Chapter 57: Selection
The Next Day
The morning sunlight spilled across Raven's study. He had barely closed a notebook when footsteps approached.
"My Lord," Emanuel said, entering with a leather-bound folder. "The parents and their children are waiting."
Raven stored the stack of finished books in his inventory and rose. He straightened his tunic and followed Emanuel to the guest hall.
Conversations died instantly.
The parents stood and bowed. The graduates—young, tense, hopeful—lined up quietly at the back.
"Please be seated," Raven said.
Emanuel stood behind him, holding the contracts.
"The terms remain the same. Twenty-year contract, three gold coins per month. Upon reaching Radiant Walker, contract extends to eighty years, salary becomes ten. If they reach Expert Knight, contract extends to one hundred fifty years, salary becomes twenty. Any objections?"
"We have none, My Lord," one parent said, voice steady. Others nodded.
"Good. Let's proceed."
Emanuel handed out the contracts stamped with the Royal Seal. Parents signed as guardians; the graduates signed as trainees.
They're minors. Empire law… Only Crows Misery Academy and the Army can train minors without parental consent.
When the last signature dried, Raven stood.
"The contract is established. Your children may visit home once a week. For the rest of the time, they will stay here and train under the Sepoy Mercenaries. You may come in the evenings if you wish."
Relief washed over the parents. Bowing, they left with smiles.
Now only the graduates remained.
Raven glanced at them. "Emanuel, you may go. I'll handle the rest."
Emanuel departed with the paperwork.
Raven scanned the graduates and frowned.
"Only eighteen of you? What happened to Leonard and Kyle?"
A blonde girl with amber eyes stepped forward.
"Leonard went to the Royal Capital for the Crows Misery admission test, My Lord. Kyle said he isn't interested in serving a fallen noble and plans to join Count Spade's army."
'Both above average… and both fools. They'll regret it later.'
He recalculated quickly.
Ten Knights. Two Rogues. Two Rangers. Two Healers. Four Mages.
Add Rebecca and Roland. Ronald becomes Strategist. Rebecca remains my hidden trump card.
"Edgar. Step forward."
A lean boy stepped up. Short brown hair. Clear brown eyes. Sword at his waist.
"Yes, My Lord."
"How long have you trained with the sword?"
"Five years."
Raven studied him… then shook his head.
"You're not suited for the sword. Stand on the left."
Shock hit Edgar's face, but he swallowed it and obeyed.
"Augustus," Raven called.
A short boy—black hair, deep blue eyes—stepped forward.
"What weapon do you use?"
"Longsword, My Lord."
"You're better suited to a Rogue. How did your teachers miss the basics of body suitability?" Raven muttered. Then: "Choose—dagger or shortsword?"
Augustus hesitated only for a moment.
"Shortsword, My Lord. A dagger is too short to be a weapon."
"Good."
Raven waved his hand. Three books materialized.
"This is the Rogue Technique—Shadow Stalker Art. Uncommon. Five base skills."
Gasps erupted among the graduates.
Raven handed him a second book.
"This is the weapon technique—Phantom Wraith. Three skills: Flickering Edge, Wraith Dash, and Phantom Echo. Combine both—your strength doubles."
And a third.
"The Uncommon Spirit Technique—Mystic Spirit Convergence. This one is for everyone."
"T-Thank you, My Lord…" Augustus whispered, dazed.
"You'll wait in the main hall. Reece will guide you."
Raven's gaze moved to a slightly obese blond boy.
"Memphis. Stand with Edgar."
Memphis stumbled over his own feet but obeyed.
Raven then turned to the next student—a boy with short auburn hair.
"Jeffery." Raven's gaze locked onto the auburn-haired boy. "Stand with Edgar."
Jeffery looked confused for a heartbeat, then obeyed, joining the small cluster forming on the left.
Raven turned toward the blonde girl with piercing blue eyes. She stood around 150 cm tall—lean, almost fragile. The way she held her sword made it clear she clung to it like a lifeline.
"Fiona. Step forward."
"Yes, My Lord."
She stepped ahead, spine stiff, knuckles white around her sword hilt.
"What weapon do you use?"
"Sword, My Lord."
