Apprenticeship (Part 1)

"Click"

"Click"

Hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer, August, who was lying on his side on the ground, slowly opened his eyes and carefully sensed everything.

"Who exactly are you, and why did you infiltrate this place?"

When that deep, husky voice drifted over his back and into his ears, August's brows furrowed instantly.

"I know you're awake. Answer my question!"

After her plan to pretend to be asleep was exposed, Xiao Ou slowly sat up and faced the person behind her.

"My disguise should have been flawless, so how did you notice?"

"Heh! Although your disguise is very convincing, the terrifying magic emanating from you is like a lighthouse in the darkness, making it hard to ignore!"

After the other party finished answering, Xiao Ou paused for a few seconds, then smiled wryly and said, "Heh! Even the most meticulous plans can have a flaw!"

"You haven't answered my question yet!"

Looking at the serious-faced old man, Xiao Ou took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Rob, I'm sorry, I can't tell you these things, but please rest assured, I am not a bad person, and I would never hurt these children."

"Um... aren't you a kid yourself?"

Hearing the former mage's complaint, Xiao Ou gritted his teeth and laughed, "Mr. Rob, it's getting late, you should get some rest!"

After saying that, August turned around and went back to sleep, ignoring Rob was full of questions.

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, the brutal managers woke everyone up using simple and crude methods and then forced them to walk outside.

"Hurry up!"

"Hurry up, all of you!"

"Stop dawdling!"

Led by these masked men, Erza and her companions arrived at a shack.

"Listen up, everyone! Find a seat and let's eat!"

Before the prisoners could react, the masked men standing behind them forced them onto something resembling a stool.

Not long after they sat down, another group of shackled bamboo pole men came over carrying several earthenware basins and stacks of ceramic bowls.

"Stop dawdling and get everything set up!"

Hearing the shouts of the thin, masked man on the table, the bamboo poles shivered and then quickened their pace with fear in their eyes.

"Listen up, all of you! You have fifteen minutes to enjoy breakfast. After that, whether you've eaten or not, you must go to work. If you dare to disobey, this table will be your example!"

As he spoke, the thin masked man raised the scepter in his hand and waved it to the left front.

"Call out!"

The next second, a ball of milky white light left the top of the scepter at an extremely fast speed and flew towards the table and chairs not far away.

"Bang!"

"Splash!"

With an explosion and several sounds of wood shattering, a large crater appeared in the ground, along with a pile of wood chips.

Upon seeing this, the prisoners sitting upright on the table huddled together in fear.

"Hmph! Good that you know fear!"

After finishing his sneer, the thin masked man shouted loudly at the crowd, "Let's eat!"

After raising enough money for his journey, Lord Zero Emperor resigned from his sixteen part-time jobs and embarked on his studies again.

On this day, guided by fate, he arrived in Finnil Town and, as if by some strange twist of fate, chose to rest and have a bite to eat near the fruit shop that Ulu frequented.

"Hey! That can't be... (passerby A)"

"That's right! It's her! (Passerby B)"

"Wow! I never thought we'd have the chance to meet such an important person!" (Passerby C)

"Tch! What a fuss!" (Passerby Ding)

Hearing the disdain of the person next to him, Passerby C said indignantly, "Hmph! You act like you see her all the time!"

"It's not just a coincidence, I really see her all the time!" (Passerby Ding)

"Keep bragging!" (Passerby C)

"I'm bragging? You're the one who's ignorant! She's a regular customer here, she comes almost every week. If you hung out here every week, you'd see her all the time!" (Passerby Ding)

"Nonsense! I've been here for months, and I haven't seen her come here once!" (Passerby A)

"Hmph! Your boast has backfired!" (Passerby C)

Just as passerby Ding was at a loss for words, another regular customer (passerby B) hurriedly stepped forward to uphold justice.

"This guy is right, she used to frequent this store every week, but after that incident..."

Seeing the complicated expression on the face of passerby B, passerby A and passerby C hurriedly asked, "Which matter is it?"

"Just a few months ago, her only daughter passed away from a terminal illness!"

Upon hearing Ding's additional information, the puzzled duo exchanged a surprised glance, then gazed respectfully in the direction the other had left for a long time.

"Alright! Let's not talk about this anymore, let's have a drink!" (Passerby A)

"That's true!" (Passerby C)

"Oh no! The appointed time is almost here, I need to hurry up and get rid of my stomach, or this job will be ruined!" (Passerby B)

After saying that, Passerby B began to wolf down his food, while the other three started to Happy with big smiles on their faces.

Just as these guys were indulging in food and wine, Lord Zero Emperor, who had been listening in for a long time, came over.

"Excuse me... are you mages?"

"Um?"

