Mara waved a hand to lift the spells inflicted on everyone, while still carrying a great joy within him.
He wasn’t even offended in the least when Leon asked him about what just happened with panic and in an improper manner. Instead, he started explaining about the world of wizards with a big smile.
“The Binding Charm and Ward of Silence I just used on you are lesser, or elementary, wizardry spells.
“Wizardry is a mysterious system created by combining one’s natural talent and knowledge system. Those who can wield wizardry are called wizards.”
The moment Mara mentioned the word “wizard”, there seemed to be a strange feeling inside Angor’s mind, an unspeakable force, that was pushing him into the unknown distance.
That distance was called the truth – a belief which wizards spent their entire lives in pursuit of.
Once this feeling came into being, it would be difficult to snuff it out.
Angor didn’t know why he was suddenly keen on exploring the distance. Maybe all the views taught by Teacher over the last decade were calling to him? Or was it just a passing fancy?
He didn’t know, but he did not suppress the thirst either. He carefully put it away inside his mind as if folding a delicate and valuable book, waiting to re-open it someday.
Maybe Mara’s mood was just too great, but when he looked at everyone’s curiosity and respect towards him, plus the fact that his grandchildren were about to become Apprentice Wizards now, he began to explain the culture and system of the wizards’ world generously, without the intention to hide anything.
Wizard was only a general name for talented people. However, not every talented one could become a wizard.
Even Mara himself could not be called a wizard yet. “Apprentice Wizard” was the name he must use for now.
If someone systematically analyzed all wizards, then 99% of them would be apprentices. Only less than 1% of the talents could successfully break through their limitations and ascend into becoming wizards who aimed to pursue truth and realizing their personal values.
This simple explanation was enough to show everyone how difficult it was to become a wizard.
During the explanation, Mara also spoke about the world they were currently in – the Old Earth.
The name “Old Earth” was a joke for wizards from the Fey Land. Only wizards who were born here would use this name, while the other ones had another name for it: The Marginalized Island.
This piece of world was not large. For locals, they might be spending their lives if they wanted to see every part of it. But for wizards who can set their eyes upon tens of thousands of different planes, the Old Earth could only be seen as an island of moderate size.
It was called the “Marginalized” island because of the lack of active elements in the air, not its location. Here, elemental wizards had to spend more energy on absorbing inert elements to fight someone, which was obviously inefficient.
For this reason, elemental wizards basically called this place the “dead land”. Talents that once lived here all moved away, thus its name.
Of course, in the enormous wizardry system, wizards that focused on elements were only a small part, so not all wizards had to go away. But no matter which direction a wizard chose, he or she would always know an elemental spell or two, so why bother staying here when there were better places to go?
So here, “marginalized” meant that this place was cast aside by wizards.
“I came here to bring Alan and Aleen back to the Fey Continent and join the White Coral Floating Island Academy. I didn’t expect to encounter my destiny to break into High Apprentice along the way, all thanks to Viscount Padt,” Mara stroke his white beard which grew all the way in front of his chest. His eyes squinted out of joy. “Before we leave, if Viscount Padt has any trouble on your mind, by all means, tell me. There are not many things I can’t do in this Old Earth.”
This was obviously for repaying the kindness of giving him the Morning Dew, or a claim to pay the favor so they could be even as fast as possible.
Leon was still lost in the world of wizards he just heard and wasn’t responding, until Count Eton woke him up.
Eton said, “I heard that Mister Leon will be going to Waterford next month, to officially inherit the title of a viscount. The Padt Family have been guarding the shoreline defenses and supplying the vanguard camps which is a great contribution towards the knights fighting against Heylan. If the emperor hears about this, I believe the travel to Waterford can be omitted.”
Of course. If the Morn Family said the word, Leon would have no problem becoming a hereditary count himself!
It should have been Mara’s personal favor, and apparently Eton was trying to make it otherwise—to cut the deal in the name of Morn Family. If Leon agreed to this, what Mara owed him could be considered clean.
Leon was young but not dull. The Morn Family was powerful, but it was only a big family of Goldspink Empire; Mara might be only one man, but another whole, amazing world stood behind him.
Naturally, Leon wouldn’t accept Eton’s suggestion.
Leon considered for a while. Before he could speak though, Angor gave him a gentle nudge on the leg below the tabletop. He looked aside and saw Angor trying to say something and kept hesitating.
Leon quickly understood and spoke to Mara, “The Morning Dew was originally my brother’s possession. I’ll let him make the decision.”
Eton raised an eyebrow and gave Leon a thoughtful look. Rumors had it that the two brothers of the Padt Family shared a bad relationship, which was obviously not the case. Leon must love his brother much because he just gifted such a priceless opportunity to Angor.
Since Leon made up his mind, Eton did not say anything further.
Now everyone had their attention on Angor who had been silent until now.
He didn’t show any hint of pressure even when all five people were looking at him. He presented himself as a completely noble gentleman. Besides, his teacher also taught him of the “men of virtue” in China, so now Angor not only stayed calm, his every expression carried a gentle temperament.
“Speaking of trouble, I’m not sure if my brother has any. As for me… I have two. A bigger one which has been bothering me for a long time, and a smaller one, which I just found out and is negligible,” Angor looked towards Mara. “If Mister Mara would help me with the big one, it won’t be necessary to look at the other.”
“Let’s hear about your big trouble then,” Mara asked.
On the inside, Mara felt eased when Leon directed the topic to Angor. A child grown under the protection of the family couldn’t possibly have any serious problems. Maybe he was in love with some lady and was too shy to speak up? Yeah that might be a big trouble for the kid, but everyone else would just think it as a fuss.
Leon on the other hand, sighed silently. The moment Angor mentioned “big trouble”, he knew what Angor was going to say. It seemed Angor had decided to give this great opportunity to his teacher, Jon.
As expected, Angor made it straightforward. “It’s about my mentor, Jon. My father accepted him into our family 20 years ago, and he has been teaching me knowledge and wisdom since then. But his health is getting weaker by the day…”