「Welcome back! And thank you!」 When Mira dropped off Rina at the inn, her older sister Nina came out and tightly hugged her. She was confident that Rina had just experienced the time of her life.
「Don’t mention it, I promised I’d do this after all. It was also encouraging to meet such a talented summoner. Your sister has a lot of potential.」
Mira seemed unfazed by the hug as she gave her honest opinion of their coaching session. Rina’s happiness grew upon hearing this, and Mina and Nana also looked delighted. The Spirit Queen had recognized their younger sister’s talent as a summoner. 「She has a good memory and is quick to understand. But more importantly, she’s a hard worker. If she keeps at it, I’m sure she’ll become a first-class summoner.」 Check latest chapters at noᴠelfire.net
Mira truly meant every word. Out of everyone she knew, Rina was the most dedicated and brimming with talent. Hearing this, the other sisters all joyfully hugged Rina, almost as if they too were being praised.
「That’s incredible, Rina.」
「All your hard work is finally paying off.」
「I’m so happy for you.」
Rina had always admired her sisters, aspiring to be an adventurer like them. But she lost hope when she discovered her aptitude was for summoning, a class little renowned in modern times, until the Spirit Queen arrived like a ray of light breaking through the clouds, bringing new hope. Recalling her journey brought tears to Rina’s eyes, even as her lips beamed the brightest smile.
Hearing that, Rina cast her eyes down. But then she shook her head and looked at Mira, firmly stating, 「I will.」
Rina understood that it wasn’t realistic for Mira to stay and teach her indefinitely, but her heart still needed to accept that. Mira recognized this, yet she also had other thoughts. She had seen how much Rina had improved after just a day of training, so she couldn’t help but wonder how far she would go from here.
Her current goal would keep her busy for now, but eventually, she would obtain new summons that could be used in various ways, and Mira was uncertain whether Rina would know how to best utilize them.
The lack of an older generation of teachers was a significant challenge for summoners, and there was little Mira could do about that alone. Rina had already learned the basics and fundamentals independently, but she would still need guidance on how to apply them effectively.
Sadly, there were scarcely any books or research on the matter, at least for summoners.
(With a good teacher and practice, I’m sure she’d be able to get at least as good as Creos…)
It was hard for Mira to leave someone so talented behind, so she tried to think of any way to address that, and soon she thought of the perfect place. 「By the way, are you all residing in this city?」
The sisters looked a bit confused by the sudden question, but then Nina replied with a hint of embarrassment, 「Actually, we only came here because we wanted to see Fuzzy Dice…」 Mina added that they didn’t really have a permanent residence; they were traveling around the continent, searching for the right country to call home.
「Hmm, I see. In that case, why don’t you visit Arkite next? The capital has an academy with some of the best teachers around. I’m sure Rina’s talents won’t go to waste there.」
Mira felt like it was a brilliant suggestion, but somehow the sisters seemed somewhat distraught by it.
「Arkite’s Academy… We did consider it before…」
They had thought about enrolling Rina there when she first discovered her aptitude as a summoner. The Academy was known as the best place for any aspiring spellcaster to learn, so they were hopeful that even Rina would thrive there. But they discovered that enrolling was exceedingly difficult. They looked into it as much as they could but gave up when they realized that a group of mere adventurers like them didn’t have the necessary resources for that.
「Hmm… If that’s the case, then I might be able to put in a word or two for you. What do you say?」
The Academy’s interest in summoning had soared like never before, and with Creos leading the summoners there, Mira believed she could persuade him to admit one or two students, especially if they were as talented as Rina. But more importantly, Mira felt it would be a waste of potential to just let Rina’s talents go unutilized.
When Mira mentioned her idea, the sisters were more shocked than anything. 「Huh? Put in a word? You mean with the Academy? What?」 Nina struggled to comprehend what Mira meant, while Mina and Nana looked at each other in disbelief.
Mira wasn’t very familiar with the Academy, but she knew the entry requirements were stringent, especially for the most popular spellcaster classes. All students had to meet the high expectations of such a prestigious institution, located in the capital of what was known as the kingdom of spellcasters.
Moreover, with the surge in popularity for summoners, there was likely a long waiting list. It seemed almost impossible to imagine someone being admitted halfway through the year.
However, if anyone could create an exception, it was Mira. No one in the Academy would dare oppose a recommendation from the Wiseman of Summoning, and Creos wouldn’t want to miss out on Rina’s talents either.
「Can I really go to the Academy?」 Rina, having heard of Arkite’s Academy, was filled with hope at the mention. Seeing her excitement, Nina turned to Mira, seeking confirmation.
「Yes. As it happens, I have some connections there. If you really want to go, I can arrange some things to make it happen.」 After saying this, she proudly mentioned that her own home was in Arkite, so she would be able to teach Rina if their schedules aligned.
「I want to go!」 The prospect of being taught by the Spirit Queen was Rina’s biggest motivator. She turned to her sisters, tearfully stating that she would go alone if it interfered with their work as adventurers.
Seeing her determination, the sisters all hugged Rina again.
「Don’t worry, we’ll all go with you!」
「We’d never say no to that.」
「I’m sure you’ll get in.」
After their display of familial love, Nina turned to Mira again and said, 「Please do everything you can!」