Neither of us spoke for a while. Then, the cold beauty looked at me and parted her lips. "I haven't introduced myself properly, have I? I'm Sylve, a government-affiliated awakened. I specialize in guiding young awakened with unique attributes, among other things. So, nice to meet you, Rin Frost."
I responded calmly, "Nice to meet you too, Ms. Sylve. I'm Rin Frost, a second-year student at the School of Awakened. My field of specialization is—"
"No need for that, Rin. I already know about you. Though I may seem scary, I really hope you'll be honest with me. As you already know, attributes related to chaos are very rare, and those who possessed them in the past caused quite a few problems. Some we handled silently, and some turned into disasters. I assume you know about the Outcall Incident. It was caused by an individual who lost his sanity. Because of cases like that, you're considered a potential threat to the world. But I won't judge you based on that attribute alone. So, tell me—are you interested in becoming my apprentice?"
"Huh?" I was momentarily stunned and let the sound slip from my mouth.
Then I coughed and asked uncertainly, "Become your apprentice? What exactly do you mean by that, Ms. Sylve?"
She answered, "I mean, are you interested in becoming a research apprentice on my spellcraft and magical engineering team? I heard from Julius that you're quite interested in that field."
Now that... was unexpected. Hiding my shock, I asked quietly, "Ms. Sylve, I appreciate your offer, but wouldn't an awakened with a chaos attribute usually be recruited into a combat unit rather than spellcraft?"
"You're right. A combatant with a chaos attribute would be valuable. But it would be even more beneficial if someone like you became a researcher. We could uncover many things about rare and unique aspects while setting an example—showing that awakened with unique attributes don't always have to become combatants. So, what's your answer?"
I was stunned by her reasoning, but I understood it. And I had no reason to refuse. This could help people like me, and I'd finally get to craft the things I'd always wanted to. The answer was obvious.
"I would be delighted to become your apprentice, Ms. Sylve."
"Good! Then you can address me as Master or just Sylve from now on, you know," she said, her tone calm but slightly teasing.
"Of course, Master Sylve. So, what about my school?"
"Ah, that. You don't have to worry. Since you're my apprentice now, you're officially a certified awakened, though you're still a trainee until I decide you're qualified to become a full-fledged researcher. Starting tomorrow, you'll assist with my team's research at my lab. I'll send you the details of our ongoing projects and the lab's location by mail, so arrive early in the morning. If you wish, you can move into our private quarters too."
"I'll gladly take you up on that offer, Master Sylve," I said appreciatively. I mean, who would say no to free lodging and food? Definitely not me!
Then we discussed lab rules, my responsibilities starting tomorrow, and the procedures I'd have to follow due to my rare attributes. She also reminded me once again that I'd be under her watch.
We talked for a while about me moving into the quarters provided by the lab. Eventually, we arrived at my current apartment.
I got out of the PTV and thanked Master Sylve, then went inside to pack my things. After arranging my belongings, I went to thank my neighbors and the friendly cake shop owner. They were quite sad about my departure. Then, a PTV arrived. I carried my things, loaded them, and got in. Since I didn't own much, moving was easy.
Upon arriving at the new quarters, I entered my assigned apartment, unpacked, and arranged my belongings. Then, I went straight to bed, letting my tired body rest.
***
I slept well and woke up early. After freshening up, I prepared a small breakfast and ate it. Then, I got dressed and left the quarters.
Arriving at the lab, I knocked on the door, but there was no response. So, I decided to open the door and step inside.
"Excuse me—"
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed through the lab, sending a shockwave of heat and dust into the air. Smoke curled from the entrance, the scent of burnt mana lingering in the air.
I couldn't quite believe it. The situation felt like something out of a novel. Well, I guess I got a grand entrance.
With that, I walked in and saw a burly man lying on the floor, his face covered in soot. He let out a low curse. "Shit, this isn't how I wanted my first impression to be."
Then he sighed, got up, patted his shirt, and greeted me. "Welcome, Rin. Sorry for the rude welcome. We were trying to compress mana in this storage artifact to simulate a normal mana outburst."
"Paul! The heck are you saying to the kid first thing in the morning? Sorry, Rin! What he meant was that we're trying to generate more energy by creating an artificial mana outburst. It's definitely not for military purposes—it's to solve our energy crisis. We're focused on civilian applications, not the military. Paul, you should really learn how to explain things properly!"
"Ugh, I get it already. Sorry, Rin. It's just like Jenna said. We're creating an artifact that generates energy through artificial mana outbursts. Wait—hey, Jenna, how can you lecture me when you haven't even introduced yourself properly?"
"Gasp! Ah, I totally forgot!" Jenna smacked her forehead. "Sorry, Rin!" The woman turned to me with an apologetic smile. "My name is Jenna, and I'm the lab's in-charge. That idiot over there is Paul, one of our researchers. There are other researchers, but they're not here since it's early. Oh, and you can just call me Jenna—our age gap isn't that big. Anyway, as for what he was doing..."