Mongna Ant Land Cottage, within a sorcerer’s steeple.
Wolban had an audience with his long-unseen mentor, Sorceress Andaya, a woman who exuded a keep-your-distance chill. He knew this was simply her usual demeanor and not aimed personally at him.
At the mentor’s inquiry, Wolban recounted the mission’s events in minute detail.
In the mission, two 3rd Class apprentices from the Hunting Team had perished, and as the team leader, Wolban bore some responsibility.
Hearing his account, Andaya’s gaze grew colder, and even the temperature around seemed to drop slightly.
“Let’s hear your thoughts.”
“I’ve dishonored myself, Mentor.”
“Good, you know shame. Look at what you’ve all done, scrambling around blindly, eyes veiled by greed, saved by others, bailed out by others. Compared to the Enchantment Group, you’re barely fit to be seen.”
“I’m ashamed, Mentor.”
Facing his mentor’s sternness, Wolban was utterly ashamed.
This time he truly had been careless, always led by the nose by the enemy, ultimately only escaping the trap with others’ help, or else he might have perished in the magic stone mine.
“The Kanda magic stone mine situation is indeed exceptional; I will not hold you responsible this time.” Andaya’s icy stare lingered on him before she spoke.
“You have taken great trouble, Mentor.” Wolban felt even more ashamed as the mentor put it this way.
Apprentices might encounter all sorts of strange creatures on missions, and no one could predict what they would face; casualties were always a possibility.
But the rules of the Hunting Team were different. Under Sorcerer Christian’s leadership, the rules were stricter and the unity stronger. The death of two 3rd Class apprentices wasn’t something easily explained away by exceptional circumstances.
Not even having to pay the basic fines now, Wolban knew his mentor must have gone through much trouble.
“If you have something to say, say it. If not, then leave,” Andaya said coldly when she saw his hesitant expression.
“Mentor, about that Ivan Marichardon, the former apprentice of Sorcerer Toyennes, I think there’s no need to move against him anymore, you see—”
“You’ve already made a promise, how can I allow you to break your word?”
“Mentor, it’s not like that.”
Wolban wasn’t presumptuous enough to make decisions for the mentor and quickly explained: “I think he truly has exceptional talent. Coming from the remote Tidal Island, he will likely stand with us eventually. In the future, he will surely be an asset to Sorcerer Christian. Why push him to the sorcerer families’ side?”
“How do you know he will stand with us?”
“He’s a smart man; he naturally knows which side is more beneficial to him. His background destines him to be one of us unless he’s willing to be driven by the sorcerer families. From what I’ve observed, he isn’t that kind of person. He has talent and pride.”
Sorceress Andaya did not refute Wolban’s argument. He was just an apprentice, after all, not worth her worry. Since her own apprentice had judged the situation, she casually acquiesced.
…
The Lidia family castle.
Carmel rushed back home and cornered his sister Heidi in the family library. Ignored by Heidi, he stared at her unblinkingly, attempting to intimidate her with his gaze.
“Carmel, my dear brother, what’s wrong with you?”
Heidi could not help but chuckle as she put down her book and gazed amusingly at him.
“Hmph! Let’s talk outside,” Carmel started to say something but cast a wary look around.
“I’m not going.”
“You must, otherwise—otherwise—” Carmel paused, thinking carefully. He knew he couldn’t win in a fight and complaining would only increase the number of people aware of his mishap, so he failed to present a reason. “Anyway, you have to come with me. We’ve got previous matters to settle.”
“You’re really hopeless.”
Heidi looked at her stubborn-faced brother with indulgence, acceding to his request, and followed him to a gazebo not far from the library.
“Carmel, you wouldn’t happen to be speaking of Ivan, would you? I admit my actions were somewhat improper before. Do you mean to suggest I apologize to him? As you know, that would be impossible.”
“What exactly did you say to Ivan?” Carmel grabbed her wrist and asked in a hushed voice.
Seeing his secretive manner, Heidi’s eyelashes fluttered, and she quickly guessed what her brother wanted to inquire about.
Someone must have tattled.
Previously, in a desperate situation, she hadn’t thought much before speaking. Now, in retrospect, her words did indeed tarnish her brother’s image.
“Which words are you referring to? There were so many,” Ivan asked.
“Ah, so you did say them,” Carmel replied assuredly.
Carmel wasn’t a fool, seeing his sister’s evasive answers, and knowing her as he did, he realized Ivan was telling the truth.
Ah, may it all be destroyed!
How could he ever face Ivan again?
“Carmel, are you alright?” Noticing his distressed demeanor, Heidi asked cautiously.
“My dear sister, how could you slander me in front of my friend like that? Don’t you have anything else to say?” Carmel said through gritted teeth.
“Alright, I apologize,” Heidi said sincerely. “Your eyes did have tears, but since they didn’t fall, it doesn’t count as crying.”
“Don’t you mention it.”
“You have the final say.”
“As an apology, you have to agree to one condition of mine; otherwise, we’re not finished,” Carmel said.
“Also, you must stop bothering Ivan; otherwise, I won’t let it go either,” he added.
Faced with a somewhat irate Carmel, Heidi nodded in agreement to each point, finally soothing him.
Carmel then talked about seeking out Ivan and mentioned his own initiative to do something for him.
“Without doing something, I always feel indebted. It’s all your fault,” he said.
“So, what are you suggesting?” Heidi asked.
“Apart from the Breathing Secret Medicine recipe, I want to do something else for Ivan, but it can’t be too valuable, or he won’t accept it,” Carmel said.
“I’ll think of something for you,” Heidi replied.
Heidi had complex feelings toward Ivan.
At first, she thought he was a schemer trying to get close to and use her brother.
Latter, despite her guidance, her brother still lost to him, which instinctively made her suspect foul play, especially seeing her brother’s face filled with frustration and discontent. She wanted to teach Ivan a harsh lesson, and a suitable opportunity had presented itself.
It wasn’t until their escape from the cage that she realized how wrong she had been about him and acknowledged that he was indeed a person with extraordinary enchantment talent; her brother becoming friends with him was a good thing.
Now that he hadn’t asked for too much, she couldn’t help but respect him more.
…
The exclusive sales area of the academy’s trading zone.
At that moment, Ivan appeared at the window, behind which the same elderly man in an apprentice robe was seated.
“Do you have a recipe for mid-grade magic stone water?” Ivan asked.
“Of course we do,” the old man replied.
“How many credits will it cost me?”
“370 credits,” the man said.
Seeing Ivan’s somewhat familiar manner, the old man was suspicious, but he was not one to turn away a large business deal that came knocking at his door.
As a 3rd Class apprentice himself, the old man did not put on an airs.
“Isn’t the recipe for a 3rd Class mental power potion 300 credits?” Ivan asked in surprise.
“That’s the minimum,” the old man explained. “Different potions have different effects and side effects; naturally, their values cannot be equated. The most valuable recipe can cost up to 500 credits.”
“The mid-grade magic stone water isn’t exceptional in effect but wins because it has few side effects, placing its overall value in the mid-range.”
Ivan realized his mistake; he didn’t have enough credits to start with, and now he was even further from his goal.
“It’s too expensive; I’ll wait until I’ve earned enough credits,” he said.
Upon hearing this, the old man suddenly remembered that this was the impolite newcomer. Just as he thought to scold him, he sensed that Ivan was indeed a 3rd Class apprentice and found himself speechless, only able to watch as Ivan walked away leisurely.