Chapter 55 - Smashing The Academy (3)

Norieum inhaled cigarette smoke for the first time in a very long while as he looked down out the window. As always, the beautiful and mysterious city of mages came into full view.

When work became too exhausting, he would sometimes admire the cityscape like this. Then, as the past and present of the city that had undergone turbulent changes for a long time overlapped, a smile would naturally bloom on his lips.

But now, no such smile was on his face. He let out a small thoughtful sound and stroked his long-grown beard.

He recalled his thoughts about Acel.

As much as I'd like to personally storm into the Academy...

Reality was not so easy.

He had heard news about Acel long ago. Not long after, he was able to hear about why he had returned in a half-dead state. At that moment, Norieum felt a violent anger he couldn't even control himself.

Acel's enrollment in the Academy couldn't be said to be entirely his own will. The proposal itself was brought up by Norieum, and that proposal was the result of a tradition and contract continuing from the past. Although Acel accepted it willingly, from the start, he was a talent with sufficient potential to grow through other paths even if he hadn't gone to the Academy.

It wasn't for nothing that the fussy mages of the Witch Association fawned over him. Even in the Alliance, everyone said he was the most likely candidate for the next archmage position, so how much more so for the Witch Association he belonged to.

A decent personality for a mage, and for Ena's disciple. A gentle and soft attitude. Yet with clear self-opinions, and ambition aiming for higher places instead of being satisfied with his own talent. Acel possessed all the characteristics mages liked. There was a reason why more people in Wyheim viewed him favorably than disliked him...