Marco set the pan aside and slid a piece of steak onto Sophie’s plate. She cut off a slice and took a careful bite. Her eyes lit up at once.

  “This is really good,” she mumbled through the mouthful. “Like… really good.”

  “One of the things I remember from my past life.” Marco shrugged, his eyes catching on the bandages covering the top of her head. “Not very impressive, I know, but it’s something.”

  She nodded as if that explained everything. Maybe for her it did.

  They ate in relative quiet before Sophie exhaled and leaned back.

  “Hito woke up. He thought he was still an officer in the army,” she said, rubbing her bandaged temple. “Apparently he was demoted almost two years ago.”

  Marco nearly choked on his bite. “That’s perfect. That’s exactly what we wanted.”

  “I wouldn’t know.” She shot him a sharp glare. “You put me to sleep, you know?”

  “It was necessary.” Marco waved her complaints away. “It would’ve been too dangerous if you were awake during any of it.”

  “I woke up all banged up anyway!” she whined, throwing her hands up.

  “Yeah, well, that wasn’t part of my plan.” His brows tightened. “Hito tried to carry you out, but he dropped you the second he saw me. That just shows how right my call was.”

  “I still can’t believe it, though.” Sophie rubbed her arm, tracing where the bone had been mended. “How can you make someone forget two years?”

  “It’s not my secret to give,” Marco shook his head. “And you probably don’t want to know anyway.”

  She went quiet for a moment, staring at him, but when she spoke up, it was on a different topic entirely.

  “Are you busy today?” she asked. “Do you have time to tell me more about your past?”

  Marco opened his mouth to answer, but a sharp knock sounded at the door.

  He stood, wiping his hands on a cloth, and opened it. A messenger stood there, holding a folded scrap of paper.

  “For Marco,” the man said.

  The unfolded note contained only two sentences written elegantly.

  You can return to the academy. What happens next is out of my hands.

  He closed the note slowly, his heart speeding up.

  “What was that about?” Sophie called out to him from the table.

  “Looks like my days of free time are over.” He chuckled. “Sorry, but the stories will have to wait for another time.”

  They finished their meal, and Marco rushed over to the academy, hoping to catch the rest of the day’s lessons with Mr. Rafiel.

  Marco made it to the academy just as the last of the students were filing out of the classroom. He slowed, breathing fast from half-running the whole way. Mr. Rafiel was nowhere in sight. So much for catching the lecture.

  Diana stepped out behind the noble boys. When she spotted him, she smiled and gave him a wink.

  He started toward her, hoping to thank her properly, but someone else got to him first.

  “Marco.” Polbran appeared out of the room like an annoying fly. He crossed his arms, the smuggest expression possible stretching across his face. “Heard you failed the evaluation.”

  Marco blinked, trying to remember what his deal even was.

  “Your idea was brilliant, though. Truly. Inspired, even. I took the same route this morning.” He tapped his chest proudly. “And I passed. Starting tomorrow, I’m in the full artificer course.”

  Marco just stared at him, mouth slightly open. Was he supposed to care?

  Polbran thrust out a hand for a handshake. “Guess that settles our rivalry, doesn’t it?”

  Rivalry? Right. Sure.

  Marco was ready to tear into the boy, but froze mid-word. A marble figure was approaching them.

  A golem. Perfectly shaped into the form of a young woman, smooth, pale, and completely naked. Its eyes—a pair of golden glowing orbs—were locked onto him.

  Marco forgot how to speak for a moment, the incredulity of the scene knocking every coherent thought out of his skull.

  The golem stepped between them, towering over Marco. It lifted an arm and presented him with a sealed envelope. Purple wax, stamped with Lord Romuald’s crest.

  As soon as Marco took it, the golem pivoted with a precise, fluid motion and walked away its stone footsteps unbelievably soft against the floor.

  Polbran started talking again, but Marco paid no attention.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  He broke the seal on the envelope.

  If you wish to attempt your evaluation a second time, my office is open to you. I am present at the academy today.

  “Congratulations,” Marco muttered, already walking away from the confused classmate.

  He needed directions to Lord Romuald’s office.

  Marco took a deep breath as he entered the modest office. Across the room sat no other than Romuald, the reigning lord of Ki-Elico, two marble golems by his sides.

  “Marco, right? Do come in.” Romuald smiled amiably, as he hid whatever he was working on in his desk. “I’m sure you prepared well for this evaluation. Sit down and relax.”

  “Thank you for your time, my lord.” He forced his body to move and bowed deeply.

  Marco approached the designated chair, wary of the white murder-constructs. He flinched as one of the golems moved toward him.

  All it did was help him get seated and pour tea, but Marco’s heart raced.

  “Are you scared of them?” Romuald asked, and he almost blurted out a ‘yes’.

  The two golems represented a mysterious woman, frozen in thought, and a jovial boy.

  “They’re incredibly striking.” Marco shook his head, clasping his hands together to stop them from shaking. “The level of detail is extraordinary.”

  “Perhaps.” Romuald raised his brows. “Flattery will get you nowhere. We are here to assess your abilities fairly, are we not?”

  “It was genuine.” Marco bristled. “I’d like to think I have no need for outside help in demonstrating my capabilities.”

  “You’re certainly confident now, despite being failed by Loren.” Romuald nodded as he pulled out three cubes from under the table. “Let’s see if your pride is well placed.”

  One of them, Marco had recognized as the training tool Greine had used with them.

  “Do show your progress in lighting up those cubes as we continue.” Romuald gestured toward the magic items. “What made you choose the path of an artificer? It is not an easy one.”

