The Order of the Oracle Hivemind? Psychic Arts practitioners?

Vale had no dealings with the Psychic Arts Faction, nor had he scheduled any meeting with them. Their sudden appearance at his Immortal Tower was unannounced, and that alone was enough to stir suspicion.

"Why would they come here without notice?" Vale muttered as he frowned at their lack of manners.

He considered the possibilities. It could be an urgent matter, a hidden agenda, or perhaps an attempt to test his patience.

Still, he was not inclined to indulge them. The Academy had its own order, and visitors without an appointment had no right to demand his time.

"Let them wait," Vale decided coldly. "If they truly need to see me, they will endure. I have other matters to attend to."

With that, he dismissed the thought and turned his attention back to his schedule.

The Academy's expansion demanded his presence elsewhere, and the next appointment was already waiting.

Soon, he arrived at the dockyard near the Academy.

The place was busy, and it had the smell of oil and steel. Workers were shouting as they guided ropes and cargo. There were a lot of people working because only a few months left before the opening of the Academy again.

Just in time, an airship descended from the clouds…

Vale walked among the crowd dressed in plain clothes, without guards or attendants.

Some workers glanced at him, not recognizing who he was. A few who did recognize him stiffened, whispering quietly, but Vale paid them no mind. He preferred to move unnoticed.

The airship's deck creaked as figures appeared above.

Among them was Professor Dalton, the instructor of Magic Language at the Academy, and once Vale's classmate.

Dalton's sharp eyes scanned the dockyard until Vale appeared beside him in an instant.

Whom~

It happened so swiftly.

"Vale…" Dalton greeted with relief. "All the Grimoires are here."

Vale nodded. His gaze had already shifted to the sealed crates being unloaded. Each one was giving off that familiar energy of ancient books.

Dalton continued. "As you ordered, I went out to collect unowned Grimoires. You mentioned summoning Arts practitioners need them."

"Yes…" Vale replied.

There were several methods for an Arcanist to obtain a Grimoire, but the best one was certainly the Grimoire's recognition.

When a Grimoire chooses its wielder, compatibility would be the highest, and the summons they can achieve would be far stronger…

Vale was satisfied as he watched the workers handle the crates with care.

"Still… I'm curious why you need so many of them…" Dalton asked.

"Most of the students coming to the Academy should already have Grimoires. These… will be for those who don't, or for those whose Grimoires reject them... or maybe those who wanted stronger Grimoires."

After all, if they found out that a talented summoner was being limited by their terrible Grimoire, they would have to try and get him another Grimoire.

Furthermore, they might be accepting students who hadn't chosen a path yet. That way, if someone wanted to study the Summoning Arts, they could also try their hand if they were recognized by a Grimoire and start their Summoner's Path.

Dalton nodded gravely. "Got it… But some of these are restless. They resisted capture. Bringing them here was not easy. So I sealed six of them... Those Grimoires seemed cursed or nasty. You can check them later."

"Ahh… That crate's the one with special Grimoires." Dalton swiftly added after seeing the one being transported by the porters.

Vale turned to the crate, and his Divine Sense checked the grimoires inside.

"Ohh… They look special. They could be a good reward for exceptional students if they wanted to change their Grimoire."

Dalton smiled.

"I did a good job, right? I got those from Shadow Consortium though…" He revealed with a laugh.

"Oh? They're actually collecting them as well." Vale commented as he didn't expect them to have these Grimoires.

***

As Vale and Dalton were speaking, an old-looking man stepped out from the airship's cabin.

His robes were scorched at the edges, and faint wisps of heat clung to him as though fire itself refused to leave his side.

It felt as if he was an Elemental Arts Practitioner but he was not.

"Professor Zeno…" Dalton greeted with a nod.

Zeno stroked his long beard and though he looked tired. He was proud of himself.

"I was finishing things up inside." He said.

Apparently, while Dalton was tasked with Grimoires, he was assigned to capture Fire Sources for the Alchemists!

Vale turned his gaze toward him and nodded.

After all, the Academy would soon accept Alchemy Arts Practitioners.

And needless to say, their most crucial need was fire.

The ritual for a young Arcanist to become an Alchemy Arts Practitioner was called the Fire Infusion. They must be blessed with flame, and if they can control it, then pill making, potion brewing, weapon forging, and countless other crafts would be within their reach.

"Looking at your face… I guess you succeeded." Vale muttered.

He knew most of the incoming students would already have undergone Fire Infusion, but options were necessary. Some might seek stronger flames, others gentler ones, depending on their path.

Zeno raised his hand, and four flaming stones hovered above his palm, each radiating a distinct aura.

"I obtained four Fire Sources…" he said proudly. "Each one unique, each one a legacy of its own."

He gestured to the first, a white stone burning with a pure, almost transparent flame…

"The Eternal Whiteflame… It's calm, balanced, and perfect for precise alchemy."

The second stone was blue and seemed a bit hazy.

"The Azure Frostfire. I heard it's a flame that burns with clarity, ideal for potion refinement and delicate brews. I hope it lives up to its reputation."

The third red stone, on the other hand, seemed violent.

"This red is called Crimson Pyre. As you can see, it's fierce and destructive, suited for forging weapons and battlecraft… or even combat."

Finally, the last stone glowed with a warm, vibrant glow with orange flame.

"The Emberheart Flame… It's nurturing and steady, favored by healers and those who brew restorative elixirs… It's also the most expensive one, Mr. Vale… I used up all of the Divine Crystals you gave me as my budget."

Vale helplessly smiled after hearing the last part, but it was understandable.

"I'll compensate you both properly... I promise."

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