had for Quinn and Stephano regarding their plans for mages in Castille beca resounding and powerful.
As she ruminated over these thoughts, Leonor didn’t have ti to stop Quinn when he stopped at the very center of the room.
"Excuse , everyone," he spoke sharply and in a way that captivated all the students in the room knowing how important Quinn was as the head mage of the Royal Family. "I would like to introduce you to Duchess Leonor de Montclair and my forr mana partner at the Magic Academy."
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