"No wonder your practical score was below average." Raven's tone remained calm, but final. "From today onward, you train under Felicity. And throw away your sword. You'll use a bow."
Fiona's eyes widened. "B-But, My Lord… I'm not good with the bow. I trained for two months—no progress. I tried spears, longswords, daggers, even axes… My teacher said I have no talent except for basic swordsmanship."
Zera's voice hummed in Raven's mind.
[She memorizes sword movements well. But for other weapons—she hasn't had enough time. Two months isn't enough to adapt. Bows require strength. Look at her. She's lean—malnutrition, maybe.]
'Malnutrition?' Raven frowned.
[No poor child can afford Spade Knights Academy. She's probably a picky eater.]
Raven exhaled slowly.
Great. I'm becoming a babysitter now.
"You lack strength," Raven said flatly. "From now on, you'll eat proper meals. No arguments. For one year, you will train exclusively in archery using these manuals."
He passed her three books.
"You cannot touch any other weapon until then. Go to the main hall."
Fiona swallowed hard, bowing before departing.
Raven shifted his attention to the next student.
"Brynn. Step forward. What are you skilled in?"
The silver-haired boy knelt on one knee. "Spearmanship, My Lord. And horsemanship."
'A spearman, hm?'
"Hm. Stand with Edgar and the others."
Disappointment flickered across Brynn's face, but he obeyed without complaint.
"Next. Pierce."
The deep-blue-eyed boy stepped forward—broad-shouldered, confident.
"You will train in swordsmanship. Marcellus will guide you." Raven handed him three books and moved on.
"Lorelai—you'll use a spear. I will train you personally."
He handed the blonde girl with pale skin her manuals.
"Lian—train swordsmanship with Pierce."
"Albert—spearmanship with Lorelai."
"Jamie—stand with Edgar."
"Miley and Alexis—stand with Edgar."
"Weston—learn dagger arts like Augustus."
"Scot—swordsmanship under Marcellus."
Raven hesitated for half a second when he looked at Scot's affinity, but his sword affinity was simply too high to ignore.
The boy bowed deeply and stepped aside.
Raven finally faced the strange one.
A boy with rainbow-colored irises and soft gray hair.
'A unique Fate affinity… rare.'
Zera murmured in his mind:
[He'd make a good strategist. If he learns to read Fate lines, even better. Charles's mother was a Fate Reader… but the Memory Library has almost nothing on that path.]
'A strategist and a potential Ranger… that works.'
"You," Raven said, pointing. "You'll train with Fiona under Felicity."
The boy nodded silently and moved to join her.
"Drake. Step forward."
A red-haired kid with amber eyes approached. Raven looked him over carefully… then called the last boy beside him—a spectacled student with golden-brown hair and black eyes.
"You will train as a swordsman under Marcellus." Raven handed him three books and dismissed him.
Now only ten remained. Raven counted carefully.
Four swordsmen. Two rogues. Two rangers. Two spearmen.
Then twelve others.
Too many.
He needed only four mages.
Zera's voice echoed again.
[Pick the ones with basic elements to be Knights. Special affinities should be saved—they're rare and can become hidden aces.]
'Wouldn't special affinities be better for mages?'
[Wrong. Special affinities make deadly mages. Basic affinities give stable Knights. Choose wisely. And one Fire-affinity kid should become a Healer. Fire has Rebirth and Soul flames—both can heal in ways you don't yet understand.]
'I see.'
Raven stepped forward.
"Memphis. Jeffery. Jamie. Miley. Edgar—next room."
The five paled visibly, as if they'd been cast aside. Raven ignored their fear—they'd understand later.
Only Brynn, Alexis, and Drake remained.
He faced Brynn.
"You lack the weapon affinities others have… but you have horsemanship and above-average tactical scores. If you follow my guidance, I'll make you a spearman worth ten men. You may learn swordsmanship from Marcellus as well. Your choice?"
"I will learn the spear from you, My Lord."
Brynn knelt again, voice steady.
Raven smiled faintly and handed him three books. "Go join the others."
He turned to the second boy—tall, chestnut hair, round face, azure eyes.
