Rorschach spoke with Andre for a while longer, getting a better sense of his situation. He learned that Andre worked a twelve-hour night shift, which was why Rorschach had been able to run into him at this hour.

Rorschach picked up the notes Andre had been copying over and over. Every inch of the crumpled paper was used, and the writing was now forced to overlap itself.

"Will you be here again tomorrow at this time?"

"I will!"

Rorschach nodded. "I’ll bring some handouts and new paper and pens tomorrow at this time. If you can find any other students, I’ll bring extra copies for them."

Andre stood up from his chair. "Teacher Rorschach..."

The Mage waved his hand, leading Andre slowly out of the classroom. The room, once bustling with people, now held only the former teacher and his former student.

"When did the gates open?" Andre asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. He had mistaken the open gates and Teacher Rorschach’s arrival as a sign that classes were resuming. But he quickly realized that with his father unemployed, his family still needed him to work to support them. Even if school did start again, he wouldn’t have the chance to return to the classroom.

Rorschach urged him to hurry home and rest to get his strength back, telling him not to overwork himself. "We have a plan, then. See you tomorrow at this time."

"Goodbye, Teacher!"

Of course, the Mage’s plan involved more than just giving Andre paper and pens. An old idea immediately came to Rorschach’s mind, and he hurried to the Alchemy Department. "Master Snow? Where’s Master Snow?"

One of the guys from the Alchemy Department led Rorschach down to the basement. In addition to the original Ether extraction equipment, the space had been expanded. A second unit was under construction, mirroring the location of the original "reactor" room.

Snow was directing the construction as the body of the tower was lifted and slowly lowered into a pool of Alchemy Potion.

"Rorschach, you’re finally back!" he greeted him warmly. Noticing the young man’s gaze fixed on the second unit under construction, he said sheepishly:

"Haha, I know we should have consulted you, as the designer and inventor, but time waits for no man. We have to meet the new demand for Ether, so we started construction on the second unit after reporting to Master Kano."

"I don’t mind, just remember to pay me my cut for the Blue Light Barrier core and the levered case." Rorschach was pleased that the Alchemy Department was adding new equipment; this way, the rate at which his proficiency with the Divine Exorcism Technique increased would double. "I also saw an interesting idea in the Empire that could save us the cost of the Mithril rod at the base of the tower."

Snow’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

"I wouldn’t dare boast in front of the head of the Alchemy Department. But I am curious, why did the original output become insufficient so quickly? What new project has been launched?"

"Uh... well..." Snow stiffly changed the subject. "Anyway, Rorschach, did you come to me to offer a new idea for collecting Ether?"

"Of course, but I have a condition," Rorschach said, handing Snow a bottle of Fanta. "No, it’s not about money. It’s for one of my students."

Snow hesitantly took the emerald-green drink. Instead of drinking it right away, he examined the bottle and the liquid inside. Rorschach briefly explained that the Teachers’ College had been shut down, leaving the students unable to continue their studies.

"The kid has Magic Talent. And while he only learned the basics of Alchemy, I taught him personally, and he was first in his entire year for the subject. Master Snow, you trust my standards, don’t you?"

"So, could the Alchemy Department make an exception and take on an Apprentice? He wouldn’t have to enroll in the Tower of Stars—he could just stay in the research building, learning and working with all of you."

Snow didn’t agree immediately. He opened the soda and took a sip. "Delicious! Rorschach Mage, we’ve also heard about the Teachers’ College being shut down. Master Kano even told me you were practically a co-founder, so I was very sorry to hear the news."

"The owners of the merchant companies under the Guild have also been complaining to me that their investments went down the drain. I’m personally opposed to how the higher-ups are handling this. But you still have to undergo an investigation. Rorschach Mage, helping ’sensitive individuals’ like this... I’m afraid it won’t be good for your chances of passing..."

Rorschach just smiled. "I don’t care. Worst case, I’ll just pack my bags and go back to the Empire." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Alright, what you’re proposing is highly unusual. I’ll need to discuss it with Master Kano first. If he agrees, then I have no problem with it." Snow took another sip of his soda. "Besides, our Alchemy Department is always being looked down on by those idiots. What’s the harm in doing something a little out of line? It’s just one more Apprentice, right?"

The Alchemy Department’s agreement came fairly readily, and Rorschach was certain Kano would have no objections. "...Thank you!"

But Snow had more to say. "But what about the other students? Even if we make an exception for this one, the Alchemy Department can’t possibly take in any more. Besides, most of the students probably don’t have any Casting Ability. If they came to the research building, they could only do menial chores, and that would definitely attract the attention of the investigators."

Rorschach admitted frankly, "I haven’t figured that out yet." ’Maybe I could ask Mr. Pierre to take the lead on forming a new school,’ he thought, ’but who knows how long that would take. Just finding teachers again would be a huge challenge.’

"Why don’t you go find your senior? He’s been incredibly busy lately, and it’s not as if he’s working for Master Kano," Snow pointed out.

’What’s my senior up to? He couldn’t be busy with the "Friends of Universal Love and Equality Club," could he?’

After Rorschach left, Snow stared at his departing figure and suddenly remembered, "Wait a minute, he never told me his idea for replacing the Mithril rod!"

...

As Rorschach expected, Kano had no objections, only conditions: Rorschach was not to publicize the matter, and he was not to bring the apprentice into the main Tower of Stars building.

Rorschach finally found his senior. During the time Rorschach had been away, the research lab certainly hadn’t been idle. Parts from the dismantled prototype were piled in a corner, and an extra table had been added to the room. Pascal was currently sprawled across it, snoring steadily.

’Sleeping at his workstation?’ "Master Kano is here for an inspection." To make sure he was heard, Rorschach deliberately used his Communication Skill to deliver a demonic whisper.

The slacker shot up as if launched from a catapult, drool flying. "Master, I’m almost done organizing the materials! Seriously, just a little bit more!"

Only when he was fully awake did his senior realize he’d been tricked. "Rorschach! The first thing you do when you get back is have fun at your senior’s expense... Oh, thanks." He took the orange-flavored Fanta, and the fizz washed away the last dregs of his sleepiness.

"What are your thoughts on the Teachers’ College situation?"

To Rorschach’s surprise, Pascal wasn’t the least bit resentful. Instead, he was in high spirits, raising both hands into fists. "We must fight for the students’ right to an education! Training teachers for Valois is an investment in the Kingdom’s future! If those old lords refuse to continue, then we’ll have to do it ourselves!"

"It’s not that easy..." Some of his senior’s optimism rubbed off on Rorschach, but he was still mentally calculating the minimum preparation time, the potential scale, and whether he could convince the merchant companies under the Guild to invest again...

"What can you accomplish by dithering? Come with me tonight and take a look for yourself." Pascal clapped his hands, a hint of smug pride in his words and actions.

As night fell over the city, an open area in a textile factory by the city docks along the Seine River had been set up with simple tables, chairs, and a blackboard. Kerosene lamps were lit and hung from the ceiling beams.

As seven in the evening drew near, plainly dressed people began to file in. By day, these men and women were dockworkers, textile factory hands, and other laborers; now, they were students.

Two youths were maintaining order, checking each person’s "class pass" before letting them enter. They weren’t the only ones; there were more students from the Teachers’ College who came from common backgrounds. Because of their higher level of education, they were respectfully called "Young Sirs" by the night school attendees.

These were student teachers who had only completed half of their preparatory courses, yet they had already begun a period of simultaneously studying and interning.