Chapter 16: Invitation to Enroll in Correspondence Education

“Detective, now that the accident caused by the Poet-level Relic has been resolved and I have helped you settle the trouble regarding the death of your predecessor, let us return to our original topic.”

Sitting on a single armchair, the blue-eyed doctor looked at Shade.

“What is your current opinion regarding St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy?

Because the awakening period for a Ring Warlock is only 72 hours, the primary method of cultivation for the Orthodox Church and the three Great Academies is actually to recruit from core believers and the Church's subordinate industries; this makes observation much more convenient. However, neither side minds recruiting fresh blood that is completely unrelated to their own factions, though training them is different from cultivating those gifted individuals who are already trustworthy.”

“Then, could you provide an example of the treatment for ordinary people like us, who originally had nothing to do with the mysterious, after joining a Church or an Academy?”

Shade thought for a moment, chewing on the implications of the words. He felt it was only reasonable that he would not be fully trusted.

“Of course. For the Orthodox Church, those Ring Warlocks who are not devout believers are not permitted to leave their parish within the first ten years of successful appointment, and their access to Church support will also be restricted. It takes at least 20 years to be fully trusted.

As for the three Great Academies, the conditions are more complex. We use a correspondence method to cultivate gifted individuals who do not originally belong to the mysterious world.

All external students undergo correspondence-style teaching; they cannot have direct contact with the Academy itself, let alone enter it. Based on region, correspondence Ring Warlocks are divided into different groups, with 3 to 7 members per group. When a group contains at least one Sixth-Ring Warlock, one Fifth-Ring Warlock, and one Fourth-Ring Warlock, and meets the condition of having more than five members, the entire group can pass the test and truly enter the Academy. It must be the entire group; no one can be abandoned. This ensures that the whole group supervises and guarantees one another.”

As the doctor introduced this, Shade raised an eyebrow.

“If I join St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy...”

Dr. Schneider nodded, acknowledging Shade's guess, and pointed to himself.

“Then my group would once again possess five Ring Warlocks. Currently, we have four; specific information about the others is inconvenient to disclose before you join. But I promise, I will wait until you at least reach the Third Ring before conducting the formal enrollment test. After all, we are still quite far from meeting the other conditions.”

This was why Bill Schneider had been so enthusiastic about guiding Shade into the Academy. "Wild" gifted individuals were truly hard to find—perhaps only slightly easier than finding a needle in a haystack.

Seeing that Shade was still contemplating, the doctor added

“Mr. Hamilton, I am very satisfied with you—your background, your origin, and your attitude toward the mysterious. A few hours ago, when we witnessed that tragic scene together, the pity you showed and your feigned composure were both quite excellent. Please consider my proposal carefully; the conditions here are very good.”

“I don't understand. Why are the Orthodox Church and the Academies so... wary of people like us?”

Shade remained hesitant. As a stranger entering this world, it was difficult to trust others easily in the early stages.

“You have not yet become a Ring Warlock, so you do not understand how dangerous this world is. The world is like a mad ocean, and the world of normal people is merely a tiny isolated island. Ring Warlocks are able to dive deep into that ocean to obtain more, but because of that, they are also more prone to madness, and more easily distorted by the whispers of evil entities or the malice of nature. Even if we have an 'other self' to help resist those distortions and oddities, Ring Warlocks who have not been trained from childhood are more likely to make a single wrong step and lose total control. That would be a terrifying thing.”

The doctor's explanation was brief, as if he dared not speak too clearly. Shade felt that perhaps the worldview of this world contained not just steam and mysticism, but also the rules of agnosticism or Lovecraftian culture.

“Then, is it possible to become a Ring Warlock naturally, without guidance or training?”

Shade asked again.

“Absolutely impossible. You do not understand Ring Warlocks, nor do you know what they truly are. As we mentioned this morning, during the 72 hours of talent awakening, many things can happen if guidance is not provided. In most cases, they go mad; in a small number of cases, they die; and with an extremely low probability, they turn into strange things—flesh-piled monsters or screaming spirits. They are the kind of terrifying existences that you can imagine would cause nightmares just from a single glance.”

