A new door opens

Syvis and I stare at each other. I wanted to run and apologize at the same time, but the words didn't come out. Syvis didn't scream, but her face looked annoyed. The little towel covered very little. If the towel were just a little higher, I could see her intimate part, and her breasts are marked on the wet towel.

"I-I'm sorry..."

I was going to turn around and run, but Syvis come closer. "Why do you keep looking? You pervert!"

I received a punch on the cheek that knocked me to the ground.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you that in an hour, we would meet in the library?"

"N... It's not what it seems I-I didn't know you'd be naked, I mean, why are you naked? N-No... I mean, it wasn't on purpose. H-Harold told me that maybe you would know what's wrong with me, a-and that's why that's why... "

"You're lucky I didn't turn you into a pile of ashes." Syvis said, angry and blushing at the same time. "Wait here."

Syvis returned to the room she came out of. What that hell happened? She really hits hard. I think my cheek is swelling.

I didn't expect to find Syvis in that situation. What is this place? It looks like a greenhouse on the outside, but it seems like it is more than just that. While waiting for Syvis to return, I decided to pace the room. The place is filled with potions, empty bottles, plants, and scrolls everywhere. There are also shelves with books.

After a few minutes, Syvis came back wearing a different outfit than this morning. She returned in a short, tight black dress. I wonder if she always dresses so provocatively. The bad thing is that she still has an angry expression.

"Is this place yours?" I asked, trying to break the tension felt in the room.

"...Is that supposed to be a work-related question?"

"Ah, n-no, I was just asking out of curiosity...."

"Then I don't have to answer that."

It seems that I started on the wrong foot, and things are not going as I thought. Syvis appears to be busy mixing some potions, completely ignoring me.

"Maybe I should..."

"Harold told me about you. I understand why Harold became interested in you, but after watching you fight, you are nothing special." After finishing mixing the potion, she continued. "Your case is quite rare. Someone of your level should not be here in a standard case, but Harold's hunches are usually correct. It is a pain in the ass, but I promised that I would help you."

"Thanks. I don't want to be a hindrance." I reply.

"I already told you I'm not doing it for you. I'm paying a favor that I owe Harold, but if I don't see any progress by the end of the week, I'll suggest Harold kick you out."

I know I made a mistake with what happened before, but does she need to be so hostile? I am beginning to question my own ability. Maybe I don't have what it takes to be an adventurer. Also, Syvis is not as I thought. As a child, I thought of her almost as a goddess who gave me a dream to follow, but I guess it was my fault for believing that.

"Drink this." Syvis said, giving me the potion she was mixing earlier.

The potion has a rare purple color and a putrid odor. "What is that?"

"Don't argue with me and just drink."

This isn't going to kill me, right!? I know I made Syvis mad, but he wouldn't dare go so far just for that, Right!? I almost threw up only from the smell. I used all my courage and drank it in one go.

I fell to the ground after drinking the potion. The taste is gross, and it is causing a strange sensation in my whole body. "W-What was that?"

"It's a potion that used to be used in [Zrephia] in the past, but the recipe was lost until I was able to recreate it. It will help you feel your magic power."

"What? Harold said I had no magic after doing the test with the crystal sphere." I said from the ground, still feeling the ravages of the potion.

"That crystal ball only detects the level of magic. With new adventurers, especially those who have never used magic before, it isn't easy to know their true level since they don't have control of their magic. If you didn't have magic, you would only have felt the awful taste, but since your body is responding to the effects, it means you do have magic power. "

I am indeed beginning to feel something different in my body, but it is difficult to detect it since I still feel the potion's effects. It took me a couple of minutes to recover in which Syvis just saw me agonizing on the floor while she had a cup of tea.

"You seem to be feeling better now. I made the extra bitter taste as payment for before."

"W-What? I really thought I was dying..."

"If you had died, my job would be easier. Good for you, I guess."

Her cold expression makes it impossible for me to detect if she is joking or if she means it.

Syvis first teaches me the basics on how to tap into my mana and use it for spells. Then she shows it by holding her palms next to each other and creates a ball of water between them, similar to the one she used to attack us in the training we had.

“Darx, I want you to place your hands between mine.” Syvis instructs.

“Ok ...” I say, not sure of what she intends me to do.

“I then want you to use your magic to grab the ball from me and pull it towards you.”

I do as Syvis instructs. But when I pull my hands back, the ball of water remains between Sylvi's hands. I try again and again, but the ball of water doesn’t move.

"You need to focus and feel the magic that comes from the water ball."

