116 The Seven Schools of Music

The Royal Academy of Music had continued the tradition of having one public lecture per week for centuries. Every student could attend, regardless of major, school, or year. Sometimes, famous musicians or scholars would hold lectures to share their research or explorations with students, but nobody had put much effort into their lectures over recent years. It had become an empty tradition.

The professors wanted to keep their findings exclusive, and only shared things that everyone already knew. Now, the public lectures were just a group of important people coming to move their lips. Other than textbook material that everyone knew, they would also say useless things like "work hard!" and "don’t give up!"

As expected, fewer students came every year. Now, it became a blow-off class for students who had cut class and needed extra points. But today, the classroom was no longer empty. Instead, it was filled to the max. In the crowded classroom, there were even students sitting in the aisles. But no one in the crowd spoke. It was silent except for the gentle voice from the podium.

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The academy had always upheld a strict etiquette system to produce students with the mannerisms of an elite. The etiquette system touched upon things like sitting posture, and was enforced throughout the Academy. The crazy dogs of the student council executive office made sure that the system was followed to a T.

Every lecturer would stand behind the podium. Even a saint had to be polite and spirited, unable to show any weakness or laziness, but today, there was a chair behind the podium. A girl sat on the walnut chair, her feet hidden under her dress. The dress that rested on the ground was spotless. She looked nothing like a famous history scholar or renowned explorer. Instead, she looked like an eighteen year old girl—Lola Caput.

Her skin was pale, as if she had a chronic illness, but her hair was golden and her long locks fell past her delicate neck to her chest. It looked like a beam of sunlight falling on plain brocade.

She leaned back in the chair, explaining the content of her lecture in a gentle voice. Sometimes, she would get excited and start coughing. When her servant offered her medicine, she would refuse. After catching her breath, she would begin lecturing again.

The students were silent. Everyone focused on her. Even if they whispered, they tried to be quiet, not wanting to interrupt her. They could not help but look into her eyes.

Most who could enter the Royal Academy of Music were the best of the best. They had seen much of the world. They were bored of elite ladies’ caked makeup and had seen enough of weak girls who needed to be protected, but they had never seen a pair of eyes like these. They were like an emeralds in a mirror. They were filled with refined beauty when still, and when they moved, they shone an intoxicating light. They were close yet unreachable.

Nine years ago, an elite girl from a fallen family had been physically weak since childhood and had become a musician. She began researching the Dark Age, becoming a researcher of the Dark Age history.

In the beginning, everyone who heard this thought it was a joke. It was clear that this girl had a disadvantage compared to the exploration musicians who could enter deep into the Dark World. Her weak physique could not survive the harsh conditions of explorations. She also could not enter archeologist sites to search for ancient texts and evidence. All she could do was organize and decipher the texts that had been discovered. Everybody knew that research of the languages from the Dark Age had not progressed in the last three hundred years.

"Was she sitting at home, waiting for research results to fall from the sky?" some people asked. But quickly, the mockery and doubts shattered after she successfully deciphered the first chapter of Voynich’s Manuscript. Numerous scholars had been defeated by this manuscript; countless people spent their entire lives trying to decode it to no avail, but it was deciphered by a frail and sickly girl. The scholars who had doubted Lola’s ability were slapped in the face by reality. Many quit their research in humiliation and anger.

After deciphering the first chapter of Voynich’s Manuscript, she found the foreword of the Emerald Tablet, a legendary alchemy manuscript that had been sealed for centuries, and filled in the missing parts of the Baidi Yinfujing. Over the next few years, this girl, who rarely ventured outside, would create a storm in the academic world every now and then with her findings.

Five years ago, she accepted the title of Honorary Professor from Principle Maxwell. Every now and then, she would choose a day to hold a public lecture. Every time, the lecture hall would be packed. Within the last five years, more and more students decided to explore the Dark World after graduation. Miss Lola’s influence was undeniable. But this time, the woman did not lecture about material that was way above their level. Instead, she followed the suggestions of some professors and decided to fill these impetuous and impatient students in on the basics.

