Chapter 19 The Offer from the Kingdom
The class was going on fine and dandy for the last month. Not a single issue popped up until today. The Kingdom was attacked by its neighbor over a Mineral Dispute. The escalation was pretty quick.
With the previous tension with the neighboring kingdom, an attack was bound to happen. This was just a precursor to full war members on both sides were looking for. Mostly for gaining benefits for possible threatening issues with increasing Mana Beasts situations.
As long as the stronger Mana Users were not in play, the situation would be fine for the general populace. A sort of power checkmate to keep from escalating the situation.
The Draft came around pretty damn quick. Faster than any that happened in William's previous Dimension. Not to critical in the criteria either. Able bodies with no promising future were snatched up. Those with money and a fair enough education were able to dodge the draft.
"Student Teacher William," the Healer Coordinator of all people came to him personally to speak. She passed a quick glance over his students not wanting to do this but her duty to the Kingdom came first. "I regret to inform you that your students are required for the draft."
A frown at the possible loss of such fine students. Recently with the pretense of coming to instruct William, Coordinator Bailey caught his teaching method benefited the students a great deal. Even she herself would have gained a lot learning this when younger.
The fact he was no longer practicing the Reflection Sutra was found out by every major player considering it involved a member of the Lancaster Family. Obtaining it from the Library was a know go thanks to the Power the Head Librarian held.
Which caused the 1st Seatholder to go mad in anger. Enough that he was put in confinement after a fight with a student. His arrogance worked against him and caused trouble for his father who was a Coordinator at the Akademy.
"I figured as much." William looked into the laws and what the Akademy would do in a situation like this, not much he could do without any real standing to help the students get out of it. 'If I actually had the full station of a Seat Holder this would be different.'
A few other Seatholders actually used their standing to prevent students they favored and teachers they used from going to the skirmish zones.
The students started to fret. With a few thinking of escaping far away considering they would just be cannon fodder and be killed easily.
Coordinator Bailey had a plan for this. A small one that would let her judge William better and hopefully cause her brother to take a step back with some of his plans.
Trying to recruit Wiliam so fast would not be worth it. The confusion it would cause at this time would be minimal.
"We have a recourse however." Passing over the missive from the Royal Family and School Board, William looked it over carefully to make sure he read it right at first glance. His ace student became pensive as he looked at her then the other students. "You can deny this but.."
"It is fine." William signed the document then handed it back to her. He did a double-take as it split into two and she gave him a copy. His students wondered what was going on with held breaths. "Alright, I will be heading to the skirmish zones tomorrow. With the growing tension, the Akademy is shutting down for the Freshman in the 15 years on-down category."
The one good thing they seemed to be doing. This was only for students whose Teacher agreed to take part in the conflict. Not many would do so for the first year due to the level of worth they held.
"I will go to!" A student shouted quickly not liking this at all. A few more voicing their desire to help as well.
"If we sign up with you, it will all be ok. Better than having to go with other strangers." Another student knew it would end badly of course. Having caught a few words of other techers speaking about the skirmishes going brutal for the disposal members. 'If the Kingdom wasn't recovering still, I wonder if it would go well like whne my dad was part of the Military?'
"Nonsense." William silenced his students growing outburst. "You will go home or find some local work if you are that antsy to cause trouble. Study and become stronger. Tension is to high for everyone, I do not suggest staying on campus considering the way things work."
The regular class time was ending. A few students who wanted to sit on a lecture and ask questions were making their way over. A few dropping bags off to William with notes for what they wanted.
The bags had resources for immediate use. Cheap ones as William knew these students would defintely be relecuacnt to part with any of it. Even if the lecture could give them a good edge over.
"They will be safe on campus.." The Health Coordinator started to say but bit her tongue seeing the look in the student's eyes. They were very aware how true the Akademy was not the safest place but had to keep that to themselves. ".. the Health Department has room for all of them. They can study and have relative safety in the interim. I can guarantee that at least."
Various jobs, assignments, and elective courses could be taken by the students to fill in the interim. Another step lower than just having a subsititute teacher like they did before when William was in the Dungeon.
"Very well then." William nodded. "In the end, it is up to you all to make your decision. Do not give into stupid peer pressure and remember to value your lives. Take the chance to improve yourself. You never know when that chance will disappear."
The students were still relucant to depart after what just happened. It felt as if they just got him back but the Akademy found a way to take him away once more.
Health Coordinator Bailey left a list of what he should do before leaving then departed. WIlliam turned to his students and contiuned as normal.
