Magic Apprentice Examination

The glaring sunlight streamed into the room. The master of the Old Castle, lying in a canopied bed, pulled the heavy blanket over his eyes.

"The alarm hasn't gone off yet?" Half-asleep, Allen stretched out an arm and fumbled around, but all he touched was a beautiful tasselled lamp.

The person curled beneath the blanket cursed twice. "Fuck!"

"Second Young Master, Second Young Master, get up quickly!" A slightly hoarse female voice came from outside the door.

Allen turned over and covered his ears with the blanket.

With a loud bang, the two costly carved wooden doors were slammed open. A burly figure blocked all the light behind her, and a frigid autumn wind swept in, causing the room's temperature to plummet.

Allen lazily sat up in bed and said unhappily, "Sis, could you please knock first next time? And could you stop wearing that outfit?"

Dina, dressed in a maid uniform, stood over six feet tall, her muscles bulging all over her body. She hurried to the bedside and said, "Second Young Master, how could I not wear clothes? Your request is too outrageous."

Dina cupped her blushing round face in both hands. Her enormous feet, at least a size forty-five, kept stamping against the polished floor like a lovestruck girl, the bang bang bang bang never ending.

"I meant the maid uniform, not no clothes." Allen drooped his head as he got out of bed. He truly did not want to dwell on the matter any longer, so he helplessly took off his silk pajamas and changed into a black formal suit.

Dina's broad face flushed slightly. Her huge hands covered her eyes, yet an enormous gap remained between them. Pretending to be shy, she said, "Second Young Master, you have no shame, changing in front of me like that. You're embarrassing me to death. But Second Young Master, your body is so strong!"

Allen stood before the mirror, utterly speechless.

No matter how strong I am, can I possibly be stronger than you?

When Dina saw Allen staring blankly into the mirror again, she anxiously said, "Right, the Grand Duke invited a royal Court Mage to conduct the examination today. Did you forget again?"

"Oh, oh. Got it."

Dina looked at her Second Young Master's perfunctory expression and sighed helplessly.

Second Young Master had not been like this before. Ever since he had fallen seriously ill a few days ago, he seemed to have become a different person. He no longer liked going out, shut himself in his room reading all day, and at dusk practiced strange martial techniques while muttering things no one could understand. He had even forgotten such an important day. Hadn't Second Young Master dreamed of becoming a noble mage since childhood?

Seeing that Dina's expression was somewhat unnatural, Allen thought he had done something outrageous again and quickly waved her out.

After Dina left, Allen stood before the mirror again, speechless for a long while.

The face was still the same handsome face. The body was still the same body.

Unfortunately, reality was no longer the reality he knew.

The bedroom covered at least three hundred square meters. Its exquisitely crafted fireplace, Rococo oil paintings hanging on the walls, pure silver tableware, and evocative sculptures on the corner mantel all displayed the owner's noble status.

Unfortunately, the room had everything except Wi-Fi, a phone, a computer, or an inflatable... basketball.

Once an autocannon gunner in an international mercenary force, Allen had been struck directly in the face by an artillery shell during a mission deep behind enemy lines. In the next instant, he arrived in this other world called Saint Cassis Continent and became the Son of the Grand Duke of the Kingdom of Locke.

A soldier educated in the modern world had suddenly become a young noble secluded in an Old Castle.

Although Allen now possessed a massive Old Castle and a vast fief, he had no fondness whatsoever for this otherworldly continent. Every day, he prayed to return to the familiar Earth.

Unfortunately, the Supreme God Holy Father worshipped by everyone in the Kingdom of Locke had not noticed this unlucky man from above and had never answered him. This other world remained this other world, and the Son of the Grand Duke remained the Son of the Grand Duke.

Allen had joined the army before finishing university. Though he was not highly educated, he had watched plenty of movies, and he had heard many people say that castles and maids were the perfect match.

He had the castle, and naturally, he also had a maid.

Unfortunately, his only maid, Dina, was a Wilderness Barbarian like a miniature Hulk. Not only was she usually lazier than him, the master, but she alone could eat rations meant for eight people.

Even the Old Castle's Old Butler was a slovenly old man, muttering mysteriously and appearing and disappearing like a ghost. He rarely showed himself.

What depressed Allen most was that his fief, Outpost County, was full of unruly commoners and so barren it rivalled an officially designated impoverished village. Every household was poorer than the last. There was no poorest, only poorer.

Allen felt less like a spoiled second-generation official and more like someone assigned to poverty alleviation.

Dina's urging sounded from outside again, and Allen hurried out. The Old Castle did not have spare money to buy another door.

Allen and Dina walked side by side through the enormous Old Castle, master and servant sighing all the way.

Dina sighed because she found it increasingly difficult to understand her Second Young Master's temperament.

In the past, if a noble mage came to visit, Second Young Master would certainly dress himself carefully, his excitement impossible to hide.

But now, Second Young Master had merely changed into a shabby old formal suit. He sighed continuously as they walked, and even looked around at the decorations like a petty thief. He did not resemble one of the Kingdom's foremost nobles at all.

Allen sighed only because, after observing for several days, he had discovered there was not much of value in the Old Castle. He had originally hoped to sell a few things and make life easier.

