William Cavendish, a pitiful Apprentice on the verge of being held back a year.
"William, let me put it this way. Unless you can get a perfect score on the chanting exam after the Saints' Day Festival, you being held back is a done deal."
Kano suddenly felt he had too many problem students under his supervision. In truth, Cavendish's grades in subjects like astronomy and Shaping Power weren't bad. He decided to give the student a chance.
"But I'm not a monster, and your situation isn't *that* terrible. As the chief professor, how about I give you a chance to earn some credit? You can follow our tower's youngest Middle Level Caster in recent years. Broaden your horizons. Watch and learn."
And so, Cavendish traveled overnight to get here. A single Copper Coin might not hire a laborer, but one academic credit could attract a whole flock of apprentices who were literate, numerate, and even knew a few Tricks. Cavendish was exactly that: one-credit cheap labor.
