But a Mage Apprentice without talent, no matter how diligently they tried to compensate for their shortcomings, would still have no hope of advancing to become a Mage.
The path to becoming a Mage was this cruel and strict; it was like a heavenly gate blocking those untalented Mage Apprentices.
All they could do was remain silent in the academy, their faces devoid of any expression, like statues, filled with a tangible sense of numbness.
In fact, Durin had seen many gray-haired Mage Apprentices in the Magic Academy still diligently studying spellbooks, trying to become Mages.
They insisted on working part-time in the academy and earning money outside during their free time to support their studies at Piltover University.
The school, of course, was happy about this; keeping them not only attracted new students to the school but also served as a stable source of income.
As long as they could pay tuition, they could stay at the university as long as they wanted.
When Instructor Ashley saw Durin appear at the door, she merely glanced at him coldly and said in a cool tone, "You're late, Durin. If you want to tell me you were too tired from studying spells last night, causing you to oversleep and miss class this morning, there's no need to. I've already noted your absence this time. If it happens again, I'll report it to the academy, unless you're confident you can cast a complete spell in the final exam, otherwise, expect to fail!"
After speaking, she picked up her teaching materials and walked past him indifferently.
Durin could only stand there awkwardly. He couldn't possibly tell her that he was busy eliminating a Lich from Piltover's public graveyard!
Who would believe such a ridiculous excuse?
He could only ensure he wasn't late again next Monday. Fortunately, he had earned one gold cogwheel.
Perhaps he should find a paid course to listen to this afternoon and see what the difference is between free and paid courses.
Paid courses could be checked on the bulletin board, which would regularly update whether a Professor or Instructor was holding a class that day.
After confirming, one would then go to the academy's academic affairs office to declare the paid course they wished to attend. The academic affairs office would then issue a roll call list to the corresponding Instructor or Professor.
If one no longer wished to attend, they would still need to report to the academy's academic affairs office to update the roll call list. Finally, the total extra fee would be calculated based on the number of times on the roll call list.
The school would take a 20% commission from these fees, with the remaining amount going entirely to the Instructor or Professor holding the class.
When Durin arrived at the bulletin board, he found a crowd gathered around it, seemingly discussing in low voices.
He wanted to see what kind of course would cause such a discussion.
Hmm?
Two gold cogwheels?!
[How to Effectively Use Magic Shields in Combat, Professor Anthony, 2 gold cogwheels per session, two classes starting every Wednesday at 10 AM.]
Durin first saw the price, and his surging curiosity immediately dissipated by more than half.
The Magic Shield spell, a first-ring spell, constructs a magic circuit using internal magic power, converging to form a shield. From the current perspective, it indeed perfectly suited Durin's needs.
Firstly, his shield was in tatters and already scrap. Buying a brand-new shield would be too expensive, and he didn't know if it would be severely damaged again in the next battle.
Durin was most unwilling to spend money on such consumables.
Learning the Magic Shield spell would save Durin from worrying about shield wear and tear for a long time to come.
But the problem was that two gold cogwheels were simply too expensive, and it was a Wednesday course. Durin still had to consider it carefully.
After a few seconds of calm, Durin began to re-examine the prices of other paid courses.
...
Forging Faction Enchanting Beginner Course, Instructor Rokoeff, 3 silver lun coinsper session, two classes every Monday afternoon. Carving Faction Enchanting Beginner Course, Instructor Pushkin, 4 silver lun coinsper session, three classes every Friday afternoon. Transfiguration Core Strength Training Course, Instructor Angelina, 3.5 silver lun coinsper session, two classes every Tuesday morning. Magical Creature Hybrid Cultivation Experiment Course, Instructor Navig, 2.8 silver lun coinsper session, three classes every Thursday afternoon.
...
Soon, Durin selected three paid courses: the Forging Faction course under Enchanting Inscription, Archaeology, and Magical Engineering.
Both Carving and Forging are two major schools under Enchanting Inscription; the former is a specialized skill that directly applies various beneficial effects to weapons and equipment by drawing or engraving on their surfaces.
The latter, on the other hand, is a specialized skill that involves adding various special materials, rune stones, and infusing runic magic during the forging process to directly create weapons and armor with beneficial effects.
As for the other two functions, one is to impart various Archaeology knowledge and ancient legends from treasures, and the other is a specialized skill that allows the creation of various tools and devices.
After deciding on the three paid courses he wanted to enroll in, Durin headed towards the Academic Affairs Office in the Administrative Building.
The floor of the Magic Academy's Academic Affairs Office was spotless, with thick and exquisitely carved marble pillars and skillfully crafted bas-reliefs on the walls, all displaying a luxury far beyond the ordinary.
Not to mention the people walking in the Administrative Building of the Magic Academy, they wore robes that seemed simple but subtly luxurious, adorned with moonstones as large as cat's eyes or sapphires the size of pigeon eggs.
The hall was very busy, with people coming and going. Durin noticed that most of them were Mage Apprentices, holding various manuscripts. Some had middle-aged faces, while others had wrinkles around their eyes and gray hair, looking close to sixty years old.
Durin could only silently queue up, waiting for his turn. He clearly saw one or two passing Mages, who wore a Mage's emblem made of pure arcane gold on their chests, glowing a luminous blue.
This meant the Mage had the ability to cast 2-ring spells, and the many Mage Apprentices looked at him with admiration.
Durin could only sigh inwardly, 'In this day and age, becoming a Mage can change one's social class, elevating them to a position above others.'
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