While on their way back, Angor was still trying to figure out the possible secrets hidden by Lucas. It wouldn’t be mere coincidence that so many supernatural individuals were looking for his traces.
Previously, Angor only wished to ask about Lucas to solve an insignificant suspicion bugging his mind, and whether he could learn a definite answer didn’t matter. But after he saw other supernaturals involved in this matter... he felt his curiosity aroused.
Since he had Lucas’ logbook, he might as well check some of the places mentioned in it.
“Lost Paradise City in the Anrum Monarchy...”
According to the logbook, Lucas fell into great despair because no one believed his stories. He then ended his own life at Lost Paradise City.
But if that was the case, then there was no way Lucas’ corpse would show up at Devil’s Water along with his logbook.
Angor wanted to check the last spot mentioned in the book. In the meantime, he also wanted to keep an eye on the other visitors mentioned by Gurman.
The “bird woman” probably would not come again, but the first visitor who had yet to receive Gurman’s files would probably show up soon.
Charles suddenly coughed badly outside the carriage and interrupted his thoughts.
Angor paid it no mind because the weather was pretty cold right now.
Neet, who was sitting beside him, rubbed his nose and put up an anxious look.
Then Charles coughed again, louder this time.
When Neet saw Angor losing patience and was going to check what was going on, he sighed and moved closer to Angor.
“Sir, Charles wanted to... ask a small favor. I-I-I mean, it’s okay if you don’t want to help.”
Angor raised an eyebrow when he realized what these people were trying to do by all that coughing.
“Go ahead.”
He wasn’t so surprised because he already saw Charles and Neet doing a lot of eye contact before they went to Gurman’s place. Equivalent exchange was always rule number one. Since Charles helped him visit Gurman, he should at least listen to what Charles had to say.
“Um, Charles has always been interested in the world of wizards, but he has no way of going there by himself. Since you’re with us, he wishes that you can give him a little bit of guidance...” Neet’s voice grew smaller at the end of his phrase because he knew this was no “small favor”.
Angor didn’t say anything. Again, he expected this to happen.
His unresponsiveness deepened Neet’s fear, who lowered his head almost to his legs.
Outside the carriage, Charles squeezed his reins due to great stress.
“Hey, Neet,” Angor waited for a while before speaking, “you’ve spent many years on The Limpet, so you must know how difficult it is to get admitted into the wizarding world, right?”
Neet whined.
“The foremost condition is talent. Without talent, you have no hope of studying wizardry. I can certainly give Charles a talent test to return the favor. And yes, if he has talent, I’ll take him to the wizarding world.”
“For real?” Charles poked his head inside and beamed.
“On condition that you have the talent,” Angor emphasized.
“I understand, sir.” Charles took a deep breath. “I’ve read about this matter from some books before. If I’m not talented, I’ll admit my sad fate and inherit my father’s thing.”
“But your father is the mayor of Yothur! You made it sound as if you don’t want that awesome position,” Neet complained.
“I’d rather be set free than bantering with authorities all day.” Charles put on a serious look.
Angor noticed that it wasn’t pretended. It seemed Charles was determined in this.
“Well, it’s kind of my job to look for new talents.” Angor held his chin. “Since we’re going to do such a thing, you might as well help me bring more people who’re interested in becoming wizards. Come to me on Sunday, and I’ll perform the test for all of you.”
Charles’ eyes gleamed in delight. “I have a community at my academy with a bunch of guys with this ambition. Can I bring them all?”
“Sure.” Angor looked at Neet. “This is true to you as well. You can find your friends and take them to—”
He halted his speech since he found it improper to bring strangers to Erwin’s house without asking Erwin first.
“We can use my house,” Charles suggested.
“You mean the mayor’s residence? We’ll go there then.”
This might cause the test to become unfair since only nobility could participate, but it didn’t matter to Angor since it was usually more likely to discover talents among nobles and elites who enjoyed more resources.
