Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

Chapter 222 Aldrich Merlin

[Island of magic's wealth]

The most famous and some of the very few floating islands in the world.

A floating island, something that defied the basic understanding of the world but, it was a natural phenomenon.

And this island, one of the most famous ones throughout the continents, is the base of magic, weapon wielders, as well as every other talent that could be honed into something that would benefit the world.

Everyone had their unique talent, and no talent was useless.

So, this floating island was the home of the greatest academy on the entire continent that helped in honing these talents.

An academy famous in the whole world and a place that produced most of the people that are prominent people of this world.

Not only magic, weapon-wielding, and energy cultivation but, this place was greatest for anything and almost everything.

And, most of all, [The Grand Academy Of Hope], the only institution on the entire island, was a special place.

Every three years, anyone between the age of fourteen and more could appear for the entrance test to join the academy.

Anyone wishing to join the academy with no discrimination of race, gender, or status could appear at the academy and give the test and take the first step to their new lives.

And as long as you are just accepted in the place, you will have every basic necessity, from food to a basic dorm for free.

The whole institution was a neutral place, belonging to not a single empire or kingdom.

Though it was funded by almost every single nation in the world by their ruler as donations and gifts, no nation had any stake in the academy itself.

This school taught the young generation and in the end, they were, 'we' all were valuable assets to the nations of this world and, after finishing our studies, what we do was mostly up to us.

In most cases, at least, from what I knew.

They did get 'recommendations' to different places that would give benefits and all but, the choice was up to us.

And these recommendations were up to the donations.

Everyone that operated in countries, or even big companies called guilds, needed human resources, and well, that was the gist of things.

The [Academy], is the place where a new life for every young adult begins.

With the best teachers teaching in the classes, excellent resources and also, and one of the grandest libraries that held books from ancient times to almost all the known knowledge of the world.

This place, this academy, although had many restrictions, was a place like no other on all three continents.

Those who passed the entrance exams would be given the right to come there and study what they had a talent for and what they wanted.

And the fun part of the academy is that there is an Ancient tree, something like the old willow tree I had met in the great forest, and, that tree can evaluate the passed student's talents.

That tree can sense the latent talent of the individuals who passed the basic test, and, well, if someone can't even pass that one, they wouldn't be fit for the academy just yet.

So, many people try as many times as they can to get in with this basic procedure but, there always exist different methods.

And here, that one is called special admissions.

And these special admissions vary from paying an exorbitant amount of donations, having some exceptional talent that can't be ignored, and by recommendations of high position people.

But the recommendation also involved certain 'gifts' so things were ok for the academy itself.

And all this was actually necessary to run this grand institute like this.

There were many big names connected to the academy, and the greatest one was the person that had just sneaked up on me.

And his way was really a no-no because right now, I was tightly holding Anna and this sudden pressure from me surprised her even more.

I had controlled the bloodlust but, I couldn't hide the shock from how he just erased his presence, and almost his entire being.

Anna was surprised, and this situation almost scared her.

And I forgot the fact that he had blocked that super powerful punch with one finger and even absorbed all the energy from the punch after realizing she was like this as I gently caressed her back.

"A-are you ok Anna? I didn't mean to surprise you like this, but..."

Everyone stood up after that and forgetting everything, I just focused on her.

Rein had seen through him the moment I punched him but, just like me, she was fully focused on Anna now.

At that sudden moment, I reflexively made an energy shield around her that protected her, but the grip around her was definitely tighter than usual.

But most impotently, she was surprised to see the sudden appearance of this person and the hostility that appeared after his sneak up.

But from her look, she was fine. And more than just fine.

"I'm ok big brother but... wow..." Now, all of a sudden, Anna was saying she was fine, and then she suddenly exclaimed with stars in her eyes while looking at 'him'.

"Wowww..." And Zoe, who set on the other side, was the same too.

The two's sudden admiration filled with gasps was strange, but it was understandable.

Well, he definitely deserved the title of [Perfect being] if he couldb surprise the two of them this much.

This person before me was one of the strongest in the world and one who maintained the whole of this grand academy.

This bastard who sneaked up on us like this… was the very headmaster and the highest person who had lived with the academy even before Rein was born.

Actually, over the last thousand years.

This person was a wizard who had been one of the strongest for some of the longest in world history.

[Aldrich Merlin]

Just that name would remind one of an old mage with a long beard and from that owl familiar, one would think he really is just an old man with this normal description.

But... here, in a place where even a grandma of sixty plus looked like in her early adult stages, can this (tier-10) archmage, much less a wizard could look that?

Well, hard no...

This person looked as young as my dad.

More than that, he looked mind-blowingly handsome.

His pure white hair with his eyes which was practically rainbow-colored, almost having every light normal color I can think of.

Or... more like the five elements, including the fundamental elements and higher element: light.

Those eyes… why were they so gorgeous, damn it!

And he was old, and someone who had surprised me like this.

And even Anna was surprised because of him.

But now, the light and stars in her eyes that were just stuck on this person were something different in themselves.

And even Zoe was looking at him with the greatest surprise she ever had.

Even the emotions she was feeling right now were pure admiration and bliss.

I knew he was the most amazing person on the continent but, what did she see him as to be this surprising?

And maybe she felt this surprise and question from me and smiled while looking at me.

[[ "A crystal magic wand made of five colors, surrounded by a divine glow of different colors in a plain white endless plain.

The colors of the crystal wand are so beautiful they are practically... impeccable.

This looks so magnificent, big brother~, it's the most amazing thing I'm seeing after our home~!" ]]