The dorms for newly inducted First Rank apprentices were located on the sixth through ninth floors, but most people stayed on the sixth.
Saul had thought that once he returned to his room, a servant would soon deliver his textbooks and other materials. What he hadn’t expected was to see a familiar face waiting outside the door of Room 604.
Sid, the Second Rank apprentice who had overseen the testing, was standing there with arms crossed, gazing at Saul, who was walking alongside Keli.
His face was full of ridicule.
Saul’s heart tightened. He quickly glanced toward the hardcover book on his left shoulder.
The book was floating there obediently, showing no signs of opening on its own.
He let out a sigh of relief, then steeled himself and walked forward under Sid’s icy gaze.
“Senior, were you looking for me?” Saul lowered his head slightly, eyes fixed on Sid’s hands.
Second Rank apprentices generally had no business here.
Many new apprentices were already stirred by the scene, standing at a distance and watching with shock and suspicion.They had been deeply shaken by Sid’s method of killing the fat boy earlier. For kids who came from outside, even being bystanders to such things was a nightmarish experience.
Even Keli stood three meters away, watching the scene with a blank expression.
Sid uncrossed his arms, and the sneer on his face only deepened.
He leaned forward, lowering his mouth right over Saul’s head, “I know how you cheated your way through the test.”
Saul’s eyes shot up, glancing at Sid from a sharp angle.
“But I won’t revoke your apprentice qualification.” Sid straightened up again, arms folded, his tone seemingly relaxed.
“Did you know? People who have mental aptitude but no magical aptitude… only die the worst deaths! Hahahaha…”
Sid didn’t bother to lower his voice. Saul could already hear people behind him beginning to murmur.
“I’m really looking forward to the news of your death. If you die nicely enough, I wouldn’t mind turning your corpse into a wax figure and putting it on the fourth floor as a warning to those lowly servants.”
“Don’t. Even. Think! About it!”
A wave of numbness rushed from Saul’s scalp to his toes.
Sid looked very satisfied with the pale color that had drained from Saul’s face. He took half a step back, admiring Saul as if admiring a work of art.
“Well then, looking forward to our next meeting.”
With a final sneer, his expression turned completely cold as he turned and walked away.
Every apprentice in the corridor stepped aside, pressing themselves against the walls, terrified of blocking the senior’s path in any way.
Only once Sid disappeared around the bend in the ramp did Saul finally let out a long breath. The stiffness in his limbs slowly began to fade.
He lowered his head, preparing to return to his room, not bothering to look at the expressions around him. They couldn’t be anything good.
Becoming a wizard apprentice had been his choice. He knew his talent and aptitude weren’t great. So, even if he had to endure others’ doubts and ridicule, Saul would not give up.
He reached out to open the door, but another hand slammed onto the door panel.
Saul looked up and saw Duke’s twisted face.
“Shanqi… he died because of trash like you?” Duke’s chest was heaving. “People without talent have no right to learn wizardly! Go rot and mold in the servant’s quarters where you belong!”
A flame surged from Saul’s heart, so hot it felt like smoke was rising in his throat.
Saul suddenly thrust out his left hand.
The white skeletal hand clamped down hard on Duke’s head, like grabbing a leather ball!
Hair, skin, all sank slightly under the pressure of the bone, even his skull started making brittle cracking sounds.
Duke’s mouthful of curses turned into a wail.
“Ah! Aaaah! AHHHH—!”
Under Saul’s enormous, irresistible strength, Duke was gradually crushed to his knees.
“The ones who die… are the real trash!” Saul growled through gritted teeth.
He looked up at the crowd in the corridor, all with different expressions, and began to squeeze harder.
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
Duke’s cries became even sharper, like a needle piercing everyone’s brain.
People couldn’t help but back away.
But then, a hand suddenly landed on Saul’s left arm.
Saul, eyes bloodshot, turned his head and saw that Keli had somehow appeared behind him.
She looked at him nonchalantly, as if Saul wasn’t killing someone but merely eating a meal.
Keli raised the Apprentice Rulebook in her hand and waved it in front of Saul’s eyes.
“Rule Three: Apprentices may not kill one another. Violators will be flayed.
