CHAPTER 39— Joint class training(1)
Time passed quietly.
Days turned into routines of lessons, training, exhausting lectures, and mana practice.
And before the students of the first year could properly settle into the rhythm of academy life—
The Joint Class Training finally began.
"Welcome, students."
Rowan stood on a massive grass field beneath the bright morning sky.
A cool wind passed through the open grounds, causing the tall grass around the edges of the field to sway softly.
The sunlight fell warmly across the enormous training area while hundreds of first-year students stood lined in disciplined rows.
Students from all four classes—
S, A, B, and C—
had gathered together for the very first time.
The atmosphere itself felt different today.
Heavy.
Exciting.
And Uncertain.
Rowan slowly moved his head left and right, curiously observing everything around him.
Students wearing the same uniform as his stood in separate formations across the field. Some carried elegant staffs decorated with silver engravings while others had refined wands attached at their waists.
The murmurs spreading across the grounds were filled with curiosity.
At the very front—
Four instructors stood side by side.
The instructors of all four first-year classes.
Instructor Valeria stood among them with her long orange hair moving slightly in the wind. Her sharp amber eyes swept across the gathered students with their usual fierce intensity.
"From today onward," Valeria's voice echoed clearly across the field, "your Joint Class Training will officially begin."
The entire field fell silent.
Even the restless students straightened unconsciously under the pressure of her voice.
"The goal of Grand Aetherion," she continued while slowly walking forward, "has never been merely to produce mages."
Her sharp gaze moved across the countless students standing before her.
"We create great mages."
Her voice carried weight now.
"The kind of mages capable of surviving the world outside these walls."
"The kind of mages who understand what it truly means to stand as a mage."
A brief silence followed.
The wind passed softly across the field.
Valeria lifted one hand slightly.
"All of you definitely use your wands and staffs, correct?"
The students nodded together.
"Yes, instructor."
"Good."
Valeria crossed her arms.
"But I'm sure that the wands or staffs you have, some of them got it from your family so some just brought it up with money."
Her voice was loud and dangerously calm.
"You are not aware of how much it takes to create the wand you are holding. And it's not just about money."
Her gaze followed the rows of students.
"It's about the amount of work that it took to create what you are holding."
A berife pause as she let's those words settle.
"Most of you... aren't aware of that."
Her voice loud enough that everyone can hear her.
"And that's why I am sure, most of you take them for granted."
Some students exchanged glances.
Meanwhile Rowan looked down at the axe attached near his waist.
"For a mage," Valeria continued calmly, "a wand or staff is no different from hands and feet."
"It is an extension of your will."
"A focus through which your understanding of mana takes shape."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"And yet many mages only realize the importance of their limbs after losing them."
A small pause stretched.
The students listened carefully.
"So…"
Valeria's voice deepened slightly.
"The first lesson of your Joint Class Training…"
"…will be understanding the importance of your wand."
The students remained silent.
Some already looked nervous.
Then Valeria slowly turned and gestured toward the enormous forest stretching behind the field.
"Does anyone know where we are currently standing?"
One student immediately raised his hand.
"We are at the Tree Garden owned by Grand Aetherion, instructor."
Valeria nodded once.
"Yes."
Her amber eyes shifted toward the massive forest.
"We are currently standing before one of the largest cultivated mana forests on the continent."
Rowan slowly lifted his head.
Only now did he properly notice the towering trees beyond the field.
The forest looked ancient.
Gigantic mana trees stretched high into the sky, their trunks glowing faintly with natural mana veins running through the bark like streams of light.
Some trees carried silver-blue leaves.
Others had bark dark as obsidian.
The mana flowing through the forest was so dense that even the air itself felt different near it.
"As you already know," Valeria continued, "mana trees are among the most important materials used in the crafting of wands and staffs."
She slowly turned back toward the students.
"So now…"
"You will enter the Tree Garden in pairs."
The field stirred slightly.
"You will choose a mana tree…"
"…take a piece of it…"
"…and bring it back."
A brief pause followed.
Then Valeria added calmly—
"That piece of wood will later become the core material used in the creation of your new wand or staff."
This time the students fully reacted.
Whispers immediately spread across the field.
"What?"
"A new wand?"
"They're seriously making us replace our old ones?"
Rowan blinked several times in surprise.
'We're getting new wands…?'
Valeria observed the students quietly before continuing.
"Yes."
"You heard correctly."
Her gaze sharpened.
"One of your lessons as mages is understanding your own catalyst."
"A wand crafted for you by others may suit your mana…"
"…but a wand created through your own choice will resonate far more deeply with your will."
