“So you’re here to buy magical items,” the President of the Magical Trinket Club, Cassandra, said with a smile. “As a Dud you and our club will certainly have more collaborations in the future, so how about you do us a favor? In return, I will give you a discount. What do you say?”
“Let me hear the favor first,” Ethan replied. “Sorry, but my Grandma told me that if someone asks me for a favor, I should ask them what it is, so that there will be no misunderstanding.”
“Your Grandma is very wise.”
“She’s also an expert in throwing flip flops. She never misses her targets.”
Cassandra giggled after hearing Ethan’s witty comment. Truth be told, she already had her eyes on the magicless Pillar of Dud Manor, but she didn’t have any idea how to form a connection with him.
Fortunately, Luna and Ethan were living on the same Manor, and the former had already brought the young man to their club, which made things easier for Cassandra.
“As you already know, we are a magical club that creates different kinds of magical tools. Originally, our founder only planned on creating magical trinkets and accessories. However, as the years went by, we decided to expand our product line and create some tools that are useful for everyday life.
“However, we have one problem. We usually don’t have enough time, or manpower to fully test our new products. Usually, the members of the Dud Manor help us out because they are in great need of such items.
“In fact, your Head Prefect, Sir Henry, is one of our VIP customers. Alas, he can only stay in the Academy one more year, so we need a new guinea pi– I mean, someone new who could help test our creations for years to come. You will only find benefits in this collaboration. How about it?”
Ethan’s interest was piqued by Cassandra’s proposal. As someone who wasn’t able to wield magical powers, having discounts, as well as being able to beta test the Magical Trinket Club’s new inventions was quite appealing to him.
“Deal!” Ethan replied. “I am willing to test your new gadgets for you.”
“Great!” Cassandra clapped her hands happily. “Since that is the case, I will ask Luna to bring you some of the faulty– I mean, some of the products that are still undergoing fine tuning. Luna can you take the you-know-whats from the warehouse? I’m sure that this handsome boy here will be very happy to test them out.”
“P-President, are you talking about the dangerous stuff that we labeled as not safe to sell to the students of the Academy?”
“Ara? What are you talking about, Luna?” Cassandra said while adjusting her glasses. “Those are just products that require fine tuning. After we know what makes them dangero–whoops, I mean, after we know what makes them not work properly, we can work on them and start selling them like hot cakes.”
“I-I see,” Luna stuttered, feeling intimidated by Cassandra’s smiling face, which often scared the people who come to their Club to make fun of their inventions.
Without another word, the angelic young lady went to their warehouse to bring the items that her President had asked for, leaving the young man, and the red-haired sadistic lady alone together.
“Please, don’t bully Luna so much, Miss Cassandra,” Ethan said after making sure that his new friend was no longer around. "She's not good with that sort of thing."
“Have you joined the We-Love-Luna Fansclub?” Cassandra covered her lips and chuckled. “You’re being overprotective of her, just like the other members of Dud Manor. Don’t worry, I understand that feeling. I love Luna, too, but this and that are different. I’m more interested in you right now.”
The red-haired lady took a step forward and used her finger to raise Ethan’s chin, making him look straight into her eyes.
“Strange… although I don’t really sense any magical powers in you, I feel something that attracts me to you,” Cassandra said softly. “Don’t misunderstand. I am feeling attracted to you not because you are handsome, but something else. I just can’t put my finger on it. Hey, can I touch you for a bit? Maybe I’ll understand this feeling I’m getting through body contact”
“I don’t mind,” Ethan replied. “As long as you don’t touch any inappropriate places.”
“Worry not, I’m not that bold of a girl,” Cassandra smirked. “But, if it’s you, I wouldn’t mind experimenting a bit.”
The red-haired lady with glasses then released her hold of Ethan before walking around him in circles. She then started to lightly pat his arms, his chest, his back, and his shoulders, as if confirming something.
“Ethan, you already know about Luna’s magic right?” Cassandra asked after having her fill of touching Ethan’s body.
The young man nodded. His Head Prefect had already told him about Luna’s magic power, but didn’t explain fully what she was capable of. The only thing he knew was that Luna could use her magic only on the days of the full moon.
“Moon Magic is an ancient kind of Magic,” Cassandra explained. “It also has the ability of bringing out the potential in people. Although you are a Dud, it is very possible that Luna can awaken any dormant magical power inside of you, even for a brief moment. Who knows? Maybe you will be able to use a little bit of magic after she has used her magic on you.
“Also, I heard something interesting. The yearly exhibition matches of the different Manors will start in two weeks. This is more like a casual thing, rather than a true competition. However, it doesn’t change the fact that it is an event that everyone is looking forward to.”
Ethan blinked in confusion. He was still a First Year, and didn’t know much about the events of the academy.
Because of this, she asked Cassandra to explain what the Exhibition Match was about, which the red-haired lady was more than happy to explain to Ethan, whom she found to be quite an interesting person.
