The Black Iron Glory
The Year-End Holiday

Chapter 80

The Year-End Holiday

Claude sighed as he stared at the silver moon. He had gone through his considerations repeatedly over the past few days, but he was still unsure which path to take. Being a battlemagus was good, but he had no spells to learn and had no idea how he could obtain it.

Being a Rune Magus was much more attainable, but it would make him vulnerable if he was ever found, he said, and even before it was – like with combat spells – he had no magic ingredients and had no way to get it. Well, it's not too bad. He can get at least some of the most basic ingredients in some sellers and sellers, with money. He could at least make some low-grade potions, and make some barrel modifications, for example, and he had the funds for the initial purchase. Fire crystals, however, would be a problem. They were the cornerstones of all alchemy formations, but they were extremely expensive gems reserved for the rich, like nobles. Most trades are done behind closed doors as well, so just having the funds is not enough, it requires a connection to get behind the door as well. He desperately wanted to make a flintlock rifle, which he could do with an alchemy formation array, and that was the case.

Well, there is no point in exhausting himself over the current matter. Such a problem is still far away.

Regardless of which path he took, he could only continue to practice in the Hexagram Meditation and gather fire essence. He had a few months before he became a first rank magus rune.

The weather is getting colder every day. Claude had to wear a sweater that knitted his mother every time he left the house. His legs had recovered and he could run and jump like before. The healed torn muscle still continued to act, and tended to tire faster than its other legs, so he trained it daily by running six kilometers around the southern and eastern ends of the city.

The students began to fidget as the 11th month rolled around. The holidays are getting closer and closer and no one can wait to have two and a half months from school. But before that, they had to write the annual finals. It was not a difficult test, those who studied all year round usually passed easily. Unfortunately, that's not the majority of children.

The instructors themselves started to get tired, and the discipline slumped. The most affected where the teachers are responsible for the last year's classes. In addition to the normal fatigue due to the long work, they were also preoccupied with completing the third year's final exam and preparing for the graduation ceremony.

Borkal and Eriksson fully aroused their interest in the opposite sex, and often exploited a loose discipline to get out of the classroom and peek at the female class. Some even embark on 'dumb years' as it is known, falling in love for the first time, and, that often results in them smiling like fools all day if they get a word or two out of their crush.

"Nobody saved them .." Claude sighed, shaking his head as he watched the two boys completely waver in the classroom, glass-eyed, and smiling like painted dolls. They were really just a few words with their crush, Betty and Porya. Claude did not even want to think about what they had clearly imagined at that moment.

"Sorry, Claude," muttered Welikro shyly from the side.

"What's wrong?" Claude asked.

"Well .. I asked my dad if I could take you to Egret with us for a break, but he said it was too dangerous. After what happened to you last time we went out—" Welikro glanced at Claude's.foot "- he's not willing to risk anything with you. He said that, while he had no doubt you could take the island in winter, he would not risk his reputation and stand on it."

Claude nodded understandingly.

"It's okay, Wero. Your father wouldn't take me, even if mine said it was fine. Don't feel bad. Why don't you take a nap? We have a physical test this afternoon and I want you in your best house when I beat you! "

So far Claude has done well in the final academic section. He earned 17th overall, and his friends did pretty well for deceiving him. All the children knew what they were doing, and it did not help their reputation at all, but no one had the courage to tell the examiners what was going on.

The four fearsome ones would split once the school ended, and the city was extremely grateful. Eriksson is going with his father to the Sea of Storms. This was the first time he had sailed out of the bay in winter and he could not wait to leave.

Welikro went to Egret with his father as usual. They usually only left for a few weeks once, but this time they would return for a second trip because his father had promised the sister a stone throw, and if they did not get it in the hunt, they would have to go back, he had to make enough of the season to buy the girl.

Borkal's father dragged him away to visit the prefecture and check out the various companies he owned. They leave even before school closes on the last day.

Claude was unlucky. He's not going anywhere, and now he doesn't even have the cronies to distract him. The only thing he could do was play with his younger siblings and puppies, aside from his meditation, of course.

He had money to burn, and plenty of free time in the future, so he searched through bookstores and city hawkers looking for anything he could find, and left empty-handed.

Her younger sister and younger brother were too happy to accompany her, which made things even more difficult for her as she had to keep an eye on them while trying to find something valuable, and they quickly ate, and they quickly ate, in some cases literally, his money however, he could not bear to tell them that they could not come along, and he was eventually saved by the cruelty of his father. The older man forbade them to come along, saying that they took unfair advantage of their older brother.

The two of them almost made a fury, but he stood firm and firm, and they finally gave up and locked themselves in their room.

Welikro stopped by a few weeks into the holidays and took him muntjac feet. Muntjac is a species of deer that is common in three prefectures. They are the size of a goat but cannot jump over a twig if it gets in their way. They were very easily captured by someone who knew what he was doing, and they quickly became extinct in the region. Now they're rare, if easy, catch.

They haven't caught firefox yet, so they're just here to drop their stuff and fill up the supplies. They left again in a day or two. Despite everything Claude had done to calm him down, Welikro was still very unhappy with himself for failing to convince his father to let the boy come along. Not only did it feel wrong to leave his friend in town when he went on an adventure, but because it was a waste for a hunter as talented as Claude to spend the whole season languishing in boredom at home. Claude's father would never let him go, and Welikro's father for that matter, so there was nothing to do but feel ashamed.

Claude showed him the letter he got from Borkal just two days earlier. It is said she will not return for the new year, as her father decides they will spend it at her aunt's house in Simlock. He hopes to return by the end of the 1st month.

Eriksson next on the block cut. They had not heard of him, but if his father did the same as before, he would have to return before the new year.

Welikro wanted to make up for his absence, and since Claude had done nothing, really, the two headed south of the city on Welikro's advice for a small hunt. But he forbade Claude from using traps.

"This is to train your shooting as much as hunting. There are no traps!" he said, shaking his finger at Claude like an angry teacher.

Claude had to struggle to swallow his laughter, but somehow managed to nod very seriously.

Welikro left again two days later as he said, and Claude was alone again. The snow eventually falls and covers everything in a blanket that thickens daily of all colors. The edge of Balinga also began to freeze.

Eriksson returned just before the port had to be closed for the winter, and took with him two whales.