Vivian the Wizard

Elsewhere.

Having achieved his goal, Ian naturally wouldn't have Victor go back on his word.

"The areas within our School's stronghold are quite clearly divided."

As they walked along the Academy's roads, Victor introduced the place to Ian.

Ian followed at his side, half a step behind.

"To the north of the School is the Teaching Area. All the classrooms, laboratories, and Training Grounds are there. To the south is the Combat Department's territory, where combat preparations and daily training take place.

"To the east lies the core of the Secret Source Department. The Castle is located there, and the Wizards' assignments are decided by them. To the west is the territory of our Logistics Department."

"What about the center?"

As Ian spoke, he turned to look toward the center of the School.

There, he saw only a towering black Wizard Tower standing like a cold steel giant.

"That is naturally Wizard Horton's residence, though he hasn't shown himself for a long time."

Victor shrugged.

"Is that so?"

Ian stared curiously at the Wizard Tower. It seemed he had truly never met the one who stood at the very summit of the School.

"Yes, it's been several years already. Orders are only sent out occasionally. Some say the man has already died and someone else is pretending to be him. Others say he was injured and is recuperating. As for the truth, no one knows."

Victor shook his head.

The outside world claimed that Wizard Horton favored him, but in truth, he had never met Wizard Horton. His name had merely been mentioned in a message once.

And that had happened years ago.

"Instructor, just how strong is an Official Wizard?"

Ian asked.

A First-class Wizard Apprentice was already tremendously powerful. What, then, of an Official Wizard who surpassed even a peak Wizard Apprentice?

"I don't know. But compared to their strength, it's their lifespan that inspires more envy. Rumor has it they can live for three hundred years."

Victor shrugged.

"Three hundred years!"

Ian, too, was stunned for a moment.

Three hundred years—in his previous life, that was enough time for a decent dynasty to endure.

In that instant, Ian's drive to become a powerful Wizard grew even stronger.

Beyond great power, he also wanted to live longer.

"We're here!"

Victor suddenly stopped and looked ahead.

Ian followed his gaze.

It was an area that had clearly been planned out, with the Potions Department's Castle situated at its heart.

One main building, two side buildings!

The main building was entirely dark gray and exceptionally tall. Its metal gates were etched with reliefs of potion bottles and cauldrons, proclaiming its identity.

What drew the eye most were the chimneys and pipes extending from the top of the Castle.

At that moment, they were belching pale yellow mist, which had even formed a faint haze outside.

Though he stood more than ten meters away, Ian could still smell the mingled scent of many magical plants.

"That's the smoke produced while processing and brewing potions. The smell is strange, but if you breathe it in long enough, you might even start to think it's quite nice."

Victor took a deep breath, as though his whole body had relaxed considerably.

"Let's go."

Victor led Ian directly into the main building.

The main building was divided into four floors, each lined with rooms. Victor led him straight toward the fourth floor.

As he followed, Ian observed his surroundings.

He noticed that the higher they went, the fewer rooms there were.

Before long, the two reached the fourth floor. Victor stopped before a door and knocked.

"Come in!"

A lazy voice rang out, and Victor pushed open the door.

Beyond it was an enormous room. A massive workbench stood in the center, where a woman was preparing potions.

Her short black hair was meticulously neat. She wore gold-rimmed glasses, her skin was fair, and her figure was striking.

Her black linen robe was stitched with silver patterns, and a copper potion flask engraved with runes hung from her waist. She looked cold and severe, yet carried the precision of an apothecary.

"Lady Vivian!"

Victor did not interrupt the woman while she was brewing. He only entered after she had finished.

"This is the apprentice you've taken a liking to?"

The woman's gaze passed through the doorway and settled on Ian.

"Fine. He's the one you want, anyway. You'll be responsible for any trouble or losses he causes."

Vivian spoke calmly.

"Understood, my lady."

Victor nodded, clearly familiar with her blunt manner.

"Let's go."

After saying goodbye, Victor led Ian away.

"Lord Victor, that wizard just now was...?" Ian finally asked.

"She's the deputy head of the Potions Department, Wizard Vivian. Don't be fooled by the fact that she's a sexy beauty—her potion-making skills are even better than mine." Victor smiled.

Ian thought back on her appearance.

She truly was sexy.

To be honest, Ian had seen quite a few beauties in the Academy—Emily, who was lively and lovely, and Chris Silvermoon Lake, who was fiery and seductive—but this deputy head gave off an entirely different feeling.

More mature, more confident, and more beautiful.

Like one of those formidable career women from his previous life.

At that thought, Ian clicked his tongue inwardly. His heart had the desire, but his strength fell short.

He was lacking in every kind of strength.

Even Vivian aside, Chris had no interest in Ian either. The main reason was that Ian was simply too weak.

They did not take him seriously at all.

"Everything comes down to strength."

Ian sighed. His motivation to grow stronger seemed to have gained a few more reasons in rather strange places.

Elsewhere.

Victor led Ian to a room on the third floor.

The room was large, nearly a hundred square meters. Experiment benches lined one side, while two apprentices on the other were processing materials.

Ian noticed that both apprentices had gray tattoos on the backs of their hands—the mark of the school.

"Apprentices who fail to advance within three months become school slaves and are assigned to various departments to serve their purpose. Those two have been with me for three years now, so they're fairly skilled at processing materials."

Victor introduced them from the side.

Ian drew a deep breath.

"Kevin, Martin, come over for a moment. Let me introduce you—this is Ian. From now on, he'll be processing materials alongside you."

Victor called the two over.

The pair raised their heads, their curious eyes falling on Ian.

There was no department listed on his badge. Was he a new apprentice?

And he would be processing materials with them?

"Hello, I'm Ian."

Ian did not treat them differently because of their status and held out his hand.

The two of them froze for a moment.

Although Horton Wizard School was a White Witch school, its hierarchy was equally strict.

Slaves, school apprentices, first-rank, second-rank, third-rank—each level was separated by an enormous gulf.

Slaves in particular had no rights at all.

"Martin. Kevin."

The two responded, feeling a little more favorably toward Ian.

After familiarizing himself with the surroundings, Victor was busy with his work and began brewing Minor Hemostatic Potions.

Meanwhile, the experiment table was piled with a great quantity of materials for Minor Hemostatic Potions, likely worth several hundred.

Martin and Kevin kept their heads down as they processed the materials, though from the corners of their eyes, they watched Ian, who had just gotten ready.

Though they bore Ian no ill will.

They still looked forward to seeing Ian handle things slowly.

It would give the two of them the feeling of keeping a School apprentice beneath them.

Sure enough.

Once the work began, Ian was slower than they were, and the quality of his materials was clearly inferior as well.

"A School apprentice is nothing special. If it had been me back then..."

The two lowered their heads, feeling much more pleased with themselves.

They focused on the work in their hands.

Yet from time to time, the corners of their eyes still drifted toward Ian.

Gradually.

The two realized that something seemed rather off!

Why did Ian seem to be getting faster and faster?