Old man Caesar, as Hansel called him, sat at a table in the training grounds eating a meal. This was the first-time Victor had seen him in person. It seemed all of the Company had been instructed to meet him today, and now they stood in a line before him as he quietly finished eating.
Caesar resembled Rodrick in many ways, though it was no surprise, as they had once trained together and had been friends for a very long time. Caesar possessed a certain degree of elegance that Rodrick lacked. His ashen hair and grey-speckled beard were neat, his speech was concise and polite, and he postured himself quite differently, sitting strait and never slouching. His pale blue eyes were the same, though, and they were the eyes of a man who had seen many things, far and wide. For all the days that they knew him he wore a brown leather coat over a crimson vest.
His eyes ran over each of them. “So, you are the motley crew that Silver has given me. You certainly are a lively bunch, although whether or not you remain that way is questionable. At least I have plenty to work with!” He focused his attention on Sam. “You’re the alchemist girl. You seem far too sweet to be living this kind of life, but then again, I used to think that about Ling. Rodrick tells me you are trying to formulate a recipe for the Grand Elixir; tell me, what is the function of the blood of an Insect King when concocting a potion?”
Sam stuttered, but didn’t speak, and Caesar smiled. “Don’t feel bad,” he went on. “I didn’t expect you to know the answer because I have not taught it to you yet. I want to make it perfectly clear that whatever knowledge you think you have about the ways of monsters is only a fraction of the entirety of monster lore. My purpose is twofold: to complete your knowledge of monster lore – with nothing held back; and to prepare you for when Ling returns and gives you your alchemy training.”
Sam became excited at the mention of alchemy. “Ling is going to be teaching us?” She jumped like a puppy.
Caesar smiled. “Oh yes, all the alchemical secrets possessed by this academy will soon be revealed to you, but not yet. I have read each of your exam papers so I know your strengths and weaknesses, and we will begin working on them shortly.”
Victor felt awfully prestigious knowing that he was on his way to unlocking the secrets of Mr. Silver’s academy. He still wondered why he had been chosen, and to what end their training would accomplish, but he was always too frightened to ask. He had noticed a greater military presence around the city of late, and a constant rabble around the academy. The eye of the government was fixed on Mr. Silver. He wondered what it was they were after.
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