AFTER lunch, we headed for the library. Vizer boasted the second most extensive library in the royal capital, and its shelves were filled to the brim with rare and unusual books. The library was often flooded with requests from graduates-turned-researchers seeking to borrow some volumes.
“Apparently, if you send a request to the administrative office, you can borrow books even after you graduate,” I said.
“Huh… Vizer’s generous,” Ehr replied.
Needless to say, this was a privilege granted to students with good conduct, but that wasn’t a very high bar—so long as the student wasn’t suspended during their time at Vizer, they were considered trustworthy enough to borrow books. The library was the second largest room after the auditorium, and its tall, dome-shaped ceiling made it seem spacious and massive.
“Whoa! This is awesome!” Ehr gasped.
“And there’re more books here than I thought,” I murmured.
Walls were packed with books, and the spiral staircase railing was also made of shelves stuffed with precious volumes.
“Look! There’s some kind of flying bug carrying a book,” Ehr pointed out.
“That must be the librarian’s familiar,” I said.
It used its tiny body to carry books as it set returned books on the shelves. In the middle of the library were several tables where students could work.
“Is everyone engrossed in their studies?” Ehr wondered aloud.
“I think they’re copying down books that they aren’t allowed to check out.”
“Ah, makes sense.”
Not all books in the library could be checked out. Some books were heavily restricted, limited to students who took certain subjects, and there were even forbidden books that required the express permission of the headmaster.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to find what I’m looking for with so many books to choose from,” Ehr muttered.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” I replied. “There’s a magic tool that helps us find what we need.” I gestured to a stone slate nearby. “We can input the information of the books we need on here, and the search will be a cinch.”
“Huh… You really know your stuff.”
“This was written in our student handbook, you know.”
“I haven’t read it yet.”
“I encourage you to skim through it, at least. There’s some interesting stuff in there.” All the while, I scribbled on the stone slate. “Books about jobs that use magic…”
The stone slate glowed for a moment before emitting a sliver of light aimed right at a certain bookshelf.
“Looks like it’s that way,” I said.
“Got it.”
We followed the ray of light and found the book we were looking for. The moment I took it in my hands, the light vanished.
“Huh… That’s neat. And mighty convenient,” Ehr said.
“Sure is,” I said with a nod.
We flipped through the book and found more than enough information we needed.
“We should check this book out,” I said. “We use our student handbook for this.”
I returned to the stone slate and placed the book on top. I put my student handbook onto the inscribed spell and finished checking it out.
“We can check out up to five books at once, and the due date is one week,” I explained.
“I learned a lot today,” Ehr replied. “Thanks, Misha.”
“No problem.”
Once we left the library and strolled around campus, I spotted some students training.
“Look,” I said. “Do you see those people swinging their blades around? They’re aiming to become magic knights.”
They weren’t just whirling swords around; they used a combination of their weapon and spells to fight.
“Whoa! That blade exploded like a bolt of lightning!” Ehr exclaimed.
“I think they’re students learning to endow lightning magic onto their weapon,” I said.
“Huh… Sounds tough.”
Generally, boys who went to magic school dreamed of becoming a magic knight at least once in their lives, but it seemed Ehr wasn’t so interested in the field. We then headed to the science rooms. An alchemy professor was preparing for their next class, and they threw various items into a huge cauldron, causing smoke to billow out with gusto. There was a loud boom, and a slimy substance oozed out.
“This is what an alchemist does,” I explained. “They combine several items to make a completely new substance.”
“That sounds too complicated,” Ehr said. “And it looks dangerous…”
As the words left his lips, the professor whirled around to face us, causing Ehr and me to jolt with surprise.
“Crap!” Ehr said.
“Let’s run!” I cried.
We bolted as the professor stepped out of their classroom.
“Hey! No running in the halls!” they barked.
We flew up the stairs, two at a time, and made it to the second floor, short of breath. I huffed and tried to steady my breathing; I’d instinctively fled to the second floor, and I noticed that Gem was right behind me. How in the world did it manage to climb the stairs? I wondered. I would’ve loved to see that.
“Let’s go somewhere else,” I said.
We spotted an evangelist offering prayers in the prayer room, researchers investigating magic, and inquisitors who looked into evil witches and wizards while pursuing justice and casting judgment upon them. The myriad of options that graduates of this school could go into was enough to paralyze someone who was unable to make a choice.
“H-Hey, that’s the private instructor for my dorm,” Ehr said.
The private instructor followed a professor around and was entrusted with some odd jobs as we watched.
“Private instructors are for those who want to pursue the field of education and become a professor,” I said. I noted that it took five to ten years of shadowing a professor until the private instructor could become a proper educator.
“It takes that long?” Ehr asked in disbelief.
“So it seems. But professors make good money, so a lot of people are adamant about becoming one.”
However, even those who steeled their resolve gave in under Professor Whipp’s instruction.
“Speaking of private instructors, I’d like someone to teach me after class,” I said.
“Want me to ask Mr. Jeere, then?” Ehr asked.
Jil Jeere was the name of the private instructor who taught Ehr.
“That’s okay,” I replied. “I think it’ll be difficult for him to help me since I’m not in his dorm.”
Private instructors were also tasked with maintaining peace and order in the dorms; they didn’t just teach students. They patrolled the dorm while offering some precious life advice to the younger generation as well. They were extremely busy in the evening and at night.
“I’ll ask Professor Whipp about it,” I said.
“That might be best,” Ehr replied.
We toured quite a few jobs, but I wonder what Ehr ultimately settled upon.
“We have to turn in our career questionnaire by the end of today,” I said. “Have you at least decided on a direction?”
“Hrm, nah… Not really,” he admitted.
I couldn’t blame him; it was difficult to decide one’s future immediately after enrolling in school.
“What’d you write down, Misha?” he asked.
“I want to be a royal witch.”
“Then I’ll write the same thing.”
Um, I’m not sure if you can be that devil-may-care about your choice… Still, this questionnaire didn’t set your future stone; it was better for him to fill something out instead of turning in a blank piece of paper.
“Thanks, Misha,” Ehr said.
“I was happy to help.”
I quite enjoyed this tour as well; I was able to explore many facets and areas of this school.