Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 90 - 86: Sacred Heart Magic Academy

Chapter 90: Chapter 86: Sacred Heart Magic Academy

After making every preparation, they were finally ready to proceed. Kali also went to submit her application to the academy, which was granted approval.

Three days later, on a crisp, sunny autumn day, the Sacred Heart Magic Academy’s enrollment ceremony officially began.

Kali did not participate in the enrollment ceremony, she just handed over the approved applications to the three of them and asked them to proceed by themselves. Luo’er, shaking slightly, carried Tangmo’s luggage, step by step, following behind her. As a housekeeper, Cheng Ziang walked at the forefront, his behaviour hinted of a nobleman fallen on hard times.

Tangmo, in her simple long dress and located in the middle of the group, looked around at the noble students and felt a bit nervous. From time to time she looked back at Luo’er; even though she knew it was a plot, she felt a strange kind of sadness for him.

"Don’t be suspicious and keep looking at him," Cheng Ziang walked to her side and warned her quietly.

An iron collar with a small bell hung around Luo’er’s neck. Every time he moved, the bell would ring crisply. This method of control was common in the Otherworld, used to constrain a slave’s behaviour.

"I don’t really like your role!" Tangmo frowned and whispered with a glare at him.

"There’s no helping it. If my family hadn’t fallen from grace, I wouldn’t want to be your steward," Cheng Ziang retorted quietly, all the while scanning the surroundings.

Tangmo rolled her eyes and ignored him. Her main concern now was to hurry and complete the task and not let Luo’er suffer too much.

The academy was full of people. Although the academy only accepted nobility, due to the Sacred Heart Magic Academy’s reputation in the Otherworld, many nobles from other countries, and even some people specially rushing from the south, still attended.

They were all lined up in the plaza waiting to submit their admission applications, after which they proceeded to the magic detection platform for a magic inspection. Cheng Ziang, seeing his intervention wasn’t needed, said his goodbyes to the pair and went to change clothes; he began his reconnaissance for the academy.

Cheng Ziang was quite familiar with the Sacred Heart Magic Academy; when they first entered the virtual machine of Haiya Academy, they arrived in a space modeled after the Sacred Heart Magic Academy. Afterward, the main hall of the academy became their waiting area for the VR machine connection.

Tangmo waited helplessly to submit her admission application; although Luo’er stood behind her, she couldn’t interact with him too much according to the rules, hence her anxious and impatient appearance.

Tangmo had deep red hair and an exotic face that stood out in the crowd, attracting the attention of many noble male students trying to strike up a conversation. Facing these male students, Tangmo was at a loss; she looked at Luo’er with a plea for help, but Luo’er kept his head down, nonchalant to her predicament.

Seeing Luo’er’s expression, Tangmo became angry, rudely rebuffing the male students. Standing there with a stern face, she sulked alone.

"Doesn’t care about others!" Tangmo grumbled in a tone audible only to the two of them.

She heard Luo’er sighing behind her, so she turned back to look at him. Luo’er was still looking down, standing humbly. She stared at him for a while, then said, "Luo’er, I don’t want to go."

"We’ve come this far, are you planning to back out?" Luo’er suddenly spoke.

"I can’t bear to see you suffer," Tangmo said sincerely.

"I don’t think I’m suffering. The sooner we finish the task, the sooner we can all relax," Luo’er said.

"But but, those guys always look down on people, I don’t like them looking down on you, despising you!" Tangmo pouted and said.

"Miss Audrey, I am a slave. Isn’t discrimination expected? Don’t worry about irrelevant things; I’ll really suffer if we can’t complete the task!" Luo’er said, his head still low and with a helpless look on his face.

"I got it..." After Luo’er’s sermon, Tangmo knew she was in the wrong, so she closed her mouth and stopped complaining.

So they waited quietly, and after a long wait, it was finally their turn to submit their application and go for the magic detection.

The enrollment test was simple: the academy would give the students a magic crystal with an output symbol and a magic wand, then teach them the simplest spell for the flow of magic. The student would hold the magic crystal in his left hand, the side with the runes tightly against the palm, and the other hand would hold up the magic wand. The magic power from the crystal would be channelled through the body’s meridians and, with the magic wand as a medium, transmitted to another piece of magic crystal engraved with absorption runes on the opposite side.

The more magic power the crystal absorbs, the deeper its color. Generally speaking, the magic power in the crystal in the student’s hand should be enough to turn the absorbing magic crystal red. This method is used to test the magic resistance of the student’s body and magic affinity.

The lower the magic resistance of the student’s body, the more magic power they can release into the red magic crystal, and vice versa. Magic affinity determines the time it takes for the student to complete this step, testing the student’s body’s affinity for the flow of magic.

