“Bryant, you and Archmage Nelson seem to be getting along quite well, don’t you?” Wes, a bit inebriated, slung an arm around Bryant’s shoulder and chuckled, “You two appeared like long-lost friends, so I didn’t want to intrude.”
“Actually, both of you are no ordinary individuals, and you live longer than most. You ought to get along well in the future… Heh heh! Never mind, I’ll stop talking.”
Wes was clearly tipsy, reeking of alcohol. After hugging Bryant, he slung his arm around William’s shoulder and asked, “William, be honest with me, are you a Soulmancer?”
William responded very affirmatively, “No!”
“I thought so, heh heh!”
Bryant, scrutinizing Wes’s words, already had a grim expression on his face.
Getting along well?
Pah!
Wait a minute!
Archmage Nelson?
There were only three people in Ravenwood who were addressed as Archmage.
Aside from the old mage Kyle, there were his two companions..
Nelson?
Bryant slapped himself across the face, wincing in pain. By the time he looked back at Nelson, his face had turned bitter, “Archmage Nelson, my apologies, I was impertinent just now.”
He finally remembered who Nelson was.
One of the three top experts of the Arcane Society, a high-level Soulmancer.
“It’s fine.” Nelson was still confused, what exactly was Wes talking about? His words were all over the place; there was certainly no instant connection between him and Bryant, not to mention getting along well. This young man really didn’t know how to speak.
Bryant still couldn’t help but ask, “Archmage Nelson, why are you dressed like this?”
“Experiencing life in the real world; is there something wrong with this attire?”
Although Nelson was still adjusting to his current appearance, he felt quite good about his outfit, finding it quite spirited at least.
“Fine! Of course, it’s fine!” Bryant, thinking about his behavior just now, felt his mind buzzing.
He actually had a contest of strength with Nelson, such a high-level Soulmancer…
All three magicians of the Arcane Society were high-level Soulmancer experts, a fact almost universally known in the Soulmancer community.
A mid-level Soulmancer daring to challenge a high-level Soulmancer was truly an overestimation of his own abilities.
Nelson suddenly fixed his gaze on Bryant and asked, “Are you discontent with William?”
“This… it’s not exactly discontent.” Bryant was somewhat unnerved by Nelson’s stare, “Mainly, Director Wenzel asked me to probe whether William is a Soulmancer or not.”
Nelson remembered William stating he wasn’t a Soulmancer.
Clearly, Mr. Johnson intended to conceal his true abilities, not wishing to be disturbed by others.
And how could he let them know that William was the real expert?
If he revealed the truth, wouldn’t more people disturb Mr. Johnson?
He had managed to secure a job in the bookstore after much difficulty; was he supposed to let others share in this good fortune?
While Nelson was a champion of justice, he knew well that encountering Mr. Johnson and receiving his guidance was an extremely rare opportunity. If Mr. Johnson didn’t want others to disturb him, Nelson would certainly not disclose William’s true strength.
“He is not a Soulmancer.”
“Since Archmage Nelson has said he isn’t, then he certainly isn’t. I don’t think there is a need to probe further. I will inform Director Wenzel later.” Bryant was somewhat timid, not daring to speak unnecessarily. He could feel that Nelson seemed to be protecting William. Perhaps William and Nelson were very good friends.
Nelson glanced at William and Zoey sitting across from him.
In his understanding, Zoey’s strength was already quite extraordinary.
With Zoey’s innate divine strength,Warrior God Constitution, coupled with her unique method of enhancing power, apart from? the old archmage Kyle, and about a dozen others who had broken through the high-level Soulmancer level, receiving the inheritance of divine souls and becoming demigods, anyone else, even other high-level Soulmancers, would only face a beating in front of Zoey.
As for William’s strength, Nelson believed that even those who had reached the demigod level might not be his match.
“William, after today’s meal, you are one of us in the 13th Bureau. Let me tell you about our rules.”
“I am not a Soulmancer!” William turned to look at Zoey, wondering how he had become a part of the 13th Bureau.
Zoey said, “I’ll teach you how to become a Soulmancer!”
William, speechless, replied, “I don’t want to learn, alright?”
Zoey’s aura surged as she stared at William, “Don’t force me to take action; I won’t hold back this time.”
She had indeed heard what Nelson and the others had said, but it was no longer important.
William didn’t want to confront Zoey either and reluctantly said, “Alright, teach me.”
He never thought that one day someone would teach him how to become a Soulmancer.
“That settles it, consider yourself inducted. Let me explain our rules to you…” Zoey paused and called out to the back, “Wes!! Come over and explain the rules to him!”
While Zoey indeed was the Director of the 13th Bureau, she was the one who least abided by the rules there, not even knowing what the rules were. Naturally, this task fell to Wes to introduce to William.
Wes, already somewhat tipsy, came over, draped his arm around William’s shoulders, and chuckled, “What rules? Whatever Zoey says is the rule!”
The group of Soulmancers behind joined in the jeering, all having had a bit too much to drink, and who dared to provoke Zoey on a regular day? What Zoey said was the rule; this was already correct. 𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝒎
“You can tell me when you sober up tomorrow.”
After a bout of commotion, William and Zoey, along with the others, exchanged WhatsApp contacts and phone numbers.
William was not the sort to break the rules; if he acted without guidelines, the world would probably fall into chaos.
After bidding farewell to Zoey and the others, William went home by himself. By noon the next day, he had received a transfer from Zoey.
“You only have to treat me to a meal; we are already at the bookstore. When are you coming over?”
At this time, William was still semi-reclining under the plane tree, with Amy feeding rabbits nearby. Upon receiving the message, he stood up and said to Amy, “Amy, aren’t you going to class? I have to go to school.”
Amy, squatting under the tree and looking at William, replied, “I’ll go to class after I finish feeding the ants.”
She had intentionally dropped some bread crumbs while eating and kept them all in her pocket afterward, just to feed the ants.
Amy’s life was also very simple—eating, sleeping, attending classes, feeding rabbits, and feeding ants.
Theo Hughes was watching from across, so Amy wouldn’t get lost. After a word to Amy, William left on his own, greeting Theo Hughes before leaving.
Cozy Book Haven was now opened for business by Nelson. As usual, William skipped his morning classes. As for keeping attendance records, Wyatt and the others had taken care of it reliably for William.
Previously, Wyatt and the others had asked William why he often skipped class, and William’s response was that he had to work to earn money.
This led Wyatt and the others to believe that William came from an impoverished background, and they felt a surge of desire to help him.
Unfortunately, the three roommates were not financially well-off either. Even the money used to attend the dance department’s mixer was provided by William.