Lilianya

Low-Level Black Wizard Apprentice Yierke was very poor.

Or rather, among Low-Level Magic Apprentices, there simply were no wealthy people.

Other than the Pale Mask that piqued Saine's interest, Saine ultimately only rummaged out a low-level crystal with half its Element Power already consumed, along with more than a dozen City of Mozhsuobula's standard coins—Black Gold—that had been damaged by strong acid, from Yierke's corroded and charred corpse.

"Looks like this Old Ghost was doing quite well at the plantation. He actually had an Energy Crystal on him." Holding the orange crystal in his hand and examining it for a moment, Saine muttered softly.

Unfortunately, it was an earth-attribute crystal, not a Fire Attribute Crystal that was more compatible with Saine.

By the time Saine had finished gathering his Spoils of War, those who had heard the commotion and rushed over had also arrived one after another.

At this point, more than a dozen Black Wizard Apprentices had appeared along both sides of the road through White Crow Forest. There were neither too many nor too few Black Wizard Apprentices in the City of Mozhsuobula.

These Black Wizard Apprentices had arrived so quickly not only because the fluctuations from the advanced magic just now had been rather intense, and Yierke's death throes rather miserable.

Another reason was that White Crow Forest was relatively close to the dormitories where the apprentices lived.

With the academy's public courses not yet underway, aside from the handful of Magic Apprentices who, like Saine, risked their lives to venture out on missions.

The vast majority of Magic Apprentices spent their days meditating where they lived to accumulate magic power, or spending a certain number of Academy Points to borrow relevant Magic Books from the Public Library.

The lingering elemental ripples of advanced magic made the dozen or so Magic Apprentices who had arrived stand some distance away from Saine, pointing and whispering.

At the Black Wizard Academy, the strong were revered, and strength was supreme.

The Magic Apprentices before him were generally only Low-Level Apprentices, and some were even newcomers who had just entered the academy. Naturally, they did not dare approach Saine too closely after advanced magic ripples had just erupted around him.

Among them, only one apprentice was an exception: a female apprentice with long pale-yellow hair.

Her tall figure and gleaming leather boots gave this female apprentice an air of confidence and oppression that came rushing forth, even though she wore a black robe.

There were only a few notable figures in the Black Wizard Academy, and Saine had happened to hear of the female apprentice before him.

Advanced Magic Apprentice Lilianya, a powerful existence ranked among the top ten in strength within the academy's apprentice circle.

Like Saine, she was also a special existence who had been accepted as a disciple by a Formal Black Wizard.

The only difference was that Lilianya's mentor also bore the title of Vice Dean.

"Oh? Why is the Strong Acid Scepter made by Lord Moxidu in your hands?" Lilianya, who had arrived at the scene, ignored the charred corpse and walked straight up to Saine to ask.

Lilianya was much older than Saine, and with her tall stature, she was actually half a head taller than Saine at present.

Facing this Advanced Apprentice's question, Saine put away the Magic Short Staff in his hand and answered respectfully, "I have already been accepted as Lord Moxidu's disciple. This is a gift personally bestowed upon me by my master."

Lilianya was clearly not on the same level as Yierke, whom Saine had just killed.

Facing the question of an apprentice this powerful and well-connected, Saine did not dare slack off in the slightest.

After hearing Saine's answer, an unmistakable trace of regret surfaced on Lilianya's face.

Without question, this powerful Black Wizard Apprentice had just entertained the thought of killing him and seizing his treasure.

If this Magic Short Staff had been a mission reward Saine received from Master Moxidu, Lilianya would have felt no burden in killing Saine.

A common man committed no crime, but possessing jade made him guilty—such was the truth.

But since Saine had already been accepted as Master Moxidu's apprentice, even with Lilianya's status and position, it would not be appropriate for her to forcibly seize the short staff from Saine.

Others might not know, but Lilianya did: Master Moxidu was famed for fiercely protecting his own.

Coupled with his identity as an alchemist, even her mentor would have to treat him politely upon meeting him.

Though she could not take the short staff from Saine, Lilianya clearly had no intention of letting him off so easily.

The beauty, as venomous as a viper, gave a soft laugh and said, "I'm afraid you still don't know. This low-level apprentice you just killed was highly valued by Kaisersen Master, who oversees the plantation."

"Although they had not yet formally established a master-disciple relationship, it was only a matter of time before Kaisersen Master accepted him as an apprentice. Even that low-level magic mask in your hand was a gift from Kaisersen Master."

Lilianya chuckled.

Lilianya's soft laughter made Saine's previously calm face turn extremely grim.

To provoke a powerful Formal Black Wizard for no reason in the City of Mozhsuobula was no different from a calamity falling from the sky.

The only thing that let Saine breathe a little easier was that he had also formally become Lord Moxidu's disciple.

He could only hope that Master Moxidu would help Saine withstand the pressure from Kaisersen Master of the plantation.

But even so, being remembered and regarded as an enemy by a Black Magician still made Saine feel as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

Every change in Saine's expression was taken in by Lilianya.

Since there was no other benefit to gain, the woman had no interest in staying any longer.

"Thud, thud, thud!" Her leather boots gradually receded into the distance.

Not one of the low-level apprentices gathered nearby dared block her path.

Although Lilianya had left, that did not mean Saine's troubles were over.

Black Magicians did not mind apprentices fighting fiercely among themselves, but killing someone within the academy still brought a certain amount of trouble.

A half-meter-tall owl with jet-black wings descended from the sky. Judging solely by its elemental aura and pressure, it was actually several degrees more formidable than Advanced Apprentice Lilianya had been.

This was an Overseer that maintained order in the academy. Only after a fatal incident occurred would these owls circling high above the academy descend to deal with the situation.

"Apprentice! You have violated the seventeenth regulation of the City of Mozhsuobula Black Magic Academy. According to the requirements of Dean Dadalong Master..." A shrill and strange voice emerged from the owl's mouth.

But before the owl could finish that long-winded speech, Saine had already taken the token Master Moxidu had given him from his robes—the Magic Medal.

The appearance of the Magic Medal brought the owl Overseer's shrill voice to an abrupt halt.

Those so-called academy rules had, in the end, been established by the Formal Black Wizards.

As the disciple of a Great Black Magician, Saine had killed another low-level apprentice with no significant backing. These Academy Supervisors had no desire to meddle in such affairs.

Not to mention that Saine then added, "In this sudden incident, I was acting in legitimate self-defense, because he attacked first."