Tangmo submitted her application and then came to the detection platform. Before she walked away, Luo’er reminded her quietly, "Be careful, don’t let them see you are capable of magic!"

Tangmo nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the detection platform. She took the magic crystal and magic wand, faced the block that could turn red, raised the wand and recited the simplest magic power output spell she had just learned.

In an instant, everyone felt a flash in front of their eyes. The test crystal instantly turned bright red, and when they looked at the crystal in her hand, it had already dried up and lost its color.

This speed and purity of magic concentration shocked almost everyone present. The guiding teacher responsible for timing was flabbergasted and even forgot to stop the timer in his hand. A magic teacher rushed up, touching the bright red crystal with a trembling hand. He hadn’t seen this kind of deep color on the crystal for many years, and such a concentration meant they had found a magic prodigy.

"This is... a once-in-a-century magic prodigy!" The old instructor gazed at Tangmo excitedly, his fiery eyes causing Tangmo to tremble involuntarily and take a step back.

Luo’er below the stage sighed. He had imagined such a situation, but when it all occurred, he found it somewhat difficult to adapt. After all, as a reconnaissance unit, their key goal was to keep a low profile, not high profile as it was now.

"What, what is your name?" The instructor, fueled by excitement, stared at Tangmo, pressing her with questions.

"Au, Audrey, a newly elevated noble..." Tangmo trembled, appearing somewhat scared in front of the excited instructor.

"Audrey, from today, you are a student of the Magic Academy, and I will guide you personally. I will make you the greatest mage!" The instructor said, laughing in excitement, his look somewhat menacing.

"Teacher Calun, could you please calm down a bit!" At this point, a bearded instructor stepped forward and addressed the excited instructor.

"Good afternoon, I am Shariya Oscar, the Dean of Sacred Heart Magic Academy." The bearded instructor leaned slightly forward in a gesture to Tangmo.

"Good afternoon, I am Audrey, a newly elevated noble..." Tangmo nodded a bit, showing the humility expected of a newly risen noble.

"Miss Audrey, due to your magical aptitude, you have been granted permission to join the Magic Academy. Your tuition fees and all expenses are provided by the academy. In return, you must study in the academy for five years and become a mage for the Church Court." Shariya made a generous offer.

"This..." Tangmo glanced helplessly at Luo’er. He lifted his head and gave her an approving look, signaling her to accept the offer. Although the enrolment contract stipulated five years of study, they were ready to slip away as soon as they got their hands on the information. Who would care about the agreement?

Having received Luo’er’s affirmation, Tangmo nodded and said, "Thank you, Dean Shariya."

"Is he your servant?" Shariya observed Tangmo’s glance and then turned to Luo’er to ask.

"Yes, he is my..." She took a sharp intake of breath, before saying, "Slave!"

"So, it means you don’t need a servant from the academy, right?" Shariya asked.

"Yes, Dean." Tangmo nodded.

"Very well," Shariya was about to make further arrangements when another instructor hurriedly approached him and muttered something into his ear. Shariya’s face changed instantaneously as he looked at the students with furrowed brows.

"Close the Academy doors, search all people accompanying the students!" Shariya waved a hand and ordered loudly.

Everyone unknowing of the situation burst into murmurs. Shariya’s sudden shift in attitude made them jittery.

The academy doors were firmly shut, all the newly enrolled students and their attendants had been enclosed inside the academy. The academy guards started to inspect the students and their attendants one by one according to the names in the register.

"What happened?" Tangmo leaped off the testing stage, came up to Luo’er and asked with her back towards him.

"I’m not sure, something must have happened. Where did Cheng Ziang go?" Luo’er lowered his head and spoke softly.

"What should we do?" Tangmo was frantic and tongue-tied, but she dared not turn to face Luo’er.

Soon, the guards with the register quickly approached them.

"Audrey, a newly elevated noble. Attendant Luo’er, half-elf. Housekeeper Leon, Aud people." The guard read out the names registered in the list and then looked at them, "Where is your housekeeper?"

"He..." Tangmo opened her mouth but was at a loss for words.

"Is there an issue, sir? Please do not place my mistress in a difficult situation!" Suddenly, the cold voice of Cheng Ziang resounded from behind them.

The guard scrutinized Cheng Ziang thoroughly. Cheng Ziang continued to wear a cold expression, exuding the demeanor of a broken noble. The guard no longer paid him any mind, turning away to continue with the next inspection.

"Where have you been?" Luo’er asked with his head lowered.

"I killed somebody." Cheng Ziang said nonchalantly.

"What?!"