While Jacob had a slightly rough day, he managed to return back at his room with little to no problems. Right, the senior he met during the time he was looking for the entrance ceremony venue was the same as the senior he med that was passing out the four month schedule. It was like a booklet or pamphlet of sort. But the senior didn't stop their and brought Jacob to the library where all students could receive their first year books regarding each subject they'll be taking.
'Speaking of which...'
Jacob fell flat on the bed, turned, and opened his four month schedule like if it was his phone.
'Five classes, huh? Three classes for five days, two classes switch everyday, with one classes at the sixth day. Seventh day is a rest day... Hold up, wait a minute... They operate on a seven day system? Wasn't it made because of the calendar the pope on the something century popularized? I don't have enough info to truly ask this.'
First day he had Arcane Basics and Sword Training, Literature and Mathematics switching everyday with former being on the first day, History being at the Sixth day as the only subject.
Jacob stood up and walked over to the five books he had to carry all day. The thickest one easily being the Praetian Literature, though that's not saying much as it was pretty basic and pretty small book compared to Science 10 he had to carry everyday back at senior high.
Basics of Magic, a simple book for beginner friendly experience. The dorm room was big enough to have a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk and chair for studying. Jacob pushed the other books to the side and opened the Basics of Magic book.
'What the...!'
A sudden realization struck Jacob like a lightning bolt. He took another book and opened them, then the other.
It was strange, he just realized that he understands the book as if in perfect English yet clearly, by the strange symbols, this was not English. Thinking back, the Headmaster had definitely spoken a different language and dialect yet he 'Understood' those words, those expression even when he didn't pay too much attention.
On a side note, he didn't know how to close the status window so It's been slid to the back of his head as Jacob found out that it was orbiting his face. He pulled it back to the front and it shows that the window was in full English characters.
'This is trippy as hell.'
Regardless of the sudden predicament, Jacob tried to focus. He was procrastinating again from his main goal. Try to learn what magic even was.
Magic was the fundamental of all Mages since the beginning of the oldest civilization.
The book was, as it said, an introduction to magic. The beginning, the origin, the start, history, but everything was just an overview. Jacob wanted to have a basic exercise that could help him do Magic, not just read about it.
Let's start with an exercise. Take a look at your palm, relax and remember the first time you felt your mana.
Before Jacob could read the first line of the instructions, he held out his palm, but soon lowered it after reading the last part of the line.
'The fuck am I suppose to do then?'
What does the instructions even mean? Regardless, Jacob reached out his had but didn't quite understand the last part.
'Relax...'
Deep breathes, in and out. A minute passed but nothing was happening, but time came with success. Jacob wasn't impatient, he had the rest of the afternoon and early night to practice and at least try. After all, if this was the basic exercise then he has to at least have the ability to do this. He might just get flunked out immediately if he doesn't show promising talent even if it's small.
Mana, what was mana? By his status window, it showed he has three-hundred and sixty points. But what was this? What was the resource called Mana. Imagine what it was, to Jacob who had heard NPC dialogue every time back at Pleiades Assault regarding Mana, and what it could be.
'Flows like water and surges likeelectricity.'
Jacob repeated it like mantra.
Half an hour passed by, and Jacob was still facing his empty palm. But he wouldn't be giving up yet, It was five hours too early for that.
Finally, after what looked like eternity, to Jacob at least, he felt something. It wasn't strong but it was a start, focus on that, don't let that feeling go.
There it was again, a gushing moment that made Jacob twitch his fingers. Was it on his chest? Was it in his head? Jacob couldn't be sure, but it was there. A liquid like feeling that made his body run cold. It was for a moment, a small fraction, but he felt it.
'Come on, just a little more!...'
Locking into that feeling, remembering it, trying to visualize and feel it. Was he imagine it? Was it his own delusions? No, one must not waver in face of uncertainty. Fifty-fifty, that was what Jacob believed in, on one side it must be done, on the other he could leave it for another time. Right now, it landed on the side where he must do it. Regardless of what he wants, the action must fall towards the first side.
Drip
Like water, a deep blue colored liquid the size of a small marble, drop on the book's page. Yet strangely the liquid didn't soak the page. Yet even after the marble sized droplet fell, another took its place on top of Jacob's palm. It fell on his now balance palm and it felt cold. No, it felts powerful... something Jacob has never came in contact before.
[ Achievement Unlocked! ]
[ First Try: Evoke your mana (Unlock: Mana Shot) ]
"LETS FUCKINGGO!"
It was the first time Jacob genuinely stood up from his seat and screamed in celebration. It felt visceral, Jacob had Mana and by extension he could possibly do Magic.
The feeling was still lingering, it was a valuable learning experience. Jacob immediately tried to sit back down and kept practicing the exercise. At the glance to his left, the status window which had his mana, was going down. What he was doing truly was a practice of the arcane, an exercise with mana.
After a few more minutes, turning the marble sized floating mana into a slightly larger marble of mana.
[ Time to put the Glasses on: (1/4) ]
A system notification rang, but Jacob was too busy that he ignored. Right now, for the next two hours or so, he was lost in the thought of practice.
[ Sharpest Tool in the Shed: (1/4) ]
— Morning
Yesterday, Jacob had practiced his exercise for three hours. His first class was at the 10th hour of the day, which again he found it weird that they use the 24 hour system if the schedule was anything to go off of. First class was Arcane Basics, thankfully his senior had toured him across the first year rooms yesterday. He has a rough memory of where classes where.
Room 102, located at the second floor of the Magic Hall. When he entered the room, six people immediately caught his eye. But he had to keep his head down first and went to the far back of the lecture hall.
The moment he sat down, he closed his eyes after glancing a peak at all the six figures.
Alaric Von Kaleigh, Prince of the Kyrithe Kingdom
Medea Uther Baalstrum, daughter of Duke Baalstrum
Harley Travis Loukrapt, Son of Marquis Loukrapt
Dominic Klein Pittsburg, Son of Sword Master Oliver
Rosalia Fae Garrant, daughter of the Imperial Chancellor
Sada Dione, the Successor of the Red Desert.
Why does Jacob know them? Simple really, these were the characters plastered all over his shorts and reels during the original release of the games. All their titles, portraits, and even personal original soundtracks.
Jacob finally opened his eyes, glancing secretly to the blonde haired prince.
'Please be the hero whatever this world needs.'
Silently but sincerely, Jacob hoped and prayed that Prince Alaric was his invincible hero that can never be defeated.
The other person that really caught his eyes was the red headed daughter of Duke Baalstrum, Medea Uther Baalstrum. One, she was really hot and essentially the closest bait that came close to making him play the game, and two was that her animations, those were what anyone would call incredibly cool. So much so that he made an alternate account in Pleaides Assault that had a similar build to her.
But those were on the past, now was the present, and without words he knew he fucked up because he just met glances with Medea, who was now staring at him with a deathly glare.
'Forgot they're like inhuman monsters with superhuman abilities.'
Her reflexes were faster than Jacob could react to, it was a short moment where they locked gazes but due to him trying to be nonchalant and quick glances, his posture and form made it look like he was looking down on them. It didn't help that the far back of the lecture hall did in fact look down on them due to the high advantage.
The saving grace appeared as the doors open. A man with well-groomed hair, a monocle, a mustache, and an aura of a genuine professor walked in.
He set down a large book he was carrying along with a smaller booklet on the table. He checked the small booklet before nodding and clearing his throat.
"Good morning, class. I am Professor Howard, and I will be your Arcane Basics professor. I hope you try to behave yourself while in my class. I will treat you just the same as I treated the rest of students that were under me, and I have yet to fail a single student, so please do everything you cant to learn."