Chapter 6 - Kalin Magic Academy (1/2)

Kalin magic academy

Kalin Magic Academy is known as the finest magic academy in the Djage Empire. It was located in the eastern part of the noble sector, roughly ten kilometers from the Imperial sector. It was founded 400 years ago by the Imperial Family, who continued to fund it. The academy's grounds were extremely large, with a diameter just over two kilometers. It was in fact larger than some smaller cities within the Djage Empire, and within its grounds were many shops and services like a regular city would have. There were restaurants, tailors, bars, and anything else a student could possibly need.

The main gate of the Kalin Magic Academy was extremely impressive, standing fifteen meters tall and forty meters wide. On each side of the gate was a huge statue of a lion wreathed in flame, the symbol of the Djage Empire. In addition, the entire gate was covered with magic runes and circles that hinted at powerful protections.

Currently, the area outside the main gate of the academy was full of young people waiting to take the exam. There were three distinct groups of people: the nobles, the commoners, and a much smaller group of Imperial nobles. Even though the title of nobility was granted to all mages, there was still discrimination between the groups. The nobles believed they were better than those who were born commoners, and in turn the Imperial nobles believed themselves to be better than the lesser nobles.

The Djage Empire was comprised of three kingdoms and twelve dukedoms, which meant there was a large number of nobles throughout the Empire. However, Imperial nobles were a step above the regular nobility, and were all known for their high magical talent. Being an Imperial noble had many advantages, such as tax exemption and guaranteed positions within various governmental organizations. Many of the Imperial nobles believed that their status gave them greater intelligence and increased magical prowess, and that they were superior to the remaining citizens of the Empire.

In contrast to the rest of the applicants, Shad was in a corner waiting for the gate guard to open the door. Even though he was the Fourth Prince, the protections placed upon the gate were indiscriminate in their activation, and if he tried to force entry they would activate.

Finally, the main gate of the academy opened and two people came out. The first was an old man wearing a blue robe. His pure white hair was neatly combed, and his deep wrinkles clearly indicated old age. Within the folds of his right sleeve, he held a staff which was used to support his body. The second was a savage looking middle aged man with a long sword strapped to his back, covered in scars. He looked like an experienced warrior, while the old man looked like a experienced mage.

They stopped in front of the crowd of people, and the old man smiled and said, ”The graduation assessment for junior mages will begin in the next few minutes. All of you present your student ID to me and follow me to the first exam site. I am pretty sure you all already know, but the exam is divided into three parts: the written exam, magical combat exam, and the monster hunt exam. You only need to pass two of the three to graduate to a senior mage.”

Mages from 1st class to 3rd were known as junior mages, while 4th through 6th class mages were known as senior mages. In order for a person to fully become a 4th rank mage, they needed to perform a 4th class magic spell and have sufficient mana to cast the spell without an repercussions or mana deficiency.

4th class magic spells were very rare, and unless one joined a powerful school Or a powerful noble family, it was almost impossible to find one. Even if a 3rd class mage somehow obtained a 4th class magic spell without the help of one of these schools or families, they would still need instruction from an experienced mage or teacher to guide them through drawing the runes and the correct meditation technique. For this reason, many nobles, especially those who were raised from commoners, allied themselves with the more powerful noble families to gain access to these rare spells and meditation techniques.

Shad walked up to the old man and presented his ID when it was his turn. It was a platinum card inscribed with runes and had his name on it.