5.1 KiB
The Good Student - Chapter Twenty One
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Author: u/jimbarino *
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URL: https://royalroadl.com/fiction/10286/the-good-student/chapter/144657/chapter-twenty-one
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Score: 36
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Created: 2017-06-25T17:16:28
Post:
Comments:
u/KilotonDefenestrator [+9] (2 hours later)
I liked the not-ghost scene; "lets ask the dead" gets you information all too easy in some stories. Interrogating the afterimage this way was a very nice angle.
u/None [+2] (2 hours later)
[deleted]
u/Noumero [+16] Self-Appointed Court Statistician (3 hours later)
I think that's intentional. Nic has been stated as being out of his depth on at least three occassions now, by himself, Simole, and Mr. Delcroix. What just happened is clearly not a quest of his level, not a story in which he is supposed to be the main character, so it's only natural he just helplessly stands by as events quickly happen. I think it's going to slow down significantly soon.
Then again, I've been thinking that for three chapters already...
u/Not_Just_You [+1] (2 hours later)
Is it just me
Probably not
u/Kodix [+19] (14 hours later)
We ain't too friendly with AI 'round these here parts. Y'all might wanna watch where ya step, bot.
u/UltraRedSpectrum [-1] (33 minutes later)
I'm pretty sure that last decision disqualifies Nic as a rationalist protagonist.
u/cathemeralman [+31] (2 hours later)
I think that judgement is a little harsh.
If the story thus far has taught Nic anything, it's that he's been out of his depth since the beginning. I myself (and I think most other readers) originally thought Nic would get training by assisting Tenner with research. Instead, Nic was used and manipulated by Tenner, and his attempts to outmaneuver Tenner ended in complete failure. Simole is now stuck in a hell full of demons, from which she is unlikely to return. Nic's attempts to circumvent the social obstacles to his education would have been a failure too, if Minister Delcroix hadn't stepped in.
Now the most dangerous mage in the country, who is supposed to be locked up for treason, shows up and offers to train him. This is the same person who treated his daughter like a tool since infancy and shows little to no sadness over having lost "his sword." He's offering to "sharpen" Nic into a new one.
Even if you ignore the parallels to the Tenner fiasco this situation must present to Nic, anyone with a modicum of emotional intelligence could see that the Archmage plans to essentially use Nic, and that that is unlikely to end well for him.
Choosing to be whisked away by the wanted, dangerous Archmage who is likely to manipulate you for his own (in fairness, probably worthwhile) ends is just about the least rational thing Nic could do at this point.
u/entropizer [+12] (an hour later)
To be fair, the Archmage is kind of a sketchy guy.
u/TwoxMachina [+8] (2 hours later)
He still should try to learn by himself. IDK why he doesn't want to study Arcanum, when he studies everything else.
u/ShiranaiWakaranai [+9] (11 hours later)
Remember, Arcanum in this world comes with side-effects that damage one's health. Being the avid reader that he is, it wouldn't surprise me if Nic knew about this and that factored into his choice in not going down the path of Arcanum.
u/jimbarino [+11] (2 hours later)
Maybe he will now. He seemed to have the idea that his lack of aptitude meant he couldn't do it. This seems a little contradictory from his 'study everything like crazy till you get good at it' approach, but hopefully the archmage's words will snap him out of his belief that arcanum is somehow different.
u/yagsuomynona [+4] (6 hours later)
And it's a better story for it
u/TheIssac [+1] (2 hours later)
Talking to a dragon... talking to an archmage and saying no... thats kind of out of character for nic , at least for the nic we learned about in the first few chapters... but then again i dont like the way the story turns in the last few chapters and hope it goes back to a more rational scope. Hes a bookworm and stickler, making him interesting and refreshing as a character but now in this chapter you could take him out and put harry potter (or any other generic fantasy story mc) into his position and it would be the same... still i see a lot of potential and hope that this was now only to give him another naive target to follow ( or more like just the next girl to follow). Thus going back to worldbuilding and showing his character again like in the first 15 chapters...
u/Iconochasm [+7] (10 hours later)
No, I still see Nic. He's learned a bit about pushing things, from the Minister and the Headmaster, but he was far more circumspect and respectful about it than Harry would ever have been.
u/hoja_nasredin [+1] Dai-Gurren Brigade (a day later)
when you are in an overhelming situation you hardly stay the same as your usual self.