She then raised one hand toward the right side.
Standing there was an older man around his 40s wearing deep brown robes covered in metallic patterns.
His hair was short and dark gray while protective crystal lenses rested over his eyes. Thick mana-burn scars were visible across his rough hands, making it obvious he worked directly with magical forging.
The man stepped forward with a grin.
"Name's Master Orven Draegor," he said proudly while spreading both arms slightly.
"Head of the Artis Mage Smith unit of the Magineering castle."
Several students immediately reacted in surprise.
Even some instructors looked respectful toward him.
"Master Draegor and his team of elite mage smiths," Valeria continued, "will personally forge your new wands and staffs."
Orven gave the students a thumbs up.
"Try not to bring me rotten wood."
A few students awkwardly laughed.
Valeria ignored it completely.
"And after your new catalysts are completed…"
Her voice became firm again.
"You will surrender your old wands and staffs to the academy."
This time genuine reactions spread across the field.
"What?!"
"Seriously?"
"But this wand belonged to my family—"
"Don't panic."
Valeria interrupted coldly.
"Your original catalysts will be safely returned after graduation."
The students slowly calmed again.
Then Valeria pointed toward a large black box resting on a nearby table.
"Now."
"You will draw lots."
"Your pairs will be decided randomly."
Several students immediately began moving toward the table.
But before they could begin—
One student raised his hand nervously.
"Instructor…"
Valeria looked at him.
"Why do we have to go in pairs?"
Valeria stared at him for a long second before answering calmly.
"Because mages rarely survive alone."
The field quieted again.
"The Tree Garden is not dangerous enough to kill you…"
"…but it is more than enough to expose your weaknesses."
She slowly walked forward while speaking
"Some of you are arrogant."
"Some are careless."
"Some panic under pressure."
"And some only know how to think for themselves."
Her sharp eyes moved across the students.
"A mage who cannot cooperate…"
"…is a mage who dies early."
A heavy silence settled across the field.
"So during this exercise," Valeria continued, "you will learn something more important than gathering wood."
"You will learn whether another mage can trust standing beside you."
No one spoke after that.
Valeria finally pointed toward the lottery box again.
"Now stop wasting time."
"And draw your lots."
Her words instantly pushed the students into motion.
One by one—
The students stepped forward toward the box to decide their partners.
---
"It's a pleasure to meet you miss Valeria draxen."
The mage smith Orven Draegor stepped forward with a graceful smile spread across his face as he extended his hand toward Valeria.
Sunlight reflected faintly across the silver patterns embroidered into the dark coat draped over his shoulders, while the metallic insignia pinned near his collar shimmered with quiet prestige.
His dark gray hair was neatly combed back with precise care, his jaw cleanly trimmed, and the thin golden spectacles resting over his sharp eyes only added to the refined aura surrounding him. Every movement he made carried discipline and elegance,
If not for the scars of his hand, He would look more like a noble scholar than someone who forged magical weapons.
Valeria grasped his hand firmly.
"The pleasure is mine, Sir Orven Draegor. Thank you for coming to Grand Aetherion with your team."
"Oh, don't flatter me, Miss Valeria."
Orven chuckled warmly before shaking his head.
"Magineering Castle has always stood with the Council and Grand Aetherion. The true honor is mine. Out of all the forging divisions, it was my team that received the honor to oversee this year's wand crafting."
His voice carried genuine excitement.
For mage smiths, being invited to Grand
Aetherion was not merely work.
It was prestige.
An opportunity only the finest craftsmen across the continent could receive.
After exchanging greetings with Valeria,
Orven turned toward the other instructors standing nearby.
The first person he approached was the instructor of Class C.
The man stood tall with a lean frame and neatly styled dark-green hair brushed back behind his ears. His narrow eyes carried a sleepy indifference, though the sharpness hidden underneath them was impossible to miss. A long charcoal coat rested perfectly over his uniform, while a thin silver chain hung from his collar.
"Pleasure to meet you," Orven greeted politely.
"Darian Hale," the man introduced himself calmly while shaking his hand once. "Instructor of Class C."
Next, Orven moved toward the instructor of Class A.
This one possessed a far more aristocratic appearance.
Ash-blond hair fell smoothly behind his head, and his pale violet eyes carried an almost arrogant sharpness to them.
Even while standing still, he radiated confidence. The golden embroidery decorating the cuffs of his uniform reflected faintly beneath the sunlight, while the silver cane resting beside him only added to his noble-like image.
"Lucien Arkwright," he introduced himself with a composed smile.
"A pleasure," Orven replied before finally moving toward the last instructor.
