In the largest square of Whiterun City, the ground was neatly paved with bluish-gray stones, exuding a solemn atmosphere. At the tops of the thick columns, the finely carved patterns showed elegance. The mansard roofs were elegant and romantic, and the symmetrical layout of the buildings made the square magnificent.
The square was filled with young men and women dressed in mage robes, and Leonardo was among them.
The bright sunlight slanted down from the eaves, dividing the crowd into alternating areas of light and shade.
It was seven o'clock in the morning, and there was still more than an hour before the trial began. On the high platform, the academy steward who couldn't use magic was talking on and on. Just like the speeches of leaders in his previous life, it was all empty and meaningless nonsense.
Leonardo hoped this "ceremony" would end quickly. Standing in the bright sunlight, the boring speech combined with the glaring sunlight made him feel dizzy.
The original owner had been too indulgent before, resulting in Leonardo's current body being a bit weak.
However, the noble lords standing under the awning didn't care about the feelings of the apprentices at all and continued to drone on about knightly virtues...
The apprentices being baked in the sun below the platform felt sick listening to it because among that whole bunch of precepts, the word "blind loyalty" seemed to stand out the most.
After an unknown amount of time, when the apprentices' murmurs were almost uncontrollable, the noble dean who didn't know magic was finally invited off the stage by the academy's chief tutor.
The chief tutor was completely different from the dean. He simply encouraged the apprentices with a few words and then announced the start of the trial.
The apprentices lined up in two rows and walked neatly towards the city gate. The roadsides were crowded with civilians who came to watch the fun. When the apprentice procession passed by, the crowd burst into warm cheers.
This parade-like ceremony was also the idea of that noble dean. Since he took the position of dean, the style of the Magic Academy had become very strange.
The most obvious change was the significant increase in tuition fees.
The academy started to make a profit, but at the cost of the mystery of mage apprentices, who had been reduced to something like street magicians.
During the march in formation, Leonardo saw that many family members on the roadside were desperately stuffing things into the apprentices' backpacks. Besides emergency potions, there were even family members stuffing in perfumes and exquisite clothes.
Was this going to hunt monsters or attend a ball?
Leonardo thought this scene was extremely absurd.
After the procession reached the city gate, the apprentices began to look for their pre-arranged teammates. Leonardo stood there for a while and then Sophia arrived.
The girl was as beautiful as she had been last night, with an almost perfect figure. The mage robe embroidered with silver patterns outlined her youthful waistline, like a delicate work of art. Her flame-like red hair was tied into a ponytail that hung in front of her, showing a gentle yet lively and unrestrained charm unique to young girls.
To pass the trial smoothly, Sophia had made full preparations. She was not only wearing a mage robe engraved with protective spells but also had a magic-patterned leather armor inside. On the ribs of the leather armor, there were patterns of hammers and goblets, which was the unique mark of dwarf craftsmen.
Moreover, she was wearing a necklace with an angel wing pattern on her chest, which was a disposable protective magic item made in the Holy Kingdom.
This girl! Didn't she say her family didn't support her anymore?
She said her family didn't care, but her equipment was so luxurious that it was astonishing!
"Surprised, right? I've told you before that I'm not a useless beauty." Sophia trotted up to Leonardo and said charmingly. Her ponytail swayed gently with her steps, drawing a beautiful arc in the air.
Leonardo stared at her blankly. The girl in front of him gradually overlapped with the one who had walked towards him from under the shade of the tree in his memory.
Leonardo felt a tightness in his chest, as if he had been hit in the heart by an invisible arrow. All the cells in his body seemed to stop functioning, quietly feeling the throbbing that surged from the bottom of his heart.
Noticing Leonardo's straightforward gaze, Sophia muttered softly, "Hmph, annoying." Then she reached out her small hand and covered Leonardo's eyes.
"A gentleman wouldn't look at an unmarried lady so blatantly." Sophia said reproachfully, and then added, "But I forgive you. After all, you're my childhood friend."
After saying that, Sophia took two steps back with her hands behind her back and said energetically, "I'll definitely assist you well in this trial. Please take good care of me from now on!"
Meeting Sophia's cheerful gaze, Leonardo pursed his lips and voiced his doubts.
"With your conditions, logically speaking, you shouldn't lack teammates, right?"
These words seemed to touch a sore spot for Sophia, and her mood immediately dropped.
After walking side by side for a while, Sophia replied in a low voice:
"Having good equipment... doesn't mean others will recognize me. On the contrary, they'll think I'm a nouveau riche, relying only on these items and having no real strength at all, so they're even less willing to associate with me..."
