Training-Addicted Mage In A Progression Fantasy-Chapter 61: Asteria (1)

Arpina’s gentle smile quickly hardened.

“You...”

She uttered in a tone of disbelief.

“Intermediate Arcane?”

Arpina’s eyes were filled with undisguisable doubt.She knew Leon’s exact age and what kind of Attribute Body he originally possessed.His progression to Intermediate Arcane in just one year couldn’t help but astonish her.

The reason Leon didn’t bother concealing his realm was evident.He had already demonstrated his Early Arcane skills when being pursued by Tenelon, and despite that, the person who had bestowed her unique magic upon him was none other than Arpina.

She was one of the few individuals Leon could trust, so he felt little burden in revealing his realm to her.

The concern lay with Leisia, who was listening to this conversation from the sidelines.

I should trust Arpina, I suppose.

Leon took a light sigh and composed himself.The decision to head directly to the Asteria School was made with Arpina’s background in mind.Arpina was someone who would shield Leon in unfavorable situations.

As anticipated, Leisia’s eyes widened as much as they could.She too was a talented individual who had attained Apprentice 5th Grade at the age of 18.

He’s probably younger than me...

A face that still appeared too youthful to be called a young adult.She knew that Leon was Ria’s childhood friend.Although she had heard from Arpina that he was gifted, the realm of Intermediate Arcane was beyond imagination.

Ria, who has a Light Attribute Body, is now at Apprentice 3rd Grade...

Certainly, Ria hailed from a rural kingdom, so she likely hadn’t received much support until now.She mentioned becoming Arpina’s disciple around the age of 12, which was indeed a late start compared to most mages in the Empire who learn to awaken their Mana from 7-8 years old.

But wasn’t it the same for this guy?Yet he’s at Intermediate Arcane?No matter how she pondered it, it didn’t make sense.

While Leisia stood there dumbfounded, Arpina’s gaze shifted towards her.

Arpina had discerned the concern in Leon’s expression as he remained silent.Leisia also noticed the intention in Arpina’s eyes.

“You needn’t worry. As someone who shares the same master, I won’t carelessly divulge information.”“What?”

Leon raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Leisia momentarily, then turned his gaze to Arpina.

“The same master?”

As Arpina was slowly averting her eyes, the door of the research room suddenly burst open and someone rushed in.

Ash-gray hair instantly burrowed into Leon’s arms.

“Ria.”“...You’re so cruel.”

Ria muttered softly with her face buried in Leon’s chest.

“You could have at least talked to me once before leaving. Do you know how worried I was?”“I’m sorry.”

From Ria’s perspective, it had been an abrupt event.After fainting from the Mystery Mage’s attack, when she awoke, Leon was already gone, and she had to journey to an unfamiliar place with Arpina.

She shook her head in Leon’s arms.As if to say that she hadn’t uttered those words to receive an apology.

“You don’t need to apologize. It’s because I couldn’t be of help to Leon.”

Ria lifted her head from his chest.

“I missed you.”

At those words, Leon quickly realized what Ria wanted to hear.After a moment of hesitation, he answered.

“Ahem... Me too.”

At that moment, Leon felt something squirming near his chest.Kito, who had been hiding inside his robe, seemed to feel uncomfortable being pressed by Ria and started to move.

As soon as Ria stepped back from his arms, a small figure slipped out of the robe and floated up.

Everyone’s gaze turned to it at once.

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Kito, who had emerged from the robe, lightly shook herself off and flew up above Leon’s head.

Arpina stared blankly at Kito.

“This is... a Beast. No, a Divine Beast?”“Don’t mind me and go about your business. But don’t just go hugging my Master like that.”“...”

Kito probably said that because she felt disgusted by being squeezed, but Ria tilted her head as she looked at Kito.Ria’s expression slowly sank.

“Master?”

Kito didn’t respond to Ria’s question and just lightly fluttered her wings, circling above Leon’s head.Ria’s gaze persistently followed Kito.

Arpina exhaled deeply and said dejectedly,

“You... I really can’t figure you out.”

Reaching Intermediate Arcane at 15 years old.Possessing the ability to disappear without a trace of Mana.And now being called master by a Divine Beast that mages might encounter once in their lifetime.

Leon was always far exceeding Arpina’s expectations.

****

After the series of situations were sorted out, Leon, Arpina, Leisia, and Ria sat around a table.

“The fact that you’ve come all the way here means you’ve decided to join the School, right?”

Leon nodded at Arpina’s question.

“Then it would be more comfortable for you to enter as my personal disciple.”

As Leon looked at her, Arpina slightly averted her gaze and cleared her throat.

“It’s not that I have any ulterior motives, but it would be easier to explain your skills, and if you’re my disciple, no one will question anything even if there are suspicious aspects.”

Arpina’s expression became increasingly serious, as if it wasn’t a fabrication.

