"Well, boy, what's your decision?" The raspy voice of the crow Soros startled Yellen from his reading. Reluctantly, he returned the guidebook after a moment's hesitation, then clenched his teeth and declared, "I choose Mentor Lucian!"
"Good," said the official wizard overseeing the selection, Grey, glancing briefly at Yellen with an almost imperceptible smile. After all, a willing selection of Lucian meant he could pocket the twenty magic stones effortlessly.
The selection continued, moving down through students with lower magical aptitude, all the way to the weakest first-tier potential.
"Ah… I'm sorry, I don't have any magic stones." Near the end of the line, a young girl with a modest, slightly rough appearance approached nervously. She flinched at the sight of the intimidating crow Soros and stammered through her words.
Soros, unimpressed with her "lack of respect," intentionally grabbed a pre-marked token with his beak.
"Carrie, your mentor will be Lucian." Soros flapped his wings, announcing the result with a sharp caw.
Grey glanced at his magical pet but said nothing.
"Now then, follow the academy servants to meet your mentors," Grey instructed, signalling the end of the selection process.
With both assigned to Lucian, Yellen and Carrie naturally found themselves together. Unlike the apprehensive Carrie, Yellen was visibly excited; Lucian had offered the most generous conditions with minimal demands. There were no mandatory experiments, no required magic stone payments, and not even chores like lab cleaning. The only drawback was Lucian's lower rank as a third-tier wizard apprentice, but everything else more than met Yellen's expectations.
Meanwhile, Carrie, shy and uncertain, held a quiet reverence for the mentor she had yet to meet. Her world had been turned upside-down in a matter of days. Not long ago, she had been a lowly servant in the garden of the Blackstone Count's estate. During a mass Awakening Ceremony, she'd been unexpectedly identified with wizard potential, transforming her from an unnoticed Cinderella into a celebrated prodigy. However, during the follow-up test on the airship, she learnt her potential was the lowest of the low—a first-tier aptitude. Once again, her status plummeted, leaving her with fragile self-esteem and an ever-present unease.
"You're with Mentor Lucian too?" Yellen asked, finally noticing Carrie beside him. Though his interest stemmed mostly from her modest, pretty appearance, he couldn't resist speaking up.
"Yes," Carrie murmured, taking a half-step back.
"Ha, well, that makes us real classmates now! I'm Yellen Franz, third-tier aptitude. And you?"
"Ca… Carrie Meyer. I'm first-tier." She looked down, almost apologetic.
"Oh." Yellen paused, suddenly losing interest in her. Still, as he watched her timid demeanour, he considered if she might be "fun" to have around. With a grin, he decided to offer her a small "kindness."
"Do you know? Lucian was one of the most generous mentors I found in the guidebook," Yellen boasted. He was genuinely pleased with his selection.
Carrie, though silent, was encouraged by Yellen's words; after all, he was talking about her mentor too.
"Generous? Pfft. Looks like Lucian has managed to snag himself two suckers this time," came a scoff from a passing third-tier apprentice who'd overheard them.
Yellen's smile stiffened.
"Ha, that Mentor Lucian of yours—he'll be lucky to last two more months." The third-tier apprentice sneered as he turned to walk away, but Yellen rushed after him, calling out, "Sir, wait—!"
Carrie stood there, bewildered and uncertain. She glanced in Yellen's direction, then towards the servant leading them, not sure who to follow. Eventually, she bit her lip and hurried to catch up with the servant.
Meanwhile, in his laboratory, Lucian waited for his two new students to arrive, feeling rather pleased with himself. His biggest concern was finally resolved, and everything seemed to be falling into place. Despite the steep cost of twenty magic stones, he considered it a worthwhile investment.
Sitting back in his chair, he stroked his chin, musing on how to make a lasting impression on his new students. Should he appear engrossed in meditation, waiting until they arrived to acknowledge them with a steady gaze? Or should he demonstrate a potion-brewing process, casually completing it with a remark like, "You'll be able to do this one day too."
He cycled through numerous scenarios, but none felt quite right. Each seemed to lack the essence he needed to project his ideal image—a majestic, righteous, and noble master teacher. His decision-making paralysis flared as he struggled to find the perfect approach.
"Yellen... doesn't seem to be here." Carrie glanced back as she reached Lucian's laboratory door, noticing her fellow apprentice was nowhere to be seen. Anxiety tugged at her, a sense of foreboding settling in.
The servant escorting her gently knocked on the door, gestured for her to proceed, and then quietly withdrew.
"Come in," called a warm voice from within the laboratory.
The slight resonance in Lucian's voice made Carrie instinctively open the door and step forward.
A basic wizardry spell: Suggestion.
"This… is wizardry?" Carrie felt a thrill of awe, captivated by the strange sensation of her body acting without conscious control.
As the door creaked open, Carrie finally saw her mentor. He was a tall, composed figure; his back turned to her as he worked.
Dressed in a long, dark robe, he held a test tube with a steady grip and swift, precise movements. His calm demeanour and the faint aura of authority exuded an intimidating yet awe-inspiring presence. To Carrie, Lucian's image perfectly matched the powerful, enigmatic wizards she had heard about in stories—mysterious, formidable, poised, and graceful.