Lord of Charm

With Jay's choice of joining the Moon Nova Academy, it was time for the main dish; the five representatives looked at Gale and Lena with hungry eyes. Lucas and Alice didn't even hide a spark of lust in their eyes, each with a different target.

They already decided to approach Gale first and leave Lena for last. They judged that Lena's prospects were better as they felt her affinities were much higher, and Gale only showed two affinities in his fights. In fact, they didn't even get how Gale got to the Mage Phase so young without potions with his affinities.

"First we would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind."

The one who spoke was William, the oldest of the 5. Lena and Gale looked at him and nodded to sign he could go ahead and ask.

"First, did you advance without using potions to boost your ranking up?"

"We didn't use potions other than healing potions."

Gale replied and Lena nodded in agreement. A glint of excitement passed in the representatives' eyes.

"At what age was your first interaction with mana?"

This question made more sense since the real age of practitioners was from their first interaction with mana. Only then the mana acknowledged their existence, and the connection the practitioner would form with the mana depended on the time passed from that point.

"I started when I was 17, I became a mage at 23, five years and 10 months later."

Lena replied first and Gale followed.

"I started when I was 19, I became a mage 3 months later."

"Impossible!"

They were shocked at Lena's achievement, but Gale's claim was beyond belief.

"That's the truth."

Gale shrugged and insisted on his answer.

Suddenly, he felt a powerful pressure on his mind and William asked again.

"At what age was your first interaction with mana?"

Gale kneeled and held his head in pain; the pressure was beyond what he ever experienced.

"It was when I was 19… and I turned a mage… three months later!"

He replied with difficulty and the pressure disappeared.

*BOOM!*

A few fire snakes exploded a few centimeters away from William out of nowhere, yet they were all contained inside water spheres that didn't even waver from the explosions.

"Relax girl, he is perfectly fine. We just had to test whether he was speaking the truth since what he said sounded downright impossible."

William frowned and turned to face Lena. He didn't attack her or tried to punish her for her rudeness. He was already regretting not letting one of the other magi test Gale and take the hit in their image in Lena's eyes. He decided to say "we" to let his friends share the blame with him.

"Either he is telling the truth or his mind is as strong as an old expert mage, which would be no less impressive."

He turned around to his friends and told them his conclusions. The five magi all looked at Gale like he was a juicy piece of meat.

"You can have free access to the training rooms, and all potions and ointments that don't directly boost your connection. Additionally, we will get you three seventh-grade potions to boost your affinities. Those are the most expensive seventh-grade potions in the empire, and all are sold in auctions for dozens of millions of imperial gold."

"Same."

"Same.

"Same."

"You can add more terms, I can agree on my academy's behalf. You will have a magus as your personal teacher."

"I can too."

The magi all offered the same terms – everything. Gale gaped at them in amazement when he realized how much they valued him. He understood there was something bad about consuming potions that boosted connection since nobody tried to entice him with those.

"Why don't you offer me connection-boosting potions?"

He decided to ask anyway.

"They will be a detriment to your future. You will be explained everything when you get to the academy you choose."

The magi didn't think it was time for a lesson in magic, so they kept their answer short.

Gale made his decision from the very beginning when he heard one academy was specializing in assassination and the darkness element. However, a certain woman came and put a stop to his plans.

"Take Alice's offer and join her Dream's Peak Academy. This one fits you the most."

The 5 magi turned around to look at the newcomer and raised a surprised eyebrow.

"Who are you, and why are you interfering?"

"Hi mom, why do you say that?"

Gale answered the question for them, and the magi froze. Since she was Gale's mom, she was also Lena's mom. They didn't know their relationships in the family and didn't know how to respond. If they appeared too hostile, they might lose both Lena and Gale. Yet if they didn't resist, she might send both to Alice!

"Miss, Alice's academy is too dangerous for such a rare talent. Do you know their academy believes in the approach of letting the strong rule? He might even die in such an environment without a proper backer."

"Nonsense. I'll be his backer if needed. Nobody will harm him in the academy!"

Alice quickly refuted everyone's warnings and tried her best to calm down Elizabeth. She didn't know why Gale's mother would recommend her academy, but she wouldn't miss that chance.

"That's even more dangerous miss. Professor Alice is single, and she is probably older than you. Wouldn't it be dangerous to leave Gale in her care?"

Lucas decided that since Alice never showed any interest in him, saying a few bad words about her couldn't reduce his chances with her any further.

"It's ok, you don't need to convince me. I've made my research, and this is the best academy for Gale. He also doesn't need a backer and constant protection; it will hinder his growth."

Gale and Lena understood his mother's intentions; she wanted him to go to the most dangerous academy because he wouldn't absorb others' magic if they didn't harm him first. Only at an academy like Alice's, there would be people who might aim for his life and allow him to absorb others' magic without conflict with his moral code.