The moment his gaze landed there—
His eyes lit up.
Standing before him was a man with dark hair and calm black eyes.
Everything about him looked refined.
Elegant.
Effortlessly composed.
His uniform was perfectly maintained without even a single wrinkle visible, while the long navy overcoat draped around his shoulders carried subtle silver markings near the sleeves. His posture remained relaxed, yet there was a quiet pressure around him that naturally drew attention.
It was difficult to explain.
Even without doing anything—
He looked powerful.
Like the image of a legendary mage carved straight out of history itself.
Orven immediately stepped forward and grabbed the man's hand with both of his own.
"I'm glad that I finally got to meet you!"
Elias froze slightly at the sudden enthusiasm.
"Mr. Aiden Lazareth!"
Elias opened his mouth awkwardly.
"Hehe… ha… he…?"
Orven shook his hand intensely, his eyes practically sparkling with admiration.
"I have been an admirer of yours for years. The tales about you spread throughout all of Aetheris. Honestly, I never thought I would get the chance to meet you personally."
"Ugh... I'm sorry sir, actually."
"Oh, come now, Instructor Aiden."
Orven laughed loudly.
"You are being far too humble. I should be the one calling you sir."
The grip around Elias's hand tightened further.
"I truly believe you may become the second person after the Progenitor Mage to reach the Fifth Resonance Stage. After all—"
His excitement only grew stronger.
"Your contributions during the Second Grand Mage War alone were enough to immortalize your name. And then there's the Star of Vaelorian, the Crest of Seraphius, the Badges of Exllance and the Luminar Honor Medal—"
Lucien immediately covered his mouth with one hand, clearly trying not to laugh.
Meanwhile, Orven continued passionately.
"And when the Narmik unit was stuck at the Valley of Peace in the second Grand Mage War, You came and saved the entire unit. The people called you the Hero of the —"
"Umm… Sir." Elias finally interrupted with an awkward smile. "I'm sorry but… I'm not Aiden Lazareth."
Silence.
Orven blinked once.
"Huh?"
Elias slowly turned around before pointing toward a distant tree nearby.
"That guy over there…"
A brief pause followed.
"…is Aiden Lazareth."
Orven followed the direction of Elias's finger.
And then—
His expression froze completely.
Under the shade of a large tree, a man was sleeping peacefully on the grass.
His hands were folded together beneath his head, using his palms as a pillow while one leg lazily rested over the other.
His dark coat was half-open, his hair slightly messy from sleep, and the faint sound of snoring echoed every few seconds as if nothing in this world mattered more than resting properly.
No matter how one looked at him—
He absolutely did not resemble a legendary mage famed across the continent.
"…"
Orven stared blankly for several seconds.
Then suddenly—
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Laughter exploded out of him.
He bent slightly while holding his stomach, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes.
"Oh my— Sir Aiden… hahaha… I didn't know you were this good at jokes!"
He repeatedly patted Elias's shoulder while laughing uncontrollably.
"You really got me there—hahaha! For a second I genuinely thought that sleepy lump over there was the Shining Star Aiden Lazareth!"
Elias scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Umm… sir…"
His smile turned even more helpless.
"That guy really is Aiden Lazareth."
Then he pointed toward himself.
"I'm Elias Bailey."
Orven's laughter stopped instantly.
"…Huh?"
His eyes slowly widened.
He looked at Elias.
Then toward the sleeping Aiden.
Then back toward Elias again.
And then once more toward the sleeping man beneath the tree.
"…"
"Ha… haha…" Elias let out a dry awkward chuckle.
The situation became unbearably uncomfortable.
Especially because—
Orven was still holding Elias's hand.
An awkward silence spread between them while Lucien stood nearby trembling from suppressed laughter, and even Darian had turned his face away slightly to hide the amusement visible near the corner of his mouth.
Thankfully—
Valeria stepped forward like a savior descending from the heavens.
"Mr. Draegor."
Orven snapped toward her immediately.
"Our workers have already prepared the resting quarters for you and your team."
"Ah— yes. Right."
Only then did Orven finally release Elias's hand.
Though even after letting go, his expression still looked completely shaken.
"I had originally planned to inspect the materials the students would gather personally…" he muttered awkwardly while fixing his glasses. "But perhaps I should rest first."
A worker quickly approached and respectfully guided him away.
Orven walked forward silently.
Yet even while leaving—
He could not stop glancing back.
First toward Elias Bailey.
Then toward the sleeping man beneath the tree.
Back and forth.
Again.
And again.
His mind simply refused to accept it.
"How can this be…?"
---
CHAPTER ENDS