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"When the Dark Age ended, the original Three Kings established an entirely new musician system on top of the School of Classics. They divided musicians into three levels: Musician level, Resonance level and Scepter level. These three levels could be further divided into nine sub-levels. This is the nine levels of musicians that we now know.

"For everyone present, the most important is undoubtedly the Musician level. After your initial learning and research, I’m sure you can all successfully enter the Rhythm level in a few years.

"From here, your basic knowledge will enter a professional level. All students must choose the School that suits you best. This is the most important choice a musician will make in his life. Of course, the Royal Academy of Music had already chosen the field for you based on your natural skills. All you have to do is follow the course." At the podium, Miss Lola pursed her lips ever so slightly, as if disagreeing with this method of teaching. But she hid it well, smiling gently.

Pausing, she waved a hand and a tree diagram appeared on the blackboard behind her. Below the same foundation, seven branches reached in different directions. Sometimes, they would combine or overlap. Other times, they were like parallel lines, staying far away from each other. "Today, I will lecture about the seven major schools of musicians."

Lola said, "The so-called seven major schools is a classification system suggested by the third pope. They represent directions of research. Through the years, musicians have added and revised the school, forming seven different paths and fields.

"They are the ones we know today: Modifications, Summoning, Choir, Revelations, Illusions, Mind and Abstinence. You may think that there’s nothing to this, right?

"Even an idiot knows this, right? Musicians from the School of Modifications can cast electricity and frost, Summoning can control demons and beasts, and Choir can heal like a doctor. Revelations are eccentric. They can predict dangers and avoid trouble. Illusions musicians can manipulate illusions, and the School of Mind can control the mind…The School of Abstinence can restrain the previous six schools, but it’s hard to truly become an expert and has many flaws.

"There is another School that combines two or even three schools, producing unimaginable power…You have all heard of this before and don’t need anyone to repeat it. So today, I want to tell you something deeper." She paused. Her eyes were no longer light, but dark and serious. Now, she was not a girl anymore. Standing before her podium, she was standing in her field of expertise. Expression stern, she was ready to explain the reason behind the phenomenon to these confused students.

"The seven schools all have unique core principles and goals. This is something no musician can get around. A musician only has to consider it after entering the Resonance level, or even the Scepter level. But if you only start thinking about it then, it’ll be too late.

"No matter what school it is, in the end, it’s all to search for the Originator, but all seven schools have different starting points and direction of research. They are different in performance, function and final goal.

"Here’s an example. The School of Modifications uses changes in matter to create effects such as fire, frost and electricity. It has terrifying destructive power. But actually, they research the relationship between the nature of all organisms.

"The School of Summoning explores the nature of demons and catastrophes. That is why they take out a piece of their personality and consciousness to raise beasts and demons. When a musician groups aether, these pieces can come together to form phantom beasts.

"The most common school for the church is the School of Choir. They focus on the source of all life. That is why they are talented in healing. But do not forget that there is a branch of the School of Choir that researches the nature of death. So if you don’t want to die from a strange illness or have your organs fail randomly, please do not anger these seemingly harmless ‘musician doctors.’

"The School of Revelations works to unveil the future. They are skilled in analyzing, researching, and exploring. They can decipher and read ancient texts and music scores. They are also known as the School of Scholars. Almost all explorers who venture into the Dark World come from this school, including yours truly. The majority of developments in Dark Age research were found by Revelations musicians digging in the ruins.

"The two schools that are feared because of their appearance are… Illusions and Mind…"

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Here, she slowed down, as if distracted by something in the crowd. Finally, she stopped. Brows furrowing, she looked to the back of the classroom. Her expression changed when she saw the youth who was stuffing his face with food. "That student, yes, the one with white hair…the student who’s eating! I’m sorry, but are you listening?"