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nWalking out of the quartermaster's office, Layn wasn't really sure what kind of face he was supposed to make.

nWhat was supposed to be a nice surprise to him, turned into a bleak excitement when the official presented the archmage with his stuff. Along with the identity of the student that his registration gave him, he was privy to the basic outfit, lodging and some standard manuals.

nFor someone of this world, those items could be of great value. From the secret arts that one couldn't find anywhere else, through high-quality clothing, at the free lodging ending. But for the archmage, who saw the pinnacle of luxury and wastefulness back in the royal palace, those items were something he wouldn't pay any mind.

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"Tell me, where can I find some stones? You know, like the one that I found inside that beast, back on the desert.

" Walking beside Irea who was just as silent after the unexpectedly uneasy situation back in the quartermaster's office, Layn asked.

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"Magic stones? They are a priced commodity. Even small ones have their value, so before you reach the inner academy, you will have to forget about them.

" Scoffing at Layn's question, Irea sent him the same look she would dress on her face whenever he would ask for something outrageous or strange.

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"Ah, so that's the case…

" The main reason why Layn was disappointed with his welcoming items was the lack of the magic stones. A single one from the beast he hunted back on the desert was enough to help him kickstart the reconstruction of his power…

n'But it's nowhere enough!' Screaming in his mind, Layn tightened his fists while dropping the topic. For now, this easiest way for him to get stronger didn't seem to be plausible.

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"Eh…

" After casting a glance at the archmage's face, Irea sighed before putting her hands behind her back and raising her chin a bit.

"The desert we met at, is considered to be intermediate staging ground. Only those at the peak one-star or two-star cultivators can enter it.

"

nFor her, it was bound to be obvious. The laziness appeared on her face as she continued to explain reinforcing this opinion in Layn's head.

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"Yeah, but that's about the desert, not about the stones, isn't it?

" Pointing up how the girl managed to derail from the main topic, the archmage only earned her angered glance in return.

"Just keep listening and you will understand.

"

nShowcasing her own anger for the first time since the two of them met, Irena quickly managed to calm herself down, hiding this one face of hers from the archmage's view.

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"Either way, as the intermediate staging grounds, that desert is filled with monsters that usually carry some magic stones in them. While this doesn't apply to all of the monsters roaming the place, unless you are unlucky, you should find about six stones in every ten monsters.

" This time, the girl delved into the topic even deeper than the archmage expected.

nLooking at the girl as she spoke, Layn couldn't resist the feeling that she was simply lecturing him about the topic that wasn't really all that interesting. But given how she insisted on him just listening to her, Layn pursed his lips before focusing on the following Irea's words.

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"Let me put it in those words. Only about every tenth of the student's body of the academy ever become strong enough to venture to that desert. You should understand now how hard it actually is to obtain a single stone for yourself.

" Sending me a scornful look, Irea shook her head before dropping the topic.

nBut it didn't disappear from Layn's mind. After considering his chances, he brought back a piece Irea said herself.

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"You said that it would be impossible before I would manage to reach the inner academy, didn't you?

" Perceiving his inquiry as something rather smart, Layn swallowed a huge ball of his own saliva when the girl moved her head to the side, throwing him an irritated look.

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"If you can reach the inner academy within the next year, I will give up myself to you entirely.

" This time, Irea statement definitely cut the discussion up. 'Weren't we supposed to pick this matter up once we get back though?' Slightly disappointed by the girl's decision, Layn ultimately decided not to anger the girl by bringing the matter of the inner academy again.

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"I'm sorry if that angered you, but I really need to get my hands on some magic stones. While I won't die without them, the potential drawbacks later on…

" Cutting his sentence short, Layn implied something that he didn't even have an idea what he was implying. Just by suggesting that there was something deeper about the topic of the stones, he could somehow placate the girl into keeping the topic up on the agenda.

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"Eh… No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I apologise for allowing my emotions to get the better of me.

" Shaking her head as she spoke, Irea stretched the skin around her eyes with her nimble fingers.

"Outside of entering the inner academy… There will be a huge tournament for the outer academy in two months time. Besides that, you could work through a heck lot of requests in the favour system to get a stone from the academy…

"

nSuddenly turning silent, Irea clearly stopped herself from uttering one last possibility. As the two of them never ceased to move, they already managed to reach their destination.

n'If not academy, then who else? City lord? City hall? Maybe she meant the mercenary guild back there?' Casting a quick glance towards the huge walls of the compound, Layn shook his head before following the girl inside the building she entered. Soon, the walls of the huge complex blocked the view of the walls, finally putting a stop to Layn's desperate wish of obtaining some stones.

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"Welcome to the teaching pavilion.. While we are free to conduct lessons anywhere we like, I think it will be better if we get a private class.

"

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