Lucian glanced at Carrie, then slowly shook his head. With a sigh, he unrolled the scroll and carefully read through its details.
[Mission] Investigate the Disappearance of Apprentice Elno Shay
[Description] Wizard-in-residence Elno Shay of Cossay Island has been out of contact with the academy for six months. Previous investigation efforts by wizard apprentices yielded no results. Elno Shay was last seen near the village of Rockby, beside the Zibar Forest on Cossay Island.
[Requirements] (Completing any of the following counts as mission completion; the mission is to be undertaken by three assigned apprentices):
-Investigate the disappearance of Wizard Apprentice Elno Shay and resolve the underlying supernatural disturbance.
-Serve in place of Elno Shay on Cossay Island for three years to ensure the continued supply of moonlight moss.
Lucian closed the scroll, exhaling a deep breath.
Carrie, still looking like she wanted to say something, was interrupted by Lucian. "This is a mandatory mission, Carrie. There's nothing more to discuss."
Carrie fell silent.
The hierarchy within Greybone Academy was strict. Besides the reclusive headmaster, the ranks were divided between formal wizards, third-level apprentices, and lower-ranking students. While third-level apprentices might hold sway over weaker students, in the presence of formal wizards, they were subject to exploitation. The academy's triennial mandatory missions served as a stark reminder of this dynamic—once assigned, refusal was not an option.
While the academy couldn't assign outright death traps—like sending a third-level apprentice to fight a formal wizard—there were ways around the rules. Lucian's assignment looked straightforward on paper, compliant with academy policies, yet the specifics made it a suicide mission for any typical third-level apprentice. A safer approach would involve a formal wizard leading the investigation.
The missing apprentice, Elno Shay, was only a seasoned second-level wizard apprentice. With years of experience and a few well-matched charms, he could reach third-level apprentice strength but wasn't even as capable as Apollo, whom Lucian had recently bested.
However, the real issue lay in the scroll's understated line: "Previous investigation efforts yielded no results."
In reality, Lucian knew that Cossay Island had swallowed three second-level apprentices and, alarmingly, claimed the life of one third-level and one second-level apprentice. Even the formal wizard Helly had been sent to investigate, but after a month-long search, returned empty-handed.
Yet Cossay Island was too valuable to abandon due to its production of moonlight moss. Without a formal wizard willing to volunteer for long-term residence, the academy resolved to send a team of three third-level apprentices to investigate and, if necessary, hold the island for three years to prevent any disruptions.
Everyone knew the danger on Cossay Island hadn't been eliminated; it had either hidden itself or relocated. If it were merely lying dormant, the assignment would be akin to three years of exile on a remote island. But if the threat were still lurking…
The entity that killed a prepared third-level apprentice, one who hadn't even managed to send out a distress signal, was either at the peak of third-level power or possibly even at the formal wizard level.
In essence, Lucian and the other two apprentices had been chosen to "test the waters"—highly disposable cannon fodder.
"One month to prepare," Lucian murmured, glancing at Carrie, whose eyes were glistening with tears. Her expression suggested she was ready to send him off with a bouquet of flowers and a heartfelt goodbye.
He forced a tight smile and rapped her gently on the head. This time, he applied just enough pressure to make her blink back tears.
"Ow…" Carrie held her head, looking hurt.
"It's just a mission, Carrie. No need to be so morose," he said, ruffling her hair. "Besides, for me, heading out might be better than staying here in the academy."
Carrie stared at him, assuming he was trying to reassure her.
In reality, Lucian was being truthful. As a reincarnated outsider in the wizarding world, he had to tread carefully. Ever since his unexpected recovery, his peers viewed him as a regular third-level apprentice who had miraculously survived a grave injury.
However, if he continued to progress at an abnormal rate, it wouldn't be long before he attracted undue attention from the formal wizards.
If the secret of his system were discovered, Lucian doubted he'd survive intact—he'd likely end up on a dissection table, or worse, reduced to a long-preserved specimen, courtesy of the academy's most inquisitive wizards.
Remaining low-profile would allow him to avoid such scrutiny, but that would mean either finding a formal wizard as a protector or hiding his abilities. Either option would severely limit his growth, especially in the academy's hierarchal environment. In seeking out a powerful patron, Lucian would effectively be trading one danger for another, as he would inevitably be subject to the control and restrictive contracts that came with any such relationship.
Signing a contract with a formal wizard was akin to signing a five-year servitude agreement at best, and at worst, a lifetime of enslavement.