Angor watched on as Mara performed his spell. He believed that the great wizard would save his teacher without a doubt.
Leon looked at Angor with kindness. He somewhat complained that his brother had wasted this great chance on Jon, but when he thought about those contributions Jon made towards the Padt Family, those regrets simply went away. As long as his little brother was happy, this was worth it.
They had different mindsets, but they all believed that Jon’s chronic illness could be dealt with.
However… realism always escaped expectations.
When the green aura disappeared from Jon, Angor quickly stepped up to ask Mara about the situation. However, Leon stopped him—Mara was already raising his crystal ball again, but his once relaxed expression had changed into a grim and doubtful one.
Even the great wizard could not help Teacher? So Teacher became like this because the Gaia’s Consciousness was rejecting someone from another world after all?
No! It cannot be!
Angor’s surging hope began to sway.
After a while, Mara stopped his casting.
He could not understand. He did not find any illness on Jon’s body, and the result of the spell also told him that everything was fine.
Everything was fine? That right there was the biggest problem.
Anyone with eyes could see Jon’s emaciated figure; only someone that was sick beyond hope could be like this. Jon was only 50, so such an aged body was undoubtedly abnormal.
Still, he could not find anything unusual!
Maybe he was cursed by some evil wraith? With that in mind, Mara spread his spirit power towards Jon. Any traces of abnormalities could be easily captured in this way.
… No. Nothing. Again.
Mara was completely stumped this time. He broke through into High Apprentice merely a moment ago and had not begun to learn about Level-3 cantrips. He used everything he knew about detecting illness and none of them worked on Jon.
He no longer knew what to do.
Mara glanced at Angor whose expression was filled with worry now and he felt a bit embarrassing. He had already made his promise like a big shot, but now the truth was showing otherwise.
He cleared his throat and gave Angor an apologetic look.
“I’m afraid I don’t have the means to cure your teacher at the moment. I’ve done my inspection. There’s nothing wrong with his body, and that means I can’t do anything on that matter,” Mara explained. He then changed the subject, “However… he does seem seriously ill, so there might be a problem about his spirit or his soul.”
Angor recalled what his teacher told him before. Jon’s body was fine, the wilting of his organs was because of the Gaia’s Consciousness.
Mara did not say anything about the Gaia’s Consciousness, but he did mention that Jon’s body was good. So it must be his spirit or soul then?
The Gaia’s Consciousness was harming Teacher’s soul?
Mara did not realize that his words, added with Angor’s own cogitation, had created a similar conclusion. Correct or not, Angor already believed it in some way.
“Then, a problem with the soul or spirit cannot be cured?” asked Angor with a worried tone.
“There are ways. But I cannot do that as of now,” answered Mara. He sighed helplessly, “I might help him if I’m to become a real wizard, but as an apprentice, there’s nothing I can do.”
“So, a true wizard can cure my teacher?” Angor persisted.
“I cannot take mindless guesses on what the great wizards can do, but saving a common man shouldn’t be a problem. Even if he’s dead, the great wizards can save his soul from the eternal darkness.”
“Um… When will Mister Mara become a true wizard?”
Mara was surprised by this question. He then shook his head with a bitter smile. “It took me nearly 60 years to become a Level-3 Apprentice Wizard… A real wizard? Not in my life, I’m afraid. That’s not something you can achieve with the pass of time.”
Mara gave Angor a brief explanation about the states for wizards. One’s talent determined how fast he or she could become a wizard. Once that happened, talent would no longer play an important part. However, talent was extremely critical as long as one had not become a formal wizard. Someone could do it with a few years of training, while others could train for their entire lives without going beyond level-1 apprentice. This was the difference caused by talent and destiny.
Mara always believed that he was utilizing the most of his talent, and he could only rely on destiny to become a formal wizard. However, destiny was not something one could ask for. Besides, it was almost always accompanied by great danger.
Most known destinies were gained by risking lives. Rarely any destinies were easily taken—unless someone accidentally bumped into their luck, like what Mara just went through.
Mara’s words put despair into Angor’s mind. Formal wizards… An extinct sight in the Old Earth. How should he find any?
Everyone was speechless. Leon put a hand on Angor’s shoulder to comfort him. It was about the only thing he could do right now.
Some moments later, Mara spoke again, “You said you had two troubles on your mind. I can’t help you with Jon now, so how about telling me the other one?”
The other trouble… Something flashed through Angor’s mind. According to Mara, a formal wizard could cure Teacher and someone with great talent could become a formal wizard without spending much time…
Great talent? If he could become a real wizard himself, he could help Jon!
This “other trouble” Angor mentioned was about his curiosity towards people with supernatural powers, and the desire to follow their steps.
He wanted to become a wizard too!
“Mister Mara, can I become your student and learn wizardry?” asked Angor earnestly.
Mara was surprised by this for quite a while before he let out a hearty laughter.
“Wizardry is not something that simple. Talent is the first and foremost condition you must have. I’ve traveled around the empire and tested on nearly ten thousand people, and my grandchildren are the only ones with talent. See? This is very rare.”
Angor did not back up, “Mister Mara, can you please check on me and see if I have talent?”
Mara looked at Angor up and down and nodded, “This is quite simple. I can even look at everyone in the Padt Manor if you want. Let’s consider this a return of your favor then.”
Mara’s seemingly generous offer also contained a will to help the Padt Family train talented wizards. However, considering how scarce they were, it was already extremely hard to find one single talent, let alone do it in this small family!
Besides, giving such tests did not really cost Mara anything. He only needed a medium, and mediums could be reused without taking any loss.
His mission to the Old Earth was to look for talents for the academy, so the academy had given him mediums. Helping Angor with the test meant that he would be rid of the favor for free.