Six months passed since Thirteen starts learning about magic. He woke up every morning to start the practices to manipulate mana and then go to his chore until noon. He continues to practice for an hour and then does his chores again until dusk. Before sleep, the practice again. He repeated the routines every day.
Wesley already skipped town and disappeared five months before. Dunn said they actually found a note hidden inside books and believed those strange writing are actually a secret letter. He already ran away alone leaving Dunn that very night with the note.
Dunn was devastated the whole week because of Wesley's betrayal. Thirteen actually found those note before and after SECOND finished deciphered it shown magic equations. He already has a record and left the note alone. The note is worthless for commoners.
Thirteen stands from his meditation, " I been doing this for months. It not a fool dream but the result is not satisfying. "
"There minuscule changes when the moon is high than when the sun is out but overall not many changes. Do I have no talent or I doing it wrong? "
The only results he managed to obtain are there are more easy to manipulate the bluish and black light mana, white-grayish light also can be manipulated but cannot be compared to bluish or black lights. From the records, those colored light represent the element of mana but without definite proof, it hard to conclude which colors represent which elements.
Thirteen starts walking to the farm to do his chores while pondering. His task today is to cultivate the farm.
'It extremely difficult without Mage Meditation Techniques but even after searching the whole mansion every night, I can't find it. '
Thirteen still sneaked into the mansion alone to find more clue regarding Mages. With SECOND's finished mapping the whole mansion and scanning the whole area, he can avoid any danger. He even knew where the hidden chambers but found none of what he looking for.
During the whole times Thirteen here, he also gathered a lot of pieces of information by using SECOND.
"The only person who has any connection with Mage is the family young master Max Wolfe."
It has been chaotic since the young master has passed the test left by their ancestor. He is detected to have magic talent. The whole family is happy since then calling for celebration to commemorate the news. It seems there are no magic talents in the family since their ancestor.
"They planned to send him to Mage Academy. I heard there are a gathering in some place where the academies will recruiting students. I need that opportunity but how? "
The Wolfe family has been securing resources to sent their young master shown how hard to enroll in the academy.
The slaves and servants also busy during the celebration that lasts more than a week. Thirteen also ordered to disposing of wastes. The dirty jobs usually left for the slaves.
After the celebrating is done, Steward Abigail gather all the slaves and servants, "Young Master Max will leaving on the journey to the academy. Fifteen peoples will be accompanying him during the trip. Who wants to go? "
Murmur heard from the surrounding. They don't want to go. The journey outside obviously filled with unknown danger. No one wants to take the risk.
'This is the chance! ', Thirteen gleamed.
Thirteen managed to join the group because there are not many want to sacrifices their life over the trip. They knew those peoples will be cannon fodders during the trip.
They start the journey a week later when the preparation completed. The trip will take over a year to the far most north.
"You really want to go too? They said the journey is very dangerous. Probably more than half won't survive the trip! ", Dunn asked.
"Don't worry. This is my choice to change my destiny.", Thirteen ensured.
'I really need to go to Mage Academy! All those preparation I did with come to naught is I give up now. I need to take the risk.'
It has been a month since the trip started. They have been traveled almost a thousand kilometers by SECOND's estimation. Fortunately, no one died until now.
" Just how far we need to travel. A thousand kilometers easily fit a small country in Earth and we travel on the horse carriage. This is too slow. The world is too backward. A thousand kilometers took a month! ", Thirteen sighed.
Thirteen took the task of food gathering and cooking. He displayed his ability to cook with the reason he learned from his friend who a chef.
The group already included a cook for the trip but more is better. Thirteen become assistant for the chef. He still needs to do good gathering too.
"It should be fine by now. We already that far away. "
Thirteen walked to the young master Max who still eating his dinner. He whispered:" Young master, There something I need to tell you. "
Max surprised. A slave there to came and talk to him. But he doesn't care as he already tired from the journey.
"You that slave cook. What do you want? "
"Young master, when I went to gather the herbs, I found a herb that I cannot identify.
The plant is half a meter tall and glowing like a gold. It grew near a creek around two hundred meters west from here. It seems precious. That why I inform you first." Thirteen said.
"What!" Max's face brightened, "That must be a magical herb! It will increase my chance to enter the academy is I present it to the teachers."
Max stood up, "Quick! Show the way! ". Max start walking with Thirteen leading the way.
"Where are you going, Young Master? ", Max's escort asked.
"None of your concerns! Stay here!" Max doesn't want his escort to know about the herb. Those people are hired mercenaries and strong. There a possibility they will betray him for the valuable herb.
The escort grumbled and just stay there continue eating.
Thirteen lead Max far from the camp.
"It is here." Thirteen said suddenly.
"What! This is the middle of nowhere. Where the herb? ", Max started to become impatient.
"This is the herb", Thirteen took out a pile of herbs in a pouch and start rubbing it together with his finger. The herbs released green fumes all the sudden encompassing the area.
"What are you doing! Did w-what happen to me? ", blood starts from coming out from all Max's orifices. He collapses a few moments later.
The fumes came from mixed herbs is harmless alone but if your body contained something that paired with it, it will become a fast poison. Thirteen has been feeding the group with certain solutions slowly inside their food. The solution already mixed with their blood. Thirteen the only one doesn't eat it, that why he fine surrounded by green fumes.
'Finally. Don't blame me, just blame your bad luck. I know you very kind to everyone including slaves but that not my problem. '
Thirteen start strip Max's clothes and wear them. He cut Max's long black hair and wear it on his head. Then he brings out another solution and rubs it to his face.
If look from far, they can see a male youth with long black hair which bang covered most of his eyes. He wore noble clothes with a grin on his face.
" From now on my name is Max! Max Wolfe!"