ItsDirector
patreon
The Human From a Dungeon 93
🕑 Added 2025-03-03 13:22:42 +0000 UTCChapter 93
Nick Smith
Adventurer Level: 11
Human – American
There wasn't much to do on the drive to Kirkena except nap. I awoke as the magicart lurched to a stop in front of a building that looked remarkably similar to a painted warehouse. Before I could even finish my double take, the driver opened the door and everyone started climbing out. Yini and Nimora looked around in awe as Thunra grabbed our bags from the back of the magicart and returned them to their rightful owners. As each of us grabbed our bags, we received a handshake.
"Thanks for the lift," Thunra said when it was Yulk's turn.
"What'll you do now?" I asked.
"Well, I'm hopin' they've reserved my room at my favorite inn. Truscker's, if you were wonderin'. Once I get settle in, I'll take on some jobs."
"I was under the impression that you had plenty of money," Yulk said.
"Yeah, got more than I know how to spend. I just like the work," Thunra chuckled. "But who knows, after all this education talk I figure I might open a fight school. Brawlin's usually passed down from parent to child, which... I dunno. Hurts relationships, ya know? Better to hate a teacher than your mom or pa, right?"
"I suppose so."
"Yeah. Anyways, send me a message when y'all got some more free time. Trainin's far from over," the massive orc winked at me, then laughed.
I sighed as Thunra walked away, laughing the whole time. I couldn't wait to forget about melee fighting for a while. Ten had been working overtime to make sure that I felt as little of Thunra's training as possible, but it still sucked.
The magicart continued on its way and we walked up to the entrance of the magic academy. The doors had recently been replaced and a new coat of brown paint had been slapped over the exterior, but you could still tell this building had seen better days. It looked more like a rich person's warehouse than a school for the study of magic. Still, learning magic in an over-sized shack is better than not learning magic at all.
I pushed the door and it opened without resistance, allowing us to walk inside. The interior didn't look much better than the exterior, but it was cleaner than I expected. It also smelled like recent renovations had just occurred. Sawdust, paint, and other construction-related scents lingered in the air around us.
"Welcome to the Kirkena Academy of Magic," a female gnome said as she descended the main staircase. "I am Headmaster Malura Grinzaw. And you must be?"
"Pleasure to meet you, Headmaster," Yulk bowed slightly. "I am Yulk of Clan Alta, and these are my students. Nick Smith, Nimora Clawlin, and Yini Amagron."
"I see," she said, raising an eyebrow. "You're the first teacher who has brought their own students. Just as well. Along with these three, we have only 20 students."
"How many teachers are there?" I asked.
"Five."
"Only five?" Yulk asked. "Did any of my recommendat-"
"Yes," Malura interrupted with a sigh. "Both of them were approved and, with some difficulty, contacted. They both of them accepted. Olmira has already arrived and made herself at home, Lord VysImiro is still en route."
"Excellent."
I was glad to hear that Olmira was going to be a teacher, and wondered who Lord VysImiro was. The name sounded familiar, but I was drawing a blank. Malura gestured for us to follow her and began giving us a tour of the school.
We entered a few of the classrooms and had a look around. Each classroom had a lectern and fifteen seats with small tables next to them. I had expected desks, but these were armchairs. They looked really comfortable, too.
"As you can see, we are currently a little over-furnished," Malura sighed. "These rooms are where you will begin class unless told otherwise, but I'm sure you won't spend much time here."
"Why not?" Yini asked.
"Magic is best taught in practicum. Lectures are useful for establishing the basic concepts of some of the more complicated spells, but most people learn best by doing. Let's move on."
Malura then led us further down the hallway and out the rear entrance. We entered a large yard with neatly trimmed grass and a high wall. Several groups of straw-man targets were spread throughout the yard, all facing the back wall.
"This is where the practical learning will take place," she said, gesturing toward the targets. "The walls are reinforced with glyphs and we have plenty of targets, so there's no need to hold back. Using your magic on other students is completely forbidden, of course, with a zero-tolerance policy. Expulsion is the minimum penalty if this rule is violated, but criminal charges may be applied in egregious circumstances. This includes healing spells, as well. If someone is injured, one of the faculty will heal them. Finally, a member of faculty must accompany any students who wish to use this training yard. Any questions?"
Yini, Nimora, and I glanced at each other, then shook our heads.
"Yes," Yulk said, chuckling. "When will classes start, and how will they function?"
"Oh yeah," Yini whispered to herself.
"We begin lessons the day after Lord VysImiro arrives. Each day will be split into five periods and each student will receive a schedule that will tell them which classrooms they will need to be in at which times. Each period will be with a different teacher," Malura explained. "This is, of course, subject to change as things develop. We're still in the experimental stage, so there's going to be plenty of developments and changes to look forward to."
"Are there accommodations for students and staff?"
"Yes. High Chief Ulurmak has sequestered an inn across the road that has been struggling to pay its debts. It has been converted into a dormitory and cafeteria for the students. The top floor of the academy has living space for the teachers. Both of these amenities are available on an as-needed basis, of course. Will your students be requiring room and board?"
"Yes," Yulk answered.
He began to explain our situation to the headmaster in more detail, and I took a closer look around our surroundings. The wall was very tall, probably something like twelve or fifteen feet, but there were still some buildings peeking over it as if they were curious. The academy must be fairly close to High Chief Ulurmak's offices.
The outskirts of the city looked like any other village, but as you got further in things began to look more metropolitan. I looked at the academy again, and realized that we were probably near an industrial area. Unless the building didn't actually used to be a warehouse, which would be an absolute shock.
