The arcane and natural energies were intertwined, the energies were in complete disarray, and the rampaging energy storm had only been in effect for less than a second.
The lead teacher stepped in.
He beckoned to Daniel, and a powerful spiritual pressure radiated outwards, coalescing into a tangible energy field. All the people in the area were pushed back, and several young students even had two nosebleeds and plopped down on the ground, in a state of stunned paralysis.
In the blink of an eye, the torrent of abusive energy on Daniel was instantly dissipated, and Charlie's surging magic ball at his fingertips also vanished in an instant - Charlie didn't even hear the incantation.
In a moment, the clouds dispersed and the wind calmed.
Charlie was awestruck in his heart. He had finally witnessed the energy of a high-level Grand Mage - mysterious and powerful, beyond comprehension.
After the energy disturbance settled, Daniel jumped up from the ground and shouted loudly.
"I'm not satisfied! D*mn b*st*rd! Can you only sneak attack? If you have the guts, let's fight again! I'll blow you, this lowly thing, to pieces!"
Daniel was jumping up and down, his unsightly behavior being tightly held back by his group of friends.
The girls who had previously admired him felt somewhat disappointed by this sight.
Charlie suddenly turned around and coldly snapped, "If you curse again, I'll tear your mouth apart!"
"Shut up!" The lead teacher snapped his fingers, and a burst of arcane energy fell on Daniel's head. Daniel was like being trapped in a transparent soundproof glass, able to see his frenzied movements, but unable to hear any sound.
Ah! The wondrous arcane magic.
The lead teacher grinned and said to Charlie, "Interesting! Your equipment is not bad, and you're also smart. Young man, I have high hopes for you!"
Charlie's gaze was as calm as a deep pool, without the excitement of winning the match or the pride of defeating a powerful opponent. That arc of light that tinted his pale blue eyes made his already handsome face even more charming.
Winning the match was within Charlie's expectations. It seems that the gap between him and those geniuses was not too wide, and he still had hope of catching up. A burning desire surged in Charlie's heart - he wanted to learn more magic, as the spells he currently possessed were too few, and he couldn't show off any tricks.
Qiongxue's gaze was rippling with a strange hue, and she nodded slightly, unconsciously applauding.
Qingyou's heart instantly quickened, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, barely perceptible.
The young men in the cabin were all flushed, their gazes filled with fervent colors. Sebas stretched out his right hand to Charlie and sincerely said, "I'm Sebas, buddy, your magic is really beautiful. I've never seen such a special magic apprentice before. Can I study and progress with you?"
Charlie smiled faintly and glanced at the subservient Sebas, but did not acknowledge his outstretched hand. Charlie clearly remembered that Sebas had previously looked down on him.
Sebas was rather embarrassed, his face flushed with a mix of blue and red, but no one was paying attention to him anymore.
Someone asked, "Teacher, is he really just a magic apprentice?"
"You don't need to question this. He lost, that's it. My judgment won't be wrong - his magic pool capacity is definitely no more than two digits. The magic he just unleashed was completely relying on the staff in his hand."
The lead teacher made a timely summary:
"Everyone should also see that for mages, rank and position do not represent everything. More importantly, it's the understanding and practical application of magic. On the battlefield, your opponent won't give you a chance to discern who knows more spells or who has more powerful magic.
"So put away your arrogance! Talents are sprouting all over the Wagran continent. You are not the most outstanding ones. If you can't even defeat a magic apprentice, let alone peers of the same level."
With this lesson in the context of the duel, the effect was undoubtedly good. The young geniuses of Hainess, upon leaving the academy, had suffered the greatest setback of their lives, and Charlie had left a very deep impression on them.
The lead teacher suddenly asked, "What's your name?"
"Charlie."
"Why did you choose the path of a servant? With your qualifications, even if your magic level is not enough, you should be able to pass the enrollment exam of the Arcane Circle, right?"
"I did want to try the enrollment exam, but I was recommended, and this is the recommendation letter."
Charlie took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it over.
"Recommended to whom?"
"Master Maidelong."
Hmm!
The lead teacher's expression suddenly became very interesting. He mysteriously smiled and quickly returned the letter to Charlie. "Ah, so it was the old man!"
"What?"
"Nothing." The lead teacher paused and said, "I see there's an empty room on the ship. Why don't you move in and stay there?"
"I'd be delighted to." Charlie would not refuse this kindness.
The lead teacher's attitude made the group of young geniuses gain some understanding. Even he proactively showed goodwill, which suggests that this Charlie was not simple.
Soon, amid the complex gazes of the young men and women in the cabin, Charlie picked up his luggage and walked up the stairs, leaving no more words behind.
In the cabin, the time for the young men and women to interact with each other was not long, but no one had left a good impression on Charlie.
These people were arrogant in front of their own kind, and jealous in front of the strong. It's not surprising that others look down on them. There are serious problems in their upbringing, which is a common ailment among the children of commoners. If this habit is not corrected, their lifetime achievements will be limited.
Charlie followed the guard to the end of the corridor. His new room was at the very end of the passage. He opened the window and sat down, enjoying the vast sea view at the stern. Reading books by the window frame, listening to the sound of the tide, and breathing the fresh air - this was truly excellent, a world apart from the environment in the cabin.
