Sharing Their Pasts

The different-colored glimmers emerging on the Crystal Ball marked the elemental affinities Saine possessed.

The fiery red was especially distinct, signifying that Saine possessed considerable talent for Fire Element affinity.

No less prominent than the fiery red were the white representing the Light Element and the black representing the Dark Element.

Beyond that, there were also many other mixed colors, such as the cyan of Wind Attribute, the green of Plant Attribute, and the blue of Water Attribute.

This meant that Saine could also learn and master magic from these other schools, though he might not take to them as quickly as he did Fire Element magic.

In the Public Library of the Black Wizard Academy, Saine had not found any Light Element or Dark Element magic suitable for his available points.

Magic from those two schools seemed relatively rare.

His girlfriend Lina possessed a certain degree of knowledge about the Dark Element, but Saine's energy was limited. In recent years, he had mainly studied Fire Element knowledge, so he had not greedily ventured into the field of the Dark Element.

Furthermore, the Mental Strength and magical power of a low-level apprentice also constrained Saine's ambitions to cast more magic.

Only after reaching the Intermediate Apprentice level, or even Advanced Apprentice and beyond, would he have the ability to master more magic and explore knowledge from more disciplines.

After leaving the Public Library, Saine continued living his routine life between two points and one line.

His injuries gradually recovered during this time. In particular, after his mentor Moxidu found time to cast two more Flesh Regeneration spells on him, Saine's recovery accelerated.

It was not until the Grade Assessment drew near that Saine's busy yet fulfilling life gradually slowed somewhat.

The Black Wizard Academy held Grade Assessments every year, but not every apprentice took part.

From Entry-Level Apprentice to Advanced Apprentice, each of the four ranks had its own corresponding assessment. Only the cream of the crop in each field would participate and stand out, perhaps even entering the sight of the Formal Magicians.

Over the past ten years, Saine had participated in six Grade Assessments. His best result had been sixth place among the Low-Level Apprentices last year.

Yet in the annual Grade Assessments, only the top three of each rank could receive an academy reward.

Apprentices with other rankings merely gained a sense of participation, while even having to bear a certain risk of injury.

Unlike Saine, whose highest placement had only been sixth, Lina had entered the top three twice over the past eight years.

If entering the top three once could be attributed to luck, then doing so twice could only be explained by strength.

Lina's reputation for being a "genius" and a "madwoman" had, in truth, been earned through those Grade Assessments.

As the Grade Assessment drew ever closer, Saine finally saw Lina again.

Ever since being accepted as Master Feilunna's disciple, Lina had rarely returned to their little nest.

According to Lina, she had recently been assisting Master Feilunna with a certain experiment. Her Dark Magic inheritance had also been put on the agenda, so she had been very busy lately.

After the two exchanged news of their recent circumstances, they went to bed.

Lina, whose height and appearance had been fixed in the form of a little girl due to a magic experiment accident, looked especially petite at this moment.

Saine did not immediately do anything. Instead, he gently held her hand and began telling her some stories about himself.

"My name is Saine, though my full name should be Saine Grant."

"I am a noble, but I have no clear recollection of what title my father held. I was still too young when I came to the Underdark."

"I remember that my Mother had long pale silver hair and sapphire-like eyes. In my memories, she always wore white dresses."

"My appearance may have inherited more from my father. Unfortunately, I can no longer remember what he looked like. I only remember that, like me, he had short golden hair and seemed rather stern."

Saine chattered on to Lina about his past. Though they were only a few fragments of memory buried deepest in his mind, he had somehow unearthed quite a lot from them.

For instance, he mentioned how he always recalled an emerald green wheat field, and scenes of himself running and playing with his Mother among the wheat.

More than once, Saine had jolted awake from his dreams. His gentle, beautiful Mother would fade away before his eyes, leaving only a jet-black ceiling imprinted in his sight.

Unlike his vague impression of his father, more fragments in Saine's memories were of being with his Mother.

This might have been because, before Saine was six, his Mother had spent more time by his side. Since his father was a noble, he would naturally have been rather busy.

As Saine recounted his childhood past, Lina leaned against him and listened quietly.

Only when Saine could no longer recall any fragments from his childhood did Lina slowly begin to speak of herself.

"My name is Lina," Lina said.

She repeated her name without mentioning any surname, indicating that she was likely a commoner.

"Over the twenty-seven years since I came to the Underdark, I have forgotten everything about my childhood."

"I only remember that it was a rather desolate little village. Then my mentor took me away and named me Lina."

"My mentor once told me that the village where I was located had been struck by famine. She was not only my mentor, but also my lifesaver," Lina said.

The mentor she spoke of was her previous mentor—the Black Magician who had died in an accident during a magic experiment.

There truly was not much to say about Lina's childhood and origins.

However, through Lina's subsequent account, Saine gained some understanding of her circumstances when she had first arrived in the Underdark, as well as her previous mentor.

When Lina had chosen Saine as her experimental assistant and little servant eight years ago, her previous mentor had just passed away.

Perhaps she had not been accustomed to living alone, so she had chosen the rather pleasing and adorable Saine at the time.

Learning more detailed information about Lina's background and secrets completely erased the last remaining barrier between Saine and Lina.

After hearing Lina finish telling him some things about her past, Saine pondered for a long time before finally asking the question he most wanted answered.

"How old are you this year?" Saine asked.

He had not truly regarded Lina as a little girl merely because she looked like one.

Especially since Lina had just said that she had come to the Underdark twenty-seven years ago. That meant she was at least ten years older than Saine.

Faced with Saine's question, Lina lowered her head and eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

Perhaps it was simply her nature. Lina was not someone who liked to beat around the bush. After only a moment, she answered, "I am thirty-two this year."

Lina and Saine had become intimate two years ago, which meant that Lina had just turned thirty at the time.

After hearing Lina's answer, Saine let out a deep sigh of relief.

He did not know why he felt relieved. Even if Lina had told him she was forty or fifty, Saine would still have chosen to accept her.

Yet upon hearing that she was only thirty-two this year, Saine still felt relieved.

By then, the two had thoroughly laid all their secrets bare before each other.

Although the Magic Crystal Lamp in the room had already gone out, Saine and Lina could still see each other clearly with their above-average Mental Strength.

Looking at Lina's cold yet petite face, Saine could not help moving closer to her.

Lina seemed to sense something as well. She too let out a soft breath, and this "madwoman" in the eyes of outsiders took the initiative to move closer.

"Y-you... be gentle," Lina said, her small hands gripping Saine.

Thus, the night passed without further words.