“I somewhat understand why you’ve been concealing your skills until now. You were captured and brought to Widia with Ria, so you probably didn’t have anyone to trust. But seeing that you’ve revealed your realm to me now, can I assume you trust me?”“That’s right.”

Arpina smiled at that answer and continued.

“You enjoy training, so you won’t have any difficulties training stably here.”“Does this place operate similarly to Widia?”“It’s a bit different. First of all, as you might have sensed while coming here, the level of mages here is much higher than in Widia.”

Sensing that Leon was curious about Asteria, Arpina naturally continued her explanation.

“Unlike Widia, there are no Entrance Residents or ordinary people here. However, there are general disciples here too. Most of them are Apprentice Mages.”

It seemed that the general disciples took over all the work that the Entrance Residents used to do.

“Instead, the system for general disciples is much more well-established. Even just the general disciples of Asteria number over a thousand.”

In Widia, there were only twelve general disciples, weren’t there?Compared to that, the scale itself was different.Leon nodded slowly as he grasped the structure of Asteria.

“Among them, those with talent are taken in as personal disciples by high-level mages. Unlike Widia, they don’t meticulously select personal disciples. If someone has talent suitable for the magic they use, they take them in first and observe. It’s because the pool of talent is different.”“Who is the Lord of the Tower?”“Glios. An Advanced Insight Mage. Below him are 12 elders, and I’m the 12th elder. The personal disciples of the elders receive quite favorable treatment, so it won’t be disadvantageous for you in that aspect.”“That’s right.”

Leisia, who had been listening from the side, nodded and chimed in.

“Although the personal disciples of the professors are certainly talented, the personal disciples of the elders are expected to be responsible for the future of the School.”“I don’t know exactly what your goal is, but if it’s training, you can do it here with substantial support. Incomparably more than in Widia.”“I see.”

Leon expressed another curiosity.

“Do people here also enter the Academy when they become adults?”“Ah, that’s different from Widia. We don’t operate a separate Academy here.”“So it’s composed of general disciples and personal disciples.”“Yes, instead, we select talented individuals every year and have them enter the Academy in the Empire’s capital.”“The Academy in the Empire’s capital... Is there a reason?”

When Leon inquired about the reason, Arpina suddenly grinned.

“You’ll naturally come to know that as you’ll be suffering from it countless times in the future. Now, you’ll enter as my personal disciple, right?”“Yes, I should.”“Good. Then about your realm......”

Leon calmly answered as he had thought out beforehand.

“I’ll adjust it to Apprentice 5th Grade.”

Arpina understood without even asking for a reason.

“Right, if I hadn’t seen you from Widia, I would have thought a dragon was polymorphed and playing around. Well, even if you say Apprentice 5th Grade, the reaction won’t be much different.”

She spoke as if it was time to conclude the conversation.

“How about taking a look around to see what kind of place Asteria is?”“That would be good.”

He was planning to ask for that anyway.Especially, he wanted to know the location of the Magic Archive quickly.

“I can guide...”

Leisia slightly opened her mouth but trailed off. It was because Ria quickly stood up and grabbed Leon’s wrist.

“I’ll show you.”“Okay.”

They naturally left Arpina’s research room.

As they came out of the Magic Tower, the scenery of Asteria unfolded before their eyes.

Leon floated up into midair with Ria.

The first thing that caught his eye was the monotonous buildings lined up near the entrance of the city gate.They were arranged regularly, like a modern apartment complex.

Ria slowly added an explanation.

“All those buildings are for training.”

And as they gradually went deeper towards the center of the city, the scenery changed dramatically.

Unlike the simple buildings lined up in front, now magnificent and splendid buildings revealed themselves.Their size was also incomparably larger than before.Leon could tell at a glance that the training buildings for general disciples and personal disciples were separated.

“The training rooms here are not just gorgeous on the outside, but the internal functions are completely different. The concentration of Mana is much higher, and Protection Magic Circles are placed everywhere so that magic can be used freely.”

Ria pointed her finger towards the magnificent buildings as she spoke.

“Leon, you’ll probably be training over there.”

Leon nodded as he roughly memorized the location of the training building Ria pointed to with his eyes.What he was actually most curious about was somewhere else.

“Where is the Magic Archive?”

Ria examined Leon’s face for a moment, then took the lead.

“Let’s go right away. The Magic Archive is a bit further inside.”

Leon followed Ria’s guidance.After landing on the ground not long after, Leon followed Ria into the Magic Archive and was slightly surprised by its overwhelming scale.

I expected it from seeing the size from outside, but...

The library, decorated with densely packed books, exuded an antique atmosphere.A stillness as if time had stopped enveloped the entire archive, creating a feeling of entering another world filled with books.

Leon slowly walked around, observing the atmosphere of the archive, and then reached out to a book search Artifact placed on one side.

On the Artifact’s screen, he entered

Magic ArchiveRunic Script.With a ding, the Artifact activated and the results appeared on the screen.

Magic ArchiveForgotten Wisdom, About Runes (4F-17)