Chapter 17: Specialization Classifications at the Steam Age Higher Academy

Having agreed on a time to meet later, Dr. Schneider handed Shade a file folder containing information about the academy. Then he hurriedly left the room, clearly having urgent matters to attend to.

Once the doctor had gone, Shade did not open the folder immediately. Instead, he leaned back on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. Just as he had said, he couldn’t make a decision right away. He mentally reviewed everything that had happened today, recalling every detail:

“In the worst case, all of this is a trick, and the doctor is actually a cultist trying to lure me into a sacrifice. But that’s unlikely…”

He tapped his head thoughtfully.

“What do you think?”

[You can trust him.]

“But can I trust you? For example, can you tell me who you really are?”

[I am you.]

“You’re definitely not another self within the Ritualist’s mind, of that I am sure.”

Shade gazed sadly at the ceiling’s pattern of color blocks and geometric shapes, then shifted his eyes to the elegant crystal chandelier. He speculated on Mr. Bill Schneider’s income, realizing it must be a considerable sum of pounds.

“Either way, there’s simply too little information—no real channels at all. I have to rely on what others say.”

In his own thoughts, Shade trusted the doctor. All the information gathered since this morning was consistent and logical.

Moreover, the doctor’s reasoning made sense. It’s not easy to find someone willing to guide ordinary people toward the extraordinary and mysterious. Shade had already begun to understand this era: the extraordinary and the arcane were hidden, while the fires of human civilization fueled the booming steam industry. The mystical and the supernatural were but small shadows within civilization’s light.

From this perspective, Shade felt grateful to the doctor, who had revealed such precious knowledge without demanding any payment.

Shade knew he was drawn to the Saint Byrons Comprehensive Academy, and he would not deny it. The three great arcane academies and the five major orthodox churches were the only formal paths to becoming a Ritualist, and he would only consider these options.

Both academies and churches had their pros and cons, but since the academy had approached him first, and Shade doubted his identity as a time traveler, he felt the churches—with their stricter oversight—were more likely to see through him. Especially since the doctor had explicitly said that gods truly existed.

He didn’t yet know the gods’ powers but did not rule out the possibility that they were “all-knowing.”

“I can accept Saint Byrons Comprehensive Academy, but first I want to see what information this so-called ‘relic’ can provide.”

He resolved this firmly, knowing his choice might not be the best, but he would not regret it—it was his decision.

“All right, let’s take a look then.”

Just as he was about to open the folder, the door suddenly swung open without knocking. Shade thought it might be the doctor returning early, but the one who entered was a young woman, who looked surprised to see Shade sitting there.

“I’m sorry, I thought Dr. Schneider—”

She appeared to be about twenty years old and was the most beautiful girl Shade had seen since arriving in this world. Golden hair, green eyes—the genuine “blonde with blue eyes.” Her demeanor was quiet and refined, like a student or a teacher. She wore a simple dark blue dress, with only a butterfly-shaped hairpin as adornment.

“Sorry.”

The blonde woman apologized quickly upon realizing her mistake. She attempted to close the door again but hesitated, her emerald eyes flickering with curiosity as they rested on Shade, making him feel a bit awkward.

“That light… are you an awakening gifted one?”

Now Shade understood why the doctor had immediately recognized him at the newspaper office yesterday. Apparently, the vision of a Ritualist differed from that of ordinary people.

“So you really are a gifted one?”

Though surprised, the woman remained composed. She examined Shade with those beautiful eyes and smiled slightly.

“Bill actually found a gifted one? When did his luck get so good? Could it be that he used some strange ‘relic’ to borrow luck?”

“I…”

Shade wanted to reply, but she shook her head.

“Sorry, only fifth-year doctors in our group are authorized to recruit. Until you officially enroll, I can’t disclose any information. It’s part of the academy’s contract, and we must follow the rules.”

She stepped back, hand on the door handle, offering a kind smile.

“But the conditions at Saint Byrons Comprehensive Academy are really excellent. It’s lucky you met the doctor within 72 hours—take your time to think it over. Oh, and if you do join Saint Byrons, remember, don’t choose the Chemistry Department.”

With that, she nodded lightly and closed the door behind her.

“One of the four members in Bill Schneider’s correspondence Ritualist group… Did I really just happen to run into her, or is this some kind of act?”

Sometimes Shade thought he might be paranoid, but having arrived in a completely unfamiliar world, he believed such caution would help him survive.

“Wait, a school teaching mysticism actually has a Chemistry Department?”

He unwrapped the folder and studied the detailed academy materials. At the front was the promotional leaflet the doctor had given him earlier, followed by the official enrollment documents.

Flipping through the thick stack, Shade finally understood. Saint Byrons Comprehensive Academy comprised ten specialized colleges, each with distinct teaching methods and areas of expertise—

The Chemistry College specialized in herbs and potion-making;

The Mechanical College excelled in mental abilities and alchemy;

The Astronomy College trained diviners and stargazers;

The Ancient Literature College focused on interpreting spirit runes and preserving ancient languages;

The Mathematics College concentrated on rituals, incantations, and arcane arts;

The Folklore College researched pre-Sixth Era history, collected ancient and modern literature, and mastered the element of “Inspiration”;

The History College trained investigators and time-space retracers, proficient in the element of “Desecration”;

The Library Management College cultivated keepers and guardians, responsible for containing “relics.” This was the academy’s strongest specialty, adept in the element of “Whisper”;

The Divinity College taught theology, studied the history of old gods, mastered the element of “Miracles,” and usually handled cooperation with the orthodox churches;

The Political Economy College was not open to correspondence Ritualists, so no information was available.

The reason these colleges bore conventional academic names rather than titles like “Containment College” or “Arcane College” was to allow correspondence Ritualists to explain their studies plausibly in the ordinary world, minimizing the risk of exposing the academy.

Only through these materials did Shade realize the doctor’s explanation of the Ritualist system had omitted some crucial details.

For example, once a Ritualist fully awakens, they generate a soul-specific spirit rune, known as the “core rune.”

The core rune is engraved in the hollow center of the Wheel of Fate Ring, not on the ring itself—this relates to the Ritualist’s advancement. The contents of the core rune also guide the recommendation to join a particular specialized college.

Shade guessed that Dr. Schneider’s core rune was likely connected to “mind,” so the doctor probably belonged to the Mechanical College.

“So, before becoming a Ritualist, I can’t decide what I will study. But time travel is still possible?”

He shook his head, feeling anew the cultural and institutional depth of this steam age through these enrollment documents.

Carefully reviewing and noting the important information, he then returned the documents to the folder and rose to place it on the office desk.

This reception room was reserved for important guests. The desk was cluttered with papers, which the doctor probably hadn’t had time to organize. Shade wasn’t worried about snooping since most concerned the clinic’s operations, and some were not even in the Northern Kingdom’s common language.

Unfortunately, Shade, for some unknown reason, could understand those strange writings. He truly possessed a special aptitude for languages.