  Marco picked up the familiar cube and instantly lit it up. After so much time spent working with Ualani, his precision in mana control had increased massively.

  “I am not afraid of working hard, I just want to be given a fair chance at it.” Marco bowed his head as he put the cube down. “I believe my ingenuity will serve me best when faced against logical problems, rather than foes in battle.”

  “An interesting assessment for your age.” Romuald nodded.

  Marco grabbed the second cube. He spent a few seconds sensing what it was made of and how. As expected, it was a harder version of the previous one, but it had eight receptacles instead of six, with two faces of the cube being split down the middle.

  Romuald tilted his head a little, observing him calmly, his lips curving upward. “A peculiar technique, mismatched to your background.”

  Marco flinched. How was he able to follow his actions? Looking at the Lord’s eyes, he wasn’t born with mana sight.

  “That is because I have learned it here, from an older student, my lord.” Marco took a deep breath to calm himself down before attempting the cube.

  The cube lit up dimly at first, then started flickering. Marco trimmed his usage of mana, trying to use as little as he could.

  After a minute of trying, the light stabilized for a few seconds, before he let it darken.

  “Ingenuity indeed, it seems Loren really was mistaken.” Romuald took a sip from his cup. “Will you attempt the last cube?”

  Marco gave a confident smile as he wiped off the sweat of his forehead. “May I drink a potion? I wouldn’t dare to grow dizzy in the presence of an archmage.”

  “You may.”

  Marco took out a small vial from his pouch, uncorked it, and sipped from it.

  He felt his mind sharpening and his focus steadying as the stimulant spread through his throat.

  The recipe from Ualani turned out a bit pricey to make, but it was the closest thing to coffee that he had found in this world.

  Despite all his previous misgivings, working with her was shaping out to be one of the best choices he had made so far.

  Romuald kept watching with rapt attention, but stayed silent.

  After quickly confirming the interior of the last cube, Marco breathed out, trying to calm his nerves. Twelve facets to be filled, two for each side.

  As he poured in his mana, he immediately felt the spike in difficulty. He couldn’t even get the cube to light up dimly, by the sheer amount of mana it required.

  Marco tensed, drawing in the ambient mana to supply himself. The golems twitched, catching the attention of Romuald, but the silence remained.

  Fresh power coursed through him, tiring his body. Marco didn’t even notice at which point he started wheezing.

  The cube was ruthless, completely ignoring his feeble attempts and never even blinking on.

  So this is my limit. For now.

  The room spun slowly as Marco tried to steady himself.

  Romuald stroked his chin, observing his work. “I have a habit of bringing the harder cubes to see how students react to disproportionate adversity.”

  “So this wasn’t part of the test?” A large drop of sweat rolled down Marco's cheek.

  “Not an official one, no.” Romuald shook his head. “But it does speak volumes to me. We can conclude the assessment already. As much as it pains me to say, you might be better suited as a mage, not an artificer.”

  “May I ask why?” Marco’s lips pressed tight, as he struggled to contain his emotions.

  “For any student of the arcane, knowing their limits is important. Us old people even have a saying about that.” Romuald held out his hand and projected a floating illusion of a robed man. The figure attempted a spell, then was engulfed in an explosion.

  “A talented alchemist will live to eighty or to twenty.” The archmage continued. “It works equally as well for enchanters and golemancers.”

  “Does that mean I cannot become an artificer?”

  “Not at all. You presented an admirable level of skill and the choice is your own.” Romuald shook his head. “But you might find your lifespan drastically reduced, and it’s always a waste when talent dies young.”

  “With all due respect, my Lord,” Marco bowed his head. “I’d like to stay with my initial choice.”

  “I had a feeling you might say that.” Romuald reclined in his chair.

  “Why is that, if I may ask?”

  “Those that catch my eye never seem to listen to me.”

  Marco sat slumped in a chair in Ualani’s cramped lab, the last effects of the stimulant bleeding out of his system. Fatigue washed over him like a bucket of water.

  “Good job,” Ualani said without looking up, sorting vials. “I’m in my third year and I haven’t even exchanged a word with Lord Romuald yet.”

  “Thanks.” Marco yawned, rubbing his eyes. “I’m glad I passed, but there’s definitely something weird about him.”

  “Weird how?”

  “He’s too… nice. Too pleasant to talk to.” Marco frowned. “At least for someone who executed hundreds of people in a single day.”

  “Says the cute, little murderous kid.”

  He glared. “Oh, bugger off. You know what I mean.”

  “No,” she said, shrugging. “But I don’t need to. Now, ready to pay the piper?”

  Marco eyed the sleeping potion in her hand. “I thought you didn’t know sayings like that.”

  “I learned that one just for you.” She smiled, but all it did was scare him.

  He shook his head and climbed onto the empty workbench, stretching out his arms. “Just so you know—if something happens to me, Diana will skin you alive.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind,” Ualani said lightly. “Worst case you lose a finger or two.”

  Marco sighed. There was always that tiny chance she wasn’t joking.

  He drank the potion and felt it sprawl quickly through his veins.

  As the world blurred, it occurred to him, right on the edge of sleep: Letting someone carve into him while he was drugged and asleep was definitely one of his weirder choices.

  But he had grown to trust Ualani lately. She had too much to lose from hurting him.

  With her and Diana, he finally had some allies in this world. He even shared his secret with Sophie.

  For the first time since waking in this world, he made leaps forward and didn’t have to suffer for it… too much.

  And then the potion pulled him under.

  End of volume 3