Leonardo didn't quite understand this kind of thinking. For him, as long as the final result could meet expectations, the process didn't really matter.
Since he couldn't understand, Leonardo chose to remain silent.
Sophia also knew that these words could easily get her into trouble, so she quickly changed the topic.
"Wow, is this your secret weapon? It looks so cool. Can I have a look?" Sophia pointed at the staff wrapped in cloth on Leonardo's back and asked coquettishly.
This question stunned Leonardo.
Taking out an official-level staff in such a public place, even a novice like Leonardo knew that it was an extremely ostentatious thing. So he didn't say a word and responded with silence.
Facing Leonardo's silent refusal, Sophia felt a bit embarrassed. She pretended to be cute and wrinkled her nose, then leaned close to Leonardo's ear and whispered, "Isn't it an official-level staff?"
Feeling the soft touch on his arm, Leonardo swallowed hard and then nodded slightly.
The girl opened her cherry-like mouth in surprise, revealing a row of neat and white teeth.
After attracting strange looks from around, Sophia came to her senses and gently patted her chest.
"Please take good care of me in the journey ahead, Captain~!" Finally, Sophia deliberately used a cutesy voice, and that charming voice almost melted Leonardo's heart, who was still inexperienced in the ways of the world.
Oh my!
This girl is really something!!
Leonardo was completely defenseless against her charm and couldn't help but let his imagination run wild. Soon, he pictured Sophia wearing a wedding dress and holding his arm.
However, Sophia's mood was like a summer thunderstorm, coming and going quickly.
In the blink of an eye, her mood dropped again.
The girl sighed and said dejectedly, "I feel like I'll be a burden to you. With your strength, you should be able to find better teammates."
"Someone like me, who has little experience and relies purely on equipment, is a liability wherever I go..."
"Let's set off. I've already planned the route. Let's complete your task first. That way, we can save time."
Leonardo frowned and interrupted Sophia's self-pity.
"Are you still willing to team up with me?" Sophia asked with teary eyes while clasping her hands together and tightly holding Leonardo's palm.
Leonardo tried hard to shift his gaze from her tear-stained pretty face and said with difficulty:
"Let's go. Compared to strength, I care more about trust."
After saying this cool line, Leonardo reached out and ruffled the stray hairs on top of Sophia's head, then took the lead and walked towards the outside of the city gate.
Sophia looked at Leonardo's back with admiration. In a place where he couldn't see, she secretly made a scissors gesture behind her back.
Since physical fitness was also part of the assessment, the apprentices could only walk to their destinations.
Leonardo and Sophia walked from morning till night without stopping, and only then did they manage to reach Hallstatt Town before the drawbridge was raised.
When the town mayor heard that they were here to deal with ogres, he enthusiastically provided them with the most luxurious accommodation in the town.
When Leonardo arrived at the place, he almost cursed out loud.
This shabby house looked like it would collapse with a gust of wind. What kind of luxurious accommodation was this?
And those black dots on the broth, the landlady said they were sesame seeds, but Leonardo thought they looked like ants no matter how he looked at them...
After quickly finishing dinner, Leonardo went back to his room.
Barely suppressing his exhaustion and preparing to do his daily meditation, there was a sudden knock on the door.
Leonardo opened the door and saw that it was Sophia.
She seemed to have just taken a bath, and from a few steps away, he could smell a fresh floral fragrance.
The girl reached out from behind her and showed Leonardo the smoked sausages in the basket and the clear fruit wine.
"I saw that you didn't eat much for dinner, so I made these and brought them here. Do you want to have some together..."
Before Leonardo could answer, Sophia continued, "A gentleman wouldn't refuse a girl's kindness~"
With that said, what else could Leonardo do? He had no choice but to step aside and let her in.
As for the process of creating an atmosphere later, let's skip it for now. Leonardo's last memory was that the aftereffects of this fruit wine were really strong.
When he woke up the next morning, the cold bedding reminded Leonardo that the person beside him had already left.
After washing up, Leonardo went to the next room to check. The door was locked, and no one answered no matter how much he called.
Leonardo thought Sophia had gone to have breakfast, so he went downstairs to look around but didn't see her. When he asked at the counter, the landlady said the girl had left last night.
It was as if an electric current shot up from his tailbone and spread throughout his body along his bones.
Leonardo shuddered violently and then turned around and rushed back to the room on the second floor.
The landlady's puzzled inquiries came from behind, but Leonardo didn't pay any attention.
At this moment, there was only one thought constantly swirling in his mind!
How much Leonardo hoped that all of this was just his own illusion.