89: Caputo's Determination

"Are you really going to establish a Mage Academy?"

Kapdo had heard Renn mention establishing a Mage Academy in the Red River Territory before, but he had always thought Renn was just bluffing.

"I definitely can't establish a full-fledged Mage Academy right away, but I can take it step by step and gradually improve it."

"At the end of the month, the Salak Merchant Guild will deliver a group of children. At that time, I will gather all the children in the territory under the age of 14 for a mage aptitude test and focus on training those who have the potential."

"I have basic magical knowledge texts in my hands; they're enough to train junior mages."

"However, I hope Master Kapdo can help test whether these children have mage aptitude when the time comes!"

Testing for mage aptitude is a technical task. Generally, there are two methods: one is using specialized magic detection equipment, and the other is using detection spells.

Renn had no specialized magic detection equipment and didn't know detection spells, so he could only ask Kapdo for help.

He believed that as a high-level mage from the Holy White Academy, Kapdo would certainly have a means of testing aptitude.

After hearing Renn's thoughts, Kapdo thought for a moment and said:

"Your idea is good, but you know that training a mage consumes a lot of resources. Do you have that capability?"

"I don't!"

"If you are referring to magical materials and other transcendent resources, Master Kapdo, I indeed don't have them."

Renn spoke truthfully.

"However, I don't plan to invest those transcendent resources. After gathering some gifted children and teaching them the Basic Meditation Method, I won't give them too many resources."

"These children will be like me, learning only some superficial basic magic knowledge and then specializing in a few basic spells. Those skills will be enough to benefit them for a lifetime."

Kapdo understood Renn's idea.

"You aren't training mages, but rather a kind of tool-person. With your approach, it indeed won't consume many resources."

"Master Kapdo, I'm currently in no position to demand too much. Once the territory becomes wealthy, I can increase resource investment to train orthodox mages."

"For now, I can only simplify the training!"

Kapdo nodded and said no more, reaching into his dimensional bag to pull out a piece of magic equipment.

"This is an aptitude tester for mages. I'll sell it to you for twenty magic stones. It can be powered by mana cores or magic stones, and it's simple and convenient to use."

Seeing the mage aptitude tester Kapdo brought out, Renn didn't hesitate to pull out twenty magic stones and buy it.

"Big Brother Renn, you're actually going to build a Mage Academy. I always thought you were joking with me."

Seeing Renn buy the mage aptitude tester so decisively and having a clear plan, Cecilia also realized that Renn was serious.

"Of course. Mages play an important role in the construction and development of a territory. The Red River Territory must have its own Mage Corps and its own Mage Academy."

"But as Master Kapdo said, the investment for establishing a Mage Academy is too great. I have to take it one step at a time."

"Cecilia, thank you for your hard work recently. You'll need to look after those children in the Medicinal Herb Field more; teach them what you can, and let them learn as much as they are able!"

Cecilia said seriously:

"Don't worry, Big Brother Renn, I will teach them earnestly!"

Renn chatted with Kapdo and Cecilia for a while, asked Kapdo for some insights on spells, and then left.

After Renn departed, Cecilia still felt like she hadn't said enough and turned to ask Kapdo.

"Grandpa, do you think Big Brother Renn can succeed?"

Kapdo answered directly without even thinking:

"He can succeed!"

"Really?"

Cecilia didn't expect her grandfather to be so certain.

"Grandpa, you have so much confidence in Big Brother Renn!"

Kapdo nodded and said:

"According to his standards, establishing a Mage Academy isn't very difficult, as long as he's willing to provide those gifted children with meditation methods and other basic magic knowledge."

"According to that plan of his, the greatest difficulty is the authority to open up knowledge, and that point doesn't seem to be a problem for that kid Renn."

"However, if Renn wants to refine and expand the Mage Academy he established, it will be difficult—or rather, it's basically impossible to succeed!"

Cecilia was curious and asked:

"Grandpa, why is that?"

Kapdo patiently explained to his precious granddaughter.

"Because those great nobles and the major mage academies won't agree to Renn doing this."

"Little Cecilia, knowledge has a price, and a very expensive one at that. If someone wants to make knowledge cheap, those who already possess it will never allow it."

"So, it's fine for Renn to play around in his territory; no one will care. But if he wants to continue growing larger, people will naturally step forward to stop him."

"With Renn's strength, it's impossible for him to resist those people."

Cecilia nodded thoughtfully. She didn't understand matters concerning nobles and didn't want to. She stopped focusing on the Mage Academy and turned her attention back to Kapdo.

"Grandpa, is your body feeling any better?"

Kapdo had been awake for so long but still hadn't fully recovered, which worried Cecilia.

"It's no matter, little Cecilia. The impact of the evil god's power this time triggered old injuries. To fully recover, I still need a period of quiet rest. I should be mostly recovered by next spring."

"Once I've recovered next spring, we'll return to the academy."

Cecilia looked at the weak Kapdo, and after thinking for a bit, she finally said what had been on her mind.

"Grandpa, can you please stop researching the evil god's curse in the future? If this continues, your body definitely won't be able to take it."

"When little Cecilia grows up and becomes stronger, I will be the one to research the evil god's curse. I will definitely find a way to eliminate it."

"Little Cecilia is really afraid that if this goes on, one day I'll lose you, Grandpa!"

As she spoke, little Cecilia thought of some sad memories she didn't want to recall and began to sob softly.

Kapdo hurriedly pulled Cecilia into his arms, gently comforting his crying granddaughter.

"Don't cry, don't cry, my little Cecilia. Grandpa will definitely be fine!"

"You have to believe in Grandpa. Grandpa is almost successful. Once I've recovered this time and finished analyzing this evil god statue, I will surely find a way to break the curse."

"Don't worry, Grandpa will definitely be fine. After all, your grandpa is the most knowledgeable existence in the Holy White Academy. Nothing will happen!"

"Grandpa still wants to watch our little Cecilia grow up. I'll be fine, don't worry!"

Kapdo continuously comforted Cecilia. Although the evil god's power had caused him great harm and what Cecilia feared could very well happen,

Kapdo would not and could not give up. Letting Cecilia research the evil god's curse in the future was even more out of the question.

Kapdo had long made a decision in his heart. Looking at the crying Cecilia in his arms, his determination grew even firmer.

"Everything started because of me. How could I let you, my child, face the darkness alone? Don't worry, little Cecilia, I will definitely find the power to break the curse and eliminate this evil curse."

"I definitely can!"

Lying in Kapdo's arms, Cecilia had no way of knowing the inner thoughts of her closest grandfather.

A fourteen-year-old girl simply didn't want to lose the person she was closest to.