A couple of days had passed and Vale still can't forget the Headmaster's words…
One of the twelve Arcane Paths is actually an Evil Path?
He just can't imagine it. He tried guessing it by making some absurd reasons but it's just not working out.
He guessed that it could be the Beast Arts…
The Beast Path might actually lead to people becoming monsters as they practice this Arcane Art... That was quite tragic and evil at the same time.
However, he read from the books that the elites of the Beast Arts Practitioners use the powers of some sort of mythical beast through rituals and blessings instead of integrating their bodies with animals like one would imagine if they heard of the Arcane Path at first. In short, they were borrowing the powers of these mythical beasts instead of turning themselves into beasts.
Of course, his knowledge is limited since they might really be capable of doing that. Nevertheless, it doesn't seem to be an Evil Path in itself. At most, it can be described as a path for people with strange habits.
He can't imagine someone would want to learn the Beast Arts… At most, these people were probably the ones who had no other choices.
Anyway, he also considered the Summoning Arts since they might be capable of summoning some evil incarnation in one of their arts.
However, Vale recalled that the Dark Art's Forbidden Practices of the Unlighted also has a summoning ritual that is equal to that… or even worse.
Vale sighed after recalling this.
To be honest, he was really thinking that the Dark Arts is the Evil Path. He just didn't want to admit it since this is the path he was practicing.
There was no way he would admit that he was practicing the path of becoming evil!
When he said that it depends on the practitioner whether a path is evil or not, it is more to convince himself than to show his wisdom to the Headmaster.
Anyway, he thought of the Psychic Arts and it can certainly become evil but in a way, it can also become extremely useful for fighting against evil.
The Transformation Arts, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be the problem since he can't think of how it could become the Evil Path…
'He's not going to tell me later that the Holy Arts Faction is the Evil Path, right?' Vale mused.
"Vale, are you missing the Academy already?"
At this moment, Priscilla asked curiously as she saw Vale still looking at the clouds listlessly.
They've already boarded the airship heading towards Charville City. They have the mission to purchase Recording Crystals from the Alchemy Branch in that city.
The airship can easily fit 600 to 800 people inside and is a lot bigger than he expected. When he was seeing this airship from the dockyard, he didn't think too much of its size and only realized how big it was after boarding it.
Anyway, Vale looked at Priscilla who was wearing a violet dress and feathered hat matching her outfit.
She looks cute as she tries to imitate the fashion trend he had seen in some magazines...
"I'm just enjoying the view. Why would I miss the Academy?" Vale answered with a helpless smile on his face.
He's currently wearing an overcoat and the chain of his pocketwatch can be seen hanging on his side pocket.
This pocketwatch wasn't the one he was hiding from everyone. It is the pocketwatch that Chad had given him after he helped him with the Spell Recording.
Although he didn't want to accept it, Chad insisted on giving it and he can only accept it after trying to reject it a few times.
This pocket watch wasn't simple either. It actually slightly increases his focus. He was able to concentrate a lot easier with its help.
"Hey, can the two of you get inside now?" Philip asked while still standing at the door.
Vale and Priscilla were on the ship's deck and enjoying the scenery and wind outside.
On the other hand, Philip doesn't feel comfortable seeing the ground below them as he seems to be afraid of heights.
Priscilla looked at her brother helplessly before signaling to Vale that she's about to get inside.
"I'll follow you. Your brother is probably feeling lonely." Vale said as the two went to Philip's side.
Inside the airship, Vale felt like he was in a huge hotel lounge and there were a lot of people inside. They weren't all students in the academy as some of them are professors, security officers, or some academy officials who had missions outside the Academy.
As the three of them found a comfortable couch to sit on and have some snacks, Vale felt someone looking at him with hostility.
He didn't immediately expose the man by looking at him as he decided to enter his Phantasm State to accurately pinpoint their location…
After doing this, Vale felt the vague presence of man and he seems to have tried to hide his presence. Unfortunately for him, Vale didn't have to completely sense the man to know his identity.
He was already familiar with this skill of hiding presence…
'Professor Ravinie? Why is he here? No, why is he even looking at me with hostility? I just passed his Advancement Exam… should he not be happy seeing a capable student not wasting his time on a subject he already knows?' Vale mused to himself.
In any case, he decided not to think too much of it as he probably just felt his pride being hurt. He probably thought he was about to have student assistance for the rest of the year only to fail miserably.
***
After traveling for about seven hours, Vale's group left their cabin as they got ready to disembark.
They seem to have avoided a storm so they had to take a longer route and arrived really late at the city's dockyard.
"Priscilla and the two boys, follow me and I'll be dropping you off at the shop. I'll leave the transaction to the three of you. Right, make sure you count the crystals before leaving. It shouldn't be that difficult, right?" Professor Stella spoke as she appeared in front of the three young students.
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