Hearing the doctor's words, Shade fully understood the current situation. He sat up straight and summarized

“I don't have much time left; I must make a choice quickly. Furthermore, if I refuse to join St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy, you certainly won't let me leave with today's memories intact.”

Shade looked at the doctor. The blue-eyed doctor nodded cautiously.

“As I explained at the beginning, students of the three Great Academies hide their identities in regions where the Orthodox Church exists. Yes, if you refuse, I will use certain methods that are inconvenient to describe to erase your memory. I am skilled at manipulating emotions and dreams, so I am also skilled at altering memories. Of course, this is because you are merely an ordinary person; it wouldn't be so easy for a Ring Warlock.”

Shade did not take the doctor's words as a threat; he understood these methods were for self-preservation, and that no one owed him any concessions.

“If today's memory is erased, I won't know about the 72-hour limit...”

He analyzed further.

“Yes, I suspect the Tobesk City Mental Asylum might be getting a new guest. But rest assured, among all the mental asylums in Tobesk City, I have acquainted staff... I'm joking with you, Detective. We can relax a little.”

The doctor judged cautiously

“I will not force you to choose to join my St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy, but as adults, we must all pay the price for our choices. Moreover, compared to the Church, becoming a correspondence Ring Warlock is actually more free. An ordinary person like you, who is not a believer, would certainly receive the Church's care if you entered their training system, but you would similarly be unable to move freely.

But correspondence Ring Warlocks are different. As long as you pass the exams every semester, earn enough compulsory credits, complete the practical content to earn enough practical credits, and refrain from committing crimes like murder or arson, the Academy does not care what we do.

Now, do you understand the difference between an Academy-style Ring Warlock and a Church Ring Warlock?”

“I understand.”

Shade nodded. Based solely on the doctor's words, the Academy indeed held more advantages.

“The three Great Arcane Academies are: St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy, which specializes in the containment and utilization of [Relics]; Zaraswen Academy, which specializes in the arcane arts of elemental rune development—that is, the use of magic as seen in stories; and the Sexus Higher Medical Academy, who know everything but are exceptionally skilled in alchemy.

Mr. Hamilton, this is not just my opportunity, but yours as well. To be able to enter the Ring Warlock training system through official channels, rather than through cults or secret societies—do you know how rare an opportunity this is?”

The doctor spoke again; his profession made him very skilled at persuasion.

The hesitating Shade nodded again. Although the original owner of this body might not have been very bright, he was an outsider to this world. Even though he was only in his twenties, he possessed his own judgment.

“Then, how will you prove that everything you have said so far is true? Up until now, all the information I have received has come from you.”

Shade asked very seriously.

Although he was doubting the doctor, Dr. Schneider was actually quite pleased; it meant the young man before him was tempted.

“I can apply to the Academy for that Poet-level (Grade 5) [Relic] to prove my words. But once I do that, the Academy will know that I have discovered a brand-new gifted individual. The Academy will not force you to enroll, but they will certainly record your identity information. So, do you wish to come into contact with the Poet-level Relic, [The Dream of St. Byrons Comprehensive Academy]?”

“Can I consider it? Give me two hours? No, one hour. I want to think carefully about what happened today.”

The amount of information was too vast for Shade to make an immediate decision. However, his heart leaned toward believing the doctor, which was why he requested time to think.

“No problem. After all, for an ordinary person, this is a massive amount of information. You can consider it here, or you can leave. It just so happens I have some small matters to attend to, so we shall...”

The doctor glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room; the bottom of the pendulum inside the glass cabinet featured a heart-shaped metal component.

“Meet here at two in the afternoon.”

“No problem, I'll just stay here.”

Shade said. It made no difference where he thought. If the doctor intended to harm him, he wouldn't have waited until now; the asylum just now would have been an excellent place for a murder.

“If you stay here, there are some Academy recruitment materials that are inconvenient to take outside; you may look through them. I will return once I have finished my business. If you need anything, you can ask Mrs. Kara for help.”

Mrs. Kara was the middle-aged maid who had just served the tea.