But still, powerful talents could show up occasionally among common people.
“Is there a condition for who can take the test?” asked Charles.
“There’s only one, that everyone should be below the age of 30. As long as this fits, you can bring anyone. The rich or the poor, your choice.”
It was possible for people above 30 to discover their talents, but their matured minds could have a harder time studying meditation. Also, the age requirement was defined by Brute Cavern.
Charles acknowledged this matter with a big smile as if he knew he would succeed.
However, he didn’t get to keep his joyful mood when it was finally the day.
On Sunday, the main hall of the mayor’s mansion was crowded with elderly elites, while younger ones waited outside the door, looking at more and more people joining them from the entrance.
The message of Angor’s talent test was known by citizens throughout the city almost instantly, including those living in slum areas.
Right now, there were commoners who occupied a small corner of the mansion, while several people wearing rags wandered at the edge of the group, oblivious of the complaints and accusations directed at them.
Mayor Richard was pacing back and forth with a really anxious look. His son, Charles, was currently taking the test. If his son did return as a talented one, his family would undoubtedly receive greater fame and wealth.
Richard kept glancing at a curtain, behind which was the room designated for the test.
“Oh goodness. Yothur City finally welcomed a mighty wizard? There was a wizard who was recruiting at an eastern coastal city ten years ago and my son missed it. I got to seize this chance,” a lady wearing a beautiful wide-brimmed hat said to her partner.
“Why would Mister Wizard allow these scums inside though? I sure don’t want to breathe the tainted air if not for my daughter!”
“Stop it! I saw Mister Wizard earlier. He’s not exactly a nobleman, telling from his clothes. He won’t like what you said.”
Startled, the lady who discriminated against common civilians quickly used her fan to cover her powdered face.
The curtain to the testing area was moved aside as Charles walked into the hall. Richard quickly went to his son. He didn’t have to ask anything upon seeing Charles’ pale look.
“Guess this is our fate then.” Richard sighed helplessly.
Seeing Charles slumping down on a chair with great depression that didn’t fit with his usual manners, the chatting people in the hall all quieted down.
“Even the mayor’s son failed... Is the test very difficult?”
“Oh my... I wonder if my daughter will be okay.”
More time elapsed as groups of people came and left in disappointment.
From morning to dusk, Angor had tested on almost a thousand candidates and found not a single talented one.
Everyone, including Angor, wasn’t feeling very pleased with this. Angor was just reminded of the difficulty of discovering talents. Finding Tulu on The Limpet was some serious luck that could not be repeated.
The mansion finally regained its peace as the last person left the testing room, after which Angor showed up and yawned. He basically wasted a day.
No wonder people all avoid taking this job... he thought.
He moved to the center of the hall and saw two noblewomen questioning the reliability of the test openly.
“Is this a scam? How come that my brilliant son failed the test?”
“It must be! My daughter said she was chased out when she only poked at some crystal ball. What kind of test is that? I heard that all wizards loved knowledge, so I told her to read a lot of literature. So it was all useless? This test is unsanctioned, I say!”
“It isn’t wise to be a bigmouth, ladies,” he said as he tossed two nightmare energy beams at them.
The ladies suddenly pointed at each other and began screaming.
“What-what’s happening to your face?? Your mouth-don’t eat me, ahhhhh!”
The other bystanders quickly realized what was going on and decided not to test Angor’s limit. When they saw Angor not doing anything else in particular, they found their excuses and left the mansion, except for the ladies’ husbands who approached Angor with the look of both pleading and fear.
“A true nobleman, or noblewoman in this case, does not forge lies or false accusations without receiving punishment. This small punishment will go away after a month,” Angor said this and turned away.
The mayor seemed to have something to tell him, but he didn’t give the man a chance to talk. With a swift move, he triggered the flying effect on his boots and went into the sky.
Toby came to him to deliver a message just now, that the man he was waiting for had arrived.