"Alexis." Raven eyed him. "A police officer's son. Why join a fallen noble? Why not follow your father?"
A sad smile tugged at the boy's lips.
"Even if I became a police officer, I would only reach Head Constable at best. Your offer gives me a chance to become something more. My father said the Spirit Technique alone is worth more than anything he's earned in his life."
"Your father is smart." Raven nodded. "What's your specialization?"
"Sword. But I prefer rapiers."
"Rapier, hm?"
Raven summoned three books. "This is Flameborne Fencing Art. A rapier technique. Learn it under Marcellus."
Alexis bowed deeply and left.
Then Raven turned to the last boy.
Drake.
Red hair. Amber eyes. Nervous hands.
"Drake, right?"
"Yes, My Lord. My father works as a doctor—"
Raven wasn't listening anymore.
He'd already checked Drake's status.
Zera breathed:
[Perfect healer candidate.]
'But Light spells don't heal…' Raven thought instinctively.
[Light doesn't regenerate flesh. But it kills disease—plagues, parasites, curses. True healing is more than regrowth.]
Raven paused.
Zera continued:
[Fire has two healing forms—Soul Fire and Rebirth Fire. Water has Celestial Water. Nature and Life can heal. Light cleanses disease. You will need all four types for a Healer path.]
Raven nodded slowly.
"I've changed my mind," he said. "Follow me."
Drake blinked in surprise but obeyed.
Raven walked out of the room. Emanuel stood ready with contracts.
"Emanuel," Raven said, pointing down the hall, "bring Rebecca and Ronald to the next room."
"Yes, My Lord."
Raven entered the room where Edgar and the other four were waiting.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached. Emanuel returned with two figures behind him—
a girl with curly blonde hair, and a red-haired boy in simple servant clothes.
Rebecca and Ronald entered quietly. The moment they saw Raven, both bowed.
"Greetings, My Lord."
"Emanuel, close the door and wait outside," Raven said.
"Yes, My Lord."
The butler stepped out and shut the door firmly, sealing the eight inside.
Raven stood before them—eight pairs of eyes watching him with a mix of confusion and tension.
"From this moment on," Raven said, voice cutting through the air like a blade, "what you learn here stays here. You must not disclose anything—to friends, to family, to anyone. Does anyone have objections?"
"None, My Lord!"
Edgar answered first, voice firm. The others nodded rapidly.
Raven's gaze shifted to Rebecca and Ronald, who still wore puzzled expressions.
"You two will sign contracts later as well. Your monthly salary will match the graduates—three gold coins."
He clapped once, sharply, drawing their full attention.
"And… I will be turning you into Wizards."
Shock rippled through them like a gust of wind. Rebecca's eyes widened. Ronald's breath hitched. Even Edgar's posture stiffened.
Becoming a Wizard was something even noble families fought over—yet a fallen noble heir was offering it freely.
"For the next three months," Raven continued, "your only task is to meditate using the Mystic Spirit Convergence technique and increase your Spirit Power."
He produced eight books from thin air and handed one to each of them.
"If any of you slack off, I will not hesitate to remove you. Understood?"
"Yes, My Lord!"
Their voices trembled, but the resolve behind them was unmistakable.
"Good. If you have questions, come to my room on the third floor. I'll inform Emanuel."
Raven turned and left, leaving behind eight stunned teenagers still trying to process that their lives had just changed forever.
Outside the room, Emanuel waited.
"If they ask for me, bring them straight to my room," Raven said. "Rebecca and Ronald will train here from now on. Assign them rooms on the second floor and ensure they receive proper meals."
"A-Are they going to become Walkers, My Lord?" Emanuel's voice trembled.
"Yes. Want to become one too?" Raven asked, teasing.
"N-No, My Lord! I'm just a servant!"
He bowed quickly, shaking his head.
Let's hope he stays loyal, Raven thought. I still can't figure out what he did before returning to Giaris… or how he learned swordsmanship.
"Tell Marcellus, Leone, Felicity, and Reece to meet me in the study."
He walked toward the left corridor, past the split staircase, and entered the study.
Raven settled at the desk. A newspaper lay neatly folded on top.
"Weekly news, huh?"
He opened it and scanned the headlines.