The Old Castle was extremely old. Vines crawled over its towering walls, some even creeping through the windows. Within the silent castle, only the rustling of curtains stirred by the breeze could be heard. In broad daylight, it seemed strangely gloomy, and the splendid candlesticks clashed completely with the gleaming silver ornaments.

Whenever he walked through the huge Old Castle, Allen felt an inexplicable sense of dread, as if a pair of eyes were always watching from some dark corner.

When master and servant reached the entrance, the guests had already been waiting for quite some time.

As a royal Court Mage, Austin's silver hair was groomed impeccably. Though he had travelled through the night, his black mage robe bore not a single wrinkle. His somewhat stern features further emphasized the steadiness of this sixty-year-old mage.

"Austin, High Mage of the fire element, greets Baron Allen and brings the Grand Duke's blessings from afar." Austin removed his hat and bowed, but his slightly furrowed brow revealed that he was not as respectful as his words suggested.

Allen curled his lips. Blessings from that cheap father in the Royal City? Who was he trying to fool?

When Austin saw that Allen did not immediately return the greeting, his brow furrowed even more deeply, and he gave a soft cough.

Only then did Allen remember to return the greeting. He was about to raise his right arm for a handshake, but realized that did not seem right. He hurriedly raised both hands and clasped his fists, looking like some hero greeting Brother Song with great admiration.

Austin looked completely baffled, and even the two companions behind him could not help shaking their heads.

It seemed the Kingdom's rumors were true. The Grand Duke's youngest son really was an ignorant useless fool.

Behind him, Dina poked Allen in the lower back with a thick finger.

Allen panicked. He truly knew nothing about Western aristocratic etiquette, so he could only turn awkwardly toward his personal maid.

Dina truly deserved to be called an experienced maid who professionally served nobles. She did not embarrass her master in the slightest.

She let out two hearty laughs, strode forward on her long, thick legs, and wrapped an arm around Austin's shoulders. Her two massive breasts rubbed across the old mage's face as she warmly said, "Old gee—uh, old mage, let's talk inside. A few days ago, I personally slaughtered a Shalu Beast and saved its fattest intestines. Today, I'll let you properly taste Nana's cooking."

Looking up at the muscular maid, who stood a head taller than him, Austin's face turned green.

Austin knocked the large hand from his shoulder with his staff and awkwardly said, "We have already eaten. The examination is more urgent. Baron Allen, shall we begin now?"

Every year, the Royal City sent a Court Mage from the Royal City to test the magical cultivation of royal descendants on their fiefs. This year, it happened to be Austin's turn.

A Court Mage came every year, and Baron Allen before him failed every year. Austin had no expectations whatsoever for this useless youngest son of the Grand Duke. He only wanted to finish this routine business and this farce as soon as possible, then return quickly to the comfortable Royal City.

Everything here disgusted the pampered Austin.

The impoverished living conditions, the dilapidated Old Castle, the crude maid, and the master who knew no etiquette—none of it was something this noble mage could adapt to.

Glancing at the companion to his rear right, Austin continued, "This is my young apprentice, Dick. He is a Beginner Mage of the water element. He will test Baron Allen. As long as you defeat him, Baron Allen, you will receive the title of Magic Apprentice."

Dina interrupted in confusion, "Wasn't the test supposed to measure magical power and meditation speed? Why has it become a battle?"

Austin gave no explanation.

This arrangement had merely been a spur-of-the-moment decision. According to the usual rules, magical cultivation and meditation had indeed been tested, but he did not want to waste so much time. He only wanted a legitimate excuse to teach this uncouth little Baron a lesson, even if the little Baron's father currently held immense power in the Kingdom.

But which noble did not know that the Grand Duke had long stopped caring about this useless son in such a remote place?

Unaware that he had been set up, Allen foolishly asked, "I only need to defeat your apprentice?"

Austin nodded.

Dina gave her master an encouraging look and said, "Second Young Master, do your best. If you become a Magic Apprentice, the Grand Duke will surely summon you back to the Royal City."

Allen shrugged indifferently. To be honest, he did not care whether he returned to the Royal City. Although his fief bordered the Barren Plains and was always at risk of attack by Wilderness Barbarians, at least it was far from the center of power, where no one could control him—except Dina. Oh, right, and the mysterious Old Butler in the Old Castle.

Allen became a little dejected again, because he suddenly realized that apart from him, there were only those two living people in the Old Castle, and both of them could control him.

Seeing that her master had no fighting spirit at all, Dina called out again, "Second Young Master, if you win, the Mage Association of the Holy See will issue magical research funds every month."

"How much?" Allen's eyes lit up.

"Ten Gold Coins!"

"I just need to take him down?" Allen pointed at Dick, who was also dressed in a mage robe.

The rigorous old mage Austin could no longer bear to watch. In a low but dignified voice, he said, "Watch your conduct. You are a gentleman, not a thug."

"Sorry, sorry, let me say that again!" Allen hurriedly waved his hands in explanation. "If I beat him senseless, I get ten Gold Coins every month for free, right?"

Austin: "..."

Allen cracked his knuckles and looked at the youthful Dick with ill intent.

Ten Gold Coins were enough to cover half a year of expenses for an ordinary family. As long as he beat this Magic Apprentice in front of him, Dina's monthly food expenses would at least be covered.

Looking at the nobleman before him, whose violent tendencies were obvious, Dick began to panic for no reason.