Chapter 17: Classification of Majors in Higher Education Institutions in the Steam Age |
After agreeing on a time to meet later, Dr. Schneider handed Shade a folder containing information about the academy. The doctor then hurriedly left the room, clearly preoccupied with something urgent.
Once Dr. Schneider left, Shade didn’t open the folder immediately. Instead, he leaned back on the sofa, gazing at the ceiling. As he’d admitted, he couldn’t make a decision right away. He reviewed the events of the day, recalling every detail in his mind:
“At worst, this is all a scam. The doctor might be a cultist trying to lure me into a sacrificial ritual. But that seems unlikely…”
He thought to himself and patted his head.
“What do you think?”
【It’s trustworthy.】
“But can I trust you? For example, can you tell me who you really are?”
【I am you.】
“There’s no way you’re just another side of me as a Ring Warlock; that much I’m sure of.”
“No matter what, I lack sufficient information—or rather, I don’t have any reliable sources of information—so I’m forced to rely on what others say.”
In his mind, Shade deemed the doctor trustworthy. All the information from this morning to now had been consistent and logically sound.
Moreover, the doctor had a valid point: encountering someone willing to guide an ordinary person into the extraordinary and mysterious was not an everyday occurrence. Shade had already begun to understand this era, where humanity’s civilization, fueled by the thriving steam industry, overshadowed the mystical and extraordinary, which remained hidden in the shadows of progress.
From that perspective, Shade even felt grateful to the doctor. He had shared valuable knowledge without charging a single penny.
Shade couldn’t deny that he was intrigued by St. Byrons Comprehensive College. It was one of the only legitimate paths to becoming a Ring Warlock, alongside the Five True God Churches. While each had its pros and cons, the academy was the first to reach out to him. Besides, Shade was wary of revealing his status as a transmigrator. Compared to the relatively lax supervision of Ring Warlocks, the churches seemed more likely to uncover his true identity—especially since the doctor had explicitly mentioned that gods truly existed.
While the extent of the gods’ power was unknown, it couldn’t be ruled out that they were omniscient.
“St. Byrons Comprehensive College is worth considering, but I need to see what this so-called ‘relic’ can reveal.”
Having made up his mind, Shade accepted that this choice might not be perfect, but he had no regrets—it was his own decision.
“Alright, let’s take a look.”
He reached for the folder, but just as he was about to open it, the door suddenly opened without a knock. Shade assumed it was Dr. Schneider returning early, but instead, a young woman entered. She seemed surprised to find Shade in the room.
“Sorry, I thought Dr. Schneider—”
She appeared to be around 20 years old and was the most beautiful woman Shade had seen since arriving in this world. With long golden hair and striking green eyes, she fit the classic description of “blonde and blue-eyed beauty.” Her demeanor was quiet and scholarly, and she wore a simple navy-blue dress adorned only with a butterfly-shaped hair accessory.
“Apologies.”
The golden-haired lady quickly apologized after her initial shock. She moved to close the door but paused, her emerald eyes filled with curiosity as she studied Shade. Her gaze made Shade feel slightly awkward.
“That glow… Are you an awakening talent?”
Shade immediately understood why Dr. Schneider had noticed him so easily at the newspaper office yesterday—Ring Warlocks clearly had a different perception from ordinary people.
“Are you really a talent?”
Although surprised, the woman maintained her composure. Her lips curved into a faint smile as she observed Shade with her striking eyes.
“Bill actually found a talent? Since when was he so lucky? Did he use some strange ‘relic’ to borrow luck?”
“I…” Shade wanted to respond, but she shook her head at him.
“Apologies. Among our group, only fifth-year Dr. Schneider has the authority to recruit students. Until you’re formally enrolled, I can’t disclose any information to you. That’s part of our agreement with the academy; we must follow the rules.”
She stepped back, placing her hand on the doorknob, and offered a warm, courteous smile.
“However, St. Byrons Comprehensive College is an excellent choice. Meeting Dr. Schneider within 72 hours is very fortunate; you should consider it carefully. Oh, and if you do join St. Byrons, remember—don’t choose the chemistry specialization.”
With that, she nodded politely, excused herself, and closed the door behind her.
“One of the four members of Dr. Schneider’s correspondence Ring Warlock group… Did she really stumble upon me by coincidence, or was this all part of a performance?”
Shade often thought of himself as overly suspicious, but in an unfamiliar world, he believed such caution was necessary for survival.
“Still, a school teaching mysticism actually offers a chemistry specialization?”
He unfastened the folder and began reviewing the academy’s materials. At the top was the promotional flyer Dr. Schneider had shown earlier, followed by detailed enrollment documents.
As Shade leafed through the thick stack of information, he finally began to understand. St. Byrons Comprehensive College consisted of 10 specialized academies, each with distinct teaching methods and areas of expertise:
- School of Chemistry: Specializes in herbalism and potion crafting.
- School of Mechanics: Focuses on mental abilities and alchemy training.
- School of Astronomy: A hub for diviners and stargazers.
- School of Ancient Literature: Deciphers ancient runes and languages.
- School of Mathematics: Centers on rituals, arcane arts, and miraculous abilities.
- School of Folklore: Researches pre-Sixth Epoch history, collecting ancient and contemporary literature, and mastering the element of “Enlightenment.”
- School of History: Trains investigators and time retracers, specializing in the element of “Blasphemy.”
- Library Management School: Develops secret-keepers and custodians, primarily responsible for relic containment. This is the strongest specialization of St. Byrons, excelling in the element of “Whispers.”
- School of Theology: Studies theology and the Old Gods’ history, specializing in the element of “Miracles.” Collaborations with the Five True God Churches are typically managed by this school.
- School of Political Economy: Not open to correspondence Ring Warlocks and therefore excluded from the materials.
The use of conventional academic names for these specialized schools, instead of mystical titles like “Relic Containment Academy” or “Arcane Academy,” was intentional. It allowed correspondence Ring Warlocks to seamlessly integrate into ordinary society without exposing the academy’s existence.
Through this material, Shade also realized that Dr. Schneider had omitted some important details about the Ring Warlock system. For instance, fully awakened Ring Warlocks develop a unique soul rune called the Core Rune, engraved at the hollow center of their Fate Wheel rather than on the outer rings. This is a key factor in advancing as a Ring Warlock and often influences the recommended specialization for academy students.
Shade surmised that Dr. Schneider’s core rune was likely related to “Mind,” indicating his affiliation with the School of Mechanics.
“So, until I officially become a Ring Warlock, I can’t decide what I’ll study. But… time travel?”
Shaking his head, Shade marveled at the culture and structure of the Steam Era as reflected in the enrollment materials.
He carefully noted the key points, then re-packed the documents into the folder and prepared to place it on the office desk. The guest room, reserved for important visitors, was cluttered with papers—likely left there by the busy doctor, who didn’t seem concerned about Shade snooping around. Most of the documents were related to the clinic’s operations, with a few written in a language unfamiliar to the Northern Kingdom’s Common Tongue.
Surprisingly, Shade found himself able to understand the strange script, confirming his unique gift of universal language comprehension.