Then the girls caught my eye. While my first impression of the Kirkena Academy of Magic was a disappointed one, Yini and Nimora seemed absolutely enamored. Both of them were zoned out, studying the area around us. None of Nuleva's buildings were quite as large as the warehouse/academy, let alone the massive structures surrounding it. They were no skyscrapers, but to two young girls from a village these buildings were an impressive feat of architecture.
"Okay, I understand," Malura said. "Take your students to the inn and find them a room, I'll have the necessary paperwork ready for you when you get back. Then we'll discuss what's going to be required of your position."
"Yes, madam headmaster," Yulk bowed a little. "Okay, children, come along."
Yini and Nimora whipped their heads toward the chuckling orc angrily. Before they could start chewing him out, though, he began walking back toward the academy as quickly as he could. The girls stared after Yulk in disbelief, and then the three of us followed after him.
They gave him an earful as we journeyed through the underwhelming academy and across the street to an inn that didn't look much better. It made me wonder if these were the slums of Kirkena. However, the inn took me by surprise by looking much better on the inside than the outside.
The entrance doubled as a tavern-style restaurant, and there were several people milling around. An elf behind the counter greeted us as we approached. Yulk greeted her back as I politely ignored stares and double-takes.
"We have some students of the academy that need rooms," Yulk explained with a smile.
"Oh good! We'd love to have more guests," the elf said with a grin. "Three rooms?"
"No, two will be fine," Yulk replied.
"I thought we could double up, if that's okay," Yini said. "It would save some space."
"We have plenty of rooms," the woman smiled politely. "And none of them have two beds."
"Wait, where's Nick staying?" Nimora asked.
"Nick and I will be staying at the Marfix Inn," Yulk explained. "It should be relatively nearby."
"What!? How can you possibly afford that?"
"We get to stay there for free," I answered. "We saved the owner's... Nephew?"
"Wasn't it his son?" Yulk asked.
"I uh... I don't recall... Anyway, we saved the owner's family member and now we can stay there for free."
"Well that's not fair," Nimora pouted.
"From an existential point of view, you're correct," Yulk chuckled. "However, it is a reward for a good deed that we've done, at much risk to our own health, might I add. Plus, our stay at the Marfix will make room for more students and teachers. And Nick won't be gawked at quite as often."
Nimora looked around us and went quiet. The stares weren't new to me, and I'd been ignoring them, but I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me. Nimora must have been in her own little world to not have noticed.
"Our lodgings may not be quite as luxurious as the Marfix Inn, but we hold ourselves to a very high standard," the elf interjected. "I promise that you'll enjoy your stay!"
"How much does it cost?" Yini asked.
"It's free for students of the magic academy. We get compensated by the government for each student that stays here. Same with your meals, by the way. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available to every student, free of charge."
"That's probably going to change at some point, so you'd better make sure to take advantage of it while you can," Yulk said.
"I think they'll probably just add it to the cost of tuition," I argued.
"Perhaps. Regardless, let's get the girls settled in and then get checked in at the Marfix."
The receptionist gave Yini and Nimora their keys, and we carried their bags up to their rooms. The girls decided to stay behind and see if they could meet some of the other students while Yulk and I got went to the Marfix Inn. We asked the receptionist for directions, and we arrived after a short walk.
The luxury of the Marfix greeted us warmly, and it didn't take long to get settled in. Yulk needed to go back to the academy to do paperwork and learn more about his role as a teacher, but I opted to stay behind and relax a bit. After a swim, sauna, shower, and meal I returned to my room and kicked my feet up.
To be honest, I was experiencing a bit of inner turmoil. Part of me was excited about learning magic, but part of me was very, very nervous. What if this doesn't live up to my expectations? Or if I don't live up to everyone else's expectations? It would really suck if I only learn one or two spells.
On the other hand, what if I learn a crazy number of powerful spells and further ostracize myself? The confession Nash had made before we left had left an impression on me, even if it was a small one. If I end up becoming the strongest fighter ever, what right do I have to ask my brothers to accompany me on what may turn out to be an extremely dangerous quest?
Finding my way back home on my own would be difficult, but with overwhelming firepower it would be almost irresponsible for me to even consider bringing them with me. Right? What if they die because of me? Could I trade their lives to return to Cass? Do I have that right?
Yulk's assessment of our situation came into play, as well. I don't know this world, and I'll need a guide on my adventure. Someone who can read, at the very least. My brothers promised to help me see this through, and they probably knew better than I could how dangerous this might be. Would it be right to force them to break that promise?
Faced with the anxieties of an uncertain future, I sighed. The next leg of my quest would be to meet with the court of the fair folk and request their aid. After that, who knows?
Maybe the journey won't be as treacherous as I'm making it out to be. Maybe Yulk and Nash will be able to accompany me without any fear of getting hurt. Or maybe it will be so dangerous that our lives will be on the line every step of the way.
But... If I get strong enough I might be able to protect them. Nash probably won't like having to rely on me for fights, but it's better than the alternative. They can guide me and support me, and I can make sure they make it home okay.
I just need to get a lot stronger.
Comments
Ben Bass
TYFTC! I like how the school is starting out, and with Thunra’s idea to start a melee school as well. Stick them together and you have the basis of an amazing academy!
ItsDirector
Sure is lol fixed!
Aerowarrier
Nimora was THAT close to getting Nick in a room with only one bed. Poor girl
David Ellis
Dattebayo!
SparksBored
hey Nick’s level 11 now isn’t he?