"Now students, reasons why you should keep a realtive Balance when cultivating and over all studies." After what happened with his body and the advance of his weapon use and Mind compared to the Body it was best to divulge quickly to them. "A few small technqiuines can supplement the gap between. But it is basically patch work."
"Patch work?" One of his student's didn't quite get it.
"Take a bowl for instance made of clay. Nice and well after it was made but it starts to crack from being dropped or cracks from overuse. A potter can repair with some additional clay but the overall structure of the work will change. Small change but what if you repair it over an over in the same spot or the surrounding spots only?"
"Why not just get a new bowl?" One of the students was rather weirded out by using a damaged bowl and wasting time fixing it.
"Can you just get a new body just like that?" William leaned against a stump asking the obvious to himself but not them. The students mostly shook no but a few shook yes. "Well, speak up Yosun."
"Um, not everyone can just get a new body." Yosun frowned thinking it all over quickly and really hated William called on him more and more lately to speak. The kid rather just act like a passerby in the class. "Only Artificiers, Puppeteers, and allegedly High Level Health Coordinators can do so."
"You are missing another option each of you have." William pulled out a piece of paper taken from the library. "If you make it to the Reformation Realm, fixing and repairing would be damn near perfect. Each of you are capable of reaching that in the next 2 years. If you work really hard of course."
It was a projection of course if all of William's groundwork for them panned out. It would also require quite a bit of resources on their part.
But if they were given the idea, hopefully it will cause them to push harder and have more self confidence compared to the distance and limitations they placed on themselves due to circumstance.
"That is just dreaming." A student looked down completely distraught. "Teacher William we all don't have that high of an aptitude and.."
"Funds and resources can always be acquired somehow and someway. Just keep your eye and ears trained on the task." William had moved to the student and place his hand ontop of her head. Ruffling it a little as if she was a pet of sorts. "Serena, I recovered somewhat from scratch you have youth and chance on yourseide."
"Umm!" Little Serena nodded in appreciation.
"So should we take up skills to compensate for not having resources or funds at disposal?" A visiting student asked. Not willing to part with any he came across. "I don't have the time to go into those classrooms. Artificiers, Puppeteers, and even the Health Coordinators are wickedly stingy in teaching."
"That is why this evening I will help each of you with the gap that devlops from improper foundation from unbalanced of the Three. Now keep this to yourself, I will only do one for each student due to time constraints of new matters." William smirked at the wide looks on their faces. 'Finding out that this was a service to make money was good, plus I can find out better what my Mana can do to others because of that incident in the Dungeon.'
The few spies in the class would defintely report this back to their owners. Making William a target but making whoever was hiding in the dark to come more.
He just had to survive it of course.
.
Those responsible-
.
A few Teacher Coordinators were in a closed session. The heads of the Department minus Health Coordinator Bailey who departed as an Akademy Reprsentative. Her stand in, a plump old man kept to himself to not rock the boat as it were in the meantime.
"The skirmish between the Kingdoms will not escalate to far. Not enough to have students move out fully. However, the few students that are going must show promise within the next month or so." The Discipline Coordinator gave everyone a once over to see any issue in what he said. None looked up of course besides those on his side. "The Military Students, will not miss any classes for this."
"That's good but the freshman and the use of the students who are not listed as good Grooming Material raise several flags. Not to mention keeping all the Seatholders out of the mix. Correct me if I am wrong, but the 1st Seat is supposed to go out no matter what as a representative of the Akademy?"
The one who just spoke for the Library and Merchant Trade between the Akademy and the Kingdom as a whole. Neutral party due to funds exchanged in the background that clipped each party from having to much of the other.
"Usually, but the issue with the 12 Seat raises an issue still. Since we are "down" two Seatholders, it was prudent to not send him out." The Student Coordinator didn't like it either but it was the most prudent decision to make. "Once this little skirmish is over, the selection for the next Seatholder must move on. Despite the stalling of so many Teachers."
Small murmurs of distaste could be heard but not loud enough to cause concern. The tone of the room shifted as the Dean and Vice-Dean received a message. Neither would read it considering the company but it was the signal someone needed to act all the same.
"Very well." A woman stood up tall and proud. "Due to the behavior of so many students, teachers, and overall authority figures of the Akademy, support from the Library will decrease to 40% overall. This decision is final."
"Librarian Marisole, this is unfortunate but also understandable. We will always welcome the Librarian back with open arms with better agreements in the future." The Dean was taken back but said nothing outright. It was best to control the situation and find out later what took place.