I closed my eyes and focused on trying to feel the magic of the water ball. Little by little, I begin to feel the magic that Syvis speaks of. It is similar to when I focus on my sense of hearing to hear things that are far away or in my sight to see in more detail. The feeling in my hands is like the wind, but it is a wind that I can control. When I felt the magic more clearly, I pulled it just like Syvis told me, but I did it too hard, and the ball of water crashed against my chest, soaking me in the process.

I got up from my seat after feeling the cold sensation of the water.

"You really did it." Syvis said in surprise. "I started with the element of water since it is one of the elements that I can control, but I thought that we would have to go through all the elements until finding one with which you had an affinity."

"So, does that mean I'm a water mage?" I asked, shocked. I never thought I'd end up a magician.

"I'm not sure. During training, I noticed an increase in your speed as the duel progressed. Without your card, it is difficult to determine your class, but what I am sure of is that you have an affinity with water magic. Besides that, your physical abilities are improving." Syvis thought for a moment and then continued. "You may be a Spellsword, but that is a class that only appears in high-class adventurers while your physical and magic level is far below that."

I thought I was lost, but I feel like a new door will open for me. I'm sure I can be stronger. I can feel it. The sensation I had a moment ago shows it to me. I don't care if it's magic or physical combat.

"For now, go change and go to the library as I told you before. Later, we will continue with the tests."

I was about to leave when Syvis called me one more time.

"Wait a minute. Before you go, there is something I should give you." Syvis told me while looking for something in a cabinet at ground level.

Syvis knelt and bent over as she searched for something. I did not want to see, but it is impossible not to want to look at her butt, which is almost exposed by her short dress.

"Here it is." Sivis said while getting up.

"W-What is that?" I replied with a reserved attitude, but my heart was beating rapidly.

Syvis responded by giving me a staff. "You need a catalyst to use magic properly. In my case, I use a book, but I suppose this staff will be useful to you for now."

"Thanks!"

"Whatever, just don't lose it. The sooner we get through this, the less annoying it will be for me."

"I see... I will try my best not to be an annoyance to you."

I left the room, passing once more through the greenhouse and leaving it. What is her problem? If her job is to be a recruiter, she's not doing a good job. She acts as if she hates me. Or maybe she's not interested in me in the least. Moreover, it's not like I'm interested in joining Oblivion. I would join any guild before that one.

I returned to the castle excited to learn that I have hopes of being stronger, but at the same time irritated by Syvis's attitude. I didn't even ask her if she remembered me, but it's most likely useless. I doubt she remembers.

The walk from the greenhouse to my room takes almost 15 minutes. Before that, I have to follow a corridor which divides into two. The one on the left leads to the women's rooms, and the one on the right to the men's rooms. Right at that intersections, I saw an upset Shalia being stoped by Gerald and his group.

"Is something wrong, Shaila?" I asked as I got closer.

"Darx!" Shalia reply.

"Keep walking weirdo. It's none of your business." Gerald also responded violently.

"Gerald insists on taking me to his room even though I already told him to leave me alone." Shalia said, hiding behind me.

"You should be grateful that Gerald is interested in you. Don't you know who he is? His father is Marquis Levine." One of the guys accompanying Gerald said.

Gerald's group consists of four men and two women who all appear to be from upper-class families. Just seeing them irritates me. They act like they have the right to do whatever they want.

"Didn't you hear her? she said to go away!"

"You really don't know your place? How dare you speak to me like that." Gerald tried to hold me by the neck while he and his group insulted me, but just before he grabbed me, another hand grabbed his hand.

Leona appeared, holding his hand tightly, making him back away.

"Darx!" Ryul came too. "Do you want to continue what we didn't finish last time? Come on! I'm ready. Whenever you want." He said, looking at Gerald.

Gerald and his group backed off after seeing that Leona and Ryul arrived.

"Don't think this will stay that way. You and the stupid cat girl will pay for it." Gerald said before leaving.

"Fuck you!" Ryul responded by sticking his finger out. "If he bothers you again, Shalia, let us know. We got your back. "

"Thanks, Ryul! And also thanks, Darx and Leona." Shalia reply.

"What's the problem Gerald has with you, Leona? Ever since he saw you, he's been bothering you. I know why he doesn't like Darx and me, but why do you?" Ryul asked.

"It's normal." Leona reply.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Ryul, confused, asked.

Leona, with a slightly sad expression, replied. "It doesn't matter. Let's go to the library, or we'll be late."

I remember my mother once told me that humans and beast-kinds, after the war against demons, have been fighting for the superiority of which is the strongest race, and they don't have a very good relationship. I wonder if that's why Gerald seems to have a problem with Leona.