“The Exhibition Match, better known as The Clash of Manors, is an annual event held during the first quarter of the school year,” Cassandra explained. “Each Manor will send one representative for their First Years, Second Years, Third Years, and Fourth Years. They will fight a round robin match, and the winners of the Exhibition Match will receive Twenty Thousand Merit Points each.”
“T-Twenty Thousand Merit Points?!” Ethan was shocked after hearing Cassandra’s explanation. Currently, he only had 220 Merit Points, and he already thought that it was already a lot.
“Yes. Each member will get twenty thousand Merit Points.” Cassandra shrugged. “But, this is just an opening ceremony to motivate the First Years to be diligent in their studies. At the end of the year, a Grand Battle between the Manors will take place, and the winners will receive Two Hundred Thousand Merit Points each. Now, that is what I call a grand prize.”
“T-Two Hundred Thousand…” Ethan was at a loss of words. His concept of money right now was blurred.
After getting settled into the Academy, he received an allowance of 500 gold coins a month.
Since he thought that this was too much money, he decided to give half of it to his Grandma, so she could use it to fix their house, the other farm structures, and equipment, which were in need of constant maintenance.
Basically, as long as one had Merit Points, they wouldn’t need to spend anything else inside the Academy aside from that.
Poor Wizards and Witches also used Merit Points as currency in the Academy, allowing them to have a little leeway with their finances.
In general, Copper, Silver, and Gold Coins were only used when one left the academy grounds.
“Wait. Earlier, you said that each Manor will send one representative for each School Year to participate in the Exhibition Match, right?” Ethan asked.
“Right.” Cassandra winked at the handsome teenager. “That also means that you, Ethan, are the only candidate that your Manor can send as their representative for the First Years. Now, I have some good news, and bad news for you. Which one do you want to hear first?”
Ethan nodded. “The bad news first.”
Cassandra giggled because she had already expected this answer from the young man who was two years younger than her.
“The bad news is that… it is almost guaranteed that the ones you will be facing in the First Year Bracket are the Pillars of the Academy,” Cassandra replied. “Langston Kerr, Lily Langley, Kurt Hale, and last but not the least, Nicole Asta, whom everyone thinks is the Strongest First Year in the Academy. Your chances of beating them are very slim.
“However, the good news is that the magical tools, and artifacts that are manufactured within the Academy can be used in these matches. With our Club backing you up, your chances at victory are no longer zero. Isn’t that great? You really hit the jackpot when you agreed to cooperate with me.
“Also, there is one more thing. Luna being the representative of the Second Years for the Dud Manor is nearly set in stone. Although she’s just a normal girl on the days without the full moon, her knowledge in using our magical items is second to none. It will be best if you ask her for pointers.”
Cassandra then glanced on the door and placed a finger over her lips.
A few seconds later, Luna returned carrying a wooden box, which she had taken from their Club’s warehouse.
“President, I got them all,” Luna reported. “But, I’m really not sure if we should let Ethan use them…”
“It’s fine, Luna,” Cassandra assured her Vice-President. “You know what they say, no risk no gains. I’m sure that Ethan understands this as well, right, Ethan?”
“Yes, Miss Cassandra,” Ethan replied.
“Just call me Cassandra. We are now business partners, so dropping the Miss is the right thing to do. I’ll also just call you Ethan.”
“Very well, Cassandra. I look forward to our collaboration.”
The red-haired lady then took the wooden box from Luna’s hands, and passed it to the young man, moving her head close to him.
“Don’t forget what I told you earlier,” Cassandra whispered. “Luna might be able to help you awaken your magic. Make sure to ask her for help on the next full moon.”
“Understood,” Ethan whispered back. “I’ll ask for her help when that time comes.”
Luna, who didn’t hear what the two were whispering about, pouted. Although she was quite happy that Ethan was getting along with her Club’s President, she felt that the two of them were planning something behind her back, and it made her feel uncomfortable.
‘I’d better ask Ethan later what he and the President talked about while I was away,’ Luna thought. ‘I just hope that the President didn’t tell him about my embarrassing moments.’
Cassandra then left Luna to explain the details of the magical tools that they had deemed “not safe to use” by the students of the Academy.
Although she was a shy girl, Luna still did as she was told, and explained the uses of each magical tool in great detail. She also came clean and made sure to tell Ethan why these products were stored in the warehouse, instead of being sold in their shop.
Only when the young man assured her that he understood the danger of using the tools given to him by Cassandra, did the angelic lady finally felt relieved.
“Call me when you are going to experiment with them,” Luna stated. “That way, if something happens to you, I will be able to call for help right away.”
“Got it, and thank you,” Ethan replied. “I’ll do my best to use moderation when experimenting with them.”
Half an hour later, the two left through the backdoor of the Clubhouse and headed back to Dud Manor, which was a good thing since there were many Wizards and Witches at the Front Entrance, who might be part of Luna's Fansclub.
Ethan had received many magical artifacts from Cassandra, and he planned to Master their uses before the First Exhibition Match between the different Manors began.
Although his chances of winning against the True Prodigies of the First Years, whom he had accidentally become a part of, was slim, he had no intention of surrendering without a fight.
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