Hearing the sound behind them, the passersby put down what they were holding and looked back in confusion.

"Uh... kid, what did you just say? (Passerby Ding)"

Suppressing the stench of alcohol emanating from the other party, Lord Zero Emperor repeated what he had just said.

Are you mages?

"Hiccup~~"

After letting out a satisfied burp, the blushing passerby Ding replied, "That's right, we are mages from the guild. What's up? Do you have something to ask of us?"

He shook his head at Lord Zero Emperor passersby, and then said, "No! I just want to ask the uncles some questions, not issue a commission."

"What do you want to know? What do you want to know?" (Passerby B)

Who is the most powerful mage around here?

After Lord Zero Emperor finished speaking, the four passersby exchanged glances, and then uniformly turned their gazes back to the direction they had been staring at.

"Among those around here, the strongest should be Ulu!" (Passerby B)

"That's right! (Passerby A)"

"Do you know where she lives?"

"Hey! Kid, why are you asking these questions?" (Passerby C)

"I want to become her apprentice!"

Looking at the earnest face of the boy in front of them, the four passersby all showed a hint of nostalgia.

"Ulu lives in the mountains outside the town, but we don't know her exact location. Maybe... you could ask the owner of the fruit shop across the street. After all, her relationship with Ulu is quite special!" (Passerby Ding)

"Thank you, uncle!"

After bowing and expressing his gratitude, Lord Zero Emperor turned and ran towards the fruit shop behind him. Just then, a passerby's advice drifted on the wind.

"Ulu just lost her daughter and is feeling very down right now. You'd better go at another time!"

"Thanks, sir!"

After sending his thanks with the wind, Lord Zero Emperor left without looking back.

"Knock knock"

"Knock knock"

Hearing the knock, Ulu, who was leaning against the bed with her Ulu drawn up to her chest, said weakly, "Sordil, the door isn't locked, come in!"

"Knock knock"

"Knock knock"

No one came, but the sound of the door opening still rang, which added an unusual element to Ulu's already low mood.

"Heh! What? You think pranks and peeping won't grab my attention, so you're resorting to surprises now?" (Sordil: Hey everyone, don't get me wrong, I didn't peep at all, it's all that fat author's fault!)

As she spoke, the Ice Beauty slowly stood up and walked towards the door.

"Squeak!"

When the door opened, the silver-haired boy from her memory did not appear; instead, a series of footprints in the distance came into her view.

"What's this guy up to now?"

After speaking, the Ice Beauty prepared to close the door, when a voice drifted down from below, drawing her attention.

"Hello, my name is Leon Bastia, and I want..."

"Bang!"

Leon stood frozen, staring at the closed door. (Several crows flew by.)

"Boring!"

After complaining about someone's methods of coaxing girls, the Ice Beauty was about to turn and leave, but the knocking on the door stopped her.

"Knock knock"

"Knock knock"

"Stop fooling around, or I'll get angry!"

Sensing the Ice Beauty's anger, the knocking stopped abruptly, and the world returned to silence.

"Finally, it's quiet!"

As she spoke, the Ice Beauty slowly walked towards the bedroom.

The moment she entered the bedroom, a circle of silver light flashed, and the next second, a Silver-haired pervert making a face appeared in front of her... uh, wrong description! It was the back of a Silver-haired pervert that appeared in front of her.

"Satyr!"

"Bang!"

Amidst the Ice Beauty's coquettish scolding, the Silver-haired pervert was struck on the back of the head and immediately collapsed onto the floor, fast asleep. (Old Suo: Damn it! Not only did she accuse me of being a pervert, but she didn't even give me a proper shot before knocking me out!)

"Ice Make - vines"

After wrapping the pervert in ice vines, the Ice Beauty threw him outside the house.

"Bang!"

After closing the door again, the Ice Beauty clapped her hands and continued walking towards the bedroom.

Gazing at a javelin in a snow pit not far away, Lord Zero Emperor's heart began to stir.

"Could this guy be Ulu's husband?"

"No way! Judging from his appearance, he's only a few years older than me. How could he possibly be Ulu's husband!"

"Could it be... could it be that he is Ulu's apprentice?"

Thinking of this, Lord Zero Emperor stared enviously at the target... uh, popsicle in the pit!

"I've got it! I'll first get on his good side, then have him put in a good word for me!"

After devising a plan, Lord Zero Emperor stood up from the ground and ran towards the snow pit not far away.

Just as Lord Zero Emperor was rescuing the fake senior, his real senior was sulking because Ice Pop was late and plotting how to get back at him! As for the specific plan, well... to find out what happens next, stay tuned! (Hehe! Sorry, I ran out of words, so I just filled in some space. Please don't criticize me!)