"Come to my supplementary classes, an hour after class every weekday, free of charge, just for you. I can't guarantee you'll become the best in the class, but you'll be able to pass at the very least if you give me your effort."
Arthur looks at him for the first time in this entire conversation.
"How kind of you, Instructor, I gratefully accept your offer."
His face retracts somewhat. "Uh… Alright. I guess you can watch the rest of the duels on the bench instead of on the sand for today. This shouldn't become an everyday occurrence though, you'll sit with the rest of the class tomorrow, and I'll switch your partner to someone with more control of their strength."
He gets up, and makes his way to the students sitting in a circle around the two duels taking place.
He was returning to his dorm after dinner, just after finishing dinner, when a commanding voice called from behind.
"Arthur." He turned around to see who interrupted what he imagined was philosophizing, with a face that showed no particular emotion. It was how he imagined a god to act. When he saw the face of the person who spoke, he decided to show some emotion. He wasn't sure if he considered himself above him, yet.
"What can I do for you, Head Instructor?"
I believe he is teaching the Honor Class for the third-years in this four-year cycle. Has he come to invite me into it? No, the head instructors follow established procedures to the greatest extent, only the Headmaster could have so much freedom in the Academy. But what if it is the headmaster who sent him?
"I am Head Instructor Sivan Ruarc Vigo; but you may refer to me as Vigo. I was the proctor of your Written Test." He said.
"Indeed you were, Head Instructor Vigo"
Arthur could not tell what he was thinking behind his white mustache. It covered both sides of his mouth.
"I was impressed by your performance on Magic Analysis, none were able to answer it in as much detail as you."
"Have you heard of the Magic Engineering course? It is an extremely difficult class that, normally, you may opt-in to take in your third year. It begins at 22:00 and continues until the beginning of curfew. Because of this, it is considered a supplementary class, however all students who currently take the class, and all students who've taken it in previous years, have chosen to attend. It is an extremely competitive course, with limited seats. Not all who apply are accepted, but it just so happens that one of the seats have opened because a student left, the beginning of this year for personal reasons."
"This will replace your third-year Advanced Magic Theory class, but we will go over everything in it, expand onto it, Magic Language, Spell Composition, connections to the sciences."
"I would like to offer you their seat, if you are up to the task. If you pass, you will be given the same amount of credits as a third-year who takes it."
Arthur felt his heart race, his face turned red, and his breaths were shallow. He had only acted this way once before, a woman of true elegance and beauty that rivaled his mother's. But now, he felt it again.
This excitement!
No, I must control it!
I Must. Act. Calm.
He fought against his smile, but it won.
"I accept, sir."
The Head Instructor's eyes narrowed, and behind his well-kept mustache, he smiled devilishly.
"Good, we begin tomorrow, it will be in the first building you see after passing through the Inter-sector gate. Don't be late." He walked ahead of Arthur with his hands at ease behind him.
The instructors see it too!
Arthur made his way back to his dorm, smiling to himself when he was alone, and composing himself when a student passed.
When he reached the entrance of his dorm building, he saw a group of girls, at least ten, all crowing around the entrance. In the center, he could recognize hair that was the same color, and style as his own.
Not once did Arthur grit his teeth, he smiled condescendingly.
Fine, if you want to waste your time playing with girls, you do that. It'll just make it that much easier for me to surpass you.
Entering through the side door, he saw Cedric again, attempting to get away from the hands that kept grabbing him. When Arthur entered the main hallway, they made eye contact, and Cedric grabbed onto his ankle.
Arthur's hollow composure was broken in an instant.
"Hey what are you doing?! Get off of me!"
He tries to pull back his leg, but the girls resist. Ultimately, with a lot of motivational screaming, Arthur was able to release the both of them from their grasp.
"Huff–thanks Arthur, you really saved me there! They just–Huff–wouldn't stop pulling!"
Arthur looked at him with a single emotion in his eyes.
"If you didn't like them touching you, you should've told them to stop, and even better, you could report all of them to the instructors, and get them all expelled if you really didn't like it. Do you want to do it, or should I? I do owe you for letting me share your Honor Class-exclusive room after all."
What a waste of talent, but I'll fix that soon.
Cedric is left on the floor staring as Arthur walks past him.