If you really want to kill him, let’s do it somewhere more private next time.”
She didn’t lower her voice, letting both Saul and the kneeling Duke hear her clearly.
Maybe it was Keli’s cool tone, maybe the light breeze from the fluttering book. Saul felt the fire inside him settle a little.
He let go, watching Duke, face etched with deep finger marks, roll and crawl away into the crowd.
“You’re right.” Saul stared at Duke’s fleeing back and said loudly, “Next time, somewhere quiet. I’ll finish the job!”
He no longer looked at the gazes of those around him. He pushed open the door and stepped into his dorm.
Just as he turned to shut the door, Keli suddenly ducked low and slipped under his arm.
Saul’s movement paused for a beat, then he slowly closed the door.
“You didn’t even bring your belongings?” Keli clasped her hands behind her back, taking a stroll through Saul’s room.
Saul said nothing.
Keli circled back in front of him. They were both teenagers, but she seemed just a bit taller than Saul.
“So how did you cheat? Pretended to faint and skipped the magic test?”
Saul turned his head away.
Keli circled back to face him. “Your magic aptitude isn’t good, is it?”
“Hmph!”
Toward the only person who had stood beside him, Saul didn’t lose his temper, just gave a nasal grunt.
“Poor magic aptitude is a bit tricky. You might not even be able to cast a few spells before burning out,” Keli said flatly, “But your mental aptitude was still the strongest among everyone who tested that day.”
She suddenly extended her right hand toward Saul.
“Geniuses should walk alongside other geniuses. Hello, I’m Keli, first place in the magic aptitude test.”
“…Saul.”
After a pause, Saul placed his right hand in hers.
…
Out of nowhere, he’d gained a completely inexplicable friend.
After Keli left, Saul sat at his desk, recalling that overly dramatic scene just now and couldn’t help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
But he quickly calmed down.
Unlike Keli, who still wore the title of genius, his reputation for cheating would likely spread all over.
But Saul had no time to worry about others’ opinions. To become an apprentice, he was now entangled in a mystery even he couldn’t fully grasp.
That earlier rage, more than anything, had come from fear of Sid.
Now that rationality had returned—
Saul tore a page from his notebook and began writing down names.
Brown.
Sid.
Kongsha.
Keli.
Duke.
Brown had been targeting him from the start. It all seemed like someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.
Next to Brown’s name, Saul wrote: Enemy.
Sid had a deep hostility toward Saul. Saul even suspected Sid might be the one behind Brown.
The hardcover book had warned Saul: Sid would try to kill him after the magic aptitude test. And today, Sid had blocked him at his door and spread word of his so-called “cheating”…
Next to Sid’s name, Saul wrote: Sworn Enemy.
Sadly, this sworn enemy wasn’t someone Saul had any way to fight… not yet.
Fortunately, now that he was a wizard apprentice, the other side likely couldn’t attack him openly either.
“Next up… Kongsha.” Saul softly read the name of the one who had changed his fate.
Next to Kongsha’s name, he drew a question mark.
Kongsha’s terrifying appearance, her mysterious methods all made Saul deeply wary. He still had no idea what she wanted from him.
So weak… all he could do was take one step at a time.
He skipped Keli’s name and went to the final one.
Duke.
Even after venting earlier, just seeing this name still ticked him off.
He lifted the pen and quickly scribbled next to it: Dumbas—
Knock knock knock!
A knock at the door cut him off. Saul crumpled the paper and stuffed it into his pocket.
He opened the door.
A beautiful girl of seventeen or eighteen stood before him, dressed in an extremely revealing maid outfit. Back arched, chest out, she pushed a cart in a pose that would drive most boys wild.
Piled on the cart were stacks of books, school supplies, and living essentials, half as tall as a person.
She lowered her head and smiled sweetly at Saul, her angle picture-perfect. “Good afternoon, Master Saul. These are the books and tools you’ll need for your studies. Would you like me to help you move them in?”
Saul took hold of the cart handle. “No need. Thank you.”
The maid gave a deep bow, her chest almost brushing Saul’s nose.
“Would the Master like me to provide… any other services?”
(End of Chapter)