Arthur took a bite of the shimrroot purée, noting how the flavor seed to sharpen his senses almost imdiately.
"Intervening would only make it worse for him. He needs to get strong, that's all he can do," he observed.
As the C-Class student vanished through the doors, conversation gradually resud throughout the hall. The incident—unremarkable by Academy standards—was already fading from most students' attention.
But not from Arthur's.
He committed both students' faces to his mory.
"You're right about this purée," he said, changing the subject smoothly. "Quite remarkable."
"I told you," Sarah replied, following his lead.
As they prepared to leave for afternoon sessions, Arthur noticed Trenton watching their table.
When his eyes t Arthur's, the bully imdiately averted his gaze, turning back to his friends with forced laughter before hurrying out of the dining hall.
They departed for their afternoon classes, moving through corridors that grew more familiar with each passing hour. Other students cleared paths for them. Sarah had also received her blue-uniform after the announcent of the elite class being made.
The day continued with two more classes that Arthur found fascinating in their own way.
Alchemy was held in a specialized laboratory—it was a vast chamber with high ceilings to vent potentially dangerous fus.
Rows of workstations with apparatus that the students would use for alchemy.
Professor Serena Volerian, a petite woman with golden-streaked hair and doe eyes, introduced them to the curriculum.
"By year's end, you will master creation of common potions and so will reach the stage of concocting uncommon potions," she explained, moving between stations with gracefulness.
"Those with particular aptitude may progress to Rare-grade formulations. Although they will be counted on one hand."
She demonstrated the brewing of a simple clarity potion, her movents so efficient they seed choreographed.
The liquid in her flask shifted from murky brown to brilliant azure.
"Alchemy is based on precision, patience, and understanding. The difference between healing and poison often cos down to a single gram or three seconds of heat."
Arthur paid close attention. He found alchemy fascinating, after all he couldn't learn alchemy by simply fighting monsters in the forest, and he doubted that he would summon a monster that has a talent in alchemy.
'My only bet is to pay attention,' He thought, with a wry smile.
During the practical portion, students attempted to recreate the professor's work. Arthur's result was acceptable—not brilliant, but barely functional.
The potion wasn't of any grade, it was just a simple concatenation of different herbs.
Sarah, surprisingly, excelled. anwhile, Elara was the first to finish the potion task.
But no one was surprised, she was royalty after all. They were taught these things from a young age, or so they thought.
The end of the class arrived before anyone expected it. Ti almost flew in the alchemy class due to the large portion of it being a practical.
"You guys need to put more work in," she remarked as she inspected their work.
"Last year's overall performance was much better. At this rate, many of you will be disqualified before the first sester ends."
The students, hearing this, gulped.
They were clearly concerned about their future.
It was their first day at the Academy, and the instructor was already putting them under pressure, comparing their potential to last year's students and telling them that they would fail if they remained that way.
"Competition is rough," One of the students said to his friends.
"Very...rough."
...
The next session was one Arthur had particularly anticipated.
Blacksmithing.
This class took place in a separate building entirely—a massive stone structure with multiple forges, anvils, and an impressive array of tools. Heat blasted them as they entered, the roar of bellows and ring of hamrs creating a symphony.
Master Forge, for he insisted on the title rather than 'Professor', was everything a blacksmith should be—massive arms corded with muscle, leather apron stained with soot, beard singed at the edges.
But his eyes revealed unexpected intelligence.
"Many dismiss blacksmithing as re craft," he bood, voice carrying over the forge noise.
"They're wrong. It's one of the oldest magics—the reshaping of matter through will and fire. It's the manliest thing you could do as a man, and the most feminine thing you could do as a woman,"
Arthur and Elara's lips twitched as they exchanged glances.
The old man was already contradicting himself.
He held up a seemingly ordinary dagger.
"This can kill a man." Then he twisted sothing at the hilt, and the blade glowed. "This can kill a demon. The difference? Understanding of material properties and enhancent techniques."
Arthur leaned forward, intensely focused.
The reason why he was extrely attentive was because of his Space talent, it allowed him to imbue spatial properties into weapons, but he lacked the technical knowledge to fully exploit the capability.
'If I could create moveable pocket dinsions or weapons that cut through space itself...' he thought. 'That would be amazing. I might even be able to help my subordinates wield the space power to a certain extent with my weapons.'
'I also have long since wanted to give my summons their own weapons, fit for their structure.'
Master Forge split them into groups at the beginner forges. Elara was in his group, whilst Sarah was in another group.
The session focused on basics—learning to control forge temperature, understanding tal properties, and practicing hamr techniques.
By the end of class, each student had created a simple iron rod—the first step toward crafting actual weapons.
Arthur's attempt was better than most, the rod showing relatively even consistency.
"Not bad for a newbie, but terrible for an elite student," Master Forge comnted, examining it.
"You have the patience, at least. But your hamr work needs refinent—too much force, not enough control."
"I'll improve," Arthur said.
The master's eyes glead. "Yes. You will. Or you'll wash out like most who think blacksmithing is about strength rather than understanding."
As they cleaned up their stations, Arthur reflected on what he'd learned. The process of imbuing materials with magical properties was sowhat difficult.
It required visualization, precision, and a deep connection to the fundantal nature of what was being manipulated.
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