As soon as Charlie had settled his luggage, a stream of visiting students came one after another. This was also a characteristic of the circle of nobles. As long as you show enough value, people will be willing to approach you, though the purpose is unknown.
Now this group of children under the age of ten already had this kind of awareness, trying to expand their own social network.
Probably only Daniel and his friends were unable to keep up with the situation.
"Charlie, may I ask you a question? If you feel you can answer, please help us resolve the doubts in our hearts."
A girl asked politely.
A young man next to her couldn't wait to ask, "Is it true about you and the princess? Did you really desecrate the Third Princess that night? I'm quite curious about that."
"Yes, yes! What exactly happened that night? Why hasn't the official released any news about it?"
A bunch of boring little kids.
Charlie's gaze was as sharp as a knife as he coldly swept his eyes across them and said, "Sorry, I'm tired and want to be alone."
So reclusive?!
This was rarely seen at the level of the nobility. As scions of wealthy families, they should have been instilled with certain ideas from an early age. Social skills and personal cultivation are equally important. The strength of an individual can never match the strength of a group. If you can't achieve your goals through cultivation, you can achieve them through transactions.
Clearly, Charlie was an oddball. The students looked at each other awkwardly, the atmosphere somewhat tense.
At this time, Qingyou couldn't help but ask, "Why did you dare to challenge a Third-level Mage as an apprentice? Was it because your opponent offended your dignity, so you disregarded everything?"
To be honest, this question might involve some personal thoughts, and given Charlie's attitude that day, it should be a waste of time to ask.
Charlie shook his head and said, "That was just an excuse. I wanted to understand the gap between myself and you genius students. That was the main reason.
"Another secondary reason is that I had a chance of winning. My teacher once told me:
"In duels between junior mages, the most important thing is not the spell rank, nor the size of the mana pool, but the speed of spellcasting and equipment.
"If I simply calculate, my equipment can make up for the difference in mana pool, and I also have some advantages in spell casting speed. Why not give it a try?"
The crowd burst into a round of cheers and applause. Apparently, the beautiful ladies were treated differently.
"Thank you for your answer." Qingyou smiled and said, "I also feel that you are not an impulsive person. It seems you had planned it out in advance."
Someone couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder Daniel lost, he really didn't get a raw deal!"
Taking this opportunity, another girl pursued, "This rapid arcane missile, is it because of the fast casting? Can you share some insights with us? We can learn together."
Reasonably speaking, this request touches on the secrets of personal combat power, and that may be the real thing the girl wanted to obtain. But whether it was intentional or not, Charlie would not easily satisfy her. The technique of rapid spellcasting was his current little trump card, and he absolutely could not reveal it.
"Well, rapid spellcasting is not exactly a secret. I just got exposure to it earlier. If you want insights, you'd better ask the teachers. They should have more experience."
The girl's face showed a disappointed expression as she murmured, "The teachers' lectures are all too general! And the teachers don't even allow us to get early access to advanced magic techniques. You're a special case among your peers, so you should be the most qualified to speak."
"Out of a sense of responsibility to you, I don't think I should tell you. As you said, I'm a special case, and I've never been a model student. The situation is probably quite different, so it's better not to lead you astray."
Instantly, the girl pursed her lips, looking gloomy and displeased.
Qiongxue couldn't help but giggle and say, "Sophia, if you want to get Charlie to talk, you're still a bit short on skill. Just looking at him, you can tell he's deep and cunning, not at all simple-minded."
Charlie smiled faintly and did not refute.
Qiongxue walked over, casually flipping open a book covering the table in front of Charlie. "Oh, 'Basic Spell Phonemes', this book is quite basic."
Charlie honestly replied, "The spells I currently possess are too few. I need to study hard. It's just a pity that for courses like spell chanting, just reading books is useless - you have to listen to the pronunciation."
Qiongxue looked at him curiously. "How poor is your magic foundation exactly? Didn't the teacher make you recite the basic magic spells? That should be a common teaching practice in every academy."
"To be honest, I haven't formally studied magic yet."
"What? Really?" The crowd expressed disbelief.
Sophia chuckled, "So you mean, an apprentice mage who hasn't even officially learned magic defeated a formal Third-level Junior Mage?"
"Probably so."
Regarding Charlie's explanation, they kept a reserved attitude, just thinking that he didn't want to expose his teacher's background.
Qiongxue was not focused on these details. She said, "I have a collector's edition of the 'Compendium of Basic Spells'. It has standard pronunciation magic mirrors. If you need it, I can lend it to you."
A young man next to her exclaimed, "Wow, you really have that book? I've heard of this kind of extravagant book before. Every page is made of enchanted vellum, handcrafted, and the total cost is not less than 3,000 gold coins. The selling price is even as high as 6,000 gold - a single book is enough to cover a year's tuition at the Hainess Academy!"
Charlie smiled, "Thanks, Qiongxue is really a big shot!"
Qiongxue sweetly smiled, "Speaking of being wealthy, can you even compare to my family?"