The sound of Waver's furious shouting kept Krisy from speaking.
"Wait outside," Waver commanded.
He pressed a hand to his stomach, drained his tea in a single gulp, and crumpled the recommendation letter into a ball.
"Now, let's talk about you."
Waver's sharp, piercing gaze fixed directly on Wayland. "To have both the Animuspheres of Astronomy and the Barthomeloi of Policies opening doors for you... your background must be quite significant. So why choose the Department of Modern Magecraft, a place where only commoner magi gather?"
'Wait. Suddenly, he was someone with an incredibly powerful background? Was there some kind of misunderstanding at play?'
He felt a headache coming on. How was he supposed to answer that?
"The reason is simple," Wayland said. "Your reputation as a teacher, and the fact that I don't possess a Magic Crest."
A look of genuine surprise flickered across Waver's face. A Magic Crest was the crystallization of a magus's life's work--a specialized organ that held the family's mysteries and was the most vital heritage of any mage lineage.
Magi would transplant their Crest to a successor before they died, passing it down through a single child from one generation to the next. The power and influence of ancient mage families were largely due to the existence of these Crests.
To not have a Magic Crest meant being part of a non-magus lineage--a commoner.
"There's something that doesn't add up."
Waver took a slow puff of his cigar and held up a finger. "If you're a commoner, why the special treatment? The letter mentions that the Astronomy Department held a special entrance exam just for you. As far as I know, Lord Marisbury has taken very little interest in Clock Tower affairs recently, leaving the Astronomy Department to his top disciple, Kirschtaria Wodime, and his daughter, Olga Marie."
"I don't know," Wayland replied with a bitter, helpless smile. He had woken up in the middle of that entrance exam with no memories of his previous self. The entire situation was a mystery to him.
"You aren't secretly Lord Marisbury's illegitimate son, are you?"
"What?"
"I'm joking. With that face, there's no way you're his child." Waver massaged his forehead. "This is a headache."
"So... can I still join the Department of Modern Magecraft?" Wayland asked tentatively, watching Waver fall into a pensive silence.
"Ah!"
Waver suddenly gripped his hair in a fit of irritation. "Those bastards! Why do they always dump their problems on me?"
His composed, authoritative image crumbled in an instant.
"Krisy! Take him to Slur Street and get him settled. Tell him to come see me tomorrow."
Waver waved a dismissive hand, clearly wanting the conversation to end. Relieved, Wayland bowed and followed Krisy out of the apartment.
The Clock Tower consisted of five major lecture halls and over seventy smaller classrooms, with its primary academic building resembling Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Beyond that, the twelve departments were spread across various "satellite cities" in different London neighborhoods.
Slur Street was the hub for Modern Magecraft, also known as the Clock Tower's Twelfth District. Due to a chronic lack of funding, the western side of the street retained its twelfth-century classical architecture, while the eastern side, closer to central London, was more modern.
"Here's your key."
Before Wayland stood a massive mansion spanning nearly three hundred ping. Its scale was a world apart from Waver's cramped apartment. Wayland took the key and headed toward the second floor.
"There are no more plans for today," Krisy explained. "Go to the Lord's apartment tomorrow, but don't go in the afternoon. He's usually teaching at the El-Melloi classroom then. Don't be too late, either; he might have other things to attend to in the morning."
"Understood."
"If you have free time, feel free to walk around the neighborhood or pick up some daily necessities at the shops." Krisy pointed toward a door. "This is it. Room 207. We don't have many rules here, but remember one thing: do not set foot in the dormitory areas of other departments without permission. We don't want to start any unnecessary conflicts. I'll be in the lobby on the first floor if you need anything."
"Thank you."
Wayland pushed open the door to find a simple room: a bed, a desk, and a small bathroom. He walked to the window and rolled up the blinds, revealing a small balcony barely half a meter wide. Six withered flowerpots sat on the ledge, long since neglected.
In the distance, he could just barely make out the silhouette of the Clock Tower, while the Thames and London Bridge were hidden behind a forest of high-rise buildings.
"Irigal, are you awake yet?"
Wayland sat at the table and reached for the teapot, only to find it empty. He began calling out to the system that was still playing dead.
["I'm awake, I'm awake! Did you miss me, Master?"]
"Are you still dreaming?" Wayland tapped the empty teapot impatiently. "I have a question. Is teaming up with others to complete a quest allowed within the rules?"
["It depends."]
"Depends?" Wayland paused, a bad feeling sinking in. "You mean it depends on your mood?"
["Not at all! Everything is focused on the Master. As a system, I don't let my emotions affect my work!"]
"Fine. Just give it to me straight."
["Teaming up will affect the rewards based on the Master's individual performance."]
"Meaning if I team up, the rewards will be cut proportionally."
["Exactly! And if you just coast along without doing anything, you won't get any rewards at all!"]
Wayland fell into deep thought. He had been planning to find someone to help him with Side Quest 2. 'Facing the unknown was dangerous, especially given his current lack of ability. Stepping into that quest alone would be a massive risk.'
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]