Another two weeks passed by and the traveling party was almost near the borders of the Nightingale Kingdom. The danger-filled wilderness had given way to lush farmlands as far as the eye could see.
Every now and then, the traveling party would come across hamlets and villages. After seeing signs of civilization the children were extremely happy. After all, the last three months of traveling had really taken a toll on them.
After the attack of the wolf pack, the party wasn't attacked by magic beasts anymore. To be more precise, a few magic beast groups attacked them but the three Magi had jointly taken care of them in advance.
About half a dozen children had perished in the previous wolf attack. If the Magi wanted to, they could have saved these unfortunate kids. But why would they?
Firstly, as cruel as it sounded, the Magi wanted to discard the bad seeds from this batch of children. This ensured that the children who did enroll at the academy were the best of the best.
If the kids couldn't even survive a mere magic beast pack, then they could forget about embarking on the path of a Magus. It sounded grim but such was the cruel world they lived in. It was difficult to survive and resources were scarce, especially for a Magus.
Secondly, this was also a test for the children, albeit an unofficial one. To become a Magus, not only was talent and aptitude necessary, but also courage and prudence.
Through the attack of the wolf pack, the three Magi were able to examine the kids who were able to put their lives on the line and fight using either their brains or brawn. The surviving sixty or so kids had all made the cut.
Over the past two weeks, Adam wasn't able to practice his sword because of his injury. The mercenaries had run out of healing potions, and Adam didn't have the guts to ask for one from either of the Magi.
So, Adam spent the last two weeks consuming souls and expanding his knowledge of herbalism.
Herbalists were very sought after in the Magus community. And he knew for a fact that herbalists or potion masters were very wealthy. So, he decided to assimilate the memories related to herbalism, so that he could get an edge over other students.
At the very least, selling magical potions would ensure that he had a steady source of income.
Adam would go to the space inside the lotus every day and absorb the smaller white motes of light. He could see the progress with his own eyes, and he was extremely ecstatic about it.
His perception had increased to a level he hadn't thought was possible. Other than that, he felt as if his thought-making process had become quicker and a lot smoother.
On this day, Adam was sitting inside the wooden carriage with his eyes closed and going through the knowledge of herbs and natural ingredients.
After absorbing the memories, he felt great familiarity with the usage of herbs, like he'd been practicing it all his life. Not just the knowledge, but even the experiences of the Magi were absorbed by Adam!
The different uses and properties of potions thoroughly fascinated him and he couldn't wait to give it a try. He was certain he could make a lot of money if he put this knowledge to use.
The sunset was about half an hour away, so the traveling party stopped by a lake and prepared to make camp. All the children got down from the carriages and started helping the mercenaries.
They weren't the same kids they were when they started their journey. After going through so much in the past three months, they had matured.
Things like setting up tents and making campfires were beneath these children of noble birth. But now, they were simply grateful to have a roof over their heads, some food in their stomach, and most importantly to have made it out alive through this perilous journey.
Adam got out of the carriage and looked around as he breathed in the fresh air. Suddenly, his gaze fell on Jeffrey and they made eye contact. Adam's eyes instantly turned cold and he glared at Jeffrey.
Jeffrey immediately looked away and distanced himself from Adam. Ever since that incident that night, Jeffrey had been avoiding Adam like the plague.
Adam's eyes narrowed as he stared at Jeffrey's departing back. Sooner or later, I'll kill you.
He had never felt such hatred for another person before. Thinking back to how he had almost died that night, Adam was furious. He cursed under his breath and went the other way.
In the distance, he saw the three Magi alighting from the carriage and sitting on boulders by the lakeside. The burly Magus, Ivan, and the female Magus with the silver hair, Kelley, were busy reading books.
Meanwhile, the blond Magus, Alex, was staring into the distance of the lake, throwing pebbles across its surface.
Adam's eyes lit up as he unhesitatingly walked toward Alex. In the past few weeks, he didn't have a chance to speak with the Magus, but now he finally did. He only hoped that Alex was also willing to talk to him.
Hearing footsteps approaching him, Alex turned his head and looked at Adam with a faint smile. "It's you."
Adam walked to him and respectfully greeted, "Good day, Sir Magus."
Seeing Adam act so stiff, Alex found it funny. "What is it, kid?"
"Sir, I didn't get the chance earlier but I would like to thank you for taking care of me after I passed out on the night of the wolf attack." Adam tried to speak like a gentleman.
"Take care of you?" Alex chuckled. "I simply chucked you inside the carriage. I didn't really 'take care' of you."
Adam's eyes twitched. "Still, thank you."
Judging from the casual conversation between them, Adam was more or less certain that Alex didn't know about the existence of the white lotus. Still, he couldn't be a hundred percent sure about it so he decided to remain vigilant anyway.
Suddenly, Alex asked, "Where did you learn to wield the sword?"
"Huh?" Adam was slightly taken aback. He thought that his sword skills might have caught the Magus' eyes. So, he puffed out his chest and spoke with pride, "I learned it on my own, sir."
"No wonder it's so crude and barbaric." Alex nodded in understanding.
Adam's expression froze. A moment later, he forced a smile and softly muttered, "I'll work on it."
He then thought of something and asked, "Sir, if you don't mind, may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead." Alex liked the boy's respectful attitude and didn't mind entertaining him a little.
Adam took a deep breath and asked, "Sir, can you tell me about the Clover Academy's entrance examination?"