"By the way, what is that in your hand, Darx?" Ryul asked.

"Oh, it's a staff Syvis gave me. Give me a moment." I ran to my room to leave the staff there and came back.

"Does anyone know where the library is?" I asked.

"I know! Follow me." Shalia replied cheerfully.

Shalia really has a feminine aura. The way she talks and expresses herself makes me think that. Her smile kind of makes me feel good.

Shalia led us while Ryul and I chatted behind her, and behind us, Leona, who followed us with a serious expression. We are quite a diverse group.

We got to the library and WOW!! For someone like me who likes to read, this is paradise—three-wide floors of nothing but books. I wonder how many books are here. How long will it take me to read them all?

"Just looking at all those books gives me a headache." Ryul said, looking around.

"Don't you like to read?" Shalia asked Ryul.

"I-I was born to be a warrior. Books are not for me." Ryul responded.

"I thought you weren't interested in being an adventurer when I met you." I asked Ryul mockingly.

Embarrassed, Ryul replied. "W-Whatever, dude..."

"Hahaha, what about you, Leona? Do you like to read?" Shaila asked, still laughing at Ryul's reaction.

Leona opened her eyes wide and then turned her head to the side, avoiding seeing us. "They are whatever." She answered, blushing.

I and the rest of us had to hold back laughing at Leona's reaction.

"I think Leona and I are from the same team. Right, Leona!?" Ryul said, approaching Leona.

"Shut up!"

HAHAHA!

"Stop making noise in the library, you fools." Syvis said, hitting Ryul on the head. "Follow me."

Syvis took us to the second floor, where there were private rooms. The room has a large rectangular table in the middle and enough space for several people.

"I'll start by explaining the basics about adventurers and answer any questions you have, so pay attention as I won't repeat it." Syvis said, settling in front of the table while Ryul and I sat on the right and Leona and Shalia on the left.

"I'll start by explaining to you about ranks and the importance of your classes."

“Nobody really knows how a rank gets allocated. There are a lot of theories, though. Some believe everyone is born with a rank, yet it lies dormant until the goddess awakens it. Others believe the goddess awards it based on how worthy you have proven yourself in the years prior. Then some believe it is all about how you ask the goddess for power. There is no definitive answer, so I feel it is best to simply consider yourself lucky for having received such a high rank and make the most of it.”

"As you all should know, there are five ranks starting with ''E,'' which is the weakest, to "S," which is the rarest and strongest of all, with only ten among all races. Each rank is limited by a certain number of skills or elemental affinity, which increases the higher the rank. Today we will focus on those of rank "A" since most here are of that rank."

"As you could see on your card after the ritual, each of you received a number of skills or spells which appear on your card. Each rank "A" has at least 6 skill/magic slots they can learn, with some of them being able to learn a 7th."

"The skills received are according to the class you receive. In addition to that, there are rare skills that appear on rare occasions, which are usually quite strong but are usually difficult to use. One of the reasons this team has fewer members despite our attempt to keep the teams balanced is that each one of you, except Darx, has rare skills. So you can realize how special you are."

Ryul and the rest looked at their cards carefully upon hearing Syvis's words. Since I don’t know my rank, I can't know my number of skills or spells.

"In addition to that, each adventurer receives a significant increase in physical strength which also increases the higher the rank and class received."

"There are a lot of different classes, but they all come from three branches. The first is "Fighter" in which classes and skills are based on physical strength. Ryul, being a Monk, is an example of this class. Next is "Mage" which is focused on the use of mana primarily such as Shalia. Lastly, the rarest and which is limited only to adventurers of rank "C" and above. "Spellsword". People who receive a class from this branch can use physical skills as well as one magic element. Leona is a rare example of this branch, being a Paladin."

Leona speaks up and says, "I have never trained in magic before. I'd like to learn more about that."

"Let's start with the easy ones. Fire, earth, air, and water. As their names imply, fire magic is used for casting fire spells, earth magic for manipulating rocks and earth, water magic for controlling the element of water, and air magic to cast air-based spells. Next are the elements of healing and ****. These two are opposites in a way. Healing magic nurtures the living, and ****, also called necromancy, nurtures the dead. Both can be seen as support magic in a way. Then there is light and dark magic."

"Each adventurer with a class related to magic has an affinity with some element. Similarly, the higher the rank, the greater the number of elemental affinities he will receive. Those of rank "A" usually have three elemental affinities, but in addition to that, they can combine the elements to create a completely new element. But that's something that only advanced magicians can do."

It is a lot of information to process. It looks like it will be a long afternoon.