Although the bouquet-selling business was easy and profitable, students still had classes to attend.
But without comparison, there's no suffering. After muddling through two lessons, everyone had a rough idea of the general situation.
At Hogwarts and Ilvermorny, schooling lasts seven years. But at Mahoutokoro, students start at seven and often haven't graduated by the time students from Hogwarts and Ilvermorny finish theirs. Truly a tragic story.
Why so long?
Because campus life here is far more exciting than at Hogwarts or Ilvermorny, though they never mentioned the fewer holidays.
Compared to Hogwarts' almost nonexistent clubs and Ilvermorny's imitation-Hogwarts clubs, Mahoutokoro students organize all kinds of societies during their long school years. Some even have their own funding and external networks, which greatly helps with post-graduation employment.
It's worth noting that elective courses are plentiful. Aside from a few required courses, students can even work as part-time instructors, mainly because they haven't yet met graduation requirements.
Necessary exams are nearly nonexistent, but that's not fun at all.
Unlike Hogwarts or Ilvermorny, with their ultimate exams (O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s), Mahoutokoro requires almost no exams. Outside required classes, any elective can award a certificate, but none affect graduation. What truly determines graduation is the color of your robe.
The record-holder was a wizard over thirty-five who still hadn't graduated. His robes were just shy of pure gold, and he had completed every course possible, no small feat.
Yet, at a special board meeting, his graduation request was denied. Most teachers decided to follow tradition: robes must be pure gold to graduate.
So, at the start of the new year, the utterly disappointed student left the school. Zongze even told Allen that many students now feared their robes falling just short of pure gold.
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So, are all of you crazy? What kind of aesthetic makes you want to strut around in flashy gold robes?
Of course, Allen didn't say it aloud. Everyone has their own taste, especially in tradition. Mentally complaining is fine, but saying it aloud is impolite.
After attending a full lesson on the importance of secrecy in the wizarding world, Allen, well-rested, cheerfully gathered his friends to continue their money-making ventures. But Zongze appeared, excitement written all over his face, and issued an invitation.
"Um, Allen-san, my clubmates and I discussed it, and we'd love for you all to come and exchange ideas. We don't usually have enough contact, and everyone is very interested in you."
Very interested in me?
Believe me, I'll just tear your club apart!!!
I'm not here to discuss philosophy!
Though Zongze didn't realize his wording was off, he executed a precise and elegant gank:
"Um… it may be a bit sudden, but we really hope you'll come. We even invited another club to join the exchange."
And so, Allen felt a few infinitely hopeful hands pressing on his back, karma, indeed. A few days ago, he used this trick on Professor Lockhart, and now fate was returning the favor.
With the strong support of his mischievous friends, Allen ultimately accepted the invitation.
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That afternoon, the weather was refreshing. Allen and his friends, half unwilling, or rather not at all, made their way from their camp to the outer Mahoutokoro wooden cabins.
The cabins were small but exquisitely built, perfectly complementing the main campus, though mostly because the extravagant walls of the main school could never be rebuilt.
Initially, Allen and friends were nearly ambushed inside the cabins. One large cat shelter had been built there, students here loved cats. Owls, on the other hand, were mostly school property, very few privately owned, unlike at Hogwarts.
Zongze never told Allen the name of their club, claiming secrecy.
So Allen and his friends were somewhat curious, after all, it was a completely different cultural system.
After reaching the designated cabin, Allen led the group and knocked on the door.
It was an ancient-style Japanese house, showing some age but well-preserved under magical protection.
The door was opened by Zongze, long waiting. He had changed into traditional Japanese attire, and the others inside immediately made Allen's friends straighten up.
Not that they were perverts, though at fourteen or fifteen, subtle attraction to the opposite sex is normal.
Boys could joke or be slightly crude with each other, but if females were present, conversation naturally became more tempered, though some female leaders were far more mischievous than the boys.
Being first-time meeting, some shyness was natural, especially since women made up two-thirds of the cabin.
"Everyone, this is Allen-san, the student I told you about. He's from Hufflepuff at Hogwarts. His house rules align closely with our club's philosophy, and Allen-san himself is a powerful wizard. So today, I invited him to exchange ideas with our club."
Then came a beautiful, though completely unintelligible, welcoming song, Zongze didn't even attempt a translation but sang along anyway.
After the welcome, Allen finally understood what Zongze's club was, one was a culinary club, the other a tea ceremony club.
The reason for the invitation: Hufflepuffs are reputed to excel at cooking.
Allen… wanted to punch someone…
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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